The Dark Knight Rises Page #32

FREQUENCIES -

CAPTAIN JONES:

We have no choice. Let's move away

from this location, then call it

in.

124.

INT. TELLSONS BANK - MOMENTS LATER

Captain Jones exits the elevator, followed by his men and

Blake. Halfway across the floor, hell breaks loose.

Mercenaries blast them with machine guns - the lobby becomes

a devastating ambush. Blake dives back into the elevator.

INT. OFFICES ABOVE TELLSONS - CONTINUOUS

Blake flies out of the elevator.

BLAKE:

Fox, somebody sold us out!

Fox and Miranda burst into the corridor.

FOX:

Take Miranda -

Blake grabs Miranda, heads for the back stairs. Mercenaries

jump out of the elevator, firing high.

MERCERNARY:

DOWN ON THE FLOOR!

Fox freezes. Lowers himself to the ground.

INT. TELLSONS BANK - CONTINUOUS

Captain Jones goes down in a hail of bullets. The other

Special Forces Men are down. Bane enters, midges Jones with

his toe. He is alive. Barely. Bane leans in close. Jones

looks up at him, defiant.

CAPTAIN JONES:

I'll die before I talk...

BANE:

I'm on your schedule, Captain.

Bane places his hand over Jones's nose and mouth.

MERCERNARY:

There were people living upstairs.

Bane looks up, disinterested. Jones is dead.

BANE:

Give them over for judgement.

(Indicates bodies.) Hang them where

the world will see.

125.

INT. STONE CELL, UNDERGROUND PRISON - DAY

Wayne stares at the TV: the Special Forces bodies hang in

the cables of Gotham Bridge. Wayne throws a stone into the

screen.

INT. SAME - LATER

Wayne does endless push-ups, squats, stretches. The Blind

Prisoner listens. He speaks in an ancient tongue.

PRISONER:

He says the leap to freedom is not

about strength.

WAYNE:

My body makes the jump.

BLIND PRISONER:

(CRACKED ENGLISH)

Survival is the spirit. The soul.

WAYNE:

My soul's as ready to escape as my

body.

BLIND PRISONER:

Fear is why you fail.

WAYNE:

I'm not afraid. I'm angry.

Wayne throws punches...focused.

INT. UNDERGROUND PRISON - DAY

Wayne takes the rope at the foot of the climb. Prisoners

look up, but none bother to gather round. Wayne starts

climbing, determined.

He FIGHTS the rock face...breathing hard. Grabs at a rock -

it comes away in his hand. He DROPS - SMASHES into the rock

face. The Blind Prisoner shakes his head.

A Skinny Prisoner playing cards with the Prisoner looks up

at Wayne, hanging upside down.

SKINNY PRISONER:

Shouldn't you get him down?

The Prisoner glances up at Wayne, disdainful.

126.

PRISONER:

He'll keep.

As Wayne drifts into unconsciousness we -

INSERT CUT:
Young Bruce lies at the bottom of the well,

looking up at his father, lowering down to rescue him.

THOMAS WAYNE (V.O.)

And why do we fall?

INT. CAVE PRISON - NIGHT

Wayne wakes with a start - the Blind Prisoner is there.

BLIND PRISONER:

(CRACKED ENGLISH)

You do not fear death. You think

this makes you strong. This makes

you weak.

WAYNE:

Why?

BLIND PRISONER:

How can you move faster then

possible? Fight longer than

possible? If not from the most

powerful impulse of the spirit. The

fear of death. The will to survive.

Wayne gets up onto his elbow. Looks at the Blind Prisoner.

WAYNE:

I do fear death. I fear dying in

here while my city burns with no

one there to save it.

BLIND PRISONER:

Then make the climb.

WAYNE:

How?

BLIND PRISONER:

As the child did. Without the rope.

(Dry laugh.) Then fear will find

you again.

Wayne considers this.

127.

INT. CAVE PRISON - MORNING

Wayne puts some scraps of bread into a rough coat which he

folds into a makeshift shoulder pack.

PRISONER:

Supplies for your journey?

Prisoners nearby laugh. Wayne moves to the cliff face. The

Prisoner follows, intrigued by Wayne's new demeanor. The

Tattooed Prisoner offers him the rope. Wayne refuses. Starts

to climb. Prisoners gather around as word spreads. Wayne

makes his way cautiously up the treacherous rock face. Down

below the Prisoners start a low chant.

As Wayne hoists himself up onto the precipice something

EXPLODES from the cliff face. Wayne flinches - BATS... They

circle up to the opening above...

Wayne closes his eyes. The chant RISES. Wayne takes a

breath...opens his eyes...looks down at the drop...up

again...then he jumps.

Time skips a beat as the Prisoners stop breathing.

And Wayne GRABS the ledge above.

The Prisoners go WILD as Wayne hoists himself up onto the

ledge. The Blind Prisoner nods. Wayne climbs to FREEDOM.

EXT. CAVE PRISON, NEAR A FORTRESS - CONTINUOUS

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