Yeah?
BOBBY (O.S.)
Kenny. It's over.
EXT. ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH - DAY
THE CHURCH BELLS TOLL in raucous celebration. Kenny, Helen
and the five O'DONNELL KIDS join the throng packing through
the doors to the church. They're all smiling except Kenny
who searches fro faces in the CROWD.
And then he spots Bobby with his FAMILY. Bobby grins at him.
That makes Kenny grin back.
RADIO MOSCOW (O.S.)
This is Radio Moscow. Moscow calling.
But Kenny keeps looking.
RADIO MOSCOW (O.S.) (CONT'D)
The following statement is the text of a
letter from General Secretary Khruschev
to President Kennedy.
Kenny spots him emerging from the Presidential limo,
surrounded by Secret Service Agents - John Kennedy. His
FAMILY also is with him.
RADIO MOSCOW (O.S.) (CONT'D)
...I regard with respect and trust the
statement you made in your message of 27
October 1962 that there would be no
attack, no invasion of Cuba, and not
only the part of the United States, but
also on the part of the Western
Hemisphere, as you said in your same
message. Then the motives which induced
us to render assistance of such a kind
to Cuba disappear...
Kennedy, greeting well-wishers, a brilliant smile on his
face, is carried through the crowd toward Kenny and the doors
of the church.
RADIO MOSCOW (O.S.) (CONT'D)
...it is for this reason that we have
instructed our officers - these
missiles, as I already informed you are
in the hands of Soviet officers to take
appropriate measures to discontinue
construction, dismantle them, and return
them to the Soviet Union.
EXT. MISSILE SITE - CUBA - DAY
the base has been half-dismantled over night. Fuel trucks
pull away, lumping down the makeshift dirt road. Across the
site missiles are lowered, their nose cones being removed.
A MISSILE on its transporter, Technicians crawling all over
it, COVERING IT with a tarp.
A massive Soviet Helicopter's rotors thunder as it lifts off,
cargo crates swaying under it, a CLOUD OF DUST FROM ITS WASH
FILLING THE SCREEN, WIPING US TO:
INT. CABINET ROOM - DAY
EXCOM laughing, celebrating, half-drunk already this Sunday
morning. The President shushes the group.
THE PRESIDENT
Hey! Hey. Okay, that's enough.
The group quiets down. The Presidents stares at them, calm,
firm. They sober up quickly. Kenny listens, expectant.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)
I don't want any gloating. This is not
a victory over the Soviets. It's a
victory with the Soviets.
(beat)
I want everyone to remember that.
INT. WEST WING HALLWAY - DAY
Kenny rounds a corner. McNamara, Bundy and McCone are
talking, excited, hushed, standing to one side, down the
hall. Kenny eyes them as he draws closer, and then they
notice he's approaching. Bundy nods him over, confidential.
BUNDY
We've been talking. We can play this
big in '64. It's the foreign policy
trophy we've been waiting.
Kenny sickens. He tries to listen, but it all begins to
blur.
BUNDY (CONT'D)
I think we can ride it all the way home
next election. Bet you're way ahead of
us, eh?
Bundy slaps Kenny on the back. Kenny is pale. Is what
they're saying possible? But Bundy and McCone are too
wrapped up in their schemes to notice Kenny's distress.
MCCONE
We've ordered crash reassessment of our
major geopolitical hotspots. We've got
a lot of new clout, and we can run the
table on the Soviets. Middle East,
Southeast Asia...
And Kenny, sad, moved beyond all pity and loathing, realizes
it is possible. They haven't gotten it. He is speechless,
helplessly shaking his head. Bundy finally sees something
isn't right with him.
MCNAMARA
What's wrong, O'Donnell?
Kenny can't speak. Can't find the words. But tongue-tied
finally manages:
KENNY
Don't you understand?
McNamara and Bundy look at him funny.
BUNDY
Understand what?
Kenny just looks at them, eyes filled with sorrow. They
begin to feel uncomfortable.
KENNY
The sun came up today.
BUNDY
Yeah.
KENNY
It shouldn't have. But it did.
MCCONE
We were lucky we were able to keep it
under control.
Kenny looks away, unable to bear it.
KENNY
Every day the sun comes up... says
something about us.
BUNDY
Says what, Kenny?
Kenny looks back at them.
KENNY
Something... amazing.
They just stare at him. And with secret smiles, superior
smiles, they nod.
MCNAMARA
Sure, Ken. I understand. Feels good to
win, doesn't it?
But they don't understand, and together turn away.
BUNDY
See you later, Kenny.
Kenny watches them, heads bowed in discussion, disappear into
the labyrinth of the West Wing. Kenny turns his back on
them.
INT. PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - DAY
The President stands at his mirror, tying a bow tie to a tux
for some Sunday special event. Kenny gathers up his folder
from nearby breakfast table.
Kenny meets the President's gaze in the mirror, and the two
men know they have been to the same mountaintop.
THE PRESIDENT
Kenny...