i'm leaving you my last curse

[bravebartender]

Comments

[blyth]

["Smart man," Maud grins, and Robin laughs. Technically all they're outrunning is their own grief and their parents poor reputations, but that's neither here nor there.]

We appreciate you looking out.

[relationshipstatus]

Let's get a round of drinks and then hover anywhere else but near the bar.

( More good looking out.

Across the room, Harvey watches his newest protege with one eye as Donna... says... - he turns to face her.

"The big white -- whale?" )

[thefaxwhisperer]

Big White Way. You've lived in New York for how long now?

[Donna glances over to him with a smirk. Her Broadway days are long behind her but she still has a deep love for the theater.]

Eventually you're going to have to learn the lingo.

[rehire]

I know the lingo.

( He sips from his drink and then gives her his full attention. )

So, who bought you theatre tickets?

( Is that what they were talking about? Catch him up. His associate can handle himself. )

[thefaxwhisperer]

Someone trying to bribe their way back into my good graces.

[She will use them, because she's not about to let that go to waste, but she will not be taking him as her date.]

Who's going to be very disappointed when I decide he's not going to be my date.

[rehire]

I'm sure he'll survive, or buy himself his own set another time.

( And all will be right with the world. )

So, what are we seeing?

( It's bold to assume she'd take him. (He doesn't even think she will.) But, he's feeling cheeky and a tad tipsy. )

[thefaxwhisperer]

[Bold of you to assume, Harvey. But she's not saying she won't take him. She's just going to tease him a bit first.]

Aren't you spending time with another redhead?

[Just teasing - she likes Lydia. She thinks she'll be good for Harvey in the long run.]

[rehire]

She's back in her hometown for Thanksgiving. She does Thanksgivings.

( She'll come back. )

I'll let you know if I can't make your ticket work.

[an_honestword]

["I'll send you the details after the party." Donna's about to say more when her attention is drawn to an uninvited guest making his way off the elevators. Her eyes narrow, narrowing her focus as she tries to figure out what could have brought him here, today?

"What are you doing here?" she asks when Rusty is close enough and he takes a breath.]

I need to talk to you.

[rehire]

Well, if it isn't the ghost of murder Christmas.

( That is, forced murder. He understands the cause, stood for it, had plans, but he really turned everything on its' head. )

Not here.

( Harvey would normally close the conference room door behind them, but all the walls are glass, so they end up in one of the back rooms, by the copier and a shelf of office supplies. It's not glamorous but subterfuge isn't glamorous. )

[an_honestword]

[Donna almost leaves them to it, assuming that she isn't meant to be a part of this conversation, but he catches her wrist before Harvey gets too far ahead of him.]

I'm actually here for you, not him.

[Donna's eyes narrow in confusion, but moves to fall in step to Harvey's destination. Once they're all inside, Rusty glances back to Harvey.]

Are you sure you don't want more privacy?

["Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Harvey."

Rusty nods, because fine. Might as well. He'll start with the big news that might impact her the most.]

Brannigan's dead.

[Donna blinks, before shaking her head. "No he's not." It's only when Rusty's gaze doesn't waver the that the shock begins to set in.]

[rehire]

( Harvey takes offense to that, considering he was in the middle of his last clandestine operation. Donna gives him permission, so he stays.

Give him a second, two seconds. No, no recognition, because he didn't involve himself deeply with Donna's past, only the future he embroiled himself into. )

... Guys and Dolls?

[thefaxwhisperer]

[Donna blinks, and the musical reference snaps her out of her shock.]

No, he's ... a vampire. A very old, very powerful vampire who was pretty high up in the Tower. We shared the same sire.

[The difference being Brannigan actually wanted what the old man was offering him, and Donna had less of a choice.]

You're sure he's dead.

["Heard it from the person who did it. Apparently, Wallace and Corsair decided that the Slayers had to be involved in picking off the members of the Inner Circle, so they bombed their headquarters in Scotland."]

Jesus Christ.

["There were a lot of casualties, but Buffy Summers survived. And she's intending to make that Wallace and Corsair's problem, which is bad for them but good for us. But that's not why I'm here. I just wanted to let you know - "]

I'll call Aalis. If you're hitting the Riverboat, then ... things are about to get messy.

[rehire]

( In playing catch up, he now realizes Donna knows Rusty DeBrande - and that The Ivory Tower is back in play. )

Buffy loved that.

( Not. He probably put a target on everyone's backs. And Buffy has friends. And while she's mellowed out, much like Klaus in different ways, she still holds a hell of a grudge. )

There's a Riverboat?

[thefaxwhisperer]

The Riverboat is where the ... rowdier members of the Tower spend their time. They run the business to funnel in people to feed on, and it's just ... a swinging good time.

[Not Donna's speed, obviously. She knows how to have fun but that's too much fun.]

Wallace and Corsair tend to spend their time there.

["I wasn't sure how we were going to get aboard, but fortunately some vampires who have ties to the Tower are willing to help us, as they're looking for a little vengeance themselves."

Donna raises an eyebrow, but Rusty shakes his head. "Better you don't know until after it's done."]

Fair enough.

[rehire]

What do you need from us?

( Or, was this just about information? )

[an_honestword]

Just paying forward a warning. We'll have plenty of manpower for this one.

[And after a pause, he turns to Harvey.]

After this, the Gauntlet is likely going to escalate. Ezra is probably going to be recalled back to the Colony. He's valuable, and they likely don't want him getting damaged in the process. I'll be reaching out to him myself but ... we're moving into the end game. Whatever next moves you make, be careful. I would fly under the radar if possible.

[rehire]

( Harvey, the lawyer? Not good at flying under the radar, Harvey the Colony consultant - he's good with keeping under wraps. )

We'll reach out to our other witch clients. Get them to go to ground.

[thefaxwhisperer]

I'll talk to Aalis.

[Rusty nods, before stepping away. He's intruded on their evening enough. "Stay safe." And with that, he'll head out the door and disappear around the corner.

Once he's gone, Donna sags some, letting some of shields down because if it's just Harvey, he's proved he can handle it.]

This is bad, Harvey. Brannigan ... he isn't no one. Moves are going to be made based on this.

[rehire]

It sounds like he made a move of his own, Donna. And it backfired. Besides, if there are no survivors, nobody knows just yet. Let's focus on our clients' safety.

( He realizes this could also destabilize the The Tower, but she's always kept him separate. )

[thefaxwhisperer]

[Donna nods and takes a deep breath.]

I'll head back to my office to make some calls. I'll be back out in a bit.

[rehire]

I'll keep an eye on the freshman.

( the associates )

When it dies down, I'll join you. If you have to leave a voicemail be vague. We just want to touch base. It's gonna' be okay.

[practicallyinvisible]

[She nods and heads off to make calls, that will pick up in the Underground threads! But for now we will jump back out to the front where Carroll has arrived, eyeing the two actual attorneys who are chatting and a teenage girl she doesn't know.

And also his brother at the bar. Sigh.

But he'll make his way over and give the group a wave.]

Happy Thanksgiving.

[relationshipstatus]

( His brother resents that sigh, but he's not surprised by it. Yes, the job keeps his eyes on his younger brother (he has older brothers with their eyes on him), but, everyone has to eat, Carr, and he contributes to rent and to cooking. He's not Barrie Jr., but he can hold his own. And this way, it's not just repurposed ramen. Not that he doesn't do a mean ramen.

As Cormac refills another lawyer's red wine, he glances in his brother's direction, smirks, and winks. Hey buddy.

Connor and the group have commandeered Gretchen's desk because it's just out of earshot of the other associates, and so they don't have to hold their glasses the entire time.

Connor is not a Thanksgiving person. There was a time he liked all the holidays with his big, loud midwestern family, but then he became a member of the Keating 5, a national news headline, and a colossal disappointment. His mother and father try. But, they have their opinions. And continue to disparage Ollie any time he manages to get them on the phone.

They need to realize, it's over. It's not a trick. He's moving on. He has a respectable job at a prodigious firm.

And right now that respectable job scores him and his new friends an open bar. )

Happy Thanksgiving. ( The alcohol and the company is enough to wash the stain of his decisions off of this holiday. His family is back home as he speaks. Maybe he'll go back for Christmas.

Carroll is an interesting one. He's lithe, long limbs and great hair, but he mostly keeps to himself. He does the work in a record amount of time but delivers it with very little fanfare. Most paralegals like to take the credit (like they should), but he seems disinterested. ) Maude, this is Carroll. He's a paralegal, and one of our best, but don't call him that to his face, or else he'll deny it. He's also very Irish. Welcome to American thanksgiving, lawyer-style. There's a buffet, an open bar, and a hot bartender, but I don't think he plays for our team. I didn't see him on Humpr.

[practicallyinvisible]

[He waves to Maude, and she waves in return. "Robin's sister."

Carroll flashes her a smile.]

I won't hold it against you that you're English then.

[She laughs. "I appreciate it. Much better to gang up on the Americans instead."

He grins, before nodding at Connor's assessment.]

You're right, he doesn't. Sorry to disappoint.

[He will not be giving more context about how he knows that unless you ask. He probably should, but he's not thinking that far ahead.]