INT. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE - STATE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT

 

            From a cluster of folding metal chairs, Kenny, Bobby, Rusk

            and Sorensen watch a TELETYPE hammer out the message as it

            comes off the wire.  It's painfully slow, like watching a bad

            typist type a manuscript.  Ten pages of this is an eternity¹.

            To top it off, it's in Russian.  A TRANSLATOR reads it off,

            word by word to a TRANSCRIBER².

 

                                TRANSLATOR

                      ...two...of...us...pull...on...the...

                      knot...of...war...

 

            INT. CABINET ROOM - NIGHT

 

            Kenny slams a page of Khruschev's letter on the table.  He

            jabs his finger at it.  EXCOM listens, intent.

 

                                KENNY

                      It's ten pages of sentimental³ fluff, but

                      he's saying right here.  He'll remove

                      the missiles in return for a no-invasion

                      pledge.  It looks like Fomin's overture⁴

                      was genuine.

 

            The President turns to McCone.

 

                                MCCONE

                      Our early analysis says this was

                      probably written by Khruschev himself.

                      It's a first draft, and shows no signs

                      of being polished by the foreign

                      ministry⁶.  In fact, it probably hasn't

                      been approved by the Politburo.  They

                      wouldn't have let the emotionalism go

                      by.  The analysts⁷ say it was written by

                      someone under considerable stress.

 

            EXCOM chuckles⁸.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      Glad to hear we're not alone.

 

            The President eyes the EXCOM members one by one, an incipient⁹

            smile on his face.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)

                      Well, gentlemen, I wasn't planning on

                      invading Cuba anyway.  I think we can

                      live with the terms of this deal.

 

            There are mostly nods of assent¹⁰, big smiles around the table.

            Except from  McCone and Taylor.  The President takes his copy

            of the letter, flips¹¹ through it.  He shakes his head, almost

            unable to believe that Khruschev has given in.  A long beat.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)

                      Ted¹², I want you to draft our acceptance.

 

            EXT. O'DONNELL DRIVEWAY - NIGHT

 

            A long, black car stops at the end of Kenny's driveway.  The

            door opens, and Kenny steps out.  He says an inaudible

            goodnight to the driver, and the car pulls off.  He turns,

            facing the white two-story house with the neat front yard,

            the lights out.  And he smiles.  Home at last.

 

            EXT. O'DONNELL PATIO¹³ - NIGHT

 

            A screen door squeaks¹⁴ open.  Kenny steps out into the

            darkness of the back yard.  And there, in her robe, sitting

            startled on a lawn chair, lit only by the dim glow of the

            kitchen window, is Helen.  Kenny stands there tired, his coat

            slung¹⁵ over his shoulder.

 

                                KENNY

                      Hi.

 

            Helen rises, her own care-worn face turned to his.  For a

            silent moment they gaze at each other, searching in the lines

            of each others' face for the changes of a long separation.

            They see them.  But they've been married a long time, and the

            awkwardness passes.

 

                                HELEN

                      Hi, O'Donnell.  You look old.

 

            Kenny drops his coat on a table as Helen comes up and folds

            herself into his arms.

 

                                HELEN (CONT'D)

                      This job's going to kill you.  If I

                      don't first.

 

            They kiss, comfortable.  But not too long, and he lets her

            go.  She looks at him again, sees he's suppressing a smile.

 

                                HELEN (CONT'D)

                      If you're home it means either Jack¹⁶ and

                      Bobby have finally figured out what a

                      con⁵ man you are and fired you, or --

 

                                KENNY

                      -- we got a back channel communication

                      from Khruschev this evening feeling us

                      out about a deal.  He confirmed it just

                      a little while ago in a letter to the

                      President.  I think we've won.

 

                                HELEN

                      A thing like this... who could even

                      think of winning?

 

            INT. HALL OUTSIDE KENNY'S OFFICE - DAY

 

            SUPER: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27TH.  DAY 12.

 

            Kenny, in his overcoat, steps aside as a pair of Duty

            Officers race past him, almost bowling¹⁷ him over.

            He slows as he nears the doors to his office and the Oval

            Office, DISCOVERING:

 

            TOTAL CHAOS¹⁸.  EXCOM guys, Assistants, dart¹⁹ to and from the

            offices and halls.  On all their faces grim expressions.

            Kenny stands there a beat in confusion.  And then Bobby

            swings out of Kenny's office.  There's a desperate edge to

            Bobby's voice.

 

                                BOBBY

                      Where've you been?  We've been trying to

                      find you all morning.

 

                                KENNY

                      Helen and I went out for breakfast.

                      EXCOM's not supposed to convene²⁰ til

                      eight.

 

                                BOBBY

                      We just got a second letter from

                      Khruschev.  The deal's off.

 

                     INT. HALL OUTSIDE CABINET ROOM - CONTINUOUS

 

            Kenny and Bobby walk fast for the cabinet room, Kenny still

            in his coat.

 

                                BOBBY

                      We're getting everyone together as fast

                      as we can.

 

                                KENNY

                      What does the letter say?

 

                                BOBBY

                      They want us to take our missiles out of

                      Turkey along with the no invasion

                      pledge.  It looks like Fomin was a ploy²¹

                      after all, and they were just stalling

                      for time.

 

            Kenny is stunned²².

 

                                BOBBY (CONT'D)

                      It gets worse.

 

            Kenny gives Bobby a sharp look as they enter --

 

            INT. CABINET ROOM - CONTINUOUS

 

            The President, in shirtsleeves, no tie, glances up at Kenny

            as he and Bobby enter.  Kenny can only bear his look for a

            second: he blew the call on Fomin.  But the President is

            clearly relieved to see him, gives him a faint smile.

            Half of EXCOM, including McNamara, McCone, Rusk, and Taylor

            barely notice them as they're already there arguing.

 

            Kenny sits down hurriedly, shucks off his coat as he joins

            the conversation in mid-stream.

 

                                MCCONE

                      My specialists are in agreement: this

                      morning's letter is not Khruschev.  Last

                      night's letter was.

                          (beat)

                      The evidence supports only one

                      conclusion: there has been a coup²³, and

                      Khruschev was replaced overnight.

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