The Game Page #10

Nicholas and Christine scramble back to the top.

All the dogs hop up and down, snapping. They gnash at each

other and bark at each other, frenzied.

Nicholas and Christine have no choice but to hang, stranded.

CHRISTINE:

Now what?

Nicholas looks up, daunted. He spots something...

There's a place where the fence runs under a FIRE ESCAPE.

NICHOLAS:

Follow me...

Nicholas gets a toe-hold, shifts his elbows, grunting,

beginning the herky lateral climb toward the fire escape.

Christine follows his example.

Slow going. DOGS BARKING NON-STOP, nipping at their heels.

CHRISTINE:

Shut up, you stupid, f***ing dogs!!

BARKING AND BARKING AND BARKING.

CHRISTINE:

What are they guarding around here?

Each other?

Nicholas slips, keeps grip, but loses a SHOE...

The dogs catch the shoe in their jaws, fighting for it.

Nicholas watches the shoe get torn to pieces, keeps moving.

NICHOLAS:

There goes a thousand dollars.

CHRISTINE:

Your shoes cost a thousand dollars?

NICHOLAS:

That one did.

CHRISTINE:

(to herself)

... two hundred dollars a toe.

Nicholas reaches the fire escape, balancing precariously to

reach it. He climbs gracelessly up...

He helps Christine after him, bringing her on board. They

lean against the rail, exhausted. Nicholas looks to the

multi-leveled ladders above.

NICHOLAS:

Let me guess. Me first?

He climbs. Christine looks down at the dogs, stupefied,

looks up at Nicholas on the CREAKING rusty fire escape.

CHRISTINE:

(to herself)

This is getting out of hand.

As she starts up.

CUT TO:

EXT. GARBAGE ALLEY -- NIGHT

ABANDONED BUILDING. Boarded-over windows are kicked open

from inside. Nicholas and Christine look out.

They climb out onto ANOTHER FIRE ESCAPE, two stories up

above a trash filled, dumpster crowded alley.

CHRISTINE:

Never did catch your name.

NICHOLAS:

Nicholas. Nicholas Van Orton.

CHRISTINE:

Nicholas Van Orton? What are you,

a czar?

Nicholas moves to the catch of the fire escape ladder,

unhooks it. The LADDER DROPS to bridge the gap to the

ground, KEEPS GOING, sliding free and disconnecting -- falls

flat to the ground below with a LOUD, ECHOING CLATTER.

CHRISTINE:

(pause)

That's classic.

NICHOLAS:

(staring down, misery)

Why... ?

Christine crosses to the far edge of the railing, points.

CHRISTINE:

We hang down here and drop. The

garbage'll break our fall.

NICHOLAS:

I think not.

Christine climbs over the fire escape railing...

CHRISTINE:

Afraid you're going to ruin your

one-legged suit?

She lowers herself down, hanging off, legs dangling...

NICHOLAS:

Be careful...

A metal DOOR is THROWN OPEN below. TWO THAI BUS-BOYS come

out, dumping garbage, smoking cigarettes, laughing.

Above, Christine looks up at Nicholas, mortified. She nods

urgently for him to help her back up. Nicholas climbs the

rail, beside her, trying to get a grip, none too effective.

Below, one bus-boy looks up, shouting. The other bus-boy

looks. They back away, SPEAKING RAPID THAI, pointing.

CHRISTINE:

What are they... ?

(realizing)

Hey!

Christine lets go with one hand, trying to pull her skirt

shut. Nicholas loses hold, drops her...

Christine lands hard in garbage.

NICHOLAS:

Are you okay... ?!

Nicholas drops, alarmed... lands in broken plastic bags of

wet garbage, slipping as he moves to Christine. Bus-boys

are helping her up.

CHRISTINE:

I'm okay... I'm okay, thank you...

Bus-boys keep questioning in Thai. Nicholas and Christine

brush off. Nicholas takes off his spewed jacket, shakes it

in disgust, straightens his tie. They stop...

At the doorway, all the COOKS, BUS-BOYS, WAITERS and

DISH-WASHERS stare at Nicholas and Christine in wonder.

Nicholas and Christine stare back. Nicholas looks to

Christine, brushing rotten lettuce off her shoulder, nods to

the restaurant workers, clears his throat.

NICHOLAS:

Table for two, please.

He offers his arm to Christine, she takes it, they head in.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY STREETS -- NIGHT

ONE CONTINUOUS LONG SHOT: Nicholas and Christine walk,

taking their time, eating out of take-out boxes.

CHRISTINE:

Where are we going?

NICHOLAS:

(points at skyline)

That tall, bright building. Near

there.

They walk a long time in silence. A POLICE CAR moves from

behind. POLICEMAN shines a flashlight up and down Nicholas.

POLICEMAN:

Everything okay, miss?

CHRISTINE:

Yeah. How are you?

The police car keeps pace, then drives on.

CUT TO:

INT. NICHOLAS' OFFICE -- NIGHT

Nicholas enters, turning on lights, which dim to a warm

glow. Christine takes in the impressive office. Nicholas

crosses to a wall, opens a hidden closet, chooses a shirt.

NICHOLAS:

There's a shower, if you'd like.

Christine leans to peek in the bathroom.

CHRISTINE:

A shower in your office? You an

athlete or something?

Nicholas puts on a new shirt.

Christine circles the desk, runs her fingers down his phone.

CHRISTINE:

What exactly do you do?

NICHOLAS:

Investment banking. Moving money

from place to place.

Christine has wandered to the closed blinds, opening them to

reveal a breathtaking view of the city.

CHRISTINE:

Nice.

NICHOLAS:

Hm?

(looks)

Oh, yes.

Nicholas takes out a SWEATSHIRT and offers it.

NICHOLAS:

A fresh shirt...

CHRISTINE:

(takes shirt, crossing)

If this was my office, I wouldn't

keep that closed.

NICHOLAS:

I don't spend much time looking out

the window.

(goes to desk)

I'll call you a taxi.

Christine faces away, throws off her filthy shirt...

Nicholas, on the phone, looks to Christine's shapely back

and RED BRA. He averts his eyes, embarrassed...

NICHOLAS:

Oh! Uh...

Christine puts on the PENN STATE sweatshirt, straightens it.

CHRISTINE:

Thanks.

Nicholas nods, phone to his ear.

CUT TO:

EXT. VAN ORTON BUILDING -- NIGHT

TWO CABS. Nicholas opens the door of the first for

Christine. She faces him, close.

NICHOLAS:

I know the owner of Campton Place. I

could talk to him in the morning.

CHRISTINE:

Don't. It was a shitty job anyway.

I overreacted.

Christine sits, keeps her legs out the door of the cab.

Nicholas stands waiting for her to pull her legs in.

NICHOLAS:

Goodnight.

CHRISTINE:

I don't think I've ever spent this

much time with someone who didn't

even ask my name.

NICHOLAS:

The maitre d' called you Christine.

CHRISTINE:

(remembering)

Right. Call me Christy.

NICHOLAS:

Goodnight, Christy. It was nice

meeting you.

CHRISTINE:

Give me an address so I can send your

shirt back.

NICHOLAS:

Keep it.

She looks up at Nicholas, sits inside. He shuts the door

and steps back. Christine rolls her window down.

CHRISTINE:

I have a confession to make. Someone

gave me six-hundred dollars to spill

drinks on you, as a practical joke.

NICHOLAS:

Seriously? What did they say?

CHRISTINE:

They said five hundred. I said six.

They said the man in the gray

flannel suit. I think I said, you

mean the attractive guy in the gray

flannel suit?

Christine smiles, rolls up the window. The taxi leaves.

Nicholas watches it go. A twinge of regret.

EXT. CAMPTON PLACE RESTAURANT -- LATER NIGHT

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