EXT IN THE SKY NIGHT

The Camerlengo CRUNCHES off the side of another building and

drifts downward, fast, toward the crowd in St. Peter's.

His unconscious form SMASHES through a dozen people before SLAMMING

to the ground at one edge of the square.

AND IN THE SKY ABOVE,

the blast suddenly turns inward on itself, the heat and light and

sound all seeming to suck back up into a perfect horizontal line,

which then collapses in from the sides, until once again it is

just a speck of white hot light --

-- that disappears into the night.

EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE NIGHT

The only sound that remains in the square is a soft night wind.

The wounded pick themselves up off the ground.

The crowd, realizing the blast is over, turns its attention to the

body of the Camerlengo, on the far side of the square.

Langdon and Vittoria try to make their way toward him, but the

crowd surges past them, and we soar over the heads of the crowd,

wanting to get there first, wanting to be the first ones to see

--- his eyes open. He's alive.

WIDE ON THE SQUARE AS

a great CHEER rises up from the crowd.

CUT TO:

INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT

The CHEERS from outside are clearly audible in the Sistine Chapel,

where the doors have been thrown open and they have gotten the

news. Jubilation reigns.

A SWISS GUARDSMAN runs in, finds Cardinal Mortati.

120.

SWISS GUARDSMAN

Signore Mortati, he is alive! The

Camerlengo is alive!

MORTATI

Praise God.

But he looks around him -- the Cardinals have split into small

groups, they're discussing something with great animation amongst

themselves.

Mortati watches, doesn't like what he's seeing.

CUT TO:

INT OFFICE OF THE SWISS GUARD NIGHT

Langdon and Vittoria, on a bench in the office of the Swiss Guard,

are having superficial wounds treated. The buzz in the office is

intense, just as excited as in the square and the Sistine Chapel.

Langdon looks over at Vittoria.

LANGDON

Are you okay?

She looks back at him, nods. Smiles. He reaches over, interlaces

his fingers with hers, and takes her hand.

LANGDON (cont'd)

Thank God.

She smiles, turns his hand, noticing the glass on his wristwatch

is broken. He notices, seems distressed.

VITTORIA

Do we have time for that story now?

LANGDON

Do I have someone to tell it to?

She smiles and kisses the back of his hand -- yes. A ROAR

comes from outside and we see --

EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE NIGHT

-- the crowd in St. Peter's Square, in rapture. There is SINGING,

there's CHANTING of the Camerlengo's name. It's exactly

midnight.

121.

INT SISTINE CHAPEL NIGHT

In the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Mortati is in hushed, urgent

conversation with a group of seven or eight Cardinals.

MORTATI

Signores... you are no doubt aware

that by Holy Law the man is ineligible

for election to the papacy. He is

not a cardinal, he is a priest, a

chamberlain. And there is the

matter of his inadequate age. I'm

sorry, the protocols of conclave are

not subject to modification. I will

not call a ballot on this matter.

The African Cardinal who cast his vote earlier speaks up.

AFRICAN CARDINAL

But Signore, you would not call the

ballot. Surely you remember -- you

gave up your post as Great Elector.

Mortati looks at him. Boxed into a corner.

Outside, the crowd in St. Peter's can be heard, singing joyously.

A SECOND CARDINAL steps forward.

SECOND CARDINAL

They are singing in St. Peter's

Square! What happened here tonight

transcends our laws!

MORTATI

Does it? Is it God's will that we

abandon reason and give ourselves over

to frenzy? Discard the rules of the

church?

A THIRD CARDINAL now, a peacemaker:

THIRD CARDINAL

Perhaps they need not be discarded.

They all look at him.

THIRD CARDINAL (cont'd)

I am thinking now of Romano Pontifici

Eligendo, Numero 63.

Most of the Cardinals look puzzled -- but Mortati's face darkens.

122.

THIRD CARDINAL (cont'd)

Balloting is not the only method by

which a Pope can be elected. There

is another, more divine method.

MORTATI

"Acclimation by Adoration."

THIRD CARDINAL

Si, signore!

The Second Cardinal sparks to this idea.

SECOND CARDINAL

Of course!

(answering those around

him who look confused)

Election by Adoration occurs when

all the cardinals, as if by

inspiration of the Holy Spirit,

freely and spontaneously,

unanimously and aloud, proclaim one

individual's name.

THIRD CARDINAL

And the law states that Adoration

supersedes all other eligibility

requirements. The candidate need

only be an ordained member of the

clergy.

(DRAMATICALLY)

BUT!

(they listen)

He must be present in the Sistine

Chapel at the moment of election.

Many cries now of "Bring the Camerlengo to us!"

Mortati looks deeply troubled.

CUT TO:

INT ROCHER'S OFFICE NIGHT

Bandaged now, Langdon and Vittoria are ushered into Rocher's

office by a Swiss Guardsman.

SWISS GUARDSMAN

Please wait here while we arrange your

transportation. May I get you

anything?

123.

They shake their heads, no thanks. Settle into chairs to the

side of Rocher's desk.

They look uncomfortable -- it's weird to be in a dead man's

office.

Vittoria looks at his desk. Thinks of something.

She gets up and goes to it, running her hand lightly over it.

LANGDON

What are you doing?

VITTORIA

Leonardo's journals. I want them

back.

She feels in the surface of the desk and finds the square outline

of the inlaid panel where Rocher hid the journals. She tries

prying it open, but that doesn't work, she tries pushing down on

the front of it --

-- and the panel slowly rotates open. The journals, which were

laid on top of the television monitor, slide out and onto the

desk.

Vittoria scoops them up and is about to close the panel again

when --

LANGDON

Wait a minute.

He looks down at the monitor. Thinking.

At its odd, key-shaped on/off switch.

He pulls something from his pocket -- the key Rocher gave him,

just as he died.

IN LANGDON'S MIND,

he sees Rocher's face, looking up at him, dying:

ROCHER

For safety.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 747