OVER BLACK we HEAR the distant but near melodic CRY of a LOON. SLOWLY FADE IN TO: EXT. BLACK LAKE - NIGHT The loon continues its hypnotic call, as the steamy mist lifts off the dark water, which doesn't even ripple. The loon continues her nocturnal cry, as we savor the beauty of the lake, the elegance of the bird, and the haunting echo of her lonely call... until suddenly the bird is crisply pulled under, silenced forever. A lone feather surfaces and floats as: Credits roll over the black lake to Richie Havens singing "I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW." Then-- OVER BLACK KEOUGH (O.S.) And they pay you for this? To tag beaver? WALT (O.S.) Imagine. As we FADE IN a face COMES INTO FOCUS from underwater. It is the face of WALT LAWSON (Maine Fish And Game) looking down from a boat. EXT. LAKE - DAY Next to him is SHERIFF HANK KEOUGH, paunch, disposition of an untipped waiter. KEOUGH Ask me, what an animal does in the wild is his own business so long as he doesn't do it to man. I think Mark Twain said that. WALT (dry) I think he didn't. But since you've said it, I guess we're covered. Keough holds a stare. Walt drops overboard. Keough pulls a Twinkie from his pocket. Begins to unwrap. EXT. NEW YORK - MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY INT. MUSEUM - DAY FIND KELLY SCOTT, pretty, thirty, as KEVIN CAMPBELL, forties, approaches. KEVIN Kelly. KELLY (warmly) Kevin, hey. She beams affection, he exudes a little discomfort. KEVIN Hi. Listen. Could I steal you a second? KELLY (great idea) Absolutely. INT. KEVIN'S OFFICE - DAY They enter ON THE CUT, he closes the door. KEVIN I had a great time last night. Again. KELLY Me too. Reading his look, she suddenly smells it. Her face drops. KELLY (CONT'D) (deducing) That's not what you came to say. KEVIN You work for me. I'm not comfortable with-- y'know, "us"... She's a little crushed.
