INT. ABRAHAM'S BEDROOM - DAY
ABRAHAM, troubled by the long delay in meeting with Robert, hangs up the phone.
INT. ABRAHAM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
After putting IKE to bed that same night, ABRAHAM calls his babysitter, LIZ.
ABRAHAM: Liz, hi, it's ABRAHAM.
LIZ (O.S.): Hi.
ABRAHAM: Look, I need to go on a short trip...a very important trip tomorrow morning...very early in the morning and I need you to take care of IKE for most of the day...not sure exactly when I'll be back...Can you cover for me...please?
LIZ (O.S.): No problem!
ABRAHAM: Please get here as early as you can. I'll be walking out the door as soon as you arrive. Okay?
LIZ (O.S.): Okay!
ABRAHAM: You'll get a bonus for this. Thank you so much.
EXT. IN FRONT OF ABRAHAM'S HOUSE - EARLY MORNING
As LIZ arrives early on foot the next morning at ABRAHAM's house, ABRAHAM leaves the house and enters a taxi that speeds away.
EXT. IN FRONT OF PENN STATION, MANHATTAN - DAY
ABRAHAM's taxi arrives at Penn Station and ABRAHAM gets out and enters Penn Station.
INT. AMTRAK TRAIN - DAY
ABRAHAM enters Amtrak train bound for Washington. He finds a seat. ABRAHAM contemplates seriously the day ahead of him as train heads to its destination over the next three hours.
EXT. UNION STATION, WASHINGTON - DAY
ABRAHAM exits Union Station in Washington, D.C. He enters a taxi. Taxi heads towards White House.
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY
Taxi arrives in front of White House gate. ABRAHAM gets out of taxi and walks toward security gate.
GUARD: Can I help you, sir?
ABRAHAM: Yes. Here's my ID. My name is ABRAHAM SHAPIRO and I have an appointment with ROBERT SILVER.
ABRAHAM hands GUARD his photo ID. GUARD studies ID and then makes a call to PHYLLIS, ROBERT SILVER's secretary.
PHYLLIS (O.S.): Yes?
GUARD: This is the security gate. I have an ABRAHAM SHAPIRO to see ROBERT SILVER.
INT. ROBERT SILVER'S OFFICE - DAY
PHYLLIS looks at her schedule for the day. ABRAHAM's name is not there.
She knows his scheduled appointment is not for a couple of weeks. She checks with ROBERT via intercom. He is eating sushi at his desk.
ROBERT (O.S.): Yes, PHILLIS?
PHYLLIS: Sir, sorry to disturb your lunch, but your friend ABRAHAM SHAPIRO is at the security gate without an appointment. He wants entrance to see you. What do you want me to tell them?
ROBERT stops eating and thinks for a moment.
ROBERT: Okay, let them bring him here.
He puts the phone down.
ROBERT: Damn!
EXT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY
GUARD puts phone down and returns ID to ABRAHAM.
GUARD: Okay, Mr. SHAPIRO. A guard will escort you to Mr. SILVER's office.
ABRAHAM and a security guard walk towards White House. ABRAHAM is not thinking about entering such a historic, iconic American site. He is concentrating on his mission. They enter door of White House.
ABRAHAM and guard enter White House and proceed toward ROBERT SILVER's office. They reach office.
INT. ROBERT SILVER'S OFFICE - DAY
ABRAHAM enters outer office where PHYLLIS has her desk.
PHYLLIS: Hello, Mr. SHAPIRO. You can go in.
ABRAHAM enters ROBERT's office.
ROBERT: Have a seat, ABRAHAM.
ABRAHAM sits down.
ROBERT: What's going on. Your appointment isn't for another couple of weeks. I only let you in out of respect for our long standing friendship.
ABRAHAM: I apologize for the subterfuge, ROBERT. But, I'm here on an extremely important mission. It's a matter of life and death...especially for my son.
ROBERT: (surprised) Your son? How so?
ABRAHAM: Well, I'm here to talk about...what's going on in the world...especially the environment. Humans have been screwing it up for too long and it's had a catastrophic effect of the climate. And humans have to take action to stop screwing it up. The United Nations...
ROBERT: ABRAHAM, stop right there. I know why you're here. You're not the first person to approach me...and the president about this issue, climate change or global warming or whatever it's called. Look, he and I have looked into this thoroughly. There are good arguments on both sides.
ABRAHAM: On both sides? There are not two sides, only right and wrong.
ROBERT: ABRAHAM, you're being naive and are testing my patience. You busted in here using our friendship as a pretext, but there's only so much time I can give you. To continue, there is no scientific consensus on the issue of climate change. There are scientists who dispute it.
ABRAHAM: Only a tiny fraction.
ROBERT: There are those who claim this has happened before, that the earth goes through cyclical climate changes.
ABRAHAM: Now is different. It's humans doing the damage and humans have to reverse it.
ROBERT: Take temperature, for example. Records are unreliable.
ABRAHAM: Really, as measured by satellites?
ROBERT: Okay, you seem to know what you're talking about. But, there's another point, even if we agreed with you. This is a United Nations initiative. To accept it would be tantamount to giving up America's sovereignty.
ABRAHAM: But, to attack this problem requires an international solution. The U.S. can't do it alone nor be on the outside...separate from the rest of the world.
ROBERT: Look, ABRAHAM, you've had your say. But, the leadership of the federal government has looked into all this before and we've made our decision. It's over...and unfortunately, I have to ask you to leave now.
ABRAHAM: There's one more thing, ROBERT. God.
ROBERT: God? What are you talking about?
ABRAHAM: God has told me...this international agreement...the president must sign it.
ROBERT: Well, I must say this is a novel approach. But, it's just conjecture.
ABRAHAM: No, not conjecture. Fact. God has spoken to me...or at least through an intermediary, a messenger from God.
ROBERT: Intermediary? Messenger? Are you serious, ABRAHAM?
ABRAHAM: Deadly. You're a religious man, ROBERT. You read the Torah. God has spoken to people before. Well, he has spoken to me.
ROBERT: Nice try. But, I can't go to the president and tell him God has spoken to my friend.
ABRAHAM: He's a religious man...or at least he claims he is. Maybe he would believe.
ROBERT: ABRAHAM, my lunch break is over. I have a busy schedule this afternoon. You can come back for your scheduled appointment in two weeks and we can talk more.
ABRAHAM: But, if you don't do what God wants, then...then he's going to want my son sacrificed.
ROBERT: Oh, this is too much. Leave now, ABRAHAM. Leave now or I'll have to call security.
ABRAHAM: I told you it was a matter of life and death...my son's, Ike's, death. Please, I'm begging for my son's life. Help me! Help him!
ROBERT: (talking to Phyllis) Phyllis, call security.
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