VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X00: PILOT (UNAIRED)
[UNAIRED]
TRANSCRIBED FROM MASTER DUB TAPE
Written by: JOHN ZINMAN & PATRICK MASSETT
Directed by: BRIAN SPICER
Transcript by Intrepid
Courtesy of http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html
Please do not archive this transcript without permission from the
Transcriptionist
Length of episode: 66 minutes
RATING: TV-PG-V
==========================
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==========================
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==========================
SUMMARY: Nicholas "Nikko" Zond once again has gotten himself kicked out of
boarding school. Now in the custody of his estranged father, Nikko is living
the adventure of a lifetime: Car chases, Strange men with guns, Secret
Organizations, Dead bodies and his very own private tutor. But the biggest
adventure of all is getting to know who his father is and exactly what he's been
doing these last ten years.
==========================
VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X00: PILOT [UNAIRED]
==========================
FADE IN
[TITLE SCREEN]
VERITAS: THE QUEST
[EXT. BRIGHTON ACADEMY - DAY]
LEGEND: BRIGHTON ACADEMY
[INT. BRIGHTON ACADEMY -- BOY'S BATHROOM -- DAY]
(A hand pushes the door to the toilet stall open revealing an empty stall. He
moves to the next stall and pushes the door open. Again, the stall is empty.
He moves to the third stall and pushes the door open showing a cracked bowl and
something still bubbling in it. The walls are brown and dirty.)
(DR. BRADLEY turns around and walks down a row of Brighton Boys lined up in the
bathroom, lecturing them to turn the perpetrator in.)
DR. BRADLEY: Attendance at Brighton is a privilege. With that privilege comes
responsibility. Now one among you has vandalized your school. If he lacks the
courage to take responsibility for his actions, then I expect one of you to have
the courage to fulfill your responsibility and inform me as to his identity.
(DR. BRADLEY comes to a stop in front of NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND. The only
student in the row whose tie is askew and attitude flippant.)
NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: Well, that's an interesting word ... ah, choice, sir.
"Inform" like informant. Is that really the kind of moral rectitude you're
trying to instill in us here? You know, like they say in the brochure.
DR. BRADLEY: I don't think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation,
Nicholas.
NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: It's Nikko. And I think I do understand "gravity", sir.
I'm sure it's probably like standing on your anus in a fat suit.
(The other kids laugh.)
(DR. BRADLEY turns to look at them; the laughter immediately dies down. He
turns and looks back at NIIKKO ZOND.)
NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: Not ... Your anus, sir. The planet. (He winks.)
DR. BRADLEY: My office. Now!
(NIKKO ZOND turns and walks out of the bathroom. DR. BRADLEY follows. The
students remaining immediately turn to each other to talk when the two leave.)
CUT TO:
[INT. BRIGHTON ACADEMY -- OFFICE OF THE DEAN -- DAY]
(Inside THE DEAN'S office, DR. BRADLEY speaks with NIKKO'S father, SOLOMON ZOND.
NIKKO sits outside in the waiting room listening to his walkman on his
earphones. He occupies himself by playing with a coin and flipping it over his
knuckles.)
DR. BRADLEY: (o.s.) There are policies in place here at Brighton that are
designed -
SOLOMON ZOND: (o.s.) Listen, I hear what you're saying, but he needs your
help. Ever since his mother died, it's just been really rough on him. You can
understand that, right?
HALEY: (v.o.) See, a long, long time ago there was a young god who lived in
the heavens. He ordered Sagittarius, the archer, to shoot his bow ...
FLASH TO:
[NIKKO'S FLASHBACK: EXT. CAMPSITE -- NIGHT]
(Sitting in front of an open campfire, out under the open skies, a YOUNG NIKKO
ZOND listens to the story his mother tells him.)
HALEY: ... and god rode the star on the tip of the arrow to earth- so that he
could find a bride and not be lonely anymore.
YOUNG NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: Did that really happen?
HALEY: It's a legend that's been told for thousands of years. I believe
there's Truth in every story. It's our job to figure out what these Truths are
trying to tell us. (She looks at her watch.) It's time. Let's go wake daddy
up.
(Cut to: Back at home, the computer starts to ring. On it, a message box with
a ringing phone icon is on screen. SOLOMON ZOND sits up from the couch, reaches
over and twists the monitor toward him.)
(Cut back to the camp site. On the laptop monitor, the camera image of SOLOMON
ZOND appears on screen.
SOLOMON ZOND: Hello?
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: Good morning, daddy.
SOLOMON ZOND: Nikko! I miss you, boy.
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: I miss you too.
HALEY CAYCE: You fell asleep working again. People are going to start to think
you're an eccentric old professor.
SOLOMON ZOND: I am an eccentric old professor.
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: We found a missing star.
SOLOMON ZOND: Wow! That's exciting.
YOUNG NIKKO ZOND: It is. And tomorrow mom's going to take me to a lost temple.
SOLOMON ZOND: Haley? You got it?
(The image of SOLOMON ZOND on screen starts to fizz with static.)
HALEY CAYCE: We're at the site. Honey, I'm losing the satellite. I love you.
(HALEY and YOUNG NIKKO start throwing kisses at SOLOMON'S fuzzy monitor image.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I love you guys. Kisses for everyone!
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: I love you, daddy.
SOLOMON ZOND: Haley, be careful in there. Remember what you got ... do you
hear me?
(Camera pushes in toward the fuzzy monitor. Fade out to black. Resume to
present.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (v.o.) Are you listening?
(SOLOMON ZOND reaches out and takes the earphones off. Back in the DEAN'S
OFFICE waiting room, NIKKO looks up at his dad. He flattens his hair.)
NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: I'm sorry. Did you say something?
SOLOMON ZOND: What is with you and all this crap, boy?
NICHOLAS "NIKKO" ZOND: Well. Nice to see you too, dad.
CUT TO:
[INT. CAR (MOVING) -- DAY]
(SOLOMON ZOND drives NICHOLAS away from the school.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Now I want to understand what's going on with you.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, I guess I don't make it very easy.
SOLOMON ZOND: Four schools in three years. I'm still on the line for the
tuition, you know that?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oh, one of the many burdens of fatherhood. I can only imagine.
SOLOMON ZOND: That's right. You can only imagine.
(The car phone rings. SOLOMON reaches for it and answers it.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Hello. (he glances at NICHOLAS & turns back to the road)
(pause) Yeah. (pause) Okay, prepare the jet.
(He hangs up the phone.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (overhearing & puzzled) The jet?
(The car suddenly gets hit from behind. They both glance back at the dark sedan
following close behind them.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad!
(Behind the dark sedan, two other cars appear one on each side of them.)
(The car on the left speeds up and levels off in line with SOLOMON. The
darkened windows roll down and a man turns to look at SOLOMON. He recognizes
him instantly.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Hossik!
(SOLOMON turns back to the road in front of him. NICHOLAS turns and looks at
HOSSIK in time to see the gun he lifts up to show them.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad! He's got a gun!
(SOLOMON glances over and sees the gun. He turns and rams his car and rams it
into HOSSIK'S car. He speeds up and pulls out in front of the dark sedan
putting some space between them.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Get in the back. Keep your head down!
NICHOLAS ZOND: (surprised) What?!
SOLOMON ZOND: In the back now!
(NIKKO climbs into the back seat. The man from the car behind them fires,
breaking the back window.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Nikko, are you okay?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, I'm okay! What's going on?!
(The papers in the back start flying out the broken window. Their car license
#8V9-ORG1.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Take this.
(SOLOMON hands NIKKO a metal briefcase. He takes it and stays down low in the
back seat. SOLOMON speed dials the car phone.)
MAGGIE: (from phone) Hello, Solomon.
SOLOMON ZOND: Maggie, I need an exit.
INTERCUT WITH:
[INT. THE VERITAS FOUNDATION]
MAGGIE: I have your location.
(MAGGIE sits in front of the computer, monitoring SOLOMON'S car. The white dot
on the monitor travels down the roadway
SOLOMON ZOND: I've got three cars on my tail. Get me out of here.
(On the computer monitor, MAGGIE watches the white dot travel up the roadway at
considerable speed. The label under the white dot reads: V-27 ZOND, SOLOMON.
She focuses on his position.)
MAGGIE: Up ahead, turn right.
SOLOMON ZOND: There is no right.
MAGGIE: Just look.
(SOLOMON looks and gets it.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Oh, right.
(SOLOMON turns right ... onto the dirt road. NIKKO tosses about in the back
seat.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oh!
(IVAN HOSSIK and the other cars follow ZOND.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Hey Maggie, talk to me.
(MAGGIE watches SOLOMON on the monitor.)
MAGGIE: Go over the tracks.
SOLOMON ZOND: Are you sure?
MAGGIE: Just do it, Solomon.
(SOLOMON drives over the train tracks.)
SOLOMON ZOND: You got the wheel, Maggie. You're my eyes. What do you want me
to do?
MAGGIE: They took the bait.
SOLOMON ZOND: They're still coming, if that's what you mean.
MAGGIE: Make a right.
(SOLOMON takes the right and heads between the train cars. HOSSIK follows.)
(Off to the left of him, one of the cars continues to go straight. It gets out
in front of him and turns toward them.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad! Dad, watch out!
(MAGGIE keeps a close eye on the monitor in front of her.)
MAGGIE: Turn left now!
(SOLOMON takes the left. NICHOLAS rolls around in the back seat, keeping low.
HOSSIK continues to follow ZOND.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Maggie, come on, they're right up my tail.
(Watching the yellow dot (ZOND) and the three red dots (HOSSIK) on her monitor,
MAGGIE carefully manipulates them into position.)
MAGGIE: Okay. You're gonna make a hard left on my mark. Three ... two ...
one ... go!
(SOLOMON takes the left and speeds out and around the train cars. He zooms past
one of HOSSIK'S black cars. The other two cars behind him follows and one
deftly crashes into the other remaining car, taking them both out of commission.
The one car remains following ZOND.)
SOLOMON ZOND: What next?
MAGGIE: Do you see a structure in the yard? It should be directly ahead.
(SOLOMON looks.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Yeah, it's some sort of snowplow.
MAGGIE: There should be a track running parallel. There's nothing on the
track.
(Whatever she's got planned, SOLOMON quickly understands her line of thinking.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (to MAGGIE) Got it. Nikko, hang on.
(The last remaining car chasing ZOND lines up parallel with him. He swipes the
car, hitting it and pushing it off to the side.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad! What's going on dad?!
(SOLOMON swipes the car again, pushing it onto the tracks and in line with the
snowplow ahead. He succeeds and the car is on the tracks. The DRIVER looks up
and sees the snowplow too late.)
(The car rams up into the plow like a ramp and flips over and off to the side.
NICHOLAS sits up and sees the car hit the ground.)
NICHOLAS: Whoa!
(The car that was once chasing them slows down and stops.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (to phone) Okay, we're clear.
MAGGIE: (to phone) Drive safely.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Hey, dad? I think I'm ready to go back to school now.
FADE
[EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE (STOCK) -- DAY]
LEGEND: NEW YORK
[INT. BUILDING - DAY]
(Carrying the metal briefcase, SOLOMON and NICHOLAS walk into the building.
SOLOMON presses the elevator button. NICHOLAS looks around.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: So what's in the case, Dad? Cash? Golden idol? Answers to the
SAT?
SOLOMON ZOND: Research.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Research, yeah. How is the gig at Princeton anyway? Job
description changed a bit?
SOLOMON ZOND: You're going to see some things you're not going to understand.
I mean, some things I don't understand.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Look Dad, you can tell me what's up okay? I'm not ten years old
anymore.
SOLOMON ZOND: No. No you're not. Look Nikko, believe me, there's a lot of
stuff. I just - I can't explain this to you right now. You're just going to
have trust me, okay?
NICHOLAS ZOND: What? Like the way you trust me, dad?
(SOLOMON doesn't say anything. The elevator doors open and they step inside.
He presses the button and the doors close on them.)
CUT TO:
[INT. TRUTH FOUNDATION - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
(The elevator doors open and they walk out into an extremely high tech open
office area.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well I guess the tuition isn't going to be a problem. Who pays
for all this?
SOLOMON ZOND: We're well funded. Let's just leave it at that.
(NIKKO looks around and sees the label on a file box on a shelf.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (reading) Veritas. Truth Foundation. (to SOLOMON) Truth
about what?
SOLOMON ZOND: Everything. Look around. Make yourself at home. (beat) Try
and stay out of trouble, huh?
(SOLOMON walks away. MAGGIE stands up and walks toward SOLOMON. NIKKO smiles
somewhat, nods, then starts looking around. SOLOMON heads for MAGGIE.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Thanks for the ride.
MAGGIE: You liked that, did you?
SOLOMON ZOND: It was inspired.
MAGGIE: Where is he?
SOLOMON ZOND: Over there.
MAGGIE: (looking over at NIKKO) Good looking boy.
SOLOMON ZOND: Oh he's a handful, Maggie.
MAGGIE: No more than he's supposed to be.
(NIKKO walks around, looking around the office.)
CALVIN BANKS: (o.s.) Dr. Zond, you all right?
(CALVIN BANKS walks into the office. SOLOMON walks toward him.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I'm fine. Are we all set?
CALVIN BANKS: Yeah. What the hell happened out there?
SOLOMON ZOND: It was Ivan Hossik.
CALVIN BANKS: Hossik? There's no way he can know about the find. Lafleur sent
this information from Paris by secured courier. Hossik doesn't have that kind
of access.
SOLOMON ZOND: No. He doesn't.
CALVIN BANKS: You think it was Dorna, right? You think Dorna sent them?
SOLOMON ZOND: Well, who else would have sent them? With my son in the car,
they crossed the line.
CALVIN BANKS: Yes they did. But - look Dr. Zond, Dorna has been dogging us
every step of the way. Fine. But this is different. Why?
SOLOMON ZOND: Lafleur said that this find would put us right back on Haley's
trail.
CALVIN BANKS: You mean the Sacred City, right? Damn yeah. That'll strike a
nerve.
SOLOMON ZOND: We're getting close, Cal. If we find the Sacred City, maybe we
find what Haley was chasing at the end. This isn't just about proving that
civilization began long before anyone ever anyone ever imagined, it's about what
those people knew.
CALVIN BANKS: Maybe how that information destroyed them.
(He closes the briefcase and takes a few steps away from CALVIN BANKS. He turns
around, suddenly serious.)
SOLOMON ZOND: My wife uncovered something and I believe that's why she died. I
want to know why Dorna is so worried about us figuring it out. What do they
know? What are they hiding? Where's Vincent?
CALVIN BANKS: He's on his way in.
SOLOMON ZOND: As soon as he's here, we go.
CUT TO:
[INT. TRUTH FOUNDATION - DISPLAY / EXHIBITION ROOM -- CONTINUOUS]
(In the next room, NIKKO walks along the various display cases. He looks at the
different artifact and finds. He turns his head and something catches his eye:
A framed photograph of his mother. He leans in close to look at it ...
remembering ... and missing her.)
HALEY CAYCE: (v.o.) It's a mystery. Isn't that what we're all looking for?
[FLASHBACK: INT. - DAY]
(The secret stairway lowers downward into the ground. Standing in the center of
its entrance is HALEY. NIKKO and MIKAIL stand at the top of the stairs.)
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: Cool!
(HALEY takes out a flashlight and starts to descend the stairway. MIKHAIL and
NIKKO follow. They walk along the passage way. At the end, they open the doors
and walk into a circular room with a map on the wall of the solar system.)
HALEY CAYCE: The solar system. The sun is in the center.
MIKHAIL: That's impossible. Copernicus did not discover the solar system's
layout for another thousand years at least.
Is it a hoax?
HALEY CAYCE: I don't know.
(She reaches out and touches the map. The center of the sun symbol starts to
light up. NIKKO takes a step forward. HALEY immediately puts out a hand and
stops him.)
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: What's it doing?
HALEY CAYCE: Take Nikko out of here.
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: No! I want to stay with you!
HALEY CAYCE: You know the rules. Now go with Mikhail.
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: I don't want to go.
(HALEY sighs and kneels down in front of YOUNG NIKKO.)
HALEY CAYCE: What's the most important part of my job?
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: Curiosity.
HALEY CAYCE: Right. But what's more important than that?
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: (sighs) Intelligence.
HALEY CAYCE: What's even more important than both of those?
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: Taking care of me.
(She reaches out and kisses him. MIKHAIL pulls NIKKO back toward the entrance.
HALEY stands and they watch each other leave.)
HALEY CAYCE: Go. I'll be fine.
MIKAIL: Come on, Nikko.
(HALEY turns back to the map on the wall. She opens her journal and reads
inside. YOUNG NIKKO continues to watch his mom as he's being led to the
entrance way.)
(He watches as HALEY reaches out and touches the sun on the wall. Its center
light starts to glow white, HALEY'S hand directly upon it.)
YOUNG NICHOLAS ZOND: Mom!
MIKAIL: Nikko!
(NIKKO pulls away from MIKHAIL and runs back toward his mom. He stops and
watches wide-eyed as the light from the sun on the map grows brighter and
brighter.)
(A beam of light shoots out from its center and hits YOUNG NIKKO square. He
glows gold and falls backward in SLOW MOTION.)
(End of flashback. Resume to present.)
(Someone walks behind NIKKO, pulling him out of his memories. NIKKO stands up
and turns around. He comes face-to-face with VINCENT SIMINOU.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: What can I do for you?
VINCENT SIMINOU: You can come with me.
(VINCENT SIMINOU leaves expecting NIKKO to follow. With a backward glance at
his mother's photo, NIKKO follows.)
FADE TO BLACK.
[EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT]
(SOLOMON ZOND, NIKKO and the rest of the team leave the car with their gear and
walk over to the jet. They board the jet. The car that dropped them off drives
away. The jet takes off.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. AIRPLANE (IN FLIGHT) - EARLY EVENING]
[INT. AIRPLANE (IN FLIGHT)]
(Inside the private jet, NIKKO absently leafs through a magazine, "Ancient
American". He glances back at his father who is busy working on the table in
the back. He tosses the magazine back on the table, gets up and heads for the
next compartment.)
[MIDDLE OF AIRPLANE (IN FLIGHT) -- CONTINUOUS]
(He walks through the door and his eyes widen at what he sees.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Holy!
(The entire room is set up with elaborate high-tech computer gear. Sitting in
front of a computer monitor is CALVIN. NIKKO moves to stand behind him, looking
over CALVIN'S shoulder.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: So, where are we headed, Chuck?
CALVIN BANKS: So as to avoid any confusion later, my name is Calvin. Not
Chuck.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Right. Well, nice to meet you, Calvin.
(CALVIN swings his chair completely around, making NIKKO jump back in surprise.
He squints his eyes at NIKKO.
CALVIN BANKS: (bluntly) We're not supposed to talk to you. I mean, do you
understand that anything we discuss in this room - ?
MAGGIE: (interrupts) Cal, please.
(CALVIN turns his chair back, trying to ignore NIKKO.)
MAGGIE: (to NIKKO) We're just a little under the gun here.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah. No, I know. Actually I just - well I wanted to ask you
guys something. Is my dad Batman?
CALVIN BANKS: Cute.
MAGGIE: (smiling) You hungry?
NICHOLAS ZOND: No. No, thanks.
MAGGIE: We've got some good stuff back in the gallery.
CALVIN BANKS: Yeah, you know what? Maybe you can get us some coffee while
you're at it, all right? Decaf, please. If I have anymore caffeine, I'm not
going to be able to sleep for a week.
NICHOLAS ZOND: One decaf coming up, bud.
(NIKKO backs away from them. CALVIN swings his computer back around.)
CALVIN BANKS: (scoffs) "Is my dad Batman?"
(NIKKO walks over to LENA working quietly in her corner. NIKKO leans over her
desk.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: See that guy over there?
LENA: (turns to look) Calvin?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah. He said he wanted me to ask you to get him some coffee,
you know like a mocha coffee-zilla thing. You know, something with a lot of
kick to keep him going.
LENA: (stands up to get it, muttering) What else is new?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah.
(When LENA leaves, NIKKO looks at her monitor. On screen is an article about
the "Pre-Roman Civilizations of France". There's a map of FRANCE on the left,
the article on the right and two close-up/enhanced sections of the map in the
middle.)
(NIKKO stands up and leaves the room.)
CUT TO:
[INT. AIRPLANE (IN FLIGHT) - BACK ROOM -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO enters the next room where he finds VINCENT SIMINOU playing a quiet game
of chess with himself.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right, look. I almost got killed a few hours ago and I
still don't know what's going on. Now are you going to fill me in or what?
(Ignoring the question, VINCENT picks up a chess piece, looks at it and puts it
back down on the board.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: You know, Nikko, in certain cultures, boys your age are run
off into the jungle, starved for three days in a hut, blindfolded, circumcised
with a blunt rock and then told they can't come home - until they kill a lion
with their bare hands.
(He looks up at NIKKO.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Count your blessings, man.
(VINCENT picks up another piece and moves it. NIKKO watches and comments on the
move.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Ah actually - you don't want to do that. The move is king's
knight seven to H3.
(VINCENT smiles appreciatively.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: That's a money game. Are you in?
(NIKKO sighs and takes the vacant seat. VINCENT starts to set the board up.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Can you answer a question for me?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Just one?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah.
VINCENT SIMINOU: Sure?
NICHOLAS ZOND: About what?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Questions, they're like insects. You can trap them, swat them
and kill them. But there's always more.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Okay, um - you're an old friend of my father's, right?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Is that the question?
NICHOLAS ZOND: What, you're only going to answer one?
VINCENT SIMINOU: I didn't say I would answer any.
(NIKKO pauses and concedes the point.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right, what's the time difference in Paris anyways? I want
to set my watch.
VINCENT SIMINOU: You're not wearing a watch. Are you going to play or not?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Look, who's after my father?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Ah! The question. (beat) I wish I could tell you.
NICHOLAS ZOND: You mean you wish you could tell me because you know, but you
can't; or you wish you could tell me but you don't know.
VINCENT SIMINOU: I wish I could tell you.
(VINCENT moves a chess piece. He looks at NIKKO.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Your move.
DISSOLVE TO:
[EXT. PARIS - DAY]
LEGEND: PARIS
[EXT. BUILDING - DAY]
(Establish.)
[EXT. - DAY]
(SOLOMON ZOND, NIKKO and VINCENT SIMINOU walk up to PROF. LAFLEUR.
Introductions are made.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Professor LaFleur?
PROF. LAFLEUR: Solomon. It's so nice to see you again. And Vincent. Welcome.
SOLOMON ZOND: Professor, this is my son Nicholas.
PROF. LAFLEUR: Of course, Nikko. It's a pleasure, my boy.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Nice to meet you, sir.
PROF. LAFLEUR: Your father speaks of you often.
(At this, NIKKO can't help but look at SOLOMON, who turns away at the comment.)
PROF. LAFLEUR: Gentlemen, this way please.
(PROF. LAFLEUR leads the men to his office in the back. SOLOMON turns around to
look at NIKKO before he walks into the room.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Give us a minute, Nicholas.
(VINCENT walks past NIKKO into the room. Inside the room, NIKKO sees PROF.
LAFLEUR tapping the fishtank glass with a coin. SOLOMON closes the door on
NIKKO.)
[OUTER ROOM]
NICHOLAS ZOND: (to the door, quietly upset) It's "Nikko".
(He shakes his head.)
CUT TO:
[INT. PROF. LAFLEUR'S OFFICE -- CONTINUOUS]
(PROF. LAFLEUR unrolls the scroll. It's a map.)
PROF. LAFLEUR: The find was discovered by a crew laying new fibre optic lines
in the seventh arrondissement. I was notified and called you immediately. Now
this is the city's utilities map and look the exact location of the site is
marked here.
(PROF. LAFLEUR points to a red square outlined on the map.)
PROF. LAFLEUR: And then there is this, gentlemen.
(He turns to his desk where he opens a box. He takes out an object wrapped in
cloth and shows it to SOLOMON. He opens the cloth to show them part of a stone
tablet.)
PROF. LAFLEUR: This tablet was found at the entrance of the site and it matches
an inscription described by Haley in her journals.
(SOLOMON opens the metal briefcase and takes out a personal journal with "HAYLEY
CAYCE" on the cover. SOLOMON leafs through the pages looking for something
specific. He finds it and picks up the stone tablet to compare it to the
drawing in the journal.)
SOLOMON ZOND: The best translation she came up with in here is: "The way to
the sacred city."
PROF. LAFLEUR: She also wrote of a vessel that would conceal the way.
SOLOMON ZOND: Yes.
PROF. LAFLEUR: I do think we may have found the location of the vessel.
VINCENT SIMINOU: The vessel - did she describe it - what it is?
SOLOMON ZOND: She didn't know. She never found out. She was certain that it
would be a major find. She said "The key to the puzzle. It'll re-write all
the timelines."
VINCENT SIMINOU: She never was short on enthusiasm.
SOLOMON ZOND: No. She had the market cornered.
PROF. LAFLEUR: Clearly this item is considered a holy relic. So you'll be
looking for an altar, perhaps a burial chamber.
VINCENT SIMINOU: Who else knows about this?
PROF. LAFLEUR: You are the first - and only.
VINCENT SIMINOU: And how many copies of the map?
PROF. LAFLEUR: Two. This one and my personal copy -
(PROF. LAFLEUR goes to the table to grab the map. He rolls it up and hands it
to SOLOMON ZOND.)
PROF. LAFLEUR: ... which I will hide here - for safe keeping.
DISSOLVE TO:
[EXT. HOTEL -- STREET - DAY]
[INT. HOTEL -- DAY]
(NIKKO is in the hotel room with his dad. He's still upset by what happened
earlier in the Museum and quietly ignores his father while trying to fold his
shirts.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (to phone) Yes, okay. That's find. (hangs up.) It seems, as
they say, the inn is full. We're roomies - at least for tonight.
NICHOLAS ZOND: (sighs) All right. Whatever.
(NIKKO tosses the "folded" shirt aside. SOLOMON watches and grins behind him.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (amused) Who taught you how to fold a shirt?
NICHOLAS ZOND: (annoyed) I did.
(He glances back at his dad, then grabs the next shirt and tosses that one
aside, too. SOLOMON steps up.)
SOLOMON ZOND: May I?
(SOLOMON picks up one of NIKKO'S "folded" shirts and looks at the crinkled
material, shakes his head and sighs. He open the shirt up. SOLOMON starts
showing NIKKO how to fold the shirt.)
SOLOMON ZOND: You've got to make sure the shoulders are tucked. Okay? Folding
over the tail of the shirt and then fold again, keeping the front flat. See?
Perfect.
(He hands the shirt to NIKKO. NIKKO takes it and looks at it for a moment ...)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Sweet.
(... then opens the shirt up again. Yep, he's still upset with his dad.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Sartorial tips from a world traveler.
(He tosses the shirt back onto the bed. SOLOMON sighs at the slight, then walks
away.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: So who taught you how to fold a shirt?
SOLOMON ZOND: Your mother.
(NICHOLAS turns and looks at his dad, regret for his actions on his face. He's
strangely quiet. He looks back at the shirt on the bed.)
(SOLOMON glances up at NIKKO and doesn't quite know what to do about his son.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I have to go get to work.
(SOLOMON turns and heads for the main living room.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Your tutor will be here any minute.
NICHOLAS ZOND: What?! A tutor?!
(NIKKO follows.)
SOLOMON ZOND: You weren't expecting a vacation, were you?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, sort of.
(He sits down.)
SOLOMON ZOND: You're staying with me the remainder of the school year. You'll
complete your course of study with a tutor and next fall - look at me - you'll
be enrolled in a more disciplinary academy.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oh, well, lucky me.
SOLOMON ZOND: Yeah, you are lucky - lucky I don't enroll you at Wainsport.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Military school?
SOLOMON ZOND: With summer school.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Look, can I order room service?
SOLOMON ZOND: No. Miss Droil will look after the meals.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Miss Droil? You mean like "boil" with a "dr"-
(Someone knocks on the front door. SOLOMON turns to answer it.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Don't, all right? Don't start.
(NICHOLAS stands up and walks back into the bedroom where he starts throwing his
shirts onto the bed.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (under his breath) I'm being killed here - I cat believe this.
Great.
SOLOMON ZOND: Nicholas, I'd like you to meet your tutor. This is Juliet Droil.
(NICHOLAS turns around and finds himself face to face with his young, very
pretty tutor. She holds out her hand to him.)
JULIET DROIL: Hello.
NICHOLAS ZOND: (speechless) Hi ... I mean hello.
(NICHOLAS holds out his hand ... underwear still on it and all. SOLOMON glances
down, JULIET glances down, NIKKO glances down ... and quietly shoves it behind
his back.)
SOLOMON ZOND: All right, now that you're both well acquainted, I'll let you get
to work. I'll be checking in on you.
JULIET DROIL: Thank you, Dr. Zond.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah. Yeah, thanks, dad.
(Before he leaves, SOLOMON turns to look at his son and wave ... a clear message
in it for him.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (mouths) Wainsport.
NICHOLAS ZOND: (nods and signals) Yeah.
JULIET DROIL: Well ... let's see where we are.
(She turns around to the main living room and pulls out a thick booklet from her
bag. She puts it on the table. NIKKO walks over and looks at it. It's an
"ADULT INTELLIGENCE SCALE" Test 1, Third Edition.)
JULIET DROIL: You have three hours.
(She walks away. NIKKO looks down at the test booklet, then back up at her.)
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN.
[EXT. PARIS -- DAY]
(A blue sports car stops on the street. VINCENT and SOLOMON exit the vehicle.
They meet up with MAGGIE, LENA and CALVIN.)
MAGGIE: We've got access from the basement. Everything's reinforced and ready
to go.
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. Let's hit it.
CUT TO:
[INT. PARIS -- DAY]
(The group walks into the museum.)
MAGGIE: Monsieur.
CALVIN BANKS: These are from the Paris City Engineers.
SOLOMON ZOND: What's up with you? You look like the walking wounded.
CALVIN BANKS: No, I know. I couldn't sleep. It was like jet lag or something.
I was wired all night.
(The group walks down the stairs. SOLOMON fills them in as much as he can.)
SOLOMON ZOND: So far we've got nothing to account for the location of this
site except the Romans but ... this site is much too deep and significantly
older.
VINCENT SIMINOU: (simply) It shouldn't be here.
CUT TO:
[INT. HOTEL -- DAY]
(JULIET DROIL waits while NIKKO finishes the test. She leafs through a
magazine.)
(NIKKO glances up at JULIET, leans back and declares.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: I'm done.
JULIET DROIL: You still have over an hour. You might want to use it.
NICHOLAS ZOND: What are you talking about, it's perfect.
JULIET DROIL: It's not the correct answer, Nikko.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well, it all depends on how you look at it.
JULIET DROIL: Well, you're obviously very bright. So why is it that your mug
shot is hanging up at every prep school admissions office in north america.
NICHOLAS ZOND: They don't really know me yet in Europe.
JULIET DROIL: Come on, Nikko.
NICHOLAS ZOND: I don't know I guess I've ah, never had a teacher who inspired
me fore.
JULIET DROIL: Inspiration, has to come from yourself. But I think you already
know that.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Look, I don't like school, okay?
JULIET DROIL: You don't like school or is it that you love torturing your
father?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Is this part of the test?
JULIET DROIL: Look, I just want to know what I'm dealing with here, okay? I
mean I don't want to have to come home one day and find that my toilets been
blown to hell.
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right, look, let's get out of here. Okay? Let's go do
something.
JULIET DROIL: I don't think that's such a good idea.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Come on, we're in Paris. I mean it's like living history. It's
one of the great ancient capitals.
JULIET DROIL: Nikko -
NICHOLAS ZOND: We can call it social studies.
JULIET DROIL: Yeah, a study of your social life. I'm responsible for you okay?
Your father ...
NICHOLAS ZOND: Hey, I don't need a babysitter.
JULIET DROIL: That remains to be seen.
NICHOLAS ZOND: You know what, fine! You can stay here and grade my test. I'm
out of here.
JULIET DROIL: Nikko!
(NIKKO walks out of the room. JULIET sighs.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF HOTEL -- DAY]
(JULIET rushes out of the hotel trying to catch up with NIKKO.)
JULIET DROIL: Nikko! Nikko, wait!
(NIKKO stops walking, a small smile of triumph on his face. He turns around.
She walks up to him.)
JULIET DROIL: Look, just don't push me, Nikko. You want to go out and take a
walk, fine. Then we're back to work. Got it?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, yeah. Cool. Thank you.
CUT TO:
[INT. BASEMENT -- DAY]
(The group reaches the basement and looks around at all the old stuff all around
them.)
CALVIN BANKS: Oh man, do you believe this place?
SOLOMON ZOND: (smiling with anticipation) Yeah. What a mess, huh? Lena, get
some lights on in here. Maggie, Cal, I want this place surveyed and mapped,
ASAP.
(CALVIN steps toward SOLOMON and suggests.)
CALVIN BANKS: You know what? Why doesn't Lena stay down here and I'll go get
the lights?
MAGGIE: Cal.
CALVIN BANKS: (mutters) Nope. I will stay down here and Lena will get the
lights.
CUT TO:
[EXT. PARIS - STREET -- DAY]
(NIKKO and JULIET walks along the sidewalk.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: So, how do you know my dad?
JULIET DROIL: Your dad was my professor at Princeton.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Princeton, huh? And you managed to land this great job?
JULIET DROIL: I'm working on my doctorate, Nikko. But that takes money - so
I'm here. But I'm not sure I'm getting paid enough.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oh, well that's cause you just met me. I'm sure a month from
now you're definitely going to want a raise.
JULIET DROIL: Hm.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Actually, hiring you is the first nice thing the guy's done for
me in who knows how long.
JULIET DROIL: Come on, Nikko. Your dad is a great guy. You know, when he's
teaching full time, everyone wanted to take his classes. I mean, there were
waiting lists for archaeology. All the people who work for him are former
students of his. They'd do anything for him.
(He looks at her.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dr. Solomon Zond. We are talking about the same person, right?
(They continue walking out of camera frame.)
CUT TO:
[INT. BASEMENT -- DAY]
(The group works on their assignments. CALVIN BANKS, apparently still up from
all that caffeine, reports to SOLOMON.)
CALVIN BANKS: (enthusiastic) Dr. Zond ... Dr. Zond this place is amazing.
Okay, I mean, the level of preservation here, it's-it's beautiful. Okay uh,
masonry that is like machine-honed, you know - advanced, way-way advanced, way
beyond our preliminary dating. We could spend months going through everything
here.
SOLOMON ZOND: That is not why we're here, is it?
CALVIN BANKS: No.
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. Now what do you got?
CALVIN BANKS: Well ... That's the thing. I mean as far as shrines, temples,
burial chambers, we- we've got nothing. I mean, the-the vessel -
SOLOMON ZOND: It's not here.
(SOLOMON sees something. He steps forward and pushes a brick aside to look at
the large symbol in front of him. He lifts up the journal and compares the two
symbols.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Look.
CALVIN BANKS: "Vessel".
SOLOMON ZOND: It's the same word found under the urn in Haley's journal.
(SOLOMON looks at the edges around the large metal disk containing the symbol.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Give me the optic scanner.
CALVIN BANKS: Right.
(CALVIN gets the scanner. SOLOMON scans the edges of the disk into the
computer.)
SOLOMON ZOND: It should shed some light on the matter.
(He enhances the picture and sees something immediately.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Microtext. It's a code. I want you to document everything that
you can here.
(He closes the computer laptop and tucks it under his arm.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I'm going to start translating. See if I can't figure out what
our ancient friends are trying to tell us. Tell Maggie to meet me at the
University Antiquities Library.
CUT TO:
[EXT. / INT. DANCE CLUB -- NIGHT]
NICHOLAS ZOND: Ah, sport.
(NIKKO and JULIET walk into a dance club. They continue their conversation.)
JULIET DROIL You know, Nikko. It's, um, not unusual for a kid your age to not
get along with his father.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well, I mean, you know, it's not like we don't get along, I just
don't know the guy. You know, he doesn't know me.
(They sit down at a table.)
JULIE DROIL: You mean, he doesn't understand you.
NICHOLAS ZOND: No, I mean, he doesn't know me. I mean, ever since my mom died,
he's buried himself in work. No pun intended, of course.
(JULIET chuckles.)
WAITRESS: (in French)
(NICHOLAS looks from the waitress to JULIET.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oui?
JULIET DROIL: She wants to know if you want anything.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yes. Um, I'll have a beer.
JULIET DROIL: (orders in French) ... Soda pop ... (please).
(The WAITRESS smiles and leaves.)
JULIET DROIL: Nice try.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, thanks.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Anyway, uh, I've been at boarding school since I was in seventh
grade. Ah, I spent Christmas with them usually but not always. I haven't been
home for summer break in three years and he's rarely there anyway.
JULIET DROIL: You know, your father is doing important work.
NICHOLAS ZOND: No, no. Look, there is nothing important about archaeology.
It's for people who are too interested in the dead to remember the living.
JULIET DROIL: I don't think your mother would agree with you.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Don't talk about my mom, okay?
JULIET DROIL: Your mom is a major deal, Nikko. I mean, a lot of people, me
included, think that she was on the trail to a whole new history when she died.
NICHOLAS ZOND: What do you mean new history?
JULIET DROIL: Your mother challenged the accepted theories on how civilization
evolved. After the accident, her artifact catalogs were stolen from the lab.
They were never recovered. So all the physical evidence to support her theories
is gone.
NICHOLAS ZOND: You know they never found her.
JULIET DROIL: I know.
(The music starts. NIKKO looks around.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: So, ah, anyway, are we going to dance or what?
(JULIET smiles and shakes her head.)
JULIET DROIL: I'm your teacher, Nikko. We don't dance.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well that's too bad.
(NIKKO stands up and looks around.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Let's see what we got.
(He takes a few steps away from JULIET and looks around. Leaning against the
pillar across the room, casually keeping an eye on him, is IVAN HOSSIK, the man
with the gun from the car chase.)
(The two make eye contact.)
(NIKKO turns around and grabs JULIET. He rushes her to the front door.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Come on we've gotta go.
JULIET DROIL: What?
NICHOLAS ZOND: We've gotta go, come on. Come on!
JULIET DROIL: What's going on?
(NIKKO stops. Coming in through the front door is another thug. NIKKO starts
backing away. He turns and heads into the dance club and sees IVAN HOSSIK
walking toward them.)
(Trapped, he looks around for a way to get out. On the side of the room near
the bar is the Bouncer. NIKKO gets an idea.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Come on, hit me.
JULIET DROIL: What?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah. These guys are after my father. You've gotta take a shot
at me.
JULIET DROIL: A shot? I don't understand.
(NIKKO turns and sees IVAN HOSSIK making his way toward them. He grabs JULIET
and kisses her. She pulls away and slaps him across the face.)
JULIET DROIL: Have you lost your mind!?
NICHOLAS ZOND: That was, that was good. Okay the bouncer, is he coming?
(JULIET looks over NIKKO'S shoulder at the large man approaching them.)
JULIET ZOND: Yeah.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Okay, when he gets here, you've gotta go outside. I'll meet you
there, okay?
(JULIET turns and finally sees IVAN HOSSIK approaching them. She turns the
other way and sees the other THUG approaching them.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Okay go. Just play along, all right? (loud fake voice) And
maybe ... you should start dating boys your own age! Huh? If they'll have you!
(She pushes NIKKO backward, straight into the BOUNCER just as IVAN HOSSIK
reaches him. HOSSIK backs away.)
BOUNCER: My friend, you take it outside, all right?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Hey, hey, hey back off, Jumbo.
BOUNCER: What did you say?
(HOSSIK looks across the room at his partner and shakes his head. The partner
turns and leaves.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: I said back off before I give you a man beating.
(HOSSIK also turns and leaves.)
BOUNCER: A man beating?
NICHOLAS ZOND: (nods) Yeah.
(The BOUNCER pulls his fist back and swings at NIKKO ...
CUT TO:
[EXT. PARIS STREET - OUTSIDE DANCE CLUB -- NIGHT]
(The doors open and NIKKO comes flying out into the street. He lances on the
ground. The BOUNCER walks outside and starts yelling at him in French.)
BOUNCER: (Yelling in french)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Sorry.
(NIKKO turns his head in time to see HOSSIK getting into a small black sports
car, license #602 CHW. NIKKO scrambles to his feet and runs after the car.
He's too late, the car drives off down the street.)
CUT TO:
[INT. UNIVERSITY ANTIQUITIES LIBRARY -- NIGHT]
(MAGGIE shows SOLOMON what she's found on the microtext.)
MAGGIE: I checked for matches with every language system we have in the
database. Plenty of analogues but not enough to get a translation. Then, I
noticed this.
(She hits a few keys and the majority of the text leaves the screen leaving a
few repetitive patterns on the monitor.)
SOLOMON ZOND: That's a pattern.
MAGGIE: Algorithmic. It's not language, it's numbers - an equation.
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. Well get to it, lady.
MAGGIE: I'm already on it.
(The doors open. NIKKO walks in. SOLOMON turns his attention to his son.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I thought it was clear that you were stay at the hotel.
NICHOLAS ZOND: No, that wasn't clear to me.
SOLOMON ZOND: How's Juliet?
VINCENT SIMINOU: She's a bit shaken but she's fine. She did mention something
about wanting a raise.
SOLOMON ZOND: All right, tell me what happened.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Okay, you know the guy in the car with the gun?
SOLOMON ZOND: Yeah.
NICHOLAS ZOND: He's here.
VINCENT SIMINOU: Did he approach you? Did he say anything?
SOLOMON ZOND: Did he threaten you in any way?
(Before he can answer the questions, NIKKO turns and looks around. He
immediately sees the open journals on the table. This affects him profoundly as
anything relating to his mother does lately.)
(He touches the book reverently and picks it up.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: This is mom's journal.
SOLOMON ZOND: Huh.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad, I can't believe you never showed me these. (angry) What
is it with you and all these secrets, dad?!
SOLOMON ZOND: Because that's the way I want it!
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well maybe that's not a very good answer!
(MAGGIE glances up from the monitor.)
(SOLOMON grabs the journal from NIKKO and packs it away with the other books.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (quietly) Dad. She was my mother. Okay? And she's gone. Don't
you think I would want to see her journals?
SOLOMON ZOND: Notes on excavations, work. They're not personal.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad. I don't care if they're her bank records, okay? They're
hers.
MAGGIE: Solomon?
(SOLOMON looks at NIKKO ... the closes the metal briefcase shut. He walks over
to look at what MAGGIE'S found. Hurt, NIKKO takes a moment, then moves to look
at it, too.)
MAGGIE: It was a binary equation yielding these two number strings.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Algorithms.
SOLOMON ZOND: So you do study.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, I get by.
MAGGIE: The question is what do these numbers mean?
(The monitor shows:
.034427
.170351 )
SOLOMON ZOND: Do they correspond in any way to the physical layout of the dig
site?
MAGGIE: I'll check it out.
VINCENT SIMINOU: I'll take him back to the hotel.
(VINCENT moves toward the door. NIKKO follows. SOLOMON stops him.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (hard) Hey listen, stay in your room. I don't want you to move
until you hear from me. You got it?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah.
(SOLOMON turns back to MAGGIE. VINCENT and NIKKO head toward the door, NIKKO
overhearing their conversation as he leaves.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. Go.
MAGGIE: The numbers don't line up with the site dimensions.
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. What else do we have? Date, time ...
(As he nears the door, NIKKO glances up at the roof where there's a "MAP OF THE
NORTHERN SKY" painted above along with all the constellations.)
(He stops and stares at the ceiling painting. He looks over at SOLOMON and
MAGGIE.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (casually) You know, star patterns are calculated using
algorithmic equations.
SOLOMON ZOND: They're navigation points. It's the location.
(MAGGIE immediately gets to work on the computer. NIKKO turns and heads out the
door. He lifts his sleeve and quickly jots down the navigation points on his
arm with a pen.)
(SOLOMON straightens and watches NIKKO leave.)
CUT TO:
[INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT]
(VINCENT pushes the hotel doors open, then systematically goes about checking
the rooms ... the bathroom, the bedroom, all of it. When it's clear, he walks
back to the living room past NIKKO to leave.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Hey, ah, aren't you going to tuck me in?
(VINCENT turns around to look at NIKKO.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Just stay put, Nikko. All right? Your father will be
checking in.
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right. Good night, Vincent.
(NIKKO turns and heads toward the bedroom. VINCENT turns to head toward the
door.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: My dad. He's safe, right?
(VINCENT nods slightly.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Good night, Nikko.
(VINCENT leaves. NIKKO stands in the middle of the hotel room.)
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN.
[EXT. TOLLAN'S RESIDENCE -- NIGHT]
(The white dove flies up above. TOLLAN lifts his crossbow and fires. The dog
at his side rushes forward to retrieve the kill. Off to the side, The GREY MAN
stands and watches.)
GREY MAN: I'm concerned about Zond's progress. Hossik has gotten no closer to
stopping him.
TOLLAN: We've been at this game for a thousand years. Time and men like Hossik
have been our greatest allies. We have no reason to believe they won't deliver
now. I hope you're not making this whole thing personal .... your feelings for
Zond don't matter here. What matters is what's important to DORNA the secrets
we protect. And let's not forget, we are one of those secrets.
GREY MAN: That's exactly my point. For years Zond has been sniffing at the
periphery in the dark. His discovering this item is like a path right to our
door.
TOLLAN: Let's hear Hossik out. If we have to step in, then we will.
(The GREY MAN nods to the servant near the door who enters the house. TOLLAN
attends to his dog who has the kill in his mouth. The dog sits and TOLLAN grabs
the kill. He steps back.)
(HOSSIK is lead out of the house by the servant.
TOLLAN: Ahh. Mr. Hossik. What can we do for you?
IVAN HOSSIK: This job is getting complicated. I think we need to discuss an
adjustment to our arrangement.
(He looks from TOLLAN to the GREY MAN.
GREY MAN: And yet you come to us offering nothing I return.
(TOLLAN takes another pigeon out of the cage.)
IVAN HOSSIK: Look, all I'm talking about is a retainer. That's all.
TOLLAN: Oh, Mr. Hossik. We have a deal. Here. Go on.
(TOLLAN offers the pigeon to Hossik to hold. HOSSIK takes the pigeon in his
hands. TOLLAN returns to the table and reloads his crossbow.)
TOLLAN: The honourable thing would be for you to hold up your end of the
bargain.
(TOLLAN turns on the laser sights of the crossbow and points it at the pigeon in
HOSSIK'S hands.)
TOLLAN: You wouldn't want us to suddenly change our disposition toward you,
would you?
(He moves the laser sight off the pigeon and onto HOSSIK. HOSSIK swallows
nervously. TOLLAN holds it for a prolonged moment, then puts the crossbow
down.)
(HOSSIK lets go his breath with relief. TOLLAN smiles and steps toward HOSSIK.)
TOLLAN: No. No. One way or another, we should all get what we deserve. Don't
you think?
IVAN HOSSIK: Absolutely. You're right.
TOLLAN: You can let go of the bird, now.
(HOSSIK throws the bird up in the air. TOLLAN steps forward, aims and shoots.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. -- NIGHT]
(SOLOMON ZOND sets the sextant up on the stand and looks at the stars above.)
SOLOMON ZOND: 'Kay, come on, beautiful. Light the way.
(He picks up the scope and starts looking around.)
SOLOMON ZOND: 21-7-zero-3-5-1 degrees north. North-east ...
(SOLOMON puts the binoculars down.)
SOLOMON ZOND: ... burial ground.
(SOLOMON smiles.)
FADE TO:
[EXT. ROADWAY TO BURIAL GROUND -- DAY]
(The van drive toward the burial ground.)
(Cut to: The group exits the van.)
SOLOMON ZOND: All right, like clockwork. Let's do it.
(The group heads for the burial ground.)
CUT TO:
[INT. HOTEL ROOM -- DAY]
(NIKKO is taking a bath-shower. He's sitting in the tub and using the shower
head to try to take a shower-bath.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Gees, haven't these people ever heard of a real shower?
(He hears a thump coming from the next room.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad?
(He gets a towel to check it out. He walks to the doorway and sees IVAN HOSSIK
in the living room inside his hotel room. HOSSIK doesn't see NIKKO. He presses
his back against the wall and hides.)
IVAN HOSSIK: Search everything.
(HOSSIK walks into the bedroom, one room closer to the bathroom. He looks
around. The THUG calls him back to the living room.)
THUG: Hossik.
(HOSSIK turns around and heads back to the living room. NIKKO grabs his pants
and puts them on as quietly as he possibly can. He overhears the following
conversation.)
THUG: A decision has been made. We take them out.
IVAN HOSSIK: What? I didn't sign on for that! Look, Zond's a valuable
resource. You do not want to go there.
THUG: The orders are from DORNA. They can not be allowed to obtain the item...
IVAN HOSSIK: Fine.
(The THUG giving the orders walks away. HOSSIK turns back and walks into the
bedroom.)
(NIKKO grabs his clothes and heads for the bathroom window.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. HOTEL LEDGE - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO climbs out of the window and inches his way to JULIET DROIL'S room. He
starts pounding on the closed window.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Juliet! Juliet!
[INT. HOTEL - JULIET'S ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
(JULIET is lying on the bed when NIKKO'S knocking awakens her. She gets out of
bed and pushes the window curtain aside. She sees NIKKO standing outside in the
cold.)
JULIET DROIL: My god, Nikko?
NICHOLAS ZOND: Open the window!
(She opens the window and he jumps into the room.)
JULIET DROIL: What the hell are you doing?
NICHOLAS ZOND: The men from last night - they're here.
JULIET DROIL: What?!
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, they're searching my room right now. Where's my father?
JULIET DROIL: At the site.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Call him.
JULIET DROIL: We can't, he's underground.
NICHOLAS ZOND: They're looking for him, okay? We have to find him. Where's
his site?
JULIET DROIL: I don't know!
NICHOLAS ZOND: Oh, This is so crazy.
JULIET DROIL: Just give me a second, okay? Let me think. What about Dr.
Lafleur?
(NIKKO puts on his shirt.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: At the museum?
JULIET DROIL: He told your father about the find.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah, he did.
JULIET DROIL: He'll know, okay? Just relax. I'll get dressed.
CUT TO:
[INT. BURIAL SITE - UNDERGROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(CALVIN BANKS starts his descent down through the hole. He lets the rope slide
and he falls a bit. VINCENT breaks his fall.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Careful there - you don't want to soil your pants.
CALVIN BANKS: Wow, that's funny. I wasn't aware you had such a wicked sense of
humour.
(The two walk along the corridor.)
CALVIN BANKS: You're not really an archeologist are you, Vincent.
VINCENT SIMINOU: I was going to ask you the same thing.
CALVIN BANKS: Look, I have advanced degrees in archaeology, astronomy and
paleontology, all right?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Really? I have advanced degrees in brazilian jujitsu and sho-
lin kung-fu.
CALVIN BANKS: No, for real?
(From behind them, MAGGIE interrupts their manly conversation.)
MAGGIE: Guys, let's move it! We're almost there.
(She pushes past them and heads down the corridor. The men follow.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. MUSEUM -- DAY]
(The taxi stops. NIKKO and JULIET exit the cab. They head inside the museum.)
CUT TO:
[INT. MUSEUM - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO and JULIET knock on the door. NIKKO peers in through the glass and
knocks.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (calls out) Hello? Hello? Professor LaFleur, hello!
(NIKKO kneels down in front of the door and looks at it.)
JULIET DROIL: Wha-wait, Nikko. What are you doing?
NICHOLAS ZOND: I'm going inside.
JULIET DROIL: That's his personal office. He's not here. That's trespassing.
(NIKKO stands up.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: If my father gets killed, that'll be murder. (he thinks and
sees JULIET'S bun.) Here.
(NIKKO reaches for her hair pins.)
JULIET DROIL: Wait. Wha -- What are you doing?
NICHOLAS ZOND: (shows her) Hair pin.
(He takes a moment to notice JULIET with her hair down.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Hey. It looks good.
JULIET DROIL: Stop it Nikko.
(NIKKO kneels down in front of the door and starts picking the lock.)
JULIET DROIL: Look. You're not going to pick open a lock with a hair pin.
What do you know about picking locks?
(Finished, NIKKO hits the door and it opens.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: A little.
(He stands up, smiles and walks into the office.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Come on.
(JULIET looks behind her and follows him inside.)
[INT. PROF. LAFLEUR'S OFFICE - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO glances in the hallway before closing the door. JULIET gets a good look
at the mess in the office.)
JULIET DROIL: Whoa! What happened here?
NICHOLAS ZOND: It looks like somebody got here before we did.
JULIE DROIL: Look, what exactly is it we're looking for?
NICHOLAS ZOND: I'm not sure, okay. It's going to be like a book or a scroller,
you know. Something my father might use.
(JULIET and NIKKO walk through the office. NIKKO riffles through the papers on
the desk. JULIET stops as she sees something in front of her.)
JULIET DROIL: (scared) Nikko ... Nikko!
(NIKKO walks over to see what has her spooked. In his chair is Prof. LeFleur.
Dead.)
CUT TO:
[INT. GRAVE SITE - UNDERGROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The group walks from the corridor into a large room. They make their way
through the room where they find a large statue on the far side of the room.
They look around. VINCENT sees something. He touches the side of the large
bowl. It's coated with a substance. He smells and tastes it to confirm its
identity.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Solomon, petroleum based.
SOLOMON ZOND: Probably not a good time to take up smoking.
(The group, headed by SOLOMON ZOND, make their way slowly down the stairs toward
the large statue. CALVIN looks at the statue and recognizes the vase in the
statue's hands.)
CALVIN BANKS: Dr. Zond, look up there.
(SOLOMON sees it also.)
SOLOMON ZOND: "Vessel."
(They walk toward the statue. In the middle of the floor in front of the statue
is a large crystal display. SOLOMON stops everyone.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Wait. Nobody move.
(He kneels down and picks up a handful of fine sand on the floor. He tosses it
into the air around the crystal display. Immediately, what appears to be a
series of laser-like lightbeams appear in the dust cloud. Everyone sees the
elaborate intersecting lights that surround the statue from all angles.)
MAGGIE: It's rigged.
(They look around, impressed at the challenge in front of them.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Whatever is here, I don't think we're invited.
CUT TO:
[INT. MUSEUM - PROF. LAFLEUR'S OFFICE - DAY -CONTINUOUS]
JULIET DROIL: (to phone) Merci. Auvoir.
(JULIET puts the phone down. NIKKO looks around the office.)
JULIET DROIL: Okay, the police are on their way. Just don't touch anything,
Nikko. Look, they've obviously been through everything. Maybe what you're
looking for just isn't here.
(NIKKO stops moving and thinks. Across the room, the large fish tank catches
his eyes. He heads for it. He starts tapping the glass with his finger tip.)
JULIET DROIL: What are you doing?
NICHOLAS ZOND: I saw the professor do this.
(NIKKO takes out a coin and taps the fishtank glass three times with it. A
secret drawer hidden in the fishtank stand opens.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: What is it they say around here? Voila.
(NIKKO smiles and takes out the scroll inside. He opens it and sees the large
red box in the middle of the map.)
JULIE DROIL: Hey, that was impressive. Now what do we do?
NICHOLAS ZOND: We find my father.
(He closes the map then pushes his sleeve up to reveal the coordinates he jotted
down on his arm.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Do you know how to use a sextant?
CUT TO:
[INT. MUSEUM - LOBBY - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The door opens. NIKKO and JULIET rush out of the late PROF. LAFLEUR'S office.
NIKKO closes the door and the two run back up the stairs.)
(As they leave, a man in a black coat steps out into the lobby. He watches them
leave and lifts up a radio to his ear to talk to it.)
CUT TO:
[INT. GRAVE SITE - UNDERGROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(SOLOMON carefully places the mirror up against one of the light beams hitting
the crystal display. The mirror slips.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Oops.
(The rest of the group holds their collective breaths.)
SOLOMON ZOND: What's the matter? Don't you guys trust me?
(No one says anything. SOLOMON concentrates on getting the mirror set up
against the light beam. He places the mirror. Unfortunately, he can't keep
holding it.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Hey Cal, come here and hold this will you?
(CAL turns to look at VINCENT.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: (shrugs) You're the one with the degrees, man.
SOLOMON ZOND: (singsong) Cal-vin.
(CALVIN steps up toward SOLOMON.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Step right in. Don't be shy.
(Breathing heavily, CALVIN reaches for the mirror.)
SOLOMON ZOND: (urging) Come on, this is the fun part.
(CALVIN reaches for the mirror, his hand shaking.)
CALVIN BANKS: I don't think I can do this.
SOLOMON ZOND: (counters immediately) I think you can.
(CALVIN reaches for the mirror and grabs it from SOLOMON.)
SOLOMON ZOND: That a boy. Let's secure this mirror.
CUT TO:
[INT. TAXI VAN (MOVING) - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO navigates from the backseat of the taxi van.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: It should be just up ahead, through the gate.
(The van goes through the grave site gates. Several black sedans follow.)
(JULIET turns around and sees the sedans following them.)
JULIET DROIL: Nikko!
NICHOLAS ZOND: The man from the hotel. They followed us! Pull over! Now!
(The taxi van pulls over and the black sedans pass them by.)
JULIET DROIL: What are we going to do now? We can't let them find your father.
CUT TO:
[INT. BLACK SEDAN (MOVING) - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
MAN: What about the boy?
GREY MAN: He's not important.
CUT TO:
[INT. TAXI VAN - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
NICHOLAS ZOND: We've got to find another way okay? Turn around. Go, go, go!
(The taxi van turns around and heads off in the direction they came, the
opposite direction of the black sedans.)
(NIKKO opens the map. He and JULIET both look at it.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Here, let's check it out. All right, the original dig site is
here.
JULIET DROIL: Nikko, we don't have much time.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Just stick with me, okay?
(Apparently, he's seen something and tries to show it to her.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Now the new site is here at the cemetery and the first site is
here.
JULIET DROIL: Wait, both sites must have been part of the same ancient city.
They would have had to have a way to channel water from the river up here.
Look, this blue line marks the existing city sewer systems.
NICHOLAS ZOND: What, we take the sewer?
JULIET DROIL: No. Just listen. Water lines in modern cities are almost always
built over the existing ancient systems viaducts. If we can find the old
viaduct running through the first dig site, it should take us right to your
father.
NICHOLAS ZOND: If? Should?
JULIET DROIL: Look, it's the best we've got.
CUT TO:
[INT. GRAVE SITE - ABOVE GROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The black sedan, license # 602-CHW, leads the other two cars into the grave
site.)
GREY MAN: The entrance to the site must be among the stones. Spread out.
CUT TO:
[EXT. BUILDING -- DAY]
(The taxi van stops. NIKKO and JULIET run out and across to the building in
front of them.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right, come on!
CUT TO:
[INT. BUILDING -- DAY]
(NIKKO and JULIET run through the building trying to get to the basement as fast
as they can as they have more ground to cover.)
CUT TO:
[INT. GRAVE SITE - UNDERGROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(Multiple mirrors have been set up and secured around the crystal display.)
(Up above, SOLOMON is hanging from a cord stretched across from one end of the
room to the other.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Do we got our eyes on?
(MAGGIE sits in front of the computer laptop.)
MAGGIE: Turn on the filter. The mirrors have cut a path through the beams but
it's tight.
SOLOMON ZOND: Here I go.
(SOLOMON slowly makes his way toward the large statue.)
MAGGIE: Okay, stop. Rotate ninty degrees clockwise.
(SOLOMON slowly turns, following MAGGIE'S instructions to the letter. Although
he can't see the light beams around him, MAGGIE keeps her eyes on the computer
that does show all the light beams clearly.)
MAGGIE: You're clear - three feet.
(SOLOMON continues to make his way toward the statue. Standing behind MAGGIE,
CALVIN sees something.)
CALVIN BANKS: (quietly) Left foot. Left foot, left-
MAGGIE: (holds out a hand for him to stop) I'm on it.
MAGGIE: (to SOLOMON) Your right foot.
(SOLOMON doesn't move.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Which one is it?
MAGGIE/CALVIN: Both!
MAGGIE: (clearly) Your right foot - up and over. (pause) Your left foot.
(pause) Good.
(CALVIN shifts around and puts his hand to his heart.)
CALVIN BANKS: I'm a frickin' heart attack.
CUT TO:
[EXT. GRAVE SITE - ABOVE GROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(HOSSIK and the group look around the grave site.)
CUT TO:
[INT. MUSEUM - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO and JULIET make their way through the large room with ancient artifacts
and things. The same room that the groups was in earlier.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Wow.
JULIET DROIL: Yeah. Not bad for a bunch of dead people. We should be close.
Start searching for moisture.
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right.
(JULIET heads off in one direction to look around. NIKKO stops in the middle of
the room and uses his flashlight to look around. He searches the ceiling and
finds some water dripping from the stones at the top where the wall meets the
ceiling.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Juliet. Look. Water.
(JULIET rushes over to NIKKO'S side to see what he's looking at.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Come on.
CUT TO:
[INT. VIADUCT - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The stones in the top of the viaduct break loose and open. NIKKO falls through
and into the water inside.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Uggh. Yuck!
(Various cut of: Using the map, NIKKO and JULIET make their way to find the
rest of the group.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. GRAVE SITE - ABOVE GROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The THUG closes the door and calls out to their BOSS, the GRAY MAN.)
THUG: I've got something, sir. A mausoleum - it's the way in.
CUT TO:
[INT. GRAVE SITE - UNDERGROUND - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO breaks through the cobwebs blocking the passage. He crawls up and out of
the viaducts.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: All right, come on.
(He turns around to help JULIET out.)
(A hand grabs him from behind and turns him around. NIKKO gasps in surprise.)
(A familiar face moves out of the darkness and into the light.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: (quietly) What are you doing here?
NICHOLAS ZOND: They're here - the men that are after my dad.
(VINCENT looks at JULIET. She glances over at NIKKO. VINCENT assesses and
makes a decision.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: Let's go.
(He grabs them.)
CUT TO:
FADE IN.
[INT. GRAVE SITE - UNDER GROUND - DAY]
(Camera opens on the laptop monitor that shows SOLOMON making his way across the
light beams. The camera pans up to show SOLOMON right over the "vessel".)
(He flips over, hooking his heels over the cord. He reaches down to grab the
vessel from the statue.)
CALVIN BANKS: Dr. Zond?
SOLOMON ZOND: Cal, please. Not now. I've got my hands full.
(CALVIN nods.)
SOLOMON ZOND: I've almost got it.
CALVIN BANKS: (mutters) See. Not like he's going to let us get buried alive
or something like that.
(MAGGIE has her eyes glued on SOLOMON and quietly mouths, "Come on.")
CUT TO:
[ENTRANCE]
(A thug makes his way down the rope left by SOLOMON and the crew. The GRAY MAN
is already inside. He looks around, then starts forward, the others following
him.)
CUT TO:
[MAIN CHAMBER]
(SOLOMON takes out a knife and opens the "vessel" top. It opens with a
pressurized pop. At the noise behind them, the group in front of the computer
turns around to see VINCENT, NIKKO and JULIET walk up to the room entrance.)
(NIKKO looks at his father and can't believe his eyes.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad?
(SOLOMON turns around in an awkward position to look over at the newest
additions to their group.)
SOLOMON ZOND: What the hell are they doing here?
VINCENT SIMINOU: We got company.
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN.
(We continue where we left off. SOLOMON ZOND is hanging upside down over the
large statue. NIKKO steps forward as he watches in awe as his dad work.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Almost there.
NICHOLAS ZOND: How can he do that?
VINCENT SIMINOU: Practice, my boy - years of practice.
(SOLOMON takes out the scroll from the vessel.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay, I'm coming down.
(SOLOMON turns right-side up and slowly makes his way back toward the group.
NIKKO turns to look back at the others and he sees MAGGIE and JULIET watching
silently.)
(SOLOMON grasps the cord with one hand and pulls himself across.)
NICHOLAS: (quietly urging) Come on, dad.
(CALVIN and MAGGIE continue to monitor SOLOMON'S progress across the light
beams.)
MAGGIE: You're clear.
(The group moves instantly. MAGGIE shuts the computer down and everyone starts
to move and close up shop. SOLOMON continues to make his way across the cord
while everyone packs up their gear.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Cal!
(SOLOMON tosses the scroll to CALVIN. He catches it. SOLOMON lowers himself to
the ground.)
SOLOMON ZOND: All right. Back to the main level - let's move.
GREY MAN: (o.s.) I don't think so.
(THE GREY MAN and his men walk into the main room. HOSSIK draws his weapon.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Whoa, whoa, easy.
(THE GREY MAN signals for HOSSIK to put the gun away.)
GREY MAN: Those won't be necessary. Will they, Vincent?
VINCENT SIMINOU: All depends how you want to play it.
GREY MAN: No one has to get hurt. We just want the item, Solomon. And be on
our way.
NICHOLAS ZOND: He's lying, dad. They killed Professor LaFleur and you're next.
(SOLOMON stares at THE GREY MAN. He reaches for the scroll from CALVIN and
takes it.)
SOLOMOND ZOND: Is this the ...
(SOLOMON casually tosses the scroll container from one hand to the other.)
SOLOMON ZOND: ... "item" that you're talking about? How about we make a deal?
You have your guys put their guns on the ground, kick them over here and I won't
smash this into a thousand pieces.
GREY MAN: I don't think you'd do that.
SOLOMON ZOND: Well, I don't think they'll shoot me while I'm holding it like
this.
(SOLOMON takes a step backward and pushes the entire group backward with him
while he casually twirls the scroll around in a careless manner. HOSSIK points
the gun at SOLOMON.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Well, maybe he would.
GREY MAN: That's far enough.
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay. Seems like we have a bit of stand off. I'll tell you
what, I'll lay down the item.
(SOLOMON looks meaningfully at VINCENT.)
GREY MAN: That would be wise.
(SOLOMON lifts up the scroll ... then crashes it to the floor, breaking it into
itty-bitty pieces. All hell breaks.)
(At the same time, VINCENT swings his arms and knocks the safety mirrors from
the crystal display.)
(The large petroleum torch dishes on the pedestals in the room immediately
ignite one by one. Everyone starts ducking in confusion as the torch dishes
fire up.)
(Amidst the confusion, SOLOMON kneels and picks up the scroll contained within
the vessel he smashed to pieces on the floor.)
(VINCENT looks around at the torches and sees the fire ignite large frayed cords
extending from the center of the room into another central large container high
above them.)
(The walls start exploding.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Go! Go!
(One by one, they head back out toward the entrance.)
(HOSSIK and the other men try to follow. THE GREY MAN is caught in the middle.
He looks up and sees the frayed cord burn the large heavy container loose. It
breaks from the ceiling and falls to the floor, crashing into the crystal
display, exploding the base into pieces.)
(The group runs out of the main room and heads back to the entrance.)
CALVIN BANKS: It's this way!
(CALVIN rounds the bend and heads for the entrance hole. He starts climbing.
SOLOMON stops and looks around. Everyone stops and looks up at the entrance
hole.)
CALVIN BANKS: Damn it! The whole thing's caved in.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad! There is another way out. Back through the viaducts. It's
how we came in. Let's go! Trust me, dad.
(SOLOMON looks around the bend and doesn't see anyone following them. NIKKO
stands there and waits for his dad to answer.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Okay, let's go!
VINCENT SIMINOU: Let's go, Cal.
SOLOMON ZOND: Come on! This way!
(As they leave through the corridor back to the viaducts, the stone roof
collapses behind them.)
(THE GREY MAN and his men round the corner back to the entrance way and find it
completely blocked.)
CUT TO:
[INT. AIRPLANE (MOVING)]
(Camera moves and turns from the plane window toward JULIET who is asleep on the
chair.)
(NIKKO picks up his jacket and kneels down next to her. He covers her with the
blanket, stands and leaves.)
CUT TO:
[OFFICE SECTION OF AIRPLANE -- CONTINUOUS]
(On the lit table, SOLOMON unrolls a clear plastic map of Antarctica.)
SOLOMON ZOND: This map was created by the U.S. Navy geologic survey project in
1997. Using satellite thermal imaging they were able, for the first time, to
decipher in detail, the topography of the Antarctic land mass beneath the polar
ice cap. And...
(SOLOMON unrolls the scroll taken from the vessel.)
SOLOMON ZOND: ... what we found in the vessel - it's a map of Antarctica ...
without the ice cap.
(He puts the thin map onto the modern map. It's a perfect match.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Only this one is 2500 years old.
(NIKKO walks into the room and fixes his jacket.)
MAGGIE: How can that be?
CALVIN BANKS: It can't be. Antarctica has been under ice for 15,000 years.
Nobody could have drawn this map.
SOLOMON ZOND: Well someone did. And maps aren't usually hidden in booby
trapped tombs unless they lead to something - something that we're not supposed
to find. (beat) So I guess it's a mystery.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Isn't that what we're looking for?
(SOLOMON looks at NIKKO, his face inscrutable. NIKKO meets the gaze. He turns
and leaves the room.)
CUT TO:
[INT. AIRPLANE (MOVING) - BACK COMPARTMENT -- CONTINUOUS]
(VINCENT looks over NIKKO'S Adult Intelligence Test-1 answers. NIKKO walks into
the room and closes the door. Without looking up, VINCENT knows who it is.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: You booted an easy one.
NICHOLAS ZOND: The answers. They're like insects.
(VINCENT smiles at having his words tossed back at him. The door opens and
SOLOMON walks into the room. VINCENT sees him and excuses himself.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: I'll leave you two alone.
(VINCENT stands up and leaves. NIKKO takes a seat. The door closes behind
him.)
SOLOMON ZOND: What did you think you were doing, Nikko?
NICHOLAS ZOND: You were in danger, okay? I wanted to help.
SOLOMON ZOND: They used you. They used you to get to me. You led them right
to us.
NICHOLAS ZOND: I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know. I-
SOLOMON ZOND: This isn't going to work. I mean, this isn't going to work if
you won't listen to me. This isn't a game.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Well, what the hell is going on, dad? Huh? I mean, who are
those guys? Are you like a spy or something?
SOLOMON ZOND: No.
(SOLOMON sits down.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: Do you work for the government?
SOLOMON ZOND: Sometimes.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Are you even an archeologist?
SOLOMON ZOND: Not entirely.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Dad! Why won't you just tell me what's going on, damn it! I
have the right to know!
SOLOMON ZOND: No you don't. You don't! I don't want you involved, Nikko!
That's why I've kept you out of it - away where I thought that you would be
safe. Nikko, I don't have the answers for you. I don't know exactly what we're
looking for. I don't even know how close we are to finding it. But I do know
it's about knowledge and power. (pause) Look, these discoveries and maps and
codes are clues - pieces of the puzzle that I think will lead us to some - some
Truth about us - humanity, who we really are, where we came from. Maybe even
where we're going. Whatever that Truth is, whatever knowledge or power might be
revealed, it'll change everything.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Is that a good thing?
SOLOMON ZOND: Yeah. It depends on who finds it first. There are people out
there who are willing to kill for it.
NICHOLAS ZOND: Yeah ... yeah and die for it too.
(They both take a moment as they think about Haley.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Yeah. And I've got to believe that it was for a damn good cause.
I lost your mother in all of this. I'm not going to lose you too.
NICHOLAS ZOND: (with tears in his eyes) You lost me ten years ago, dad.
(SOLOMON sighs.)
(The door opens.)
VINCENT SIMINOU: (quietly) Solomon?
(SOLOMON stands up and heads for the door.)
NICHOLAS ZOND: (sniffs) So what's it going to be, huh, dad? Wainsport?
(Trying to be brave, NIKKO wipes the tears from his face.)
(SOLOMON reaches into the metal briefcase and takes out one of Haley's journals.
He looks at it, turns around and gives it to NIKKO.)
(NIKKO takes the journal and looks up at his dad.)
SOLOMON ZOND: Make sure you pack your long woollies. We're going to the pole.
(SOLOMON walks out of the room, turns around and looks back at NIKKO. Their
eyes meet. He door closes.)
(NIKKO smiles and looks down at his mother's journal in his hand. It's a brown
leather book with her name embossed in gold in the cover: HALEY CAYCE. He
lightly skims his fingers across the cover, then opens the book and starts
flipping through the pages. He looks at one page.)
(The page reads:
Peru, October 21
"Inscription on altar to Viracocha at the Temple of Akkra.
"And in the end, a voice will come that speaks the truth in all the ways of man.
And in the hands of light, this truth shall lead the way. But if the darkness
speaks, the tongues of Man will fall forever silent, and the Earth and Heaven
will come undone." )
(NIKKO turns the page The top two-thirds of the page is writing. At the very
bottom are the large hand-drawn images of three runes with three letters under
it: D R N. A hand-written translation is under that: DORNA.)
(NIKKO closes the journal and leans forward, thinking. On the computer monitor,
he does a search for "the exact phrase", DORNA. He hits "search" and waits.)
(The computer monitor flashes: Searching ... )
(NIKKO waits with anticipation for the results.)
FADE OUT.
========================
THE END
========================
Length of episode: 66 minutes
Courtesy of http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html
Contact the Transcriptionist at (intrepidly002@yahoo.com)
Please do not archive this transcript without permission from the
Transcriptionist.
========================
BEGINNING/TITLE CREDITS
========================
VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X00: PILOT [UNAIRED]
[UNAIRED]
TRANSCRIPT FROM MASTER DUB TAPE
Starring
ALEX CARTER as Dr. Solomon Zond
RYAN MERRIMAN as Nicholas "Nikko" Zond
COBIE SMULDERS as Juliet Droil
ERIC BALFOUR as Calvin Banks
CYNTHIA MARTELLS as Maggie
and
ARNOLD VOSLOO as Vincent Siminou
Created by: PATRICK MASSET & JOHN ZINMAN
Guest Starring
MARYBETH CAMERON as Haley Cayce
ZACH GRENIER as Ivan Hossik
DEREK de LINT as Grey Man
JANE McLEAN as Lena
MAX MORROW as Young Nikko Zond
AIDAN DEVINE as Tollan
Produced by: IAIN PATERSON
Executive Producer: BRYAN SPICER
Executive Producer: CRAIG ZADAN
Executive Producer: NEIL MERON
Executive Producer: PATRICK MASSETT
Executive Producer: JOHN ZINMAN
Written by: PATRICK MASSETT & JOHN ZINMAN
Directed by: BRYAN SPICER
========================
END CREDITS
========================
Massett/Zinman Productions
Storyline Entertainment
Touchstone Television
With
COS ANVAR as Mikhail
BARRIE BALDARO as Dr. Bradley
JEAN FOUBERT as Prof. LeFleur
Featuring:
JASSON FINNEY as Hossik's Thug #1
KWASI SANGUI as Club Bouncer
PHILIPPE WERIS as Gray Man #1
ALAIN BERARD as Hossik's driver
JERE GILLIS as Grey Driver
GILLIAN FERRABEE as Club Waitress
Directory of Photograph: JOEL RANSOM
Production Designer: MICHAEL JOY
Edited by: KEVIN KRASMY / JEFF HODGE
Unit Production Manager: PIERRE LABERGE
First Assistant Director: BUCK DEACHMAN
Second Assistant Director: BETHAN MOWAT
Casting by: SHARON BIALY
Montreal Casting by: ANDREA KENYON and RANDI WELLS
Music by: JOHN NORDSTROM
Key Set Decorators: MICHELE NOLET / SUSAN MARQUARRIE
Property Master: REAL BARIL
Script Supervisor: KIMI WEBER
Costume Designer: MARIANNE CARTER
Make-Up Artist: MELISSA PURINA
Hair Stylist: BENJAMIN ROBIN
Unit Manager: PATRICK RAYMOND
Art Directors: JEAN BOURRET / DENIS CASPAR
Location Manager: ADMAN MARYN
Transportation Coordinator: MICHEL MALLICANE
Stunt Coordinator: MARC DESOURDY
Production Coordinator: SANDRA BARROMEO
Music Supervisors: KEVIN EDELMAN / JUSTIN GOLDBERG
Production Sound Mixer: MICHEL CHARRON
Sound Editors: STEPHEN BORDEN / CRAIG HENNIGAN
Music Editor: MOIRA MARGUIS
Special Effects Coordinator: RYAL COSGROVE
Post Production Supervisor: DOUGLAS WILKINSON
Post Production Supervisor: J.B. LEVINE
Post Production Coordinators: DEANNA STRONG
Post Production Coordinators: BENJAMIN RAPAPORT
Re-Recording Mixers: ALLEN OMERAD / MIKE WAROMIUK
Post Production & Visual Effects Facility: ENCORE
ACTRA
STCVQ
DGC
(c) 2002 Touchstone Television. All Rights Reserved.
Dated:02/29/2004~lky
http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html