The Relic Page #29

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INT. PLANETARIUM - NIGHT

D'Agosta turns to his group.

D'AGOSTA

Step back!

D'Agosta, Frank and Kawakita aim their guns at the door and shoot

repeatedly. The shots echo wildly. The sound is terrifyingly loud. The

small glass window shatters. Then the men lean heavily on the door. It

still won't budge. D'Agosta looks through the window.

D'AGOSTA

It's no use. We have to get out of

here!

(to Kawakita)

Give them your walkie talkie.

Kawakita hands his walkie talkie through the window. Margo takes it.

KAWAKITA:

Is Dr. Frock safe!

MARGO:

Yes, he's fine. Greg... take care of

yourself!

INT. HALL OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS - NIGHT

Pendergast looks desperately at the blueprints.

MARGO:

Is there another way around?

PENDERGAST:

No. The planetarium is in the next

cell. This is one of the fire

doors...

Pendergast returns to the window.

PENDERGAST:

Vince? There's no way we can get to

you with the fire doors down.

There's an entrance to the sub-

basement in the hall off the north

side exit.

D'AGOSTA

The sub-basement?

PENDERGAST:

I've been down there. It links up to

the old sewer system. I can guide

you out.

D'Agosta turns to the others.

D'AGOSTA

How much ammo do we have to make a

stand?

KAWAKITA:

You're asking me? I don't even know

how to load this thing.

FRANK:

Four rounds...

There's a movement of air... and a ripe, fetid smell.

D'AGOSTA

Oh sh*t.

D'Agosta pumps his shot gun.

D'AGOSTA

I smell it. It's here.

PENDERGAST:

Go out the north exit! There's a

hallway and a false wall by the

Greek vases. Run!

D'AGOSTA

Everybody. Get behind me.

The others move past. D'Agosta, Frank and Greg Kawakita hold the rear.

The group runs to the side exit to the planetarium and in a moment,

disappears.

INT. HALL OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS - NIGHT

Pendergast remains at the window watching anxiously. From the south

entrance to the planetarium, an ENORMOUS DARK SHAPE slinks into view!

Pendergast steps back from the doorway, turns to Margo.

PENDERGAST:

Hide quickly!

MARGO:

What are you going to do?

Pendergast checks his gun, totally calm.

PENDERGAST:

Buy them some time.

Margo turns and looks around at the looming dioramas. There's a plain

door at their end of the hall. Pendergast faces the broken window.

HIS POV... the beast is slinking away after D'Agosta and the others,

headed to the north exit from the Planetarium!

PENDERGAST calls out...

PENDERGAST:

Hey you big tub of lard! Over here!

THE BEAST PAUSES, turns.

Pendergast puts his palms up at his ears, wiggles his fingers and

makes a face through the window.

PENDERGAST:

Come on, you smelly pile of refuse.

Come get me. I dare you!

A LOW surprised GROWL comes from the beast. It crouches as if to

pounce. Pendergast makes more faces, sticks his tongue out. The beast

watches in silence, its evil eyes fixed.

ON MARGO... watching Pendergast. She can't leave him yet.

MARGO:

What is it doing?

PENDERGAST:

(loud)

It's scared of me.

Suddenly there's a CRASH and the door BENDS like cardboard. TWO HUGE

SETS OF CLAWS lash through! Margo screams as the claws pass inches

from Pendergast's face. He leaps back, lifts his gun which looks like

a pea shooter in the face of Mbwun.

Two sets of claws curve around the bent edges of the door, then Mbwun

simply LIFTS it out of the frame. This leaves Pendergast face to face

with the foul, enormous monster! It regards him evenly, blinks once.

Then the tongue slides out, licks its lips eagerly and...

Pendergast FLICKS on his high powered FLASHLIGHT, shining it at close

range right in the beast's eyes! Then carefully, with total calm he

FIRES ONCE, TWICE. The beast howls more in anger than pain, REARS UP

and swipes at Pendergast. Pendergast dives to one side and, the claws

miss again by inches as the beast is temporarily blinded by the light.

Now Pendergast spins and runs for all he's worth. Margo's been

waiting, holding the door.

PENDERGAST:

Drop the fibers!

She leaves the crate behind as Pendergast dives inside with her. Margo

shoves the door shut hard as Mbwun, still blinded, leaps into the

hall. But now, suddenly, all is quiet. No sign of Margo and

Pendergast. The beast moves forward, snuffling slowly. It starts for

the door which hides Margo and Pendergast, but stops as it finds...

THE CRATE! The beast moves to it, clearly surprised. It pokes at the

crate carefully, inhales the fragrance and grunts. The monster seems

to be struggling with itself! It sniffs the fibers, lifts a few out

carefully, then SHOVES THE CRATE AWAY HARD. Then it rises on its

haunches and squints into the dark.

On all sides are glowing displays of stuffed buffalo, gazelle, wild

horses, wolves, giant elk, sabre tooth tigers. Mbwun moves close to

one after another. Suddenly we notice, in the back of one of the

dioramas...

Margo and Pendergast! They stand frozen, crouching behind mannequins

of native Americans riding horses across the plains. The beast sniffs

RIGHT AT THEIR WINDOW, then turns away. Confused, it heads back

towards the Planetarium and slinks from the room.

INSIDE THE DIORAMA... Pendergast and Margo exchange an astonished look.

They whisper.

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