Siren in the City
By Heddy123
Sirens blare, Mike Ross opens the door to the lobby.
"Someone's having a bad day."
A female voice from behind whispers,
"Or someone is getting the help they need."
In true gentleman fashion he swings the door wide. His eyes find a well dressed woman, in Jimmy Choos, smiling behind Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses.
"Thank you kindly."
She tilts her head and lightly touches his arm. A small shiver runs up his spine. Is that bubble gum lip gloss he smells? She walks easily to the front desk briefcase in tow,
"Hartley Black to see Tony Giannopoulos."
"Do you have an appointment?"
With a small sigh and giggle she shakes her head no.
"He never sees anyone without an appointment!"
"He just needs to know I am here. I'll sit right here by the door while you call his right hand man."
The tone of the woman's voice, made the receptionist suddenly make eye contact. The receptionist reaches for the phone automatically, stops and shoots the security guard a look. As she begins to say something the woman now with her sunglasses in hand turns and Mike sees the wicked glint in her eyes and the suppressed grin on her lovely face.
Quickly, Mike pushes up to the desk.
" I am Mike Ross and we're on a mission from God!"
He slaps the envelope on the desk. The woman reaches for the envelope, their hands touching briefly,suddenly she's all doe eyed and smiling. Mike playfully pulls it away.
"I was told to deliver these in person."
"I'll do what I can Mr. Ross, but don't get your hopes up." Shooing him away, the happy receptionist picks up her headset.
"Mr. Ross is waiting with some paperwork... Oh and a Hartley Black, wants Mr. G to know she's here." The change in tone apparent, Hartley rolls her eyes at Mike.
Mike confidently strides to the elevator only to have the security guard motion him to sit down. With a frown, Mike turns to find a seat, next Ms. Black.
Looking up from her phone, she says,
"I would have gone with a quote from Real Genius, 'it's a moral imperative!' "
"Everybody loves the Blues Brothers." Looking at her differently, Mike watches her poke and prod her smartphone. Shaking her long curls of hair, she drops the phone in to her open bag.
"Bad time for Sebastian to catch the flu!", she snaps.
"Is there a good time to have the flu?" Mike quips while looking at the elevator. His hopes rise as the doors open. No such luck, he leans back into the chair.
"Yes, when you go to an IRS audit."
"What?" Mike turns towards Hartley . "Seriously?"
"Oh, yes," she leans towards him, "hopped up on cold medicine and contagious, sharing paperwork, asking for Kleenex after Kleenex." Mike finds himself move away from her in his seat. "No worries, I'm not sick! " Her laughter sounded almost melodic. She points to the front desk, the receptionist is blowing her nose. "I guess it going around."
"You're a bit twisted." Again the elevator doors open. Mike begins to get up. "I've just got to get up there!"
"Sit down, you are making the guard nervous. Have an offer Tony can't refuse." Hartley mocks. "Does your Daddy know your even pitching this golden opportunity? I didn't peg you as a paper doll... A Wall Street man. You have the look of the law lizard about you."
"I am a lawyer and my boss is on board with this." He almost said convincingly. Staring down hard at the woman.
"Are you unsure you are a lawyer or that your Boss is ok with you adding to this deal?" Hearing the doors again, Mike quickly gets up, not looking back. As Tony's aide is striding towards him, Hartley spouts another quote, "Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want." He stops as the Aide swerves around.
"Ms. Black," in a nervous voice, "please this way, he will be off the phone momentarily. You haven't been waiting long?"
"If Tony's busy, I can wait down here." Hartley sweetly replies.
"No!, I mean won't you be more comfortable up stairs. I can make you some tea."
Slowly getting up, she grabs her bag, then looks squarely at the receptionist," Tea, would be lovely." The receptionist flinches as the Aide shoots her a disapproving glance.
"You know the way, I believe." The Aide almost bows as Hartley walks past him to the elevator. The security guard pushes the up button. Sirens again sounded on the streets outside.
Smiling from ear to ear Hartley looks at Mike, "Are you coming Mr. Ross?" With a smirk, he followed them in to the elevator.
"He's with you?" The Aide asked, reaching for the envelope in Mike's hand. Mike pulls the envelope out of reach.
" I have to deliver these in person."
"That's not how it's done Mr..." pretending not to remember his name.
Suddenly, the doors opened and there was Tony Giannopoulos . "Hartley Black!" Tony reaches out to take her hands. "What brings you to my door?"
"No hello, how are you? I was promised tea and cookies. You updated the lobby. But the chairs are a bit stiff. Did you mean for them to be so unwelcoming? Although it was nice to see some familiar faces. Was that Walter I saw? Peter was coming out the door just as I got here. Busy, busy, busy. Makes a girl wonder." Tony drops Hartley's hands and gives his Aide a glare.
"You know people talk where ever you are my dear Hartley." Tony shakes his head, then narrows his eyes as he finally notices Mike.
"Are you saying I am bad for business?"
Tony levels his gaze at Hartley ,"Don't get mad, it just where you are, chaos follows."
"Ouch,...true, but ouch! Did you forget what time of year it is?" Mr. Morimoto is worried you have forgotten." Tony's face blanched. As he took a step back , Hartley and Mike glanced at his feet, in surprise.
Looking at his Aide he growls, "Everything will be in order by 4pm!"
"No worries, I can multitask. I'm here in NY for Grandmama's birthday anyway. What do you get someone who has been around longer than dirt?" Hartley is the only one who laughs.
"You are brave, what would that lovely old woman do if she heard you talk about her that way!" Tony looked at his Aide, and clenches his jaw. The Aide shoots Mike a sideways glance as he rushes off.
"If I'm lucky, she'd just disinherit me. But just in case this is the last time we meet", Hartley touches Tony's arm, " you were always my favorite shark, Tony." Hartley elbows Mike. " I need to was my hands before I go, I hear the flu is going around." Down the hallway she goes, halfway she stops and turns, "If you don't like what he has, I promised him I'd give it a look -see. It sounds right up my alley." Hartley makes her way down the hall, leaving both men in shock.
"Is all the paperwork here, Mr. Ross? Mr. Giannopoulos grabs the envelope from Mike's hands.
"Yes, and another proposal of my own." Mike says adding, " it is worth your time, I promise."
"Does Harvey thinks so?"
"It only matters what you think, in the end." Mike meets Tony Giannopoulos eye to eye.
"Brave or stupid, we'll see. But you haven't actually shown this to the Siren, have you?"
"The Siren?" Shocked at the confusion on Mike's face, Tony laughs.
"You don't know Hartley Black?" A wicked smile forms across his face
"I just met her!" Mike blushes.
"And she brought you up here? Mr. Ross things are never simple with the Siren." Down comes the Siren, Hartley Black.
With both men staring at her, she smiles, "what?"
Tony replies, "He doesn't know who the Siren is."
"Like you do?" Hartley quips back. Tony grabs at his heart, in fake disbelief. Turning to Mike, she continues, "I hate that nickname. But I do know a smart man when I see him, and I see one. " Looking at Mike she adds, "I appreciate a go getter. Come give your idea to me. I'll show you who I am. Live to serve, serve to live!" She bows mockingly to Tony.
"If only I had you in my corner."
"You can't afford me, oh great shark." Hartley smirks. "Besides, you know I can't swim."
"Who needs to swim when you can harpoon." Mike chimes in.
"I think he's catching on my dear Siren. I think I will keep this idea to myself." Tony pats the envelope in his hand. Mike's excitement shows.
Just as Tony's Aide returns cart loaded with tea and sweets, Hartley announces,
" I guess I best be going. The longer I stay the more people will talk." Tony nods his head in agreement. She gives him a dirty look, as she moves to the door.
"I will have the papers downstairs waiting at 4." Tony promises, grabbing a chocolate and popping it in his mouth.
"You must enjoy those a lot these days." Hartley's parting blow delivered with wink and a smile. Both Mike and the Aide choke back the urge to laugh at the horror in Tony Giannopoulos's face. "Come on Mr. Ross, you owe me lunch. How does noodles sound? Unless you are afraid to be seen with me? " Not even pausing when the elevator doors open, "House of Udon it is. Have you ever been?" Obediently, Mike enters the elevator. Hartley claps her hands together, "We should play a game. Whose little boy are you." Tony laughs seeing the panic in Mike's eyes as the elevator doors thump shut.
Back at office Mike returns with leftovers in hand, laughing and shaking him head back and forth. "Where have you been?", Donna gets up from her desk. " Harvey been waiting for you! Tony Giannopoulos called and says he's in. You are in deep s***! Harvey doesn't like surprises."
"House of Udon, Tony took you there?" , asks Donna.
"No, Tony wouldn't take him there. He wouldn't see an underling, let alone have lunch with him. How did you get in? Sweet talk, rouse, there's a story here.", Rachel stares at her boyfriend waiting for his reply.
"Do tell!", chimes in Scotty.
"I went in all guts and glory, he never stood a chance. Is that so hard to believe?" Mike smiled as he leans against Donna's desk.
"Harvey wanted you to wait." Donna warns.
"My guts said go!" Mike shrugs his shoulders.
"Your guts are my guts. " Harvey suddenly comes from his office. "You wouldn't have guts with out me. "
"Is this gutterggeddon?" Mike tilts his head. A collective groan fills the space. "What?"
Harvey snatches the take out box from Mikes hand. "Give me that! House of Udon, really, I haven't been there in ages. "
"Isn't there a reason for that?" Scotty replies with a smirk.
"He got us all banned, even me. I think they have his picture on file. They know me by voice. I have to pay someone to get my fix." Donna moans.
"You never get me any." Harvey gives Donna dirty look.
"A girl needs her noodles. I'm not taking any chances." She shouts at Harvey as he returns to his office.
"Out with it, how you get in." Rachel turns Mike towards her.
"You know I am devastatingly charming, right. Right?" Mike looks expectantly in Rachel's eyes.
"You have your moments. Spill it." Scotty motions Mike to move along.
"I tried the woman at reception. With a little Mike magic, she said she'd see what she could do. I met this other woman who was waiting too."
As Mike begins his story, Rachel interrupts, "Two women!"
"It was a sunny day." Mike continues ignoring her glare. So the second one and I waited. She was nice, a little odd though. But Tony sent his right hand man down for her. She invite me with her. I think she did it out of spite. She made the Aide sweat."
"Ex wife?" Rachel asked.
"She was dressed to kill." Rachel's glare returns. "She was definitely business type. Tony called her chaos incarnate."
Donna and Scotty gasp. "Donna, where are the extra utensils?" Harvey returns to rifle through drawer.
"I thought you could just slurp them out of the container." She gives Harvey the utensils wrapped in a napkin, she had been holding, waiting for him to come back.
"Couldn't you have just given me these before."
"Couldn't you have just asked before, besides we would miss this moment of my awesomeness."
Harvey just stares for a moment, then says, "If you were so awesome you wouldn't have into- duced me to Mr. Cho's grand daughter." Smugly he returns to his office.
"I didn't know she'd want to leave medical school, hoping to be Mrs. Harvey Spector! I thought she was smarter than that." Donna shakes her head. In a low angry voice , "The Siren, you met the Siren. I am going to kill Sebastian."
"Don't you and Sebastian have an arrangement?" Scotty says also in a low angry voice.
"She hates that nickname, by the way." Mike's grin fades as all three women shoot daggers at him with their eyes.
Donna picks up her cell phone, searching for contact. Harvey's back at the desk. "So how did you get into Tony without me?"
"I met a woman...", Donna drops her phone. "We played a game at lunch. She said she could guess who I work for." Mike ignores the panic in Scotty's face. "She said to tell Harvey Spector hello..." Harvey looks at his protege, "from Hartley Black." Harvey's face pales, his arms go slack. He looks at Donna, blinks a few times in silence. Donna tries to say something, he puts his palm up, shakes his head and walks in to his office, door shutting behind him.
"Why, why would you say that, that name!" Donna stands up and looks into Harvey's glass office, concern apparent in her face.
"She must never be named!" Scotty adds.
"What's the big deal, he hadn't heard of the Siren." Rachel tries to defend Mike.
"She not Lord Voldormort's sister, is she." Mike questions, as he watches Harvey slam the box of noodles in his office trash.
"Try the Devil's favorite demon.", Scotty replies.
"She does gives my Dad the willies, when he hears she in town. Double checks all his accounts."Rachel's revelation makes Mike fear grow.
"She's Hartley Black and we never,NEVER, talk about her." With Donna's final remark, they watch as Harvey pulls out a glass and a bottle of scotch. He sits at his desk and pours two finger worth in his glass. Turning the chair away from them, he grabs the bottle. Quite a few seconds later he slams the bottle back down. Mike swears he can hears sirens from the street below.
To be continued in "Nine Levels of Harvey Hell"
CC. 01/26/2014