PERMANENT INTERESTS - EPISODE 11

Keeping you up at night…

INT. MERCEDES 500SL - STOPPED - LATER

David watches Anne climb out. She butts her cigarette, then crosses to the front gate in a wall that surrounds an older home. She turns and waves an "okay," then opens the gate and goes in.

David drives off, past a French Post Office telephone van.

EXT. WALLED GARDEN - RESIDENTIAL STREET - NICE - DAY

The extensive rose garden is like an Impressionist painting. Anne walks up the flagstones, rings the door bell.

PIERRE FONTAINE, a substantial man in his 80s, with a head full of steel-grey hair in a military cut, answers.

ANNE

Monsieur Pierre Fontaine?

(he nods)

I knew Harry Long.

He regards her a moment, then motions her inside.

FONTAINE

Please...

He closes the door behind her.

INT. FONTAINE'S STUDY

Dark wood, book-lined. An old rolltop desk, overstuffed couch and chairs. He closes the curtains and turns to Anne.

FONTAINE

You would like a drink?

ANNE

Why was Harry driving your car?

FONTAINE

(ignores that)

The apple brandy is very good this year.

He opens a section of "bookcase" to reveal a liquor cabinet and uncorks an unmarked bottle of the local apple brandy, pours two glasses, holds them to the window light, then sits in the large leather chair to one side of a table and motions her to sit across from him.

She does. He takes a deep draught, then regards her.

FONTAINE

Harry told me he wished to go to Cannes and did not want to take the bus.

ANNE

He was coming to see me. He was an old friend of my friend.

FONTAINE

How were they friends?

ANNE

They met in Beirut. 1978.

FONTAINE

In a word, Mademoiselle, what is the most important thing that happened to Harry then?

ANNE

(momentarily unsure)

Al-sharwah.

FONTAINE

Which was?

ANNE

The code name for Ali Rashman.

Fontaine's large smile reveals she's passed his test.

FONTAINE

Only a very good friend of Harry's would know that.

(hands her a glass)

You must try it. The harvest was the best since the war.

She takes a sip while he studies her.

FONTAINE

Harry came to me last night, asking about recent visitors. He was particularly interested in a tale concerning the movement of aircraft from one owner to another.

ANNE

What kind of planes?

FONTAINE

(laughs)

The story was preposterous on its face.

He refills his glass and tops off hers.

FONTAINE

Your government would never allow such a thing. There are those who...how do you say it?

(considers)

Yes...there are those who sell the Brooklyn Bridge, and those who buy it. I was amazed Harry found the story interesting.

Anne is transfixed by a guy who holds the kind of knowledge Fontaine so obviously does.

FONTAINE

(drains his glass)

Prince Metternich was correct when he stated his theory of international politics:

(looks at her)

"Nations have no permanent friends, or permanent enemies, only permanent interests."

He stands and walks to a cabinet.

FONTAINE

Do you understand that?

ANNE

You're talking in riddles.

He opens the cabinet to reveal a safe within.

FONTAINE

You must understand. When I was a serving officer, I did many things best not spoken of.

ANNE

Even after all this time?

As he twirls the dial...

FONTAINE

Mademoiselle Hamilton, the outcome of the end of the Cold War is that we now must deal with the problems of Europe that existed in 1914. Nothing was resolved in 1945, other than to stop.

He opens the safe and reaches inside.

FONTAINE

Harry instructed me to give you this if it happened that you came here. Your purse, please.

She hands him her purse, and he places a small package in it and snaps it shut.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - LATER

Anne and Fontaine come out of the gate at his house.

He clasps Anne's hand tightly.

When he releases her, there's a piece of paper in her hand. He shakes his head, and she puts it into her purse without reading it.

FONTAINE

When you hunt the wolf, there is the danger that, in attracting its attention, you will become its prey. You have already entered the shadow world from which there is no turning back. You must best them at their own game or lose everything. Your celebrity will not help you. I wish you luck.

Anne nods solemnly. She turns and lights a cigarette.

TELEPHOTO POV

Anne walks down the street. CLICK! Freeze.

Fontaine turns back to his gate. CLICK! Freeze.

Fontaine goes inside and closes the gate.

VIC (O.S.)

Pierre, Pierre, keep to those championship roses, old buddy.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET

Anne notices a blonde YOUNG MOTHER push a pram out the gate of the walled house across the street, and she wanders over.

ANNE

(smiles)

How perfect! May I?

Anne butts her cigarette as the Young Mother returns Anne's smile and lifts her baby. As she does so, we recognize Charlie Sims' assassin!

Anne takes the baby and COOS to her a moment, then she returns the baby to the pram.

ANNE

Merci, madam, I needed that.

YOUNG MOTHER

(doesn't understand)

Comment?

ANNE

It doesn't matter.

The Young Mother watches Anne walk away.

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