House of Cards Page #10

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

That’s right. Whatever she needs.

60.

Hammerschmidt nods in Zoe’s direction. Janine sees Zoe for

the first time.

JANINE:

(as if it’s disgusting)

Share a byline with her?

HAMMERSCMIDT:

No sharing. The byline is Zoe’s.

JANINE:

But she’s Metro. I’m your chief

political correspondent...

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Then you should’ve brought in the

story yourself.

(to Lucas)

Zoe gets the byline. Janine gets

assisted credit.

JANINE:

Assisted? Come on. You can’t

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Go. We’ve got 18 hours before

tomorrow’s print deadline.

Janine glares at Zoe.

ZOE:

(to Janine, triumphant)

I’ll see you at my desk.

Zoe walks out. Janine reluctantly follows.

EXT. THE MALL - MORNING

A WIDE PAN of massive crowds gathered for the Inauguration

Ceremony on a crystal clear, January morning.

FRANCIS (V.O.)

Power is like real estate. It’s

all about location, location,

location.

CUT TO the rostrum on the Capitol steps. Walker has his hand

raised as CHIEF JUSTICE conducts the oath of office.

FRANCIS (V.O.)

The closer you are to the source,

the higher your property value.

61.

We ZOOM IN on Francis and Claire sitting in the first row

behind the lectern.

FRANCIS (V.O.)

A hundred years from now, when

people watch this footage, who will

they see smiling just at the edge

of the frame?

Francis gives a little wave to the camera.

CHIEF JUSTICE:

So help you God.

WALKER:

So help me God.

EXT. THE ROSTRUM - TEN MINUTES LATER

TIGHT on Walker in the midst of his Inaugural Address.

WALKER:

...Today is not simply about the

next four years. It’s about the

next four decades. You’ve placed

your faith in me, and I, in turn,

choose to place that faith in our

children. Our children are the key

to this nation’s future, and that’s

why the first order of business for

this administration will be a

comprehensive Education Reform Bill

to properly fix, finance and

strengthen our nation’s schools.

Huge cheers from the audience. QUICK CUT TO Francis,

clapping vigorously, staring right at us.

INT. RED AND WHITE BALL - NIGHT

A huge reception hall decorated to the hilt. The mood is

festive. Francis and Claire are seated next to Charles and

Felicity Holburn at the Vice-President’s table.

FELICITY:

(leaning into Claire)

It was so nice of you to make this

possible. When you called and

CLAIRE:

Not another word.

62.

SHIFT TO Secretary of State nominee Michael Kern.

KERN:

...”Your dog must be a genius,” the

guy says. “Nah,” says the other

guy, “He’s pretty stupid. Every

time he’s got a good hand he sniffs

his ass.”

Everyone at the table laughs at the punch line, Kern most of

all. Francis forces a laugh. Claire leans into Francis.

CLAIRE:

Go do your thing.

He squeezes her hand. Gets up.

CUT TO Blythe standing awkwardly alone eating a crab cake at

the hors d’oeuvres table. Francis approaches.

FRANCIS:

Maestro, I’ve been looking all over

for you.

Blythe fumbles with the crab cake, accidently spilling it on

his lapel.

BLYTHE:

Sh*t.

In an instant Francis has grabbed a napkin and begins dabbing

the stain.

BLYTHE (CONT’D)

Oh thanks...

FRANCIS:

Truly outstanding work on the new

draft. You’re going to make history

with that bill Harry.

BLYTHE:

Thanks for all your help Frank.

Couldn’t have done it without you.

Out of the corner of his eye, Francis spots Catherine Durant

near the dance floor.

FRANCIS:

Catherine!

(to Blythe)

Excuse me Harry.

And Francis glides over to Catherine.

63.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

Don’t you look stunning.

DURANT:

We Southern girls clean up well

when you get us out of the trailer

park and into some Vera Wang.

FRANCIS:

And we Southern boys may be slow

with our words, but we’re fast on

our feet.

He half bows, takes her hand and kisses it.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

May I have the honor?

DURANT:

You most certainly may.

He leads her onto the dance floor and they waltz beautifully.

EXT. PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE - EARLY MORNING

The streets are empty. Sanitation workers sweep up the

ticker tape from the previous day’s celebration. Police

crews load barricades into flatbed trucks.

EXT. FREDDY’S BBQ JOINT - EARLY MORNING

It’s a bitterly cold, bright sunny day. Francis arrives at

the restaurant with a newspaper tucked under his arm. FREDDY

-the husky African American proprietor - sees him

approaching and opens the door for him.

FREDDY:

Mornin’ Frank.

FRANCIS:

Morning Freddy. How are you?

FREDDY:

Can’t kick. Come on in.

FRANCIS:

Actually, would you mind setting up

a table for me outside?

FREDDY:

Outside? It’s freezing.

64.

FRANCIS:

I’ll be fine. A little cold never

hurt anyone.

Freddy nods and heads inside. Francis turns to the camera.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

My one guilty pleasure is a good

racks of ribs. Even at 7:30 in the

morning. I have the whole place to

myself. Freddy opens up just for

me...

CUT TO:

Francis at a table, breath condensing in the cold air.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

Where I grew up in South Carolina

nobody had two pennies to rub

together. A rack of ribs was a

luxury, like Christmas in July.

I’ve had a weakness for them ever

since.

Freddy comes outside with a steaming plate of ribs. Places

them before Francis. Before digging in, Francis glances at

the newspaper he brought with him.

Zoe’s breaking story, detailing the contents of the leaked

Education Bill, occupies a huge swath of the front page. The

headline reads:

EDUCATION BILL FAR LEFT OF CENTER

We PAN DOWN to see Zoe’s byline in bold above the article.

QUICK MONTAGE:

-- Blythe in his office staring at the article on his

computer. Complete horror.

-- Vasquez in the back of an SUV scrolling through her

blackberry in even more horror.

-- Zoe, Lucas and Hammerschmidt gathered around a computer

where a TECH GUY is monitoring a graph.

TECH GUY:

The web traffic is crazy.

-- Janine watching Zoe, Hammer and Lucas from a distance,

eyes narrowed - jealous.

65.

-- A COP CAR with its lights flashing beside a dented BLUE

TOYOTA CAMRY - the same car that hit the dog in the opening

scene. Two COPS cuffing the mangy 20 year-old CULPRIT.

EXT. FREDDY’S BBQ JOINT - MORNING

Francis’ plate is empty. He wipes his hands and dabs his

mouth with a napkin. Freddy starts to clear Francis’s plate.

FREDDY:

You want seconds?

FRANCIS:

I better not.

Freddy starts off. Scarcely a moment later...

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

Actually, yes. I’m feeling hungry

today.

Freddy goes inside. Francis stares right at us, piercingly.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

(to the camera)

There are two kinds of pain, but

only one kind of pleasure - total,

unstoppable, undeniable victory.

(leans toward us)

The minister was wrong about

defeat. I wasn’t put on this planet

to endure. I was put on this

planet to win.

He closes his eyes again and leans back. Basks in the sun

and exhales a long, deep breath into the cold air.

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