Let me write some scenes from the last half of Act Two. First, let's review some new story steps:
I pick up after this:
EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Andres comes out and gets into the car. He drives off alone. INT. FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY Carlo is watching from the window. The First Lady comes up beside him and puts her arms around him. FIRST LADY Are you two going to be all right? CARLO I think so. He doesn't trust you. FIRST LADY Do you? Carlo studies her. Then they embrace and kiss. INT. FARMHOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY The First Lady and Carlo are making love. With Carlo, the First Lady has found physical passion she hasn't felt in a long time. She is on fire. EXT. SMALL TOWN - MAIN STREET - DAY Andres' car enters a small town on Main Street. He drives to a supermarket and parks. INT. FARMHOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY The First Lady and Carlo sit up in bed after lovemaking. CARLO We will be going home soon. I want you to come with me. FIRST LADY I don't know. I feel in the way. CARLO You've done more for us than we could ever have done alone. FIRST LADY I don't think we're in a position to think that far ahead. He starts to say something but she puts a finger on his lips. Then she kisses him. INT. COUNTRY STORE - DAY Andres is at the check out stand when there is sudden traffic outside. Through the window, we see military vehicles. CHECKER Goddamn, I've never seen the Army on maneuvers around here. EXT. COUNTRY STORE - DAY A local crowd has gathered to watch the Army pass by. There are trucks, jeeps, some tanks and other weaponry. Andres comes outside. One look is enough for him - and he hurries to his car. EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY Andres is passing the long line of military vehicles along the shoulder of the road. INT. CAR - DAY He looks tense and worried as he speeds along the shoulder. EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY Finally Andres reaches the head of the line and turns back onto Main Street just at the edge of town. He races off for the farmhouse. INT. FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY The First Lady and Carlo are in the kitchen, starting dinner together. They are in a playful mood, almost like newly weds. They sip from glasses of red wine. They kiss and pinch one another. They laugh a lot. EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Andres swerves into the driveway and skids to a stop. He gets out and races into the house. INT. FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY The First Lady and Carlo are slow-dancing to a ballad on the radio when Andres enters. Carlo immediately sees that something is wrong and stops dancing. CARLO What is it? ANDRES The goddamn Army's coming. INT. FARMHOUSE - CARLO'S BEDROOM - DAY Carlo is quickly packing as the First Lady watches. FIRST LADY I can talk to them. CARLO How do you know they'll listen? How do you know your husband doesn't find this a convenient way to get rid of you? The First Lady's expression tells us that she hasn't thought of this before - and the possibility frightens her. EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Helicopters have the farmhouse in sight and begin circling down to land. INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Carlo and Andres, at the door with their suitcases, hear the WHIR of the choppers. ANDRES Shit. He grabs two rifles and hands one to Carlo. FIRST LADY I know I can stop them! She heads for the door. Carlo makes a move to stop her but Andres grabs him. ANDRES She's our only chance. EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY The First Lady comes outside. Helicopters land outside the farmhouse, surrounding it. As soon as they touch earth, soldiers jump out and take position. The line of Army vehicles is pulling up. The First Lady is screaming at the choppers, her words lost in the loud WHIRRING of the blades. INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Carlo and Andres have taken positions at the front windows. CARLO We're sitting ducks. ANDRES Then we fight. He breaks a window with the barrel of his rifle. He takes aim. CARLO You'll put her in danger. ANDRES How do you know she's not behind this? How did they find us? CARLO Because I know. Carlo takes his rifle and moves to the door. Andres watches him. ANDRES Love makes you blind. She is with them. Carlo stares at Andres. Then he leans his rifle against the wall and opens the door. EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY The First Lady is moving slowly toward the front helicopters. Behind them approach the ARMY OFFICERS in charge, headed by COL. MCLAUGHLIN, 60s, a tough bird with years of combat experience. He talks into a portable speaker. COL. MCLAUGHLIN Hold fire! The First Lady shouts back at him. FIRST LADY Don't do this! COL. MCLAUGHLIN Come ahead, ma'am! We have you covered! You, behind her, raise your hands high above your head! The First Lady turns and sees Carlo moving slowly forward. He is unarmed. CARLO We have nothing to fight for here! We are supposed to be allies! The First Lady races to Carlo, almost diving into his arms. They embrace. The colonel puts down the speaker and talks to an aide. COL. MCLAUGHLIN What the hell is that about? Carlo lifts the First Lady's face to his. CARLO Do you know why they're doing this? FIRST LADY No. CARLO Then maybe you can talk to them. FIRST LADY Only if you'll come with me. The colonel raises the speaker again. COL. MCLAUGHLIN We're coming in for you, ma'am! He nods to a soldier in the group, who moves forward to fetch her. The First Lady takes Carlo's hand. FIRST LADY I'm in no danger! Let us all come forward peacefully! The soldier approaches, his rifle raised. INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Andres sees the soldier approaching. He takes aim. He pulls the trigger. EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY The shot hits the ground in front of the soldier. Suddenly GUN FIRE starts up everywhere, most of it aimed at the house. Carlo grabs the First Lady and knocks her to the ground, rolling his body on top of hers. CARLO Are you all right? The First Lady nods, yes. Andres is firing from inside the house. Shots from the Army splinter the outside of the window frame. Carlo takes the First Lady's hand and leads a quick beeline for the door. They dive inside the house just in time, shots pockmarking the door as it swings closed behind them. COL. MCLAUGHLIN Hold your fire! He lowers the speaker. COL. MCLAUGHLIN Goddammit, what side is she on here? INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY Carlo picks up his rifle and hurries beside Andres. ANDRES I'll cover the back. FIRST LADY I want to help. Carlo and Andres exchange a glance. Andres shakes his head, no. FIRST LADY You need all the help you can get. Give me a gun. Andres looks at Carlo, as if to say, "Your decision." He moves out to cover the back of the house. CARLO Can you handle this? He hands the rifle to the First Lady. FIRST LADY What about you? CARLO Guns we've got plenty of. You cover the front. I'll float where I'm needed. He moves off but turns before he's gone. CARLO Thank you. The First Lady manages to smile. Then she takes her position at the broken window. INT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY The President is on the phone. PRESIDENT I have no idea what she thinks she's doing. INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION The President is talking to the colonel (on a mobile). COL. MCLAUGHLIN Well, they can't go anywhere. I suggest we wait them out. PRESIDENT Do they have a phone? I'd like to talk to her. COL. MCLAUGHLIN Wasn't that handled on your end? PRESIDENT Right. Colonel, just hang tight til you hear from me. BACK TO SCENE The President hangs up. His office is filled with staff. PRESIDENT Anybody got the phone number there? Aides look at each other. Who has it? Oops. AIDE I'll get right on it, sir. EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT The Army surrounds the house. A standoff. INT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT Carlo stands near Andres at the back of the house. CARLO You okay? Andres shrugs. CARLO We're getting out of this. Somehow. Another shrug. CARLO I don't think they'll attack with her here. Andres just looks at him. He eyes read, "Sucker." At the front of the house, the First Lady is having a hard time staying awake when Carlo moves into the room. She turns quickly, her rifle pointing at him. Then she realizes who it is. FIRST LADY Sorry. CARLO I think if they were going to do something tonight, we'd've seen it by now. Why don't you take a nap? I'll take the watch. FIRST LADY Are you sure? Carlo smiles and nods. The First Lady kisses him on the cheek, then stretches out on the sofa. Carlo peers out into the dark night. When will they attack?
Okay, this is where I'll stop. I still want to raise the stakes but I'm not quite sure how I want to do that yet.
They are surrounded - the only way out is through negotiation. The President is the key - and he needs to be here, to confront the First Lady directly.
So that's the direction I plan to go in. But later.
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