RELIC

                              MARGO
                    That would fit.  It's nocturnal.
                    Quick.  Come inside.

     EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

     As hundreds of the guests emerge into the pounding rain... crying,
     terrified, unclear what exactly happened.  These are the lucky ones.
     Among them we find IPPOLITO.  His walkie talkie is squawking.  The
     windows of the museum behind him are black.

                              D'AGOSTA ON RADIO
                    Ippolito!  Where the hell are you?
                    We're trapped in here!  We need help!
                    Ippolito!  Come in, dammit!

     Ippolito sits down on the steps in the rain, knowing the extent of
     what he's done.  The wheels are working hard now, trying to figure out
     damage control.  The walkie talkie keeps calling.  He doesn't respond.

     INT. HALL OF THE HEAVENS - NIGHT

     Tables are overturned, food lies on the ground, people cower in the
     darkness.  D'Agosta crouches in some broken glass with his walkie
     talkie.  He shuts it off, rises, looks around.  Light comes from a few
     sputtering candles.

     Most of the guests still trapped inside are grouped around the lowered
     steel door.  Among them are KAWAKITA and CUTHBERT.  From the BODY of the
     man crushed underneath the door extends a large puddle of blood.
     Bailey is working in desperation on a brass panel by the door.

                              BAILEY
                    Manual overrides aren't working.  I'm
                    getting nothing, Lieutenant.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Great.

     Frank, the father of the teenage girl, Lauren, steps forward.

                              FRANK
                    There's no power.  The whole system's
                    down.

     The crowd starts to murmur.  One man yells.

                              MAN
                    We're trapped!  And there's a killer
                    in here!

                              D'AGOSTA
                    We'll get out safely if everyone
                    stays calm.  Is anyone else hurt?

     The MAYOR stands.  His wife's forehead is bleeding.

                              MAYOR
                    Yes.  My wife.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Is there a doctor?

     The distinguished grey haired man with a cane comes forward.  DR.
     POUND.

                              POUND
                    I'm Dr. Pound.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Check this woman and see if anyone
                    else needs you.

     Pound moves off.  Everyone spins now at the incongruous sound of a DOG
     BARK.  D'Agosta pulls his gun.  The door to a stairwell at the far end
     of the room opens and Hobbes bounds into the hall!  He's followed by
     Jonathan, who is filthy and wild-eyed.

                              JONATHAN
                        (calls)
                    Lieutenant D'Agosta!  Don't shoot.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Where's Pendergast?

                              JONATHAN
                        (crossing, breathless)
                    Five flights down.  We were lost in
                    the sub-basement.  Something's down
                    there.  It killed our two deputies.
                    When I left Pendergast it was coming
                    back.  He sent me for help.  We have
                    to hurry.

     D'Agosta makes a quick sweep of the room with his flashlight.  The
     remote corners of the hall are so black the light seems to disappear.
     In the center, two men are bending over a still form.  One of them is
     Dr. Pound.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Both of you.  Get back here.

                              POUND
                    But he's still alive --

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Get back now!

     The urgency in D'Agosta's voice gets everyone's attention.  The Mayor
     brings his wife over.  Cuthbert comes too.  They huddle apart from the
     others.  Cuthbert's white with fear.

                              CUTHBERT
                    What's going on?

     D'Agosta speaks low.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    There's some kind of animal loose in
                    the museum.  Pendergast's alone.  He
                    needs help.  I want volunteers to go
                    with me.

                              BAILEY
                    I'm in.

                              KAWAKITA
                        (swallows)
                    Me too.

                              CUTHBERT
                        (voice rising in fear)
                    I'd do it gladly but someone needs
                    to stay with these people.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    All right.  You're elected.  Bailey,
                    get all the guns and flashlights,
                    give the mayor your walkie talkie so
                    we can keep in touch.  Cuthbert, keep
                    everyone together and make sure they
                    stay quiet.

     Frank steps forward.

                              FRANK
                    I was in the Marines.  Give me a gun.
                    I'd go with you, too, but I've got
                    my daughter.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    What's your name?

                              FRANK
                    Frank.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    All right.  You guard these people
                    and your daughter.

     D'Agosta gives Frank his service revolver.

                              MAYOR'S WIFE
                        (to D'Agosta)
                    Where are you going?  Don't leave us
                    alone!

     The remaining crowd begins to whimper.  The Mayor rises.

                              MAYOR
                    Everyone quiet.  The Lieutenant's in
                    charge.

     Bailey and D'Agosta carry shot guns.  They quietly move to the back
     stairwell at the far end of the Hall of the Heavens.  Everyone else
     bunches together and watches.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Bailey, we'll go first and check the
                    stairwell.  Jonathan, you and Greg
                    guard the door.

     Jonathan gives Hobbes' leash to the Mayor.  D'Agosta hands Greg
     Kawakita a shotgun, tightens his grip on his own.  Then he gives the
     signal and Bailey yanks open the door to the stairwell.

     INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT

     D'Agosta and Bailey go in slowly.  Jonathan stays in the doorway,
     sweeping the stairwell with his flashlight.  Kawakita gingerly holds
     his shotgun.  He's scared out of his mind.  He turns to Jonathan,
     whispers.

                              KAWAKITA
                    Excuse me.  Could you tell me how
                    this thing works?

                              JONATHAN
                    Oh Jesus.  Don't point it at me.  Just
                    aim and shoot.

     D'Agosta heads down the stairs in the lead, with Bailey close behind.
     The stairwell is windowless and dark.  D'Agosta shines his light and it
     cuts into the blackness.  He moves quietly, makes the first landing and
     stops.  Bailey watches his back from several steps behind as D'Agosta
     signals for him to wait.  The flashlight flares into a glass door one
     flight down.  D'Agosta raises his hand.

                              D'AGOSTA
                        (low)
                    Hold on.  I thought I saw something.

     Everyone stops.  Bailey pumps his shotgun.  So does Jonathan.  Kawakita
     fumbles to do like the others.  They wait.  D'Agosta moves alone down
     several more steps.  The silence is heavy.  Suddenly D'Agosta wrinkles
     his nose.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Whoa... You smell that?

                              JONATHAN
                    Lieutenant!  Get back!

     Too late.  At this something DROPS FROM ABOVE!  A huge dark shape LEAPS
     INTO THE STAIRWELL, descending two floors!  It lands, pounces on BAILEY
     and the marble walls echo with a ROAR.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    BAILEY!!!

     Bailey SCREAMS in terror as Mbwun pins him down!

                              BAILEY
                    NOOOOO!

     CLOSE ON BAILEY... Three claws close on his neck and WRENCH HARD!
     There's a horrifying snap as Bailey's HEAD COMES OFF!  Blood SPURTS all
     over and drips down the stairs.

     D'AGOSTA levels his shotgun at the monster and fires, with no apparent
     effect.  When the shots stop echoing we hear SCREAMS and FRANTIC
     BARKING from the hall.

     MBWUN'S GREEN EYES look up and it's FORKED TONGUE LICKS OUT.  The
     monster LEAPS PAST Bailey's body and heads for the door!  D'Agosta,
     seeing what's happening, screams at the top of his lungs.

                              D'AGOSTA
                    Jonathan!  Don't let it get into the
                    hall!

     ON JONATHAN... frozen in the doorway, Kawakita by his side.  Both of
     them are rigid with horror.  Disbelief in their eyes.  The BEAST leaps
     up directly at them as they jump to try and close the door.

     D'Agosta keeps firing until he's pumping an empty chamber.  Plaster is
     falling all around.  SCREAMS resound in the Hall of the Heavens as
     D'Agosta stumbles up the stairs.

     INT. HALL OF THE HEAVENS - NIGHT

     D'Agosta throws open the doors and charges into the Hall.  Jonathan
     lies on the ground, dazed.  Kawakita stands to one side, teeth
     chattering in shock.  His hand shakes so badly that the barrel of the
     gun swings in his hand.

                              D'AGOSTA
                        (yells)
                    Where is it?!

                              JONATHAN
                    I don't know!  It hit me hard.

     D'Agosta pumps two shells in the shotgun.  Screams can be heard from
     the people crouched together at the edge of the room.  Hobbes is
     barking wildly, foaming at the mouth.  It's too dark to see what's
     happening.