House of Cards Page #3

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Keep digging.

Hammerschmidt gives him a slap on the back and exits,

brushing past Zoe, whom he barely notices.

ZOE:

Morning Mr. Hammerschmidt.

He tries to place a name to the face.

ZOE (CONT’D)

Zoe Barnes.

HAMMERSHMIDT:

Metro.

ZOE:

That’s right.

HAMMERSCHMIDT:

Keep up the good work.

He’s gone. Zoe leans against the doorway a tad provocatively.

ZOE:

Did it take him over a year to

remember your name?

LUCAS:

What can I do for you Zoe?

ZOE:

I’m sick of the City Council.

LUCAS:

I know you are. You tell me

everyday.

ZOE:

Move me online.

LUCAS:

You want to schlep for the twitter

feed? Be my guest.

8.

ZOE:

No. My own blog. Five hundred

words. First person. Subjective.

LUCAS:

Not gonna happen.

ZOE:

Give me some freedom. I’ll go

underground. Win over staff members

on the Hill. Give them an outlet to

vent anonymously.

LUCAS:

A glorified gossip column.

ZOE:

A forum for the underpaid and

overworked. We’ll lift the veil.

Tap into what’s really going in.

LUCAS:

This is the Washington Herald Zoe,

it’s not TMZ.

ZOE:

You know how many people watch TMZ?

LUCAS:

I couldn’t care less.

ZOE:

Which is why print journalism is

dying.

LUCAS:

If it’s gonna die, it’ll die with

dignity. At least at this paper.

ZOE:

You’re stuck in the 20th century

Lucas. You lack imagination.

LUCAS:

Maybe so, but right now I’m not

interested in imagination, I’m

interested in copy.

ZOE:

You’re telling me to get back to

work.

LUCAS:

I am.

9.

ZOE:

But what you’re really telling me

is to f*** off.

LUCAS:

I’m telling you both.

Zoe is brimming with frustration but she’s too cool of a

cucumber to let it show. She turns on her heels and departs

as quickly as she came.

INT. RUSSO’S OFFICE - MORNING

CHRISTINA MALONE (late 20s) - sexy and headstrong - ushers a

humorless looking LOBBYIST into Rep. Peter Russo’s office.

Christina is Russo’s Executive Assistant. Russo is smart and

amiable, but a bit of rascal.

CHRISTINA:

Mr. Chapman, from Horizon Trust...

RUSSO:

Henry. Great to see you. Thanks

Christina.

She leaves, closing the door behind her. The two men sit.

RUSSO (CONT’D)

How long are you in town for?

Staying for the Inauguration? I

can hook you up if you -

CHAPMAN:

I’m not interested in parties. I’m

interested in the zoning laws you

promised to get changed in your

district. We’ve got 12 million

sitting in escrow for an empty lot

we can’t build on.

RUSSO:

Yes, I know. And believe me, I’m

on it. But you gotta understand,

that’s a local municipal issue. I

can’t just pick up the phone and

CHAPMAN:

You can’t? That’s not what you led

us to believe when you begged for

fifty grand in donations.

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