Truth Page #14

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BURKETT (O.S.) (CONT'D)

I was supposed to copy the documents

inside and then burn the originals,

which were also copies, and the

envelope. Destroy the DNA evidence

of where they come from, you see.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

Of course.

BURKETT (O.S.)

So she says "When are you gonna be

in Houston next?" And I tell her

we're coming to the Livestock Show

in a few weeks - we sell Simmental

cattle. The Show is an excellent

way to advertise our bull semen.

On Betsy's notes -burn papers, livestock show, bull semen...

BURKETT (O.S.) (CONT'D)

So the first day at the show, a dark

skinned fellah comes up, hands me an

envelope, walks away. Inside are

those memos. I burned the rest like

he said. Done and done.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

And was this the same man who talked

to you on the phone?

BURKETT (O.S.)

No idea. Maybe.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

And you didn't tell Mary all this

before because...

86.

BURKETT (O.S.)

Said I'd keep it quiet.

Mary did a good job on this. Don't

judge her too harshly.

MARY:

(hollow)

Thanks, Bill.

BURKETT (O.S.)

De nada.

Heyward, still reeling.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

Bill, this is, uh- this is pretty

amazing stuff. Maybe you'd be willing

to sit down and talk about it for

us? Help clear the air for everyone?

BURKETT (O.S.)

Don't know. What do you think, Dan?

DAN:

I think they can't hit us any harder

than they already are, Colonel. Go

on the record and tell the truth.

Be done with it.

Silence. Finally:

BURKETT (O.S.)

Okay.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

My office will make the necessary

arrangements. Thanks for your time.

BURKETT (O.S.)

Goodbye.

CLICK. Call over. Everyone sits there in silence. And

then Mary LAUGHS at the absurdity of it all. Can't help it.

BETSY:

You think this is funny?

MARY:

You don't? It's The Manchurian

Candidate meets Hee Haw!

87.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

We need him on camera as soon as

possible. Betsy?

Betsy nods as the group rises and heads for the door.

ANDREW HEYWARD (CONT'D)

Mary, hang back a sec?

Mary does. The others leave. Heyward shuts the door behind

them and turns back to her. Just the two of them.

ANDREW HEYWARD (CONT'D)

When you sit with Burkett, there

should be a line of questioning about

his motives. His political leanings,

his views on the President. Why he

lied. People are going to cover how

we cover this. We need to inoculate

ourselves.

MARY:

Thou shalt protect the company...

ANDREW HEYWARD:

F*** that, I want Dan to survive

this.

MARY:

Why wouldn't he survive this?

Heyward looks at her. Doesn't respond. A beat.

MARY (CONT'D)

If Dan feels like this is corporate

positioning, he won't do it.

ANDREW HEYWARD:

He won't for me. He will for you.

INT. PLANE (FLYING) -- MORNING

Betsy sits across the aisle. Dan sits at the window, staring

out at the clouds. Mary is next to him. Watching him.

Trying to decide what to do.

EXT. DALLAS/FORT WORTH AIRPORT -- ARRIVALS

Mary, Betsy and Dan exit the airport terminal to find

PROTESTERS and CAMERA CREWS shouting at them. Pandemonium.

88.

MARY:

Jesus!

A FOX NEWS REPORTER pushes to the front of the scrum, sticks

a microphone in Dan's face and breathlessly asks:

REPORTER:

Dan, you broadcast those fake memos!

Do you feel duped?

DAN:

You work for Fox News. Do you?

Mary hustles him into a waiting car and shuts the door.

EXT. CRESCENT COURT HOTEL -- MORNING

Crescent Court Hotel - Dallas, Texas. A lushly appointed

hotel. Smith and Colonel Charles stand in front motor-court.

Smith eyes the nearby fountain. Familiar.

SMITH:

I think I've been thrown out of this

hotel...

The Colonel spots Mary and Dan's car approaching.

COLONEL CHARLES:

Here they come.

The car enters the hotel grounds and pulls to a halt beside

the fountain. Mary, Dan, and Betsy get out of the car.

DAN:

Where are the Burketts?

COLONEL CHARLES:

Upstairs getting ready.

MARY:

Dan?

He looks at her.

MARY (CONT'D)

We need to ask why he lied to us.

(exchanging looks

with Betsy)

We need to make sure we get that.

89.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- DAY

Dan, Mary, and Betsy come into the Burkett's room as Bill

and Nicki rise to greet him.

DAN:

Just wanted to come in say and hello

before we get going.

BURKETT:

Well, thanks for that, Dan.

DAN:

These things are fairly easy, we'll

just sit and talk a bit. I'm also

going to ask about why you misled

us, didn't want to take you by

surprise with that.

BURKETT:

I expected that, and I'll be happy

to set that straight.

DAN:

Great. Anytime you need to stop,

get a drink of water, whatever, let

us know. If you'll excuse me, I

gotta go get my war-paint on.

(smiles)

Worst part of this is the make up.

Burkett smiles as Dan excuses himself. Off to the side,

Nicki stands with Mary and Betsy. Her simple cotton dress

no match for the fashionable clothes of the news women.

MARY:

It's going to be fine, Nicki.

On Nicki's face. Not buying it.

INT. HOTEL -- HOSPITALITY SUITE -- DAY

The lights blaze down. Dan sits across from Burkett. Makeup

caking on his sweaty face. The interview is into it's

second hour. Burkett is visibly tired.

DAN:

...But you told us a different story.

90.

BURKETT:

To protect the people who gave me

the documents.

DAN:

Did they ask you to do this?

BURKETT:

They had wanted me to burn everything

they- yeah, they didn't want people

to know they were the source on this.

DAN:

This man and this mystery woman.

BURKETT:

That's right.

(pause)

Can I get some more water?

DAN:

Of course.

A PA hands Burkett water. Mary and Betsy walk over to Dan.

BETSY:

We need a better bite on this. Maybe

instead of "Did they ask you to do

that", say "Did they ask you to lie?"

Dan looks to Mary, who nods.

MARY:

I agree.

DAN:

Okay.

Burkett finishes sipping the water. Dan looks to him.

DAN (CONT'D)

We're going to go back for a moment.

BURKETT:

Okay.

DAN:

This man and this mystery woman, did

they ask you to lie to us?

91.

BURKETT:

They didn't want me to say how I got

the documents.

DAN:

And that's why you initially misled

us?

Betsy begins writing something on a card...

BURKETT:

Yes.

She hands the card to Mary -So that's why you lied you us?

Mary looks at her. Betsy nods, urging "go on"...

BURKETT (CONT'D)

Your producer was pushing me to find

out where I got the memos from.

Mary hands Dan the card who scans it.

DAN:

So that's why you lied to us?

BURKETT:

Yes. And I know it caused some

problems.

He reaches for the water again. Dan pauses as he takes a

several gulps from it. Betsy is writing another card.

Why didn't you tell us the truth when you gave us the memos?

Mary raises an eyebrow at her. Betsy gives her another "go

on" look. Mary hands the card to Dan while Burkett breathes.

Dan looks at Mary. Not pleased, but he'll do it.

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