327. On the Brink - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S HOME - DAY


• Three aides, TEDDY SANCHEZ, RICK MCGRAW, and LIZ SANDERS, sit quietly at a large table stacked with notes and briefings in the living room.


• They watch the hallway expectantly.


• A door squeaks open and purposeful footsteps echo down the hall towards them.


• A SECRET SERVICE AGENT in a dark suit, stands near the table.


• He raises his wrist to his lips.


• SECRET SERVICE AUDIENCE
• Appleseed is on the move.


• ELENA DIAZ, a small, dignified woman bursts out of the hallway trailed by two AGENTS.


• The aides pop out of their seats.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Sit, sit. I'm not the president yet.


• RICK MCGRAW
• You'd have been upset if we didn't.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Furious.


• The four grin at each other and Diaz grabs a chair and joins her aides at the table.


• LIZ SANDERS
• How's it feel, your first security briefing?


• ELENA DIAZ
• We're all going to die.


• TEDDY SANCHEZ
• Just as I suspected.


• A newspaper hanging over the edge of the table shows a picture of Diaz standing at the podium at her victory speech.


• It has a one word headline, "Finally!"


• Elena leafs through a newspaper.


• She pauses, then lets off a frustrated sigh.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Why? Seriously why?


• LIZ SANDERS
• What?


• ELENA DIAZ
• The idiocy about the cabinet appointments. The trash from the right doesn't bother me, I mean, it's to be expected. But what's with all the anger from the left? Suddenly I'm betraying them.


• TEDDY SANCHEZ
• Ignore it. We'll show them when we change things.


• RICK MCGRAW
• Maybe, but it's still upsetting. They trusted us enough to throw their support behind us and get us elected. What's with all the second guessing?


• ELENA DIAZ
• You know, in my perfect world, I would have a cabinet full of progressives. This isn't a perfect world. Can't they understand that for me to get anything done, I need to have this team. They want all those progressive changes?


• LIZ SANDERS
• Then deal with the team we have, 'cause they're going to make it happen. They sound as dimwitted as the other side.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Exactly.


• TEDDY SANCHEZ
• Feel better?


• ELENA DIAZ
• Much, been wanting to go off about that for a while now. Alright, what's on our plate for today?


• LIZ SANDERS
• Well, let's start with what we're going to do about the treasury department, I'm not sold on any of our choices yet.


• There is a knock on the door and a Secret Service agent opens the door.


• MINDY, the president-elect's body woman slips in and whispers to her.


• Elena leans back and sighs.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Tell them.


• MINDY
• India just launched a nuclear warhead at Pakistan.


• TEDDY SANCHEZ
• God...


• ELENA DIAZ
• You ready for this?


• LIZ SANDERS
• Yes ma'am. We were elected just for this point in history.


• RICK MCGRAW
• I'll get the Pentagon on the phone.


• LIZ SANDERS
• Give the White House a ring after that. Let's see if we can coordinate something.


• Elena looks at all of them as they move into action.


• ELENA DIAZ
• So it starts. Guys.


• Everyone pauses.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Be careful not to tread on the White House's toes. It's guaranteed we won't like their response; but we're not in charge yet.


• They nod.


• ELENA DIAZ
• Well, go!


• Blackberries and cell phones appear from nowhere and the room is filled with a rush of energy as the aides begin to form strategies.


• Elena watches them with a quiet pride.


• She stands and walks to the large window looking over her yard.


• She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, then turns, and heads back to the table.


• FADE TO BLACK.