Annabel came in the back elevator with her key. The first thing she saw was the breakroom. A mess: the coffee had been left on all night. The scorched coffee crushed her frail hopes like a paper lantern. Were there no janitors?

Helicopters thundered over the building. Smoke rose from the charred mass that was once coffee. She heard distant shouts. Her eyes wandered across the toppled styrofoam cups, the torn packets that bled sugar onto the table. There were splatters of red ketchup droplets. Someone had purposefully destroyed this table with bullet, flame and bayonet, with poison. The jets shrieked low overhead.

A creak came from the hallway as a man in a janitor's uniform passed pushing a full garbagecan on wheels.

She was too angry to speak. This was a terrible way to start the work day.

  the Bartender serves up Melancholy Hour the Bartender serves Happy Hour putting it to bed the News, evening edition the News: morning edition the Secretary and the Administrator discuss a private matter pertaining to a possible problem the Secretary has a doctors appointment the Secretary does research on the Internet the Administrator stays at work late the Administrator goes to work about dawn the Administrator lies awake all night the Janitor gets drunk at night the Janitor goes to work in the afternoon the Janitor gets up in the morning Werd falls asleep at night Werd gets drunk in the evening Werd goes to work in the morning