Inside, an odd combination of museum and church. (Once a museum, the interior has been "converted" into a temple of worship.)
Among the tattered, dusty museum exhibits: four large oil paintings, framed in gold—of JEFFERSON, WASHINGTON, LINCOLN and (Teddy) ROOSEVELT. (Note: the Washington painting should portray him standing in a boat crossing the Delaware, an American flag gripped in his hand.)
Of course, these names and faces mean nothing to Logan, Rem or Jessica. Yet to someone, they seem to be Gods. A crude altar has been built in front of the paintings, and a multitude of candles burn there.
"A place of tribal worship," says Rem. He moves among the exhibits, absorbing American history from the glass display cases (including a copy of the Declaration of Independence).
Rem turns to Logan and Jessica, indicates the paintings. "They were once Presidents of a place called the United States of America, of which this land must have been a part . . . they were great leaders . . ."
Logan and Jessica are amazed. "You learned all this . . . so quickly!"
Rem smiles. They seem to forget. He has a photographic memory. He keeps looking at various items.
Caught up in the wonder of this place, they are not aware of the tribe of MOUNTAIN PEOPLE who quickly surround the building. Thus, they are taken by surprise. There is a brief struggle in which the three are captured and taken from the "temple." (CAMERA LINGERS on Logan’s fallen gun.)
They are taken to the tribal camp at the foot of a great mountain. We see that the encampment lies directly under the massive carved heads of Mount Rushmore.
Logan looks up at the stone images, says to Rem, "The same faces." Rem nods. "Their Gods."
Now they are confronted by the tribe’s shaman, WAKAN. (His jeweled hand reveals him as the man who killed the Indian Brave.)
Wakan tells them that they must "pay in blood" for their violation of the temple. He gestures upward to the four great images of Jefferson, Washington, Roosevelt and Lincoln—declaring that the "Thunder Gods" are angry . . . demand death.
But the tribe’s council leader (a reasoning, thin-faced Indian named TALL TREE) argues with Wakan—reminding him that death is dishonorable without a prior test of courage, and that these strangers deserve the right to redeem themselves in the eyes of the Thunder Gods by undergoing the four tests of skill and bravery.
Wakan is thus out-voted; let the two males pass the "Tests of the Gods" and they, and the woman, may go free.
But, Wakan warns them, if the four tests have not been successfully completed by the moment the sun falls behind the Sacred Mountain, then Jessica will die instantly by Wakan’s arrow—and the two males will also die "by slow torture."