The Game Page #11

Nicholas' cab pulls up at the closed restaurant, behind the

Bentley. A restaurant VALET sweeps the sidewalk, waves to

greet as Nicholas gets out of the cab.

CUT TO:

INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, MASTER BEDROOM -- NIGHT

Nicholas comes from the bathroom, just showered. He looks

at CNN on TV. He walks to change channels: infommercials,

B+W movies, cartoons. BUGS BUNNY. Nicholas leaves Bugs

Bunny on, steps back, watching.

He sits on the bed.

CUT TO:

INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, MASTER BEDROOM -- DAY

Nicholas sleeps. Cordless PHONE RINGING. He stirs,

awakens, face creased, hair mussed.

NICHOLAS:

(in phone, voice cracks)

Hel... hello?

MARIA (v.o.)

(from phone)

Mr. Van Orton, it's Maria. I... I

wasn't sure I should call...

NICHOLAS:

(in phone)

What time is it?

Nicholas studies his CLOCK RADIO: 11:05. He picks it up and

examines it, suspicious.

MARIA (v.o.)

(from phone)

Eleven o'clock. I took the liberty

of rescheduling your nine a.m. with

Allison and Dietrich. Are you... not

not feeling well?

NICHOLAS:

I'll be in in an hour. I left my

briefcase at fifteen-thirty-three

Montgomery. Check with their lost

and found.

MARIA (v.o.)

Alan Baer's in town, at the

Ritz-Carlton.

NICHOLAS:

Really?

MARIA (v.o.)

He's requesting dinner tonight.

NICHOLAS:

We'll let him know.

MARIA (v.o.)

Also, the Claremont Hotel called to

say they have your American Express

card at the front desk. You left it

last night?

Nicholas is confused. He crosses with the phone, finds and

studies his wallet. He fingers an empty plastic pocket.

MARIA (v.o.)

Should I send someone... ?

NICHOLAS:

No. Give me their number.

MARIA (v.o.)

Eight, four, three, three-thousand.

NICHOLAS:

See you in awhile. Goodbye.

Nicholas hangs up, dials.

HOTEL MANAGER (v.o.)

(from phone)

Claremont Resort and Spa.

NICHOLAS:

(into phone)

This is Nicholas Van Orton. I'm told

my American Express card...

HOTEL MANAGER (v.o.)

(from phone)

Yes, Mister Van Orton. Everything's

in order. The concierge has arranged

for the wine and flowers in the room.

NICHOLAS:

Has he?

HOTEL MANAGER (v.o.)

And, a young woman phoned just now to

say she's on route but running a

little late.

NICHOLAS:

(pause)

Did this young woman leave her name?

HOTEL MANAGER (v.o.)

I'm sure I don't know.

NICHOLAS:

Thank you.

Nichola hangs up, interest piqued.

CUT TO:

EXT. BAY BRIDGE -- DAY

Nicholas drives the Bentley. PREVIOUS CONVERSATION:

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR (v.o.)

There's no answer. Would you like

his voice mail?

NICHOLAS (v.o.)

Tell him his brother called, and to

call back soon as he can.

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR (v.o.)

Yes, sir.

CELLULAR DISCONNECT. Nicholas looks in his rearview mirror.

THRU MIRROR:
a grimy BLACK SEDAN follows... keeps distance.

EXT. CLAREMONT HOTEL -- DAY

Grand hotel. Nicholas lelaves his car with the valet.

INT. CLAREMONT HOTEL, LOBBY -- DAY

At the GLASS DOORS, Nicholas pushes thru. A THIN MAN in a

plain suit isn't looking, BUMPS Nicholas.

THIN MAN:

Sorry. My fault.

Thin Man exits. Nicholas crosses the opulent lobby to the

desk. The grinning HOTEL MANAGER spots him coming.

HOTEL MANAGER:

Ah, Mr. Van Orton. Here you go...

NICHOLAS:

Have we met?

He hands over Nicholas' AMEX CARD, which Nicholas studies.

HOTEL MANAGER:

I believe so. If you would jsut sign

here...

The manager offers a CHARGE SLIP and pen. Nicholas looks at

the manager, the slip, then signs. The manager hits a BELL.

A BELLHOP arrives.

HOTEL MANAGER:

Show Mr. Van Orton to his room.

NICHOLAS:

The key?

HOTEL MANAGER:

Hm?

NICHOLAS:

Is there a room key?

HOTEL MANAGER:

Didn't I give you two?

NICHOLAS:

No, you didn't...

Nicholas shakes his head and pats his pockets, stops,

feeling one pocket... reachse in and takes out a GOLD KEY on

a hotel key chain. Nicholas looks to the GLASS DOORS.

NICHOLAS:

Cute.

INT. CLAREMONT HOTEL, HALL -- DAY

Long hallway. Nicholas follows the Bellhop. They arrive at

the door to ROOM 277.

NICHOLAS:

I'll take it from here.

He tips the Bellhop, who leaves, uses the key, entering...

INT. CLAREMONT HOTEL, ROOM 277 -- DAY

Nicholas shuts the door. There's a room-service cart with

wine chilling. Nicholas moves down this short hall...

NICHOLAS:

Hello... ?

His jaw drops. The room is TRASHED. Curtains shredded,

furniture overturned, television imploded, mirror

spiderweb-smashed, walls full of holes.

Nicholas moves forward, having spotted...

His battered BRIEFCASE on the ruined mattress.

The latch is undone. Nicholas opens it.

Inside:
MANY PHOTOGRAPHS of blurry SEX acts. Bodies in

motion. Limbs. Breasts. A NAKED WOMAN tied to the bed.

One PHOTO shows two women entwined with a NAKED MAN who

appear to be NICHOLAS. It's a so-so cut-and-paste job.

A LOUD KNOCKING at the door startles Nicholas. He closes

the briefcase, freaked.

He hurries to the door as POUNDING is HEARD again, puts his

eye to the peephole.

THRU THE PEEPHOLE: a MAIN gets out her keys.

MAID:

(thru door)

Time to make up the room.

Nicholas fumbles with the SECURITY CHAIN, slides it in place

as the door opens -- stopped. Nicholas keeps hidden.

NICHOLAS:

Could you come back later?

MAID:

Yes, sir. Sorry.

THRU THE PEEPHOLE: the maid moves away.

Nicholas crosses to retrieve his briefcase, and is crossing

back when he stops in his tracks upon seeing...

On a dresser, a MIRROR covered in COCAINE lines and residue.

IN THE BATHROOM:

Nicholas turns on the faucet, washing the cocaine down the

sink, hands shaking. The mirror edge cuts his thumb and he

gives a cry, drops the mirror, which SHATTERS on the floor.

Nicholas sucks his thumb, puts it under the faucet. He

finds a hand cloth and wraps it round his thumb.

There are big blood droplets on the sink and floor.

Nicholas grabs wads of tissues from a box on the back of the

toilet, using them to blot up the blood, throwing tissues in

the toilet and flushing.

Nicholas keeps wiping blood. The toilet burps, OVERFLOWING.

WATER SPILLS OUT...

Nicholas backs away, panicked, exiting...

INT. CLAREMONT HOTEL, HALL -- DAY

Nicholas looks out from Room 277. He sees a MAID CART,

HEARS an O.S. VACUUM CLEANER. He run-walks down the hall,

hugging his briefcase. He pushes thru a STAIRWELL DOOR.

EXT. CLAREMONT HOTEL -- DAY

Nicholas takes his Bentley back from the valet, pulling out

fast to the street. Further back, the grimy BLACK SEDAN

moves from the curb.

INT. NICHOLAS' BENTLEY -- DAY

Nicholas' mind races. He wipes sweat off his face.

He glances in his rearview...

THRU MIRROR:
the black sedan, following again.

Resolve comes to Nicholas, and anger. He speeds up.

EXT. BERKELEY STREETS -- DAY

The Bentley weaves thru traffic, taking a corner sharp.

Nicholas spins the wheel, heading...

DOWN AN ALLEYWAY

Nicholas brakes hard, gets out of the Bentley and heads for

the mouth of the alley...

As the black sedan follows, blocked, stopping. Nicholas

comes to pull open the car door, confronting the rumpled,

PLUMP GUY behind the wheel.

PLUMP GUY:

What the f***... ?!

NICHOLAS:

Why are you following me?

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