The Game Page #5

BUSINESSMAN 2

The eternal question.

BUSINESSMAN 1

(to Nicholas)

I envy you. I wish I could go back

and do it for the first time all over

again...

He raises his glass. They toast.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Here's to... new experiences.

(gulps drink)

If you'll excuse me, I've got to be

going. 'Night, Jon... Nicholas.

He leaves. Nicholas focuses on Businessman 2.

NICHOLAS:

Did you play recently?

BUSINESSMAN 2

Hm? No, about a year ago. I was

working out of Los Angeles.

NICHOLAS:

(nodding)

I've heard good things about their

London branch.

(leans in)

You have to admit, it sounds like

some fantasy, role-playing nonsense.

BUSINESSMAN 2

You want to know what it is? What

it's all about?

(off Nicholas' nod)

John. Chapter nine. Verse

twenty-five.

NICHOLAS:

I, uh... haven't been to Sunday

school in years...

BUSINESSMAN 2

"Whereas once I was blind, now I can

see."

(rises)

Night, Nick. Best of luck.

Businessman 2 puffs his cigar, walks away. Nicholas watches

him go, then pauses, puzzled, mouthing the words to himself.

CUT TO:

INT. LAW FIRM, CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY

A table of unhappy LAWYERS. Nicholas goes thru a thick

CONTRACT with a red pen, CIRCLING, CROSSING-OUT and

SCRAWLING QUESTION MARKS ON paragraphs that displease him.

SUTHERLAND, trust personified, in his late 50's, stands

behind Nicholas, imperturbable.

NICHOLAS:

(still scrawling)

As far as I'm concerned...

(reading, x-ing out)

... if the Baer/Grant meeting does

not take place tommorow, it might

as well never take place at all.

Nicholas slides the contract to the center of the table.

SUTHERLAND:

When Mr. Van Orton boards his plane

in the morrow, he will have every

contract, side agreement and

addendum, the complete closing

package, flawlessly revised.

INSTANT UPROAR as the contract is grabbed up. All the

lawyers talk at once, fearful, arguing, protesting.

SUTHERLAND:

Ladies and gentlemen...

(as they quiet)

This is why you're paid twice what

you deserve. So you will miss

another opera you would've fallen

asleep during anyway...

During this, Nicholas' CELLULAR PHONE is HEARD RINGING.

Nicholas takes it out, irritated.

SUTHERLAND:

The meeting has been moved forward.

It affords you the opportunity to

show our client how well you will

rise to his exhilarating challenge.

QUIET COMMOTION resumes as Nicholas takes his cellular phone

to a corner, answering impatiently:

NICHOLAS:

(into cellular)

Yes?

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

(from cellular)

Nicholas van Orton?

NICHOLAS:

Yes, who is this?

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

This is Cynthia calling from C.R.S...

NICHOLAS:

How did you get this number?

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

We've finished processing your

application...

NICHOLAS:

I'm in a meeting...

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

... I'm afraid your application was

rejected.

NICHOLAS:

(pause)

Pardon me?

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

You shouldn't feel this reflects

negatively upon yourself. We hope we

haven't caused you any

inconvenience...

NICHOLAS:

This is absurd...

WOMAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

Thank you for thinking of C.R.S.

CLICK -- she's hung up. Nicholas folds the phone and

pockets it, his mind suddenly far away from the meeting

behind him. Sutherland steps close, concerned, quiet...

SUTHERLAND:

Anything wrong... ?

NICHOLAS:

Nothing. Nothing at all.

CUT TO:

EXT. FINANCIAL DISTRICT STREETS -- NIGHT

Nicholas guides the Bentley down streets lined with

skyscrapers, staring ahead. A previous PHONE CONVERSATION

is HEARD in V.O., a PHONE RINGING... RINGING... RINGING...

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR (v.o.)

Would you like voice-mail?

NICHOLAS (v.o.)

I suppose.

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR (v.o.)

I'll connect you. Thank you for

calling the Four Seasons.

EXT. NICHOLAS' NEIGHBORHOOD -- NIGHT

The Bentley heads towards home. The V.O. PHONE CONVERSATION

CONTINUES uninterrupted, CLICKING, then...

CONRAD'S VOICE (v.o.)

(voice-mail recording)

This is Conrad. Leave a message.

NICHOLAS (v.o.)

(waits till after BEEP)

Connie, it's Nicholas. Give me a

ring when you get a chance...

INT. BENTLEY -- NIGHT

The Bentley reaches the VAN ORTON GATES, which open slow.

V.O. CONVERSATION CONTINUES:

NICHOLAS (v.o.)

About your birthday gift. Things are

tight right now. I'm just not sure

whether it'll fit my schedule.

Anyway, see you at dinner tomorrow.

The PHONE is HEARD DISCONNECTING.

EXT. VAN ORTON MANSION -- NIGHT

The Bentley's headlights sweep the front of the Van Orton

house. There's something there, on the ground...

INSIDE THE BENTLEY

Nicholas stops the car, peering ahead, worried...

THRU THE WINDSHIELD: A BODY lies face down on the edge of

the driveway.

FLASHBACK/GRAINY HOME MOVIES -- 1960'S -- DAY

The BODY of Nicholas' FATHER, sprawled face-down, in nearly

the same place, head twisted, mouth bloody.

BACK TO SCENE:

Nicholas gets slowly out of the Bentley, reluctant.

NICHOLAS:

Hello! What are you doing there?

(no reaction)

Wonderful...

Nichoals CLAPS his hands. The body doesn't stir. Nicholas

look all directions, then approaches.

NICHOLAS:

Are you okay?

Nicholas nudges the body with his foot. He crouches,

confused, turning the limp body. It's a grotesque

HARLEQUIN, not unlike the clown from Nicholas' seventh

birthday, with a shiny face of painted wood.

Nicholas looks around for an explanation.

CUT TO:

INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, FOYER -- NIGHT

The front door opens. Nicholas enters with the Harlequin,

depositing it on a hallway BENCH.

A half-inch of RED RIBBON sticks out from the Harlequin's

lips. Nicholas tugs the ribbon... pulling out a GOLD KEY

tied to the other end.

Three letters embossed on the key: "C.R.S."

CUT TO:

INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, DEN -- NIGHT

Nicholas sits with his evening's meal, examining the key.

CNN on TV. He looks across the room to the couch where the

Harlequin is slumped staring back.

BERNARD SHAW (v.o.)

(from television)

... according to Nicholas Van Orton,

millions of Americans will be

affected by this legislation.

Nicholas hears this vaguely in the back of his mind, looks

to the TV. BERNARD SHAW has moves on to the next story.

Nicholas goes to the Harlequin, opening its hinged mouth,

attempting to look inside. He gets a knife from his tray,

uses it to probe the Harlequin's mouth, jabbing, prying.

BERNARD SHAW (v.o.)

... number of criminals behind bars

growing by record numbers, with Van

Orton pointing the finger at stiff,

anti-crime regulations...

Nicholas looks up. He heard that. He walks toward the TV.

Bernard Shaw is reporting, nothing strange.

Nicholas waits. Nothing. He walks away...

BERNARD SHAW (v.o.)

... largest portion of population

incarcerated. These figures were

given at a press conference called

toady by Mr. Nicholas Van Orton.

Nicholas turns, disbelieving. Bernard Shaw apparently looks

out FROM THE TELELVISION, perturbed...

BERNARD SHAW (v.o.)

You going to spend the rest of the

evening prying at that clown's mouth?

NICHOLAS:

(dumbfounded)

I... I don't...

BERNARD SHAW (v.o.)

It's frustrating for me if you don't

even pretend to pay attention.

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