PARTMENT -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer carefully explores Blast's apartment.
BOOKSHELVES
He runs his fingers along a line of devotionals.
TITLES are seen:
"Interior Castles" St. Teresa of Avila
"Meditations on the Life of Christ," St. Bonaventure
"Dark Night of the Soul," St. John of the Cross
"The Imitation of Christ, St. Thomas a Kempis
WITCHCRAFT
He pauses at a full array devoted to the "Malleus" and other witchcraft titles.
TITLES of witchcraft books are seen.
"Malleus Malleficarum"
"Women and the Devil"
"The Salem Witch Trials"
"History of Witchcraft"
He picks out "TORTURE AND SALVATION" by Cardinal James Blast.
As he holds it, it opens to a section: "EVE'S HAIR."
AREN'S HAIR
A long lock of ebony hair is being used as a book-marker. Cramer realizes that it is a lock of Aren's hair!
He leaves it there, closes and returns the book.
MILLENNIAL LITERATURE
Cramer then comes upon a table filled with millennial literature.
"The End Time News"
"Jesus Returns!"
"The New Eden in America"
"Voice of the Angels"
Cramer sifts through the literature.
He picks up a copy of "VOICE OF THE ANGELS."
Cramer negatively shakes his head as he reads out loud.
HEADLINE
"AVENGING ANGELS DESCEND TO SMASH AND DESTROY GODDESS IDOLS AND VILE ARTWORK OF THE GREAT HARLOT"
Cramer drops the magazine back onto the table.
PHOTOGRAPHS
A photo catches his eye. He picks it up.
It is a picture of Blast offering Mass surrounded by military guerrillas.
On the back is written, "NICARAGUA, 1983."
The eyes of one guerrilla catch his. The soldier has a full beard with a thick grey streak down the left side. It mimics a scar.
After a moment, Cramer tosses it aside and continues to search.
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer opens a the top drawer of a file cabinet. It has one entry, "Mormons." It is a thick file.
He prowls through the file.
PHOTOGRAPHS
He opens a large manila envelope. Out falls pictures of him and Aren!
There are several of Aren, alone. These focus on her hair.
Cramer opens another large envelope. Out fall pictures of various goddess statues and the Venus of Willendorf.
Cramer is clearly shaken.
He returns the envelopes and closes the file.
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
DESK-TOP PICTURE
As Cramer leaves he notices a desk-top picture of the grey-streaked "scar" bearded guerrilla. However, the fellow is dressed in clerical garb.
Cramer slides the photo out. On the backside it reads, "BLAST AND PURGE!"
He slips the photo back.
He hears the front door open and shut.
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer sneaks into the corridor.
He slides along the wall.
He watches Blast take off his coat and go to a door.
Blast takes out a key, unlocks and enters a private chapel.
INT. BLAST'S CHAPEL -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer sneaks down and finds a position to observe.
CRAMER'S POV
Blast is deep in prayer within a small side chapel.
CRUCIFIXES, PICTURES AND STATUES
The chapel is thickly decorated with an amazing assortment of crucifixes, pictures and statues depicting Suffering Christs, Tortured Saints, and other holy people in agony.
Blast stands and slowly, ritualistically begins to undress.
He is totally naked.
WHIP
Blast takes out a small whip.
Blast flagellates himself.
The whip has barbed ends. They cut a series of tiny crosses which rip and tear his flesh.
Blast's back runs with blood.
FULL SHOT
of whip gouging out pieces of flesh.
FULL SHOT
of Blast's face. He is in ecstasy!
BACK TO SCENE
Blood drops and splatters all over the floor.
As Blast flails himself, he intones slowly, soulfully and constantly,
BLAST
Purgare! Purgare! Purgare!
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer's knees goes weak and he slinks down the wall a bit.
ALTAR PICTURE
As he does, Cramer is further shocked as he sees -- not a tortured, mangled Christ over the altar but -- JOOS VAN CLEVE'S "NURSING VIRGIN."
The Virgin Mary's half smile and the frowsy child epitomize domestic happiness.
VENUS OF WILLENDORF
Odd as this is, Cramer also sees, set to the side but still on the altar, the Venus of Willendorf.
Cramer rubs his eyes. He is stunned.
As Cramer sneaks out of the Chapel, the SLAP of the lash and the MOANED petition from Blast is heard.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SALT LAKE CITY AIRPORT -- DAY
AERIAL VIEW
of plane approaching Salt Lake City.
The majesty of the WASATCH RANGE is seen.
INT. BLAST ON PLANE -- CONTINUOUS
Blast leans to look out the plane's window.
He nudges his companion, Father O'Brien, S.J., who is the grey-streaked-scar bearded guerrilla whose photo Cramer saw in Blast's office.
BLAST
(pointing)
Salt Lake.
FATHER O'BRIEN
I hear the Mormons walk on water!
Both men laugh.
EXT. AIRPORT WAITING AREA -- CONTINUOUS
Blast walks up to Cramer. Father O'Brien is behind him.
Both are dressed in formal priestly attire.
Cramer tries hard not to stare at O'Brien's grey-streaked scar in his beard.
After a handshake, Blast turns to introduce his companion.
BLAST
Professor Cramer meet Father O'Brien, S.J. He's my Jesuit conscience!
Blast chuckles. The others don't.
O'Brien and Cramer just stare at each other.
Blast misses this and talks as he starts walking.
BLAST (CONT'D)
He's researching pre-Columbian religions and I've convinced him that a stop over here would be good for ... for his soul.
Again, Blast chuckles at his little joke.
Cramer and O'Brien uncomfortably shake hands as they turn to follow Blast.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BYU CAMPUS -- LATER
As Cramer, Blast and O'Brien walk through the campus to their lodging, numerous window signs and bulletin boards reveal
Millennial excitement.
SIGNS AND BULLETIN BOARDS
"Next Thanksgiving in Heaven"
"They're Coming!"
"Prepare, Purify, Pray"
"Millennial City, USA -- Be There!"
EXT. STUDENT PRAYER GROUP -- CONTINUOUS
They pass a series of small groups engrossed in prayer.
BLAST
(impressed; sarcastic)
Are Mormons always this fervent?
EXT. -- CONTINUOUS
An exuberant crowd of young faces merge upon and surround Cramer.
1ST YOUTH
Oh, Professor Cramer, come with us. Come to the mountains and wait with us!
2ND YOUTH
We're burning everything ... purifying ourselves from all material possessions!
CRAMER
Who? Why are you doing this? This is not what I said!
The crowd is not chastened, rather it is emboldened.
3RD YOUT
H
Peter Smith has had a revelation. He talks daily with the angels! You must talk with him!
CRAMER
Peter? Where is he? What type of nonsense is this? I've told you about the discipline. You cannot go outside the guidance of your elders.
The crowd is quickly deflated, but is as quickly aroused to arrogance.
2ND YOUTH
Elders? Peter says the new revelation is for young men, strong men ... not old men. We are the angels!
The others take up the chant,
CHANT
"Angels! Angels!"
The young crowd rushes away.
EXT. -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer starts to walk away when he abruptly turns back to Blast and O'Brien whom he has almost forgotten.
Blast takes control.
BLAST
Looks like I came just in time!
(to O'Brien)
We might have to dust off the "Malleus" before long!
A wicked grin curls O'Brien's lips.
Cramer is not amused.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BYU CAMPUS -- AFTERNOON
In the student plaza Cramer is on a small stage at a microphone.
Around him the crowd of student is broken into groups assembled under signs.
SIGNS
"Christ has Redeemed Us, Satan is Banished, There is No Sin"
"Fast, Deny, Purge and Pray"
"Polygamy is The Father's Command"
"God's Revelation, Not Man's Law"
PETER SMITH stands next to the sign, "God's Revelation, Not Man's Law." He is 20, red-haired and fiery of soul.
BIBLE AND BOOK OF MORMON
He holds the Bible and the Book of Mormon which he raises high as he speaks.
STUDENT #1
This is the End Time. Man's laws, all earthly laws are naught. Only God's Revelation counts. For us
(indicating all students)
this is a time when everything is allowed.
Cheers rise from the crowd.
CHEER #1
Jesus has saved us!
CHEER #2
Angels! Angels! Hear their voices!
CHEER #3
We are Adam. We are Eve.
Cramer is upset and angrily impassioned.
CRAMER
Stop! Stop! Cease this insanity!
But Peter Smith voice BOOMS with authority and charisma. He reads from the Book of Mormon.
PETER SMITH
"Behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden."
He closes the book, lifts his eyes to heaven, tightly shuts them as if receiving a revelation.
He heaves a monumental sigh. Then preaches,
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
To be saved we must fall. Fall deeply into sin to be saved by our Almighty Father! So sin, sin and sin deeply O ye Adams and Eves of the End Time!
As Smith says, "To be saved we must fall," Cramer, shakes his head and frantically waves his arm.
Cramer tries to get the attention of the crowd. He quotes parts of 2 Peter 3:11-14.
CRAMER
No! No! ... Listen not to this Peter Smith but to the Apostle Peter who told us exactly what to do.
"Since everything around us is going to melt away, we should be living holy and godly lives ... While you are waiting for the new heaven and the new earth try hard to live without sinning and to be at peace with everyone."
But Cramer's passionate plea only temporarily quiets the crowd.
BOTTLES
Peter Smith holds up a bottle of wine and shouts,
PETER SMITH
May the sin of Adam and Eve make us worthy of the final redemption!
Peter swigs from the bottle.
Then he passes it to a student at his right who drinks and passes it on.
Other bottles appear and the energy of the crowd explodes into youthful exuberance.
Students begin to pass around bottles of many liquors.
SFX Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" BLARES over the loudspeakers.
A frenzy grips the students as they begin to wildly dance.
Soon, men and women are disrobing.
Cramer is shocked. He falls down on his knees in prayer.
Men and women start rolling on the ground in sexual embrace.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BYU CLASSROOM WINDOW -- CONTINUOUS
Blast observes the chaos below.
He smiles, wickedly.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CRAMER'S HOME -- EVENING
Cramer is sitting at his desk with the Bible and the Book of Mormon spread before him.
Around the room is his luggage.
Beside him are a stack of books with yellow tabs sticking out from his research.
Yellow pads circle the books. The appearance is of a frenzied night of research.
All at once Cramer stands, stares at all the books on his desk, and with a violent sweep knocks everything off his desk.
INT. VISION OF AREN -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer falls on his knees in prayer.
FULL SHOT
of Cramer's anguished, bewildered and beseeching face.
VISION OF AREN -- SPF
suddenly, Aren's face appears in a vision.
Cramer blurts out,
CRAMER
Aren! My love. Where, where?
Then Aren's face transforms into a BRIGHT LIGHT which moves out of the room.
EXT. FOLLOWING THE LIGHT -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer runs through the streets, chasing after the Light.
He does not respond to passing greetings.
GREETING #1
God be praised, Professor Cramer!
GREETING #2
What's happening, where are you going?
EXT. STEALING A BIKE -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer stops for a moment to catch his breath.
He sees a motorcycle.
As he steals it, he says,
CRAMER
God forgive me!
Cramer gives chase out of town.
EXT. IN THE MOUNTAINS -- CONTINUOUS
Cramer flies past a SIGN: "UINTA NATIONAL FOREST."
He blasts around hair-pin turns as he climbs up into the Wasatch Mountains.
A SIGN points: "MOUNT TIMPANAGOS"
As he drives wildly, passing cars HONK and other drivers
swear at him.
SWEAR#1
Crazy fool!
SWEAR #2
Fucking idiot!
It's a wild, mad-man, furious chase.
EXT. THE MILLENNIAL REVELATION -- CONTINUOUS
SFX Cramer arrives in a SCREECH of brakes.
He jumps off and frantically searches around for Aren.
THE THREE NEPHITES REVEALED
In a blink, the Three Nephites appear.
They are wrapped within a bright aura.
They are hooded and Cramer cannot see their faces.
They point towards a line of trees.
Aren walks out into the opening and towards Cramer.
She is dressed all in white and within a bright aura.
Cramer is over-come and paralyzed by the wonder of it all.
Aren stands right next to Cramer.
NEPHITE #1
Do not touch her?
Cramer is perplexed.
NEPHITE #2
You are not ready.
Cramer falls to his knees.
He opens his arms towards heaven.
CRAMER
Father, help me!
As he prays, the Three Nephites drop their hoods.
Cramer sees, for the first time, that they are women.
AREN'S POV
Cramer is shocked and frightened.
He scrambles and scurries away on his knees.
He yells,
CRAMER (CONT'D)
Satan, be gone!
BACK
TO SCENE
The Three Nephites turn, walk away and disappear.
AREN AND CRAMER
Aren, her aura gone, walks over and stands beside the cowering Cramer.
He does not see her.
AREN
My sweet Henry!
Cramer abruptly turns towards her.
Upon seeing her he falls backwards and sprawls on the ground.
He is terrified. He yells,
CRAMER (CONT'D)
Satan, be gone!
Aren starts to titter and then bursts into laughter.
Cramer crawls farther away.
AREN (humorously)
Are you the Great Inquisitor. That terror of the witches. Is this what I see?
(mocking; German accent)
Heinrich Kraemer, "The Hammer of Satan."
Cramer rubs his eyes.
CRAMER
It is you!
Aren extends her hand.
Cramer takes her hand and rises.
INT. A MESSAGE -- CONTINUOUS
Aren and Cramer walk over to a large rock and sit upon it.
The Moon is high and bright.
AREN
Was your heart opened?
CRAMER
They weren't witches?
Aren smiles.
AREN
The Three Nephites.
CRAMER
No. Can't be!
Aren stands and turns her face upward towards the Moon.
Cramer rises and stands behind her.
AREN
Yes. The Three Nephites. The three apostles who chose to stay behind. To whom Jesus gave immortal life.
Aren turns and is face-to-face with Cramer.
AREN (CONT'D)
Women. Yes. Before the gospels were written. In the original twelve, there were these three women.
Cramer scratches his head. He becomes professorial.
CRAMER
But there's no scriptural evidence.
AREN
It's the revelation of these Last Days, of the End Time.
Aren turns back and gazes upon the Moon.
MOON RAY
Slowly, a moon ray surrounds her.
Cramer is spooked. He screams.
CRAMER
No!
At his word, the moon ray disappears.
Aren turns back and faces Cramer.
AREN
Until you understand and can shout "YES!" I cannot be yours.
Cramer steps towards Aren.
He reaches out to embrace her. But as he does, her aura appears and she disappears into the Bright Light which rises and flies towards the Moon.
Cramer pulls at his hair and screams,
CRAMER
Nooooooooooo!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BLAST'S WASATCH BUNKER
Blast sits at a console, fine-tuning a video transmission.
There are FOUR ASSISTANTS with him. They are not masked, and they wear clerical garb.
They are inside a rough concrete walled room. It is a bunker without windows.
The room is replete with sophisticated high tech consoles.
BLAST
(into microphone)
O-B, can you hear me?
Blast swears to no one in particular,
BLAST (CONT'D)
Fucking satellites!
Blast turns to one assistant who is smiling at Blast's foul language.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Look, just make sure the fu...
(catches himself)
sweet Jesus, that the transmission is secured.
As Blast finishes, O'Brien's face pops up on the video screen.
He is at a like two-way video console. He looks at Blast as he talks.
O'BRIEN
"Mary's Tears" is set.
BLAST
What? Say again.
O'BRIEN
"Mary's Tears" is set. You got me secured, right?
BLAST
Yeah. We learned something from these Mormon devils.
(indicates the room)
Three-hundred feet inside the Wasatch, hot water, all the comforts of home.
(laughs)
We're piggy-backing on all their stuff. The needle's deep and they don't even know we're after the blood!
Blast flicks on two other screens.
MAP OF THE WORLD WITH TEAR-DROPS
One scrolls through a MAP of the world. In each country there are markers in the form of a tear-drop.
MADONNA IMAGES
On the other are scrolling images of paintings and statues of the Madonna with their locations TITLED below.
Blast slows down the scroll of images.
Blast's face reflects anger and pain, as he sees:
OUR LADY UNDERGROUND, CHARTRES
OUR LADY OF LUJAN, ARGENTINA
OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, POLAND
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, MEXICO
VIRGIN MARY OF MONTSERRAT, SPAIN
VELASQUEZ
Blast stops the scroll at DIEGO VELASQUEZ, "CORONATION OF THE VIRGIN," THE PRADO.
Blast slams his fists down.
His eyes bulge and his face reddens as he swears at the picture,
BLAST (CONT'D)
Coronation! Damnation! Foul breath of that seducing whore. Who is she to claim coronation!
All in the room are SILENT. They nod in agreement.
INT. AREN'S ESCAPE -- CONTINUOUS
The main video screen shows that O'Brien is listening. He frowns.
O'Brien speaks loudly to get Blast's attention.
O'BRIEN
Sprenger!
It takes some moments for Blast's rage to settle.
BLAST
What?
O'BRIEN
(perplexed)
She's gone.
Blast stares at the screen.
BLAST
(unbelieving)
You smoking dope again, you Irish fiend?
There is SILENCE.
O'Brien hits a switch.
VIDEO OF AREN'S DISAPPEARANCE
A video runs with a DATE and TIME SIGNATURE at bottom.
It shows Aren in her spot on MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1999 at 3:33 a.m. and
at 3:34 a.m. surrounded by a aura of bright light,
and at 3:35 a.m. Aren is gone.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Again.
The video is run a second time.
As the video ends and the screen is blank, SILENCE fills the air.
In a moment, Blast folds his hands in prayer.
He touches his lips with his index fingers.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Sweet Jesus, she is a witch!
(pause)
The Queen of Witches.
Blast shouts at O'Brien. He is deliriously happy.
BLAST (CONT'D)
She is the one! She is the one!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TV REPORT ON "MARY'S TEARS"
FULL SHOT
of CNN TV footage of destruction of Madonna and Blessed Virgin art from around the world is seen as the Reporter talks.
Footage includes Madonna images reviewed by Blast.
OUR LADY UNDERGROUND, CHARTRES
OUR LADY OF LUJAN, ARGENTINA
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, MEXICO
VIRGIN MARY OF MONTSERRAT, SPAIN
OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, POLAND
CNN TV REPORTER (V.O.)
Some call it a conspiracy. But by whom? Every major religious leader has denounced the destruction. Every major political leader has disavowed any knowledge of the purpose of such mad and mindless actions.
Under the aegis of the United Nations, by satellite CNN has gathered an international panel of world leaders to discuss what might be happening. They have been tele-conferencing all week. Initial reports are that old animosities are ruling the day. Let's get an update.
INT. PANEL OF WORLD LEADERS
-- CONTINUOUS
TV footage recedes into b.g. as panel is seen. TV Reporter and Blast are together.
The two other panel members are seen via video screens.
CNN TV REPORTER
With me here in our Atlanta studio is Roman Catholic Cardinal Blast, who, fortunately for us, is spending this semester teaching at BYU. That's an amazing story in itself, isn't it?!
Blast diplomatically smiles and nods approvingly.
CNN TV REPORTER (CONT'D)
From Jerusalem, we have Rabbi Israel Meyer. Welcome Rabbi.
RABBI MEYER is solemn. He nods and says,
RABBI MEYER
Good Morning. Shalom.
CNN TV REPORTER
And the Honorable Shev Prachter, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Mr. Prachter requested some time for a brief statement.
SHEV PRACHTER is an elderly Pakistani. He is anxious and distressed.
SHEV PRACHTER
The United Nations on behalf of all its members nations call the great Western religious leaders to account and plead with them to get their house in order. This madness is clearly of the Western mind. This "millennium" is a religious vision not shared by secularists and non-Western religions. The Year 2000 is not on the calendar of the Buddhist, the Hindu, the Jain, not for the Zen Masters, and not for aboriginal peoples. With the greatest respect for our spiritual brothers in the West, we look to you for leadership and a solution in this matter.
Rabbi Meyer is indignant.
RABBI MEYER
How blind can everyone be? This can only be a Christian conspiracy. Why would a Jew bother himself with images of Mary?
PICTURES OF ARTWORK
As the Rabbi speaks, PICTURES of the desecrated art appear.
BOTTICELLI'S "PRIMAVERA"
EL GRECO'S "ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN"
DURER’S "EPITOME'"
MICHELANGELO'S "PIETA"
OUR LADY OF FATIMA
RABBI MEYER
What do I care about Botticelli's "Primavera"? Or El Greco's "Assumption of the Virgin"? What does Durer’s "Epitome" or Michelangelo's Pieta or the Lady of Fatima mean for a Jew?
BLAST
(defensively to Meyer)
But you were happy about the destruction of the goddess sites, weren't you?!
Rabbi Meyer waves Blast off.
RABBI MEYER
Goddesses! They don't bother us anymore!
Blast snickers at Meyer's remark.
BLAST
They don't? Naked women in Playboy. Sexual intercourse on cable TV and on video. Daily advertisements of women in scanty undergarments.
Blast is heated, incensed and sweating.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Goddesses are all about! The same idols Moses and Abraham smashed.
(challenging)
Aren't you a true son of Moses and Abraham?
The Reporter tries to regain control.
CNN TV REPORTER
Father. Rabbi. Let's not attack one another.
Rabbi Meyer pounds his fists together.
RABBI MEYER
Attack? Cardinal Blast is the head of the former Holy Office ... of the Inquisition. He is the Grand Inquisitor! He is ready to burn witches, to destroy what he calls pagan sites,
(with great bitterness)
and to burn Jews, again.
There is a moment of stone-cold silence.
BLAST
(calmly)
This is old history, ancient wounds -- what has it to do what is happening now?
(sentimentally)
Mary, the Mother of God, of the Savior of the World, why, what an affront to Christianity! How can anyone say this is being done by Christians? It is a desecration of what we hold to be holy, sacred, and true.
CNN TV REPORTER
Mr. Prachter.
SHEV PRACHTER
The UN has appointed an international security team to coordinate the investigation of these events. We will do all we can.
The Reporter looks at Blast and then nods towards the screen showing Rabbi Meyer.
BLAST
We will continue to work diligently with all our spiritual brothers.
(to Rabbi Meyer)
Shalom.
RABBI MEYER
Shalom.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VATICAN CONFERENCE ROOM -- MORNING
The TV images of Blast and Rabbi Meyer are seen as they both say, "Shalom."
BLAST
Shalom.
RABBI MEYER
Shalom.
The TV screen recedes into the b.g. as Cramer and Cardinal Bonifaci are seen sitting at a conference table. They sip coffee and eat muffins. Bonifaci strokes his whitebeard.
BONIFACI
My brother Cardinal is less than forthcoming.
Cramer is intrigued by this remark.
CRAMER
Meaning?
Cardinal Bonifaci rises and walks over to a window.
He gazes upon the dome of St. Peter's cathedral.
BONIFACI
The attacks have come on feast-days of the Blessed Mother.
The Cardinal turns towards Cramer.
BONIFACI (CONT'D)
Our Mass celebrations follow a calendar of feast-days. The first attack was August 15th, the feast of the Assumption of Mary. The other day it was October 11th, the celebration of Mary's Divine Motherhood.
The Cardinal walks over and pours himself some coffee.
BONIFACI
If this pattern holds true, December 8th, the Immaculate Conception -- that is the last feast day this year, before the Millennium celebration.
Cramer is fascinated.
CRAMER
So, you believe it's one of your own?
The Cardinal sighs, looks heavenward, then sips his coffee.
CRAMER (CONT'D)
Then, why am I here?
BONIFACI
Indeed, why?
Cramer is flabbergasted.
CRAMER
You don't know?
The Cardinal is honest but diplomatic.
BONIFACI
My dear Cramer, this is all Cardinal Blast's doing. An intriguing mind, my brother's. I would believe that he hoped for your conversion here, once within these sacred walls, once engaged with the best minds of the Catholic church. Would that surprise you?
CRAMER
Nothing about my "brother" Blast would surprise me. But let me ask, what is it about Mormonism you suppose interests him?
The Cardinal chuckles and turns from Cramer as he says over his shoulder.
BONIFACI
Witches. Satan's children and witches. What else would you expect would interest the seed of the great Sprenger? What else, our modern day Grand Inquisitor?
Cramer's face reveals that he has discovered a new insight.
CRAMER
What else, yes! Witches. He even found demons molesting my fiancé’s hair.
Cardinal Bonifaci is struck by this account. His eyebrows register that it is of some interest to him.
Cramer does not notice the Cardinal's response.
CRAMER
(laughing)
Blast, he's the one possessed!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. KIDNAPPER'S ROOM
O'Brien and an assistant, FATHER JOHN -- a young priest in late 20s dressed in clericals -- are unmasked as they go about some routine tasks at their consoles.
O'Brien stops to finish a can of beer.
Father John leaves the room.
O'BRIEN AND AREN
O'Brien turns to throw his beer can into a trash-can when he sees Aren.
She stands near the harness and sky-hook. She is dressed all in white.
O'Brien is blown-away by seeing her. He is frightened and fascinated.
He blesses himself as he says,
O'BRIEN
Jesus, forgive me for my sins!
O'Brien falls onto his knees.
AREN
Come
here.
O'Brien looks up. His eyes are filled with terror. He makes the sign of the cross in the air.
O'BRIEN
Satan, be gone!
Aren commands,
AREN
Come here!
O'Brien cannot resist her. He rises and with a trembling gait moves towards her.
He stands before her.
Aren reaches out and presses her hands against his temples.
AREN (CONT'D)
Tell me!
O'Brien feints.
Aren kneels down beside him.
She places her left palm upon his forehead.
O'BRIEN'S DREAM
Aren "sees" O'Brien ski-masked and running through the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with a sledge-hammer in hand.
Aren's voice is heard.
AREN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Tell me!
O'Brien smashes several Madonna side-altars.
FULL SHOT
of O'Brien's face with eyes bulging with fury and rage.
BACK TO SCENE
AREN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
(eerie whisper)
Tell me!
In his dream O'Brien pauses and shouts,
O'BRIEN
Purge!
Then Blast's voice is heard. It is professorial.
BLAST (V.O.)
You shall not permit a sorceress to live!
O'Brien whirls about looking for Blast.
O'BRIEN
But master there are no sorceresses today.
BLAST (V.O.)
(indignant)
Fool! Idiot! Are you so blind and stupid as not to see? See her image, everywhere. More than that of Jesus, himself. Turn on the TV and she is there. Turn on the radio and hear her siren song. Pick up a newspaper and she shimmers with naked lust!
Does not the goddess rule?!
(challenging)
Who, who among you will follow me and do The Father's will?
"I shall have no gods before me?"
O'BRIEN
I will, master, I will.
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
Aren removes her hand from O'Brien's forehead. He remains unconscious.
She ponders for a moment. Then rises and walks over to the main console.
INT. BLAST'S PLAN -- -- CONTINUOUS
Aren sits down at the console and begins searching.
She comes across the file name:
"MARY'S TEARS"
She retrieves it.
Instantly, as the file opens, on several other screens collateral programs start running.
MADONNA IMAGES
Aren watches the various images of Mary scroll.
They are "before and after" images of:
THE PIETA
OUR LADY OF FATIMA
THE BLACK VIRGIN OF MONTSERRAT
DURER’S "EPITOME."
FLOOR PLANS
On a second computer screen she sees floor-plans.
FLIGHT SCHEDULES
On a third screen she sees airline flight schedules.
She stops the programs.
She searches again.
This time she comes across one titled
"WITCHES."
Her attempt at retrieval is
"ACCESS DENIED."
She tries several passwords:
GODDESS
BEASTS
She pauses. Screws up her eyes and face, thinking hard.
She opens her eyes and smiles. She types:
MALLEUS
The file opens.
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
FULL SHOT
of computer screens as on one screen scrolls women's faces.
Another scrolls matching names and addresses.
FEMINISTS AND WOMEN LEADERS
The faces and names are of renown feminists and women leaders. Including:
BETTY FRIEDAN
ANGELA DAVIS
GERMAINE GREER
MARY DALY
MARGARET THATCHER
CORETTA KING
Aren reacts in total shock and stops the program when she see the face of
MOTHER THERESA
INT. -- CONTINUOUS
Aren walks around the room. She is distressed. She is searching for something.
She comes to a desk and rifles through its draws.
BREVIARY
She comes upon a Roman Catholic priest's breviary.
She notes that it has several holy card place-markers.
They are funereal holy cards. On one side is a grotesquely tortured and suffering crucified Christ.
On the back-side, Aren sees the TITLE:
DIES IRAE
Then she reads the text, out loud.
HOLY CARD
Days of wrath and doom impending
David's word with Sibyl's blending
O what fear man's bosom rendereth
She gasps in disgust,
AREN
Oh, how terrible!
She throws the card away. Yet she keeps her finger as a page marker.
Then, she flips to the second section. She sees,
BREVIARY
October 11th, Feast of the Divine Motherhood of Mary.
She flips back to the first section. She reads,
AREN
August 15th, Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.
She flips to the next two page-marked cards. She reads,
AREN (CONT'D)
All Saints Day. All Souls Day.
And the final marker.
AREN
December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
She closes the Breviary.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BLAST'S VATICAN A