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ALONE IN THE DARK
By
Elan Mastai
Michael Roesch
Peter Scheerer
August 19, 2003
(double cherry revision)
FADE IN:
1 EXT. FOREST - NIGHT 1
A dense forest on a dark, misty night.
YOUNG EDWARD CARNBY (age 10), small, thin, and terrified,
runs for his life.
The forest is pitch black. Young Edward ducks between trees,
under branches, not stopping for anything, GASPING for
breath. He doesn't turn to look behind him. He just runs as
fast as he can.
P.O.V. CREATURE:
Something chases Young Edward through the dark forest. Its
P.O.V. is skewed, inhuman. It is gaining on him.
As Young Edward runs, beams of light become visible through
the closely packed trees. Something is up ahead, something
bright. Edward runs towards it.
Young Edward bursts out into a clearing in the woods, running
towards the bright light.
P.O.V. CREATURE:
The light stops whatever is chasing Young Edward at the edge
of the forest. What is making the light isn't visible, only
Young Edward's silhouette running towards the blinding light.
1A EXT. FOREST - LATER THAT NIGHT 1A
SUPER: 20 YEARS AGO
The beams of a dozen flashlights cut through the mist of the
dark forest.
A dozen uniformed DEPUTIES move through the forest, shining
their flashlights around, searching.
The trees tower over them. A low fog hangs in the air. The
flashlight beams can barely penetrate it.
2 EXT. ORPHANAGE - NIGHT 2
A large and stately old house stands on the edge of town. A
small, dense forest stretches out behind it.
The sign on the front reads: OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL LIGHT
ORPHANAGE.
Several patrol cars are parked along the Orphanage's gravel
driveway. DEPUTIES mill around the front lawn.
Another patrol car pulls up. Out of it steps the SHERIFF
(late 40s). DEPUTY ADAMS (mid-30s) approaches him.
SHERIFF
What's going on, Adams?
DEPUTY ADAMS
Twenty kids live at this orphanage,
Sheriff. All twenty have gone missing.
SISTER CLARA (mid-40s), an anxious-looking nun, stands on the
front porch, wrapped in a shawl. She speaks with two
DEPUTIES. The Sheriff walks up and listens in.
SISTER CLARA
After the power went out, I went to check
on the children. But their beds were
empty. Every one of them. They just
disappeared...
3 EXT. FOREST - LATER 3
The Deputies sweep through the forest with their flashlights.
The trees are close together, blocking out the moonlight. A
thick mist hangs in the trees.
As Deputy Adams moves through the forest, he sees a bright
light streaming through the trees up ahead.
3A EXT. FOREST CLEARING 3A
Deputy Adams comes through the trees and emerges into a
clearing in the woods.
He sees a Shed in the clearing up ahead. A bright light is
posted over the Shed's front entrance.
4 EXT. SHED - MOMENTS LATER 4
Deputy Adams shines his flashlight around the outside of the
Shed.
He sees that the door is open just a crack. On the door is a
sign marked: DANGER, along with the symbol for ELECTRICITY.
5 INT. SHED - MOMENTS LATER 5
Deputy Adams enters the Shed.
The Shed is small, packed with electrical equipment, power
cables, and various implements for repairing power lines.
Deputy Adams sweeps through the Shed with his flashlight.
He approaches a large transformer module that sits at the
back of the Shed. It HUMS and CRACKLES with electricity.
There's a LOW SHUFFLING sound. Deputy Adams stops.
He carefully peers around behind the transformer. The space
is too small for a full-size person.
But sitting on the ground behind the transformer is Young
Edward. He clutches himself, shivering, frightened.
6 EXT. ORPHANAGE 6
The Sheriff stands with his Deputies. His walkie-talkie
CRACKLES to life.
DEPUTY ADAMS (ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE)
Sheriff! I found one! White, male, about
ten years old. Looks to be unharmed. He's
in a utility shed maybe half a mile from
the orphanage.
7 INT. SHED 7
Deputy Adams approaches Young Edward. He takes off his jacket
and wraps it around Young Edward's shoulders.
Young Edward pulls the jacket around him and smiles, still
scared, but happy to see the Deputy.
DEPUTY ADAMS
Are you okay, son? Are the other kids
around here?
YOUNG EDWARD
I don't know... I don't remember...
DEPUTY ADAMS
Why don't we start with your name? Do you
remember your name?
YOUNG EDWARD
Edward... Edward Carnby.
8 INT. AIRPLANE - DAY 8
SUPER: 20 YEARS LATER
EDWARD CARNBY (early 30s), lean and intense, wakes up. He
quickly looks around to get his bearings.
He sits in a large commercial airplane. The compartment is
full of seated PASSENGERS.
A SMALL BOY (age 8) sits next to Carnby, looking up at him.
The Small Boy's MOTHER (early 40s) sleeps next to him.
SMALL BOY
Did you have a nightmare?
Carnby looks at the Small Boy, curious. He doesn't respond.
SMALL BOY (CONT'D)
You ate cheese with dinner. My mommy says
cheese gives you nightmares. Want to see
my coloring book?
The Small Boy has a Halloween-themed coloring book open on
his lap. It's a graveyard scene, full of cartoon drawings of
ghosts, werewolves, and vampires.
SMALL BOY (CONT'D)
I think there's a vampire living in my
closet, but my mommy says vampires and
ghosts aren't real. She says there's
nothing to be afraid of in the dark.
Carnby weighs what he's going to say.
CARNBY
Your mother is wrong. Being afraid of the
dark is what keeps most of us alive.
The Small Boy's eyes open wide.
SMALL BOY
Everybody else tells me not to be afraid.
CARNBY
That's because they don't know the truth.
*** SCENES 9 TO 12 OMITTED ***
13 EXT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY 13
Carnby exits the Terminal and heads over to a row of taxis
waiting outside the Terminal. He doesn't carry a suitcase.
CARNBY (V.O.)
So, maybe you're thinking I'm an asshole,
trying to scare this poor kid for no
reason. But that's where you're wrong.
Because I've got my reasons. There's a
world around you that you've trained
yourself not to see. You've willfully
closed your eyes. But your fear of the
dark is not a weakness. It's there to
protect you from things you'd better pray
you never see. My eyes were forced open a
long time ago. Now I know. Just because
you can't see something, doesn't mean it
can't kill you.
Carnby steps into the first taxi waiting in the row. The taxi
shifts into gear and drives off.
Another taxi is parked up ahead. As Carnby's taxi passes it,
the second taxi pulls out and follows it.
13A INT. PINKERTON'S TAXI - CONTINUOUS 13A
Behind the wheel of the taxi sits JAMES PINKERTON (early
50s). His face is drawn, grim. He wears dark sunglasses.
The DRIVER lies dead in the backseat of Pinkerton's taxi.
Carnby's taxi can be seen through the front windshield,
driving up ahead.
13B EXT. CITY STREET - DAY 13B
The two taxis drive through traffic. Pinkerton's taxi lags a
few cars back, but matches Carnby's taxi move for move.
13C INT. CARNBY'S TAXI 13C
The CABBIE (late 20s), manic bordering on crazy, steers
through traffic.
Carnby rides in the backseat. He looks out the back
windshield. A few cars back, Pinkerton's taxi follows them.
Carnby takes a burlap sack out of his trench-coat pocket.
Inside the sack is a stone carving of a demonic-looking head.
The edges are soft, worn-down, the detail roughed away. But
it is clearly not a human face.
Carnby puts the carving back in his trench-coat pocket.
CABBIE
You travel light.
CARNBY
Trust me, I'm carrying enough baggage for
the both of us.
The Cabbie CHUCKLES as he steers through traffic.
CABBIE
That's pretty funny, man. What do you do?
CARNBY
You really want to know?
CABBIE
Yeah, man. Hearing about my passengers'
lives keeps the job interesting.
CARNBY
I'm a paranormal investigator.
CABBIE
Get the fuck outta here!
Beat.
CABBIE (CONT'D)
What does that mean exactly?
CARNBY
I'm an effective solution to unusual
problems.
Carnby turns to look out the back windshield. Pinkerton's
taxi is still following from a few cars back.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Speaking of which, that taxi's been
following us since the airport.
CABBIE
No shit? Want me to lose him?
CARNBY
If you can...
The Cabbie GUNS the motor and speeds off.
13CC EXT. CITY STREETS 13CC
Carnby's taxi accelerates down the street, pulling away from
Pinkerton's taxi.
As soon as it's evident that they are on to him, Pinkerton's
taxi speeds up to give chase.
The two taxis rocket down the streets, swerving past cars,
SCREECHING around corners.
Carnby's taxi speeds down the streets, narrowly avoiding
collisions with other cars and PEDESTRIANS.
Pinkerton just plows through whatever's in his way, SMASHING
past other cars, forcing Pedestrians to jump out of the way.
Pinkerton accelerates and tries to force Carnby's taxi off
the road. The taxi's GRIND against one another.
Carnby's taxi SCREECHES around a corner, speeding into a side
street that leads to the Market Street.
13D EXT. MARKET STREET 13D
A busy street crowded with PEDESTRIANS, open shops, and
produce stalls.
Carnby's taxi races down the busy Market Street, followed by
Pinkerton.
They swerve and SCREECH down the Street, cutting off other
cars, and narrowly avoiding Pedestrians.
But then Pinkerton's taxi ZOOMS up beside Carnby's taxi and
BUMPS into it with a GRINDING CRUSH of metal.
Not stopping, Pinkerton's taxi continues to GRIND into
Carnby's taxi. The momentum pushes Carnby's taxi around
sideways.
Pinkerton's taxi then SLAMS Carnby's sideways taxi into a
parked car with a CRUSH of metal and SHATTERING glass.
There's a moment as Carnby, trapped inside the CRUSHED taxi
and Pinkerton, flooring the accelerator to add more pressure,
exchange a look. Pinkerton's expression is fierce.
Pinkerton gears the taxi into reverse, backing up in order to
smash into Carnby's taxi again.
The Cabbie is trapped by the crushed front of the taxi. His
face is covered with a spiderweb of deep cuts. The Cabbie
struggles to get loose.
CABBIE
I'm trapped, man!
CARNBY
I'll draw him away...
As Pinkerton's taxi backs up, it CRASHES into a Van driving
by, knocking it over onto its side and spilling the contents
of the Van onto the street.
This gives Carnby the brief moment he needs to extract
himself from the crushed taxi. He wrenches himself out the
window, just in time to see Pinkerton's taxi accelerating
towards him.
Carnby bolts away from the crushed taxi and the trapped
Cabbie.
Pinkerton immediately swerves his taxi, aiming it right for
the running Carnby. Pinkerton's taxi rockets towards him.
Carnby leaps out of the way as Pinkerton's taxi CRASHES into
the side of a Building, narrowly missing him. Pinkerton's
taxi is CRUMPLED in a CRASH of metal and glass.
Carnby narrowly avoids being crushed between the taxi and the
building. With fluid grace, Carnby rolls to safety, landing
on his feet. With a quick look back over his shoulder at
Pinkerton in his crumpled taxi, Carnby runs.
Pinkerton steps out of his taxi, seemingly unhurt by the
crash. He looks around, but can't see Carnby anywhere on the
street.
Pinkerton runs for an iron-wrought staircase that leads up to
a Pedestrian Bridge that hangs over the Street.
At the top of the Pedestrian Bridge, Pinkerton looks up and
down the street.
He spots Carnby, running through the crowd of Pedestrians.
Pinkerton leaps off the Pedestrian Bridge, arcing through the
air with superhuman force.
Pinkerton TACKLES the running Carnby to the ground, SLAMMING
into him with a tremendous impact.
But Carnby is quick. He takes the hit and spins Pinkerton
around with a martial-arts kick. The kick sends Pinkerton
CRASHING through the front window of a Bakery.
13E INT. BAKERY 13E
Pinkerton comes CRASHING through the display window, landing
in a pile of sticky buns and broken glass.
But seemingly unfazed, he just picks himself up and walks
back out the front door.
13F EXT. MARKET STREET 13F
Carnby stands in a crowd of BYSTANDERS, watching in surprise
as Pinkerton exits the Bakery, his expression fierce.
Pinkerton immediately spots Carnby and comes after him.
Carnby bolts away, running into a Herbalist Store across the
street.
13G INT. HERBALIST STORE 13G
Jars of different shapes and sizes containing a variety of
medicinal herbs and other such substances are on display.
Carnby runs into the Herbalist Store, making his way through
the displays.
Pinkerton leaps right through the Herbalist Store's front
display window in a hail of SHATTERED glass.
He tackles Carnby, CRASHING through the jars on display.
Pinkerton SLAMS Carnby to the ground. He grabs Carnby's head
and SMASHES it against the floor once, then twice.
Pinkerton tears open Carnby's trench-coat. He pulls out the
burlap sack. He opens the sack, confirming the stone carving
is inside it.
While Pinkerton inspects the stone carving, Carnby's hand
quietly moves to a large glass jar lying next to them.
Carnby SMASHES the glass jar over Pinkerton's face.
He grabs the stone carving out of Pinkerton's hand, scrambles
to his feet, and runs.
13H EXT. ALLEY 13H
Carnby BURSTS out of the Herbalist Store's back door, exiting
out into a small, cluttered Alley.
Carnby lands hard in the debris, but he rolls with the fall
and is back up on his feet, running.
The Alley ends in a high Wall with a Billboard on top of it.
The Wall has a railing along one side.
Carnby vaults over the railing and keeps running.
The Alley is crowded with WORKERS unloading crates out of the
loading dock of the Ice Factory.
A BEAT COP walks by. Carnby runs past the Beat Cop, just
barely bumping into him.
But as Carnby passes him, he deftly grabs the Beat Cop's gun
from his holster.
The Beat Cop doesn't even notice his gun is missing as he
turns, annoyed to see Carnby racing away.
BEAT COP
Hey!
Pinkerton runs out of the Herbalist Store's back door. He
runs directly at the high Wall.
Pinkerton leaps up, scrambling right up the side of the Wall.
He hauls himself up the Billboard, until he's standing at the
top of the Billboard itself.
Pinkerton looks down below and spots Carnby running into the
loading dock of the Ice Factory.
Pinkerton leaps off the Billboard.
The Beat Cop looks up, stunned to see Pinkerton leaping
towards him.
Pinkerton lands on top of a moving dolly of crates, CRUSHING
the crates on it. The WORKER pushing the dolly falls back,
shocked. Pinkerton leaps off the dolly and keeps chasing
after Carnby.
The Beat Cop fumbles for his gun. It's not there. Pinkerton
smashes the Beat Cop out of the way as he pursues Carnby.
The Beat Cop flies into a pile of crates, knocked out.
Pinkerton follows Carnby into the Ice Factory.
13J INT. ICE FACTORY 13J
The refrigerated Ice Factory is filled with neat rows of ice
blocks. FACTORY WORKERS mill about, transporting the blocks
of ice through the Factory.
Carnby hides between the rows of ice blocks. He checks the
Beat Cop's gun to make sure it's loaded. It is.
Carnby stops, sensing something.
In one fluid motion, Carnby suddenly spins, turning in the
other direction and FIRING the gun.
We follow the bullet as it rockets through the Ice Factory.
It WHIZZES along, until we see Carnby's intended target.
Pinkerton comes through the Ice Factory, running at Carnby.
The bullet flies directly at him.
The bullet hits Pinkerton in the shoulder. But it only seems
to anger Pinkerton further. He keeps running at Carnby.
Pinkerton leaps at Carnby. Carnby FIRES again. But Pinkerton
dodges the bullet and it hits a block of ice, SHATTERING it
in a hail of ice shards.
Pinkerton rolls with his dodge and races off into the stacks
of ice blocks.
Carnby tries to track Pinkerton's movements through the ice
stacks. He hears the sound of Pinkerton MOVING, but can't see
him. His gun is ready. He searches around.
Suddenly, there's a RUSH of movement behind him. Carnby
dodges just as Pinkerton's fist comes flying out. Pinkerton
connects with an ice block, SHATTERING it.
Carnby is backed into a dead end in the Ice Factory. He turns
to face Pinkerton, gun ready.
But Pinkerton is on him too quickly. He lunges at Carnby,
hoisting him over his head and SLAMMING him down on a
conveyer belt.
Pinkerton drags Carnby along the conveyer belt. But Carnby
grabs a hanging chain to steady himself. With a quick kick,
Carnby uses the momentum to flip Pinkerton over him.
Pinkerton flies through the air towards a large ice pick
wedged into the wall. The sharp point of the ice pick punches
right through Pinkerton's torso, impaling him. He is
immediately killed.
Carnby leans up against the wall, steadying himself. He pulls
the stone carving out of his pocket to check it. In the
fight, the carving has been cracked into pieces.
But the broken carving reveals something hidden inside it, a
small gold artifact that was concealed in the carving.
The artifact is a gold circle, flat on the top and bottom,
its thick round side engraved with intricate Abkani symbols.
This is the lynchpin artifact, the piece which connects the
other artifacts together.
*** SCENES 14, 15, AND 16 OMITTED ***
17 EXT. MUSEUM - DAY 17
The elegant Museum of Natural History. A wide staircase leads
up to an entranceway surrounded by stone pillars.
Over the front of the Museum hangs a large banner reading:
SECRETS OF THE ANCIENT ABKANI - COMING SOON.
18 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - DAY 18
The high-ceilinged Main Hall of the Museum. Glass display
cases are set up to showcase archeological artifacts.
ALINE CEDRAC (late 20s), studious but dynamic, stands in
front of a display case. She carries a clipboard.
A heavy-set GUARD (early 50s) approaches, followed by a
DELIVERY GUY (late 20s), who hauls in a crate on a dolly.
GUARD
Got another delivery, Ms. Cedrac.
Aline checks her clipboard.
ALINE
I don't have anything scheduled. What
museum was it transferred from?
The Delivery Guy reads the information on his clipboard.
DELIVERY GUY
For Dr. Hudgens, from Dr. Hudgens.
ALINE
It's probably an error. It must be for
the big Abkani show.
DELIVERY GUY
Abkani? What the hell's Abkani?
GUARD
Ancient Native American civilization.
They were this super-advanced culture,
but something like ten thousand years
ago, they just disappeared.
ALINE
You've been reading up.
GUARD
Not much else to do around here at night.
Aline picks up a crowbar and approaches the crate.
DELIVERY GUY
Says here it's not to be opened by anyone
but Dr. Hudgens.
GUARD
This is Aline Cedrac. She's the assistant
curator.
ALINE
We've got Abkani artifacts coming in from
museums around the world. Until Hudgens
gets back, I'm doing all the cataloguing
anyway.
Aline pries open the lid of the crate with the crow-bar. Out
of the packing foam, Aline lifts up a heavy stone tablet
carved with elaborate Abkani symbols. Aline holds it up,
fascinated.
GUARD
Where is Hudgens anyway? The show opens
in a few days.
ALINE
Off on another archeological goosechase.
He thinks he's finally found the Erebus.
GUARD
So he sticks you with the work. At least
it keeps your mind off your boyfriend.
Aline pleasant expression suddenly turns awkward.
ALINE
I'll be in my office if you need me.
Aline quickly walks off, taking the stone tablet with her.
DELIVERY GUY
What was that all about?
GUARD
Damn it... I shouldn't have said that.
Her boyfriend's been missing for the last
three months.
Delivery Guy shakes his head at the Guard.
DELIVERY GUY
Nice going, jack-ass.
19 EXT. SHIP DECK - DAY 19
A large Ship out on the open sea.
CREWMEN scurry around the deck attending to a huge crane that
hangs over the side of the Ship. Chains leads from the crane
into the water.
DR. LIONEL HUDGENS (mid-60s), wiry and severe with a sharp
intelligence, stands on the deck with CAPTAIN CHERNICK (late
40s). They look down at the water.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
They say a sunken ship is like a grave.
It should never be disturbed.
HUDGENS
I've been searching for the Erebus for
twenty years, Captain. Now that I've
found it, I'm afraid your ill-informed
superstitions aren't enough to stop me.
20 EXT. WATER SURFACE 20
Two DIVERS in high-tech Newt Suits break the surface. They
signal to Captain Chernick.
21 EXT. SHIP DECK 21
Hudgens nods to Captain Chernick.
HUDGENS
Bring it up.
Captain Chernick signals to his Crewmen.
The crane is engaged. The chains run through the mechanism of
the crane, pulling something to the surface.
The crane GROANS under the weight. Captain Chernick looks
nervous as the crane SHUDDERS with the strain.
22 EXT. WATER SURFACE 22
Out of the ocean, the crane raises a large, heavy container.
The container is about eight feet long. It is battered and
damaged by the ocean water, and covered in barnacles.
23 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DUSK 23
Carnby unlocks the multiple locks on the front door to his
Loft and enters.
As Carnby walks through the Loft, he passes his answering
machine. The MESSAGES indicator blinks. Carnby presses the
button to retrieve his messages.
JOHN (ON THE MACHINE)
Edward, John here. Hope things went well
wherever you were this time. And, please,
do not, I repeat, do not tell me about
it. Every time you tell me about your
latest case, I get nightmares for a week.
Anyway, give me a call when you get back.
Linda wants to have you by for dinner.
Lord knows why, but she seems to like
you. And if you haven't scared Aline away
yet, bring her along.
The Loft is a large, incredibly cool-looking space.
In one corner is a lab area filled with high-tech scientific
equipment. At another work station, dozens of drawings, maps,
and photos are spread out next to a flat-screen computer. A
few photos are tacked to a corkboard.
Several bookshelves, all crammed with books, line one wall. A
old framed photograph sits on a bookshelf, a faded photo of
twenty CHILDREN sitting on the front steps of the Orphanage.
Sister Clara stands with them. Young Edward sits to one side.
A weapons cabinet features racks lined with guns and blade
weapons. In another corner is a work-out area.
The sleek, modern kitchen and living quarters are in another
corner. The bed is set up against a wall of large windows.
Outside the windows, the sun is setting.
Approaching the lab area, Carnby takes out the lynchpin
artifact. He turns it around in his fingers, watching the
light glint off it.
24 EXT. DOCKS - NIGHT 24
The Ship is docked at a mist-enshrouded pier. Overhead lights
along the dock illuminate the area.
A transport truck is parked on the Dock just next to the
Ship's loading ramp.
In front of the ramp, five CREWMEN with automatic weapons
stand guard, smoking and looking vigilant.
*** SCENE 25 OMITTED ***
26 EXT. SHIP DECK - NIGHT 26
Standing on the Ship's wide deck, Captain Chernick looks
impatient. Hudgens stands over the large, barnacle-covered
container. The container is secured with a heavy rusted lock.
Two large, muscular men, the FIRST MATE and CREWMAN BARNES,
check the chains connecting the container to the huge crane
on the deck. They are preparing to load it onto the truck on
the Dock.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
Don't you want to open it? Make sure it's
what you're looking for?
HUDGENS
The conditions must be perfect.
Otherwise, there will be... consequences.
Captain Chernick steps up to the barnacle-covered container.
He notices that a section of the barnacles have gotten
scraped off in the transport.
Under the barnacles, the container is revealed to made of
gold. Chernick look startled.
Captain Chernick rubs the gold spot on the container and
looks closely at it.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
Is this made of solid gold?
HUDGENS
Did you know the Abkani were the first
civilization to use gold for their
valuables? They believed it held the
power to contain evil spirits. Thousands
of years later, we don't even remember
why gold was valuable to us in the first
place. Now, let's load it onto the truck.
Captain Chernick exchanges a look with the First Mate and
Crewman Barnes. They both give him a subtle nod.
26A INT. CARNBY'S LOFT 26A
Carnby sits in his lab area, studying the lynchpin artifact
under an illuminated magnifying lamp.
The computer runs an analysis of the symbols carved into the
artifact. The symbols flash by. The computer BEEPS, ready. It
has isolated the origins of the symbols. They are ABKANI.
Carnby looks over at a photo tacked to the corkboard next to
the work station. The photo is of Carnby and Aline.
26B INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE 26B
The Office is cluttered with books, maps, diagrams, and
strange artifacts. Along one wall are several ceiling-high
shelving units, each containing rows of drawers. The drawers
hold artifacts from the Museum's collection.
Aline inspects the stone tablet. She speaks into a tape
recorder, like a coroner recording an autopsy.
ALINE
The pictograms are late-period Abkani. It
seems to be some sort of... prophecy.
Shadows that make ghosts of men. The
world of light consumed by darkness. This
is the first indication I've ever seen
that the Abkani had a myth about the end
of the world.
26C EXT. SHIP DECK 26C
Captain Chernick approaches Hudgens at the container. The
First Mate and Crewman Barnes stand quietly behind them.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
If the container's made of gold,
whatever's inside must be worth a
fortune.
HUDGENS
You have no idea...
Chernick pulls out a pistol.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
But I'm looking forward to finding out.
Chernick smacks Hudgens across the face with his pistol.
Hudgens gives Chernick a grim look.
HUDGENS
I suppose one should not be surprised
when mercenaries act mercenary.
Crewman Barnes grabs Hudgens and twists his arms behind his
back, incapacitating him. The First Mate pulls out a revolver
and points it right at Hudgens' face.
Captain Chernick wedges a crowbar into the container's lock.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
You're making a terrible mistake.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
The only mistake would be letting you
walk out with whatever's in there.
Barnes...
Crewman Barnes SMASHES Hudgens' head against the container.
Hudgens is dazed from the blow.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK (CONT'D)
Throw him in there.
Crewman Barnes throws the dazed Hudgens into a Storage Room
built onto the Deck. He slams the thick metal door closed.
The door has a small, glass-covered peephole built into it.
Chernick pries open the lock with the crowbar. Chernick hands
the First Mate the crowbar and he jams it into the handle of
the door, wedging it closed.
27 INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM - CONTINUOUS 27
Hudgens struggles to his feet. He BANGS on the door, trying
to pull it open.
HUDGENS
Captain! Don't open it!
28 EXT. SHIP DECK - CONTINUOUS 28
The First Mate and Crewman Barnes watch in fasciation as
Captain Chernick prepares to open the gold container.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
Let's see what all the fuss is about...
He opens the container.
With a deep SIGH, the vacuum of dry air escapes.
29 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - AT THAT MOMENT 29
Carnby sits in front of his computer. He scans through
screens of information relating to Abkani civilization.
Carnby suddenly winces in intense pain. He clutches his head,
staggering to his feet. He knocks over a desk lamp and a
chair as he stumbles back.
Grabbing his head and trying to shake off the pain, Carnby
collapses unconscious to the floor. He is out cold.
On the work station, the lynchpin artifact starts to glow.
30 INT. JOHN'S HOUSE/BEDROOM - AT THAT MOMENT 30
JOHN HOUGHTON (early 30s) lies asleep in his bed next to his
wife, LINDA HOUGHTON (early 30s).
Suddenly, John opens his eyes.
John quietly sits up and gets out of bed. Linda is woken up,
but just barely. John walks out of the room.
LINDA
John?
Linda rolls over and falls back asleep.
31 EXT. JOHN'S HOUSE - NIGHT 31
John exits the house. He walks down the front path and out
into the night.
32 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - AT THAT MOMENT 32
Carnby lies unconscious on the floor.
The lynchpin artifact glows brightly, emitting a LOW HUM.
32A INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - AT THAT MOMENT 32A
A low wind wafts through the Main Hall.
Air flows through the space, swirling dust along the floor. A
banner hanging from the ceiling ripples from the breeze.
*** SCENE 33 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 34 ***
34 INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT 34
Aline sits at her desk, her back to the shelving units. She
inspects the stone tablet and takes notes.
In one of the shelving units, a faint glow emanates out of a
closed drawers.
Something in another drawer begins glowing. Then the contents
of a third drawer start to glow.
Out of the three drawers, a LOW HUM is emitted. Aline looks
up, tilting her head to hear the LOW HUMMING.
She turns around to face the shelving units. She is surprised
to see the strange glow coming out of the three drawers.
She cautiously approaches the shelving units. She reaches a
hand out to open the first glowing drawer.
*** SCENE 35 OMITTED ***
36 EXT. SHIP DECK - AT THAT MOMENT 36
As the First Mate and Crewman Barnes watch in anticipation,
Captain Chernick opens the gold container all the way.
The container is empty.
The lights along the Deck start to flicker.
37 INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM 37
The lights in the Storage Room start to flicker on and off.
Hudgens looks up at the lights.
HUDGENS
They're faster than I thought...
*** SCENE 38 OMITTED ***
39 INT. SHIP DECK 39
The lights continue to flicker. Captain Chernick turns to the
Storage Room door. He looks back at the First Mate and
Crewman Barnes.
CAPTAIN CHERNICK
Kill him.
The First Mate and Crewman Barnes pull out revolvers. They
approach the Storage Room door.
There's a WHOOSH of movement behind them. The three men all
turn, surprised. But nothing is there.
Suddenly, Captain Chernick is thrown back by something
invisible. He is hoisted into the air. He looks shocked.
Captain Chernick seems to be floating just above the ground,
although it is clear something invisible is holding him up.
The First Mate and Crewman Barnes look on, stunned, their
revolvers aimed at the floating Captain.
Captain Chernick's body contorts, as if something had been
thrust into it. With a burst of blood, a hole is ripped into
his torso, killing him.
Captain Chernick's lifeless body is dropped to the ground.
Terrified, the First Mate and Crewman Barnes aim their
revolvers at the empty air. They OPEN FIRE.
40 INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM 40
Hudgens stands at the door, listening to the GUNFIRE.
He looks through the peephole in the door. The peephole is
dirty, hard to see through. Something frantic is happening
outside the door, but it's hard to see exactly what.
There is more GUNFIRE and then SCREAMING. Short BURSTS of
AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE follow, and more SCREAMING.
And then, all is quiet.
Hudgens grabs a discarded metal rod and jams it into the door
handle, wedging it closed. He backs away from the door. The
only weapon he can see is a box-cutter. He grabs it, holding
it out in front of him.
Suddenly, there's a CRASH at the door. Something pushes at
the door, trying to get in. The door RATTLES and THUMPS from
the impact.
Hudgens, still holding the box-cutter, strains against the
door, using all the effort he can muster to keep it shut. The
metal rod wedged against the door is starting to buckle.
Suddenly, the door is still. Hudgens waits. Nothing.
There's a CRASH as another impact hits the door. The RACKET
is even more intense. But the door holds.
Finally, the thrashing stops. All is quiet again.
The lights in the Storage Room stop flickering. They come
back on. Hudgens listens, straining to hear anything at all.
Cautious, Hudgens pulls away the metal rod. He gingerly
touches the door. With a long CREAK, it slowly swings open.
The crowbar was shaken loose from all the impacts.
*** SCENES 41 TO 44 OMITTED ***
*** SCENE 45 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 40 ***
46 INT. SHIP DECK - CONTINUOUS 46
Hudgens steps out of the Storage Room. He looks around the
Deck. Mist blows in off the water. The night is quiet.
Bodies lie everywhere, Captain Chernick, the First Mate,
Crewman Barnes, the other Crewmen. Their weapons lie next to
their slashed, ripped open bodies.
Bullet holes are pocked around the Deck. Streaks of blood are
smeared everywhere. Shell casings and corpses are all that
remain of the battle.
Tense, carefully looking around, Hudgens walks up to the
empty gold container.
He reaches into it, pressing a concealed panel at the back of
the container.
The panel opens, revealing a small artifact. The artifact is
a thin hollow cylinder with a thick little protrusion on one
end. It is covered in Abkani symbols.
Hudgens takes out the artifact. He turns it around in his
hand. He looks pleased.
*** SCENE 47 OMITTED ***
48 INT. BUREAU 713/HALLWAY - NIGHT 48
Everything in Bureau 713's Headquarters looks sleek and hightech.
There are no windows anywhere.
COMMANDER BURKE (late 30s) strides purposefully down the
hallway. He is confident to the point of arrogance.
His second-in-command, AGENT MILES (mid-30s), driven and
efficient, hurries to keep up.
BURKE
This better be good, Miles.
AGENT MILES
Sir, we're getting some strange readings
in the control room.
BURKE
This is Bureau 713. "Strange" doesn't
even crack my radar. Now what's the
situation?
AGENT MILES
Well, sir, normal levels of paranormal
activity range from three to five...
BURKE
(condescending)
Yes Miles. And what level are the sensors
picking up now?
Burke and Miles arrive at the Control Room. Burke nods to two
BUREAU GUARDS standing at the entrance.
AGENT MILES
We don't know.
Burke stops and looks at Agent Miles for the first time.
AGENT MILES (CONT'D)
They only go up to 50.
Agent Miles opens the door to the Control Room.
49 INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS 49
Inside the Control Room, the banks of monitors and sensors
are all lit up. Streams of data flow across the monitors.
Burke and Miles stand at the doorway.
AGENT "KRASH" KRASHINSKY (mid-30s), a cool and collected
female tech-geek, scans through data on the monitors. She
always wears a headset.
BURKE
What are we looking at, Krashinsky?
KRASH
Electromagnetics off the scale,
Commander.
AGENT YONEK, a Control Room techie, adjusts the sensors.
AGENT YONEK
Recalibrating sensors now, sir.
Burke looks concerned for the first time.
50 INT. ORPHANAGE/DEN - NIGHT - TWENTY YEARS AGO 50
Young Edward (age 10) walks through the Den. The lights are
all out. The Den is musty, but clean.
A sliver of light glows from underneath the doorway to Sister
Clara's bedroom. Young Edward KNOCKS softly on the door.
Sister Clara opens the door. She wears her nightgown.
SISTER CLARA
Still having trouble sleeping, Edward?
You can't stay up all night, you know.
YOUNG EDWARD
Sister, something's happened.
SISTER CLARA
What is it, Edward?
YOUNG EDWARD
They're not gone anymore. The others are
back.
53 INT. ORPHANAGE/CHILDREN'S ROOM - NIGHT - TWENTY YEARS AGO 53
Sister Clara throws open the door to one of the children's
bedrooms. Ten beds are lined up along the wall. All ten of
them have CHILDREN asleep in them.
Sister Clara GASPS, holding her hand to her mouth.
54 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY 54
Carnby lurches awake. He is still lying on the floor.
His cellphone is RINGING. Carnby gets to his feet, rubbing
his temples, trying to get his bearings. He answers his cell.
CARNBY
(groggy)
Hello?
LINDA (ON THE PHONE)
Edward, thank god!
CARNBY
Linda, what's wrong?
LINDA (ON THE PHONE)
(hysterical)
It's John. I woke up and... he's just
gone. All his clothes are here. His car's
in the garage. It's like he just got up
in the middle of the night and walked
out.
55 EXT. JOHN'S HOUSE/FRONT PORCH - DAY 55
Linda stands on the Front Porch, her eyes red from crying.
Carnby is just leaving. He holds some recent photos of John.
CARNBY
I'll figure this out, Linda. I'll find
John.
Carnby moves to leave.
LINDA
Edward... you've known each other since
you were kids. Did he... did he tell you
he was leaving me?
CARNBY
Of course not.
LINDA
Then where is he, Edward? What's going
on?
*** SCENES 56 AND 57 OMITTED ***
57A EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAY 57A
The Orphanage looks much the same after twenty years. It is
slightly more worn-down, but still well-maintained.
Carnby drives up the gravel driveway in his black SUV. He
pulls to a stop behind an old, battered yellow School Bus.
From a window on the ground floor, SISTER CLARA (now mid-60s)
watches him.
A few CHILDREN play on the Orphanage's front lawn. They all
look over at Carnby, curious, eager.
Carnby exits his SUV. He looks around at the Orphanage
grounds as he walks up the front steps. He smiles at the
Children.
Sister Clara opens the front door. SOPHIE (age 13) stands
with her, eyeing Carnby suspiciously.
SISTER CLARA
Welcome home, Edward.
SOPHIE
Should I make some tea?
SISTER CLARA
Yes. Thank you, Sophie.
Sophie sneaks a look back at Carnby as she enters the house.
Sister Clara approaches Carnby, smiling warmly.
SISTER CLARA (CONT'D)
Let me get a look at you. Are you
sleeping enough?
CARNBY
Sister... John disappeared last night.
And something happened to me as well.
Sister Clara's expression drops.
SISTER CLARA
It's happening again.
A YOUNG GIRL (age 8) runs up to them. She hides behind Sister
Clara, staring up at Carnby, curious, a little scared. Carnby
smiles at the Young Girl and she ducks behind Sister Clara.
But then she sticks her face out to watch him again.
CARNBY
I need your help, Sister. I need to find
the others.
SISTER CLARA
I'll get their files.
*** SCENE 57B INCORPORATED INTO 57A ***
57C INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY 57C
Carnby is on the phone, sitting in front of his computer.
While he speaks, he reads information on the FEDERAL MISSING
PERSON DATABASE. The computer processes information.
CARNBY
I'll let you know as soon as I hear
something.
Carnby hangs up the phone.
Carnby has a list of nineteen names, the grown-up ORPHANS
from his Orphanage. Next to each name, Carnby has written a
note. Fourteen are missing. Five are unaccounted for so far.
Carnby writes a note next to the second-to-last name on the
list. Also missing. Four now unaccounted for.
On the work station is a stack of the Orphanage's worn-out
old file folders. Each file matches a name on the list.
The database finishes processing. It has found a match. A
MISSING PERSON REPORT flashes onscreen. It's the final name
of the list. Carnby makes a note next to the name.
Carnby hits PRINT and the report comes out of the printer. He
adds it to a small stack of similar reports.
Each report has a photo of a missing Orphan, both MALE and
FEMALE. One of the photos is of John Houghton.
Sixteen are missing. Three are unaccounted for.
58 EXT. RESTAURANT PATIO - DAY 58
The outdoor patio of a downtown Restaurant. Carnby sits with
a coffee and a cherry pie at a table for two.
AGENT PAUL FISCHER (mid-50s), precise but friendly,
approaches the table and sits down across from Carnby.
FISCHER
Why did I agree to this?
A WAITER walks up. He puts down a plate of pecan pie in front
of Fischer. The Waiter smiles and walks away.
CARNBY
I ordered for you, Fischer. It's pecan.
Fischer gives Carnby a smirk.
FISCHER
You've got a good memory, Carnby.
Fischer takes a bite of the pecan pie.
Fischer pulls out a file and slides it across the table.
Carnby opens the file. Inside it are photos and reports on
the three remaining Orphans from Carnby's list.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
I tracked down the three you asked about.
They all disappeared last night. Same
story. No suitcase. No car. Just up and
walked out in the middle of the night.
CARNBY
That means all nineteen are missing.
FISCHER
I ran full cross-references. Nothing much
in common between them. Except they all
grew up in the same orphanage. Your
orphanage. What's going on, Carnby?
CARNBY
That's what I'm trying to find out.
Carnby gets up to leave. He picks up the file.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Thanks Fischer. It's good to know I've
still got friends at 713.
*** SCENE 59 OMITTED ***
60 EXT. MUSEUM - DUSK 60
As the sun sets, the streetlights around the Museum all come
on in unison, bathing the area in a warm glow.
The lights are all on in the Museum.
61 INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - NIGHT 61
Aline sits at her desk, notes spread out in front of her. The
notes show various Abkani symbols. She writes down comments
in the margins.
The phone RINGS. Aline answers it.
ALINE
Hello?
HUDGENS (ON THE PHONE)
Did a shipment arrive for me today?
ALINE
It's a fascinating piece, Dr. Hudgens. I
started decoding the pictograms and...
HUDGENS (ON THE PHONE)
(interrupting)
Who told you to do that? That crate was
not to be opened.
ALINE
I was only going to catalogue it for you.
HUDGENS (ON THE PHONE)
It's not your place to question my
instructions, Ms. Cedrac. Leave the
tablet alone. I'll catalogue it myself
when I get back.
ALINE
But, Dr. Hudgens, I was just...
But Hudgens has already hung up. Aline looks at the receiver,
frustrated. She hangs up the phone.
She looks up, tilting her head to hear FOOTSTEPS approaching.
The Guard KNOCKS on the open door.
GUARD
There's... somebody here to see you.
62 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - DUSK 62
Aline exits quickly out of a service door, looking anxious.
The Guard scurries after her.
Carnby stands in front of the Security Desk.
ALINE
Edward...
Aline runs up and embraces Carnby. She holds him tightly.
Aline lets go. They hold eye contact.
Then, Aline rears back and PUNCHES Carnby in the face. Hard.
Carnby takes the hit, rubbing his jaw.
CARNBY
I missed you too.
ALINE
I thought you were dead, you asshole!
CARNBY
Aline... let me explain. In private.
Carnby looks over at the Guard. The Guard pretends to read
his newspaper.
ALINE
Give me one reason why I'd ever want to
speak to you again?
Carnby reaches into his pocket and takes out the lynchpin
artifact.
Aline stares down at it, immediately fascinated.
ALINE (CONT'D)
It's Abkani...
CARNBY
Five minutes, Aline. I'll tell you
everything.
63 INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE 63
Carnby stands with Aline at her desk, while she scans a 3-D
rendering of the lynchpin artifact into her computer.
CARNBY
I was in the Amazon for six weeks,
tracking poachers through their transport
lines. Then I fell in with a group of ex-
Chilean military selling artifacts on the
black-market. This was found in a gold
mine in the southern tip of Chile.
ALINE
And how did you end up with it?
CARNBY
I asked very nicely.
Beat. Aline looks up at Carnby.
ALINE
You should've called, Edward. Or written.
Just to let me know you were alive.
Aline picks up the lynchpin artifact, inspecting it. She runs
her fingers over the Abkani symbols carved into it.
CARNBY
Does it make any sense to you?
ALINE
Yesterday, maybe not. But something
happened last night.
63A INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER 63A
Aline and Carnby stand at a work station. A piece of cloth
covers up something on the work station.
Aline pulls back the cloth, revealing three Abkani artifacts.
Each of the three artifacts is a gold ring, one small and
thin, one medium and slightly thicker, and one large. The
large ring is shaped like a pyramid with the top cut off and
has thin protrusions on its base. Each of the ring artifacts
is well-worn from age and engraved with Abkani symbols.
Aline puts the lynchpin artifact down next to the others.
ALINE
They were found in completely different
locations. Alaska. Newfoundland.
Venezuela. And now this one's from Chile.
CARNBY
Ten thousand years ago, it would've been
like burying them at the ends of the
earth.
Aline picks up the lynchpin artifact again. She runs her
fingers over one symbol in particular, carved into the flat
top of the artifact: the DARK SPIRIT.
ALINE
The Abkani's written language is based on
pictograms. Combinations of symbols to
create different meanings. But there's
one here I've never seen before.
The lights in the Office start to flicker. In unison, the
computer monitors all go dark.
Carnby pulls out a flashlight and flicks it on.
CARNBY
You're not trying to seduce me, are you?
ALINE
Give me that.
Aline grabs Carnby's flashlight. She lights their way to the
Office door.
*** SCENE 64 OMITTED ***
65 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL 65
The lights flicker. Large shadows are cast through the area
by the remaining, dim lights.
The Guard sits at the Security Desk, talking on the phone.
The security monitors are all out.
GUARD (INTO PHONE)
I don't care if nothing's wrong with the
grid. Something's definitely wrong with
our power. Get someone down here, pronto.
The Guard hangs up the phone.
There's a WHOOSH of movement behind him. The Guard turns to
the sound. Silence.
He flicks on his flashlight, shining the beam into the dark
corners of the area. Nothing is there.
Something CLATTERS in another room. The Guard quickly turns
to the sound of the movement.
65A INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 65A
Carnby and Aline walk down the Hallway. Framed art hangs from
the walls. Small sculptures sit on pedestals along the way.
The overhead lights in the Hallway emit only a low glow,
flickering sporadically.
Aline leads the way with a flashlight. They come up to a door
to a second Hallway.
The hairs on the back of Carnby's neck rise up. He touches
the back of his neck, spooked. Aline notices.
ALINE
What is it?
CARNBY
Hairs on the back of my neck just stood
up.
Aline gets it.
Carnby pulls out his PARA-METER. It's an old, battered
device. The display lights up as Carnby turns it on. The parameter
immediately picks up some readings.
ALINE
How come every time you show up, my life
gets complicated?
CARNBY
I could ask you the same thing.
Carnby listens at the door. Carnby nods to Aline as he opens
the door. Nothing is there.
65B INT. MUSEUM/CERAMICS ROOM 65B
The Guard enters the Ceramics Room. The overhead lights give
off only low glows, flickering sporadically.
The display cases and large sculptures give off long shadows.
The Guard walks through the room, shining his flashlight
around. He can't see anything out of the ordinary.
A WHOOSH of movement slips past the Guard. He turns quickly.
Nothing.
He shines his flashlight around, looking for anything out of
the ordinary. He stands with his back to a display case.
From out of the shadows behind the display case, a long,
segmented tail emerges.
The tail is covered in hard, dark scales. At the end of the
tail is a sharp spike.
The tail suddenly flicks at the Guard, piercing him through
the back of the head and out his mouth. The tail's spike
glistens with fresh blood.
The Guard's flashlight CLATTERS to the floor. The bulb
BREAKS.
The tail withdraws from the Guard. The Guard's body falls to
the ground, dead.
65C INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 2 65C
Aline leads the way with the flashlight, followed by Carnby.
The Hallway is only faintly lit.
From up ahead, they hear a CLATTERING sound.
Carnby reaches into his holster and pulls out his revolver.
Aline hands him the flashlight without a word.
*** SCENES 66 TO 68 OMITTED ***
69 INT. MUSEUM/CERAMICS ROOM 69
Aline and Carnby quietly come out a service door that leads
to the Ceramics Room. They conceal themselves behind a pair
of columns, scanning the area before they step out.
The lights are dim, with long shadows stretching out through
the area.
Aline is about to speak, but Carnby puts a finger to his
mouth and shakes his head, no.
The dead body of the Guard lies in a pool of blood on the
ground. There seems to be no one else around.
But then, silently, moving with a fluid grace, a XENOMORPH
CREATURE emerges out of the shadows.
The xenomorph creature is huge, terrifying. It is seven feet
tall, covered in thick, dark scales. It stands on two legs,
with long, powerful arms that end in razor-sharp claws and a
segmented, spiked tail poised behind it.
Its demonic head has black, sunken eyes and a severe jaw
lined with jagged, fang-like teeth. The head is identical to
the stone carving in which the lynchpin artifact was encased.
Carnby and Aline look shocked. They freeze, not moving a
muscle.
Another xenomorph creature steps out of the shadows.
The two creatures congregate in the middle of the room. They
are the same hulking, grotesque brutes.
The two creatures start to communicate. An unintelligible
language passes between them.
Suddenly, one of the creatures looks up, sensing something.
The creature looks directly at Carnby and Aline, hiding
behind the columns.
The creature delivers a SHARP WHISPER.
And with that, the creature fades into invisibility. It has
totally disappeared.
The second creature immediately follows suit, also fading
invisible.
CARNBY
I think we'd better run...
Carnby and Aline scramble to their feet and sprint back
towards the service door.
An invisible creature comes racing after them. All that is
visible is the effect of the creature's movement. It knocks
over a statue as it chases after them. The statue SMASHES to
the ground.
Aline is through the door. Carnby runs through it and Aline
pulls it closed behind them.
*** SCENE A69 OMITTED ***
69A INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 2 69A
Aline and Carnby run down the long Hallway, towards a pair of
double-doors at the other end.
The service door behind them bursts open. An invisible
creature runs down the Hallway towards them.
As the invisible creature runs, it knocks framed art off the
walls, smashes aside tables and chairs. The creature isn't
visible, only the effect of its movement.
Carnby turns and FIRES his gun at the on-rushing creature.
But his bullets don't hit anything except the wall on the
other side of the Hallway.
Carnby keeps FIRING, still not hitting anything.
The invisible creature races towards them.
Suddenly, the double-doors at the other end of the Hallway
burst open. The second invisible creature starts running
towards them.
Both directions down the Hallway are now blocked.
Carnby spots an open door marked STORAGE ROOM. He pushes
Aline into it and jumps in after her.
69B INT. MUSEUM/STORAGE ROOM 69B
Carnby leans up against the door, pushing it closed. Aline
fumbles for her building keys.
There's a CRASH as the creature SLAMS against the other side
of the door. Carnby strains to keep it closed. The door
RATTLES as the creature CRASHES into it again.
Aline finds the right key. She gets it into the lock.
Suddenly, the creature PUNCHES a clawed hand right through
the door.
The hand is visible as it digs its claws into Aline's arm.
The claws cut deep gashes into her. She SCREAMS in pain.
The impact knocks the key out of the lock. Aline drops the
keys as she clutches her arm.
The creature's arm retracts out the hole in the door. It
SMASHES into the door even harder, trying to break through.
Carnby strains against the door, trying to keep it closed.
CARNBY
Can't hold it...
Aline grabs her keys. She finds the right key, jams the key
in the lock, and turns the bolt.
There's another CRASH at the door. But the lock holds.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Is there any way out of here?
ALINE
No! Why didn't you ask me that before you
pushed me in here?
There's another CRASH. Carnby and Aline back away from the
door. The door starts to buckle from the impacts.
Carnby reloads his revolver. He has it ready.
But then the CRASHING stops. Aline and Carnby listen.
Everything is quiet.
The sound of HELICOPTERS can be faintly heard in the
distance.
Carnby listens against the door.
ALINE (CONT'D)
What do you think?
Carnby nods to her. Aline unlocks the door.
INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 2 - CONTINUOUS
Carnby steps out of the Storage Room, revolver ready. The
Hallway is empty.
Aline steps out behind him. She motions to the double-doors
at the end of the Hallway.
ALINE
Those doors lead to the front entrance.
Carnby hands Aline the flashlight. He grips his revolver.
Carnby and Aline move down the Hallway towards the doubledoors.
As they move, they listen intently. The only thing
they can hear is the sound of their FOOTSTEPS.
*** SCENES 69D To 69G OMITTED ***
*** SCENE 69H NOW SCENE 69C ***
*** SCENES 70 TO 82 OMITTED ***
83 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL 83
Aline and Carnby quietly open the double-doors leading into
the Main Hall.
The lights are dim. Moonlight streams in through the skylight
above them.
Aline shines the flashlight around. She hears a WHOOSH of
movement behind her and shines the flashlight towards it.
The sound of a quickly approaching HELICOPTER can be heard in
the distance.
The double-doors BURST open as an invisible creature SMASHES
through them.
It chases after them, knocking everything in its path out of
the way
Carnby and Aline run.
Up ahead of them, the second invisible creature comes
CRASHING through the display cases, heading right for them.
Carnby and Aline are trapped between the two invisible
creatures. They have nowhere to run.
The sound of a HELICOPTER rises up overhead.
Suddenly, powerful spotlights switch on, shining bright blue
beams through the skylight. Another set of spotlight beams
shine through the high windows lining the Main Hall.
84 EXT. MUSEUM - CONTINUOUS 84
A sleek black Bureau 713 helicopter hovers over the building.
A pair of spotlights shine beams down through the skylight.
85 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - CONTINUOUS 85
In a hail of shattered glass, AGENTS BARR (male), CHEUNG
(female), and MARKO (male) burst through the skylight,
rappelling down on zip-lines from the hovering helicopter.
They each carry a sleek, high-tech assault rifle with a lamp
mounted on the top. They all wear full Bureau 713 combat
gear, body armor with a headset comm-link and a helmet with a
dark visor mounted on it.
The creatures HISS in reaction and scramble out of the
spotlights from the helicopter.
The Agents immediately open FIRE. Their bullets glow with a
pulse of yellow light as they streak through the air.
All Carnby and Aline can see is the Agents shooting glowing
bullets into the unnaturally long shadows.
But the SQUEAL of one of the creatures shows that the Agents'
bullets have found their target.
As the glowing bullets hit the creature, it momentarily
flashes visible, then invisible again.
The two invisible creatures scatter, slipping away into the
shadows.
The Agents cut their zip-lines, dropping to the ground.
As they land, they all flip on their rifle-mounted lamps. The
bright blue beams cut through the darkness.
Their movements are precise, controlled. They all have their
rifles out, scanning the area.
Agent Barr has a high-tech scanning device attached to his
rifle. It is an updated version of Carnby's para-meter that
monitors the electromagnetic energy in the vicinity. It is
used to detect the presence of the xenomorph creatures.
AGENT BARR
Reading two xenos.
KRASH (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Confirmed.
A long shadow slips across the room. Agent Cheung sees it.
AGENT CHEUNG
There!
Agent Cheung opens FIRE. Agents Barr and Marko are
immediately at her side, FIRING at the invisible creature.
Their bullets glow as they streak through the air.
But the creature is too fast. The glowing bullets streak
through the air, but don't hit it.
KRASH (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Losing readings.
AGENT BARR
Cheung! Marko! Don't let them get away!
Agents Cheung and Marko open FIRE, sending streams of glowing
bullets across the Main Hall. But they don't hit anything.
Agent Barr scans around with his rifle-mounted para-meter and
lamp. Nothing.
Carnby and Aline stand back, not wanting to get in the
Agents' way, not equipped to really help.
The dim lights suddenly flicker and come back on at full
strength, bathing the debris of the battle in a warm glow.
Agent Barr turns his rifle to Carnby and Aline. They stand
their ground, facing him.
85A INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT 85A
Krash reads the data streaming by on her banks of monitors.
She speaks into her omnipresent headset.
KRASH
Readings gone. You lost them, Barr.
85B INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - AT THAT MOMENT 85B
Agent Barr holds his rifle trained at Carnby and Aline.
Agents Cheung and Marko move through the double-doors into
the Hallway sweeping the area with their lamps, making sure
the creatures are gone.
AGENT BARR (INTO COMM-LINK)
Goddamn it, Krash, I know. Commander
Burke, we're secure. And sir... Carnby is
here.
86 EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT 86
The lights around the Museum have come back on.
A pair of Bureau 713 Humvees are parked with large spotlights
set up in front of them, shining into the Museum.
Commander Burke stands with Agent Miles. They both wear full
combat gear, visors, and headset comm-links. Burke addresses
five AGENTS in combat gear.
BURKE
I want a full security sweep. Miles, get
Fischer to send his sci-and-spy boys down
here. Now go.
The Agents stream into the Museum in formation. Burke and
Miles follow in after them.
87 INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL 87
The silhouettes of the five Agents, Burke, and Miles come
through the spotlight beams as they enter the Museum.
Burke strides up to Carnby and Aline, who stand with Agent
Barr. Miles follows after him.
BURKE
What the hell are you doing here, Carnby?
CARNBY
Hey Richie.
BURKE
It's Commander Burke. This is my unit.
ALINE
They saved our lives.
BURKE
You used to be able to take care of
yourself, Carnby. Gotten soft since you
left 713?
Miles steps in between Burke and Carnby.
AGENT MILES
Ms. Cedrac, I'm Agent Miles. This is
Commander Burke.
BURKE
Aline Cedrac. Pleasure to meet you. How's
the Ph.D. coming along?
Aline looks surprised that Burke knows so much about her.
ALINE
It's fine. Thanks.
Burke sees Aline's arm is bleeding from the gashes clawed
into her by the creature.
BURKE
Miles, get her to a medic.
Aline looks over at Carnby. He nods to her.
CARNBY
I'll catch up.
Agent Miles escorts Aline out of the Museum.
Burke and Carnby regard one another.
BURKE
Why am I still looking at you?
CARNBY
I need to know what those things are.
BURKE
That information's classified. If you
were still an agent, you'd already know.
But since you're not, stay out of my way.
Burke turns to stride away. Carnby grabs his arm. Burke turns
back, annoyed.
CARNBY
I'm asking nicely.
Burke grabs Carnby's arm, trying to twist it away. But
Carnby's fast enough to slip out of Burke's hold.
Now angry, Burke grabs Carnby by the collar, shoving him
against a stone column.
But Carnby deftly twists out of Burke's grip and shoves him
up against the same stone column.
In the struggle, Carnby's hand flicks into Burke's pocket.
Agent Barr intervenes, pulling Carnby away. Burke straightens
himself out, trying not to look rattled.
BURKE
Get him out of here!
Carnby shrugs off Agent Barr and walks away.
CARNBY
You're right, Commander. I guess I have
gone soft.
As Carnby walks off, he looks down in his hand. He has lifted
Burke's I-D card out of his pocket.
*** SCENES 88 TO 89 OMITTED ***
*** SCENE 90 NOW SCENE 91A ***
91 EXT. MUSEUM - LATER 91
The front of the Museum has been completely blocked off.
There is lots of activity, as BUREAU AGENTS mill around.
Aline sits in the back of a 713 Emergency Medical Vehicle. A
713 MEDIC finishes dressing the cuts on her arm.
Carnby approaches her. Aline nods to the Medic and gets up to
join Carnby. They speak quietly.
ALINE
I want to finish studying those
artifacts.
CARNBY
I need to find out what's happened to
John and the others. Stay in contact.
We'll meet up later.
91A INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL 91A
Burke oversees a team of AGENTS in biohazard suits as they
sweep the scene, running scans of the area on high-tech handheld
devices. Photos are snapped by another AGENT.
Agent Miles escorts Aline over to Burke. Burke is distracted
by the scanning device he is holding.
ALINE
Commander, I need to get to my office.
BURKE
The museum's quarantined until we're
done.
ALINE
At least let me pack up my work. There's
priceless artifacts in there. If they get
damaged...
Burke looks up at Aline. He gives a minute nod to Miles.
BURKE
If you notice anything out of the
ordinary, let me know immediately.
Aline looks around at the Agents scanning the destruction
caused by the creatures.
ALINE
I don't think I want to know your
definition of out of the ordinary.
*** SCENE 91B IS NOW SCENE 103A ***
*** SCENES 92 TO 102 OMITTED ***
103 INT. FISCHER'S LAB - NIGHT 103
The Lab is full of sleek, high-tech lab equipment and state
of the art computers. The room is lit with a HUMMING
fluorescent light. Surgical equipment and various pieces of
high-tech machinery BUZZ by an autopsy slab. Surgical tools
are laid out on a table.
Pinkerton's body is laid out on the slab, face-down.
Fischer stands over Pinkerton's body. He holds a high-tech
hand-held scanning device. The scanner is connected to a
large monitor on a dolly next to the slab.
Fischer holds the scanner a few inches above Pinkerton's
body, passing it along the length of him.
The image on the monitor matches the movements of the
scanner. It shows a real-time internal scan of Pinkerton's
body, displaying the skeleton, internal organs, and so on.
Visible on the monitor is a spinal worm curled up tight
around Pinkerton's spine.
Fischer doesn't look up, but his tone suddenly changes.
FISCHER
You shouldn't be here, Carnby.
Carnby stands in the doorway. He waves Burke's I-D card.
CARNBY
I'm not here. Commander Burke is. Now
what the hell is that thing inside him?
FISCHER
Your curiosity have anything to do with
the fingerprint of yours I found on his
corpse?
CARNBY
The list of people I trust is short,
Fischer. Is it about to get shorter?
Fischer turns back to Pinkerton's body. Carnby comes up and
stands next to him.
Fischer takes a scalpel off the table and makes a careful
incision along Pinkerton's back.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Have you I-D'd him?
FISCHER
Yeah, we got dentals. Agent James
Pinkerton. He's ex-713.
CARNBY
He was an agent? When?
Using tongs, Fischer peels back the skin of Pinkerton's back.
The spinal-worm is attached to Pinkerton's spine.
FISCHER
Went MIA twenty years ago. Presumed dead.
I'm trying to get more intell, but his
records are so classified, they're
practically invisible.
Carnby takes the tongs from Fischer, holding open the skin.
Fischer makes a series of incisions with the scalpel,
disconnecting the spinal-worm from Pinkerton's spine.
CARNBY
It's fused with his nervous system.
FISCHER
I've never seen this kind of symbiosis
before.
Fischer pulls the spinal-worm out of Pinkerton's open back
with a pair of tongs. It hangs limply, motionless.
The spinal-worm is long and thick, covered with hard, dark
scales. It has dozens of tiny clawed feet that were connected
to Pinkerton's spine.
Fischer drops the spinal-worm in a tub.
Fischer notices the hand-held scanning device is BEEPING
faintly, still registering something. He looks at the readout,
curious, then concerned.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
Scanner's still reading something...
Fischer runs the scanner over Pinkerton's corpse. Nothing.
Now Fischer looks even more concerned. He turns the scanner
on himself, running it up and down his torso. Nothing.
Fischer looks at Carnby. Carnby gets it. It might be him.
Fischer runs the scanner over Carnby's torso. The scanner
immediately starts BEEPING louder.
They exchange a look between them. Something's inside Carnby.
103A INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - LATER 103A
Aline sits at her desk, analyzing the 3-D scan she made of
the lynchpin artifact.
HUDGENS (O.S.)
The Abkani never cease to amaze me.
Aline turns, startled, to see Hudgens standing behind her.
Hudgens demeanor is friendly, reassuring.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Such a complex society at a time when
most of humanity was still hunting and
gathering and huddling around fires.
ALINE
Dr. Hudgens. When did you get back?
HUDGENS
A few hours ago. I heard there was some
excitement. Are you alright?
ALINE
I'm fine. A bit shaken up. But fine.
HUDGENS
I apologize for snapping at you earlier.
Now, what are you still doing here after
all you've been through?
Hudgens cranes his neck to see Aline's computer screen. His
eyes light up when he sees the scan of the lynchpin artifact.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Where did you get that image?
Aline hesitates. Hudgens looks curious, friendly.
ALINE
Edward.
HUDGENS
This is a major find. I'll need to
analyze it. Confirm its authenticity.
ALINE
I can do that myself.
HUDGENS
That wasn't a request...
Hudgens stands up to his full height, suddenly menacing.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Where is the artifact?
AGENT CHEUNG (O.S.)
Everything okay in here?
Agent Cheung stands at the door, still wearing her full 713
combat gear. Her visor is up. She casually holds her rifle.
HUDGENS
And you are?
AGENT CHEUNG
Ms. Cedrac's security detail.
HUDGENS
My dear, do you have any idea who I...
AGENT CHEUNG
(interrupting)
Dr. Lionel Hudgens. Former agent, sci-andspy
division. Currently 713 advisor
status. I know exactly who you are. But
I'm not your "dear" anything.
Hudgens looks back at Aline and smiles warmly.
HUDGENS
I'll just have to hold off my curiosity
until morning.
Aline smiles stiffly. Hudgens moves to leave.
ALINE
Dr. Hudgens... I forgot to ask. Did you
find the Erebus this time?
Hudgens turns back and gives Aline another smile.
HUDGENS
Just an empty shipwreck. You were right.
It was another wild goosechase.
Hudgens exits quickly. Aline and Agent Cheung watch him go.
ALINE
Since when do I have a security detail?
AGENT CHEUNG
Since it seemed like you needed it.
104 INT. FISCHER'S LAB - LATER 104
Carnby lies on a bed with his shirt off. Fischer runs the
hand-held scanner over Carnby's torso. He looks at the
results of Carnby's scan on a monitor.
A spinal worm is visible around Carnby's spine. But it looks
different than the others. It is small and shriveled and
seems barely attached to the spine.
FISCHER
There's one inside you too. But the
symbiosis is incomplete.
CARNBY
Can you remove it?
FISCHER
I could try. But it might paralyze you.
104A INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - LATER 104A
Aline sits at her computer, checking out 3-D scans of the
four Abkani artifacts. She is running an analysis the symbols
carved into each artifact.
Streams of calculations run across the screen as the computer
processes. The computer BEEPS as it comes to a conclusion.
The symbols correlate to constellations in the night sky.
Aline hits COPY on her computer and it burns a CD of the
information she has processed.
Aline searches through a roll of maps. She pulls out a map of
North America and lays it out on a work station.
Aline draws lines across the map, trying to pinpoint a
location based on the constellations. She marks the map up
with latitude and longitude calculations.
She stops. She looks back up at the computer screen. She taps
her pen on the map. She looks frustrated.
ALINE
What's missing...
The computer BEEPS again. The CD copy has been made.
Aline rolls up the map and starts to pack up her belongings.
*** SCENES 105 AND 106 OMITTED ***
107 INT. FISCHER'S LAB - LATER 107
Fischer and Carnby stand in front of an open armory cabinet.
Sleek 713 assault rifles are lined up on a rack beside them.
They stand on either side of a counter. A large monitor is on
the wall behind them.
CARNBY
I'm not much for coincidences. These
organisms must be connected to those
things from the museum.
FISCHER
We call them xenomorphs.
CARNBY
Catchy. When did they first appear?
With a remote control, Fischer clicks through images on the
monitor as he talks. He brings up a series of anatomical
schematics of the xenomorph creatures.
FISCHER
Two years ago. They've been 713's top
priority ever since. But it's been almost
exclusively in rural areas. This kind of
urban infiltration is unprecedented.
CARNBY
Have you isolated any weaknesses?
Fischer brings up an image of the periodic table.
FISCHER
Most metals pass right through them. So
normal bullets and blades are useless.
But they're vulnerable to elements 76 to
79. Osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold.
Negates their ability to disrupt
electricity.
CARNBY
If they disrupt electricity, why did my
flashlight still work?
FISCHER
The closer the current to its power
source, the less disruption.
Fischer takes a hand-held para-meter scanning device off a
rack. It is a sleek, updated version of Carnby's para-meter,
similar to the Agents' rifle-mounted scanners.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
This is calibrated to track their
disruption field. It won't help you see
them, but you'll know when they're
nearby.
Fischer brings up a computer simulations of the creatures'
disruption field, displaying how it works.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
They live almost exclusively in darkness.
Sunlight's lethal in large doses. But
only certain light frequencies hurt them.
Fischer takes a rifle off the rack and lays it down on the
counter in front of them.
Off another rack, Fischer picks up a lamp. He flips it on and
off, shining the bright blue beam around. Fischer snaps the
lamp into place at the top of the rifle.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
These lamps are set to an effective
frequency.
Fischer takes out several magazines of ammo out of the
cabinet. He discharges a bullet. It glows yellow in his hand.
FISCHER (CONT'D)
But for maximum damage, we use bullets
coated in a photon-accelerated
luminescent resin. Cuts right through
them.
Fischer hands the rifle and a magazine to Carnby. Carnby
loads the magazine and checks the rifle like a pro.
CARNBY
I'm going to need a lot of those.
*** SCENE 107A INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 107 ***
*** SCENES 108 TO 114 OMITTED ***
115 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY 115
Carnby unlocks the multiple locks on the front door to his
Loft and enters. He carries a heavy duffle-bag. He looks
exhausted.
Warily, Carnby holds out the hand-held scanner, checking to
see if it registers anything. But the Loft reads clean.
Carnby puts the scanner down on a counter and allows himself
to relax as he enters the Loft.
Carnby walks in slowly, a man whose adrenaline is wearing off
and is only now feeling the pain. He shrugs off his trenchcoat
and lets it drop on the floor.
He drops the duffle-bag on the floor. He kicks off his boots.
He pulls off his holster and gun and drops them on a table.
Carnby takes out the lynchpin artifact. He puts it down on a
work station in the lab area.
Carnby pulls off his shirt. His back is marked with old scars
and fresh bruises.
Carnby walks over to his bed. He drops down onto the bed. His
body sinks down, finally relaxing.
CARNBY
Five minutes...
Carnby falls fast asleep.
116 INT. FISCHER'S LAB 116
Fischer sits at his computer. He is going through the Bureau
713 database. He pulls up Pinkerton's file. A red CLASSIFIED
sign flashes onscreen.
Fischer types in a password. CLASSIFIED flashes again.
AGENT MILES (O.S.)
Fischer...
Fischer turns to see Agent Miles standing at the door.
AGENT MILES (CONT'D)
Commander Burke wants to see you.
116A INT. HUDGENS' LABORATORY 116A
Hudgens walks through a dank cement room. Various pieces of
scientific equipment sit in a corner. Shelves are lined with
ancient artifacts, small sculptures, and masks.
Hudgens stops at a work station and pauses. A look of pain
crosses his face. He winces, holding it in. He steadies
himself.
At the other side of the Lab is a large recess in the space.
The opening is covered by thick cage bars covered in gold.
The cage appears to be empty.
But suddenly, an invisible creature SLAMS into the bars of
the cage, trying to lunge at Hudgens.
As it hits the bars, fingers of electricity jolt through it,
making it visible for a split second.
Hudgens watches calmly. He goes to a small dial built into
the wall beside the cage. Hudgens turns up the dial.
In the cage, jagged bolts of electricity jolt around the
invisible creature. It SQUEALS and HISSES from the
electricity.
Finally, the creature collapses and fades visible. The
creature is unconscious, but still alive.
Hudgens turns the dial back down.
Hudgens picks up a hypodermic syringe from a counter next to
the cage.
He injects the syringe into the creature's neck, between two
of its scales. He withdraws a syringe-full of the creature's
black, sticky blood.
He goes back to the work station, rolling up the sleeve of
his shirt. His arm is pocked with injection marks.
Hudgens ties off his arm, preps a vein, and injects himself
with the syringe of creature's blood. He closes his eyes,
feeling the substance flow into him.
*** SCENE 116B NOW SCENE 119B ***
117 EXT. CARNBY'S BUILDING - DAY 117
Aline walks up to an imposing, slightly decrepit-looking old
brick building in a bad area of town.
She goes to press the buzzer, but the box is broken, the
wires limply hanging out.
She KNOCKS on the door. No answer.
She stops, annoyed. But then a slight, involuntary smile
comes across her face.
Aline fishes in her purse and pulls out a set of keys. She
finds the key she's looking for and slips it into the lock on
the front door.
She pauses for a moment, then turns the key.
*** SCENE 118 OMITTED ***
119 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - CONTINUOUS 119
Aline enters the Loft. She looks around.
ALINE
Edward?
Aline closes the door behind her. She takes another few steps
into the Loft.
She spots Carnby's discarded trench-coat on the floor. She
walks up and picks it up with two fingers.
ALINE (CONT'D)
I see nothing's changed...
Aline hangs the coat on a hook. She enters the Loft proper,
looking around.
ALINE (CONT'D)
Edward?
Aline stops. She sees Carnby lying on his bed, asleep. She
smiles. He looks peaceful.
Aline sees the lynchpin artifact sitting in the lab area. She
unpacks her bag, taking out three items wrapped in cloth. She
places the three items next to the lynchpin artifact.
She looks over at Carnby, sleeping in his bed.
Aline kicks off her shoes and walks over to the bed.
She climbs onto the bed, careful not to disturb Carnby. He
stirs a little, but he doesn't wake up. Aline lies down next
to Carnby on the bed. She notices the new scars and bruises
along his back.
Aline lays her head on a pillow. Their faces lie close
together. She watches Carnby sleep.
Aline leans over and gives Carnby the lightest of kisses. He
doesn't wake up.
ALINE (CONT'D)
Sweet dreams...
Aline's eyes flutter closed, then open, then closed again.
Within seconds, she's asleep.
*** SCENE 119A NOW SCENE 116A ***
119B INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM 119B
Burke stands behind Krash at the monitor banks, surveying the
incoming information.
Agent Miles holds the door open as Fischer enters. Miles
stands at the door, listening. Burke doesn't face Fischer.
BURKE
Have you been meeting with Carnby?
FISCHER
Yes. He's got intell we need. And I trust
him.
Burke turns around to face Fischer.
BURKE
We've got to trust each other, Fischer.
Are you with us or not?
Fischer weighs his answer.
FISCHER
What do you need from me?
BURKE
All the intell you've got on Edward
Carnby.
119C INT. FISCHER'S HOUSE/KITCHEN - DUSK 119C
The Kitchen is comfortable, lived in. Fischer's suit jacket
hangs on the back of a chair. His revolver and holster also
hang on the chair.
Fischer's wife, SARAH FISCHER (early 50s) stirs the contents
of a pot with a wooden spoon. Fischer makes a salad.
FISCHER
What else could I do? I had to tell him.
SARAH FISCHER
You did the right thing, Paul. From what
you've told me, Carnby can take care of
himself.
The doorbell RINGS.
SARAH FISCHER (CONT'D)
I'll get it. You stir.
Sarah hands Fischer the wooden spoon. She gives him a quick,
warm kiss. She exits the room.
119D INT. FISCHER'S HOUSE/FOYER 119D
Sarah Fischer hurries to the front door.
She checks her appearance in a mirror in the Foyer. She
touches her hair, purses her lips, and turns to the door.
She opens the front door, a pleasant expression on her face.
119E INT. FISCHER'S HOUSE/KITCHEN 119E
The lights in the Kitchen start to flicker. Fischer freezes,
listening. The House is quiet.
Fischer dives for the revolver hanging in his holster on the
chair. He pulls a container of glowing bullets out of the
pocket of his jacket.
The container spills on the floor. He scrambles to pick up
the bullets and load them into the revolver.
Fischer edges to the Kitchen door, listening, anxious.
Everything is quiet.
He quietly pushes open the door, revolver ready.
119F INT. FISCHER'S HOUSE/FOYER 119F
Fischer creeps into the Foyer. The lights flicker.
No one is in the Foyer. The front door is open.
FISCHER
Sarah? Answer me! Sarah!
No answer.
Something CRASHES to the ground in the Living Room.
119G INT. FISCHER'S HOUSE/LIVING ROOM 119G
Fischer quietly opens the door to the Living Room, gripping
his revolver tightly. He steps into the room.
The lights in the Living Room are out. A broken lamp lies
SMASHED on its side.
Fischer comes around the side of the couch. He stops,
shocked.
Sarah Fischer's dead body lies in a pool of blood.
Fischer is suddenly grabbed and SLAMMED into the wall. The
impact knocks several framed photos of Fischer and his Wife
off the wall. They SHATTER as they hit the floor.
Fischer is PUNCHED in the face, hard. He is stunned.
Fischer is hurled over the couch. He lands heavily on a glass
coffee table, SHATTERING the glass tabletop.
The impact knocks his revolver out of his hands.
Fischer lies dazed in the broken glass. He looks up at his
attacker.
It's Hudgens, standing over him.
Hudgens SLAMS his fist into Fischer's face. Fischer is now
only semi-conscious.
Hudgens pulls out a long, thin spinal-worm. Its many clawed
feet and razor-sharp jaws snap away, its segmented, scaled
body writhing in his grip.
HUDGENS
If you can't beat us, Fischer, join us.
Hudgens grabs Fischer by his hair and pulls his head back,
forcing his mouth open.
CUT TO:
We follow the spinal-worm as it enters Fischer's mouth,
slipping down his throat.
We continue to follow the spinal-worm as it makes its way
through Fischer's body, weaving through the twists and turns
of his digestive system and internal organs.
The spinal-worm tears through layers of Fischer's insides,
finally making its way to his spine. The spinal-worm then
wraps itself around Fischer's spine, its tiny clawed feet
grabbing hold and attaching themselves along its length.
We move up Fischer's spinal cord to his brain. The spinalworm
seems to be causing synapses to fire in chaotic bursts.
We travel through Fischer's brain and out of his eyes.
CUT TO:
Fischer's expression is now calm. Hudgens regards Fischer,
looking pleased with himself.
119H INT. FOREST - NIGHT - TWENTY YEARS AGO 119H
P.O.V. CREATURE:
Something chases Young Edward as he runs for his life through
the misty, dark forest. He runs towards a light up ahead.
*** SCENE 119I OMITTED ***
119J INT. SHED - NIGHT - TWENTY YEARS AGO 119J
Young Edward enters the Shed, closing the door behind him.
The small Shed is cluttered with equipment for repairing
power lines. A large transformer module sits at the back of
the Shed. It HUMS and CRACKLES with electricity.
Something compels Young Edward to move closer towards the
transformer and reach out a trembling hand. He places his
hand against the transformer's front grill.
With a sudden SNAP and FLASH, electricity courses through
Young Edward. Jagged fingers of blue light jolt around him.
*** SCENES 120 TO 123 OMITTED ***
124 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - NIGHT 124
It's night. The Loft is dark. Carnby and Aline are fast
asleep on the bed, lying next to one another.
Carnby wakes up with a start. He tries to get his bearings.
Carnby looks surprised to see Aline lying next to him.
He quietly gets out of bed, letting her sleep. He pulls on a
fresh shirt.
Carnby pads over to the lab area and turns on a desk light.
He sees the wrapped items Aline placed on his work station.
Carnby unwraps the items. They are the three Abkani artifacts
from the Museum.
Carnby picks up the lynchpin artifact, turning it around.
Something catches his eye. Carnby fiddles with the artifact.
Suddenly, the artifact telescopes out. Instead of one thick
ring, it is now three successively smaller rings, one piled
on the other, with a common hollow middle.
Carnby picks up the large ring artifact. He slots it into
place on the telescoped lynchpin artifact. Next, Carnby slots
in the medium and small rings into place.
The four pieces fit together perfectly, creating a
cylindrical device with a small, round opening in the bottom.
125 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - LATER 125
Carnby cooks omelettes in the Kitchen area of the Loft. The
ingredients are spread out on the counter.
Aline wakes up. She sits up in the bed and looks around.
ALINE
Something smells amazing.
Aline trots over to the Kitchen area as Carnby serves up the
omelettes. Aline gives him a look.
ALINE (CONT'D)
I love omelettes.
CARNBY
I know.
Carnby sits down across from Aline. They eat while they talk.
ALINE
I figured out a connection with the
symbols on those artifacts. They
correspond to constellations. But
something's missing.
CARNBY
Maybe this will help...
Carnby takes out the assembled Abkani device and puts it down
on the table between them.
Aline picks up the device, fascinated. She runs her fingers
over the Abkani symbols carved into the lynchpin artifact.
She goes to her bag and pulls out the map she was working on
and the CD. She hands Carnby the CD.
ALINE
Can you run the program on this?
Carnby goes over to his computer and inserts the CD.
Aline spreads out the map. She draws lines across it,
connecting up constellations with locations on the map. She
writes out latitude and longitude calculations.
Aline comes up to Carnby at the computer. The program is
waiting for her calculations.
She leans past Carnby and enters the latitude and longitude
numbers into the program. The computer processes the
information. Hundreds of map images flash across the screen
as the computer searches for a match.
CARNBY
What are we looking for?
ALINE
The Abkani used constellations to pinpoint
a geographical location. But I
don't think I can isolate it closer than
a hundred mile radius.
The computer finds a match. A specific map appears onscreen,
with a 100 mile radius circle marked in the center of it.
ALINE (CONT'D)
Edward...
CARNBY
Yeah. That's us right there.
Carnby points to a spot on the onscreen map.
*** SCENE 126 OMITTED ***
127 INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - MOMENTS LATER 127
Carnby puts the dishes from their meal into the Kitchen sink.
The sink tap is RUNNING. Aline clears the dishes.
The para-meter Fischer gave Carnby starts faintly BEEPING,
but the RUNNING sink tap covers the sound. Something is
coming.
The lights in the Loft flicker once.
Carnby turns off the tap and they listen intently. They can
hear the scanner BEEPING faintly.
The lights in the Loft flicker and go out.
Aline grabs the flashlight and switches it on.
Carnby runs to his revolver and holster. He checks the
chamber in his revolver. The bullets glow.
Carnby looks up, sensing something. He spins around, ready.
A FIGURE stands behind him. It is John.
John looks fierce, his face drawn, gaunt. His eyes are sunken
into dark recesses, with nearly clear irises.
CARNBY
John?
John lunges at Carnby. Carnby is too surprised to defend
himself. John SLAMS Carnby against the wall, knocking his
revolver out of his hands.
John picks Carnby up and hurls him across the Loft. Carnby
CRASHES through furniture as he lands heavily.
Out of the shadows behind Aline, two FIGURES emerge. They are
both missing ORPHANS, one MALE, one FEMALE. They have the
same gaunt faces and clear irises as John.
Carnby picks himself up. He spots the Orphans behind Aline.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Behind you!
The two Orphans lunge at Aline, but she's able to dodge out
of the way. The Orphans are fast and fierce. Aline leaps
forward, sliding across the floor towards Carnby's revolver.
She grabs it and spins to face the two Orphans. They're gone.
But then the Female Orphan leaps out at her. Aline FIRES,
hitting the Female Orphan in the shoulder.
The Female Orphans jumps away, into the shadows. Aline
scrambles to her feet, the revolver ready. But the Female
Orphans has disappeared.
Aline runs over to Carnby. He grabs a shotgun from the
weapons cabinet and loads it.
ALINE
That looked like John.
CARNBY
It is. The other two are from the
orphanage as well.
Carnby pumps the shotgun. Carnby and Aline creep forward into
the darkness of the Loft. They listen.
Suddenly, John lunges at him, his teeth bared.
Carnby SMASHES John across the head with the shotgun. But
John keeps coming, SLAMMING him against the wall. Carnby
breaks John's hold and swivel-kicks him out of the way. John
skitters off into the shadows.
The Female Orphan leaps out at Aline, trying to tear into her
with her teeth.
Carnby grabs a pipe leaning against the wall and runs for
Aline.
The Male Orphan lunges out at Carnby. He SMASHES the Male
Orphan across the face with the pipe.
Aline struggles with the Female Orphan. Carnby turns to see
John rising up behind her, about to strike.
Carnby reacts instinctively. He FIRES, shooting John in the
chest with a shotgun BLAST. John flails back, dead.
The Male Orphan jumps out at Carnby. Now working on instinct,
Carnby spins and jams the pipe into his gut, impaling him.
The Male Orphan stumbles to the ground and dies.
Aline gets away from the Female Orphan. As the Female Orphan
lunges at her again, Aline FIRES, shooting her three times in
the chest.
But it's only the third bullet, the one that hits the Female
Orphan dead center in the chest that takes her down. The
Female Orphan falls back, dead.
Aline comes up to Carnby. He stands over John's corpse.
ALINE
You had no choice.
CARNBY
Something's controlling them.
ALINE
How many are there altogether?
CARNBY
Twenty. Including me.
The para-meter starts BEEPING again, louder and more
frenetic. The lights start to flicker, fading up and down.
Carnby unzips the duffle-bag. It's full of 713 equipment
given to him by Fischer. Carnby loads an assault rifle with
713 magazines. He loads a pistol with the glowing bullets.
Carnby throws Aline the pistol. She catches it in mid-air.
She checks it like a pro.
Aline and Carnby stand together, guns drawn, ready.
There's a moment of quiet. They listen.
The lights in the Loft flicker. The scanner BEEPS.
Something SMASHES into the Loft's front door.
Carnby grabs the para-meter. It BEEPS more insistently.
The front door BURSTS open, knocked right off its hinges by
the invisible creature crashing through it.
P.O.V. CREATURE:
The invisible xenomorph creature's skewed, inhuman P.O.V. as
it looks across the Loft, searching. It locates Carnby and
Aline and heads directly for them.
All that is visible of the creature's trajectory is furniture
being knocked aside as the creature rushes towards them.
The creature SMASHES right through a glass-topped work table,
SHATTERING it. Papers whirl around in its wake.
Aline and Carnby stand their ground, facing the on-coming
creature as it lunges towards them.
Carnby and Aline leap out of the way at the last moment.
Rolling away in opposite directions, they simultaneously OPEN
FIRE. Their glowing bullets hit the creature dead on.
The creature SQUEALS, flashing visible from the multiple
impacts. Their glowing bullets pierce the creature and it
tumbles to the ground, dead.
The creature's invisible corpse lies motionless. Broken
furniture and shattered glass is everywhere.
Carnby's para-meter is quiet, the readings subsiding with the
creature's death. The lights stop flickering.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
We'd better get out of here.
Suddenly, all the lights in the Loft go out in unison. All
the computer monitors also go dark.
The scanner starts BEEPING frenetically. Electromagnetic
readings shoot up, registering multiple sources nearby.
Carnby and Aline back up together, ready for an attack.
But the first thing they hear isn't a creature. It's the
sound of AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.
Streaks of glowing bullets fly through the air.
It is a 713 unit, laying down suppressing FIRE as the Agents
enter the Loft through the broken front door.
Agents Barr, Cheung, and Marko enter, followed by five other
AGENTS. They all wear full 713 combat gear, their riflem
ounted lamps illuminated, their weapons in use.
AGENT BARR (INTO COMM-LINK)
Carnby located.
127A INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT 127A
Krash monitors the 713 unit from the Control Room. Banks of
monitors stream data at her.
Krash speaks into her head-set comm-link, cool and collected.
KRASH
Multiple readings confirmed. Back-up's on
the way.
127B INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - AT THAT MOMENT 127B
The Agents FIRE glowing bullets through the dark Loft. There
are invisible creatures everywhere.
AGENT BARR (INTO COMM-LINK)
Roger that. We're hot.
The muzzle FLASHES and glowing bullets pierce the darkness of
the Loft.
Shadows swim through the space as the invisible creatures
move around them, attacking the Agents with their razor-sharp
claws and spiked-tails.
P.O.V. CREATURE:
An invisible creature swoops out of the shadows towards an
Agent, who is FIRING in the opposite direction. The creature
whips past the Agent, slicing him open with a fluid slash of
its claws. The creature keeps moving directly for Carnby.
Carnby and Aline, standing together, FIRE their weapons in
the darkness, oblivious to the creature rushing towards them.
But at the last second, Carnby turns instinctively as the
creature lunges at him.
CARNBY
Aline!
Carnby and Aline turn and OPEN FIRE on the creature. It
flashes visible from multiple hits, flailing off into the
darkness.
Agent Barr FIRES controlled bursts of glowing bullets into
the dark Loft. He screams into his comm-link.
AGENT BARR (INTO COMM-LINK)
Where the hell's our back-up?
KRASH (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Landing.
The sound of a HELICOPTER can be heard outside the Loft.
P.O.V. CREATURE:
Another invisible creature skirts along the edge of a wall,
avoiding the GUNFIRE. It locates its target, an Agent FIRING
up at the ceiling. It races towards the Agent.
The Agent turns to the attack and tries to fire. But the
creature is too fast. It SLAMS the Agent back against the
wall and impales him with its spiked-tail.
Agents Barr and Cheung spot this and OPEN FIRE on the
creature. It flails about, fading visible from the impacts.
The creature tries to scurry away, but Barr and Cheung are on
it. With precision and speed, they blow the creature away.
But more creatures attack. The fighting is fierce. Glowing
bullets streak through the darkness. The Agents are calm and
determined as they engage the creatures.
Carnby and Aline hold their own, sticking together, SHOOTING
at whatever shadows move around them.
Six AGENTS in full combat gear burst into the Loft. Leading
the unit is Commander Burke. Agent Miles is with him, as is
AGENT TURNER (mid-30s).
Burke, Miles, Turner, and the other Agents immediately join
the battle, laying down suppressing FIRE.
An Agent carrying a rifle-mounted grenade-launcher FIRES an
incendiary flash-grenade at the Upper Level of the Loft.
With a flash of blinding light, the grenade EXPLODES.
Creatures SQUEAL as flames swoop up through the Upper Level.
Glowing bullets fill the dark Loft. Creatures SQUEAL and
flail from the hits.
In the darkness of the Loft, Carnby, Aline, and the Agents
finish off the remaining invisible creatures.
The last creature goes down in a hail of glowing bullets. The
Agents strafe the creature's corpse to make sure it's dead.
Agent Barr and Carnby exchange a look between them. Barr
clearly respects Carnby's abilities.
The Loft is still dark. Barr's rifle-mounted scanner no
longer registers any creatures.
AGENT BARR
We're clear, sir.
Burke looks around at the remains of the battle. The Loft is
totally trashed. A sm
all fire burns in the Upper Level.
BURKE
Love what you've done with the place,
Carnby.
Miles runs a hand-held scanning device over John's corpse.
The scanner BEEPS, indicating the presence of a spinal-worm.
AGENT MILES
Sir, this one's infected too!
Agent Turner scans the Female Orphan's corpse. His scanning
device BEEPS. She has a spinal-worm too.
AGENT TURNER
Got another one here!
Burke immediately turns his weapon to Carnby. The red lasersight
makes a glowing dot on Carnby's chest.
Taking their cue from Burke, the other Agents in his unit all
train their weapons on Carnby. Several glowing red dots
hover on his chest.
BURKE
Drop your weapon and get down on the
ground.
ALINE
What are you doing?
BURKE
He's been infected with some kind of
organism. He could be under its control.
Aline turns to Carnby.
CARNBY
It's true. I've got one inside me. But
it's not controlling me.
BURKE
You'll excuse me if I don't take your
word for it. Now drop your weapon.
Carnby holds his weapon at his side. He doesn't drop it. But
he doesn't move either.
Aline steps in between Carnby and the Agents. The red dots
are now trained on her chest.
AGENT TURNER
Get out of the way!
The Agents try to get a clear shot around Aline.
ALINE
He's not one of them.
BURKE
If I've got to shoot through you to get
to him, I'll do it.
Carnby looks up at the lights. They are still dark.
CARNBY
Why are the lights still out?
Barr consults his scanner. It isn't registering anything.
AGENT BARR
Scanner's clear.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
Krash?
KRASH (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Negative.
BURKE
Forget to pay your power bill, Carnby?
An Agent standing at the other end of the Loft hears
something SHUFFLING behind him. He turns to look.
Something grabs the Agent, SLAMS him back against the wall,
and rips out his neck.
It's another ORPHAN, with the same fierce, gaunt look and
clear irises.
Burke turns away from Carnby for a moment, trying to figure
out what's happening.
Carnby suddenly lifts his weapon and points it at Burke.
Burke sees this, but before he can react, Carnby FIRES.
Carnby's bullet WHIZZES past Burke and hits an ORPHAN dead
center in the gut, sending him flailing back, dead. The
Orphan was about to pounce on Burke.
There's a moment as Burke and Carnby look at one another.
Burke realizes Carnby just saved his life.
The ORPHANS attack.
They are the grown-up Children from Carnby's Orphanage. Like
Pinkerton, they are difficult to kill, immune to pain, fast,
and deadly. They all have the same gaunt, wild look, with
sunken eyes and nearly clear irises.
The Orphans leap out at the Agents, quick and fierce. They
bite and claw and use their superhuman strength to throw
around the Agents and tear them apart.
The dark Loft is again lit up with glowing bullets, streaking
through the darkness. The Agents' rifle-mounted lamps shine
around, but the effect is chaotic, disorienting.
As the Orphans attack, they make quick work of many of the
Agents. Glowing bullets fly around everywhere. The SCREAMS of
Agents being torn apart mix with BURSTS of AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.
Carnby and Aline stay together, dodging the attacking
Orphans, and FIRING into the darkness.
An Orphan rises up behind Carnby. He spins and SHOOTS her in
the side. But she just keep coming. Carnby SHOOTS the Orphan
again, this time dead center in the chest. The Orphan
collapses, dead.
Carnby checks the corpse. The bullet came out the other side.
A mixture of red blood and black, sticky ooze drips from a
bullet hole right over the Orphan's spine.
Carnby grabs the comm-link off the body of a dead Agent.
CARNBY (INTO COMM-LINK)
All Agents! You've got to kill the
organism to stop them! Aim for the spine!
Across the Loft, Burke listens to the comm-link.
An Orphan is attacking Agent Miles. Burke takes careful aim
and SHOOTS the Orphan in the back, right on the spine. The
Orphan falls over, dead.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Confirmed. Spinal shot's a kill shot.
With this information, the Agents quickly gain the upper-hand
against the Orphans' attack. The Orphans are fast and deadly,
but they have no organization. Now that the Agents have a
handle on this new threat, their precision and speed returns.
Soon, the battle is over. Dozens of bodies of dead Agents and
dead Orphans lie littered around Carnby's destroyed Loft.
Only Carnby, Aline, Burke, Miles, Barr, Cheung, Marko, and
Turner remain alive.
Burke's and Carnby's eyes meet. Burke approaches Carnby.
The other Agents all stand by, waiting for an order from
Burke. Aline watches them, ready to step in.
BURKE (CONT'D)
You remember the number one rule they
teach you in 713 training? Trust your
instincts.
Burke and Carnby face off.
BURKE (CONT'D)
Fischer's missing. So is Hudgens. And
I've got a situation brewing that makes
this scrap look like a bar brawl.
ALINE
What does Hudgens have to do with this?
BURKE
That's what I want to find out. I need
you both to brief me in the air.
Burke turns to walk off, but then stops. He turns back to
Carnby. Burke holds out his hand.
BURKE (CONT'D)
Oh, and Carnby... I'll need my I-D back.
Carnby smirks. He pulls out Burke's I-D card and hands it
back to him.
*** SCENES 127BB, 127C, 130, AND 131 OMITTED ***
*** SCENES 128 AND 129 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 127 ***
*** SCENES 131A AND 131C INCORPORATED INTO 127B ***
*** SCENES 131B, 131BB, 131D, 132, 133, AND 133A OMITTED ***
*** SCENE 131E INCORPORATED INTO 131C ***
134 EXT. MINE - NIGHT 134
A massive, long-abandoned structure built directly against
the face of a mountain. This is the Entrance Hall of
Britannia Mine.
713 AGENTS mill about, setting up perimeter defenses. Humvees
are being positioned as barricades. Large spotlights are
being set up to illuminate the area, with power cables
leading inside the Entrance Hall.
Agents Barr, Cheung, and Marko are part of the team outside,
setting up the defenses.
The 713 helicopter carrying Carnby, Aline, Commander Burke,
and Agents Miles comes down for a landing next to two other
helicopters already sitting in front of the Mine.
The moment the helicopter touches down, Burke leaps out,
barking into his comm-link. Carnby, Aline, and Miles exit
after him.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Krash! What are you reading?
134A INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM 134A
Krash swivels in her chair, processing data, making
adjustments to sensors, and checking out the information
scrolling across the bank of monitors. She wears a head-set.
KRASH
We're practically off the scale,
Commander. This is unprecedented. Should
I initiate Contingency Nine-Alpha?
BURKE (ON THE COMM-LINK)
The military? We don't have time to wait
for them to mobilize.
KRASH
Is that a negative, Commander?
134B EXT. MINE 134B
Burke leads Carnby, Aline, and Miles to the Entrance Hall.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
No. Initiate Nine-Alpha on my authority.
But I won't hold my breath. By the time
this clears Defense Council, we'll be
dead or drinking...
135 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL - NIGHT 135
Rusty construction vehicles, detritus, and rubble lie
discarded throughout the Hall. Several shafts have been dug
into the mountain. Narrow paths lead up the slope.
AGENTS scurry around, setting up the defense system. The main
position is set up just inside the entrance to the Hall.
Burke and Miles enter, followed by Aline and Carnby.
AGENT MILES
We've got three perimeters of flashmines.
Gatling guns are set to
electromagnetic motion tracking. And
every available agent in the vicinity is
here. But Commander...
BURKE
I know, Miles. But back-up won't make it
before sunrise.
Several raised Platforms stand in the middle of the Hall.
On one Platform, Agent Turner helps two AGENTS unload a large
gold-plated generator from the back of a Humvee.
AGENT TURNER
Generator will be on-line shortly, sir.
Burke nods to Turner as he and the others walk by. Carnby and
Aline get into step with Burke and Miles.
ALINE
It looks like you're going to war.
BURKE
We are. The highest xeno concentration on
record is closing in on this location.
This could be our chance to wipe them out
once and for all.
A Tunnel, carved directly into the rock wall of the Mine,
leads off into darkness. Carnby stares down at the Tunnel.
CARNBY
We need to go down there.
BURKE
What?
CARNBY
They're coming here for a reason. Until
we know what they're after, we're never
really going to be able to stop them.
Agent Miles consults his hand-held para-meter.
AGENT MILES
Something's definitely down there, sir.
But there's too much interference to get
a clear reading from here.
Miles looks at Burke expectantly. Carnby and Aline watch him
as well. Burke looks conflicted.
BURKE
Goddamn it. Miles, you're in charge of
perimeter defense. Nothing gets in or out
until we find out what's down there.
135A EXT. MINE 135A
Batteries of flash-mines (mines that explode with a burst of
blinding light) set to electromagnetic sensors are being
positioned in wide perimeters around the Entrance Hall.
Automatic gatling guns loaded with chains of glowing bullets
are set up at key points around the area. The gatling guns
are mounted on swiveling robotic bases, able to automatically
turn to face on-coming targets.
AGENT FEENSTRA (mid-30s) tests the motion sensor on one of
the gatling guns with her hand. The gun swivels accurately to
match the movement of her hand.
Agent Feenstra nods to the two AGENTS standing behind the
gatling gun. They tinker with its guidance system.
137 INT. MINE TUNNEL 137
Carnby and Aline walk carefully down a pitch black tunnel,
illuminated only by their lights.
Along with them are Commander Burke, and Agents Barr, Cheung
and Marko. They each carry assault rifles with lamps mounted
on them. Their visors are down.
ALINE
I've been thinking about something. The
Abkani prophecy. The shadows that make
ghosts of men...
CARNBY
Every culture has a story about the end
of the world.
ALINE
But not every story starts to come true.
Agent Barr carries a hand-held para-meter. It's picking up
high electromagnetic readings.
AGENT BARR
It's definitely this way, sir.
They pass by various pieces of mining equipment, long since
discarded. Thick dust and cobwebs hang off the equipment.
They make their way down the Tunnel.
*** SCENES 137A, AND 138 TO 140 OMITTED ***
*** SCENES 141 AND 142 INCORPORATED IN SCENES 134 AND 135 ***
*** SCENE 143 NOW SCENE 146B ***
144 INT. TUNNEL CHAMBER 144
The Tunnel ends at a slightly larger, rounded Chamber with
walls of solid rock. They can't go any further. Cobwebs and
thick dust hang everywhere.
Carnby, Aline, Burke, Barr, Cheung, and Marko emerge out of
the Tunnel into the Chamber.
BURKE
It's a dead end.
Agent Barr checks his para-meter.
AGENT BARR
Readings are getting stronger.
Carnby looks around, sensing something. He wipes away some
cobwebs and dust and runs his hand over the Chamber walls.
BURKE
We'll double-back. Take another tunnel.
CARNBY
Wait. Aline, look at this...
Aline approaches the spot where Carnby stands. She shines her
flashlight beam in the wiped off area. Faint Abkani symbols
are carved into the wall.
ALINE
They're Abkani.
The Agents all start wiping away the cobwebs and dust,
examining the walls for more symbols. They all shine their
beams of light through the dark space, searching.
Cheung finds more Abkani symbols on another wall.
AGENT CHEUNG
There's more over here.
As Agent Marko moves through the space with his lamp, his
boot hits a small protrusion in the dusty ground. Agent Marko
shines his lamp down on ground. With his boot, he pushes away
the dust on the ground. There's a carving on the floor.
Agent Barr spots Marko and shines his lamp towards him.
AGENT BARR
What do you got, Marko?
Agent Marko presses down on the carving with his boot.
Suddenly, the stone floor beneath Agent Marko crumbles away,
revealing a deep circular Shaft.
Agent Marko can't hold on and he falls into the Shaft. He
SCREAMS as he falls.
AGENT BARR (CONT'D)
Marko!
144A INT. SHAFT 144A
The Shaft drops down sixty feet. Marko falls, unable to stop
his descent.
The Shaft walls are rough-hewn rock. Small fingers of lichen
grow out of the cracks in the stone. An ancient, fragile
wooden ladder is imbedded directly into the rock wall, its
rungs made of thick, knotted old branches.
145 INT. SAND CHAMBER 145
The Shaft drops into a round, sand-covered room. Razor-sharp
spikes poke out of the loose sand beneath the Shaft.
Agent Marko falls directly onto the spikes. He is impaled on
them.
146 INT. TUNNEL CHAMBER 146
The others rush to the lip of the Shaft. They can barely see
the illumination of Marko's flashlight in the depths below.
BURKE
We've got to get down there.
146A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 146A
Agent Miles surveys the defense position inside the Hall. The
spotlights aren't on yet.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
Defense perimeter's up. Still waiting for
the generator to come on-line.
BURKE (ON THE COMM-LINK)
We're retrieving Marko. Keep me posted.
Agent Feenstra checks her rifle, loading in a fresh magazine.
She looks a little nervous, having trouble getting it to fit.
Miles gently takes the rifle from Feenstra. He SLAMS the
magazine in and checks the rifle. He hands it back.
AGENT FEENSTRA
How long do we have to hold them?
AGENT MILES
Only until dawn.
AGENT FEENSTRA
Sir... that's four hours away.
AGENT MILES
I know.
146B EXT. MOUNTAIN SIDE - NIGHT 146B
On the side of a mountain rising up over Britannia Mine,
Hudgens and Fischer stand watching the activity below.
Jagged bolts of lightning and RUMBLING THUNDER echo around
them. The sound of HISSING comes up around them.
Suddenly, one by one, creatures start fading into visibility
behind them. More and more creatures appear, fading visible,
until there are dozens of xenomorph creatures stretching down
the mountain-side.
Hudgens looks back at his creature army. He lets an evil
smile slip across his face.
All at once, the creatures start leaping down the
mountainside. As they run, they all start fading invisible.
147 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 147
Dozens of Agents in full combat gear are in position. They
are armed, tense, and ready.
Suddenly, the scanner on Agent Miles' rifle starts to BEEP.
At first, the BEEPS are spread apart. Then the BEEPS sound in
rapid succession, faster and faster.
AGENT MILES
Incoming!
148 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM 148
Agent Miles runs up to Agent Turner. He is still tinkering
with the generator. The spotlights are still off.
AGENT MILES
Where the hell are the lights?
AGENT TURNER
The generator's not coming on-line. They
must be disrupting it.
149 INT. SHAFT 149
Burke, and Agents Barr and Cheung lower themselves down the
Shaft on zip-lines. They descend quickly and smoothly.
Carnby and Aline have to take the long way down. They
carefully climb down the rungs of the ancient wooden ladder
built into the Shaft.
Carnby steps down on a weak rung and it starts to give way.
When Aline steps down on it moments later, it breaks.
Aline starts to fall, but Carnby is there to catch her.
As Burke descends, he speaks into his comm-link.
AGENT MILES (ON THE COMM-LINK)
We've got incoming! What are your orders?
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Hold tight, Miles. Once we retrieve Marko
we're coming back up. Whatever's down
here is going to have to wait.
There is a LOW RUMBLING sound above them.
149A INT. TUNNEL CHAMBER 149A
Small rock fragments shower down into the open mouth of the
Shaft. There's a CREAKING sound.
The collapsed floor has triggered a trap.
In the ceiling directly above the Shaft, a heavy, round stone
column suddenly breaks loose. More rock fragments rain down
into the Shaft.
149B INT. SHAFT 149B
Everyone presses against the Shaft walls to avoid the falling
rocks.
The stone column drops into the Shaft with a thunderous
CRASH. It fits perfectly.
The column starts sliding down the Shaft towards them.
*** SCENES 150 AND 151 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 149 ***
152 EXT. MINE 152
In the distance, a bright flash goes off. Then another. And
another. The flashes light up the landscape. The inhuman
SQUEALS of the creatures can be heard in the distance.
The helicopters all take off, hovering up into the air above
the Mine.
152A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 152A
Agent Miles and the Agents in position watch the horizon.
Dozens of flashes go off in the distance.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
They've hit the outer perimeter.
Miles' scanner is reading off the scale. It BEEPS at a
frenetic pace, registering dozens of approaching creatures.
KRASH (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Electromagnetics around the mine are off
the scale.
Krash's voice starts to DISTORT with STATIC.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
Krash? Report! Krash?
But the comm-link is now only giving off STATIC.
153 INT. SHAFT 153
The friction from the Shaft walls is the only thing slowing
the stone column's relentless descent down the Shaft.
The weight of the column crumples the ladder as it falls.
As Carnby and Aline try to climb down the ladder, it is
getting more and more rickety and unsteady.
Burke and Barr are almost at the bottom of the Shaft.
Cheung is having problems with her zip-line. It keeps
jamming, slowing her descent.
153A INT. SAND CHAMBER 153A
The floor is covered in a thick layer of fine sand.
Burke lands safely. Barr lands next to him.
They quickly detach their zip-lines and pull Marko's body off
the spikes.
153B INT. SHAFT 153B
The stone column is almost at Aline and Carnby. The ladder is
being ripped apart by the column. They are out of time.
Carnby grabs hold of Burke's and Barr's zip-lines, which now
hang loose down the Shaft.
CARNBY
Aline!
Aline throws her arms around Carnby's neck.
Carnby releases his tight grip on the zip-lines. Together,
Carnby and Aline slide down the zip-lines.
Carnby and Aline slide past Agent Cheung. She is still
hovering on her jammed zip-line. But they are going too fast
to stop.
153C INT. SAND CHAMBER 153C
Burke trains his rifle on the spikes. He OPENS FIRE,
SHATTERING THE SPIKES. They crumble, no longer dangerous.
Carnby and Aline drop down out of the Shaft. Carnby lets go
of the zip-lines and they fall to the sand by the spikes,
rolling to safety.
Burke looks up the Shaft. He sees Cheung hovering above, the
stone column almost at her.
BURKE
Cheung! Cut the line!
153D INT. SHAFT 153D
The column continues to drop. It's right above Cheung.
Cheung pulls out a knife and cuts the zip-line cord. She
drops down the rest of the way.
154 INT. SAND CHAMBER 154
As Agent Cheung lands, she breaks her ankle from the impact.
She SCREAMS in pain.
Burke hauls Cheung out of the way at the last second.
The column drops to the ground with a CRASH, totally sealing
off the Shaft. There's no way back up.
The Sand Chamber is pitch black. The only light comes from
their lamps and flashlights.
Barr wraps up Cheung's broken ankle.
Aline inspects the Abkani symbols carved into the walls of.
She lays her rifle against the wall as she reads them.
Large, rough statues depicting the xenomorph creatures have
been carved directly into the rock walls of the chamber.
One wall is covered, floor to ceiling, with human skulls.
Carnby approaches Aline in front of the Abkani symbols.
ALINE
It's a warning.
Carnby looks at the wall of human skulls.
CARNBY
Subtle.
ALINE
The gist of it is, even if you make it
down here alive, you're already dead.
Burke barks into his comm-link.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Krash, I need another exit. Can you run a
sonar pulse at this depth?
Beat. No response.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK) (CONT'D)
Krash? Are you reading me? Miles?
AGENT MILES (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Can't get through to Krash either. Too
much interference.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Use the second perimeter as your firing
mark. I'll be there as soon as I find a
way out.
In the sand near Barr and Cheung, something moves.
154A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 154A
Agent Miles and the other Agents watch the perimeter.
AGENT MILES
Hold your fire until they're at the
second perimeter.
The flash-mine detonations are now much closer.
AGENT MILES (CONT'D)
Fire!
The Agents OPEN FIRE, letting loose a barrage of glowing
bullets. Streaks of light fill the night.
155 EXT. MINE 155
The THUNDERING GUNFIRE of the rotating gatling guns fills the
air. Thousands of glowing bullets streak through the night.
The hovering helicopters open FIRE with their side-mounted
gatling guns.
The on-rushing creatures SQUEAL and flash visible as the
gatling guns cut into them with waves of glowing bullets.
But Agent Miles' scanner continues to BEEP frenetically. More
and more creatures continue to rush towards them.
The automatic, ground-mounted gatling guns start running out
of ammunition. The sound of GUNFIRE is replaced by the HIGHP
ITCHED WHINE of the turbines rotating without bullets.
The helicopters continue to lay down suppressing FIRE, but
they are also running out of ammo.
155A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 155A
Agent Miles and the other Agents in the Hall continue to FIRE
away into the night.
HELICOPTER PILOT (ON THE COMM-LINK)
Ammo running low! How many of these
goddamn things are there?
Agent Miles' scanner registers that waves of the creatures
are still quickly approaching them.
156 INT. SAND CHAMBER 156
Cheung tests her injured ankle. She can walk with a limp.
Something moves through the sand towards Aline. Carnby looks
over at the last moment.
CARNBY
Aline!
With a loud SQUEAL, a SAND WORM bursts out of the sand in
front of Aline. At the end of its elongated body, a pair of
snapping jaws fold out, lined with razor-sharp teeth.
Aline scrambles back and falls down. Her rifle is out of
reach.
Another sand worm bursts out of the sand, diving for Carnby.
But he is quick on the draw. He SHOOTS the sand worm before
it can bite him. The bullets BLOW APART the sand worm's head.
The sand on the Chamber floor comes alive with movement as
sand worms burrow towards them.
Agents Barr and Cheung OPEN FIRE on the sand worms.
Aline fumbles for her flashlight, shining it at the sand
worm. It recoils from the light and HISSES at her. The sand
worm's jaws fold open, revealing its razor-sharp teeth.
The sand worm tries to dodge the light. It snaps at Aline
with its jaws and lunges at her.
She grabs it by the torso, just under the snapping jaws. The
sand worm struggles, trying to bite Aline. She can barely
hold it away from her. Her grip starts to loosen.
The sand worm's snapping jaws are almost at Aline's face. She
strains to hold it away.
With the sound of a GUNSHOT, the sand worm's head explodes.
It flops to one side, dead.
Carnby stands behind it, his gun smoking from the shot.
A sand worm bursts out and chomps down on Cheung's bad foot.
She SCREAMS.
Barr SHOOTS the worm that bit Cheung. Cheung falls back, her
body seizing up from its poisonous bite.
Cheung's body contorts. Barr grabs her as Cheung's head reels
back and her body goes limp. She's dead.
Burke turns, his face grim. He OPENS FIRE on the sand worms.
With precision and intensity, he FIRES controlled bursts at
any movement under the sand.
Carnby FIRES along with him. After a few seconds, the
movement has stopped.
Aline, Carnby, Burke, and Barr stand together. They look down
at Cheung's body.
Over the comm-link, Burke can hear the sounds of the BATTLE
going on up above them.
BURKE
We've got to get up there.
156A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 156A
The Agents FIRE streaks of glowing bullets into the night.
Flash-mines EXPLODE close by.
A creature leaps out at Agent Miles. He spins and opens FIRE.
The creature flashes visible as Miles riddles it with
bullets. The creature flails around, dying.
Creatures start leaping out at the Agents, jumping over the
Humvee barricades and slashing at Agents with their claws.
The Agents STRAFE every creature they see.
A creature jumps on an Agent's back and tears at him. Another
creature pounces on an Agent, ripping him open.
Dozens of creatures stream into the Hall. The Agents lay down
steady streams of fire, their glowing bullets streaking
through the night.
157 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM 157
GUNFIRE echoes through the Hall.
Sparks fly out around the generator as Agent Turner holds an
electrical torch to a component. Sweat drips from his
forehead. He wipes his eyes clear as he works.
Agent Turner tests to see that his electrical work is secure.
An Agent stand with him, ready to switch on the generator.
AGENT TURNER
Hit it.
The Agent switches on the generator. It HUMS to life.
The dark Hall is filled with blazing light from the battery
of spotlights set up around the Entrance Hall.
158 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 158
The creatures HISS and recoil from the spotlight beams. Some
begin smoldering under the glare.
Creatures take cover in the shadows behind old pieces of
mining equipment. Most race away from the light into the
darkness outside the Mine.
The Agents continue to SHOOT into the night, BLOWING away the
retreating creatures.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
They're turning back!
There's a moment of quiet. The Agents slump back, relieved.
The creatures are all gone.
HELICOPTER PILOT (ON THE COMM-LINK)
We've got to refuel and reload. We'll be
back ASAP.
AGENT MILES (INTO COMM-LINK)
Confirmed.
The helicopters pull away, flying up over the mountains and
past the horizon.
Agent Feenstra turns to Agent Miles.
AGENT FEENSTRA
We made it, sir.
Miles and Feenstra exchange a look of relief.
159 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM 159
Fischer appears at the end of the Platform.
Fischer approaches Agent Turner and the other Agent standing
at the generator. His demeanor is now totally different. He
is cold, menacing.
Agent Turner turns to see Fischer approaching.
AGENT TURNER
Fischer?
In a quick motion, Fischer grabs Agent Turner by the throat
and hurls him out of the way.
The other Agent FIRES on Fischer with her weapon. Fischer
takes a bullet in the shoulder. It doesn't stop him.
Fischer lunges for the Agent. He knocks her back and grabs
her face. Fischer snaps the Agent's neck, killing her.
Agent Turner runs towards Fischer, FIRING a sustained BURST
of automatic GUNFIRE. Agent Turner's bullets rip into him,
but Fischer keep coming.
Fischer lunges at Turner, grabbing him and SLAMMING him
against the generator. Fischer SMASHES Turner in the face,
almost knocking him out.
Fischer tears open Turner's combat vest. Four grenades hang
from the vest.
One by one, Fischer pulls the pins out of the four grenades.
Turner starts to regain consciousness just in time to see
this. His eyes go wide in fear.
Fischer hold Turner against the generator. Fischer is too
strong for Turner to get away.
The grenades all EXPLODE. Fischer and Turner are instantly
killed.
The explosion ignites the generator. It EXPLODES in a
crescendo of flame and sparks.
The lights go out. There is now no protection from the
creatures.
159A INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 159A
The spotlights are extinguished. Agent Miles and the
remaining Agents turn on their rifle-mounted lamps.
Miles' scanner registers dozens of signals approaching.
Agent Miles OPENS FIRE, sending a stream of glowing bullets
at the approaching creatures.
GUNFIRE rings out all around. Glowing bullets streak through
the dark night in all directions. Nearby, an Agent SCREAMS.
The 713 defenses have become chaotic, uncontrolled. Glowing
bullets fly everywhere. The SQUEALS of injured creatures
mingle with the SCREAMS of dying Agents. The constant RATTLE
of automatic GUNFIRE fills the night.
160 INT. SAND CHAMBER 160
Barr and Carnby lay Cheung and Marko's bodies to one side of
the Chamber, their faces covered with their vests.
Burke paces back and forth, screaming into his comm-link.
BURKE (INTO COMM-LINK)
Miles! Re-route those 'copters! Pull all
agents back into the mine! Set formation
in teams of three! Miles!
But all that he can hear through the comm-link is GUNFIRE and
the occasional SCREAM.
BURKE (CONT'D)
Goddamn it!
Carnby approaches Burke carefully. Burke looks furious.
CARNBY
We'll find a way out.
Burke signals to Barr. They sweep through the Sand Chamber,
exploring it with their lamps.
Carnby approaches Aline. She is standing over one of the sand
worm corpses. Its head has been blown off, but its torso is
intact. Carnby turns the sand worm's body over with his boot.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
It's just like the organism Fischer took
out of Pinkerton.
ALINE
Maybe this is what they look like when
they grow outside a human host?
Burke stops at a dark recess carved into the Sand Chamber.
The recess is thick with cobwebs and dust.
Burke cleans the cobwebs away. He stops, surprised at what he
sees in the recess behind the cobwebs.
BURKE
I think you'd better see this.
161 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 161
Agents Miles, Agent Feenstra, and two other AGENTS, are
barricaded behind pieces of mining machinery. They SHOOT
streams of glowing bullets across the dark Entrance Hall.
Suddenly, an invisible creature grabs the first Agent from
behind a rusty piece of machinery. The creature throws the
Agent into the air. He lands heavily, stunned.
Before the Agent can get to his feet, three invisible
creatures pounce, tearing him to shreds.
From behind his position, Miles SHOOTS at the creatures with
glowing bullets, scattering them.
The second Agent stands behind a piece of machinery, tense,
rifle ready. She hears a WHOOSH of movement nearby. She
turns, but can't see anything.
She hears a SHUFFLING sound above her. She looks up. The
creature is above her, on top of the machinery.
The Agent tries to SHOOT, but the creature's tail SNAPS at
her, impaling her with its tail-spike.
Agent Miles and Agent Feenstra SHOOT at the creature with
precise BURSTS of glowing bullets.
The creature leaps at them. Miles and Feenstra hold their
positions, RIDDLING the creature with glowing bullets.
A creature leaps out at Feenstra. She hears the WHOOSH of
movement at the last moment and swivels, FIRING in the
direction of the creature.
But she's SLAMMED off her feet. Feenstra gets a deep GASH in
her thigh from the creature's spiked tail.
AGENT MILES
Feenstra!
The creature pounces. But Feenstra is fast enough. She BLOWS
AWAY the creature with a BURST of glowing bullets.
*** SCENE 116A OMITTED ***
162 INT. SAND CHAMBER 162
Aline, Carnby, Burke, and Barr stand in front of the dark
recess in the Sand Chamber. The recess is completely sealed
up by a solid concrete wall.
Aline comes up to the concrete wall, running her hands along
its flat surface. It is obviously not Abkani.
ALINE
The Abkani didn't put this here.
Agent Barr shines his light across the concrete wall.
AGENT BARR
There's no way through.
BURKE
There's always a way...
Burke opens his pack. Inside it are several packages of C-4
explosive.
163 INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL 163
Agent Miles and Agent Feenstra are barricaded behind an old
mining vehicle. The bodies of dead Agents lie around them.
Agent Feenstra bleeds from the wound in her thigh. The lights
on their rifles are the only lights in the Hall.
An invisible creature jumps out at them, knocking debris out
of the way as it charges.
Agent Miles rolls away at the last second as the creature
SLAMS into the old mining vehicle.
Agent Feenstra spins around and EMPTIES her last clip into
the creature, killing it.
AGENT FEENSTRA
I'm out.
AGENT MILES
Last one.
Miles throws Feenstra a magazine. Feenstra loads it in.
Miles tries to get a signal on his comm-link. But it just
gives out STATIC.
AGENT MILES (CONT'D)
Commander? Krash? Anyone?
Agent Miles pulls off his comm-link.
AGENT FEENSTRA
I can't walk. If I lay down suppressing
fire, maybe you can make it out of here.
AGENT MILES
I die fighting or I don't die at all.
Agent Miles OPENS FIRE into the night. His bullets glow as
they streak through the air. Feenstra picks herself up and
OPENS FIRE alongside him.
Creatures SQUEAL in the distance as the bullets find their
marks. Feenstra empties out her last magazine.
An invisible creature leaps over the barricade and pounces on
Feenstra, tearing into her.
Miles SHOOTS at the creature, emptying his last magazine. But
he's too late to save Feenstra. Her torn-up body slumps
against their barricade
Agent Miles is alone. He is out of ammunition. He pulls the
trigger futilely. Miles stands firm. He flips up his visor.
Miles closes his eyes. He is hoisted into the air by an
invisible creature and thrown to the ground. Invisible
creatures tear him apart.
164 INT. SAND CHAMBER 164
Carnby, Aline, Barr, and Burke take cover behind the stone
column. Burke holds a remote detonator. It is active.
Burke tries to get a signal on his comm-link. But all he gets
is STATIC. Looking grim, Burke prepares to press the button
on the detonator.
ALINE
You sure this is going to work?
Burke shrugs and presses the button. The detonator counts
down: 3... 2... 1...
A tremendous EXPLOSION rocks the Sand Chamber. Sand whirls
through the air. Concrete fragments blow out from the recess.
As the smoke clears, Carnby, Aline, Burke, and Barr approach
the recess. The concrete wall has been blown open. Smoke
rises up off the ruined wall.
The Sand Chamber now opens up into another dark room.
*** SCENES 166 TO 169 OMITTED ***
170 INT. UNDERGROUND LAB 170
Carnby, Aline, Barr, and Burke step over the rubble of the
concrete wall. They shine their lights around the dark room.
They are in a large abandoned Bureau 713 Lab. Thick dust
covers all surfaces. But it was once a high-tech facility.
On one side of the Lab is a sliding metal door.
ALINE
What is this place?
Medical equipment, scientific instruments, and computers have
been left as they were, untouched for two decades.
A series of glass tubes are lined up along one wall. In each
tube, a spinal-worm lies dead, floating in gelatinous liquid
Aline checks out a series of diagrams affixed to another
wall. They are anatomical schematics for the spinal-worms.
There are also diagrams of the human body with markings
isolating key areas of the spinal cord.
Carnby stands in front of a row of twenty clear glass basins,
each about the size of a child.
Each basin has a small metal tag on it. Carnby wipes the
layer of dust off one of the metal tags.
The tag reads: E. CARNBY.
CARNBY
This is where it happened.
ALINE
Who did this to you?
Burke and Barr continue to explore the room with their rifle-
mounted lamps. Barr finds a pair of huge metal hangar doors.
AGENT BARR
Commander...
Carnby, Burke, and Aline approach Barr at the hangar doors.
Next to the hangar doors is a control panel. Barr pulls the
front off the control panel, revealing a rusted hand-crank.
Barr pulls on the hand-crank. It won't give. Carnby joins him
and, together, they strain to move the hand-crank. The handcrank
CLANKS into the open position.
An old mechanism is engaged. The hangar doors slide open,
revealing another doorway behind them. But this one is
clearly not part of the Lab.
It is an ancient, solid gold door, carved with Abkani
symbols. The gold door is built into a wall of rough rock. It
looks like the Lab was built right around the gold door.
In the center of the door is a small cylindrical opening.
Aline uses her flashlight to read the symbols on the door.
One symbol is prominent among the others: the DARK SPIRIT.
ALINE
Edward, look...
Aline reaches into her pack and takes out the Abkani device.
It is the exact size of the cylindrical opening in the door.
The same DARK SPIRIT pictogram is engraved on the lynchpin.
CARNBY
So it's a key.
Burke surveys the room with a grim expression.
BURKE
I say we got two options. One, we open
this door, deal with whatever's on the
other side.
ALINE
The pictograms carved here make it pretty
clear that's a bad idea.
BURKE
Two, we set enough C-4 to bury this
place. Keep whatever's in there, down
here for good.
Carnby stares at the gold door.
CARNBY
The answers I've been looking for my
whole life could be in there.
ALINE
Some doors are locked for a reason.
Carnby looks away from the gold door.
CARNBY
Barr... how much C-4 you got left?
Barr pulls open his pack, revealing several packages of C-4.
AGENT BARR
Enough to blow this place to...
Barr is cut off by a bullet hitting him in the head.
Blood spurts out as Barr collapses to the ground, dead.
Hudgens stands behind them, carrying two pistols.
HUDGENS
I'm afraid I can't allow that.
Before they can react, Hudgens presses a pistol to Aline's
throat. He points the other pistol at Burke and Carnby.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Now drop your weapons and back away.
Carnby and Burke drop their guns and step back. Carnby glares
at Hudgens.
CARNBY
It was 713.
HUDGENS
Our early work was crude, I admit. But
eventually we perfected the implant
process. You were our last failure,
Carnby. If you hadn't escaped, 713 never
would've shut down the experiments.
Burke's eyes flash with anger.
BURKE
There's no way this was sanctioned.
HUDGENS
Before your kind took over, 713 had very
different... priorities. Now, you just
blaze in and destroy everything before we
can learn to control it. I've wasted
twenty years working in secret because of
short-sighted men like you.
Hudgens sees the Abkani device Aline is holding.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
There it is...
Aline's expression is firm, unafraid. She grips the device
tightly. Hudgens is about to pull the trigger.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
You were a fine archeologist.
CARNBY
Aline...
Hudgens turns to Carnby, curious.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Give him the key. Enough people have died
today.
Aline sees Carnby is serious. She holds out the device to
Hudgens.
HUDGENS
You couldn't have opened it anyway. Not
without this...
Hudgens takes out the hollow cylinder artifact he found on
the Erebus. He hands it to Aline.
Aline inserts the artifact into the hollow circular space at
the bottom of the device, turning it into place. The device
is now a full cylinder with a flat protrusion on the bottom.
With one pistol pointed at Burke and Carnby and the other at
Aline, Hudgens directs her to the gold door.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Insert the key.
Aline inserts the device into the opening in the door.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
Now turn it.
Aline rotates the device, using the flat protrusion on the
bottom. It CLICKS into place.
A small crack splinters away from the opening where the
device sits. The crack splits off into several other cracks.
Hudgens points his pistols at the others, but his attention
is clearly directed at the gold door.
HUDGENS (CONT'D)
When we found the first of them, 713 saw
just another threat to be eliminated. But
I knew it was something more. It was the
first. The first to wake. I've woken
others since then. But the rest are
coming...
As Hudgens speaks, Carnby, Burke, and Aline exchange a look
between them. Carnby's eyes indicate the C-4 in Agent Barr's
pack. Burke and Aline understand.
The cracks splinter out, dividing, until they cover the
entire door. In a rush of fragments, the cracked gold
crumbles to the ground.
The empty doorway now leads into darkness on the other side.
*** SCENES 170A, 171, 172, AND 173 OMITTED ***
*** SCENES 170B TO 170D NOW SCENES 119H TO 119J ***
174A INT. CAVE 174A
Hudgens steps through the doorway.
The doorway opens up into a vast Cave, hundreds of feet high
and wide, stretching off into darkness. The cave walls are
rough-hewn rock, untouched by human hands.
The walls of the Cave are marked with hundreds and hundreds
of tunnels, pocking the rock like a hive, leading off into
the depths of the mountain.
Hudgens moves into the Cave, tentative, but excited.
Suddenly, there's a SCRATCHING, SCURRYING sound.
A xenomorph creature emerges out of one of the tunnels.
Out of another tunnel comes a second xenomorph. And a third.
Across the vast cave, dozens of xenomorphs creep out of
individual tunnels.
Hudgens steps further into the Cave. The xenomorphs approach
him, their heads darting about.
The xenomorphs surround Hudgens on all sides. His steps are
careful. He reaches his hand out to one of the creatures.
The creature moves up to Hudgens' hand, smelling it.
The creature lunges at him, ripping into him with its teeth.
The other xenomorphs surrounding Hudgens pounce on him as
well. The creatures tear Hudgens apart.
Like a dam breaking, hundreds of xenomorphs start streaming
out of the hive-like tunnel system of the Cave.
Standing in the doorway, Aline sees the creatures coming.
174B INT. UNDERGROUND LAB 174B
Carnby shoves the hand-crank into the closed position.
The hangar doors in front of the Abkani doorway start to
close. Aline backs away from the doorway.
Aline OPENS FIRE with an assault rifle. The glowing bullets
streak into the dark Cave, hitting several of the approaching
creatures. But there are too many of them. They keep coming.
The hangar doors are almost closed. The xenomorphs are only a
few feet from the doorway.
The hangar doors SLAM closed just in time.
A heavy impact THUMPS against the other side of the hangar
doors. Then another. The xenomorphs are trying to get though.
Burke is positioning C-4 charges around the Lab. He wires
them all through a remote detonator.
ALINE
These doors won't hold them for long
BURKE
Once we get out, we can remote detonate.
Carnby approaches the sliding metal door at the side of the
Lab. The dust around the door has been swept back.
CARNBY
Look at the dust on the floor. This is
where Hudgens got in.
Carnby engages the opening mechanism and the door slides
open, revealing a dark Tunnel leading away from it.
Burke makes sure the remote detonator signal is active. All
he has to do is press the button on the detonator.
The hangar doors SHAKE from the impacts of creatures slamming
into them.
175 INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/TUNNEL 175
Carnby, Aline, and Burke run down the long, dark Tunnel,
lighting their way with flashlights.
A few doors line the Tunnel, but they are all welded shut.
Carnby spots a dim light up ahead.
CARNBY
Over there!
The Tunnel ends at the rungs of a metal ladder built right
into the wall. Aline shines her flashlight up it. A strip of
light is visible way up high, at the top of a long Shaft.
Aline climbs up the ladder. Carnby climbs up behind her.
Burke shines his lamp down the dark Tunnel. The CRASHING
sound of impacts against the doors echo down the Tunnel.
Burke looks at the remote detonator in his hand. The signal
is inactive.
176 INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/SHAFT 176
Aline climbs up the rungs of the ladder built into the Shaft
wall. Carnby climbs up after her.
Burke stands at the bottom of the Shaft, looking up at them.
Carnby stops climbing and looks down at Burke.
BURKE
The remote detonator's inactive. The
signal can't get through.
CARNBY
We'll find a way.
BURKE
You saved my life, Carnby. I don't much
like debts.
Burke ducks back out of the Shaft.
CARNBY
Burke!
Carnby jumps down to the bottom of the Shaft, chasing after
Burke.
176A INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/TUNNEL 176A
Burke runs up to the sliding door to the Lab. He engages the
opening mechanism. The door slides open.
Carnby races down the Tunnel towards him.
Burke enters the Lab. He closes the sliding door behind him.
Carnby gets to the sliding door just as it's closing. He
tries to engage the opening mechanism, but it won't work.
Carnby tries to pull it open, but the door's jammed shut.
Aline runs up to Carnby as he tries to pry open the door.
ALINE
Edward... if he detonates those charges,
we're all dead.
Carnby looks torn. Aline reaches out her hand.
Carnby takes Aline's hand. They run towards the Shaft.
176B INT. UNDERGROUND LAB 176B
Burke's rifle is jammed into the opening mechanism of the
sliding door, blocking it from engaging.
The hangar doors are warped from the impacts. The gap between
the doors is being pulled open by dozens of creatures. The
hangar doors start to buckle under the pressure.
The remote detonator in Burke's hand is now active.
176C INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/SHAFT 176C
Carnby and Aline quickly climb up the ladder. They are almost
at the top of the Shaft.
The Shaft is sealed with a pair of corrugated metal doors.
Sunlight shines through the thin crack between the doors.
Carnby points his gun at the metal doors above them.
*** SCENES 177, 178, 179, 179A, AND 180 OMITTED ***
181 EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAWN 181
A small Storm Cellar is built into a corner of the
Orphanage's front lawn. The corrugated metal doors are locked
from the outside with a chain and rusty padlock.
A BURST of GUNFIRE blows out from inside the Storm Cellar,
breaking open the padlock. The doors are thrown open.
The sun rises on the horizon.
*** SCENES 181A, 181AA, 181AB, AND 181B OMITTED ***
*** SCENES 181C, 181CC, AND 181D OMITTED ***
181E INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/TUNNEL 181E
Burke looks around the abandoned 713 lab.
The creatures are almost through the hangar doors. The gap is
just wide enough for one creature to stick its head through.
It SNAPS its jaws at Burke.
Burke presses the button on the detonator. The detonator
counts down: 3... 2... 1...
181F INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/SHAFT 181F
A tremendous EXPLOSION rocks the Shaft. A swirling geyser of
flame shoots up towards the top of the Shaft.
181G EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAWN 181G
Carnby and Aline dive out of the Shaft just in time. The
geyser of flame erupts out of the Storm Cellar.
The shock-wave knocks them to the ground. A cloud of dust
swirls up out of the Shaft.
181H EXT. MINE - DAY 181H
The Mine shakes from the explosion. Great clouds of dust and
rock fragments billow out of the Entrance Hall.
The whole mountain RUMBLES from the detonation.
181J EXT. ORPHANAGE 181J
Aline and Carnby get to their feet outside the Storm Cellar.
Smoke pours out of the Shaft.
But as he sees where he really is, Carnby is stunned. He
stares up at the Orphanage.
CARNBY
They were under us the whole time.
181K INT. ORPHANAGE/DEN 181K
Carnby and Aline walk through the Orphanage. It is clean,
well-maintained. But no one is there. The Orphanage is empty.
ALINE
Where are all the children?
The door to the Children's Room is ajar. Carnby opens the
door.
181L INT. ORPHANAGE/CHILDREN'S ROOM 181L
Carnby and Aline stand at the doorway.
Sister Clara lies dead on one of the children's beds. The
blankets and sheets are soaked with blood.
A bloody gash has been sliced up each of Sister Clara's arms.
A blood-stained straight-razor sits on the bedside table.
A crumpled piece of paper is clutched in one of Sister
Clara's hands. Carnby takes the paper and uncrumples it.
The notes reads: "FORGIVE ME, EDWARD."
181M EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAY 181M
Aline and Carnby step out of the Orphanage. Carnby looks
around, troubled. No one is visible outside the Orphanage.
CARNBY
Something's very wrong...
*** SCENES 182, 183, 183A OMITTED ***
184 EXT. STREET - DAY 184
Carnby and Aline walk along a deserted street. The sun rises
above them. It's a beautiful day.
Shops look ready to open. Cars are parked along the streets.
But no one is driving. The neighborhood is empty.
*** SCENES 185, 186, AND 187 OMITTED ***
188 EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY 188
Carnby and Aline walk down a wide street in the middle of the
city's downtown core. No one is visible anywhere.
ALINE
Edward... what's going on?
Carnby looks ashen. They stand in the middle of a downtown
intersection, empty streets stretching out in all directions.
CARNBY
Remember what Hudgens said? I was his
last failure. He said he perfected the
implant process.
ALINE
It can't be...
CARNBY
Then where the hell is everybody? Where's
everybody gone?
We look down at Carnby and Aline, alone in the intersection,
empty streets all around them. We start to float up above
them, getting a wider and wider bird's eye view of the city.
We swoop up higher above them, but still, no one is visible
anywhere in the city. We float up until the entire city
stretches out below us. Nothing moves. No one can be seen.
CARNBY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Here's what I know. There are two worlds
on this planet. A world of light and a
world of darkness. For millions of years,
these worlds were in balance. But now,
the lights of human civilization burn
everywhere. The dark places are
disappearing. We forced them to come out
of the shadows. Now, it's my job to force
them back in. My name is Edward Carnby.
I'm here to protect you from things you
don't believe in.
We start to drop back down, faster and faster, the ground
rushing towards us. We are descending directly above Carnby
and Aline, standing alone in the empty intersection.
We swoop down right in front of Carnby. His trench-coat blows
in the wind. Aline stands next to him, ready.
Carnby reloads his revolver.
CARNBY (CONT'D)
Aline...
ALINE
Yes Edward?
CARNBY
It's going to be a busy day.
The sun shines down above them, illuminating the deserted
city streets. Carnby's expression is determined.
*** SCENES 189 AND 190 OMITTED ***
FADE OUT.