Sherlock Holmes Page #27

BLACKWOOD:

They're limitless -- even death

holds no sway.

STANDISH:

Help me stop him before it's too

late.

Nobody moves. Blackwood smiles -- he's won.

(CONTINUED)

71A.

83 CONTINUED:
(2) 83

In desperation, Standish pulls a gun. But as he aims it

at Blackwood -

BLACKWOOD:

I wouldn't do that.

-- he IGNITES, combusting with an impossible BLAST OF

BLINDING HOT FLAMES!

The men in the room reel backwards, shocked, terrified.

Flames consuming him, Standish flails, crashing through a

window out to --

83A EXT. LONDON STREET - NIGHT 83A

The fireball plummets through the sky, lighting city

blocks. People look up, gape, and --

WHOOMPF! Standish lands on the roof of a carriage.

Horses and carriages SCREECH to a stop.

The flames flicker blinding white, as his body contorts,

melting away. People scream, gasp, faint, cross

themselves, as they witness this unnatural act.

83B 83B

INT. TEMPLE OF FOUR ORDERS HEADQUARTERS

Blackwood turns away from the window, surveys them. They

are terrified, but they are with him.

(CONTINUED)

72.

83B CONTINUED:
83B

Blackwood turns to Coward, nods.

Coward produces a brimming silver chalice.

BLACKWOOD:

Come, drink your allegiance here.

The members line up to drink from a CHALICE. It doesn't

taste good, but it tastes like power. As they drink,

Blackwood leans close to Coward:

(CONTINUED)

73.

83B CONTINUED:
(2) 83B

BLACKWOOD:

You control the police. Use them.

Coward nods.

84 EXT. QUEENSHITHE SLAUGHTERHOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT 84

An industrial area on a bend of the Thames. Work doesn't

stop when the sun goes down. Wharves stretch out into

the water. WE SEE a boat is being loaded. We PULL BACK

FROM the scene and look ACROSS the water.

Just above the thump of industry we can hear a

distinctive and irregular CHUGGING sound. Slowly a

decrepit and eccentric little steam launch chugs INTO

VIEW. Holmes is on the deck along with a much older man

in a sailor's hat -- CAPTAIN TANNER.

HOLMES:

Everything all right, Captain

Tanner?

Captain Tanner has few teeth and a large white beard.

TANNER:

Just a little leak, nothing to

worry about.

Watson is busy with a bucket clearing the boat of a very

serious leak. He's soaked, and furious.

TANNER:

Not a great one for the water, are

you, doctor? Army type, aren't

you? You wouldn't have lasted

long in the Navy.

Watson glares. Holmes scans the banks with a telescope.

He sees a jetty with a few shadows shifting on it. The

engine shudders off, the boat drifts. Tanner whispers:

TANNER:

That's as far as we can go.

Holmes starts clambering over the side. Watson's pissed.

WATSON:

There must be fifty yards of mud

out there.

Holmes' head is just visible before he drops over the

prow. He whispers at Tanner.

(CONTINUED)

74.

84 CONTINUED:
84

HOLMES:

Pull in at Vauxhall. Send for the

police when you get there.

Tanner nods. A soft "splosh" as Holmes disappears.

Watson carefully leaves his valued possessions behind,

watch, etc. He lays down his wallet and looks at Tanner.

WATSON:

I know precisely how much money is

in there.

TANNER:

(taking the piss)

I am sure you do, doctor.

Watson glares, goes over the side, with his walking

stick.

85 85

OMITTED:

86 EXT. QUEENSHITHE SLAUGHTERHOUSE 86

Holmes and Watson emerge out of the shallows, covered in

mud. Holmes doesn't seem bothered. Watson does.

They look up and see a jetty that heads out into the

river. Two shadowy THUGS guard the dock, while more

THUGS are loading the boat with something.

Holmes and Watson scuttle forward, towards the entrance,

where two more THUGS patrol. Watson pulls out Holmes'

GUN.

HOLMES:

What are you doing with my gun?

WATSON:

Oh, please.

HOLMES:

It was an honest mistake --

WATSON:

There was nothing honest about it.

Holmes looks back at Watson, takes the gun, says nothing,

the closest he'll come to a confession. Watson steps

forward.

WATSON:

Come on, let's get this over with.

(CONTINUED)

75.

86 CONTINUED:
86

They look out at the thugs guarding the door. Holmes

whispers, trying to figure out the best strategy.

HOLMES:

The one on the left seems more

attentive, might prove easily

distracted. The big one's been

drinking -- whether for courage or

from habit... Watson?

Watson has already left. He simply walks up to the door

and whacks the larger man in the face with the gun --

before dispatching the other with a backhand pistol-whip.

Holmes follows, notices that both men have hip flasks.

He picks one up, takes a whiff, and pockets it as he

follows Watson. He slows, sensing something behind him.

He turns, looks at shadows. Nothing. And he enters --

Rate this script:3.5 / 2 votes