Defenders of the Night

69. It's a Terrible Life

INT. BEDROOM

An alarm flipped from 5:59 to 6:00 and started beeping. A hand shut it off.

KITCHEN

A coffee cup was filled at an espresso machine.

The cup was held by Dean, who was in a business suit, with his hair slicked down. Lana walked into the room, burping Hana. Rose followed, drinking her juice.

STREET

Dean, holding Hana's car seat, and Lana, holding Rose's hand, crossed the street to a silver Toyota Prius.

PRIUS

Dean started the car.

Rock music blared and he looked at it, confused, and changed the station.

"NPR Morning Edition. It's for this waste and-"

Dean drove off, dropped Rose and Hana off at a daycare, and eventually came to a skyscraper.

LOBBY

Dean and Lana exited the elevator and crossed the lobby. There was a Sandover Bridge and Iron history display along one wall.

Dean entered an office labeled Dean Smith - Director, Sales & Marketing.

Lana entered an office labeled Lana Smith - Head Design Manager.

DEAN'S OFFICE

Dean typed at a computer.

Dean laughed into a phone headset. "All I wanna know is when are they gonna have another show like Project Runway?"

At lunch, he flipped his tie and ate a salad.

Lana was eating a sandwich, looking over some papers. After lunch, Dean stood and spoke into his headset. "Net profitability aside, it's the client-retention rate that concerns me vis-à-vis maximizing return on sales. Buzz me back in once you've seen the spreadsheets."

As Lana was about to leave, someone else entered the office.

"Mr. Adler," Dean and Lana greeted.

"Dean. Lana," Mr. Adler said. slapping Dean on the shoulder. "Good stuff."

"Good stuff?" Dean asked.

"Big things. Good stuff. Your wife any trouble?"

"Good stuff. No, she's never any trouble."

NIGHT

Dean was sitting at his desk playing with something and speaking into the headset. "Oh I hear you. No, I haven't been to the gym in ages. Carrying a little bloat around myself. It's a sedentary lifestyle, my man, no two ways. All right, tell me one more time. You said lemon and - what was it? Cayenne and maple syrup, are you serious? How much did you lose?"

Dean put some files in a case and left the office. He glanced at his phone and smiled at a picture of Rose and Hana that Lana had sent him. She'd left early to pick up the girls.

OFFICE LOBBY

Dean was checking his phone. The elevator dinged. He entered, focused on the phone. He looked at the other occupant of the elevator who was staring at him. It was Sam, who was wearing a short-sleeved yellow shirt that said 'Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc. Tech Support'.

"Do I know you?" Sam asked.

"I don't think so," Dean replied.

Sam looked at him. "I'm sorry, man, you just look really familiar."

"Save it for the health club, pal."

The elevator dinged again and Dean got out. Sam stared after him.