House of Cards Page #9

ZOE:

Uh-huh...uh-huh...

Her cell phone vibrates. She glances at it. “Unknown

Number.”

ZOE (CONT’D)

(into the land line)

Hold on.

She answers the cell phone.

ZOE (CONT’D)

Zoe Barnes.

After a beat she stiffens, suddenly alert.

53.

ZOE (CONT’D)

Yes, anywhere you want.

(listens)

On my way.

She ends the call.

ZOE (CONT’D)

(into the land line)

I’ll call you back.

She hastily grabs her purse and coat, heads for the elevator.

INT. NATIONAL GALLERY - DAY

Francis and Zoe sit side by side on a bench in front of a

Thomas Eakins painting. It depicts two rowers in a skull.

FRANCIS:

Do the math, Ms. Barnes.

ZOE:

He needs a bill...

FRANCIS:

Sponsored by?

ZOE:

Somebody with legitimacy...

Zoe thinks for a moment, then shakes her head.

ZOE (CONT’D)

But the person with the most

experience...

FRANCIS:

(finishing her thought)

Harold Blythe.

ZOE:

...is an old school tax and spend

Democrat. Walker ran as a

moderate. He’s almost Republican.

FRANCIS:

Exactly, which is why he needs me.

ZOE:

To steer the bill to the center.

54.

FRANCIS:

You were right about why Walker

kept me in Congress.

ZOE:

Do you think Blythe would talk to

me?

FRANCIS:

Be smarter than that. He can’t

speak to the press about this.

ZOE:

Maybe somebody in his office, if I

butter them up. All I need is a

few crumbs.

Francis flips open a brief case. Pulls out a bulky manila

envelop and places it in Zoe’s lap.

FRANCIS:

How about a five-course dinner?

She peeks inside the envelope.

ZOE:

Is this what I think it is?

Francis points to the painting.

FRANCIS:

I just love this painting, don’t

you?

Zoe looks up. TIGHT on the two rowers in the painting. Then

BACK TO the pair on the bench. Francis turns to Zoe.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

We’re in the same boat now, Zoe.

Take care not to tip it over. If

you do, I can only save one of us

from drowning.

INT. ZOE’S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON

Zoe in her cramped, hopelessly messy apartment. She’s

flipping through Blythe’s original draft. Making notes.

Utterly focused. She has something no one else on the planet

has. Her cell phone rings. She presses ignore without even

looking at the number. A moment later it rings again. She

presses ignore. Nothing is going to distract her.

55.

INT. BLAIR HOUSE - VASQUEZ’S OFFICE - DAY

Francis and Vasquez across a desk from one another.

VASQUEZ:

We need a passable bill.

FRANCIS:

And you’ll have one.

VASQUEZ:

Before the inauguration.

FRANCIS:

I didn’t choose Harold Blythe. You

did. And that’s fine. I had to

send him back to the starting

gates, but I can work with him.

You don’t have to micro-manage

this, Linda.

VASQUEZ:

The President-Elect is concerned.

FRANCIS:

He shouldn’t be. And you shouldn’t

either. You’re asking me to work a

miracle. I understand that. And I’m

telling you - I’ll work the

miracle.

VASQUEZ:

Alright, Frank...

FRANCIS:

I have a favor to ask, though.

Can you fit two more guests at our

table? For the Red and White Ball?

VASQUEZ:

Of course. I can make that happen.

INT. FRANCIS’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Francis shuts the door as Russo takes a seat.

FRANCIS:

Drink?

RUSSO:

Sure...what do you got?

56.

FRANCIS:

Whiskey. Bush Mills.

RUSSO:

If you’re offering.

As Francis pours him a drink.

FRANCIS:

How are things in the city of

brotherly love?

RUSSO:

We’re getting by.

FRANCIS:

Good, good.

Francis hands him the drink.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

So it seems you’ve been a

bit...irresponsible.

RUSSO:

What...?

FRANCIS:

Don’t play dumb with me Peter.

Save it for the House Ethics

Committee.

Russo freezes - a deer caught in headlights.

FRANCIS (CONT’D)

Drink up, you could use some

courage right now.

RUSSO:

You’re not having any?

FRANCIS:

It’s a bit early in the day for me.

Russo sets his drink down.

RUSSO:

Is this about last night?

Francis simply stares at him. A stare which says “yes.”

RUSSO (CONT’D)

How do you know about that?

57.

FRANCIS:

Because it’s my job to know.

RUSSO:

Look - they let me off. There’s no

charges. It’s all taken care of.

FRANCIS:

Honestly Peter, do you really think

these things take care of

themselves?

Russo suddenly realizes Francis was behind his release.

RUSSO:

It was just that once, Frank. I

swear to God.

FRANCIS:

Then you must hold God in very low

esteem, because we both know that’s

a lie. Drunk driving, prostitutes,

cocaine - you’ve got quite a long

list of hobbies. I’m surprised you

can find the time to represent your

constituents. What I should really

have done is hang you out to dry.

But then you’d be of no use to me,

would you?

RUSSO:

What is it that you want?

FRANCIS:

Your absolute, unquestioning

loyalty.

RUSSO:

(after a beat)

Anything. You name it, Frank.

FRANCIS:

Not now - but soon. There will be

no shortage of things you’ll be

able to do for me.

INT. WASHINGTON HERALD - NEWSROOM - AFTERNOON

Zoe makes a B-line for Lucas’s office. As she barges in...

LUCAS:

Where have you been? I’ve been

calling you.

(MORE)

58.

LUCAS (CONT'D)

Everybody’s working double-time on

the Inauguration and you decide to

just up and disapp -

She plops a large ream of paper on his desk. He picks it up,

starts to flip through.

LUCAS (CONT’D)

Where did you get this?

ZOE:

Wrong question. The right question

is how quickly can we get it up on

the site?

LUCAS:

This is page one. I have to run it

past Bob.

ZOE:

Then let’s run it past Bob.

INT. WASHINGTON HERALD - HAMMERSCHMIDT’S OFFICE - AFTERNOON

Hammerschmidt, Zoe and Lucas - serious sh*t going down.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

(to Lucas)

Get legal on this - make sure we’re

not breaking any laws. And I want

a litigation assessment.

(to Zoe)

You won’t tell me your source?

ZOE:

I can’t do that.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Fine. But if legal

ZOE:

I understand. How long do you

think that will take? We should

get this online right away.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

I’m not just going to scan a 600

page document and put it up before

we’ve gone through every --

ZOE:

I did that already.

59.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

You read the whole thing?

ZOE:

Cover to cover. I’ve got excerpts.

Analysis. Three thousand words

ready for editing.

Hammerschmidt glances at Lucas. They’re impressed.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

(to Lucas)

You start going over that. And

let’s get the online staff pitching

in, working on graphs, charts, the

whole nine yards.

(opens door, calls out)

Janine!

(to Zoe)

What’s the angle, five words or

less?

ZOE:

Far left of center.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

How far?

ZOE:

Very.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Enough to put Walker on his heels?

ZOE:

Forget his heels. This will put

him on his ass.

Janine enters. She doesn’t see Zoe in the corner.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

(to Janine)

We’ve got a draft of the

administration’s Education Bill.

You’re going to work with Zoe, do

background copy.

JANINE:

(incredulous)

Zoe Barnes?

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