ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. CAVE - EVENING

Gabrielle is laying face down on the floor of a dark cave. She isn’t moving, but there is noise right behind her. Then there is click and the flame from a lighter can be seen. A moment later a flashlight flares to life.

XENA

Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE

Uggg.

Xena moves across the cave, shedding her backpack as she does. She drops down next to Gabrielle and pulls her up.

XENA

You okay?

GABRIELLE

I’m still in one piece.

Does that count?

XENA

That’s the most important thing.

Xena helps her up and helps her pull off her backpack.

XENA

(cont’d)

You’re sure you’re all right?

GABRIELLE

Yeah, I’m fine. Just tell me

there’s an easier way out.

XENA

There’s an easier way out.

Gabrielle laughs and twists at the waist to loosen up her back.

GABRIELLE

Glad to hear it.

XENA

But before that we have quite a

hike through the caverns to

get where we need to go.

GABRIELLE

Rats.

XENA

Nah, it’s too cold.

CUT TO:

INT. SHALLOW CAVE - NIGHT

Dr. Leonard and his team are huddled together trying to keep warm, using space blankets and chemical heaters. They watch as the snowfall gets harder, making it impossible to see past the mouth of their shelter.

BUCK

Leonard, there had better be a

treasure in this mess. If not,

they’ll never find your body.

OTTO

Are you threatening me?

BUCK

No, it’s a promise.

LARA

Buck, calm down. Everything will

be fine. We’ll get to the tomb

tomorrow. You know we need him.

OTTO

Need me?

LARA

Of course, Doctor. We need your

expertise in this matter to find Xena’s

treasure. Buck doesn’t know what

he’s saying. He’s just tired.

Otto looks at his companions but his peace of mind is clearly shaken.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVERN - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are making their way through caves that haven’t been used in a very long time. Fallen rocks and cobwebs are making the trek dirty, but it’s not overly dangerous.

GABRIELLE

Promise me a long soak in a hot

tub when we get out of here.

XENA

Absolutely. We’ll make it a

tub big enough for two.

GABRIELLE

Good.

XENA

For a week.

Gabrielle laughs and Xena stops. She shines her flashlight down a fork that leads in three different directions.

XENA

You wanna pick?

I don’t remember.

GABRIELLE

Oh no, this is your show.

I’m just the sidekick.

XENA

You are many things, but sidekick

is not among them. This way.

The head down the left chamber. Their lights are bouncing off the walls of the tunnel. Suddenly Xena stops and puts out her arm to stop Gabrielle. She looks around and finds a large rock, which she tosses down the tunnel. When it hits the floor there is a rumbling and then the floor begins to shake. After a minute the floor in front of them begins to collapse. They hold onto each other as they watch it disappear. When the shaking stops and the dust settles there is a narrow bridge left across the new opening.

XENA

Now comes the tricky park. The remaining

floor is on counterbalances.  For every

step I take you have to take the same

step in unison, right beside me.

GABRIELLE

What about the differences in our weight?

XENA

It’s not that sensitive. We should be fine as

long as each step is taken together. Ready?

GABRIELLE

As ready as I can be.

Holding hands, they both look at the expanse before them and in perfect unison starting on their left foot; they take each step together, very slowly.

There is some play and sway in the bridge as they cross it and they’re being very careful not to upset the very delicate balance. Taking each step as if it could be their last, they proceed to the other side, both sighing with profound relief when they step onto solid ground.

XENA

Well, that was fun.

GABRIELLE

I’m just glad that fact came back to

you before we went any further.

She peers back and down into the chasm they have just crossed.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

I imagine that would

have been painful.

XENA

Wouldn’t have been on my

top ten list of things to do.

Gabrielle adjusts her pack again and shines her flashlight further down the tunnel.

GABRIELLE

What’s on your list?

XENA

I’ll show you later.

GABRIELLE

Promise?

XENA

Absolutely. While we’re

soaking in that big tub.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

Dr. Leonard and Lara are standing at the mouth of the cave, finding that the path they were on is now blocked in both directions and they’re fighting to keep snow from walling up the entrance of their shelter.

OTTO

I’m sorry about this.

LARA

You had no way of knowing

she would double cross you.

OTTO

I’m not so sure that they were the

ones. They seem awfully willing

to toss me off this mountain.

LARA

They do have their own agenda Dr.

Leonard, but you and I can

form an alliance against them.

OTTO

Why should I trust you?

LARA

You shouldn’t, but face it. I’m your

best bet for getting out of here alive.

OTTO

Some choice.

LARA

It’s better than not having any at all.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are both leaning into what appears to be a solid wall, trying to make is move under their weight.

XENA

Come on, come on.

GABRIELLE

Are you sure this is the wall?

XENA

Positive. Let’s try again.

Grunting, they throw their weight into the wall to no avail. Xena stands up and pounds her fist against the wall.

XENA

Damn! I know this is the way

in. I remember distinctly.

GABRIELLE

Maybe there’s something that needs

to be done before it will move.

Xena stares at the wall, then a smile creeps slowly across her face and she grabs Gabrielle giving her a sound kiss.

XENA

You are brilliant!

Leaving Gabrielle standing with a silly little grin on her face, Xena begins searching the wall and finds what she’s looking for. A handprint left there thousands of years ago.

XENA

Well, this is where we find out how

much of an exact copy I really am.

She places her hand in the imprint, and then leans her shoulder into the wall, which now slides open.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVERN - NIGHT

Xena stands with a grin as the light in her hand shines off of gold and gems that fill the cavern. Gabrielle comes up behind Xena, and her eyes widen as her light joins Xena’s.

GABRIELLE

Holy smoke.

XENA

Told ya.

Gabrielle wanders down into the cavern, her fingers grazing over the bags and trunks that hold all the treasure.

GABRIELLE

Where did it all come from?

XENA

Various campaigns. The last time I

was here I dropped the gold from

a campaign in the Corinth region.

She steps further in and sighs as she takes a seat on a trunk.

XENA

(cont’d)

Even then I knew something had to

change, but knowing my own nature

and knowing that the best of intentions

didn’t guarantee me success, I decided

to leave this here, just in case.

Gabrielle moves to her and kneels in front of her, placing one hand on Xena’s knee and the other on her cheek.

GABRIELLE

You know, I think the original

Gabrielle would have asked

Xena to give this money away.

XENA

You’re not going to ask

me to do that are you?

GABRIELLE

No.

XENA

No?

GABRIELLE

No. What you said makes a lot

of sense. This is an entirely different

world than we are used to. We can’t

survive that way any more. This will

make this life easier. We should do it.

XENA

(teasingly)

Why Gabrielle, am I bringing

you over to the dark side?

GABRIELLE

Just the realistic side, Xena.  It

would be naïve of me to think that

we would ever be able to do anything

other than live in dumps, taking jobs

that are just this side of legal.

Xena leans in and rest her forehead against Gabrielle’s.

XENA

I gotta tell ya’... you make

good sense, Lucy.

GABRIELLE

Now, we need to consider

saving Dr. Leonard’s bacon.

XENA

I’ll be glad to save his bacon.

The other’s can fry as

far as I’m concerned.

GABRIELLE

Xena!

XENA

Oh all right, but we’re going

to make sure that they’re

turned over to the authorities.

GABRIELLE

That’s fair.

Xena stands and shines her light to the opposite side of the cavern.

XENA

That’s the way out. It’s a

lot easier than the way in.

GABRIELLE

Anything would

have been easier.

XENA

Don’t bet on it.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR