BACK IN THE OFFICE,

Langdon looks at the key, and its odd shape. Looks down at the

monitor, the same odd shape where its switch should be.

124.

IN LANGDON'S MIND,

they're back in the Pope's office, but Rocher is alive, and saying

words he said earlier:

ROCHER

The Holy Father was subject to

seizures... but he took steps.

BACK IN THE OFFICE,

Rocher's voice continues over, but Langdon mouths the words as he

remembers them:

ROCHER'S VOICE (O.S.)

"MADE SURE HE WAS WATCHED."

IN LANGDON'S MIND,

Rocher is back in the office again, finishing his sentence:

ROCHER

For safety.

IN ROCHER'S OFFICE,

Langdon holds the key up, repeating those last words:

LANGDON

For safety.

He lowers the key to the monitor, extending it toward the keyhole

-- and it's a perfect fit. He twists it.

And with a ZZZZT of power, the monitor winks to life. An image

comes into focus.

VITTORIA

Where's that?

LANGDON

That...is the papal office.

On the monitor,

they are indeed looking at an image of the Pope's office. There

are two dead bodies on the floor, covered with sheets, and VATICAN

POLICE are photographing everything. Must be live.

IN ROCHER'S OFFICE,

Langdon's figuring it out.

125.

LANGDON

The Pope spent a lot of time in

contemplation, alone. If he was

worried about seizures, he must have

asked Rocher to install a camera

without telling anyone. To keep an

eye on him. For safety. And

maybe --

He reaches down to the screen, toward a touch panel at the bottom.

You don't have to be a symbologist to understand these symbols-

play, pause, fast forward.

And rewind. Langdon touches it.

ON THE MONITOR,

the image ZIPS backwards, rapidly, to the shooting, and the all

the way back to when Rocher and the Camerlengo were alone

together. Rocher stands just behind him, the Camerlengo still

kneels before the fireplace.

As the image starts to play forward, in real time, we go in close

on the monitor and come out --

INT POPE'S OFFICE NIGHT

-- in the papal office, to watch the scene in person.

CAMERLENGO

The scientist kept journals? So?

ROCHER

You figure prominently in them.

The Camerlengo turns his eyes back to the flames, stirring the

embers with a poker.

CAMERLENGO

Really.

ROCHER

Leonardo wasn't just a physicist, he

was a Catholic priest. Deeply

conflicted about the implications of

his work and in need of spiritual

guidance. About a month ago, he

requested an audience with the Pope.

But you'd know that, because you

granted the audience, and were present

during it.

The Camerlengo twists the poker in the fire. Speaks softly.

126.

CAMERLENGO

The fool thought he had duplicated the

moment of creation.

ROCHER

And the Holy Father urged him to go

public. His Holiness thought the

discovery might actually prove the

existence of a divine power -- begin

to bridge the gap between religion and

science.

CAMERLENGO

Science. The new God. Ignore the

weapons and chaos and madness.

The Camerlengo looks up at him, and his expression is different

than we've ever seen it. Contemptuous. Angry. Violent.

CAMERLENGO (cont'd)

His work was not religious, it was

sacrilegious!

ROCHER

But you saw the Pope's position as a

softening of church law. An old

man's weakness. Your father's

weakness.

CAMERLENGO

He raised me to protect the church.

Even from within.

ROCHER

So you brought an old enemy back from

the dead to frighten people.

CAMERLENGO

Nothing unites hearts like the

presence of evil.

ROCHER

It didn't work, Father.

CAMERLENGO

It isn't finished.

ROCHER

I've informed Father Simeon of what I

learned and he'll get word to the

Cardinals the moment conclave opens.

The Camerlengo looks at him calmly for a moment --

127.

CAMERLENGO

I was planning on doing this alone.

-- and then removes the poker from the fire. But it isn't a

poker, it's a long-handled brand, with a cross of some kind at the

end.

Rocher pulls his gun, holds it at his side.

ROCHER

Put that down.

The Camerlengo rips open his cassock with his free hand.

CAMERLENGO

But perhaps it's better that you're

here.

ROCHER

(raising the gun)

Put it down!

But the Camerlengo RAMS the red-hot brand into the exposed flesh

of his bare chest. His skin SIZZLES and smokes, Rocher SHOUTS,

the Camerlengo SCREAMS in agony, and we know the rest --

-- the door bursts open, Swiss Guard pour in, Rocher is shot,

Father Simeon races toward the Camerlengo --

FR. SIMEON

You bastard! You sanctimonious-

-- and the Camerlengo rolls over, pointing one long finger at

Father Simeon and CRYING OUT:

CAMERLENGO

ILLUMINATUS!

As we saw before, Lt. Chartrand FIRES THREE TIMES, killing Father

Simeon in his tracks, we pull back, the image turns to --

INT ROCHER'S OFFICE NIGHT

-- video again, and as we complete the move out from the monitor,

we see it isn't Langdon and Vittoria watching the image this time --

--- but Cardinal Mortati, flanked by two other red-robed Cardinals

and a half-dozen Swiss Guardsman.

Langdon and Vittoria stand to one side as Mortati turns and looks

at them. Suddenly, he seems very, very old.

CUT TO:

128.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 720