Soft light.
HOLLY carefully cleans and packs her instruments.
ALEX watches.
Neither rushes.
HOLLY
A fine mess you got us into.
Alex half-smiles.
ALEX
What’s the verdict?
She hesitates.
HOLLY
Inconclusive.
But I’m pretty certain.
Silence.
The weight of inevitability settles.
ALEX
It’ll be okay.
You’ll be back in a jiffy.
She looks at him.
Knows better.
HOLLY
Running won’t solve anything.
Alex nods.
Then—
ALEX
Come with me.
He turns and walks out.
They walk.
No dialogue.
The sun is low, warm.
Game moves in the distance.
A river snakes through the valley.
They climb.
Finally—
Alex stops.
A small WATERFALL spills beside a bed of grass.
He sits.
Holly joins him.
They stare out.
The world feels impossibly still.
HOLLY
(whispering)
This… this is beyond belief.
She breaks.
Quiet tears.
Alex wraps an arm around her.
Lets the grief run its course.
After a while—
ALEX
Imagine…
A cottage down there.
Horses by the river.
A garden.
Roses.
A kitchen plot.
She smiles through tears.
HOLLY
Oh, Alex—
He kisses her.
They fall gently into the grass.
The sun warms them.
Time slips.
They lie together as the light fades.
The deep thump of rotors.
A SIKORSKY descends.
Dust swirls.
FRANCIS BEB steps out.
Alex, Holly, and PHINEOUS wait.
Beb shakes Alex’s hand.
BEB
At last we meet.
A nod to Holly.
BEB (CONT’D)
My pleasure…
Though the circumstances are
strained.
A POLICEMAN waits nearby.
ALEX
May I speak with you privately?
BEB
(smiling)
I was hoping you would.
They walk off.
ALEX
You know what’s here.
Can it be protected?
Beb stops.
Faces him.
BEB
The fewer who know, the better.
Mining it? Not feasible.
In the wrong hands—
(unthinkable)
I’ve denied its existence.
ALEX
Holly believes it could cure
everything.
BEB
Perhaps.
But this valley must be preserved.
At least for now.
ALEX
What are you proposing?
BEB
That you become its guardian.
A discreet lodge.
Research—quiet, controlled.
On my terms.
Alex exhales.
ALEX
I can’t thank you enough.
BEB
Call me Francis.
A beat.
ALEX
Zola?
BEB
(smiles thinly)
A new justice system handles him.
Then—
BEB (CONT’D)
Your mfazi…
She must return to Australia.
Alex stiffens.
Beb hands him an envelope.
BEB (CONT’D)
This explains everything.
Your employer… and a private
investigator…
They had your interests at heart.
They shake hands.
Holly waits.
Ready.
Alex approaches.
They say nothing.
He cups her cheek.
She leans into his hand.
HOLLY
See you around.
ALEX
Count on it.
He hands her the envelope.
Turns away.
Doesn’t look back.
Beb watches Alex retreat.
Then looks at Holly.
Steps closer.
His guards wait.
BEB
(softly)
Go to him.
She freezes.
He takes the envelope.
TEARS IT TO SHREDS.
Lets it fall.
Holly gasps.
Beb gestures once.
The guards step away.
BEB (CONT’D)
I can deal with it.
I am the President.
He turns.
Boards the Sikorsky.
It lifts.
As it banks—
Below—
HOLLY RUNS.
ALEX TURNS.
They collide.
Hold each other.
The helicopter disappears.
Beb looks down through the window.
Smiles.
Silence.
A HIDDEN DEN beneath a fever tree.
Two LEOPARD CUBS lie curled together, weak, exhausted.
They stir.
MEW softly.
Hungry.
The sound echoes faintly through the bush.
A LEOPARDESS stops mid-stride.
Alert.
She lifts her head.
Listens.
Her flank bears old scars.
She sniffs the air.
Moves cautiously toward the sound.
The leopardess peers down.
The cubs see her.
They scramble toward her.
She hesitates—
Then steps into the hollow.
Lies down.
Her teats are full.
The cubs latch on hungrily.
She PURRS.
The sound deep, resonant.
Protective.
The wind moves through the grass.
The sun dips below the horizon.
Gold gives way to violet.
The land breathes.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
End of Chapter Eight
INT. MEDICINE HUT – CHINAGA – DAY
Soft light.
HOLLY carefully cleans and packs her instruments.
ALEX watches.
Neither rushes.
HOLLY
A fine mess you got us into.
Alex half-smiles.
ALEX
What’s the verdict?
She hesitates.
HOLLY
Inconclusive.
But I’m pretty certain.
Silence.
The weight of inevitability settles.
ALEX
It’ll be okay.
You’ll be back in a jiffy.
She looks at him.
Knows better.
HOLLY
Running won’t solve anything.
Alex nods.
Then—
ALEX
Come with me.
He turns and walks out.
EXT. GAME TRAIL / RIDGE – LATE AFTERNOON
They walk.
No dialogue.
The sun is low, warm.
Game moves in the distance.
A river snakes through the valley.
They climb.
Finally—
Alex stops.
A small WATERFALL spills beside a bed of grass.
He sits.
Holly joins him.
They stare out.
The world feels impossibly still.
HOLLY
(whispering)
This… this is beyond belief.
She breaks.
Quiet tears.
Alex wraps an arm around her.
Lets the grief run its course.
After a while—
ALEX
Imagine…
A cottage down there.
Horses by the river.
A garden.
Roses.
A kitchen plot.
She smiles through tears.
HOLLY
Oh, Alex—
He kisses her.
They fall gently into the grass.
The sun warms them.
Time slips.
They lie together as the light fades.
EXT. CHINAGA VILLAGE – MORNING (THREE DAYS LATER)
The deep thump of rotors.
A SIKORSKY descends.
Dust swirls.
FRANCIS BEB steps out.
Alex, Holly, and PHINEOUS wait.
Beb shakes Alex’s hand.
BEB
At last we meet.
A nod to Holly.
BEB (CONT’D)
My pleasure…
Though the circumstances are
strained.
A POLICEMAN waits nearby.
ALEX
May I speak with you privately?
BEB
(smiling)
I was hoping you would.
They walk off.
EXT. EDGE OF THE VILLAGE – CONTINUOUS
ALEX
You know what’s here.
Can it be protected?
Beb stops.
Faces him.
BEB
The fewer who know, the better.
Mining it? Not feasible.
In the wrong hands—
(unthinkable)
I’ve denied its existence.
ALEX
Holly believes it could cure
everything.
BEB
Perhaps.
But this valley must be preserved.
At least for now.
ALEX
What are you proposing?
BEB
That you become its guardian.
A discreet lodge.
Research—quiet, controlled.
On my terms.
Alex exhales.
ALEX
I can’t thank you enough.
BEB
Call me Francis.
A beat.
ALEX
Zola?
BEB
(smiles thinly)
A new justice system handles him.
Then—
BEB (CONT’D)
Your mfazi…
She must return to Australia.
Alex stiffens.
Beb hands him an envelope.
BEB (CONT’D)
This explains everything.
Your employer… and a private
investigator…
They had your interests at heart.
They shake hands.
EXT. VILLAGE CLEARING – CONTINUOUS
Holly waits.
Ready.
Alex approaches.
They say nothing.
He cups her cheek.
She leans into his hand.
HOLLY
See you around.
ALEX
Count on it.
He hands her the envelope.
Turns away.
Doesn’t look back.
EXT. LANDING ZONE – CONTINUOUS
Beb watches Alex retreat.
Then looks at Holly.
Steps closer.
His guards wait.
BEB
(softly)
Go to him.
She freezes.
He takes the envelope.
TEARS IT TO SHREDS.
Lets it fall.
Holly gasps.
Beb gestures once.
The guards step away.
BEB (CONT’D)
I can deal with it.
I am the President.
He turns.
Boards the Sikorsky.
It lifts.
As it banks—
Below—
HOLLY RUNS.
ALEX TURNS.
They collide.
Hold each other.
The helicopter disappears.
Beb looks down through the window.
Smiles.
EXT. AFRICAN BUSH – DUSK
Silence.
A HIDDEN DEN beneath a fever tree.
Two LEOPARD CUBS lie curled together, weak, exhausted.
They stir.
MEW softly.
Hungry.
The sound echoes faintly through the bush.
EXT. BUSH – CONTINUOUS
A LEOPARDESS stops mid-stride.
Alert.
She lifts her head.
Listens.
Her flank bears old scars.
She sniffs the air.
Moves cautiously toward the sound.
EXT. FEVER TREE DEN – CONTINUOUS
The leopardess peers down.
The cubs see her.
They scramble toward her.
She hesitates—
Then steps into the hollow.
Lies down.
Her teats are full.
The cubs latch on hungrily.
She PURRS.
The sound deep, resonant.
Protective.
The wind moves through the grass.
EXT. AFRICAN SKY – SUNSET
The sun dips below the horizon.
Gold gives way to violet.
The land breathes.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END