This is the latest incarnation of the party, but it still seems sedate. Anybody got any ideas?
---------------------------------
EXT. LANDO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Not as big as Casey’s. Too close to Santa Monica Blvd. A driveway curls in front. A valet service does the parking. It is deathly quiet. Even the group of PHOTOGRAPHERS across the street are properly silent.
The Paparazzi Twins scramble to join them.
Brenda (from Australia) is part of their mix.
Casey and Adam still stand in the sun roof as the limo pulls up. They hop out and up to the front door. Tito blocks their path, tablet in hand.
TITO
Hey, Casey.
CASEY
Tito, you beat us here?
TITO
Left soon as the movie was over. You’re not a plus-one on my list.
He shows her the tablet.
CASEY
Wanna be a dead man, on mine?
TITO
Why you comin’ here for, anyhow? Lando’s bitch’ll toss a fit.
CASEY
Just answered your own question.
Tito almost smiles then stands aside. Adam follows Casey in.
INT. LANDO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Japanese style. Hundreds of lantern lights cover the ceiling. A few PARTY-GOERS dance in TOTAL SILENCE -- texting on their phones -- reading each other’s phones -- laughing at jokes on each other’s phones. A DJ works his turntables by a huge window that looks out on a well-kept yard and pool. The silence is spooky.
A MUSIC GIRL offers Adam and Casey earplugs.
MUSIC GIRL
You may listen through these.
ADAM
What the devil -- ?
MUSIC GIRL
Beverly Hills noise ordinances.
She sets the earplugs in Adam’s ears. MUSIC POUNDS. He quickly removes them.
ADAM
Casey...?
She has vanished.
An EARTH MOTHER whispers up to surround him with incense.
ADAM (cont’d)
Careful...
EARTH MOTHER
We must cleanse your aura.
ADAM
Orisi did enough cleansing, thanks.
She slips a stick of incense into his hair.
EARTH MOTHER
This will make up for it.
Off she goes. Adam removes the stick -- looks around.
ADAM
Casey? Am I in The Twilight Zone?
A WAITER offers a tray covered with glasses of wine. Adam grabs one. ANOTHER WAITER offers a tray of canapes. Adam takes one -- bites into it -- it is AWFUL. He has no napkin so hides behind a lush plant and spits it into the plant’s soil. He swills some wine in his mouth and spits that out, with it.
ADAM (cont’d)
Do these people not eat food?
Lando and Veronica appear -- CROWDS OF PARTY-GOERS burst in, behind them...and keep coming and coming and coming, like they all got off a bus. The dancing party-goers rush over to AD LIB congratulations. Lando is like their god.
Adam backs up to the window to watch. Behind him, a sleek BLACK PANTHER casually crosses the yard.
Lando finally sees Adam -- comes over -- offers his hand.
LANDO
Lando Grissom.
ADAM
Adam Verlain. Good to meet you.
Tito appears -- Googles Adam’s name on his tablet.
LANDO
You’re Casey’s date, right?
ADAM
Yes, we came together.
LANDO
Glad to see she’s finally gettin’ over me. We were worried about her, for a bit.
ADAM
Were you?
Veronica comes up.
VERONICA
Were we what?
LANDO
Just talkin’ shit.
VERONICA
(to Adam)
You’re Casey’s shadow.
ADAM
Sorry? Oh! Yes. You -- you were in Ilithium-Four, as well. Right? The Seeress.
LANDO
Watch out, gorgeous; he read the book.
ADAM
How’d you know -- ?
VERONICA
Shit, you’re not gonna bitch me out for going topless, are you?
ADAM
No. Most certainly not. Though my seat-mate’s mother might have.
VERONICA
Huh? What’s a seat mate?
LANDO
Andrew’s just jokin’, gorgeous.
ADAM
It’s Adam.
VERONICA
Andrew Adam. Cute name. Great accent, too. Who’s your coach?
ADAM
Coach? Oh, I -- I’m from England.
VERONICA
Really? Could’ve fooled me. Why do you guys drive on the wrong side of the road?
ADAM
We don’t; we drive on the right.
Casey come up -- slips an arm around Adam’s.
CASEY
Is this the cool kids’ table?
(to Adam)
Sorry I vanished, baby. Powder room called.
LANDO
Hey, Case.
CASEY
-- Lando. How’s tricks?
She looks straight at Veronica, who glares right back.
LANDO
I’m glad you’re gettin’ out and around, again, Case. Hope we’re all okay now.
CASEY
That’s why I’m here, baby. Prove to the world I’m little miss sunshine.
(to Veronica)
Sometimes it’s easy to move on.
VERONICA
You should know. Word of warning, Andrew; you’re running with a girl who makes a habit of doing that.
Casey tenses. A waiter passes with canapes. Lando grabs the tray and slaps it in Adam’s hands.
LANDO
Oh, here. Here. You guys tried the horse derves? Veronica worked up the recipe.
ADAM
Horse derves? Oh! Um...yes, they’re -- they’re quite interesting.
LANDO
She’s a little health nut, she is. Always makin’ sure I eat right and keep fit and all that crap.
VERONICA
It’s just because I love my Landy, and only want the best for him.
CASEY
Then why’s he with you?
LANDO
Okay, feast. All you want. There’s more comin’. More comin’. Oh...uh, gorgeous, I think I saw Angelina, over there.
VERONICA
With Brad? I wondered if they’d show. Nice to meet you, Andrew.
ADAM
It’s Adam...
Lando hurries her off. Casey glares after them -- looks at Adam and the tray.
CASEY
What you really think of those?
ADAM
Not fit for pigs. Here you go.
He hands it off to a passing waiter.
CASEY
Still hungry?
ADAM
I’m close to foraging in a dust bin.
She forces a smile -- leads him to the kitchen.
EXT. LANDO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Not as big as Casey’s. Too close to Santa Monica Blvd. A driveway curls in front. A valet service does the parking. It is deathly quiet. Even the group of PHOTOGRAPHERS across the street are properly silent.
The Paparazzi Twins scramble to join them.
Brenda (from Australia) is part of their mix.
Casey and Adam still stand in the sun roof as the limo pulls up. They hop out and up to the front door. Tito blocks their path, tablet in hand.
TITO
Hey, Casey.
CASEY
Tito, you beat us here?
TITO
Left soon as the movie was over. You’re not a plus-one on my list.
He shows her the tablet.
CASEY
Wanna be a dead man, on mine?
TITO
Why you comin’ here for, anyhow? Lando’s bitch’ll toss a fit.
CASEY
Just answered your own question.
Tito almost smiles then stands aside. Adam follows Casey in.
INT. LANDO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Japanese style. Hundreds of lantern lights cover the ceiling. A few PARTY-GOERS dance in TOTAL SILENCE -- texting on their phones -- reading each other’s phones -- laughing at jokes on each other’s phones. A DJ works his turntables by a huge window that looks out on a well-kept yard and pool. The silence is spooky.
A MUSIC GIRL offers Adam and Casey earplugs.
MUSIC GIRL
You may listen through these.
ADAM
What the devil -- ?
MUSIC GIRL
Beverly Hills noise ordinances.
She sets the earplugs in Adam’s ears. MUSIC POUNDS. He quickly removes them.
ADAM
Casey...?
She has vanished.
An EARTH MOTHER whispers up to surround him with incense.
ADAM (cont’d)
Careful...
EARTH MOTHER
We must cleanse your aura.
ADAM
Orisi did enough cleansing, thanks.
She slips a stick of incense into his hair.
EARTH MOTHER
This will make up for it.
Off she goes. Adam removes the stick -- looks around.
ADAM
Casey? Am I in The Twilight Zone?
A WAITER offers a tray covered with glasses of wine. Adam grabs one. ANOTHER WAITER offers a tray of canapes. Adam takes one -- bites into it -- it is AWFUL. He has no napkin so hides behind a lush plant and spits it into the plant’s soil. He swills some wine in his mouth and spits that out, with it.
ADAM (cont’d)
Do these people not eat food?
Lando and Veronica appear -- CROWDS OF PARTY-GOERS burst in, behind them...and keep coming and coming and coming, like they all got off a bus. The dancing party-goers rush over to AD LIB congratulations. Lando is like their god.
Adam backs up to the window to watch. Behind him, a sleek BLACK PANTHER casually crosses the yard.
Lando finally sees Adam -- comes over -- offers his hand.
LANDO
Lando Grissom.
ADAM
Adam Verlain. Good to meet you.
Tito appears -- Googles Adam’s name on his tablet.
LANDO
You’re Casey’s date, right?
ADAM
Yes, we came together.
LANDO
Glad to see she’s finally gettin’ over me. We were worried about her, for a bit.
ADAM
Were you?
Veronica comes up.
VERONICA
Were we what?
LANDO
Just talkin’ shit.
VERONICA
(to Adam)
You’re Casey’s shadow.
ADAM
Sorry? Oh! Yes. You -- you were in Ilithium-Four, as well. Right? The Seeress.
LANDO
Watch out, gorgeous; he read the book.
ADAM
How’d you know -- ?
VERONICA
Shit, you’re not gonna bitch me out for going topless, are you?
ADAM
No. Most certainly not. Though my seat-mate’s mother might have.
VERONICA
Huh? What’s a seat mate?
LANDO
Andrew’s just jokin’, gorgeous.
ADAM
It’s Adam.
VERONICA
Andrew Adam. Cute name. Great accent, too. Who’s your coach?
ADAM
Coach? Oh, I -- I’m from England.
VERONICA
Really? Could’ve fooled me. Why do you guys drive on the wrong side of the road?
ADAM
We don’t; we drive on the right.
Casey come up -- slips an arm around Adam’s.
CASEY
Is this the cool kids’ table?
(to Adam)
Sorry I vanished, baby. Powder room called.
LANDO
Hey, Case.
CASEY
-- Lando. How’s tricks?
She looks straight at Veronica, who glares right back.
LANDO
I’m glad you’re gettin’ out and around, again, Case. Hope we’re all okay now.
CASEY
That’s why I’m here, baby. Prove to the world I’m little miss sunshine.
(to Veronica)
Sometimes it’s easy to move on.
VERONICA
You should know. Word of warning, Andrew; you’re running with a girl who makes a habit of doing that.
Casey tenses. A waiter passes with canapes. Lando grabs the tray and slaps it in Adam’s hands.
LANDO
Oh, here. Here. You guys tried the horse derves? Veronica worked up the recipe.
ADAM
Horse derves? Oh! Um...yes, they’re -- they’re quite interesting.
LANDO
She’s a little health nut, she is. Always makin’ sure I eat right and keep fit and all that crap.
VERONICA
It’s just because I love my Landy, and only want the best for him.
CASEY
Then why’s he with you?
LANDO
Okay, feast. All you want. There’s more comin’. More comin’. Oh...uh, gorgeous, I think I saw Angelina, over there.
VERONICA
With Brad? I wondered if they’d show. Nice to meet you, Andrew.
ADAM
It’s Adam...
Lando hurries her off. Casey glares after them -- looks at Adam and the tray.
CASEY
What you really think of those?
ADAM
Not fit for pigs. Here you go.
He hands it off to a passing waiter.
CASEY
Still hungry?
ADAM
I’m close to foraging in a dust bin.
She forces a smile -- leads him to the kitchen.
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