ALONE IN THE DARK


                                       Written by

                               Elan Mastai & Michael Roesch

          
          
          
                                                                     FADE IN:
          
          1                                                                     1
               EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
          
               A dense forest on a dark, misty night.
          
               YOUNG EDWARD CARNBY (age 10), small, thin, and terrified,
               runs for his life.
          2
                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:
               Tomething 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.
          
               EXT. FOREST - LATER THAT NIGHT
          1A                                                                    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.
          
               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.
          
          
          
                                                                  (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                          2.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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...
          
               EXT. FOREST - LATER
          3                                                                     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.
          
               EXT. FOREST CLEARING
          3A                                                                   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.
          
               INT. SHED - MOMENTS LATER
          5                                                                     5
               Deputy Adams enters the Shed.
          
          
          
                                                                  (CONTINUED)
          
                                 
          
          
          
                                                                                 3.
              CONTINUED:
          
          
              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.
          
              EXT. ORPHANAGE
          6                                                                    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.
          
              INT. SHED
          7                                                                    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.
          
                              
          
          
                                                                                   4.
          
          
          
              INT. AIRPLANE - DAY
          8                                                                    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.
          
                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 
          
                                                                            5.
          
          
          
                EXT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY
          13                                                                      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.
          
                INT. PINKERTON'S TAXI - CONTINUOUS
          13A                                                                    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.
          
                EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
          13B                                                                    13B
                The two taxis drive through traffic. Pinkerton's taxi lags a
                few cars back, but matches Carnby's taxi move for move.
          
                INT. CARNBY'S TAXI
          13C                                                                    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.
          
          
          
                                                                  (CONTINUED)
          
                
          
                                                                            6.
          CONTINUED:
          
          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.
          
              
          
                                                                            7.
          
          
          
                EXT. MARKET STREET
          13D                                                                    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.
          
          
                                                                  (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                            8.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                INT. BAKERY
          13E                                                                    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.
          
                EXT. MARKET STREET
          13F                                                                    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.
          
              
          
                                                                            9.
          
          
          
                INT. HERBALIST STORE
          13G                                                                    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.
          
                EXT. ALLEY
          13H                                                                    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.
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
          
                                                                          10.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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.
          
                INT. ICE FACTORY
          13J                                                                   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.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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 
          
               EXT. MUSEUM - DAY
          17                                                                  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".
          
                  
          
          
          
               INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - DAY
          18                                                                      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.
          
                                       LINE
                            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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
                  
          
          
                                                                          13.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                   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.
          
                                    LINE
                         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.
          
               EXT. SHIP DECK - DAY
          19                                                                    19
               A large Ship out on the open sea.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
          
          
                                                                         14.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
               EXT. WATER SURFACE
          20                                                                   20
               Two DIVERS in high-tech Newt Suits break the surface. They
               signal to Captain Chernick.
          
               EXT. SHIP DECK
           1                                                                   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.
          
               EXT. WATER SURFACE
          22                                                                   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.
          
               INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DUSK
          23                                                                   23
               Carnby unlocks the multiple locks on the front door to his
               Loft and enters.
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
                                                                          15.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
               EXT. DOCKS - NIGHT
          24                                                                    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 
          
              
          
          
                EXT. SHIP DECK - NIGHT
          26                                                                         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.
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT
          26A                                                                       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.
          
          
                                                                        (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
                                                                           17.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                Carnby looks over at a photo tacked to the corkboard next to
                the work station. The photo is of Carnby and Aline.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE
          26B                                                                    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.
          
                EXT. SHIP DECK
          26C                                                                    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.
          
                 rewman 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.
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
          2
          
            
          
                                                                          18.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                   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.
          
               INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
          27                                                                    27
               Hudgens struggles to his feet. He BANGS on the door, trying
               to pull it open.
          
                                   HUDGENS
                         Captain! Don't open it!
          
               EXT. SHIP DECK - CONTINUOUS
          28                                                                    28
               The First Mate and Crewman Barnes watch in fasciation as
               Captain Chernick prepares to open the gold container.
                                    C
                                    APTAIN CHERNICK
                         Let's see what all the fuss is about...
          
               He opens the container.
          
               With a deep SIGH, the vacuum of dry air escapes.
          
               INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - AT THAT MOMENT
           9                                                                    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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
          
          
                                                                                   19.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                INT. JOHN'S HOUSE/BEDROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
          30                                                                        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.
          
                EXT. JOHN'S HOUSE - NIGHT
           1                                                                        31
                John exits the house. He walks down the front path and out
                into the night.
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - AT THAT MOMENT
          32                                                                        32
                Carnby lies unconscious on the floor.
          
                The lynchpin artifact glows brightly, emitting a LOW HUM.
          3
                INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - AT THAT MOMENT
           2A                                                                      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 
          
                INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT
          34                                                                        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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
          
                                                                                  20.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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 
          
               EXT. SHIP DECK - AT THAT MOMENT
          36                                                                     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.
          
               INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM
          37                                                                     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 
          
               INT. SHIP DECK
          39                                                                     39
                he 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
          
                                                                         21.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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
          4    revolvers at the empty air. They OPEN FIRE.
          
               INT. SHIP STORAGE ROOM
           0                                                                   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.
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
                     
          
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                SCENES 41 TO 44 OMITTED 
          
                SCENE 45 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 40 
          
          46                                                                    46
               INT. SHIP DECK - CONTINUOUS
          
               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 
          
               INT. BUREAU 713/HALLWAY - NIGHT
          48                                                                    48
               Everything in Bureau 713's Headquarters looks sleek and high-
               tech. 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
                          his better be good, Miles.
          
                                   AGENT MILES
                         Sir, we're getting some strange readings
                         in the control room.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                          
          
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    BURKE
                          his 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.
          4
               INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
           9                                                                    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.
          
                                                                                  24.
          
          
          
               INT. ORPHANAGE/DEN - NIGHT   - TWENTY YEARS AGO
          50                                                                      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.
          
                SCENE 51 AND 52 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 50 
          5
               INT. ORPHANAGE/CHILDREN'S ROOM - NIGHT - TWENTY YEARS AGO
           3                                                                      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.
          
               INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY
          54                                                                      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?
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
          5
          
          
          
          
                                                                           25.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                     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.
          
                EXT. JOHN'S HOUSE/FRONT PORCH - DAY
           5                                                                      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 
          
                EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAY
          57A                                                                    57A
                The Orphanage looks much the same after twenty years. It is
                slightly more worn-down, but still well-maintained.
                C
                 arnby 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                                   26.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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 
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY
          57C                                                                      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.
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
           
          
          
                                                                                  27.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
               EXT. RESTAURANT PATIO - DAY
          58                                                                     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.
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                          28.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                   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 
          
               EXT. MUSEUM - DUSK
          60                                                                    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.
          
               INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
          61                                                                    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...
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                                  29.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                   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.
          
               INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - DUSK
          62                                                                     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!
          
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                         30.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                   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.
          
               INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE
          63                                                                   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?
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
          
          
                                                                           31.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    ALINE
                          Yesterday, maybe not. But something
                          happened last night.
          
          63A                                                                    63A
                INT. MUSEUM/ALINE'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
          
                Aline and Carnby stand at a work station. A piece of cloth
                covers up something on the work station.
          
                 line 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.
          
                 he 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.
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
          
                                                                           32.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                 SCENE 64 OMITTED 
          
                INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL
          65                                                                      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.
                                     G
                                     UARD (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.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY
          65A                                                                    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 para-
                meter immediately picks up some readings.
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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                                                                    65B
                INT. MUSEUM/CERAMICS ROOM
          
                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.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 2
          65C                                                                    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.
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
           
                                                                                  34.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                SCENES 66 TO 68 OMITTED 
          
               INT. MUSEUM/CERAMICS ROOM
          69                                                                     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.
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
          
                                                                           35.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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 
          
                INT. MUSEUM/HALLWAY 2
          69A                                                                    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.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/STORAGE ROOM
          69B                                                                    69B
                Carnby leans up against the door, pushing it closed. Aline
                fumbles for her building keys.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
          
                                                                         36.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          
           
          
                                                                            37.
          
          
          
               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 double-
               doors. 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 
          
               INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL
          83                                                                      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.
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
          
                                                                         38.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          8
          
           4                                                                   84
               EXT. MUSEUM - CONTINUOUS
          
               A sleek black Bureau 713 helicopter hovers over the building.
               A pair of spotlights shine beams down through the skylight.
          
               INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - CONTINUOUS
          85                                                                   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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                                   39.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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.
          8
                INT. BUREAU 713 HEADQUARTERS/CONTROL ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
           5A                                                                      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.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL - AT THAT MOMENT
          85B                                                                      85B
                Agent Barr holds his rifle trained at Carnby and Aline.
          
          
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
                    
          
                                                                         40.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
               EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
          86                                                                   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.
          
                ommander 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.
          
               INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL
          87                                                                   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
                          hat 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?
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
          
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          
          
                                                               (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
                                                                           42.
                CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
                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 
          
                EXT. MUSEUM - LATER
          91                                                                      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.
          
                INT. MUSEUM/MAIN HALL
          91A                                                                    91A
                Burke oversees a team of AGENTS in biohazard suits as they
                sweep the scene, running scans of the area on high-tech hand-
                held devices. Photos are snapped by another AGENT.
          
                Agent Miles escorts Aline over to Burke. Burke is distracted
                by the scanning device he is holding.
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                           43.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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 
          
                INT. FISCHER'S LAB - NIGHT
          103                                                                    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.
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                      
          
                                                                     44.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          C
           arnby 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.
          
          
          
                                                              (CONTINUED)
          
                             
          
                                                                                  45.
               CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
                                   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.
          
                ischer drops the spinal-worm in a tub.
          
                ischer notices the hand-held scanning device is BEEPING
               faintly, still registering something. He looks at the read-
               out, 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.
          
                line 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?
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
                      
          
                                                                             46.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
                              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...
          
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                                 47.
                CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
                                    AGENT CHEUNG
                              (interrupting)
                          Dr. Lionel Hudgens. Former agent, sci-and-
                          spy 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.
          
                INT. FISCHER'S LAB - LATER
          104                                                                 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.
          
                    
          
                                                                           48.
          
          
          
          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 
          
                INT. FISCHER'S LAB - LATER
          107                                                                    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?
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                     49.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          
          
          
                                                               (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
                                                                           50.
                CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
                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.
          
                                     ISCHER (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 
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - DAY
          115                                                                    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 trench-
                coat 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.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                 
          
                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.
          
                INT. FISCHER'S LAB
          116                                                                        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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                         (CONTINUED)
          
                       
          
          
                                                                           52.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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 
          
                EXT. CARNBY'S BUILDING - DAY
          117                                                                    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 
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - CONTINUOUS
          119                                                                    119
                Aline enters the Loft. She looks around.
          
                                     LINE
                          Edward?
          
                Aline closes the door behind her. She takes another few steps
                into the Loft.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
                                                                         53.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
          
                                                                                54.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
                                    URKE
                         We've got to trust each other, Fischer.
                         Are you with us or not?
          
               Fischer weighs his answer.
                                    F
                                    ISCHER
                         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.
          
              
          
          
                                                                          55.
          
          
          
          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.
          1
          
           19F 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.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
          
          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 spinal-
          worm 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 
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - NIGHT
          124                                                                    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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                           58.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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                                                                    125
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - LATER
          
                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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                  
          
          
                                                                                   59.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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 pin-
                          point 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.
          
                                       LINE (CONT'D)
                          Edward...
          
                                    CARNBY
                          Yeah. That's us right there.
          
                Carnby points to a spot on the onscreen map.
          
                 SCENE 126 OMITTED 
          
                INT. CARNBY'S LOFT - MOMENTS LATER
          127                                                                     127
                Carnby puts the dishes from their meal into the Kitchen sink.
                The sink tap is RUNNING. Aline clears the dishes.
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
                                                                             60.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                    61.
          CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
          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.
          C
           arnby 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                              (CONTINUED)
          
                    
          
          
                                                                             62.
          CONTINUED: (3)
          
          
          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.
          A
           ll 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.
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
          CONTINUED: (4)
          
          
          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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                (CONTINUED)
          
           
          
                                                                          64.
               CONTINUED: (5)
          
          
               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 rifle-
               mounted lamps illuminated, their weapons in use.
          
                                    GENT 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.
          
                hadows 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
          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.
          
          
          
          
                                                               (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                             66.
          CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
          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 small 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 laser-
          sight 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.
          
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
                
          
                                                                             67.
          CONTINUED: (3)
          
          
                              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.
          
                               URKE
                    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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                      67A.
          CONTINUED: (4)
          
          
                              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.
          
          
          
          
                                                             (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
          
                                                                     68.
          CONTINUED: (5)
          
          
          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!
          
           cross 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                              (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                            69.
          CONTINUED: (6)
          
          
                               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 
          
           SCENE 133B INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 134 
          
                         
          
                                                                                 70.
          
          
          
                EXT. MINE - NIGHT
          134                                                                 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
          
                 rash 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...
          
                          
          
                                                                              71.
          
          
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL - NIGHT
          135                                                                       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 flash-
                             mines. 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?
          
          
          
          
                                                                        (CONTINUED)
          
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                     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.
          
                 SCENE 136 OMITTED 
          1
                INT. MINE TUNNEL
           37                                                                     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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                           73.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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 
          
                INT. TUNNEL CHAMBER
          144                                                                    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.
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
               CONTINUED:
          
          
                                      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.
          
                         
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          145                                                                     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.
          1
                INT. TUNNEL CHAMBER
           46                                                                     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.
          
                                     URKE (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
               O                                                              146B
                 n the side of a mountain rising up over Britannia Mine,
                Hudgens and Fischer stand watching the activity below.
          
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
           
          
          
                                                                                    76.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL
          147                                                                       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!
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM
          148                                                                       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.
          
                INT. SHAFT
          149                                                                       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.
          
                 line starts to fall, but Carnby is there to catch her.
          
          
          
                                                                        (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
          
                                                                                   77.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          1
          
           49B 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 
          
                EXT. MINE
          152                                                                     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.
          
          
          
                                                                      (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
          
                                                                                    78.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          1
                INT. SHAFT
           53                                                                       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.
          
           53B 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                        (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          1
          
           53C 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.
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          154                                                                    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.
          
                  he column drops to the ground with a CRASH, totally sealing
                off the Shaft. There's no way back up.
                T
                 he Sand Chamber is pitch black. The only light comes from
                their lamps and flashlights.
          
                Barr wraps up Cheung's broken ankle.
          
                 line 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.
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
          
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
                                    URKE (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.
          
           54A 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.
          
                                                                            80A.
          
          
          
                EXT. MINE
          155                                                                 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                  (CONTINUED)
          
            
          
                                                                           81.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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 HIGH-
                PITCHED 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.
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          156                                                                    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.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                         82.
               CONTINUED:
          
          
               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.
          
          
                                                                   (CONTINUED)
          
               
          
          
                                                                                   83.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          1
          
           57                                                                      157
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM
          
                GUNFIRE echoes through the Hall.
          
                 parks 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.
          
                                        GENT TURNER
                          Hit it.
          
                The Agent switches on the generator. It HUMS to life.
          
                 he dark Hall is filled with blazing light from the battery
                of spotlights set up around the Entrance Hall.
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL
          158                                                                      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!
                T
                 here'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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                          84.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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                                                                   159
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL/GENERATOR PLATFORM
          
                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.
                A
                 gent 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.
          
                 ne 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                           85.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                The grenades all EXPLODE. Fischer and Turner are instantly
                killed.
          
                The explosion ignites the generator. It EXPLODES in a
                crescendo of flame and sparks.
          
                 he 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.
                A
                 gent 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.
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          160                                                                    160
                 arr 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.
                                     C
                                    CARNBY
                          We'll find a way out.
          
          
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                           86.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL
          161   A                                                                161
                 gents 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.
          
                 rom 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.
          
          
                                                                     (CONTINUED)
          
              
          
                                                                          87.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                 ut 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 
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          162                                                                   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.
                A
                 line 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.
          
                                     GENT 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.
          
                INT. MINE ENTRANCE HALL
          163                                                                    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.
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
          
                                                                    88.
          CONTINUED:
          
          
          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.
          
             
          
          
          
                INT. SAND CHAMBER
          164                                                                      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 
          
                INT. UNDERGROUND LAB
          170                                                                      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.
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                            
          
          
          
          
                                                                     90.
          CONTINUED:
          
          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 steps up next to Carnby.
          
                              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 hand-
          crank 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.
          A
           line uses her flashlight to read the symbols on the door.
          One symbol is prominent among the others: the DARK SPIRIT.
          
                              ALINE
                    Edward, look...
          
          
          
          
                                                              (CONTINUED)
          
                            
          
          CONTINUED: (2)
          
          
          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.
          
          
          
          
                                                               (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                               
          
          
          
          
                                                                               
          
          
          
          
                                                                             92.
          CONTINUED: (3)
          
          
                              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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                 (CONTINUED)
          
                                                                    93.
          CONTINUED: (4)
          
          
                              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.
          A
           line 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.
          
          
          
          
                                                              (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
          
                                                                         94.
               CONTINUED: (5)
          
          
               The cracks splinter out, dividing, until they cover the
               entire door. In a rush of fragments, the cracked gold
               crumbles to the ground.
          
                he 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 
          
          1     SCENE 174 INCORPORATED INTO SCENE 170 
          
           74A 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.
               T
                he 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.
          
                          
          
                                                                              95.
          
          
          
          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.
          
                                        LINE
                             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.
          
                INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/TUNNEL
          
                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.
          
          
                                                                        (CONTINUED)
          
                                   
          
                                                                           96.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                                    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.
          
                INT. UNDERGROUND LAB/SHAFT
          176                                                                    176
                Aline climbs up the rungs of the ladder built into the Shaft
                wall. Carnby climbs up after her.
                B
                 urke 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.
          
                                      URKE
                          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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                    (CONTINUED)
          
             
          
                                                                                  97.
                CONTINUED:
          
          
                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.
          
                 line 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.
          
                 he 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 
          
                EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAWN
          181                                                                  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.
          
                 he sun rises on the horizon.
          
                 SCENES 181A, 181AA, 181AB, AND 181B OMITTED 
          
                 SCENES 181C, 181CC, AND 181D OMITTED 
          
                               
          
                                                                                98.
          
          
          
          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.
               T
                he 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.
          
               
          
          
                                                                             99.
          
          
          
          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 
          
                EXT. STREET - DAY
          184                                                                      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 
          
                EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY
          
                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.
          
          
          
          
                                                                       (CONTINUED)
          
          
          
                              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.