That may be why Khruschev's introducing

                      this guy.  We've been burned by his

                      usual players in the formal channels, so

                      he brings in an honest broker.

                                MCCONE

                      That may be what they want us to think.

                                RUSK

                      The truth is, Mr. President, we don't

                      even really know whom Fomin speaks for.

                      It could be Khruschev. It could be some

                      faction in the Politburo or the KGB

                      itself.  We just don't know.

                                BOBBY

                      By the way, Scali, your activities now

                      fall under the secrecy codicils of the

                      National Security Act.  Sorry, no

                      Pulitzer.

            The gathered men chuckle, only Scali a bit dour but being a

            good sport about it.  Scali checks his watch.

                                SCALI

                      Mr. President, we don't have much time.

                      I'm supposed to meet with him again in

                      three and a half hours.

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      Well, it seems the question of the day

                      is -- is the offer legitimate?

            He moves away from his desk.  The men watch him.

                                THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)

                      If it is... if it is, then we can't

                      afford to ignore it.

                          (beat, to Scali)

                      John, we'll have instructions for you in

                      a couple of hours.

            Scali nods.  Rusk escorts him out.  They wait until the door

            closes.  Taylor looks over at McCone who nods.

                                GENERAL TAYLOR

                      Mr. President, I'm afraid we have some

                      bad news.  We're getting GMAIC estimates

                      from our latest low-level overflights.

                      It appears the missiles are two to three

                      days away from operational status.

                                MCCONE

                      So we don't have much time to play out

                      back-channel communiques.

            Kenny gives Bobby a hard look.  The President appears

            unfazed.

                                GENERAL TAYLOR

                      The quarantine, sir, is not producing

                      results.  The Chiefs feel it's time you

                      take another look at our options.

            The President considers Taylor, then looks over to Kenny.

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      Kenny, get over to your old stomping

                      grounds.  Go through everything the FBI

                      has on Fomin.  I need your best call: is

                      this guy legit and is he speaking for

                      Khruschev?  And I need you to tell me by

                      the time I call you, because right after

                      I call you, I'm calling Scali with his

                      instructions.

            INT. FBI, COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT FILES - NIGHT

            BANG!  A STACK OF FILES slams down beside Kenny on a large

            paper-covered conference table.  WALTER SHERIDAN, Kenny's

            investigator-buddy, wears a visitor's pass just like Kenny.

            Kenny and Walter RIFLE through the folders, super fast, super

            proficient.  A half-dozen FBI AGENTS work around the table.

                                SHERIDAN

                      Okay.  So, what we've got is this guy

                      Alexander Feklisov, aka Alexander Fomin,

                      declared Consul to the Soviet Embassy,

                      but in reality the KGB Papa Spy.  An

                      illustrious tour of duty during the

                      Great Patriotic War gets him on the

                      Party fast track, various tours of duty

                      in KGB, American postings.  He's an

                      expert on us, and... that's all we've

                      got on Papa Spy.

                                KENNY

                      Who's he talking for?  Is it Khruschev,

                      or is this more bullshit?

            Kenny stands, runs his hands through his hair, aggravated.

                                KENNY (CONT'D)

                      How do you become the KGB top spy in the

                      United States?

                                SHERIDAN

                      Gotta know someone.

            Kenny whirls on Sheridan.  A frozen beat.

                                KENNY

                      Politics is politics.  Walter.

                          (whirling on Agents)

                      Khruschev is the Moscow Party Boss under

                      Stalin.  Give me their career

                      chronologies!

            Walter pushes a typed dateline of Khruschev's major career

            moves, and one of the Agents hands Kenny a list of Fomin's

            postings.  He lays them side by side.  And for every step of

            Khruschev's, there's a step for Fomin.  Not only that, but

            the DATES ARE IDENTICAL or nearly so.

                                KENNY (CONT'D)

                      Every time Khruschev moves up, Fomin

                      does within a year...

                          (tracing up the list)

                      Khruschev was the administrator in

                      charge of preparing Moscow's defenses

                      during the war.  And Fomin... was here

                      in the U.S.

            Kenny's face falls.  But a YOUNG FBI AGENT cuts in.

                                YOUNG FBI AGENT

                      Not at first.

            The Young FBI Agent proffers him a file.  Kenny snatches it.

                                YOUNG FBI AGENT (CONT'D)

                      He was an engineer stationed outside

                      Moscow in '42.  Specialized in tank

                      traps.

            Kenny looks up at Walter.  Walter nods sagely, lights a pipe.

                                KENNY

                      They know each other.  They're war

                      buddies.

                                SHERIDAN

                      It's thin.  But real life usually is.

            A PHONE on the table SHRILLS, shattering the silent triumph.

                                KENNY

                      Hello?

                                THE PRESIDENT (O.S.)

                      I've got to move.  What do you have,

                      Kenny?

                                KENNY

                      They know each other!  Khruschev and

                      Feklisov aka Fomin were war buddies!

                                THE PRESIDENT (O.S.)

                      You're sure...

                                KENNY

                      Don't take it to court, but we've got

                      good circumstantial evidence...

                          (off Walter's nod)

                      Walter agrees.  My gut's telling me

                      Khruschev's turning to a trusted old

                      friend to carry his message.

                                THE PRESIDENT (O.S.)

                      Okay, Ken.  We're going.

            INT. STATLER HOTEL COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

            A few lonely BUSINESS TRAVELERS hang out in the dim coffee

            shop.  Faint music plays.  Scali and ALEXANDER FOMIN sit with

            steaming cups of coffee.  Scali, nervous, unfolds a note.

            Fomin, an expressionless gray spectre of a man, eyes him.  He

            is, in his boredom, a spy's spy.

                                SCALI

                      I am instructed to tell you that the

                      American Government would respond

                      favorably to an offer along the lines

                      you have discussed.  If this solution

                      were raised at the U.N. by Ambassador

                      Zorin, he would find a favorable reply

                      from Ambassador Stevenson.

                                FOMIN

                      So I understand you correctly.  If the

                      missiles in Cuba were dismantled,

                      returned to the Soviet Union, and a

                      guarantee was made not to reintroduce

                      them, the United States would be

                      prepared to guarantee that it would

                      never invade Cuba?

                                SCALI

                      That is correct.

                                FOMIN

                      This is from the Highest Authority?

                                SCALI

                      Yes.  From the Highest Authority.  There

                      are two conditions.  The U.N.

                      must be allowed to inspect the removal

                      of the missiles.

                                FOMIN

                      And, of course, the U.N. must be allowed

                      to observe the redeployment of forces

                      from the American Southeast.

            Scali demurs.  He has no instructions on this count.

                                FOMIN (CONT'D)

                      And the second condition?

                                SCALI

                      Time is of the essence.

            Scali takes a sip of coffee.  Fomin stares at him, intense.

                                FOMIN

                      John.  How much time?

                                SCALI

                      48 hours.  In 48 hours there can be no

                      deals.

            INT. OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

            Scali finishes debriefing the President, Bobby, Kenny,

            McCone, Taylor and Bundy.

                                SCALI

                      He left right away.  Got the feeling he

                      meant business.

            Kenny and Bobby share a hopeful glance.  Rusk enters from

            Kenny's office.  And he's unable to contain his excitement.

                                RUSK

                      Mr. President, we're receiving a letter

                      from Khruschev over at State.