[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.
STREET
Dean 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 and eventually came to a skyscraper.
LOBBY
Dean 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.
A young woman, Natalia, smiled and handed him a stack of papers.
DEAN'S OFFICE
Dean typed at a computer while Natalia sat in the corner and did her own work.
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.
Natalia was eating a tofu burger. 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." He looked to his intern. "Have you calculated the numbers?"
Natalia nodded and before she could say something, someone else entered the office.
"Mr. Adler," Dean and Natalia greeted.
"Dean. Natalia," Mr. Adler said. slapping Dean on the shoulder. "Good stuff."
"Good stuff?" Dean asked.
"Big things. Good stuff. Your intern any trouble?"
"Good stuff. No sir."
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, followed by Natalia.
OFFICE LOBBY
Dean was checking his phone. Natalia was flipping through some papers. The elevator dinged. They entered, Dean focused on the phone and Natalia focused on the papers. The looked at the other occupant of the elevator who was staring at them. It was Sam, who was wearing a short-sleeved yellow shirt that said 'Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc. Tech Support'.
"Do I know you two?" Sam asked.
"I don't think so," Dean replied.
Natalia shook your head. "I've never seen you before."
Sam looked between them. "I'm sorry, man, miss, you two just look really familiar."
"Save it for the health club, pal," Dean told him.
YOU ARE READING
Point of Know Return
Mystery / ThrillerNatalia Millie Winchester never knew her mother. She's been surrounded by male figures since she was three months old. Her life was far from normal. Instead of having tea parties and sleepovers, she learned to use a gun and to always be wary in the...
