G.I. Jane Page #16

ROYCE:

C'mon, Jordan. Do the headwork with

me.

JORDAN:

It's done with, Royce. Let it go.

ROYCE:

Someone screwed you over like this,

left unanswered charges hanging over

your head, and you're not gonna

fight back?

JORDAN:

I'm tired of fighting back. I just

wanted to come home and be safe and

have you here and the river there

and just forget the rest of the

world, okay?

ROYCE:

Well, before you crawl off to die,

Jordan, give me five minutes of good

headwork.

Agitated, she walks away. B.G., a PHONE RINGS until the

machine picks up.

ROYCE:

(pulling a file)

"John James Urgayle." The Chief.

JORDAN:

What about him.

JORDAN:

Instructors typically pull three

year assignments. This guy's in and

out in one year -- your year. That

sound right?

JORDAN:

Sounds like an amazing coincidence.

ROYCE:

Or like maybe he was baby sitting a

problem child for the Navy.

JORDAN:

I don't know, I don't care.

ROYCE:

Well, pardon me if I do. Now who

else? Who could've leveraged a

class officer like that? C'mon,

Jordan, keep your head in the game.

UNDER DIALOG, we hear some of the INCOMING CALL:

DEHAVEN'S AIDE (V.O.)

... just got word today. The

Senator wants you to know that she's

disturbed by the matter, and she'll

be looking into it carefully to make

sure you were treated fairly. If

you need to reach us, we're here in

Washington, 202-224-3121.

A HANG-UP. Something stirs in Jordan's memory.

JORDAN:

"In Washington..."

ROYCE:

What?

JORDAN:

Wickwire said he was dry-docked in

Washington between stints at

Coronado...

We can see her mind gathering speed. Royce switches files

quickly.

ROYCE:

"Wickwire, Thomas Dane"... Second

run at Coronado... and correct, they

had him stashed in the

"Appropriation Liaison Office,"

whatever that is.

JORDAN:

You don't crap out of Spec-Recon and

get another shot without

dispensation from someone up in flag

country.

(a revelation)

He's got a Sea Daddy somewhere.

ROYCE:

I'd sure like to know who.

JORDAN:

Yeah. Me too.

INT. ADMINISTRATION - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

Answering a PHONE:

BLONDELL:

Administration, Ensign Blondell.

JORDAN (V.O.)

Don't say my name.

BLONDELL:

Who's...

(brightening)

Lieuten --

JORDAN (V.O.)

Or rank. But can you do me a favor

and pull a transfer order?

BLONDELL:

Okay, but... You didn't have to do

what you did. Not for me.

JORDAN (V.O.)

(appreciative)

"Wickwire, Thomas Dane." See what

you can find.

CUT TO:

INT. ADMINISTRATION - CORONADO NAVAL BASE - DAY

File in hand, Blondell returns to the phone.

BLONDELL:

Got it.

JORDAN (V.O.)

Who signed as his "sponsoring

officer"?

BLONDELL:

Uh... don't see it. There's no

signature. But hang on -- there's a

note to "See Addendum." Checking...

She finds a crisp sheet of stationary, out of place among

the smeared government forms.

BLONDELL:

Wow...

JORDAN (V.O.)

What'd you find, Kathy?

CLOSE on the stationary. It bears an image of the Capitol

dome.

MATCH CUT TO:

EXT. CAPITOL BLDG. - WASHINGTON D.C. - DAY

The real Capitol dome. A flag is being raised over the

Senate Wing.

EXT. CAPITOL BDLG. - WASHINGTON D.C. - DAY

A car parks at barricades. Jordan and Royce emerge, both

in uniforms.

D.C. COP

Don't even dream about leaving that

vehicle there.

ROYCE:

Government car -- tow it if you

want. Just point us to DeHaven's

office first.

Not waiting for directions, Jordan takes the Capitol steps

two at a time. We've seen this look on her face before --

and last time, she nearly knocked the grinder bell into

orbit.

INT. CORRIDOR - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

Jordan and Royce move quickly down a corridor, eyes

hunting, passing CAPITOL GUIDES and their tourists. Soon

they find...

DeHaven's office. A Navy captain exits with paperwork.

Hasty salutes.

ROYCE:

Capt'n.

NAVY CAPTAIN:

Commander.

The captain moves on. Royce holds in the doorway a beat,

memory nagging him. Again he looks at...

The captain. He has a distinct bald spot.

ROYCE:

(to Jordan)

Get started here. I'll catch up.

Picking up where he left off a few weeks ago, Royce

follows Bald Spot around a corner...

INT. PRIVATE STAIRCASE - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

... down a private staircase...

INT. ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

... and through a door marked "Naval Appropriation Liaison

Office." It's not 30 seconds from DeHaven's door.

INT. FOYER - DEHAVEN'S OFFICE - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

SECRETARY:

Your name again?

JORDAN:

Lieutenant j.g. O'Neil.

In a side office, DeHaven's aide overhears. He rises

quickly and enters the foyer.

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

Ms. O'Neil. Yes, of course. I'm

Douglas Champeau. Unfortunately,

the Senator is in chamber right now.

How can I help you?

JORDAN:

What chamber? Which way is that?

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

I mean, she's on the floor of the

Senate.

JORDAN:

Okay, which way?

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

She really can't be disturbed. But

if you care to wait, I'll find you

an office with a phone. It might be

several hours, but --

A TOURIST pokes in.

TOURIST:

'Scuse me, but I'm here to pick up

gallery tickets? Are you...

DEHAVEN'S AIDE

See the secretary, please.

Over the aide's shoulder, Jordan watches as...

The tourist claims tickets. HOLD on the bureau near the

secretary's desk where the tickets are stored.

INT. SENATE CHAMBER - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

On the chamber floor, SENATORS mull about, consulting

aides, polling party mates. PAGES place microphones and

fill the ceremonial snuff boxes, readying the room for

session. Among the activity, we find...

DeHaven. Caucusing with another Democrat.

JORDAN (O.S.)

Senator DeHaven...

DeHaven looks behind her. Nobody.

JORDAN:

DeHaven...

Now she looks up to behold...

Jordan standing in the gallery. Staring down on DeHaven

as she is, it's hard to read anything into her expression

but open disdain.

Drawn by Jordan's voice, a CAPITOL GUARD hurries down the

gallery steps. Royce runs interference.

JORDAN:

We can talk here or we can talk

outside, Senator. You tell me.

On the floor, half the U.S. Senate stops what it's doing

and looks up.

In the gallery, the guard is thrown off-balance by the

naval uniforms:
Do Royce and Jordan belong here or not?

Confused, he looks for guidance from...

DeHaven. She notes C-SPAN cameras swinging Jordan's way.

Summoning a page:

DEHAVEN:

Cloak room. I'll meet her there.

Just her.

INT. CLOAK ROOM - CAPITOL BLDG. - DAY

Towering doors swing open. DeHaven appears, face pleasant

but harried.

DEHAVEN:

Jordan. I always hoped we'd get

together -- though just now I'm

gearing up for a child-care vote

that --

JORDAN:

Lieutenant Thomas Wickwire.

About to hug Jordan, DeHaven stops awkwardly.

JORDAN:

You know him.

DEHAVEN:

Sounds familiar.

JORDAN:

It should. You nominated him for

Spec-Recon just three days after you

nominated me.

DEHAVEN:

Jordan. Might we do this over lunch

tomorrow? I do very much want to

talk, but now is scarcely --

JORDAN:

Did you set me up? Did you set me

up just to see me fail?

DEHAVEN:

Absolutely not.

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