AntZ

                         Z
               Geez, this place really empties out
               in August.  Where is everybody?

     Z walks up to the skull that houses Formica's chambers and
     peeks in the eye socket.

     INT. FORMICA'S CHAMBERS

     Inside, the Tracker Ant, who's been left behind, switches
     "on", eyes glowing.  Z enters the chamber cautiously.

                         TRACKER ANT
                      (sniffing)
               Z!  Z!  I smell Z!

     For a moment, Z's afraid.  Then he sees the small Tracker Ant
     doesn't seem hostile.

                         Z
               You "smell" me?  Well look, I -- I've
               been out in the wilderness for a
               while, and --

     The tracker ant keeps sniffing.  Z waves his hand in front of
     the blind ant's eyes.

                         Z
                      (getting it)
               Hey, wait, you're...you're one of
               those pheremone sniffers, aren't you?
               Maybe you can help me...I'm looking
               for a friend of mine, Princess Bala.

                         TRACKER ANT
                      (enthusiastic)
               Bala!  Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah!  Find
               Bala!  Yeahyeahyeahyeah!

     Z picks up the tracker ant.

                         Z
               Just remember, I met her first.

     Z, carrying the little tracker ant, heads out, following its
     lead...

     Through this and that passage, as the Tracker Ant gets more
     and more insistent...And finally straight to a blank wall.

                         TRACKER ANT
               Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah...

                         Z
               Bala's through there?

                         TRACKER ANT
               Bala...Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah...

                         Z
               Great.  More digging.  This is why I
               left in the first place.

     Z can answer his own question.  He puts down the tracker ant,
     with a look on his face like a kid forced to eat broccoli,
     starts digging through the wall...

     INT. SKYLIGHT APEX - DAY

     Meanwhile, A member of Ant Team Six -- the stupidest member,
     in fact, waits at the very top of the tunnel, where it
     narrows almost to a point.  He's hanging from a winch, and
     has a little hammer and chisel in his hand.  He's WHISTLING,
     awaiting instructions.

     INT. MEGA-TUNNEL - DAY

     Z emerges from the tunnel he's dug, spits a load of dirt out
     of his mouth and wipes his hands off.  Nearby, Bala lies
     there, bound and gagged.

                         Z
               Bala!

     Z unties Bala and undoes her gag.

                         BALA
               Z!  You came back!

     They HUG.

                         Z
               Why do they have you tied up here?

                         BALA
               There's something going on, Z --

     From here, Z can see far down the tunnel to where the crowd
     is gathering.

                         BALA
               They're having a ceremony to open the
               Megatunnel...

     We can hear the sound of WATER SHIFTING somewhere above.  He
     looks up the tunnel...in the distance, we can make out the
     silhouete of the commando set to break open the wall...

                         Z
               Bala, that -- that lake we found --
               I think the tunnel's right underneath
               it!
                      (horrified)
               -- Formica's going to flood the
               colony!!!  That's what he meant when
               said there were too many ants!

                         BALA
               Oh no...

     Bala looks too shocked to move.  Z starts pushing her into
     the tunnel he made, and starts heading down towards the crowd.

                         BALA
               Z!  what are you doing?

                         Z
               I know it's crazy, but -- I can't
               just leave.  Don't argue with me.  If
               I've learned anything, it's that the
               problems of two people don't add up
               to a hill of ants in this world.  Or
               beans.  Something like that.  Anyway,
               I've got to warn the others.

     Z looks into Bala's eyes.

                         Z
               Head for the surface, Bala.  If I
               don't make it, well...we'll always
               have Insectopia.

     Z kisses Bala.  Then he starts running down the tunnel
     towards the crowd...

                         BALA
                      (following him)
               Z!!! Wait for me!

     INT. ANT MOUND - DAY

     All the SOLDIERS are filtering out of the assembly area,
     leaving the workers behind.  As his troops march by, Formica
     steps to the side and hands the Queen a pair of scissors to
     cut the ribbon strung across the Megatunnel.

                         FORMICA
               Your majesty, I'm afraid matters of
               state keep me from attending the
               ceremony.

                         QUEEN
               But General -- this tunnel is your
               baby!  You're sure you can't stay ?

                         FORMICA
               'Fraid not, your majesty.
                      (with regret)
               Goodbye, your majesty.

                         QUEEN
               Very well, General -- I know you --
               all work and no play!

                         FORMICA
               Alright, let's move out!

     Formica, surrounded by his bodyguards, hurries off as the
     Queen readies to cut the ribbon...

                         QUEEN
               In the name of the colony, I declare
               this tunnel open!

     INT. MEGA-TUNNEL - DAY

     Z and Bala sprint towards the bottom end of the tunnel...

                         Z
               Stoooooop!

     -- and then pull back to see Queen cut the ribbon -- she
     looks up and sees --

                         QUEEN
               Bala!

                         BALA
               Mom!

     Z calls out to the crowd.

                         Z
               Listen up!  We've all got to get out
               of here!  This place is going to
               flood!

     The workers are unconvinced.

                         WORKER #1
               Are you nuts?

                         Z
               You've got to believe me!

                         WORKER #2
               Oh yeah?  What makes you so special,
               Mr. Know-It-All?

                         Z
               I'm Z.

     The workers are even more sceptical.  A laugh goes up from
     the crowd.

                         WORKER #3
               You're Z?  Gimme a break!  Z's ten
               milimeters tall!

                         WORKER #4
               -- and he can kill termites with his
               bare hands!  You're just some scrawny
               worker with a mental problem!

                         Z
               I am Z!

                         WORKER #1
               No you're not!