INT. PROF. HERNDON'S MANSION - PRIVATE LIBRARY - NIGHT
PROFESSOR NILES HERNDON frantically paces back and forth in his private library, muttering to himself. As he walks, he flips through the pages of a small, worn notebook full of sketches and illegible writing. ILANA and MARCO lean against a wall, watching the professor with fascination.
PROF. HERNDON
(running hand through perfectly
tousled older-man-type hairdo)
I'm close. I know I'm close...
ILANA
(quietly, to Marco)
He may be the most brilliant teacher slash explorer slash spy to ever work for Oxford, but he sure can be scatterbrained sometimes.
MARCO
No kidding. This guy's like Einstein, but not quite as sharp. Nein-stein.
Marco and Ilana share a conspiratorial giggle over Marco's hilarious wisecrack.
PROF. HERNDON
This whole thing... it's huge. Monumental. Like a massive... pyramid scheme...
Stricken with a sudden inspiration, Herndon marches over to his blackboard.
PROF. HERNDON
I've got it! Listen up, you two. This is big. Quick! Who are the two people most responsible for bringing the Nets to Brooklyn?
ILANA
Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z, of course. Everyone knows that.
PROF. HERNDON
Correct. So we have these key phrases that keep reappearing:
MARCO
You don't have to tell me they keep reappearing! I feel like we've gone over this a million times, and it never makes any sense!
PROF. HERNDON
Ah, but you see, it's been in front of our eyes this whole time. Here, look:
MARCO
Psh! This is a bunch of gibberish! Do you have a screw loose or something?
ILANA
Marco, wait. I think the professor is on to something.
PROF. HERNDON
You can call me Niles, Ilana.
Herndon and Ilana exchange a meaningful gaze that says we're DEF gonna get our half-naked PG-13 freak on.
PROF. HERNDON
Watch what happens when you rearrange the letters:
Ilana gasps. Marco throws his hands in the air to be all like oh man! no way!
ILANA
The...the Illuminati.
PROF. HERNDON
I'm afraid so.
MARCO
Whoa, man. I mean, like, whoa. My mind is seriously blown. I gotta hand it to you, Herndon. This goes deeper than I would ever have thought.
ILANA
So what do we do now?
PROF. HERNDON
(staring solemnly into the distance)
It looks like we're going to Brooklyn.