Disclaimer

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Dan is sitting on the couch inside his office. He's dressed casually and typing on his laptop. He stops and checks some notes he has written. His attention is diverted when he hears a knock on his door.

JoAnne: Busy working?

Dan: Uh, yeah. Busy, busy, busy. But not that I'm that busy, but you know... okay, that didn't come out right.

JoAnne: I would think.

Dan: Yeah.

JoAnne: Want to start over?

Dan: Sure.

JoAnne turns around and starts walking through the newsroom. Dan jumps up from his couch.

Dan: Whoa! Hold it there!

JoAnne stops, turns around, and smiles at Dan.

Dan: Where are you going?

JoAnne: I thought we were starting over.

Dan: I meant from the point when you knocked on my door.

JoAnne: When I first came up here and walked through the newsroom, I was slinky. You don't want to watch me be slinky as I walk all the way through the newsroom?

Dan: Well, yeah... no. I can't because this thing I'm working, but you know any other time I would love for you well for me to watch you walk slink-

JoAnne: There you go again.

Dan: And I can't stop.

JoAnne: I see that.

Dan: How about you come in here?

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan carefully watches JoAnne walk into his office.

Dan: Slinky.

JoAnne: Just an abbreviated version of it.

Dan: I liked it.

JoAnne: How much?

Dan walks over and wraps his arms around the small of her waist.

Dan: How much I liked your walk?

JoAnne: How much did you like it?

Dan: Not as much as if you did it all the way through the newsroom.

JoAnne: You're being playful. I thought you were busy with-

"And I see you are properly demonstrating tackling techniques for the Falcons three-four defense."

Dan and JoAnne quickly release each other when they realize Isaac is standing in the doorway.

Dan: Yeah, hey, Isaac. The Falcons three-four. Right.

Isaac: And I'm certain you are going to have that story done - (quickly checks watch) - within the hour.

Dan: Right; the piece on the Falcons three-four defense. Falcons three-four. Falcons three-four. Say that five times fast.

Isaac: If it's not done within the hour - it's all you'll be saying.

JoAnne: I think I should be going now - with your laptop all repaired, Danny, my work here is done.

Dan: Yeah... because I need a working laptop... in order to turn in my story on the Falcons three-four.

JoAnne: And thanks for letting me know about Casey.

Dan: You're welcome.

JoAnne leaves the office as Dan takes his laptop to his desk.

Isaac: What about Casey?

Dan: Oh, there is a statement in the paper from HBO.

Isaac: Has everyone seen it?

Dan: I think Dana and I are the only ones. And JoAnne.

Isaac: Yes, JoAnne. And speaking of Dana-

Dan: Tick-tock, Isaac.

Isaac: -have you seen her?

Dan: She was working on something with Natalie. Something about Las Vegas.

Isaac: Good. Within the hour.

Dan: I'm on it.

Isaac quickly leaves the area. Dan types a few keystrokes on his laptop, and then he stops because he is lost in thought. He picks up a phone and dials.

Dan: (into phone) Yeah, I'm looking for a couple of tickets for a flight to Las Vegas- any availability.

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Natalie is working on the editing machine while Dana sits on the couch inside the room.

Natalie: Did you know the first Super Bowl wasn't a sellout?

Dana: We're cutting footage for the TPC. Golf. We're focusing on golf.

Natalie: I'm focusing on golf. It was just a question.

Dana: Well, I did know that it wasn't a sellout.

Natalie: Okay. What do you think of this shot on 17?

Dana looks at the monitor.

Dana: That's good.

Natalie continues to cut footage.

Natalie: Did you also know Los Angeles has hosted 2 Super Bowls? The very first one, which wasn't a sellout, and a second one, which obviously was.

Dana: Is there a reason why I should care?

Natalie: Pasadena has hosted 5, so if you consider the Los Angeles area as a whole, the whole Los Angeles region has hosted 7 Super Bowls.

Dana: And I reiterate, why should I care?

Natalie: Just conversation.

Dana: Okay.

Natalie: How does that look?

Dana: I don't know.

Natalie: You're stalling.

Dana: I am not stalling.

Natalie: We've been working on this piece for the last 30 minutes. I think you're stalling.

Dana: Why would I be stalling? You're the one quizzing me about football.

Natalie: Because you don't want to discuss what's really on your mind.

Dana: Yeah, like discussing our work.

Natalie: Come on, Dana. What's bothering you?

Dana: What's bothering me is the fact that the 'highlands' in Southern Highlands Golf Club is one word and not two.

Natalie: I know.

Dana: Then why do you have it down-

Natalie: I have it down as one word.

Dana: Then who has it down as two words?

Natalie: You.

Dana: Me?

Natalie: It was on your memo to me. "Natalie, first thing you do is drag your butt down here and cut footage for the TPC in Las Vegas."

Dana: I never mentioned 'Highlands.'

Natalie: That's right. I read your calendar. It was next to your memo. You had 'Highlands' spelled as two words.

Dana: Natalie-

Natalie: I'm the one who had it spelled correctly.

Dana: Fine. We're done here.

Natalie: Well, how does that shot look?

Dana: It looks fine.

Natalie: We're done?

Dana: Yes.

Natalie pops the tape out of the editing machine as Dana gets up from the couch. Natalie races to the door, ahead of Dana.

Natalie: Onto our next assignment?

Dana: Yeah, sure.

Natalie: Great.

Natalie whips out a folded newspaper section.

Dana: We're not doing this.

Dana scoots around Natalie, and the two leave the editing room. They walk into the studio.

Natalie: You've seen the article.

Dana: Yes, I've seen the article.

Natalie: Well?

Dana: It's good news for Casey.

Natalie: You don't sound like it's good news.

Dana: It's great news.

Natalie: You are certainly lacking in enthusiasm.

Dana: Would you rather have me doing cartwheels over the story?

Natalie: That's better than your doom-and-gloom attitude.

Dana: We've got work to do.

Natalie: Did you and Casey break up?

The two stop walking at the edge of the studio. Dana shakes her head as she looks at Natalie. Dana starts walking briskly down the corridor toward the newsroom. Natalie quickly follows.

Dana: We're not doing this.

Natalie: It's too late.

Dana: What do you mean-

Natalie: We've already started. We're past the point of no return.

Dana: I just could stop listening to you.

Natalie: You could, but I offer you something you really need to hear.

Dana: And what is that?

Natalie: The voice of reason.

Dana: The voice of reason. Ha.

The two enter the newsroom.

Natalie: I've been thinking about the situation, and I don't recall you mentioning Casey over the past week.

Dana: First of all, there is no situation.

Natalie: In fact, I think I haven't heard Casey's name uttered from your lips.

Dana: Natalie.

Natalie: And when this article comes out in the Times, instead of being jovial, you act like someone has stolen all your Easter eggs and dumped the basket.

Dana: The article is your run-of-the-mill statement when the network supports their employee even though he has done wrong. It's what we did when Marcus initially got into trouble, and it's always happened when Danny has gotten into trouble. The network supports him publicly, and then they punish him in private.

"Let me just begin by asking you two to cut the clichés."

Dan stands in his doorway as Dana and Natalie approach.

Dana: Excuse me, Danny. Natalie and I were having a conversation.

Natalie: She said that we weren't going to do this, but we are.

Dan: I'm not going to stop right there with the questioning, but there is one thing. I have caused a few waves here and there, but I - repeat - I have not given the network a black-eye with any of my actions.

Dana: Danny, may I remind you last week you did two-minutes of play-by-play slash "let's see if I can be cute" on a sport which you knew nothing about. That - in turn, if I may also remind you - became fodder for sports talk radio.

Dan: I wasn't trying to be cute. Plus, it's talk radio. What were you expecting; an actual conversation to break out?

Dana: What I'm trying to say is that HBO will publicly back Casey. They will back their support with facts from the "quality" work he has done for the network. The network will find no fault with his work, and they will continue to give him work. Then behind closed doors, Casey will be reprimanded for giving undue attention to the network and causing them to look like a bunch of idiots for not doing a thorough background check.

Natalie: But Casey worked for CSC.

Dana: Don't you think I know that? Don't you think that everyone else is casting a watchful eye over everyone he has worked under? I'm the one who brought him to Lone Star Sports. I'm the one who brought him to CSC. I'm the one they are looking at and thinking, "well, dang. No wonder Casey got away with it all this time; he's been banging his boss."

Dan: Casey slept with Isaac?

Dana: Me, you idiot!

Dan: You slept with Isaac?

Dana: Danny, there are times when I could just choke you.

Dan: Take a number. Speaking of Isaac, he's looking for you.

Dana: Where is he?

Dan: He could be anywhere in the building.

Dana: Daniel.

Dan: If I were a betting man, I'd say he'd follow your trail which leads to my door.

Dana: Excuse me?

"Dana? Could I see you in my office? Right now?"

Dana and Natalie turn around to see Isaac standing right behind them.