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Seth leans over and snorts a line of coke from a mirror. He

hands it to Caroline who effortlessly does one.

CAROLINE:

Entertainment. The Susan Lucci

section or Banal Love Songs of the

Nineties?

Seth looks at her. He has a crush.

SETH:

Banal Love Songs it is.

(hits keys)

Hey, you wanna try something?

She nods. They both take a swig of beer. He takes her hand

pulling her past the stoned people on the couch --

IN THE KITCHEN:

Seth takes out a box of baking soda. He tears off a square

of aluminum foil. He takes out a spoon. Caroline watches

as he dumps a small amount of cocaine into the spoon. He

adds a pinch of baking soda. He puts in a few drops of water.

Stirs it around with the heel of a lighter. Then holds the

flame under the spoon.

CAROLINE:

What are you doing?

SETH:

(concentrating)

Just watch.

He watches the substance in the spoon as it swirls and

bubbles, then separates... He pours the most viscous part

onto the aluminum foil, making four separate little puddles.

He quickly dismantles a ballpoint pen, making a straw. He

hands it to Caroline.

SETH:

Inhale the smoke and hold it.

CAROLINE:

What is this, like freebase?

SETH:

Not like. It is.

He lights the flame under the aluminum foil. The puddle

crackles and pops, then starts to smoke --

SETH:

Go... Go!

There's a rush of thick grey smoke. Caroline catches most

of it.

SETH:

Hold it.

She pulls it in deeper and holds... Suddenly her expression

changes... Her eyes lose their focus, her face slackens, an

almost sexual response. Seth is watching her intensely.

SETH:

See... Now, you see.

Caroline slumps back against the counter. Seth moves against

her, kissing her, running his hands over her breasts and

body. She stares over his shoulder, holding it as long as

she can.

Finally she exhales --

CAROLINE:

More.

The cloud of grey smoke from her lungs fills the room.

CUT TO:

INT. WHITE HOUSE OFFICE - DAY

The White House CHIEF OF STAFF meets with Robert Wakefield.

The Chief of Staff has the floor; he always has the floor.

This is a man you do not want to disappoint.

CHIEF OF STAFF:

Until you officially take over the

office of National Drug Control

Policy, under no circumstances should

you speak to the press unprotected,

without going through this office or

having someone in the room. There

are a lot of interests in this town

and, right now, they're all scared

of you. The reason they're scared

of you...technically, you have veto

power over their budgets. So think

about that:
FBI, CIA, DEA, CUSTOMS,

TREASURY, ATF, DEFENSE, IRS, Radio

Shack and the DMV, they're all gonna

want to speak to you. And that's

the good news... You'll also be

meeting Senators and Congressman,

each with a specially prepared

question. Their question is designed

for one thing:
to make them look

smart. If you lecture them, they

won't think you respect them. If

you respond with utter humility,

they will. Remember, this is about

your respect for them, and the

President's respect for them.

Speaking of which, as soon as he

gets back from Russia and China,

we'll get you in there for some face-

time, let the two of you catch up.

(beat)

It'd probably be a good idea for you

to meet your predecessor. I'll have

Jeff Sheridan take you over.

Also, four weeks from today you will

give your first official press

conference. In it you will outline

the President's strategy for winning

the war on drugs.

(beat)

Okay, anything else?

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