Everyone ready for some fun?

Mike: Em, don't look at me like that. :o

Peter: Um, after that last part, I'm not sure. :o

Micky: What kind of fun? :-/

(We open at the Montgomery House again. Emma grins and nods.)

Emma: Very nice, Mick. May I go next? (Grins wickedly) I want to have some real fun.

Micky: Sure! Be my guest.

Mike: (Leaning on Emma's shoulder) Don' like the way she said that... (Yawns)

Peter: Well, Em, how would you end this cliffhanger?

Emma: (Grins at the drowsy Mike) I'd end it...with Mike getting hurt.

Mike: (Jolts up) What? What did I do? Huh?

Emma: (Sighs) Pruitt and his men forced the Queen and our crew to lead them to the temple where their treasure was kept...and their molten gold....

(Fade out as Emma narrates the story in the ballroom. Fade in on the huge gold temple in the middle of the valley. The gangsters push and prod the Queen, some of her retainers, and the eight guys and girls along the corridors, which glitter dimly. The gangsters occasionally stop and gawk at the sheer goldenness of it all. Once again, it takes three gangsters to hold Mike.)

Pruitt: (To Queen Leaya) How much further, Your Majesty?

Queen Leaya: Not that much further. (Makes a face) And would you mind pointing that thing in another direction? It might go off.

Pruitt: That's the idea, dear.

Peter: (He's fascinated with the inscriptions around the building) How long has this been here, Leaya?

Queen Leaya: I don't rightly know. Thousands of years. Our ancestors built this city. This is the main temple of our head god and sun god, Arcasis.

Peter: (Nods) The mightiest of all Kalawahu gods. He was said to be able to kill a whole army with one blast of his sun rays.

Warrior Woman #1: He and his wife, the Moon Goddess Thurba, were supposedly the first ones to live here. Their treasure is said to be under the city, but it's been lost for centuries. It's said to be the fruit of all the other tribes they looted over the centuries. Our own wealth and culture descends from them and their ancestors.

Pruitt: This is all fascinating, but I want to know about your secret.

Queen Leaya: I'm getting there! Goodness gracious, you American chaps are impatient!

Emma: The secret of eternal youth?

Warrior Woman #2: Oh, THAT secret. (Eyes widen; she turns to Queen Leaya) You wouldn't' really...

Queen Leaya: Hush, mate. (Nudges the woman; turns to Pruitt) We should be just about at the molten lava pit. You can feel it gettin' hotter now.

(We come out at the edge of what looks like a lake of steaming, red-hot liquid gold. It flows lazily around the banks of the temple. There's another set of gold-upholstered royal chairs overlooking the pit. A cage hangs over the pit on one side.

LeMarque: (Wipes his brow with a handkerchief) Ooh lah lah, it is hot in here!

Queen Leaya: What did you expect, for melted metal to be ice cold?

Emma: (She stands with the other women and Micky) This doesn't look good.

Micky: *shakes his head* No, it doesn't. My goggles are fogging up.

Pruitt: That cage will be perfect. Get Nesmith in there.

Mike: No way! (He struggles furiously, but the men drag him over to the cage.)

Emma: NO! DON'T! MIKE! (She rushes over to him) Mike, honey...

Mike: Oh darlin'...I think I love you.

Emma: Honey...I know you do.

Mike: Em... (She takes him in her arms and kisses him passionately)

Pruitt: I grow tired of this. Restrain the female. (The men grab Emma away from Mike and shove him into the cage, strapping his arms and legs to the low roof and floor. Emma screams and shoves at the men, but to no avail.)

Emma: No! Oh god, please! (She turns to Lauren in horror) We have to do something!

Lauren: *nods* But what?

Emma: Maybe we could distract the gangsters somehow...

Valerie: Micky, do you have anything that could serve as a distraction without making too much noise or mess?

*Micky searches his pockets.*

Pruitt: (Laughs as Mike is hoisted into the air in the cage) I'll enjoy every minute of your being made into a golden statue, Nesmith. Perhaps I'll keep you in my collection.

Mike: I ain't never gonna be one of your ornaments, you jackal!

Pruitt: You'd make a very nice conversation piece for the living room.

Mike: Damn it! (He struggles wildly in the cage)

LeMarque: Perhaps we could do Professor next?

Peter: What?!

Pruitt: No, we'll need him.

Warrior Woman #1: (She and her friends join the group) We've sent for help, mates. We ain't faster than bullets, but we know how to get around them.

Warrior Woman #2: You just have to stall these baboons until our Army arrives.

Emma: Maybe we could rig some kind of small explosive...

Warrior Woman #3: We have little gunpowder. Only what we trade for. (She hands Micky some small golden pebbles) But we have these. Gold bullets. They ain't deadly if used with your kid's slingshot. You don't know how many of these I've taken away from my tykes.

Emma: Micky, do you think you could rig a slingshot?

Micky: Do fish swim?

Warrior Woman #3: Better get movin'. They'll be dippin' that tall bloke into the gold any minute now!

Emma: Oh god! We have to hurry!

*Micky works furiously on a sling shot.*

Pruitt: (As we cut back to him) You know, I rather like you like this, Nesmith. You're right where I can see you.

Mike: Yeah, and seein' YOU is makin' me ill.

Queen Leaya: Are you certain he's a criminal? He looks harmless to me.

Pruitt: He has a rap sheet as long as this temple, Your Majesty. He's a smuggler, a thief, and a bounty hunter.

Mike: You're a lot worse! That antique business of yours is just on the side, ain't it? Your real career is sellin' guns an' munition to all those European and Asian countries goin' at each other.

Pruitt: What's wrong with that? It's rather profitable.

Peter: (Frowns) Do you really need to encourage all the war going on in the world right now?

Pruitt: I'm not encouraging it, boy. What the countries do with those weapons is none of my concern. I'm just the salesman.

LeMarque: (As the cage gets far enough out on the gold pit) Is this far enough, Boss?

Pruitt: Yes, that will be enough. (Smirks evilly) I'm going to enjoy your slow, painful death, Nesmith.

Mike: Pruitt, I'll haunt you until the end of your days.

Pruitt: We shall see. Lower the cage! (LeMarque and three of the gangsters start to very, very slowly lower the cage closer and closer to the gold)

Peter: Oh god, no! (He starts to them, but two of the gangsters point their guns at him)

Pruitt: This will be a real treat for me, Nesmith. I'll witness your death and become one of the richest men in the world, all in the same day.

Mike: Gloat harder, Pruitt. Your ego ain't bigger n' Russia yet.

*Suddenly, gold bullets start flying through the air.*

Pruitt: Ow! (He's hit directly on the head) What in the...

Queen Leaya: (She whacks Pruitt's arm with her hand) I learned this from a Japanese trader. Taught me and me ladies all about the martial arts and how to make some really wonderful ramen noodles.

Emma: (She knees one of the gangsters) Davy and Daphne, go see if you can get the controls for the cage! The rest of you, keep working on the gangsters!

Davy: Right, luv! *They run off.*

("Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again" begins as everyone attacks the gangsters at once. The warriors knock the guns out of their hands with their spears.)

Peter: (Confronts LeMarque with his bow and arrow) Where do you think you're going?

LeMarque: (Delicately pushes the tip of the arrow away from his face) Where that isn't, Monseuir Professor.

Mike: (Struggles as he gets closer to the gold) Guys, help!

Emma: (Pushes around a gangster and throws his gun into the gold pit) Don't worry honey, we're comin'!

*A jump line suddenly shoots out and connects to the rock the cage hangs from. Micky slides on the line over to the rock. He pulls out his Swiss Army knife and attaches it to the line lowering Mike's cage. Micky appears to wind something on the knife, which raises the cage!*

(Valerie hits the small balls with a long stick, like a tennis racket. She cheers when she knocks down an entire line of gangsters domino-style.)

Mike: (Eyes wide) Mick, how in the hell are ya...

*Micky just grins. He lowers a skeleton key down into the cage for Mike to use to exit it.*

(Mike nods his thanks and does so to the best of his ability while strapped in.)

Emma: Mike! (She pushes past a gangster fighting with one of the warrior women and runs right into his arms. They just hold each other.)

Mike: My darlin', I ain't never leavin' ya again.

*Micky dusts off his hands, grinning.*

Peter: LeMarque, I'm warning you...

LeMarque: (Points at a wall) Look, there's the Sun God!

Peter: What? (LeMarque hits him in the chin and takes off, Pruitt following after)

Emma: (As the music ends) Ok, troops. Let's haul outta here.

Queen Leaya: We can't go back the way we came. They probably have guards at the door.

Mike: How are we gonna get outta here, then?

Emma: The treasure room.

Mike: What?

Peter: (Nods) We've come so far already, Michael. We might as well find that treasure.

Queen Leaya: (Nods) And I might as well tell you our secret. (Frowns) You have to promise us you have no intention of selling it or giving it away, however. It's precious to us. If the outside world knew what we can do...what's in the valley...

Emma: (She leaves Mike and goes to the Queen) Your Majesty, we all promise you. We'd never sell your secret.

Queen Leaya: (She takes a handful of dirt and shows them the gold specks) You probably won't believe this, chaps, but it's in the soil. It's the gold itself. It's in everything. It runs in the food we grow and eat, in the water. It keeps us young, provides shelter, and makes sure we never have to worry 'bout runnin' out of fillings.

Peter: The gold itself?

Queen Leaya: This gold is special. It's not your common, ordinary gold like in that ring Valerie wears. (Points at a gold and topaz ring on Valerie's right ring finger.) It contains traces of other metals...and of a special mineral that it was said, was put in the ground by the Sun and Moon gods when they created the valley and our people.

Peter: So it's the gold that keeps you so young.

Queen Leaya: For a professor, you sure take a while to catch on, chap.

Emma: So if we take some with us...

Queen Leaya: (Shakes her head) It doesn't work unless you're exposed to it for a very long time, or you're constantly drinking it or eating it. Most of the hunters and traders who stopped here just kept agin'.

Valerie: Including the explorer and his son who disappeared here.

Queen Leaya: Sometimes, outlanders who are exposed for it for too long without being used to it early on go...well, they go mad.

Emma: So we could go crazy if we stay here much longer?

Queen Leaya: (Shrugs) I don't know. It effects some people that way. Other folks, like the Japanese fellow I mentioned, come out of here older but completely in their right mind.

Mike: (Grins at Micky) In that case Mick, you'll be fine. You were never sane to begin with.

Micky: *grins* Thanks! *realizes* Wait...

Queen Leaya: (Notes the gangsters coming back after them) Um, might I suggest we break up the party and go find this treasure, before those nasty men decide they want another go at us?

Mike: Good idea.

Peter: (He shoots off a few arrows, then grabs Valerie's hand) Let's go! (They take off, followed by the others)

Warrior Woman #1: We'll stay here and hold them off, Your Majesty!

Queen Leaya: Carry on, then!

(The camera follows the group as the hurry down the hall. Cut to a bit later. Everyone holds flashlights, except for the Queen, who has a torch.)

Queen Leaya: It's been quite a while, mates. How much longer do you think we'll be walking?

Davy: Not much longer, I hope.

Peter: It has to be around here somewhere! (He looks at the badly glued-together medallion) The medallion indicates that this is it! (They come out in another large room. This one is fairly simple, with an intricate design on the floor, and four towers of gold bricks at four points in a large circle in the middle of the room. The room seems to go on forever. There's a gold sphere that looks like a massive sun suspended over the floor.)

Emma: Everyone spread out. There has to be something around here that will open the cave or pit or whatever to the treasure.

Peter: Check every crevice!

*Davy and Daphne go off to each side. Micky checks out the gold sphere. Lauren inspects a nearby wall.*

(Peter and Valerie stay by the center walls. Mike and Emma inspect the towers.)

Mike: Man, all I see is gold rock. I think we're barkin' up the wrong pyrite.

Peter: It has to be here somewhere! The medallion says so!

Valerie: If you glued it back the right way.

*Micky continues to gaze at the sphere, almost mesmerized.*

Peter: Of course I glued it back the right way!

Queen Leaya: Could we have less fighting and more searching, please?

*Lauren runs her hands over the articulates of the way, pulling at the portions of sculptures protruding from the wall. She grabs onto one portion and tugs. It gives a little, so she tries to pull with both hands. It gives a little again.*

Lauren: Hey, I think I found something!

Emma: (She and the others hurry over to her) What did you find?

Lauren: A lever of some sort. I budged it slightly, but I can't get enough strength to pull it completely.

Peter: That's it! It must be! (He reads it; Queen Leaya joins him) "To push the lever, it will take more than one, more than two. When you've taken all you can, you will find what you seek."

Queen Leaya: It goes on about "takin' more than one, two, three, four," and so on. Guess we're gonna need a lot of people to push that lever.

Emma: Lauren, how about you and me?

Lauren: Let’s try it.

(Emma and Lauren push and push with all their might, but the lever barely budges.)

Valerie: How about three, then? (She jumps on the lever; it moves a little more)

Mike: Maybe you need four, then. (He grabs the lever and shoves; it moves a tiny bit further)

Daphne: Five? *joins in, moves a tiny bit more*

Davy: Six... *again, moves a tiny bit more*

Peter: Why not seven? (He pushes hard on the lever; it moves more)

Micky: Looks like we're gonna need eight! *shoves on it, it moves more*

Emma: Keep pushing!

Peter: Look! (He points to the floor. The circle between the four towers has moved a little bit every time the lever's moved. It's more than half-way open...and we can see a golden glow under it)

Queen Leaya: Come on, gang! Get at it! You have it, you have it!

Peter: (Shoving hard) Ok everyone, one last push!

Emma: Everyone push at once!

(The eight do so. They give one last, might push all together...and the circle opens, revealing a huge pit filled to the brim with gold nuggets, jewels, jewelry, coins, and fine gold statues.)

Peter: I...oh my GOD...

Emma: Look at that! It's amazing!

*Micky goes slack-jawed.*

Queen Leaya: Well, what do you know? There really was somethin' hidden under here!

Valerie: There's enough there for me to buy every grocery chain in America!

Mike: That would buy me a hundred planes!

Queen Leaya: So this is where the magic comes from.

Emma: Well, what are you waiting for? (She goes to a craggy part of the wall on the side of the pit that looks a bit like a ladder) Let's go! Load up your pockets, wallets, and purses! We'll come back for the rest after we tell everyone about this!

Mike: Come on, guys!

(Everyone follows Emma into the pit. Peter dumps coins into his hat. Valerie drapes herself with fine jewelry. Emma loads coins into her pocket.)

Queen Leaya: I'll stay up here and keep a look out for those awful men.

*Daphne and Davy load up their pockets. Micky tries to swim in some coins. Lauren rolls her eyes, grinning.*

Valerie: (Looks up from admiring her rings) You know, those guys are still after us.

Peter: (Nods) That's right. What are we going to do?

Mike: Who knows? (Grins at a diamond the size of a baseball in his hand) Who cares?

Emma: Maybe we could set some booby traps for them?

Micky: You could just ask us to set the traps. We know you're talking about us.

Emma: (Smiles sweetly) Micky and Lauren, would you set traps for us?

Mike: As long as we ain't caught in them.

Lauren: *elbows Micky* I think we can handle that.

*Micky and Lauren leave the rest of the group to set the traps.*

Peter: Maybe we ought to help them.

Emma: I'm sure they know what they're doing, Peter.

Queen Leaya: (From above) Oh dear. Everyone, I think we're in... (sound of gunfire) trouble.

(Everyone in the pit jumps up at once; Peter loses his footing and falls against Valerie. Pruitt appears over the lip of the pit. LeMarque and a few other men are with him, all holding guns. Pruitt has a headlock on Queen Leaya.)

Pruitt: Anyone makes any sudden moves, and Her Majesty gets it.

(We fade out on this tense scene in the treasure pit, and fade back in on the Montgomery House.)