Standing Outside the Fire

3

[The Third Man]

INT. POLICE LOCKER ROOM

Jerry, wearing a T-shirt, was toweling his face after shaving. He saw a spot of blood on the towel and noticed a nick on his left cheek. He rinsed it off, but it persisted.

"Oh, come on," Jerry muttered, rubbing his right cheek as a patch of skin peeled off and landed ini the sink. "Ohh. Oh." He exhaled sharply. "What the hell?"

A second cop, Ed, had been dressing in the locker behind. "Come on, man. Let's get going."

Jerry walked backwards from the mirror, breathing rapidly and leaving bloody footprints. Blood seeped through the back of his T-shirt.

"Jerry?" Ed called.

Jerry, bleeding from his mouth, said, "Ed, I think I'm bleeding."

Jerry fell forward. Blood spattered at Ed's feet. There was a mash of flesh and blood where Jerry used to be. Ed stared, horrified.

INT. DEAN'S HOUSE

Birds chirped as morning light flooded into a bedroom window. Dean was sleeping.

Francesca awoke next to him and greeted, "Hey, you."

"Hey," Dean said.

A light peck became a passionate kiss. Dean was distracted by the sound of a heartbeat. A horn blared and he felt a shake, and woke from his dream. He was in the Impala and Francesca was in the passenger's seat. They were parked just off a busy highway. He smiled and kissed her as she opened her eyes.

INT. HOTEL ROOM

Sam was inside, shirtless, working through a fitness routine of push-ups and sit-ups.

EXT. HGHWAY

Dean and Francesca were by the side of the road, fully clothed, and stretched. The Impala pulled out and was back on the road.

INT. HOTEL ROOM

Sam was doing chin-ups on a pipe suspended from the ceiling.

A professional lady emerged from the bathroom. "Don't stop on my account."

Sam laughed. "I'm done."

"Last night was a..." she cleared her throat, "high point, if you don't mind me saying."

"Good."

"All right. Well, I see you need to start your day. When did you say you were heading out?" Sam exhaled, indicating impatience. "You didn't. Right. Damn, you know how to play that mystery card."

As she turned to leave, Sam cleared his throat and held up some cash.

"Right," the professional lady said. "I almost forgot. Next time..." she gave Sam a note, "you can call me on my night off. If you want."

"Okay," Sam replied.

"Okay."

She left. The phone rang. Sam scrunched up the note and tossed it into a wastebasket. He picked up his cell.

"Hey," Sam said.

EXT. BURGER HEAVEN

"Hey," Dean greeted. "We're about eight hours out of the Campbell Base."

"Uh, change of plans. I need you guys to meet me. I'm in PA. Town called Easter."

"What are you doing in Pennsylvania?"

"Caught a case."

"A case? When? It's been like a day and a half."

"I like to work."