When Dan finds out he's getting adopted mere months before aging out of the system, he doesn't feel any sense of joy. The Lester family is a few years too late, considering he hasn't longed for the commitment and the love of a home for a long time now. He's been focused on other things, things he was told to grow out of but is only becoming more interested in as time goes on. See, without much of a notable future to look forward to, people tend to fixate on the past. Dan has nothing if not a colorful past to look back on. He doesn't want new parents, he wants answers about who (what) took his old ones away from him.

"you miss it; the bone-chilling thrill from the narrow escapism of outsmarting cops and the head-spinning adrenaline rush of hiding out in hotel room after hotel room. the blood-rushing high of pulling the trigger on your victim, just to go and do it all over again the next day. but you don't just miss it, you desire it. you need it." |lowercase intended| |sequel to drop dead|

dan howell, 34, has a family. he is married to his beautiful wife, elizabeth, and has twin children. dan's mind wanders back to his younger years, a time of depression and repressed memories, as he remembers his childhood friend, phil lester. little does he know that his trip down memory lane will lead to one fateful day, where he will meet phil again for the first time in years.

"could you briefly describe the night of the 17th mr. lester? remember, you are under oath." "why yes, I could describe it perfectly."