ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT.  AIRPORT - MORNING

Xena, Gabrielle and Dr. Leonard are standing on the tarmac, watching as their supplies are loaded aboard the plane by three other members of the research team. Gabrielle is looking at the passport in her hand.

GABRIELLE

Do I want to know

how you did this?

OTTO

There are just some

things better left unsaid.

GABRIELLE

I can live with that.

OTTO

Good. All right ladies, this is where

the real fun starts. Let’s get aboard

and get settled for the flight.

CUT TO:

INT.  AIRPLANE CABIN - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are in the very rear of the passenger section. Gabrielle is asleep against Xena’s shoulder. Xena has her eyes closed, but is not asleep. She is definitely listening to the quiet chatter of the people who are on the expedition. Satisfied with what she is hearing she settles back into her seat and tightens her hold around Gabrielle’s shoulders.

GABRIELLE

You should sleep.

XENA

You were doing a fine

job for the both of us.

Gabrielle sits up a little straighter but doesn’t move her head from its human pillow.

GABRIELLE

Anything new coming back?

XENA

Absolutely. Like the fact we’re

going to have to be super

careful going into those caves.

GABRIELLE

Traps?

XENA

You know me too well.

GABRIELLE

Which is good. I should be able to

help get past those little surprises.

Do you really think it’s still

there after thousands of years?

XENA

I would bet on it. That particular pass

was treacherous, high in the mountains.

In a place that no sane person would

ever travel, let alone want to live. I really

doubt that the area has been developed.

GABRIELLE

Let’s hope you’re right.

FADE TO:

EXT. AIRSTRIP - DAY

Xena stretches, as she is the last one off the plane. Standing at the top of the stairs she slips a pair of dark sunglasses into place and takes a deep breath before slowly going down the steps. Gabrielle is watching as the gear is loaded into three large all-terrain vehicles.  Dr. Leonard keeps a careful eye out as the last is loaded up and then he joins them.

OTTO

We’ll stay in town tonight. It will give us

a chance to go over the maps before we

start out in the morning. This isn’t going

to be an easy trip. Are you sure you

want to accompany us up the

mountain? You can stay in town.

XENA

And let you have all the fun?

GABRIELLE

Where would the

adventure be in that?

OTTO

If you’re sure.

XENA

We are very sure. We’re going with you.

You need us to lead you up that mountain.

You won’t be able to drive all the way. We’re

going to have to climb about half the way.

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL - NIGHT

Xena is making more marks on her map as Gabrielle sorts their gear into piles and prepares to pack it in the backpacks leaning against the bed.

XENA

Gabrielle, come here.

Joining Xena on the bed, she sits close and looks at the map.

XENA

(cont’d)

As I remember it there are five antechambers.

They circle the main cavern, like petals on a

flower. Three of the chambers contain enough

treasure to keep Otto and his crew happy.

Two of them are rigged to collapse

the second they’re opened.

GABRIELLE

All right.

XENA

I don’t remember which

ones are booby-trapped.

GABRIELLE

Peachy.

XENA

Right. So we need to be careful

and make sure that no one

else gets hurt either.

GABRIELLE

Do you think Dr. Leonard

will let you lead the team?

XENA

I hope so. I’d rather be the first one

in than have someone else take

a chance on being injured.

GABRIELLE

Promise me something?

XENA

Anything.

GABRIELLE

In this world we can’t count on the

help from the gods anymore. You

have to be careful going in there.

We only have one life this time around.

XENA

I promise.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN - DAY

The trucks have been parked. Xena, Gabrielle and Otto are pulling on their backpacks as the other three members of the team do the same. They are all dressed for ice and rock climbing.  Xena is double-checking Gabrielle’s rig as she takes survey of the mountain.

GABRIELLE

How far up?

XENA

About ten miles. Maybe twelve.

GABRIELLE

Do you think we’ll

make it before dark?

XENA

I just hope we make

it before it snows.

GABRIELLE

What?

XENA

Sniff.

Gabrielle does as she is told and groans.

GABRIELLE

Terrific.

XENA

Come on. 

Let’s get started.

Xena walks over to the rest of the group with Gabrielle trailing behind, adjusting her pack as she does. Everyone watches Xena expectantly as she tugs on her gloves.

XENA

(cont’d)

Okay, here’s the drill. We go up single file,

with me in the lead and Gabrielle bringing

up the rear. We both know this region and

what it’s capable of. The weather can

change unpredictably up here, raining one

minute and snowing the next. We have to

stay close to each other in case one of us

gets in a jam, the others can offer assistance.

The group agrees with her and they all take a minute to adjust gear before starting up the mountain.

FADE TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN - DAY

The group has stopped for a well-deserved rest after climbing nearly straight up for a couple hours. Xena is looking at a small metal cylindrical object in her hand. Gabrielle joins her, sipping from a cup, which apparently hold a hot liquid. She’s using the steam to help keep her face warm.

GABRIELLE

What are you looking at?

XENA

This thing still amazes me.

GABRIELLE

Your lighter?

XENA

Yeah, silly isn’t it? All my memories are

of using flint and stone to start fires and

now I can do it with a flick of my thumb.

GABRIELLE

Progress. I like disposable pens.

XENA

Well, once we get to the caves

I’ll buy you all the pens you want.

Gabrielle smiles, crinkling her nose just a bit.

GABRIELLE

Thanks.

XENA

How’s the tea?

GABRIELLE

It’s good. I’m starting to get some

of the feeling back in my nose. I may

have discovered an advantage to Los

Angeles. We’re not likely to get frostbite.

One of the members of the team comes over and offers Gabrielle more tea.

GABRIELLE

No thanks, I’ve had plenty.

LARA

Do you think we’ll make

it before nightfall?

XENA

I think so, as long as we don’t

have any surprises along the way.

CUT TO:

EXT.  CLIFF’S EDGE - DAY

The entire group looks down the side of the cliff, where a bridge used to be. Now all that’s between them and the other side where they need to be is a wide chasm.

OTTO

This qualifies as a surprise.

XENA

It certainly does. There has to

be a way around this though...

I certainly didn’t come this....

She stops when Gabrielle jabs her in the ribs with her elbow.

XENA

(cont’d)

I mean there is no way Xena

could have come this way. We

need to climb up that ridge.

She gestures to her left to a very narrow ledge wrapping around the face of the cliff. Where exactly it leads is unknown but it is their only choice.

OTTO

It looks dangerous.

XENA

It’s not a piece of baklava, that’s for

certain. I don’t think we should all go.

He looks at her and nods his head.

OTTO

Now I get it. This was your

plan all along wasn’t it?

XENA

What?

OTTO

To get us half way up this Godforsaken

mountain and then try to leave us. To try

and find the treasure all on your own.

XENA

Now wait a minute....

Before she can continue, two of the men standing behind Otto draw guns.

OTTO

I was afraid this was going to happen.

I had to take out an insurance policy.

You were just too good to

be true. Tie them up.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN - EVENING

Xena and Gabrielle are tied back to back with a large tree between them. Both are unconscious. The sun is setting and it’s growing colder. Gabrielle starts to come around with a groan and shakes her head.

GABRIELLE

Gods. Xena?

As clarity returns she begins to struggle with the ropes that bind them.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Xena! Please wake up!

Xena groans and slowly opens her eyes.

XENA

Tartarus, what a headache.

Gabrielle, are you all right?

GABRIELLE

Yeah, I think so just cold and sore.

XENA

Don’t struggle against the

ropes; it’s making them tighter.

GABRIELLE

We should have fought them, Xena.

XENA

And end up getting shot? I’m fast

Gabrielle, but I can’t catch bullets.

Guns are an advancement I can live

without. Where’s the sport in them?

It’s easy to kill someone with one of

those things, but there’s no skill involved.

Gabrielle appears to be getting a little frustrated at Xena’s rambling, not realizing that as Xena is talking, she is indeed managing to free them from the ropes. Xena gets up and reaches down to help Gabrielle up.

GABRIELLE

How did you do that?

XENA

I have many skills. Come on.

GABRIELLE

Are we going after them?

XENA

Eventually. They’ll be busy trying to

get up that ledge for a while.

GABRIELLE

Xena, what aren’t you telling me?

XENA

Dr. Leonard is on the up and up but

a couple members of his team aren’t.

They have no intention of letting him

live to get back and claim the

glory for finding my treasure.

GABRIELLE

They’re going to kill him.

XENA

That’s the plan.

GABRIELLE

How do you know these things?

XENA

It’s what I do while you’re sleeping.

GABRIELLE

So now what?

Xena is busy tying two ropes together and then around the trunk of the tree. Once she is certain that the rope will hold she tosses it over the side of the cliff.

GABRIELLE

Why did I know that was coming?

XENA

Unfortunately it’s our only way to

get where we’re going. And we

need to go before it gets much

darker. I wasn’t planning on them

knocking us out after they tied us up.

It cost us valuable time. I’m going over

first.  If the rope holds follow me.

GABRIELLE

What do you mean ‘if’?

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN LEDGE - EVENING

Dr. Leonard and his team are moving slowly up the ledge that Xena had pointed out. It’s clear that they are having a difficult time of it. The wind is howling and snow is blowing around them.  It’s getting more difficult to move as the sun goes down. One of the men who previously held a gun on Xena and Gabrielle is leading the way and practically dragging everyone up with the rope that attaches them.

DAN

We should have killed those bitches.

We’re going to die up here.

LARA

Shut up and keep climbing.

OTTO

There’s a cave in the side of the

mountain. We should stop for the

night and continue in the morning.

DAN

And give them the chance to catch

up with us? You are crazy.

LARA

They are not going to catch up with us.

They’ve probably frozen to death by now.

I think Dr. Leonard is right. We should stop.

CUT TO:

EXT.  MOUNTAIN SIDE - EVENING

Xena is slowly lowering herself down the rope. Gabrielle is following her down, watching carefully below her to make sure she’s not kicking loose ice and dirt down on Xena.

GABRIELLE

How much farther?

XENA

Would you hate me if I told

you I don’t remember?

GABRIELLE

Hate is a strong word.

XENA

I’m sure we’re getting close.

At least I hope so.  We’re

nearly out of rope.

GABRIELLE

You know, you don’t need to

save these tidbits of information

until the last minute.

Xena chuckles as she flips the rope and looks down to where they need to go.

XENA

Bingo. Just a few yards, but getting

in is going to be tricky. We have to

get up a little momentum and swing in.

Xena positions herself and waits for Gabrielle to join her. After a little fiddling with the rope, Xena wraps her arms around Gabrielle and kisses her on the nose.

XENA

Ready to go for a ride?

GABRIELLE

Absolutely. I’d follow you anywhere.

XENA

Glad to hear it. Hold on tight.

Xena turns them so that she is facing the side of the mountain and Gabrielle’s back is to it. She places one hand on the mountain to stop their movement. The other hand remains on Gabrielle’s back.

GABRIELLE

You know, holding on to me is a really

sweet gesture, but I’d rather you use

both hands for this. I would imagine

that braking is very important.

XENA

Brakes? Who said anything

about brakes? When I cut

the rope, tuck and roll.

GABRIELLE

We’re not going to slam into the

side of this mountain are we?

XENA

I hope not.  It’ll really

mess with my plan.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE