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Mark walks back into his home. Anni is sat down smiling at him.

Anni: Good day.

Mark looks strangely at her.

Mark: Same as usual.

Anni: Good night then?

Mark goes and picks up some papers.

Mark: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Anni stands up and goes and stands next to Mark.

Anni: Told you the interview would be worth taking.

Mark: Don’t you have work to do or something?

Anni: No, Kevin called me to take everything off your schedule.

Mark: Yeah.

Anni looks confused.Anni: Any reason why?

Mark: I’ve taken David’s offer.

Anni: to screen write?

Mark: Yeah, for a bit.

Anni: What does that mean for me?

Mark: I will still need you to answer my phone calls and you know, whatever else I pay you to do.

Anni: I could do press work for the show.

Mark looks at Anni shocked.

Mark: No chance.

Anni: So, I’m stuck answering phone calls for the rest of my life?

Mark: Yes. Or you know, you could get a real job

Anni: You wouldn’t know what to do if I did.

Mark: Talking of your job, do I have any phone calls.

Anni: Elizabeth called, she wanted to know if you were available for another interview.

Mark: I will call her later.

Anni: You should call her now Mark. She seems really nice and that must be strange because she likes you.

Mark: I’m a lovely person.

Anni: A lovely person with a detachment disorder, meaning you push everyone away.

Mark: Hasn’t worked with you though.

Anni: Seriously Mark, give her a chance

Mark: Okay enough of that Jeremy, back to work

Anni: I will call her and say you will meet her somewhere tonight.

Mark: Go away.

Mark walks in to go and see David, who is sitting in a small office. Mark knocks on the door. Disturbing David from his work.

David: Hey Kid.

Mark walks into the office.

Mark: I like the office.

David: Its only temporary until things get on the move. What can I do for you?

Mark: You knew didn’t you, that if you came to see me and told me about your problem, I would write something.

David: I had faith?

Mark sniggers.

Mark: Well, I may have something for you.

David: Brilliant. What is it?

Mark reaches into his rucksack and pulls out a copy of his book and throws it onto the table. David smiles.

David: Now that’s more like it.

Mark: Can you get funding for a project like this?

David: Sure, it might limit us on actors though.

Mark: Yeah, I’ve had a thought about that as well

David: Oh really?

Mark: You know Andrew Johnson.

David: Yeah, I was reading about his mishap this morning.

Mark: That’s your guy.

David stares and then laughs.

David: You are joking right? Rumour has it he has both a drinking problem and gambling addiction. You want us to put our necks on the line just like that.

Mark: I’m asking you to give him a chance.

David: And your role?

Mark: I’m working on a pilot for you, see if I can get you up and running and give you some notes for how the rest of the series will go.

David: No.

Mark: No?

David gives Mark a wry smile.

David: You want me to go out on a limb and hire Andrew Johnson without your career being on the line as well. Now I know you’re not that stupid.Mark: David listen

David: Mark I can hear it to the cows come home but honestly, I don’t care. You have a good gig here, going on talk shows but it’s not what you want to do. If it was, you would have blown me off entirely, now I’m betting you’ve already written two scenes. Am I wrong?

Mark: Four.

David: Four and it’s been what less than twenty for hours? Nah I think you’re in for the whole hog.

Mark Grabs his cheeks and stretches them.

Mark: You will hire Andrew as well?

David: I will, if you can guarantee he won’t do anything stupid.

Mark looks down and when he looks back up he smiles and shakes David’s hand.
Mark: Let’s see what we can do.

End scene

Camera fades in. Mark is sat at his desk typing away, it is still dark outside, and he is illuminated by a lamp on his desk. The light turns on and Elizabeth comes into frame wearing a robe.

Elizabeth: You are up early.

Mark doesn’t stop working.

Mark: I couldn’t sleep.
Elizabeth: Can you ever.

Mark: Not once my mind starts working.

Elizabeth walks over and kisses Mark on the neck.
Elizabeth: There I was thinking I was all that was on your mind.

Mark smiles and gently squeezes Elizabeth’s hand.
Elizabeth: Can I make myself a coffee?

Mark shoots up.

Mark: I will do it.

He walks into the kitchen, Elizabeth follows him.

Elizabeth: What are you working on?

Mark: A problem to do with power.

Mark begins making the coffee.

Elizabeth: Power?

Mark: Is it human nature to try and grasp things above our station, or is just simple animal need, like an ape trying to reach the tallest branch or the bird after the fattest worm. We who strive for perfection and strive to better ones self, do it often under the name of Gods or idols, like it is something above ones natural nature, that humanity itself at its heart is selfish or Lazy but I believe that it is not God like to strive for goodness or power, for a God is born with those things. They do not look towards the heavens and see the untamed beauty of the stars or seek to find a cure to the worst of ailments. The capacity to do good is stored within all of us, put there by Gods wisdom, for only in our ability to do good and reach for something greater than how we started, is our creation proved beautiful.

Mark runs a hand through his hair.

Mark: Or something like that.

Elizabeth: Your Catholic aren’t you?

Mark walks over and hands her a mug of coffee.

Mark: yeah, I’m going to have to go to confession over what we did last night.

Elizabeth blushes
Elizabeth: Or you could marry me?

Mark smiles coyly. Elizabeth’s phone rings. She puts down the coffee and answers it.

Elizabeth: yeah *pause* Really, you’re joking? *Pause* I will start work on an online editorial at once.

Elizabeth hangs up and begins hastily writing on her phone.

Mark: What is it?

Elizabeth: Andrew Johnson, the actor you were on with last night, was arrested for fighting.

Mark: And you’re going to write about it?

Elizabeth: Of course I am, there is nothing our readers love more than an icon whose life’s going down the drain.

Mark: Did you hear yourself just then? The guy can’t get an acting job because people like you drag his name through the mud all the time.

Elizabeth: Then he shouldn’t keep getting himself into trouble.

Mark: I’m begging you. Please don’t write about it?

Elizabeth: You don’t even know him.

Mark nods

Mark: I’ve got to go.

Elizabeth: What? Mark it’s my job, don’t be shitty with me.

Mark walks up to her and gives her a quick kiss.

Mark: I want to help Andrew, do your job if you have to but I don’t want you to write it. The door locks by itself so let yourself out when you’re ready and I will talk to you tonight.

Mark grabs his laptop and rucksack before storming out of the door. Elizabeth looks down and starts typing away again.   

Andrew is stumbling home. Singing quietly to himself. He stumbles into a group of lads. Who all look angry.

Andrew: Sorry.

Lad 1: You will be.

Andrew puts his hand up and walks away from them.

Lad 1: Freak.

Andrew turns around.

Andrew: I’m sorry?

Lad 1: I called you a freak mate. Deaf as well are you?

Lad 2: Leave him, he’s half cut.

Lad 3: got any money mate?

Andrew: You need to learn some manners.

Lad 1 takes a step towards Andrew.

Lad 1: Respects earnt, not guaranteed. You don’t look like you even have a pound to your name.

Lad 3: Not worth our time then.

Lad 2: Seriously leave him be.

Lad 1 nods.
Lad 1: not worth it mate.

Andrew: Pussy.

Lad 1 faces Andrew off.

Lad 1: What did you say?

Andrew swings a punch that catches Lad 1 sweetly knocking him over. Lad 3 goes to rush in, but Andrew reaches down grabs a bottle and throws it at Lad 3. Suddenly Andrew stops. Blue lights flash up from a car nearby and two officers step out.

Officer 1: What’s going on?

Lad 2: This guys pissed up officers. Started over nothing.

Officer 1 helps Lad 1 off the ground and takes the other three away. Officer 2 stands beside Andrew.

Andrew: You tell them to run.

Officer 2: Sir we just witnessed you assault this individual.

Andrew: They deserved it.

Officer 1: This guy’s got a concussion, I’m going to call for an ambulance.

Officer 2 smiles.

Officer 2: You looked good on the Walker show today. It’s a shame you didn’t stay there.

Andrew pushes officer 2.

Andrew: Oh, piss off.

Officer 2 spins Andrew around and pins him up against the wall.

Officer 2: Right that’s it. You are under arrest.

Camera fades. End scene