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ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
INT. MINING OFFICE - SHORTLY THEREAFTER
The foreman busies himself collecting equipment that they’ll need for whatever plan it is that he has.
GABRIELLE It’s not that we’re ungrateful or anything, but why do you want to help us?
FOREMAN Some of our people stayed up there when most of them left and I have relatives topside. Some of us have heard of you two. The heroes that even the Gods can’t stop. They need you up top far more than we need to keep you down here. Besides you don’t belong in our world. We were born to it. We understand it, you would never adapt.
XENA Can’t argue with that logic.
FOREMAN Getting out of here is not going to be easy. Very dangerous.
GABRIELLE We’re okay with danger.
The foreman smiles as he removes two sets of equipment from a locker.
FOREMAN I figured as much. I’m going to take you to Lessa. She is the person who trains the miners. She will teach you how to use this and she will lead you to the place that will get you back to the top.
GABRIELLE Before we go, what’s your name?
FOREMAN Lukas.
GABRIELLE Thank you, Lukas, for all your help.
LUKAS You’re welcome. Come on, Lessa is waiting.
CUT TO:
INT. CAVERN - EARLY AFTERNOON
Following Lukas through a series of tunnels, they finally enter a large cavern where a YOUNG WOMAN and TWO BOYS are waiting for them. The cavern is large and in the center of it is a well lit pool of water that shimmers silver and blue.
LUKAS This is Lessa, Stian and Rani. They’re going to help you get back to the top.
He offers his hand and a sincere look to Xena.
LUKAS (cont’d) Good luck.
XENA (taking his hand) Thank you.
LUKAS (to Lessa) You have about two hours before Gedeon is going to start looking for them. You need to make it work this time. It’s our only chance.
LESSA It’ll work. I’m going to teach them how to use the gear and then the boys are going to show them the slide and the valve.
Lukas nods and departs the cavern quickly. Lessa turns to them and smiles.
LESSA I take it you both know how to swim?
XENA Yes, we seem to have done more than our share lately.
LESSA Maybe when you get back, you’ll go someplace inland for a bit.
GABRIELLE I think that’s a grand idea.
LESSA What we need to do first is teach you how to use the masks and tanks. So climb into that water and let’s get started.
FADE TO:
INT. CAVERN - AFTERNOON
Xena’s head pops up out of the water, her face covered by two masks, one for seeing and the other that covers her mouth and nose for breathing. She pulls down the air mask and smiles at Lessa who is sitting on the edge of the pool with her legs in the water.
XENA I LOVE this.
Lessa chuckles and nods.
LESSA It’s fun. Where’s Gabrielle?
XENA She’s still under there chasing the boys around and getting used to this.
LESSA Well, go get her. We need to get you on your way.
Xena replaces the mask and disappears under the water.
CUT TO:
INT. TUNNEL - AFTERNOON
Lessa is leading the group of Xena, Gabrielle and the boys down another series of tunnels. In the distance, voices and noises indicative of mining activity can be heard.
LESSA The boys are going to lead you to the wash. They know how to use it and no one will miss them. If one of us from the mine disappeared for the time it will take to get them there and back, it would alert the guards. They’ll take you from here. Be well.
XENA Thank you, Lessa.
She disappears back the way they came and the boys move forward. Shouldering the bag and her gear, Xena follows with Gabrielle right behind her.
RANI We’re going to take you to a partially collapsed tunnel. You’ll have to use the mask and tank to swim through it. It’s long so don’t worry if you feel like you’ve been in there a while.
STIAN When you come out of the tunnel you can drop the tank and mask. You won’t need them anymore and we can get them later. Follow the next tunnel you find that goes left. That will bring you to a waterfall. You have to go over the falls, but the pool at the bottom is very deep.
RANI The current will carry you to another cavern that will wash you into the very center of the cavern. This is where it gets very tricky. We have a lot of fun, but we know how to do it. When you wash out you have to make sure that you stop yourself from going to the other side. After you catch your breath you’ll find a stack of wooden boards. Each of you take a board, hold it in front of you and run for the rushing water. You need to land in the center of the stream, face first with the board under you.
STIAN You are going to have very little control over the boards, only the weight of your body. You’ll have to use it to keep the board away from the sides of the wash or you’ll get smashed.
RANI (dryly) And probably dead.
Xena and Gabrielle try to hide their amusement, knowing that it’s going to take more than a description like that to scare them. But they do try to look properly concerned.
XENA (seriously) Thanks for the warning.
GABRIELLE So what happens at the end of the wash?
RANI Well, towards the end of the wash, you’re going to hit a stream vent that is going to hopefully boost you through the opening to the topside.
XENA Where are we going to come out?
STIAN Topside.
XENA Right, but where topside?
RANI We don’t know. We never look around; we just climb back down and follow the footpath back.
GABRIELLE You do this for fun?
RANI Yeah, but if the elders ever found out about it, they’d kill us.
XENA We appreciate your help, boys. I think we can take it from here. You’d better get back before someone misses you.
RANI Okay. Take care.
Xena and Gabrielle wave to them as they retreat back up the tunnel.
XENA We may as well get to it.
FADE TO:
INT. TUNNEL - A SHORT WHILE LATER
Their path has stopped and in front of them is the underwater mouth of the next leg of their journey. They put the tanks on their backs then the masks into place before slipping into the water, where they tread at the edge for a moment before pulling the duffel in after them. Each taking a handle, they manage it as they swim into the tunnel. For the most part it is dark, with only a small disk of light every few feet to guide them. They continue a slow, but steady swim forward.
FADE TO:
INT. CAVERN - CONTINUOUS
The dark tunnel has let out into a pool. Surfacing, Xena and Gabrielle find themselves in another cavern. This one is large and the sound of rushing water is unmistakable. Pulling themselves out of the water, they sit on the edge of the pool for a moment to strip off tanks and masks and rest after what appears to have been a long swim. Xena hauls the bag out of the water and then lays back on the edge to catch her breath.
XENA I’m getting old.
GABRIELLE We’re just not use to breathing like that. My chest hurts, but I’m starting to feel better now. I don’t know how they do it.
XENA They’re used to it.
She coughs a couple of times and takes a deep breath of fresh air. She is lying there watching the lights reflections from the water on the ceiling of the cave, apparently contemplating her navel.
XENA Let’s stay here.
GABRIELLE Let’s not. You know how I am about being wet.
Rolling over and pushing up on her arms, Xena grins at Gabrielle
XENA No comment. Okay, let’s go. A dive over the waterfall is next.
Leaving behind the tanks and masks, they make their way toward the sound of the waterfall. Stopping at the very edge they look down at what must be a 150-foot drop.
GABRIELLE They do this for fun?
XENA They’re young. All sorts of stupid things are fun when you’re young.
GABRIELLE We survived a shipwreck for this? I swear.
XENA Well, in for a dinar, in for a gold piece, as Autolycus would say.
Xena reaches out and takes Gabrielle’s hand.
XENA (cont’d) On three?
Gabrielle nods quickly and Xena counts.
XENA (cont’d) One... two... three!
They both jump from the edge, and get caught in the rush of the water on the way down, forcing their hands apart. Xena manages to maintain a grip on the bag but regrets it when she lands slightly before it and it comes down hard on her shoulder. She is pushed under the water; her last clear vision is of Gabrielle being swept down stream with the current.
Kicking hard, Xena manages to break above the water as she and the bag are caught up and swept after Gabrielle. Xena realizes that there is very little control here and the best she can do is try to keep from being bashed against the rocks and the sides of the wash.
CUT TO:
INT. WASH - CONTINUOUS
Gabrielle has swallowed more than her share of water and is feeling tired and sore by the time she sees the median the boys told them about. She’s headed for it at a high rate of speed and she knows the stop is going to be far more painful than the trip. Fighting the current of the water, she tries desperately to turn sideways, knowing her whole body can better withstand the impact than her head.
Forced onto the expanses of wet rock, there is what might be a muffled curse as Gabrielle drag herself out of the water further up to solid ground. With a groan, she rolls over in time to see Xena pushing the bag out of the water and hauling herself up to collapse on top of it.
They both lay there silent, trying to regain their breath. Xena looks over to find a stack of long slightly curved boards lying off to the side.
XENA I don’t think I’m ready for that.
GABRIELLE I suggest we rest.
XENA Great idea.
She leaves the bag but pulls herself over to lie next to Gabrielle.
XENA Thirsty?
GABRIELLE Funny.
FADE TO:
INT. CAVERN - CONTINUOUS - A SHORT WHILE LATER
Xena and Gabrielle are both now on their feet and examining the boards that they will use on the finally leg of their escape. The board Xena has is just a bit shorter than she is, one end is somewhat pointed and the other is straight.
XENA Interesting.
GABRIELLE If it keeps us from going under I’m all for it. How are you going to handle the bag?
XENA The bag gets its own board. Hopefully we won’t lose our gear.
CUT TO:
INT. CAVERN - CONTINUOUS
Xena pushes a board with the bag lashed to it into the water and watches as it shoots down the wash and disappears.
GABRIELLE You want to go first?
XENA Yeah, wait until I’m out of sight before you go in. I have a feeling that we’re going to need some distance between us. That passage is pretty narrow.
GABRIELLE Okay. Be careful.
XENA I will.
Xena leans over and kisses Gabrielle gently.
XENA (cont’d) See you topside.
GABRIELLE Right behind you.
Gabrielle steps back and watches as Xena times the current and then dives forward with the board under her. It doesn’t take long for her to disappear but there is a loud yell as she does. That causes Gabrielle to laugh because she knows it’s Xena’s ‘having fun’ yell she is hearing.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) Just goes to prove you don’t need to be young to enjoy stupid things.
Taking a deep breath Gabrielle grips her board and then follows Xena.
CUT TO:
INT. WASH - CONTINUOUS
Xena has a huge smile on her face as she rides the board down the wash. For everything she’s been through, it’s clear she’s completely enjoying this experience. It hasn’t taken her long to get the idea of using her body to guide the board to keep it away from the walls.
Ahead of her she can hear a high whistling sound and she can see a far more natural light. It seems that the board is picking up speed, as the whistling grows louder.
Suddenly there is a loud ‘pop’ and Xena knows she is no longer on the water. Taking a quick look around it’s very clear that she’s airborne and headed directly for the small opening that is allowing the light in.
She closes her eyes tight, grips the board and contemplates a prayer to gods she never trusted.
CUT TO:
EXT. FIELD - DAY
Xena is lying on the board on the ground, obviously not moving. Her eyes are still closed and she is taking mental inventory of her condition. Pleased with what she assesses, she opens her eyes to see the board with the bag lying a few feet away. The board is battered, but still intact as well.
Another ‘pop’ causes her to turn her head in time to see Gabrielle shoot out of the vent. The trajectory is at a slight angle and Gabrielle’s scream is one of partial fear and partial amusement. The board soars slightly past Xena and skids to a stop in the tall grass.
Pushing herself up, Xena moves quickly to where Gabrielle landed. She stands over her waiting for Gabrielle to move. When she doesn’t, Xena drops to her knees.
XENA Gabrielle?
After another few seconds, one green eye opens and she smiles.
GABRIELLE Okay THAT was fun.
Xena smirks.
XENA We’re not doing it again.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
TAG
FADE IN:
INT. INN - EVENING
Xena and Gabrielle are seated at a corner table. Remnants of dinner are scattered about on various plates, and they both look quite satisfied. Xena is tipped back in her chair with one foot up on another to assist in her balance. Gabrielle is sipping from a steaming mug. Neither of them seems terribly concerned about making conversation. It is a comfortable moment for them and they are rather enjoying it.
Several people enter the inn and the tavern keeper begins shifting tables around a small stage.
GABRIELLE Wonder what’s going on?
Having overheard her, the innkeeper turns and smiles.
INNKEEPER We’re having a bard tonight. One of the best in the land.
XENA (dryly) Oh goody.
Gabrielle grins and gives her a playful shove with her foot.
GABRIELLE Be nice.
Xena smiles back and points to herself in a ‘me?’ gesture.
A young woman crosses the room and takes a seat on a stool. The room quiets down.
BARD I sing of Atlantis….
XENA Let’s go.
In complete agreement, Gabrielle stands and they quietly head for the back of the room and the stairs that will take them to their room. The innkeeper stops them.
INNKEEPER Aren’t you staying?
GABRIELLE We’ve heard it.
They nod goodnight and make their way up the stairs.
FADE OUT. |
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