Nick of Time Page #7

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GENE looks at a poster, at MR. SMITH, who smiles, nods and

gives GENE a move of the head - "Get to it."

GENE shoves the photograph away as if it could incriminate

him, then slides out the itinerary.

The itinerary says "California Educators' Association - 12:00

noon - Emerald Bay Room - Opening Address - Governor Eleanor

Samara Grant".

GENE checks his watch.

12:
26.

He looks around him at the confusion and spots a Bellboy,

GUSTINO, who's cleaning out ashtrays.

GENE:

Could you tell me where the Emerald

Bay Room is?

GUSTINO points up.

GUSTINO:

Third floor. Yellow stairwell. Follow

the signs.

GENE turns away without a word, starts to walk, then turns

back.

GENE:

Oh, thanks. Thanks a lot.

GUSTINO smiles.

GUSTINO:

No problem.

INT. BONAVENTURE HOTEL - "YELLOW STAIRWELL" - DAY - 12:26PM

GENE mounts a set of stairs that will take him to the third

floor. MR. SMITH follows him as he climbs.

INT. "YELLOW STAIRWELL" - DAY - 12:2 6PM

The whole lobby and entrance of the hotel are seen as Gene

ascends.

GENE forces himself not to look at MR. SMITH behind him. His

nerves are rising in anticipation of his destination.

INT. THIRD FLOOR - DAY - 12:26PM

GENE sees the arrow and sign for the Emerald Bay Room. He

walks that way. MR. SMITH follows.

INT. THIRD FLOOR - SHOP ARCADE AREA - DAY - 12:27PM

GENE and MR. SMITH pass gift shops, snack bars. The walkway

is crowded and GENE is going against the tide of REPORTERS,

POLITICIANS, SUPPORTERS, and just a lot of PEOPLE WITH NAME

TAGS.

GENE plows on through...

...and runs smack into BRENDAN GRANT.

BRENDAN GRANT:

(laughs)

Whoops!

The two men reel back from each other. A SECURITY MAN,

earphones and gray suit, steps immediately between them.

BRENDAN GRANT is a charmingly smooth man.

BRENDAN GRANT:

Nice body check.

He continues on, talking to an ATTRACTIVE WCMAN COMPANION.

BRENDAN GRANT What the Governor really admires, Mrs. Wentzel,

and Eleanor has said this to me on more than one occasion,

are pecple like you who take a personal tragedy and turn it

into a positive force.

He slides a familiar hand around her waist.

BRENDAN GRANT:

You know my wife has a deeply personal

reason for going after repeat drunk

drivers. They are felons and they

should be treated as such. A drivers

license is a privilege, not a right.

And he is hustled away. Right past an election poster

featuring him and Governor Grant.

Still stunned by the encounter, GENE turns back and watches

the Governor's husband, but keeps walking.

INT. EMERALD BAY ROOM - DAY - 12:28PM

It is emptying, that's where the crowd came from. GENE comes

in.

A WOMAN is heading for the door with a centerpiece she's

just copped.

GENE:

Excuse me, is the...thing over?

WOMAN:

Yes. You didn't miss much. The

food...chicken again.

GENE:

Eleanor Grant is gone?

WOMAN:

Yes. Nice speech. But it's the same

at all these...

But GENE has turned away. The WOMAN gives him a face, grabs

another centerpiece and exits. A CLEAN-UP CREW is starting

to go through the room. GENE leans against a wall, breathing

through a combination of relief and agony.

MR. SMITH is suddenly next to him.

MR. SMITH

Check your itinerary. Move along.

GENE gets out the itinerary. "12:30 - 12:45 - Hors d'oeuvres/

Buffet w/Friends of Eleanor Samara Grant - INVITATION ONLY -

Bona Vista Lounge".

GENE:

This says "invitation only".

MR. SMITH

Of course you're invited. You're a

big donor to the campaign. They love

you.

MR SMITH digs into the manila envelope, comes out with a

handful of security badges, name tags, invites. He plucks

the name tag that MS JONES printed earlier. It has a red

ribbon signifying a Major Donor to the Campaign. He fastens

it to Gene's lapel.

MR. SMITH

This'11 get you in anywhere. Red

Elevator. Thirty-fifth floor.

GENE:

Where did you get these? Who are

you?

MR. SMITH

I'm the guy who's going to kill your

daughter if you don't get moving.

INT. LOBBY ENTRANCE TO THE "RED" ELEVATOR - DAY - 12:28PM

GENE approaches. He notices a flurry of movement, a small

GROUP OF PEOPLE moving determinedly through the lobby. It is

GOVERNOR ELEANOR GRANT with a small entourage! She is a

handsome woman in her fifties. The entourage consists of

KRISTA BROOKS, Eleanor's, late-twenties assistant, a few

assorted POLITICAL AIDES and a couple of PEOPLE WITH NAME

TAGS. GENE is not sure what to do. The group reaches the

elevator. KRISTA pushes the button.

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