"X-Men 2" Act Four

ACT FOUR
Scene One; Xavier Institute Interior, Medilab.
(ORORO has returned to the Medilab, finding a new person has arrived who is standing with XAVIER and PETER. She is a smallish woman, short, straight brown hair, round-rim glasses, speaking with an Irish brogue-this is Dr. Moira MacTAGGART. Also, ILLYANA’s condition has worsened, the “infection” has spread across her upper body.)

ORORO
Dr. MacTaggart! I’m so glad you could join us.

MacTAGGART
Storm. I understand your powers have b’come more acute?

ORORO
And not mine only. Professor . . . Rogue has . . . there’s been a terrible accident and Rogue killed one of the mutants of the Hellfire Club. She insists that it was only a brief touch and then-it was all over.

XAVIER
(Pauses for a beat.) Which one was it.

ORORO
I’m sorry? You know them?

XAVIER
They have made . . . offers in the past for my membership.

ORORO
It was Carol Danvers, their Black Queen. Who are they Professor? If we would’ve known we were facing dangerous mutants we could have been better prepared.

XAVIER
I don’t know the Hellfire Club to be overtly aggressive, Ororo. Subtlety is more their strength. I wasn’t as concerned for your welfare as much as I am for Illyana.

(We see ILLYANA’S prone body.)

Scene Two; Mansion Interior, Large stark metal room.
(A door opens and LOGAN enters. SCOTT is just behind him. He also enters and closes the door behind them, sealing them in. Scott crosses the room, leaving LOGAN by the exit.)

LOGAN
(Subdued.) What is this, Cyke? What’d you bring me here for?

SCOTT
Consider this a debriefing. I want you to tell me what the hell you thought you were doing back there?

LOGAN
(We seem to see LOGAN’S age weighing on him here.) You petty-ass little boy. Is this about Jean, again?

SCOTT
(Laughs to himself.)
(SCOTT lets go a small optic blast which tags LOGAN in the shoulder, spinning him around and landing him on his knees. The pain forces him to growl, but his face looks more hurt than angry.)

It’s about the team, Logan. We needed you back there. In case you hadn’t noticed, the Hellfire Club handed us our heads.

(SCOTT looses another blast, slamming LOGAN against the metal wall.)

SCOTT
(To the air) Activate protocol Summers-Alpha. Bypass target Scott Summers.

(Suddenly metal tendrils whip from the ceiling to ensnare LOGAN and suspend him. LOGAN hangs helplessly, seeming to be defeated already.)

What a waste it was to go to Canada and get you.

(SCOTT discharges a small blast which pongs off LOGAN, swinging him in the air.)

All you’ve ever cost this school was a lot of heartache.

(SCOTT discharges another small blast which pongs off LOGAN, swinging him in the air.)
(LOGAN cries out in pain, but the sound is more like despair.)

If you can’t get your shit together Wolverine, then steal my motorcycle again and get the hell out of the mansion.

(SCOTT discharges another small blast which pongs off LOGAN, swinging him in the air again.)

LOGAN
Damn you, leave me alone! You don’t understand!

(LOGAN has had enough. He unleashes his claws and goes berserk on the tendrils.)

NOBODY FUCKING UNDERSTANDS ME!!

(LOGAN frees himself, leaping to the ground.)

SCOTT
Activate Summers protocol Beta.

(A metal firewall slides in place to stop LOGAN. LOGAN slices through the wall and advances on SCOTT.)

Activate Summers protocol Delta

(A few robots clatter into the room from sidewall panels. LOGAN beheads them as they reach him and he continues advancing. Nothing seems to stop LOGAN, he is all snarls and fury, a primal, terrifying force.)
(When he reaches SCOTT, LOGAN plunges his claws into SCOTT’S stomach. JEAN’S voice cries out over the speaker system.)

JEAN
NOO!!

SCOTT
(SCOTT is wrapped around LOGAN’s fist.) Hhrnnn . . .

Scene Three; Mansion Interior, Danger Room Control Booth
(JEAN is listening to SCOTT’S voice coming from the speakers.)

SCOTT’S VOICE
No Jean . . . it’s okay. He didn’t . . .

Scene Four; Mansion Interior, Danger Room
(SCOTT trying to straighten up from LOGAN’s blow.)

SCOTT
. . . didn't. . . use his . . . claws . . .(coughs)

(LOGAN steps back, huffing with his exertion. The claws had been withdrawn in the nick of time. SCOTT falls to his knees, though. LOGAN’s punch evidently hurt.)

Welcome back . . .Wolverine. For better or . . . worse.
And . . . don’t think . . . no one knows what you’re going . . . through. We both know it doesn’t matter . . . one damn . . . what society thinks of us.
Its what . . .our family thinks of us . . . whatever family we manage to get along the way.
It’s all about losing that love.

Scene Five; Mansion Interior, Danger Room Control Booth.
(JEAN listens to SCOTT’s voice and realizes he’s speaking to her.)

SCOTT’S VOICE
. . .Or about losing the love of the one woman who has ever really known you.
It hurts like hell opened up and swallowed you. It hurts.
But family will always be there to help you pick the pieces up Logan.

Scene Six; Mansion Interior, Danger Room.
(LOGAN stands over SCOTT as SCOTT finishes his statement.)

SCOTT
We weren’t created just to shelter only young, lost new mutants like Rogue, Logan. We’re your family too.
If you want us to be.

(SCOTT offers his hand, still in pain. LOGAN takes it and helps him up.)
(LOGAN has gained a new respect for Scott. We also see by his posture that LOGAN has regained himself-his confidence and his personality.)

LOGAN
You really are a dick.
(LOGAN clamps SCOTT in a buddy hug.)
(SCOTT winces in pain, his gut still hurts.)

Scene Seven; Mansion Interior, Nighttime, ORORO’S Bedroom
(ORORO is sleeping.)
(Nearing her bed is a FIGURE cloaked in shadows. All we can see are the eyes, which are yellow.)
(ORORO reacts, lancing a bolt of lightning from her hand.)
(The FIGURE disappears in a puff of smoke. The stench makes ORORO gag. The FIGURE appears in another puff of smoke, clinging to the ceiling .)

FIGURE
You have nothing to fear, beauteous damsel, from a mere admirer.

Scene Eight; Mansion Interior, Nighttime, SCOTT and JEAN’s Bedroom
(SCOTT is on the bed, shirtless, his ribs taped. JEAN is in the bathroom with the door closed.)

JEAN (From inside the bathroom)
Scott, are you sure you’re okay?

SCOTT
No, it hurts. Fair warning-it’ll take me forever to get to sleep tonight.

JEAN
(Comes from the bathroom wearing a sexy red negligee. Her voice is almost a purr.) Damn right it will.
(Approaches the bed.)
Scott, I think there’s something you need to know.
I made a promise to you a while ago and I have no intention on breaking it, no matter who comes to this school. Logan may need us, but Scott . . . I know that you need me.

SCOTT
(While his emotions are welling, we hear SCOTT’s dependance.) Ah, God . . . I do Jean..

JEAN
(Sits on the bed, places a finger to his lips.)
And I need you. I need your inner strength and your courage. You bring stability to my life that I’ve never had. Never.
I’m not letting that go for some hairy Canadian with an attitude problem.
Do you hear me?

SCOTT
Yes Jean. Loud and clear. Ow! Watch out for the ribs!

JEAN
No, you watch out for them.
(JEAN places her hands on the bandages. There is a warm glow, SCOTT hisses with pain, then with sensation.)

SCOTT
(Amazed. SCOTT prods his own ribs. The pain is gone.)
Jean . . . what’ve you done?

JEAN
Just a little first aid.

SCOTT
But how . . .

JEAN
Shh. Now, let me see your eyes.
(Jean begins to remove the ruby Oakleys.)

SCOTT
Jean! Are you crazy-! (Catches her hands.)

JEAN
I said hush. (With a little concentration, JEAN causes SCOTT’S hands to flutter away.)
(She removes the glasses.)

SCOTT
(SCOTT’s eyes are red, boiling with energy. Slowly they go solid, then normal, with brown pupils.)
(SCOTT looks at her like a newborn.)

Oh my God. Jean. How are you doing this?

JEAN
I guess it’s my turn to evolve.
(JEAN crushes SCOTT in an passionate, deep kiss.)

Scene Nine; Mansion Interior, Nighttime, LOGAN’s bedroom
(Smoke alarms go off, waking LOGAN.)
(He jumps out of bed, stalks out of his room using his nose to lead him down the stairs and into the living room.)

Scene Ten; Mansion Interior, Nighttime, Downstairs Livingroom
(LOGAN finds STORM suited up in the living room, summoning wind to clear away the smoke which had billowed around their guest--The FIGURE-who is now in the light. It is a slim being, blue-black with a velvety fur covering him. His teeth are fanged, his hair curly, his ears pointed. Twitching behind him is a shimmery tail ending in a spade-like point.)

LOGAN
What the hell is that?

STORM
Logan, allow me to introduce Kurt Wagner. He likes to be called Nightcrawler.

LOGAN
I wonder why.

(NIGHTCRAWLER disappears in a black explosion of smoke and appears before LOGAN in another explosion, extending a two-fingered-one-thumbed hand to shake.)

NIGHTCRAWLER
Schon nacht, Herr Logan.

LOGAN
(A cough wracks LOGAN. He pops his claws instinctively. NIGHTCRAWLER hops back.)

NIGHTCRAWLER
(NIGHTCRAWLER backflips to his original position in the living room beside STORM.) I’m terribly sorry, Logan. I should think before I act-I know my appearance could tend to . . . startle people.

LOGAN
(Fanning the air) It ain’t that--those smoke bombs of yours stink like hell. Literally.

NIGHTCRAWLER
(Smiling at the metaphor. Fangs glistening.) Just so. As I was telling your associate, the perfect Storm here, I’ve been watching the Hellfire Club for some time now.

LOGAN
We don’t want no part of the Hellfire Club.

STORM
It’s much more than that, Logan. Kurt, tell him.

NIGHTCRAWLER
Ah, yes. You see, I represent a faction of mutants the world doesn’t normally come into contact with, that is, if we can help it. And we have found out something about the Hellfire Club that should very much interest you.

STORM
He was going to take me to his people and explain more fully.

LOGAN
Are you crazy? You can’t just go off somewhere in the middle of the night with some guy who looks like he escaped from Dante’s Inferno.

NIGHTCRAWLER
Ah ah, Logan. Haven’t you learned yet not to judge a book by it’s cover?

LOGAN
(Speechless for a beat.) Then I’m coming with you. Gimme a minute to get my suit on.

STORM
Oh really? Willingly?

LOGAN
Everybody’s a comedian in this damn place.

Scene Eleven; Mansion Interior, Night, Medilab(XAVIER and MacTAGGART are keeping a late night vigil over ILLYANA. PETER is also there, napping by her bedside.)
(An alarm goes off, PETER awakes. The monitors hooked up to ILLYANA’s ravaged body indicate that she has just died. MacTAGGART does her best to revive ILLYANA, but it is no use. PETER collapses across her body, wracked with grief.
(In slow motion, ROGUE’S teddy bear falls to the ground.)

MacTAGGART
We have to begin testing everyone in the mansion, Charles. See if ennyone else has this damned disease afore it’s too late.

XAVIER
It already is. (XAVIER’S eyes start to glow. His voice becomes deep, resonant-we’ve heard it before-it is PROTEUS.)

(The mist that is PROTEUS seeps from XAVIER’s body and enters into MacTAGGART.)
(MacTAGGART/PROTEUS cackles as her eyes go white, and reality begins bending and warping around her. XAVIER and PETER begin screaming.)

Scene Twelve, Mansion Interior, SCOTT and JEAN’s Bedroom.
(SCOTT and JEAN are basking in a literal afterglow. JEAN suddenly seems to sense something. She sits up, naked.)

SCOTT
What is it?

JEAN
I think it’s an intruder . . . the images are all jumbled. Wait here.
(Gets out of bed, goes to the door, still nude.)

SCOTT
Hey, you can’t go out there like that!

(JEAN turns, grins. Then with a flourish, visual energy shaped like a flamebird enfolds her, “costuming” her, covering up her nudity.)


Scene Thirteen; Mansion Interior, Nighttime, Downstairs Hallway below the stairs
(ROGUE is crouched by a phone which she cradles against her ear.)

ROGUE
(Her voice again has no Mississippian accent.) Gambit it’s me. You have to come and get me . . . something’s wrong with my body. I’m in Xavier’s mansion.

(The energy talons of a flamebird reach into the scene and snips the phone wire.)
(ROGUE looks up and recoils.)
(In midair, descending slowly from the stair balcony, is JEAN with the flamebird effect shrouding her. Her eyes are flame.)

ROGUE
Get the hell away from me! What are you?!

JEAN
You know me, Marie. I’m Jean.

ROGUE
No you’re not and my name is not Marie! Why the hell does everyone call me that?! I’m Carol! Carol Danvers, dammit!

(The commotion has students all coming around to investigate. JEAN and ROGUE have gained an audience. In their eyes we see awe at what JEAN has become. JUBILEE comments “Like WHAT the HELL is happening to everyone around here, okay?”)

JEAN
(To ROGUE) No honey, you aren’t. You’re a girl named Rogue. Listen to me . . .

ROGUE
NO!

JEAN
(A beat.) Rogue hurt you, Carol. She didn’t mean it. She killed you. Now, you’re a memory, hon. A memory of a woman who needs to move on.

(ROGUE launches into the air, seizing the bannister and tearing it free for a weapon.)

ROGUE
I’m the Black Queen! I’m Carol!
Rogue couldn’t do this!

JEAN
Well obviously she can now.

(Grabs and holds ROGUE with one firebird talon and affects ROGUE’S consciousness with the other.)

Sorry, Carol, but there only ought to be one person in there at a time.

(What PHOENIX does causes ROGUE to go unconscious.)
(JEAN remains in the air , on the same level with the upstairs railing, with the flamebird manifestation holding ROGUE’S unconscious body.)
(SCOTT approaches the broken bannister. He is level with the floating JEAN. He has replaced his ruby Oakleys. They can’t hide his fear as he witnesses the change in JEAN.)

SCOTT
Jean . . . what is happening to you?

(Downstairs, the elevator to the belowground laboratories slowly opens. PETER is carrying an unconscious XAVIER. PETER is now a steel-skinned giant. Carrying XAVIER is no problem for him, but he looks drained. He stumbles forward.)

PETER
Comrade Summers . . . Illyana is dead . . .and Dr. MacTaggart has . . . has been . . !

(PETER turns back to flesh and collapses with XAVIER.)

(The whole mansion begins to tremble as if there is an earthquake.)

Scene Fourteen; Mansion Interior, Montage
(Students all over the mansion are quaking in the tremors, and panicking. Powers are going off everywhere.)

Scene Fifteen; Mansion Interior, Hallway
SCOTT
Jean, can you sense what’s happening?

JEAN
There’s no intelligence behind it, Scott- not for miles around. It must be an earthquake!

SCOTT
(To the students around them.) Everybody, get into the sub-levels NOW! And I emphasize: NO heroics!

Scene Sixteen; Mansion Interior, Various
(The students scramble. We see KITTY using her power to take others with her through the floors.)
Scene Seventeen; Mansion Exterior, overhead.
(Six SENTINELS come down on boot jets. Each one is about twenty feet tall. The rumbling bass of their bootjets are causing the tremors.)
Scene Eighteen, Mansion Interior, Hallway.
(The ceiling crashes in and a massive metal hand reaches down.)
(JEAN stops the rain of all debris with her left telekinetic flamewing. With the other flamewing, she releases ROGUE and attempts to hold the giant mechanical hand back.)
(SCOTT blasts at the hand with his optic blast. Pieces of the hand dislodge, but it is not enough. More of the roof collapses over SCOTT. JEAN uses her other TK wing to shield SCOTT, leaving the giant hand free to blast her with a ray of power out of its’ palm. She falls, and so does the rest of the debris. SCOTT, XAVIER, PETER and ROGUE are buried in rubble.)
(Standing staring down into the broken open ceiling are the SENTINELS.)

SENTINEL #1
(Booming metallic voice) Targets Four of Six sighted and suppressed.

SENTINEL #2
Acquire the available Four targets. Relay for further initiatives.

Scene Nineteen; Mansion Exterior, The SENTINELS
(The eyes go red on one SENTINEL. That one speaks.)

SENTINEL #6
Targets Four of Six acquired. Genoscan for remaining two reads negative within a minimum five mile radius. Waiting for initiatives.

Scene Twenty; Unknown Control Station.
(PIERCE is fully plugged into a bank of controls by the tendrils that come out of his own skin.)

PIERCE
Bring who you have back to us Sentinel Six. We’ll worry about the missing two later.

Scene Twenty-One; Mansion Interior
(Four of the SENTINELS unspool their capture coils and each pick up a victim; SCOTT, ROGUE, XAVIER, and JEAN.)
Scene Twenty-Two; Mansion Exterior, the SENTINELS
(Each SENTINEL places their captive into their transparent chest cavity, self-seals them in, then launches off into the night.)