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INT. WILLIAM'S ESTATE, STUDY
William is sitting behind his desk interrogating Monty, who is standing in front of his desk. Two thugs stand at the entrance to the room. How could you let her escape? They knocked me into the creek. You were supposed to knock them into the creek, you idiot! By the time I caught up with them, it was too late. I couldn't get past the gate. So you have no idea where the plane was going? No. It was a private plane. Yes, I know all about her father's private plane. Well, Monty, I'm very disappointed. Do you know what happens to people who disappoint me? William picks up his knife and starts polishing it. Sir, it won't happen again. You're correct Monty, it won't. The two thugs come up to Monty and stand on either side of him. Monty looks at the two of them, suddenly very nervous. Sir, please, give me one more chance! Sorry, old boy, but if I'd let everyone have a second chance, I would never be where I'm at today. William turns his chair around to look out the window as he continues to polish his knife. No, please, wait! The two thugs take their knives out and slit Monty's throat. Make sure his body is never found. The two thugs drag Monty's body out of the study. William continues looking out the window, trying to figure out who would know where Maggie could be going. He speaks to himself. Where are you going Maggie? EXT. DAY, LONDON ROAD Jonathan is driving down the road. He pulls up in front of the British Museum. INT. BRITISH MUSEUM Jonathan is talking to Evie who is a curator at the museum. She is going about her business with Jonathan following her around. I'm sorry Jonathan but I just can't help you. But Evie, you're her best friend. She'll listen to you. Since when has Maggie ever listened to anyone? If you could just try and reason with her. Jonathan, I really don't have time for this. I've got loads of work to do. I'm sure Maggie will be just fine. She's got more experience than you and I put together. Jonathan, what's wrong? Nothing. Why? You've got that look on your face. What look? That look of guilt when you've done something you shouldn't have. What have you done? Come on, confess!" Well, I sort of told her about Hamunaptra. Or rather, about the book of the dead and the powers it contains. Oh no, Jonathan, you didn't! She's on her way to Egypt right now. You have to go after her and bring her back before she gets a hold of that book. She won't listen to me! I even tried to go with her and she wouldn't let me. Now do you see why I need your help? Jonathan, you're going to have to do this on your own. I can't go back there. I just can't. I'm sorry. I don't know how else to explain it to you but I don't want to go back there. Ever. I understand ol' mum. I'll figure out some way to bring her back. Thank you Jonathan for understanding. I know Maggie can probably take care of herself, but, keep her safe for me? I promise. Jonathan starts to leave. Evie stops him with her voice. There is one person who could help you get her back. Jonathan turns back to look at Evie. All you have to do is find him. EXT. DAY Jonathan is seen getting into his car. INT. JONATHAN'S CAR Jonathan sits behind the wheel thinking. O'Connell. He starts the car ad puts his foot on the gas. INT. NIGHT - LONDON PUB A lower-class pub full of the people of the night drinking, smoking and gambling. A man is sitting at the piano, playing and singing all of the old songs. Hookers entice men into going up to their rooms with them. Smoke fills the air as does the smell of old alcohol. At one gambling table we see RICK O'CONNELL, dirty, unshaven, losing his money and his mind to the sins of the flesh. A CARDPLAYER is grinning at his supposed winning hand. Well, O'Connell, looks like your unlucky streak is continuin'. Soon, thet 35.00 quid in thet pot'll be in me pocket. So much the worse for you, ol' boy. Cardplayer laughs. O'Connell responds with a belch and takes another drink of whiskey. Cardplayer slides an ace out of his sleeve. O'Connell sees this through the bottom of his glass. I think you'd just better slide that card right back where you got it from. Is you insinuatin' thet I cheats? The other players back away from the table. They know fighting words when they hear it. What else would you call it? The cardplayer stands. I takes a great offense wiv' you're 'merican high-an'-migh'y manners, O'Connell. O'Connell stands. And I take offense at your lack of good grammar. The cardplayer punches O'Connell. O'Connell picks himself up off the floor. Well, I suppose I had that coming to me. I'm supposin' you did. No hard feelings? O'Connell holds out his right hand. Well, thet's migh'y gen'lemanly of ye... Cardplayer shakes O'Connell's hand. O'Connell keeps a hold of the cardplayer's right hand and punches him with his left fist, several times. The Cardplayer's mates gang up on him. Other people accidentally get hit which triggers an all-out brawl. O'Connell gives and takes his share of beatings. Some bobbies come in and try to restore peace but end up in the brawl. The pub is getting totally destroyed, the bar, the piano even the second floor landing falls to the ground after losing its supports. Finally the PUB OWNER and his mate grab O'Connell by the neck and the seat of his pants and throw him out into the street. Don't you ever set foot in me pub again! Bloody Americans! Pub owner and mate go back into pub. O'Connell stays sprawled across the road wondering where it all went wrong. INT. JONATHAN'S CAR Jonathan is driving around trying to find a pub where O'Connell would most likely be. He looks at the buildings and looks back at the road. Hey, look out! Jonathan slams on his breaks as he almost hits the unfortunate soul lying on the road. EXT. NIGHT - A ROAD IN LONDON The car stops within inches of O'Connell's head. Jonathan gets out of the car and runs to help O'Connell up. O'Connell! O'Connell looks up in a daze. Jonathan? What are you doing in a place like this? I could ask you the same question. I'm just spending my part of the treasure, drowning my sorrows. Out here in the street? Well, I was inside at one time... Never mind. Look at you, you're a mess. Come on ol' boy...let's get you back to my place and clean you up. Jonathan helps O'Connell into his car. INT. NIGHT - JONATHAN'S PAD Jonathan is trying to sober O'Connell up with coffee and cold wash rags. You look like something the cat dragged in. So what's new. What's happened to you? It's what didn't happen. You mean Evie? Of course that's what I mean. Tell me about it. Not much to tell. She left me for another man...for a group of men...I never realized she was into that. C'mon O'Connell. You know how hard she's worked to get accepted by the Bembridge scholars. It's the world to her. I thought I was the world to her. She had to make a choice. It wasn't easy for her you know. Do you think it was easy on me? Obviously not. Obviously. You know what? You need to get out of London for a while, with all this rain and gloom. No wonder you're depressed. You need to be out in the warm sunshine?that'll lift your spirits. Just what do you have in mind? Oh, nothing much really?just a little adventure, a small one. We almost didn't survive the last one. No. No more adventures. Yes, well, any other time and I would quite agree with you but this one requires our ... ah...expertise...in this particular matter. Jonathan, what's going on? And don't skirt the issue. Well, it's like this... EXT. DAY - HAMUNAPTRA Hamunaptra, what is left of it, is nothing more than huge piles of sand and rocks. Dr. Maggie Sands, dressed as a man with her head wrapped against the invading wind and sand, is overseeing her diggers. The diggers are using shovels while Pemboldt and the other british diggers operate machinery and cranes to move sand and rocks out of a large vertical hole, trying to drill down to the sacrificial chamber and the book of the dead. Pemboldt stops for a moment, watching Maggie. She looks at the map that Jonathan drew in anticipation. A scorpion walks near her foot. She calmly lifts her quarterstaff and brings the end of it down on the unfortunate creature. As the diggers keep digging, a group of horsemen dressed in black appear on the ridge of a dune to observe. EXT. DAY - HAMUNAPTRA - SAND DUNE ARDETH BAY, leader of the Med-jai, speaks to A WARRIOR. So, it starts again. Shall we wait until night to attack? No. We will attack them now. But there is nothing to hide us coming. We will sneak around from the side and they will not see us until it is too late. We must stop them now. We cannot delay. As you wish. I will take the leader. As the saying goes, take away the leader, you take away the fight. They will leave. INT. DAY - ON BOARD A CHARTER PLANE O'Connell and Jonathan board a plane to Cairo. O'Connell puts his bag of weapons in the seat next to the window. Jonathan sits across the aisle from O'Connell. O'Connell gets settled in his seat. I can't believe you drew her a map. I can't believe we're actually going back. What possessed you? I don't know. O'Connell looks at Jonathan closely. She can be very convincing?. we've been friends since childhood. How could I say no? Besides, we could bring back more of the treasure. So that's what this is all about! I knew it! Have you lost your mind? No, I've lost all my share of the treasure. Well, you're not alone in that area. But we're not going down for more treasure, even if they do break through. We're going to stop them and bring her back before all hell breaks loose on the planet again. Agreed? (reluctantly) Agreed. The plane takes off down the runway and starts its ascent. Jonathan turns green. I really hate flying. EXT. LATE AFTERNOON - HAMUNAPTRA Maggie has her diggers working away when suddenly they hear high-pitched YELLING and THUNDEROUS HOOVES racing towards them. They see the Med-jai racing towards them brandishing scimitars and raising their rifles. GUNSHOTS ring out. Break out the rifles! Maggie, Pemboldt and the diggers run to the crate of guns, break it open and load as quick as they can. Maggie sets aside her quarterstaff and picks up a rifle. As the Med-jai round a corner, Maggie has her diggers FIRE. Fire! The diggers GUNSHOTS ring out claiming their first victims. The diggers out-number the Med-jai but the Med-jai counter back with precision, choosing their victims and killing with ease. Pemboldt sees a lone Med-jai rides towards Maggie, rifle aimed at her. Maggie aims back at the warrior as Ardeth races up to Maggie from behind her. Ardeth calls to his warrior. Leave the leader to me! Pemboldt shoots the lone warrior then is distracted by his other attackers. Maggie turns around as Ardeth gallops up behind her. Maggie realizes she's too close to fire and uses the butt of the rifle like a club to knock the gun from Ardeth's hand. Ardeth loses his grip on his horse from the blow and falls off. He jumps up. Maggie swings the rifle over her head to club Ardeth. Ardeth grabs the end on its way down, grapples with Maggie over it and finally wrenches it out of her hands, tossing it over the crane. Meanwhile Maggie grabs her quarterstaff. Ardeth pulls out a scimitar. You cannot hope to conquer me with only a quarterstaff. Maggie doesn't answer but assumes attack position. As you wish. Not knowing she's a woman, he attacks her. Maggie uses her quarterstaff to counter his attacking sword. Ardeth realizes that he has a formidable opponent to contend with. They go back and forth, each gaining and then losing ground, when suddenly Maggie misses a backward step on the rocky terrain. She loses her balance, Ardeth swings his scimitar, she counters with her staff but between losing her balance and the blow from Ardeth, she falls backward into the crane, knocking her head gear off as she falls to the ground unconscious. Her hair is loosed into the wind. Ardeth brings his scimitar down on her but stops with inches to spare as he realizes it's a woman. He kneels down, checking her pulse to make sure she's still alive. He contemplates, for he can't kill a woman but he needs the diggers to leave. Take away the leader, you take away the fight. He puts his scimitar away, picks Maggie up and takes her to his horse. He slings her over the horse's back. He calls to the other Med-jai to retreat, mounts up behind Maggie's unconscious form and rides off into the desert. Pemboldt sees what's happening. Stop them! Pemboldt and the diggers fire at the retreating Med-jai but to no avail. Pemboldt realizes there will be serious consequences when William finds out what happened. INT. DAY - LONDON, CARDLES OFFICE William is interrogating Cardles about Maggie's whereabouts. Where is she? I know you know. I can't tell you. You mean you can't? Or you won't? Does it really matter which? You are the only person who knows where she's going. Even Pemboldt and her diggers don't know where they're headed. You mean you sent Pemboldt to spy on her? How could you? He was her father's best digger and very loyal to him. Richard hadn't excavated in years. No excavation means no one gets paid. But he would never... Money talks, Cardles. I see. She has to marry me by the end of the month or she loses her inheritance. So tell me where she is. I've already told you, I can't tell you. Cardles, I'll make a deal with you. You tell me where she is, and after we're married, you will be my new solicitor. How would you like that? Cardles is visibly envisioning the money he could make from being the solicitor to one of the wealthiest men in the world. He weighs that against Maggie's confidence. Money wins out. Have you ever heard of a place in Egypt called Hamunaptra? EXT. NIGHT - DESERT The Med-jai sit around a fire as the night chill comes on. Maggie is conscious. Ardeth has tied Maggie's hands behind her and propped her up against a rock by the fire. Her dark eyes glare at him. Ardeth tries to not stare at her but has little success. He is fascinated by the colour of her hair. How long do you plan on keeping me here? Your diggers will wait for your return a couple of days. Then they will give up and go back to their homes. That is when we will return you to Cairo. You have no right to do this to me. There are no laws in the desert. What are you afraid of? Am I intruding on someone's sacred burial ground? Ardeth comes over to her, kneels down beside her, his eyes glittering as he looks into her eyes. Maggie is suddenly very aware of this tall, dark, desert creature and unsure of herself. A very sacred burial ground. An evil which we do not want brought back to life. I never said I was going to bring anyone to life. I'm merely looking for the treasures of ancient Egypt. They do not exist. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to find out for myself. Ardeth is faintly amused by the tenacity of this woman but knows he must keep her and the world safe from the creature. We will return you to Cairo in three days' time. Maggie tries to make small talk with Ardeth to lower his guard. I'm sorry I tried to kill you earlier today. I am used to it. What, you just ride around the desert, picking fights with total strangers? No. We guard against the return of one creature. It is he that we fear. The Med-jai have been guarding this place for over 3,000 years. A short time ago he was resurrected and we almost failed. But we overcame this abomination and he is secured once again. We do not want him brought back to life...ever again. Well, that's quite a story. It runs deeper than you know. Ardeth and Maggie look away from each other, as they feel slightly uncomfortable. I, too, am sorry I tried to kill you. All's fair in love and war. Ardeth looks at her. Maggie suddenly gets embarrassed. I mean?that's what my father used to always say. Ardeth says nothing. Maggie continues on, struggling against her bonds. These ropes are a little tight. I don't suppose you would consider untying my hands? Ardeth looks into her eyes debating if he should or not. I'm not going anywhere. You have enough warriors here to storm a small castle and besides, I don't know the desert like you do. Ardeth decides and takes his dagger from his back. Maggie gets a slightly frightened look as he leans towards her. You have no need to be afraid of me. Ardeth cuts her hands free. Maggie massages her wrists. Thank you. Just do not try to escape. Maggie is taken aback by Ardeth's dazzling smile. He sheaths his dagger and moves away from her. Maggie contemplates him. EXT. NIGHT - DESERT The fire has died down in the Med-jai camp. Most of the warriors are asleep. Several are keeping watch against the night. Ardeth is nowhere to be seen. Maggie slowly creeps away from the dying fire and over to the horses. She quietly leads one away into the night. A fair distance from the Med-jai camp, she mounts and rides off back to Hamunaptra. Ardeth, sitting astride his horse on the ridge spies Maggie escaping into the desert. She is escaping! I see that. Shall we kill her? No. As the figure of the fleeing Maggie gets smaller, Ardeth realizes he's going to need help to take care of the diggers and their fiery leader. Tomorrow I will ride into Cairo and get reinforcements. Then we shall take care of them once and for all. EXT. DAY - CAIRO O'Connell, packing his bag of weapons, and Jonathan are wandering through the streets of Cairo. O'Connell, we've been wandering the streets for hours and still no sign of Ardeth Bay. How are we going to find him? He's probably out wandering around in the desert, saving mankind from ?well, whatever it is he can find. Shouldn't be much out there except scorpions and snakes, I would think. And if he is out there, how do we contact him? I'm working on it. They come to the end of the street and across from them is the Museum of Antiquities. They stop and look at it. This is where it all started. I feel like I've come full circle. Let's check it out.. INT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES O'Connell and Jonathan enter the museum, looking for the NEW CURATOR. They turn a corner and déjà vu, there is Ardeth speaking with the new curator. Just the man we've been looking for. Ardeth, glad to see you again, buddy. What brings you back to the desert? What? No "Hello, how are you"? And I thought we were friends. Forgive me. I just never expected to see you again. We never expected to be here again. Why have you returned? We've got a little problem. INT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES, CURATOR'S OFFICE. The Curator is at his desk, O'Connell and Jonathan have taken seats opposite him, Ardeth stands to the side of the desk, ever the ready warrior. She's going to what? She's going to resurrect Imhotep so that he can bring her dead father back to life. All because she doesn't want to marry someone? It's more than that. If he gets a hold of her money, he will be one of the most powerful men in the world. This is bad? Very bad. William Edwards is power-hungry. With their fortunes combined, there isn't anything he couldn't get, if he's willing to pay for it. The question is, can she really bring him Imhotep back to life? The ancient book is full of secrets. No one knows exactly what is written in the book of the dead. There might very well be a spell to resurrect him. But we can not let her bring Imhotep back to life. I agree. Has she broken through to the catacombs? No. As far as I can tell, they are still digging. She must be stopped. It won't be easy. Maggie is very strong-willed and stubborn. She won't give in without a fight. This is true. I have already tried to stop her and her diggers but failed. Can you help us in any way? I can contact another tribe of warriors but it will take a day or so for them to get here. Can you keep her busy until they arrive? We'll give it our best shot.
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