The Relic Page #23

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INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

Pendergast stands at the end of a cul de sac, studying the blue prints

by a stone wall. Jonathan and the dog are with him, exhausted and

terrified. Jonathan keeps an eye on the corridor behind them as

Pendergast works.

PENDERGAST:

I know where we are now. We're

getting out, Jonathan. This should

be another door.

Taking a pen knife from his pocket, Pendergast places it into the

plaster and gently twists the blade. A piece of plaster the size of a

dinner plate falls, revealing the tracings of another doorway.

Pendergast shoves the door open to reveal a dark, dusty room.

JONATHAN:

Hallelujah, Pendergast. Where the

hell are we now?

INT. "ALCOHOLIC" ROOM - NIGHT

Jonathan and Pendergast enter quickly from the hidden rear door.

Pendergast shines his beam on dusty shelves filled with specimens. All

are stored in jars of alcohol. There are fetuses of many different

species. We see a pig, a cow, a duck billed platypus as well as brain

sections, a disembodied monkey head. One rectangular glass container

holds a skinned human foot.

JONATHAN:

Jesus, what is this?

PENDERGAST:

Another storage room.

Pendergast tries the light switch to no effect.

PENDERGAST:

Something's happened. The power's

out.

They cross the room to the main door and exit. Now they're in...

INT. OSTEO PREP - LAB - NIGHT

Pendergast shines his light on the maceration tanks. The humming of

the bugs can be heard in their cabinet.

PENDERGAST:

All right. I know where we are. This

is the osteo prep lab. I was in here

earlier. We're safe now.

With these words, the dog GROWLS. Jonathan freezes and sniffs the air.

JONATHAN:

Oh no. I smell it.

PENDERGAST:

Keep the animal quiet.

Jonathan kneels by Hobbes as Pendergast listens, every nerve on end. A

sound comes from the adjacent hallway that leads to the secure storage

area. It's unmistakable HEAVY BREATHING and the creeping movement of

claws. Pendergast lifts his gun.

PENDERGAST:

Go out the other doorway. There's a

stair at the end of the hall. Up

five flights is a corridor that

leads to the Hall of the Heavens.

Find Lieutenant D'Agosta. Bring

help.

Jonathan doesn't have to be told twice. He takes the dog and exits

from the other side of the lab leaving Pendergast alone. Pendergast

waits a moment until Jonathan's safely out of sight. He switches off

his flashlight, backs up slowly, step by step. He opens the door to

the alcoholics storage. As he slips inside a DARK SHAPE appears.

INT. "ALCOHOLICS" STORAGE - NIGHT

Slowly, making no sound, Pendergast lifts the .45 Anaconda, passes his

finger over the cylinder, checking the loaded chambers. Then he

steadies the revolver and levels it at the door. The hideous pickled

specimens seem to hover all around him. The smell is overwhelming and

the snuffling is louder now.

It's coming closer. After a long moment there is a faint bump at the

door. This is followed by a low scratching noise... Pendergast watches

frozen in horror, holding his breath.

THE DOORKNOB BEGINS TO TURN! Not knowing what else to do, Pendergast

simply grabs it from the inside and holds on!

OUTSIDE he hears an AMUSED SNORT, then a LOW GROWL. There's ONE HARD

HIT and the door shivers. THE DOORKNOB FALLS OFF! It's over now.

Pendergast kneels down, bracing the gun in both hands. From this

position he can see right through the hole where the doorknob fell.

His mouth literally drops in astonishment as he sees...

a HUGE, red-rimmed, GREEN EYE!

Involuntarily Pendergast LEAPS BACK, nearly falls and drops the gun!

Beakers crash around him. He scrambles in the darkness. The flashlight

falls and pops back on. The beam streaks up crazily. It's chaos.

Pendergast is an easy target now. He grabs for the light, the gun,

steadies himself, breathing fast and low. His heart pounds. But

nothing more happens. The silence is heavy. The eye is gone. And

suddenly Pendergast understands.

In the distance he can hear HUMAN VOICES and a rolling wheelchair!

Somewhere nearby are MARGO AND FROCK! The monster has left him to get

bigger game. Fear for Margo and Frock lights Pendergast's eyes. All

panic and disorganization are gone. He holds his revolver at 12

o'clock and KICKS the door open, leaps out as

A HUGE DARK SHAPE DARTS FROM THE ROOM. It's headed for the secure

storage areas again! Pendergast takes off. Not knowing how else to

address this thing he finds himself calling...

PENDERGAST:

Halt!

INT. SECURE STORAGE HALLWAY - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Pendergast runs into the hallway but he's already too late. The

hulking shape of the quadruped is moving at incredible speed.

ON PENDERGAST... as he levels his gun and shoots.

THE CREATURE... stops, rears back on its haunches, looks once at

Pendergast, pissed. As the VOICES around the far corner fall silent,

Pendergast FIRES. The shot blasts off a piece of the wall.

With astonishing speed and agility for its bulk, the beast turns and

leaps around the corner, passing out of Pendergast's sight.

PENDERGAST:

Margo! Frock! It's coming! Run!

AROUND THE CORNER...

Are MARGO AND FROCK... Frock holds the keys to secure storage area 1012

in his hand. Margo has the flashlight and the crate with the fibers.

They can hear the sound of thundering movement.

FROCK:

Look!

Margo points her light in the distance and illuminates the beast! It's

descending like a freight train. One split second of sheer amazement,

then...

MARGO:

Dr. Frock! Quick!

Frock, immobilized in his wheel chair, stares at the monster, like a

trapped rabbit looking at a descending hawk. Margo grabs his keys from

him, fumbles desperately to open the door. It swings wide at last. She

grabs the handles of the wheelchair, tugs with all her might. The

wheels bump into the door frame but somehow she wrestles the damn

thing inside.

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