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PART 11
EXT. STATUE - TORCH - NIGHT
Where the flame of the torch once stood, now stands Logan, his
skeleton cooling down.
Logan leans on the torch¨ªs railing, his chest bleeds
from the six claw wounds. Logan is exhausted. He looks down at his
comrades still trapped by the metal bands. And Magneto lying powerless
on the floor. SUDDENLY, from below --
A MASSIVE CLAWED HAND strikes Logan¨ªs chest. The blow
sends Logan sailing back to the far end of the torch.
Logan lies against the railing. Opening his eyes he sees --
TWO CLAWED FEET following upward to a very angry, very
large Sabretooth, towering over him.
Sabretooth leaps at Logan. Against the New York skyline THEY GO
AT IT, SLASHING AND HOWLING.
EXT. MANHATTAN HARBOR - NIGHT
Several Coast Guard cutters head full-speed toward Liberty Island.
ANGLE ON: Their decks covered with armed Secret Service.
EXT. TORCH - NIGHT
Sabretooth picks up Logan over his head and throws him like a
rag doll into the railing on the other side of the torch.
Logan struggles to his feet -- dazed. Suddenly, Sabretooth, running
at full steam, tackles him. Slamming Logan into the railing.
The metal railing bends.
Sabretooth holds Logan by his wrists, trying to push him over
the edge. It is several hundred feet to the ground below.
Logan is weakening. Sabretooth is in complete control, he leans
down near Logan¨ªs ear.
SABRETOOTH
(whispering)
Your girlfriend is next.
With all his might, Logan pushes his clenched fists as close to
Sabretooth¨ªs face as he can. SHOOK! The claws pop. Sabretooth
springs back to protect his face.
LOGAN KICKS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT AND SABRETOOTH flies back to the
other side of the torch.
LOGAN leaps up and running at full speed, tackles Sabretooth --
like a train plowing into a stalled car.
The metal railing snaps and they both go flying through the air.
EXT. STATUE - HEAD - NIGHT
CRACK.
Sabretooth and Logan slam onto the top of the Statue¨ªs
head.
Logan rolls off the back of the Statue¨ªs head and falls.
Sabretooth stands and looks over the edge - nothing. All he can
see is the Statue¨ªs body curving away towards the ground.
He smiles, and turns back to the hole.
EXT. STATUE - HEAD - NIGHT
ANGLE ON: LOGAN - Hanging from the ear of the Statue, the
claws of his right hand embedded in the lobe at the end of three
sets of long claw-marks.
He looks up. A look of brutal determination crosses his face.
Straining, he pulls himself up by his right arm. The cords stand
out on his neck as he tries to get to shoulder level. He aims his
left claw a little further up on the ear and --
THUNK.
He drives it in.
INT. STATUE - HEAD - NIGHT
WHAM -- E.C.U. Sabretooth¨ªs feet as he lands on the
metal
floor. He quickly takes in the situation, Magneto and Rogue are
still unconscious. He walks towards Storm.
The air in the room starts to CRACKLE and Sabretooth¨ªs
hair begins to stand on end as it did when these two last confronted
each other.
SABRETOOTH
I don¨ªt think so.
Sabretooth backhands Storm across the jaw, knocking her out. As
her head drops, he draws his claws and slashes it down. It STOPS,
just before tearing open Storm¨ªs throat, HELD BY AN UNSEEN
FORCE. He turns and sees that Jean has focused her power in his
arm. He smiles.
He walks to Jean and tears off her bonds. He reaches out to grab
her neck but his claw is stopped again in mid- air.abretooth just
smiles wider and forces his hand forward. The outcome never really
in doubt, the claw wraps around Jean¨ªs neck. She begins
to choke.
CYCLOPS
Jean!
Sabretooth lifts Jean by the neck and walks away from Cyclops
as he chokes her.
SABRETOOTH
Sorry about this sweetheart, but I made Logan a promise.
Jean struggles desperately against Sabretooth¨ªs unbreakable
grip, the life draining from her. Then --
LOGAN (O.S.)
Hey, ya big pussy.
Sabretooth whips around, still clutching Jean to see -
LOGAN -
Bleeding, beaten and panting, and yet still standing defiantly
over Magneto¨ªs unconscious body.
LOGAN (cont¨ªd)
I ain¨ªt finished with you yet.
Sabretooth looks at him, disbelieving that this man can still
be standing, let alone challenging him... and he starts to laugh.
SABRETOOTH
You?
Logan grins.
LOGAN
Not just me.
And with that: he extends ONE CLAW from his right hand,
squats down, and cuts the piece of metal holding Cyclops¨ª
visor to Magneto¨ªs belt. He lifts it up and it slides
down his claw to his hand. He casually throws it in the air.
LOGAN (cont¨ªd)
Jean?
Logan looks at the visor and it freezes in the air.
It flies across the room, right past Sabretooth¨ªs head.
He lunges at it with his free claw but just misses it.
The visor lands square on Cyclops¨ª eyes, and attaches
itself to Cyclops¨ª face.
He turns.
BOOM!
A focused OPTIC BLAST hits Sabretooth like a FREIGHT
TRAIN. He drops Jean and SLAMS THROUGH THE WALL.
EXT. STATUE - NIGHT
We see the side of the Statue¨ªs head. Suddenly, Sabretooth
BLASTS THROUGH THE EYE.
For a moment Cyclops¨ª beam continues to fire through
the
eye as if the Statue itself is imitating Cyclops¨ª power.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
Magneto¨ªs boat still sits quietly next to the seawall.
CRASH.
Sabretooth¨ªs body SMASHES THROUGH THE ROOF of the boat.
The tarp flies up and drifts back down to rest over
Sabretooth¨ªs body.
INT. STATUE - HEAD - NIGHT
Logan¨ªs breathing is strained, a blood stain in the
middle of his shirt, but he is in control. Logan looks up, his eyes
met by Jean¨ªs.
He walks over to Storm and Cyclops and SHOOK! cuts them
loose. Jean and Cyclops catch Storm, who begins to come
around.
Cyclops smiles. Logan kneels down beside Rogue. He wants to comfort
her but cannot touch her. She opens her eyes and sees Logan.
ROGUE
Hey... There you are. (sudden apprehension) Is it really you?
LOGAN
(not quite sure what she¨ªs talking about) Yeah, it¨ªs
really me.
CYCLOPS
Come on, let¨ªs get out of here.
Logan stands. He takes a couple of steps before collapsing in
Cyclops¨ª arms.
LOGAN
(sliding to the ground)
I¨ªm o.k. I¨ªm o.k.
CYCLOPS
Sure you are, sport.
EXT. LIBERTY ISLAND - DOCK - NIGHT
Several Coast Guard cutters and police boats reach the island.
Men run across the dock as we pull up --
EXT. LIBERTY ISLAND - NIGHT
The Coast Guard, Secret Service, and FBI descend upon the
island.
INT. OLD TORCH ROOM - NIGHT
Security enters the smoldering remains of the old torch room.
The walls blackened by a past inferno. At the center, Pyro lies
motionless in a sea of foam.
INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
Push in on MYSTIQUE who is tied up. Across her feet a crack of
light as the door begins to open. Swish pan over to the NYPD entering
the room. Swish pan back. Mystique has taken the form of a Secret
Service agent.
AGENT/MYSTIQUE
Hey, could somebody untie me!
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
A Secret Service spots the wreckage of Magneto¨ªs boat
and
the large tarp which covers it. He pulls his gun.
SECRET SERVICE MAN #3
(to other agents)
Hey! Over here.
Three other agents pull their guns and aim at the tarp.
The first agent pulls it back to reveal... nothing.
Sabretooth is gone.
INT. STATUE - HEAD - NIGHT
NYPD and Secret Service rush up the stairs and into the head.
Magneto lies unconscious on the floor.
The lead guy, an NYPD OFFICER in a flak jacket, holding a
shotgun, stares up at the ceiling. He peers out through the gaping
hole. Beyond the damaged torch the star filled sky is momentarily
eclipsed by a aircraft -- the X- Jet.
The officer turns to say something, but stops -- wondering if
his eyes were merely playing tricks on him.
INT. MANSION - DAY
Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Rogue and about two dozen students
all sit in front of a wide screen TV watching the Special Report
on the Mutant Registration Act vote.
As the Anchorman speaks we move over the concerned looks
on all of their faces.
ANCHORMAN (O.S.)
Even after last weeks terrorist vandalization of the Statue of Liberty
by an unidentified mutant organization, the outcome of the vote
was 51 to 49 in opposition to the Mutant Registration Act.
A LOUD CHEER as the room erupts into celebration.
CYCLOPS
Quiet. Quiet everybody.
ANCHORMAN
This narrow defeat was probably due in large part to the surprising
last- minute reversal by Senator Scott ¨¬Frank? Kelly, who
until today provided the loudest voice in the cry for Mutant Registration.
Earlier today, Kelly had this to say:
The TV cuts to a shot of Kelly being grilled by reporters as he
walks down the Capitol steps.
KELLY
(struggling to get through)
If we can not go into the future together, the divisions of fear
and prejudice will tear this country apart.
As he is speaking, we cut to:
INT. CAPITOL BUILDING - WASHINGTON D.C. - DAY
Kelly pushing past reporters.
KELLY
No more questions. Please, no more questions.
E.C.U. The back of Kelly¨ªs neck as he passes. A BLUE
SCALE is visible above his collar.
INT. LOGAN¨ªS ROOM - DAY
The FAINT CHEERS are heard through the walls.
HAZY THEN FOCUS INTO -- light pushes through blinds. A
gentle breeze moves them slightly.
Logan sits up in his bed, his chest bandaged.
VRRRIP -- the sound of blinds being pulled open. Bright
sunshine fills the room, washing across a box and a card sitting
on a bureau.
ANGLE ON: the card as Logan reads it.
LOGAN -- WELCOME HOME. It is signed simply, X.
Logan reaches in the box, pulling out -- a UNIFORM. He lays it
on the bed. He pulls on one of the gloves, stretching his fingers
in it. Perfect fit.
SHOOK -- He pops his claws through THREE METAL RINGLETS
on the back of the glove -- clearly it was made specifically for
him.
Logan looks down into the box for him.
INT. LOGAN¨ªS ROOM - LATER - DAY
From behind Logan we see him finish putting something on over
his head. Logan turns into frame, he is wearing a dark blue MASK.
It fits his head neatly. The sides arch up shadowing his ears,
giving him a wolf or fox-like appearance. The shape is reminiscent
of Logan¨ªs sketch -- the wolverine.
Logan stands facing a mirror. The mask looks good on him
and he seems to know it.
Xavier is in the doorway.
Logan pulls off the mask, embarrassed.
LOGAN
Don¨ªt you knock?
XAVIER
They¨ªre all asking how you¨ªre doing. Are you
feeling up to saying hello to everyone?
LOGAN
(pulling the glove off)
Actually I¨ªm feeling up to leaving.
Logan walks over to the closet and pulls out a shirt. He puts
it on.
XAVIER
(surprised)
Why? You have a home here now, if you want it. Everyone will...
LOGAN
What?... miss me? Charley, I¨ªm gonna walk out the front
door and trust me, it won¨ªt be soon enough for everyone
here.
Logan pulls a duffle bag out of the closet.
LOGAN (cont¨ªd)
Can I, umm?
XAVIER
Of course. Everything in this room is for you.
Logan seems genuinely touched by the gesture.
LOGAN
Thanks, I¨ªll pay you back.
Logan shoves some clothes into the bag, but not all.
XAVIER
Well if you¨ªre going to leave then you at least owe them
a goodbye.
Logan smirks. He picks up his bag. They exit the room together.
INT. MANSION - DAY
The celebration continues unabated. The newscaster on the defeat
of the Mutant Registration Act muted, in the background -- Storm,
Jean, and Cyclops all sit around a table chatting. Rogue sits on
the couch with other students, trying on a new pair of leather gloves.
XAVIER (O.S.)
Excuse me. (louder) Excuse me.
Xavier is in the doorway.
XAVIER (cont¨ªd)
Everyone, Logan would like to say...
Logan steps into the doorway. Everyone can see him now.
Before Xavier can finish his sentence he is interrupted by --
APPLAUSE -- simple, genuine, applause.
Students slowly stand up. Proud of Logan. For he is one of them.
He is a mutant. And he is a hero.
As the unconditional applause echoes around him, Logan seems sincerely
touched by their spontaneous outpouring. He is almost choked up
-- almost.
The applause quiet.
XAVIER (cont¨ªd)
Well, Logan.
All eyes are on Logan. Logan pauses. He looks to Xavier, then
back to the room.
LOGAN
What¨ªs a guy gotta do to get a beer around here?
Logan puts his duffle bag down. He walks over to the table with
Storm, Cyclops and Jean. Jean smiles at him, so does Cyclops --
his arm around the back of her chair.
Logan sees them together, they are happy, and finally he offers
a smile.
Xavier holds for a moment at the door. A look of pride on his
face, the pride a father has for his children.
INT. PLASTIC PRISON - DAY
A CLEAR PLASTIC HALLWAY
That¨ªs right, PLASTIC. Everything we can see -- walls,
ceiling, floor -- is made, entirely, of thick, clear plastic.
DOWN THE HALL TO:
A THICK PLASTIC CELL
There, in the middle, at the clear plastic desk, with two clear
plastic cups filled with the only thing of color other than the
two men in the room.
Xavier and Magneto.
They play a friendly game of chess.
Magneto is notably without his trademark helmet. Two casts encase
his legs from his Logan-inflicted injury.
Xavier is on a modified plastic chair with plastic wheels.
MAGNETO
I wouldn¨ªt really have let you die, you know. I just needed...
XAVIER
(interrupting) I know.
Magneto thinks for a while; then:
MAGNETO
Doesn¨ªt it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The
feeling that some day, some day very soon, they will pass that foolish
law - or one just like it - and they will come for you and your
children? Take you all away?
XAVIER
It does indeed, Max.
MAGNETO
And what do you do when you wake up to that?
XAVIER
I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that
school again looking for trouble.
He stares right at Magneto.
Xavier makes a move, Magneto counters. Xavier moves again.
MAGNETO
But you know that it is a war, old friend. And to win a war it takes
the will to fight it at all costs, by any means necessary. And for
that reason, I will always have the advantage. No
matter how you trap me, how I am contained -
Chess pieces seem to visually mimic their conversation
Xavier¨ªs white pieces slowly surrounding Magneto¨ªs
Black
King.
MAGNETO (cont¨ªd)
- I will always find an escape.
XAVIER
And I will always be there, old friend.
And with that, Xavier places his queen gently down, taking away
a knight.
XAVIER (cont¨ªd)
Check.
Just then, the door to the cell opens. A Guard waits.
Magneto and Xavier stare at one another before Xavier turns and
wheels himself out of the room.
The door closes behind him, leaving Magneto alone with his plastic
chess set in his plastic cell.
And Magneto looks at the pieces before him. Something occurs to
him. He smiles a wicked smile.
And his rook LEVITATES, despite its properties, moving
across the board and toppling Xavier¨ªs king.
MAGNETO
And mate.
BLACK
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