Gold Page #9

43.

WELLS (V.O.)

He realized what they needed wasn’t

stock options, but drinking water and

antibiotics. And damned if he didn’t

go to every little place every one of

our people came from. Streams that had

no name. All feeding the great Kensana

river.

INT. DIMLY LIT ROOM - DAY

A skeptical Jennings observes Wells a moment.

JENNINGS:

And you believe this was sincere?

WELLS:

Absolutely. Mike’s half a native

anyway. He was trying everything. And

I was a mess. Malaria is no joke.

INT. MAIN TENT - DAY

The monsoon continues, but Wells is oblivious, a shuddering

chill wracking his body. Acosta watches this uneasily.

ACOSTA:

We need to get you out of here. I’m

pulling the plug.

WELLS:

Not happening. Tell me the plan.

ACOSTA:

What they need... they need clean

water, antibiotics...

(reluctant)

If we get filter systems up here, I

think they’ll come back.

Wells looks up with dim eyes, a smile crossing his face.

WELLS:

I’ve got maybe eighteen hundred

dollars of room left on the Visa. Five

hundred on Diner’s Club. Use it all.

Wells hot and dry. Acosta looks down at him. He doesn’t think

Wells is gonna make it. He’s seen it before.

EXT. SMALL CREEK - DAY

A break in the rain. Misty clouds circle limestone mountains.

43A.

Brown water in a micro filter as Acosta hangs it from a

branch. Clear water flows out a hose. A child tastes the clean

water, doesn’t like it. Several children laugh.

In the river a mother sits with her baby on her lap.

44.

As Acosta fills ANOTHER FILTER, reveal NATIVES finding gold up

the stream. It almost mocks Acosta.

INT. MAIN TENT - DAY

THE SAME LIMESTONE CLIFFS... ONLY NOW WE TILT DOWN and FIND

RENO, GAUDY NEON NESTLED IN GREEN JUNGLE. CASINO SOUNDS AND

NOISES MIXED WITH JUNGLE.

Wells tossing and turning on the cot having his fever dreams.

WELLS (V.O)

I spent the next few weeks in a

malarial haze. I should have been

dead. The workers stayed. Mike kept it

all going. And he kept me alive.

EXT. SMALL CREEK - DAY

Acosta in the rain, turns and sees something that stops him --

WELLS (V.O.)

Did he manage to enjoy himself a

little bit along the way..?

A BEAUTIFUL NATIVE GIRL stares at Acosta through the rain.

It’s like they know each other.

WELLS (V.O.

How should I know? I was delirious. I

do not recommend Malaria treated with

a bunch of leaves.

INT. MAIN TENT - DAY

Rain. And the sound of an IGNITING FLAME... FUMMM --! A BUTANE

FLAME. And Wells in and out of consciousness to find a BORETN

in their tent brewing a potion of herbs as Acosta watches.

WELLS:

What is that?

ACOSTA:

No idea. But they say it works.

WELLS:

They don’t have electricity. Or socks.

The Boretn brings a bamboo mug toward Wells.

ACOSTA:

Come on, get it down.

45.

Wells chokes down the remedy.

EXT. WASHOE SITE - VARIOUS - DAY

Limestone cliffs and mist. Drills spinning, biting into earth.

Clouds passing overhead. Men feeding pipe to the machine.

Wells drenched in sweat, looking like death --

ACOSTA and FOREMAN load CORE SAMPLES onto a boat.

DRILLS SPINNING, biting into the earth/WELLS TOSSING, TURNING,

drenched as the FEVER FINALLY BREAKS.

Obb brings another report. Acosta reads, betraying no emotion.

FEVER DREAM:
A RAFT FLOATING ON A GOLDEN RIVER... We’re

drifting toward it as it goes around a bend... SOMETHING on

it... a BODY.. FUNERAL BIER. Closer... closer... it’s WELLS -

INT. MAIN TENT - DAY

WELLS COMES TO -- surprised to be alive. Surprised it’s not

raining. Realizes Acosta is right there looking at him.

WELLS:

What day is it?

ACOSTA:

No idea.

WELLS:

Month?

ACOSTA:

August.

See this is a different month than Wells expected.

WELLS:

You been sitting here this whole time?

ACOSTA:

Let’s not get carried away.

Wells now realizes Acosta has an assay report.

WELLS:

You gonna talk, or what?

ACOSTA:

We pulled seventeen more cores.

He looks at Wells, unreadable.

45A.

WELLS:

What? What do they say? No good?

46.

ACOSTA:

Not good...

Wells falls back. Acosta stands, a completely different look

on his face, one of wonder -

ACOSTA (CONT’D)

More in the vicinity of great.

Wells looks up. A face that’s almost afraid to hope.

WELLS:

Don’t mess around, Mike.

ACOSTA:

Eighth of an ounce per ton.

Wells scans the reports, rising to his feet.

WELLS:

Eighth of an ounce per... WHAT!!??

Acosta smiles -- Wells is in shock.

ACOSTA:

We’ve got a strike, Kenny.

Wells smiles, laughs, screams!

WELLS:

We’ve got ourselves a gold mine!

ACOSTA:

That we do.

Wells struggles up to his feet and joins Acosta best he can in

jumping up and down.

WELLS:

WE GOT A GOLD MINE..! WE GOT A GOLD

MINE..!

CAMERA DRIFTS outside to meet Wells who appears through the

doorway as he YELLS TO THE HILLS -WELLS

(CONT’D)

WE GOT A GODDAMN GOLD MINE --!!!

Which ECHOES back to him from the cliffs -WELLS

ECHO:

WE GOT A GODDAMN GOLD MINE MINE MINE!!

SMASH TO:

47.

INT. THE THREE GREENHORNS BAR - NIGHT

POP!!! Gold-leafed bottles in buckets. Champagne sprays from

the bottle as Wells moves through the crowd at the bar,

filling everyone’s glasses.

WELLS (V.O)

That moment, there’s no way I could

possibly describe the feeling.

The regulars are all here, sharing in Wells's victory.

WELLS (V.O) (CONT’D)

It’s amazing how a little gold dust

can change everything. For better or

worse, the ride had begun. And what a

goddamn ride...

INT. THE THREE GREENHORNS BAR - LATER

The place is vibrating! MUSIC OVER. Wells is with Bobby Burns

and Connie and Nevins celebrating at the bar. Kay passing out

a round of drinks, the last one to Wells.

Kenny looks at Kay; Kay looks at Kenny, deep into each other,

a small moment of private understanding in passing that says

it all. Then he turns to his guys:

WELLS:

To the best team in the business!

CONNIE:

You’re a stand up guy, Kenny.

NEVINS:

To sharing the wealth.

WELLS:

To the mother lode!

They clink glasses and drink deeply, ”To the mother lode!”

INT./EXT. CADDY ELDORADO - SCENIC COUNTRY ROAD - DAY

Kenny and Kay driving into the hills on a perfect afternoon.

Fun and carefree, windows down, 70’s music on the radio.

KENNY:

Smell that? Smell that air? Mountain

air. It’s a tonic.

KAY:

Ah, so good. So good.

47A.

They’re singing along. Passing small family ranches.

KAY (CONT’D)

Remember I told you Janice got

promoted to run Truckee?

WELLS:

Mmm hmm. Good for her.

KAY:

Well, Carl asked me if I’d like to be

considered to take her place.

Assistant Manager position.

Outside the car as they go zipping past, music trailing, a

GHOST TOWN, faded signs and abandoned buildings... A dangling

sign reads, “MAGGIE’S CREEK... Pop -- “0” in spray paint.

WELLS:

That’s great, babe.

KAY:

Everything’s working out so great.

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