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Tuesday evening and there's a quick rap of knuckles at the door of Nelson and Murdock. Outside stands one Danny Rand with a box tucked under one arm. He leans against the door-frame and waits for someone to come and let him in for a moment, then tries the knob — and if it's open he comes wandering in and says, "Matt Murdock. You work too much."
Karen would normally answer the door, but Karen is on the phone. A very important call, as it happens. "What do you mean you ran out of beef? You're a Chinese food restaurant. Beef is…" She covers up the mouthpiece of the phone with her palm and looks scandalized at the calendar of New York's hottest fire brigade puppies, piled up on a ladder for Company Number Four. The door will have to wait, and she calls out, "Just a sec, honest! No, no, not you, Wing. Do you have rice at least? No? You have to be kidding me. Fine, we'll make another order later." Secretly it's tomorrow. Secretly she prefers Mr. Rand didn't know this, and she's replacing the phone in its cradle as he saunters in.
"I've been told as much, Mr. Rand," Matt says. But he doesn't look like he's working. At least not too hard, anyways. His black tie is loosened a bit and he has his feet up on the desk. Apparently Karen and he are getting a dinner order. He looks relaxed enough. "It's easy, of course, to critique, given your bounty of resources," he adds with a grin, chiding his friend slightly.
"I can put you on retainer," Danny says to Matt as he comes in and sits on Matt's desk, even if he has to pick up some folders and relocate them a bit to the left to do so, or put them on the floor. He'll put them back when he leaves, honest. "I do, after all, owe some of the ability to keep that bounty of resources to you." He grins over at Karen and gives her a wave as she deals with the order, or lack thereof. "But tonight, I have come to take you both out, and you're coming with me." He doesn't sound like ''no'' is a viable option.
Retainer, there's a scary thought. "Imagine that, the freedom to stop working before ten p.m. and to wake up around six. I mean, you might still rise early but you could eat your Cheerios and have coffee." Karen commiserates with this dream the way parents of preschoolers imagine what it might be like to sleep in on a Saturday, defining sleeping in as any point around 8-o'clock in the morning. As lawyers. "Tonight and taking us both out? Is this in a formal capacity or is it grab your cardigan, it's somewhere remotely respectable?" Her grin gets bigger.
"Retainer? What's retainer?" Matt jokes. "If I had that time on my hands I'd have to take up knitting." The feet come down off the desk and Matt stands, moving over towards Danny. He reaches to grab his cane. "Exciting," he mouths at Karen.
"This is a, I'm taking two friends out, thing," Danny says to Karen with a grin and then he is heading back out the door that he came in through. "The driver's waiting downstairs. We have one stop to make for a drink first, then to dinner since it seems Chinese is a bust." Yes, he was paying attention.
"You would be a marvelous knitter. Think of the ugly sweaters you would make. Start now and we can all be fitted out for Christmas." Karen carries the phone back to Foggy's desk. It's not like he is presently here using it. Probably off researching some actual case law or getting drunk in a dive bar, on dive lawyer wages. "That's the life, going out with friends. Matt, you simply must." Her coat hangs from the battered old rack and she pulls it down, shimmying one sleeve in with a great deal of asynchronous arm-flapping. "Mr. Ra — Danny, you shouldn't, but you spoil us. And I for one will aid and abet getting Matt out the door."
"Yeah, I think I could go out at least once this week," Matt says as he smiles towards Karen and he reaches for the door. The weather is still warm enough so he doesn't need his coat and instead just begins to descend the stairs. "I'll have you know that I have no idea the difference between an ugly or attractive sweater."
"But that's half the fun. Some of them could turn out pure works of art while others could be heart-stoppingly ugly," Danny says, apparently agreeing with ths knitting hobby. He takes them downstairs and into the car. It isn't a long ride over to Harlem, and when they get out, it's in front of The Cigar Factory. Johnny waits for them both to get out and then says, "So, Karen and I decided that you needed a satellite office, so that you know, you could keep working but still take in some scenery every once in a while."
Karen makes a point of carefully shadowing Matt in case he needs anything, her footsteps audible against the ground. Her loose hair falls around her shoulders, lying across the coat that whispers and hisses. "I like to think you could act like it's one when really the other. Smile innocently as the day is long." Her smile is audible in her words, even as she winks at Danny. He's the co-conspirator on their way to a car. In this city, a /car!/ Enthusiasm is a bit brighter than it should be. "This is posh. We're living the life here. Remember this for Christmas card time, Matt." Harlem is still unfamiliar, but not the marquee for The Cigar Factory. Or handpainted sign, it doesn't make much difference.
"He shall receive only our finest stamps," Matt says with a half grin. "A satellite office? Did you run this by Foggy? He doesn't even think he can afford one office, let alone a satellite one." Matt shrugs his shoulders, "Of course, we /are/ on retainer."
Danny holds the door open for Karen and Matt to head in. As Karen passes he leans over and murmurs to her, the booth at the far back on the left with a grin. He knows very well that Matt can hear him, but the whisper is more for effect than anything else. He then says, "I can assure you that Foggy will likely appreciate what we've arranged." And if he doesn't, well, it's easily remedied, after all.
"Thank you." Good manners never go out of style, and the attention is welcome. Karen doesn't make much of a show about that. She does smile a bit brighter for the kind things said and done around her. "A satellite office is something important, especially for those times we have to spend a fair bit of time with a single client or get some work done. Going without interruptions is important." Off Matt's elbow, she doesn't stray too far as she walks into the club. "We're almost there. Ooh, I like it!"
What does she like? Well, it does have a bright shiny brass plaque over the fairly deep table, and that reads 'The Other Office.'
Matt's smile seems to belie his confusion. He's not exactly sure what they mean anymore, and thinks that something might be up. "Satellite office? In a bar? There's something that you're not telling me."
Danny slides into the booth, making sure that Matt gets a seat where he can actually reach the plaque. There, attached to the wall above the table in the booth is a brass plaque that has recently been affixed which reads "Nelson and Murdock - The Other Office - Sponsored by Page and Rand" and then, conveniently, also repeated in braille underneath. "So, Karen and I decided that since it was unlikely we could get you out of the office very often, that we'd just reserve you an office here, at our buddy Luke's bar. You know, for client meetings, long nights of reading. He's even got lunch specials now." He then says, "There's even a plaque, right there on your left, about, eight inches up… read it."
"And the owner has already supported it. He might even name a sandwich after you." It could happen. Karen sounds more than a little chuffed for all her lawyer voice is in action to keep things cool. She leans against the booth, waiting for Matt to take a seat. Hey, there's even small braille plaques on the table to say 'left' and 'right,' probably some kind of neat effect for those unfamiliar with the language. "We're brilliant. You can say so. Honest." She stifles a laugh with her sleeve, all smiles at the pair of men.
Matt cant' help but grin as he takes his hand and runs it over the plaque. "You guys did this for us? Really? Who is this Luke, guy?" In all the young lawyer seems pretty honored by the whole thing. "This is great, guys. Thanks."
Danny can't help but laugh, delighted with the response. He chuckles and says, "Yeah we brought it up while we were having drinks here the other day. I asked him how much to rent out a booth. He told me to get the plaque and he'd put it up for free. Besides, extra advertising for the firm." He is infinitely pleased with himself, blue eyes sparkling. "Luke owns the bar, Luke Cage. He's not a bad cook either. Was making ribs in here earlier today for lunch." He looks over to Karen and says "He's thinking of even getting a cook and a kitchen since the whole lunch thing is taking off." Then he grins over to Matt and says, "The lunch crowd's been booming since we started coming in. I think he likes the business. And hey, now you can say you have a Harlem satellite office."
|ROLL| Karen +rolls 1d2 for: 2
Karen squeezes in beside Danny, habit and happenstance as she hesitates a moment too long. "Luke is a fine guy. He made me a sandwich when I was about to die from lack of food." Normal lawyering schedule, eat once, drink four gallons of coffee, forget about solid food. Elbow planted to the table, she cups her chin in her palm. "When we told him about the idea, he insisted we make it happen. I'm not telling you how. A girl has to have a few secrets. But honestly, this is one of the nicest places for a chilled out vibe. Nice people. It's not too divey, not too upscale, excellent for people like us. And we're close to those we work with, at least outside the Kitchen. You need to ditch on Foggy's next attempts to relabel our case files, tell him you're going to the other office for a lunch meeting. See? Brilliant. Thanks to Mr. Rand here as facilitator and Mr. Cage being our good landlord."
Matt chuckles, "Well, I should say thank you for the attention, both of you. Harlem isn't often where I hang out, but given both of you and your opinions on it, it seems like it's pretty well recommended." He begins to shrug out of his sportcoat, "So, which one of you had this idea?"
"One needs to expand one's horizons," Danny says when Matt says he doesn't spend much time outside of the Kitchen. "Besides, there's still plenty to do at the other other office as well." He leans back int the booth comfortably. When Matt asks whose idea it was he glances over at Karen and then grins, shrugging his shoulders. "Call it a joint venture."
"One needs a watering hole where your legs do not stick to the stool once you sit down," Karen interjeccts. She scoots a lttle further in, elbows going on the table for a second or two. It doesn't wobble. "See, sturdy. You even can put a banker's box somewhere. Maybe we need some kind of secure safe or something for whatever else we have. But I like it."
"It's pretty nice. I assume they serve beer, here, right?" Matt asks with raised eyebrows. "Or is this one of those things where when we're out of the Kitchen we need to drink something more classy."
"That too," Danny says, gesturing toward Karen. "So, we're going to have drinks, and then I'm going to take you guys for food since there's no food here.. but we had to do this first." He gets up then to head to the bar and says, "Beer it is. Karen?" He asks what she wants, and takes her order before he goes on up to the bar to retrieve their drinks and bring them back.
"Stout, preferably something dark as the moody souls of our clients. Or bad English poets." Karen grins. When Danny goes off, she says thank you after him. Manners again. Then leaning over the table a little, it's all business. "I hope you aren't offended. It's just we spend so much time in the office, and our caseloads never get any lighter. Trying to put you out in the community doesn't hurt, does it?"
"Something light and wheaty, if even just to go opposite of Karen," Matt says with a grin as Danny heads to the bar. "Not at all, Karen. It's true. I've been logging quite a few hours lately." And what time he hasn't spent at law he's been busting skulls in Hell's Kitchen. Since his last relationship ended, he's literally had no social life.
"Well we're going to fix that," Danny says when he returns with the drinks and sets them out in front of everyone. He is either the best or worst client to have — can't ever get rid of this meddling guy. "And next time we'll introduce you to Luke. He's not 'tending tonight but he's a good guy. I think you'll like him."
"Usually someone that imposing is a big old teddy bear. He's kind of a teddy bear. I wouldn't want to get Mr. Cage angry." Karen slides out coasters upon the return of the drinks, helping arrange the before taking one herself. "Perfection, foamy and really bad for my judgment. Cheers!" Anyone clinking? If not, she'll look a bit odd. "But he's the real deal. There's something to be said for knowing people and being out there. Not just for business, but being seen outside a courtroom. Someone honestly asked if you were just Foggy's imaginary friend because he needed more letters on the sign."
"Sounds like a Twilight Zone episode. The lawyer and the figment of his imagination," Matt says with a chuckle. He hadn't talked to Foggy in a couple of days. Whenever that happened, Matt knew he was in for it. He takes a swig from the beer. "So this is me being out and being seen. What has been the news with the both of you?"
"Stopped a hold up of a chinese restaurant with a guy the other day. He looked like he could use a little help. A couple of them had guns which can get tricky," Danny says as though he was reading sports scores off of the paper, "Instituted a lunch club here and got Luke to start considering serving lunch. Met a guy with a rubberized cat. And met a woman who is going to design me a couple of new suits and a tux. I'd say it's been a pretty busy couple of weeks."
"I am boring. I filed three discoveries and put a trace out there, had three consultations that amounted to probably nothing, and read a few of the amicus briefs by the Supreme Court." Karen needs a life. She sighs. "I may also have started sewing because of the lady with the suit inspiring me. Because I haven't any time except the nights when I live out the American dream. Worrying about the rent, right?"
"We're supposed to pay that, right? Shit," Matt deadpans and takes another drink from his beer. "Hold up? What happened?" he asks Danny. "Pretty nice of you to risk yourself like that."
"There were some thugs who were robbing a restaurant. They killed a patron. This guy was fighting them but it was six on one, so I joined in to even things up a bit. Hand to hand fighting opponents with firearms is tricky." He then grins over at Matt and says, "Can't just let a bunch of nice folks get attacked while trying to have dinner, or one poor guy take them all on alone. He would have gotten shot at least once."