The office was always quiet first thing in the morning. Even more so on a Friday. It was the most productive time of day as far as Jon was concerned. The repetitive grind of work was filled with pointless questions about tasks that seemed inherently mundane.
However this particular Friday proposed being a little different. There was a big meeting today and the heat was most definitely on.
Jon arrived at the main door to the sizeable office where he seemed to spend most of his waking life.
"What's up, Phil?"
Jon waved a soldier's salute at the security guard who gazed vacantly at a small black and white security monitor.
"Different day, same shit!" came the tired reply from the fifty-something guard.
"I hear you, man!" Jon sympathized.
"Only five hours to lunch though dude!" he offered in consolation.
"Way ahead of you, brother!"
Phil reached to his right side and held a half eaten bacon sandwich aloft with a sense of smug satisfaction.
Jon broke into a smile as he passed through the security barrier. He touched his ID card on the reader and barely noticed the picture on the identity badge that showed a man 6 years younger and 10 pounds lighter.
Jon reached the elevator in less than a minute. Without thinking he entered and hit level four. Shortly after the doors glided shut.
A few moments later the doors opened to reveal a large open plan office space. It was unremarkable in every way. Computer screens, desk phones, cupboards. It looked like any of the millions of offices around the world. But this one was currently empty. The clock on the wall read 7.04am. It would be at least an hour before his colleagues began to arrive.
His morning routine was optimised to get him ready to work in the shortest time possible. First, he hit the button on his PC. There was no noise as the black box fired up. The display screen activated automatically so he knew it was doing it's thing.
He threw his black jacket on the coat stand and headed to the kitchenette. He grabbed his coffee mug that carried a picture of the A-Team van on side and a picture of George Peppard's Hannibal Smith, complete with smile and cigar on the other. The words round the lip of the cup read, inevitably, 'I love it when a plan comes together!'
The coffee and sugar went in and the hot water boiler turned the dried powder into a dark brown liquid. He pondered exploring the fridge for milk but he hated the task of finding some suitable for consumption, so left it black.
He ambled back to his desk and sat down. The computer screen waited patiently for his credentials and password. Within moments he was back to where he left off some 9 hours ago.
"Bullshit!" Jon exclaimed.
"Oh, having a good morning?" came a female voice in reply.
Jon had been so engrossed with his spreadsheet that he hadn't noticed a few people had arrived. The sun was starting to raise its head properly and he knew his quiet time was over.
"It's this fucking formula!" he said desperately.
"I've been here since 7am and I can't get the damned thing working!"
"Lucky the professionals have arrived then!" giggled Alana.
Alana was about 30. Ten years younger than Jon. They had been working together for about two years and their childish sense of humour had developed a friendship that made the job bearable.
Alana had a mind and face that were both still fresh and Jon was relieved she was now there. She dressed in office wear and looked like someone committed to her job.
"Take a look will you, kid!" he asked expectantly.
"I'll get you a drink."
Alana sat next to Jon most days. She often wondered how on Earth he survived at work or in life generally but she was equally happy to see him. They had worked together, closely, for so long now they allowed a degree of banter and innuendo between them.
She pulled up a chair and stared at the screen, trying to unlock the problem. After a few moments Jon returned with a herbal tea.
"Left the bag in. Watch out it's still hot." Jon informed her.
"Oh thanks!" The technician replied.
She reached instinctively to the handle and took it, sliding the white cup near to her.
Jon paced annoyingly behind her. He knew she would have it fixed in a few minutes but with a board meeting fifteen minutes away he was understandably anxious.
"Will you fucking sit down and stay still!" she demanded.
"Sorry, Als!" came the meek reply.
Despite being junior to him in rank and age, she carried a strong presence that belied her 5'1" stature. The curly red hair, that right now was pulled back into a neat bun carried a 'don't fuck with me' warning akin to a rattlesnake. Yet at the same time her auburn locks offset her pale skin and blue eyes that represented a natural beauty with some distant Celtic connection.
She was wearing a smart, short dress over a pair of dark work trousers. It told others she was a professional but still young enough to want to have a fun with her clothing. The black glasses on her face gave her a slightly studious look. Whilst this was part of her character, Alana still liked to party. Hard.
"Got it!" she screamed rather too excitedly for 8.15am.
Some of the slack-jawed early birds turned round, conveying displeasure and a need for quiet that permeated most jobs in IT.
"Your look-up was wrong!" Alana informed him.
"You're a genius, Als!"
Jon beamed as he took a slug of coffee, grabbed his laptop and ran off towards the board room.
"You owe me lunch!" she shouted after him.
"It's on me!" Jon shouted back without turning round.
Alana smiled to herself and took up her own desk. Jon was the most disorganised fool she'd ever met but they had looked after each other since the day she started with the company. She had his back and she knew that he had hers.
As she swivelled her chair into position in front of her own desk she noticed Jane scowling at her. Jane was in her late fifties but her greying hair and under-invested wardrobe made her seem older.
"Why do you keep saving him?" Jane moaned, her black eyes peering over her reading glasses.
"He's not worth it!" she went on.
"Oh piss off, Jane!" Alana retorted as she fired up her own computer terminal.
"Well, really!?" Jane stammered.
Don't you fucking start Alana thought to herself.
Whilst age and experience usually commanded a degree of respect from younger staff, Jane was wise enough to know that, in this mood, to press some more buttons would be a bad move. She chose to return to her database and keep quiet. This time.
When Jon returned to their corner of the office Alana was starting to feel hungry. She had skipped breakfast this morning, having overslept slightly and cups of tea only went so far to quell her appetite.
"How'd it go?" Alana enquired.
"Fucking awesome, Als! They bought it. We're in!"
Jon could see Jane's eyes glance over, listening. He hated her sticking her fucking nose in all the time but on this occasion he let it slide.
"They want us to do the analysis!" Jon beamed.
"That's amazing!" congratulated Alana.
She rose from her chair and hugged him. They both enjoyed the moment. Eight months of hard work had finally paid off and it was right to celebrate.
They simultaneously realised the strange feeling of the embrace and the fact they were in the office. If walls had ears, then Jane had the biggest mouth on the east coast. They quickly released each other.
"Get your coat, we're having a proper lunch!" Jon ordered.
"Thought you'd never ask!" said Alana thankfully.
She was happy but starving.
Ten minutes later they were in a steakhouse for professionals. Clean, mildly decadent and designed to extract at least 70 dollars from each diner for lunch. Jon and Alana were both happy with a cheeseburger and fries from any roadside restaurant but this wasn't any regular day. The bottle of overpriced Chianti that stood proudly between them was already half empty. The bread rolls that 3 minutes ago were offered serenely by the waiter, had been reduced to crumbs.
Today had been a big day. Success in the boardroom meant they were now the regional lead team for the project. Blowing it hadn't been an option.
Alana knew that Jon was a liability in most senses but working a room was definitely one of his assets.
The stress, fuelled by some warming alcohol, was now bleeding away.
"It'll be fillet and Remy every week, Als!" Jon suggested playfully.
"Steady on, Jon. Maybe every fortnight!" she conceded.
At that moment the waiter in his crisp white shirt with mandatory black tie returned.
"Your New York, Miss. Medium rare." He said as he set the large plate in front of Alana.
"Your fillet, Sir. Rare."
Charles the waiter, as his name badge decried, then returned in flash with a jug of béarnaise sauce and set it down.
"Got any ketchup?" Alana asked in all innocence.
Charles huffed, knowing that if such a sauce was required to embellish French fries, it was mayonnaise that was permissible. Just.
"Can't take you anywhere, can I!" teased Jon.
"Ketchup and fries. I don't friggin' care where we are!" came the fiery reply.
"Lol!" they both murmured quietly as Charles returned with a saucer of ketchup and placed it next to Alana's plate then moved away, his eyes avoiding theirs, disapprovingly.
The next hour flew by as they chatted and laughed as they ate their meal. They both felt good and were reluctant to head back to the office. Not least from the effects of the rich food and strong wine.
"Wherever have you been?" scalded Jane.
"Out, Jane." snapped Jon, empowered by the booze in his veins.
"Something you should try, Jane. There's a whole world outside your window, you know."
You cunt, he didn't say.
When Jon was in a good mood, he was flying. Nothing could phase him and Jane retreated again.
"Good work, guys!" came a calm and deep voice.
"Thanks Ted. Great news travels fast I see!" replied Jon.
"It certainly does!" Ted was smiling.
The experienced vice-president was always smiling when a deal was done but he was genuinely pleased for the pair of them. A father figure for Alana and a mentor for Jon, he cared about them and wanted them to succeed.
"Get out of here, guys" ordered Ted.
"Take her out Jon, enjoy yourself!"
Ted pushed a bundle of bank notes into his hand. The two hundred bucks was peanuts compared to the profit on the deal that had just been signed.
"No more work today, that's an order!"
Jon glanced over to Alana and he saw immediately her eyes glance downwards to the floor. The smile on his face vanished.
