The Relic Page #8

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KAWAKITA:

(sensing more gossip)

What's that?

Margo frowns, suddenly uneasy. She and Dr. Frock exchange a look.

MARGO:

Warrior deity of the Kothoga, an

extinct South American tribe. Dr.

John Whittlesley led an expedition

that found the only known

representation of Mbwun. The statue

is said to carry a curse.

(she looks away, quiet)

Every member of Whittlesley's

expedition died.

CUTHBERT:

I got the relic out yesterday to put

on display. Beauregard was there.

The crates had been broken into and

the contents were strewn about. But

nothing was missing. It was

downright weird. We joked that it

was the curse of Mbwun. I'm not

laughing now.

FROCK:

Come, Ian. We all know you're

superstitious. But you're among

scientists here. We deal in facts.

That statue had nothing to do with

what happened to Beauregard.

CUTHBERT:

All I know is, everyone who has come

in contact with that relic, is dead.

INT. BUSINESS OFFICES - MUSEUM - DAY

D'Agosta has set up a temporary command post among the antique desks

and chairs. The room is on the ground floor with a view of the park.

Gawkers are outside looking in. D'Agosta pulls the blinds in their

faces.

D'AGOSTA

(mutters)

Get a life.

Pendergast is looking closely at one of the large paintings of birds

that line the walls.

PENDERGAST:

An original Roger Tory Peterson of a

Red-Breasted Merganser. Amazing. I

have a copy of this in my office at

home.

D'AGOSTA

Can't really focus on birds at the

moment, Pendergast. I'm tryin' to

keep my breakfast down.

PENDERGAST:

In this violent world, I believe the

only way to stay sane is to take

time to notice beautiful things.

D'AGOSTA

I drink. After hours of course. On

duty, I smoke.

(he pulls out a fat cigar)

Do you mind?

PENDERGAST:

Not at all. I enjoy the smell of a

good cigar.

D'AGOSTA

Then you won't like this one. It's a

piece of sh*t.

He bites off the end, spits it out on the floor.

PENDERGAST:

Lieutenant --

D'AGOSTA

Call me Vince.

PENDERGAST:

Did you read about a boat that

washed up outside of New Orleans

about four months ago? Twelve bodies

on board.

D'AGOSTA

Who didn't? Big news. Out of Brazil,

wasn't it?

PENDERGAST:

Yes. That's my case. Now it's yours.

All the corpses were badly mutilated

in a very particular way.

Decapitated. Brains extracted. Limbs

torn to shreds. It looked like the

work of a large animal, but there

was no sign of an animal on board.

D'AGOSTA

So the method of death is the only

connection?

PENDERGAST:

No. There's more. There were crates

from this museum in the hold of the

boat.

BAILEY enters, interrupts.

BAILEY:

Uh, Vince. Sorry. This won't wait.

D'AGOSTA

It better be good.

BAILEY:

There are a couple of kids who were

lost yesterday near the site of the

murder. Claimed they saw a monster.

They're pretty determined to tell

you their story. You want to see

them?

D'AGOSTA

(rolls his eyes)

No.

PENDERGAST:

If you don't mind, this could be

important.

D'AGOSTA

You're kidding.

PENDERGAST:

Unfortunately, no.

INT. MUSEUM CLASSROOM - DAY

A modern classroom that has been taken over by the police for the

purpose of interrogation. Seated on small chairs at a plain table

are...

HENRY and LARRY, looking like two little boys with a story they are

desperate to share. Standing behind them is MRS. BEASLEY, starchier

than ever. D'Agosta takes a chair across from the boys, at their eye

level. By this time of day he looks pretty rumpled and tired.

Pendergast stands upright and unruffled in a doorway behind. This

isn't hard duty for D'Agosta. He's surprisingly genial and at ease

with kids. Larry kicks his sneaker against the table leg in

excitement. Henry tugs his t-shirt.

D'AGOSTA

Hi. I'm Lieutenant D'Agosta. You can

call me Vince. This is Special Agent

Pendergast. You can call him...

(he looks to Pendergast, so formal)

Special Agent Pendergast.

BEASLEY:

This is Henry Weiss and Larry

Bowers.

D'AGOSTA

So... Tell us about this monster.

LARRY:

We were lost and trying to find a

short cut to the dino--

Henry elbows him hard. Larry shuts up.

HENRY:

We were just lost, okay? And we went

down this curvy staircase. At the

bottom was a big shadow.

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