Absolute Power Page #12

SETH:

Not just steal them?

LUTHER:

Seth --breaking in isn’t hard -what’s

hard is breaking in so no

one knows you’ve been there. Now,

after the architect, next you’d

want the contractor’s office -and

the security company’s office.

(beat)

You know the skill involved

breaking the security of a

security company?

(shakes his head)

I wonder how those guys do it?

(CONTINUED)

63.

168 CONTINUED:
(3) 168

SETH:

Why go to all that trouble?

LUTHER:

Papers said he kept the money in a

vault, yes?

(as Seth nods)

Well, I’m guessing there was

probably some secret way to open

it -

SETH:

(casually)

--clicker -

LUTHER:

(fascinated)

--explain -

SETH:

--gizmo --looked like a V.C.R.

remote -

LUTHER:

(shaking his head)

--amazing -

(beat)

--must have been a lot of money

inside.

SETH:

(sipping casually;

a pause)

Five million.

And on those words -

Luther, more than he thought, a lot more --but of course

nothing shows --instead he breaks out laughing.

SETH:

Why’s that funny?

LUTHER:

The way you said it --as if you

were trying to surprise me.

SETH:

(smiles)

I was trying to surprise you.

LUTHER:

(smiles back)

There you go.

(CONTINUED)

64.

168 CONTINUED:
(4) 168

Seth sips his coffee, takes out his notebook, opens it.

SETH:

Would the burglar use a disguise?

LUTHER:

Seth, you’ve got to get with the

program you expect to catch this

guy --most likely it is a guy, am

I right? Some kind of weird

loner?

SETH:

Maybe like you.

LUTHER:

(couldn’t agree more)

I’m the perfect prototype.

(sipping away)

But you see any face often enough,

you’ll start putting things

together. That’s why these top

guys disguise themselves. I read

a great article a couple of years

back --damn, I wish I could

remember where --anyway, it was

about these makeup experts some of

them use --wigmakers, people like

that.

SETH:

(flipping a page)

Go on about the wigmakers.

LUTHER:

(glancing at his watch)

I’d love that but I’m late as it

is --got to get my pacemaker

checked.

(he likes Seth)

--all this excitement, you

understand.

SETH:

(and he likes Luther)

A) You don’t have a pacemaker, and

B) I’ll be back tomorrow.

LUTHER:

Tomorrow is promised to no one.

HOLD ON Luther.

65.

169 INT. LUTHER’S SMALL HOUSE -BEDROOM -NIGHT 169

Luther is throwing clothes into a suitcase while talking

on the phone -

LUTHER:

Not ’til morning?

(makes a face)

--I’ll be by early -

He hangs up, shuts the suitcase, takes off out the

door -

170 INT. KATE’S APARTMENT -NIGHT 170

A place we’ve seen briefly before. Dark. Moonlight

through the windows.

The sound of a KEY IN the DOOR.

Luther enters, takes out a tiny flashlight. We’re in one

largish room, books all over. The home of someone who

doesn’t care a whole lot about their home.

171 INT. KITCHEN -NIGHT 171

Luther enters. He opens the fridge. Disaster --still

water, sparkling water, carrot sticks.

LUTHER:

(sadly, muttering)

Katie darling, you’ve gotta try

real food sometime.

He closes the door, moves back into the room -

172 INT. KATE’S APARTMENT -NIGHT 172

A graduation photo of Kate. Luther touches it with a

fingertip, moves on through the silence.

173 INT. KATE’S APARTMENT -BEDROOM -NIGHT 173

Luther by the bed now, he flashes his light around -

--what the light illuminates: a bed table full of law

books. Expected. A phone/answering machine. The

mandatory lamp.

And photographs. A proud mother and daughter picture.

The daughter is Kate. The mother is a fine-looking woman

with a kind face.

(CONTINUED)

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 66.

173 CONTINUED:
173

Half a dozen more shots as Kate grew up, the mother grew

older. Mother and daughter, mother and daughter.

Nothing unusual here at all.

So why is Luther so sad?

HOLD.

174 EXT. MIDDLETON COUNTY COURTHOUSE -DAY 174

10 A.M. A white-brick, weather-beaten building, Old

Glory fighting the breeze.

RICHMOND (V.O.)

I am having this press conference

here because...

Richmond, speaking on a podium. The press corps stands

in front of him, TV crews of all kinds, CNN the most

noticeable.

RICHMOND:

... it is here, at this courthouse,

that Christine Sullivan’s killer

will be tried for his crime.

*

Burton and Collin, in the b.g., scanning the crowd.

Gloria Russell stands behind them.

175 INT. AIRPORT LOUNGE -DAY 175

The same shot --only now it’s grainy --we’re watching

it on a TV SCREEN. CNN ON the TUBE.

A BARTENDER cleaning glasses; otherwise, not a whole lot

going on.

Now Luther enters, dressed for travel. He goes to a

stool, orders a ginger ale, puts his passport and ticket

on the bar, glances toward the TV.

LUTHER:

Turn that off, okay?

BARTENDER:

(finishing up the

glasses)

In a sec.

67.

176 EXT. MIDDLETON COUNTY COURTHOUSE -DAY 176

Richmond at his press conference. He speaks without

notes and he speaks beautifully.

RICHMOND:

As you know, I came from an

impoverished family in an

impoverished town --but we lived

with our doors unlocked.

Russell watching, listening; she loves hearing him talk.

RICHMOND (O.S.)

We all lock our doors now, but

that is not what concerns me...

Burton and Collin, scanning the crowd.

RICHMOND (O.S.)

... we are also locking our

hearts... that is the sadness,

that is the loss.

Richmond, and suddenly he’s like a Southern minister.

RICHMOND:

We are locking our hearts to the

cries of the weary, we are locking

our hearts to the poor and their

pain...

An old man, standing behind Russell. We realize it’s

Walter Sullivan.

RICHMOND (O.S.)

... Sisters and brothers, we are

locking our hearts to ourselves.

177 INT. AIRPORT LOUNGE -DAY 177

Walter Sullivan. Grainy now. CNN. He has aged

shockingly in the past couple of days.

Luther staring sympathetically at the devastated old man.

--Sullivan’s image suddenly is gone -

--The Bartender has TURNED OFF the TELEVISION.

LUTHER:

(politely)

Put it back on.

(CONTINUED)

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 68.

CONTINUED:

BARTENDER:

(starting to argue)

You said -LUTHER

(cutting through)

Do it -CNN.

Walter Sullivan is still there.

RICHMOND (V.O.)

We feel savagery and violence must

be allowed a place at table.

(beat)

That is wrong. That is not

America. I shall fight that

battle.

Luther, staring at the image of Walter Sullivan, who is

heartsick and beaten. Luther is simply transfixed ---

Richmond on CNN and now he has turned and is beckoning

for Walter Sullivan to join him.

Sullivan for a moment is uncertain. He points to himself

--"do you mean me?" Richmond nods, opens his arms out

wide. Sullivan gets up, comes forward.

Luther, as he gets up too, also comes forward, leaving

the stool, walking close to the television.

Richmond and Sullivan, grainy on CNN as Richmond embraces

Sullivan, holds him in a loving embrace.

RICHMOND (V.O.)

Dear friend, old friend, we shall

fight that battle.

Sullivan, too overcome by the moment, can only nod.

RICHMOND (V.O.)

Who can explain the ways of

chance? If we had never met, I

would not be President. If

Christine had not taken ill, she

would be with you in Barbados

even now. Oh, Walter, you’ve

always been like a father to me.

I would give the world to lessen

your pain.

*

*

*

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