The Game Page #23

Nicholas stands motionless for the longest time. Calm.

Nicholas moves forward... a goal in mind...

Christine turns, sees...

Nicholas comes to the edge of the SKYLIGHT...

Christine screams...

Nicholas leaps...

INT. C.R.S. BUILDING -- NIGHT

Nicholas CRASHES thru the SKYLIGHT, FALLING...

SPARKLING SHARDS surround him like stars as he PLUMMETS...

The WORLD BELOW is PITCH DARK. Nicholas turns in the air,

head thrown back, closing his eyes...

FLASHBACK/GRAINY HOME MOVIES -- FLASH FRAMES

QUICK IMAGES:
the CLOWN, CHRISTINE'S FACE, NICHOLAS and

CONRAD as children, Nicholas' FATHER striking the ground...

IMAGES so RAPID they're hard to process.

BACK TO SCENE:

As Nicholas falls...

FALLING forever...

He lets out a CRY as the end rushes closer...

BRILLIANT LIGHT suddenly illuminates him. Nicholas throws

his eyes open, gasping in the brightness...

LIGHTS come on from all sides to show NICHOLAS' IMPACT as he

lands on his back, arms outstretched, SWALLOWED by an

ENORMOUS INFLATED LIFESAVING CUSHION that covers the entire

floor of the atrium...

AIR is HEARD RUSHING. Nicholas sinks, coming to rest as the

cushion DEFLATES. Harmless bits of BREAKAWAY GLASS shower

down. He doesn't move...

He can't comprehend. Motionless.

DOORS are HEARD OPENING. FOOTSTEPS RUSHING FORWARD.

VARIOUS VOICES (o.s.)

... let's go! ... make sure he's

alright... see if he's okay...

STUNT COORDINATORS come from all directions, in C.R.S.

jumpsuits, wading thru the flowing cushion, coming to help

Nicholas up, asking if he's okay. Nicholas just blinks at

them, quaking, lips trembling...

He's led out of the cushion, barely standing, sees...

Conrad runs from the elevators, covered in blood but very

much alive, smiling...

Conrad reaches Nicholas, throwing his arms around him,

giving him a long kiss, laughing...

CONRAD:

Happy Birthday, Nickie. Happy

f***ing Birthday...

Conrad embraces him again, knocks him back into the cushion.

Nicholas is still not all there, pulling away...

NICHOLAS:

Get... get off. Get off me!!

You... you...

Nicholas shoves free, staring at Conrad, looking up, looking

back at Conrad, looking all around, terrified, near tears...

Emotion overwhelms Nicholas. He laughs and cries at once,

takes Conrad in him arms, holding tight, hands balled into

fists, clinging gratefully.

ACROSS THE ATRIUM, DOORS OPEN and people flow out, cheering:

Sutherland, Ilsa and Elizabeth at front, looking unsure,

forcing smiles, led by C.R.S. ESCORTS. And behind, DOZENS

and DOZENS of C.R.S. WORKERS, ASSISTANTS and TECHNICIANS.

At the bank of ELEVATORS, DING, DING, DING... DOORS OPEN and

the CAST OF CHARACTERS EMERGES, Feingold leading, holding

Christine's hand, everyone elated and shouting victoriously.

The crowd encircles Conrad and Nicholas as they climb back

out of the cushion. HUNDREDS of WELL-WISHERS gathering...

Conrad climbs a few stairs, pulls Nicholas along, motions...

CONRAD:

Ladies and gentlemen...

(pause)

My big brother... Nicholas Van Orton!

He had it all, and now he has it all

back!

THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE. Nicholas looks out over them, flush,

awed, unable to catch his breath.

CUT TO:

INT. C.R.S. BUILDING, ATRIUM/LOBBY -- TIME CUT -� NIGHT

LOUD MUSIC. COCKTAIL PARTY IN PROGRESS. A huge CAKE is

being cut. Tables surround a PACKED dance floor area where

Feingold dances crazily. Everyone's drinking, eating...

IN THE CROWD, FIND: Nicholas stands with a bottle of

champagne in hand, watching Ilsa embrace Conrad.

ILSA:

I hope we'll be seeing more of you.

CONRAD:

Count on it.

Ilsa reaches to straighten Conrad's hair. She regards

Nicholas with affection, kisses his cheek.

ILSA:

Goodnight. See you home.

NICHOLAS:

Goodnight.

(watches her go, to Conrad)

Where was she?

CONRAD:

In a hotel. Ordering room service

and watching pay-per-view. She was a

real sport.

BUSINESSMAN 1 and HEAVY MAN come thru the crowd to Nicholas.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Hey, congratulations! You did

great... really kicked ass...

HEAVY MAN:

Amazing, just wanted to tell you...

Nicholas thanks them, shaking hands as they move on.

NICHOLAS:

(to Conrad)

You know... how'd you manage the gun?

I mean...

CONRAD:

Baby, they were all over the house

with metal detectors. They switched

your gun with a look-alike, rigged

barrel, loaded with blanks. Pop-gun.

MAN'S VOICE (o.s.)

(from behind)

Mister Van Orton... ?

Nicholas and Conrad both turn to face a C.R.S. ACCOUNTANT, a

nebbish who holds a CLIPBOARD and gives an amused look.

ACCOUNTANT:

Conrad Van Orton.

CONRAD:

Yeah... ?

Conrad steps aside with the accountant. Nicholas takes a

swig off his champagne, nods in response to C.R.S. WORKERS

who slap his back as the pass.

Nicholas realizes something, begins searching the crowd as

Elizabeth arrives with HUSBAND and DAUGHTER hand in hand.

ELIZABETH:

We have to head out... just wanted to

say goodbye.

NICHOLAS:

You're going? Well, thanks again.

(to DAUGHTER)

Good to see you, Rachel...

(shakes HUSBAND'S hand)

Thanks for coming, Mel. I'll get

your car back. Right now it's, uh...

at the zoo. Sorry.

ELIZABETH:

Happy Birthday, Nicholas.

NICHOLAS:

I'll call. I really will.

ELIZABETH:

I know.

She kisses his cheek. Nicholas waves as they go...

NICHOLAS:

Bye guys.

Nicholas looks around, still searching. He walks, receiving

more random congratulations, heading to a table where

Sutherland sits puffing a cigar. Nicholas sits.

SUTHERLAND:

Bravo, young man. you have to tell

me what this was all about sometime.

(blows cigar smoke)

I want you to know... when it looked

there for awhile like you were going

slowly insane... I was fully

prepared to have you committed to the

finest mental-health facility

available. I mean that sincerely,

don't thank me.

NICHOLAS:

You warm my heart.

Sutherland smiles, raises his glass. Conrad deposits

himself in a seat, holding an inch-and-a-half thick stack of

COMPUTER PAPER, studies the last sheet, thumbs the pages.

NICHOLAS:

What?

CONRAD:

This... ? Oh, this is just... this

is the bill.

Conrad tries to laugh, daunted.

NICHOLAS:

Really?

CONRAD:

(none too happy)

Yeah.

NICHOLAS:

Split it?

CONRAD:

Oh, God yes please. Thanks, man.

I'll take you up on that.

NICHOLAS:

(leans forward)

Where's Christine?

(off Conrad's look)

The waitress.

CONRAD:

Yeah, yeah. She called a cab.

Said something about catching a plane.

NICHOLAS:

Did she?

Nicholas looks around.

EXT. C.R.S. BUILDING -- NIGHT

Nicholas comes out of the building to the street, hurrying

without wanting to appear hurried, looks both ways. Down

the block, a TAXI arrives. Christine's getting in.

Nicholas runs to catch it...

NICHOLAS:

Excuse me... Christine... !

She looks out, waiting with the door open.

NICHOLAS:

Hi. Didn't get a chance to say

goodbye.

CHRISTINE:

That's my fault. I get too worked up

at these. I'm very method. You do

know... that's not my name.

NICHOLAS:

I didn't know what else to call you.

CHRISTINE:

Claire.

NICHOLAS:

Claire. Pleased to meet you.

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