Flash Gordon Page #14

Season #8

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FLASH hears the low buzzing and popping of CRACKLING ELECTRICITY coming from somewhere down the gloomy corridor.

FLASH:

Hear that? The same sound I heard on that screen. We’re close! Come on!

FLASH and THUN race down the dark hallway.

WHIPE TO:

INT. HALLWAY – MINGO PALACE – DAY

PRINCESS AURA is escorted down a hallway by two AMAZONIAN FRIGIAN WARRIORS.

They come to a hatchway.

FRIGIAN WARRIOR #1:

Our rocket sled is in this hangar, your highness. From here we will escort you unto the kingdom of Frigia.

FRIGIAN WARRIOR #1 turns her back on AURA to press in a code to the HATCH. When she does, AURA pulls out a dagger from the folds of her gown and whirls around, SLICING the throat of FRIGIAN WARRIOR #2 standing behind her. In a cascading gush of blood, FRIGIAN WARRIOR #2 gags and, grasping her throat, slumps to the floor.

FRIGIAN WARRIOR #2 spins around and pulls out a bowie-knife-like blade.

Suddenly, FRIGIAN WARRIOR #1 leaps, her blade jabbing savagely outward, but AURA easily evades it, moving away. They begin to circle. AURA jabs out, her knife slashing. She throws the amazon back, but not before FRIGIAN WARRIOR #1’s feet strike out, sending AURA to the floor. The amazon leaps onto her.

Suddenly, AURA, with lightning swiftness, pushes the FRIGIAN WARRIOR up and over. She is on top of her in a flash.

After a violent and bloody scuffle, AURA pins the FRIGIAN WARRIOR #1 on the floor. AURA straddles her, spits in her face, and then rams her blade to the hilt into the chin of the amazon, penetrating her brain.

AURA stands up, panting like a feral animal. She glances to make certain the way is clear and stealthily slinks down the long hall toward a flight of stairs.

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH and THUN sprint down a small hallway of black stone. They come upon an arched entrance covered by a red, velvet curtain. FLASH peers through it.

INT. LOWER LEVELS – MINGO CITY

Amid the flashing of arcing electricity, FLASH sees the HIGH PRIEST directly in front of him, arms outstretched, and mumbling incoherently with religious fervor. On the opposite side of the shrine sits DALE enveloped in strobing rings of light as TORGO stands manning a control console.

ANGLE:
The stone STATUE of TAO MOVES! It bends down toward the HIGH PRIEST. The HIGH PRIEST opens his eyes and shrieks in horror.

HIGH PRIEST:

The great god Tao is displeased!

The HIGH PRIEST moves out of the toppling statue’s path just in time as the statue falls over and shatters onto the stone floor! TORGO reacts as he sees FLASH and THUN emerge from behind the altar.

TORGO:

How dare you interrupt this Holy Ceremony!

FLASH leaps at TORGO and punches the large man in the cowled jaw. TORGO hardly reacts and punches FLASH back. FLASH felt it. They fight about the temple, knocking over vases and machinery.

FLASH grabs a sword off a monument and cuts TORGO down.

During the brief skirmish, the HIGH PRIEST slinks over to a lever in the wall, pulls it, and a trap door opens. He enters with the trap door closing behind him.

FLASH, disgusted at just killing a man in cold blood, tosses the sword away and runs to DALE. She sits on the chair, wide-eyed as if in a trance.

FLASH:

Dale! Dale? Are you all right? What did they do to you?

THUN:

Earthman, we must leave! This place will be overridden by Ming’s men at any second!

FLASH rapidly unfastens the straps holding DALE in the chair. He grabs her and carries her in his arms.

FLASH:

Lead the way, Thun!

THUN and FLASH, with DALE, race out of the room.

INT. THRONE ROOM – MINGO CITY

MING sits on his throne as the HIGH PRIEST – winded and under stress – bursts in. He stops at the base of the steps leading to the throne.

HIGH PRIEST:

Your majesty! Your marriage cannot commence! A blasphemous act has occurred! The blonde savage burst into the temple and destroyed the shrine to the scared Tao!

MING:

What?!

CAPTAIN MALO stands at the monitor at a control panel. He sees THUN and FLASH who is carrying DALE approach a large and locked doorway. THUN aims the ray rifle at the door and fires. The door slides open. They enter. CAPTAIN MALO turns to MING.

CAPTAIN MALO:

I have located them, your majesty. The earthman is being aided by Prince Thun. They have the earth girl with them.

(cont’d)

They’ve entered the catacombs leading to the underground water tanks.

MING:

(furious)

See to it they are flushed into the cistern! Notify King Kala to apprehend them! Bring me Zarkov at once! Obey my orders!

Minions scurry.

INT. CATACOMBS – MINGO CITY

Carrying DALE in both arms, FLASH, followed by THUN, race down a long and curving staircase. The stone is wet and we can see dripping pipes and water conduits along the walls.

At the base of the stairs, FLASH places DALE on a stone bench. He looks around.

FLASH:

Where to now, Thun?

THUN points at one of the four open doors on either side of the landing.

THUN:

I believe this leads to the underwater cisterns. There, we can follow the pipes to the Sea of Zodan.

FLASH:

(slightly sarcastic)

Of course you have a Sea of Zodan.

THUN:

Yes. A sea located within an immense crater southwest of Mingo City. It is the domain of Killer Kala, King of the Sharkmen. (He glances at DALE) Is your friend going to be all right?

FLASH looks mourningly down at the comatose DALE.

FLASH:

I don’t know what they did –

ARMORED MAN:

Halt!

Five ARMORED MEN run out of one of the entrances. One rushes FLASH, holding his sword over his head. FLASH ducks and punches the ARMORED MAN, knocking him out.

THUN is jumped by two at a time and tackled to the ground.

FLASH grabs the sword and begins to ward off the other guard. The ARMORED MAN who is battling FLASH turns to snatch up DALE. FLASH lunges at him, driving his sword through his back.

FLASH turns to assist THUN who is clawing and wrestling with the two ARMORED MEN.

Suddenly, a group of ARMORED MEN appear at the top of the stairs. They begin their descent, swords drawn.

THUN:

Flash! Take her away! I can handle them! I’ll catch up with you!

FLASH grabs DALE, flings her over his shoulder, and races down the hall towards the city cisterns.

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

PRINCESS AURA slinks down the dark halls keeping a lookout for any approaching guards. She comes to the door THUN had blasted open. She quickly sneaks through.

INT. THRONE ROOM – MINGO CITY

ZARKOV is brought before MING by two MECHANICAL MEN.

MING:

Your valiant hero has meddled in my affairs for the last time, Zarkov. In retaliation, I...

CAPTAIN MALO, who has been watching the monitor, turns to Ming.

CAPTAIN MALO:

Your majesty! The princess Aura has followed the others into the aqua duct catacombs.

MING is livid.

MING:

Are you certain, Captain?

CAPTAIN MALO:

Without a doubt. It was her, sire!

MING:

Notify Killer Kala of the Sharkmen to make prisoners of them all! Including my daughter! If they live to reach the palace.

ZARKOV:

You’ve ordered their deaths?

MING:

No, I have not, Doctor Zarkov. In the clutches of the Sharkmen, death will not come to them so easily.

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