Betwixt & Between

By Xavier Night

Nathan Green is a defense attorney wanting more from his life and career in the Grindson and Solts Firm. However, as Nathan takes on a case all to himself, he comes to find that nothing is what he believes it to be. Back and forth from dreams and nightmares, Nathan must collect himself for a case that hits closer to home than he realizes. Especially when Elaine Wyle steps into the picture. Follow Nathan Green as he tries to unravel a case while distracting visions in sleep and reality push from all sides in this puzzling mystery. Be careful, however, as everything isn’t what it always has been.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781532083556

Xavier Night

Within a realm of solitude and secrecy, Xavier Night dawns the owl enseble to entice readers into a mind of passion, mystery, and utter madness. From magical forests to the darkest of realms, dreamscapes and nightmares, reality and mentality have no limits on stories to be told. No matter your genre, Xavier Night aims to please those seeking the unseekable.

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Copyright © 2019 Xavier Night.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8356-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8354-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8355-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019914498

iUniverse rev. date:  09/23/2019

Contents

Chapter 1     Wake

Chapter 2     Casual Morning

Chapter 3     Devils in Law

Chapter 4     Awake to Rest

Chapter 5     Justice Thought

Chapter 6     Justice Sought

Chapter 7     Justice Wrought

Chapter 8     Another Day

Chapter 9     Forward of Night

Chapter 10   Ending of Day

Chapter 11   Next Continued

Chapter 12   Progress of the Son

Chapter 13   Meeting of Millions

Chapter 14   Hollow Pillars

Chapter 15   Tipped Scales

Chapter 16   What Lies Therein

Chapter 17   Factual Fiction

Chapter 18   First. Second. Third.

Chapter 19   Into Fray

Chapter 20   Keys

Chapter 21   Song Bird

Chapter 22   The Love of Misery

Chapter 23   Promise

I may pass through that curious door, but may I not see again how it opened.

CHAPTER 1

Wake

Nathan stood there, mouth agape and completely speechless when it happened. The noise, however, grew increasingly louder than ever before, only for the sound to fade slowly from earshot. He felt weightless, his stomach unknotted, his body felt free-floating. Like a hot air balloon, he thought he could float away and never worry again. However, he couldn’t understand why he was there and not elsewhere. As he pondered his placement, something slowly lit brightly behind him.

He felt it and slowly turned to see this light hovering like a star in the dark. He questioned this star-like object that grew brighter within the dark space he stood alone in. Dazed and confused were understatements as Nathan could only watch it pulse white and blue hues. The noise that startled him was gone, and he was left with a piercing sound in his ears. It was pure, not annoying or harsh in any way. He began to walk closer to this pure light. As he drew closer, however, he could hear the ringing turn into voices. Voices that sounded warm and comforting to him. One voice, a feminine one, stood out the most to Nathan. A voice he’d not heard in years.

He thought about calling out to this voice, to shout to it that he was there and that he wanted to know who it was that was speaking. Unfortunately, Nathan thought to himself that if he did, he might scare this feminine voice away. He could feel the warmth emanating from this softly pulsating light. It was something much more, something so much more he couldn’t help but shed a tear. He didn’t understand anything that was going on, but he didn’t want to either. That warm light was the only thing he needed to know, to care about. The only thing that, to him, seemed to exist in that place or the entire world.

Nathan reached out to this light and tried to touch it just once to feel the warmth it created. As he drew closer, it suddenly drifted backward, and the voices soon fled with its retreat. He had no idea what had happened and became scared as the light fled back and began to morph into a small, lighted white ball. Suddenly, as he stood there baffled, the white ball rocketed at him with high speed, blinding him as it came towards him. He couldn’t move as it came closer and closer to him. More so, it blinded him and started shrieking a loud noise at him that was worse than any piercing noise he’d ever heard. It came closer, it’s light directly in his eyes and the sound growing evermore louder than before. He couldn’t move, breath, or even think what to do next as the harsh light kept its quick pace. It came closer, the noise created by this ball of light sounding at its maximum decibel. Nathan moved his arm away from his eyes to face the blinding flash accompanied by that horrid sound, which was so loud it became the only ringing in his ears now. The light and noise were entirely in front of him until….

A horrified Nathaniel Green gulped a massive breath of air as he came too. Alone in his dark room, all he could see was the orange street lights striped across his bedroom ceiling. He tried to gather himself, but he could feel his hands trembling, legs numb, and head dizzy. His entire body lay motionless on his damp bed. He hadn’t wet himself but, in a way, he wished he had. At least the smell and disgustingly warm feeling would’ve given him more motivation to get up and move out of his sheets. However, all Nathan could do was stare upward at the ceiling while he lay in his bed trying to calm himself down.

It was only a dream, Nathan thought, still dripping beads of sweat while his mouth felt uncomfortably dry. It wasn’t real.

Nathan lay still while he collected his thoughts, his ears hadn’t gone without the awful noise from his nightmare as a small decibel of ringing came back into his hearing. The shrill sound made him think of a grenade, or gun had gone off near his head.

After a while of waiting for his ears to return to normal, along with his body, he had gained back his nerve and started to move a little. He removed his sweaty sheets from atop his body, but when the coolness of the air struck his skin, he wished those sweaty sheets were back on top of him. A nightmare like that was rare but somehow familiar to him. The only thing he could think of was that lit ball hurtling at him at a high rate of speed. The most that stood out was that dreaded noise blasting from it while it came at him as fast as it had.

He questioned the noise of that sound but couldn’t precisely place it even though it rang on in his right ear still. Nathan thought of a few things that might’ve matched that awful noise, but nothing he could think of seemed to sound the same. His nightmare somehow melding all the loud noises in the world together in one shot that left discomfort in his mind. Luckily, his fear was broken when he smiled at the thought of a Boeing passenger plane equipped with a train whistle.

A plane with a train whistle? Nathan thought, wiping away the sweat from his forehead and some from his neck.

His attention soon focused on those words that seemed to echo within the dark spaces of his mind. Though he was no psychologist, he found his nightmare to be another stress-related idea created by his regular work routine. He was more than glad that his ordeal was over, but the discomfort of his sweat and the cold air gave him goosebumps that didn’t add well to the knotted feeling in his stomach.

Nathan rubbed his arms together as he contemplated turning up the thermostat to a more comfortable degree. His decision being distracted as he thought, Still…that light. What was it?

Although he’d been scared, Nathan couldn’t help but think about it some more as he sat up in the cold air of his dark bedroom. No thought other than that of the light from his dream existed in his mind. It was a moving image that seemed to lapse itself repeatedly in his tired brain. Him seeing that star-like light, reaching for it and then watching it morph into some sort of demented balloon with a flood light inside trying to kill him. It would indeed be a dream he’d never forget.

That light, Nathan thought, now staring into the darkness that consumed his room early that morning.

He became a bit more curious by his thought and, in a strange way, wished he would’ve had the same dream again. Minus the demented white balloon with equipped flood light inside trying to kill him.

When he thought about that again, the mental image of a Boeing jet with a train whistle attached flashed in his thoughts. It made him chuckle, which helped to bring feeling and control back into his body. The dark had become calm again, and the fear had fled from his thoughts.

Nathan sat up in his bed a few minutes longer before getting up and stretching his tired body out. He still thought about the light and how it had changed from being so calm to lunatic until he remembered the voices he’d heard coming from it before its transformation. The warmth, that voice heard and the tear he’d shed. All these things and more flooded the parts of his tired mind, the question that plagued him more than anything was about the feminine voice he heard. He couldn’t place that voice but knew it was soothing enough to him that familiarity set in upon remembering its vocal presence. Nathan thought that voice over in the dark before his thoughts were no longer self-conscious.

Who are you? Nathan pronounced softly into the darkness that surrounded him.

He pondered some more as he looked around the darkness, his tired mind trying to remember the floor from the walls and everything in between. He thought about turning on the lamp next to his bed but didn’t want to ruin another chance at sleep. With mixed emotions about his nightmare, he thought it over a little more before uttering something that sounded weird to him. Something you wouldn’t usually say to something, or someone, you didn’t know.

At first, he didn’t want to say it, but an undeniable urge deep inside carried him to speak. He was hesitant for a moment until he finally uttered the words, I wish you were here too.

At first, he felt like he shouldn’t have said something so sweetly to a disembodied voice, along with thinking how dumb it was telling a nightmare to come back. He felt awkward until he brushed it off, considering it another ridiculous attack of his stressed subconscious.

Ugh, I must be out of my freaking mind., Nathan whispered tiredly as he sat calmly in his dark, cold bedroom.

He brought his hands to his face to wipe off any remaining sweat and rubbed his tired eyes. He was still drowsy but had enough energy to get up and cool off. Getting up was the worst as his back started hurting again, his feet felt like they were bean-bags and his head felt like he’d been hit with a mallet two-or-three times in a row. Still, he stayed awake for most of that early Saturday morning, reviewing his thoughts and plotting the future of his morning.

He had his share of thoughts, and more before something caught his attention. Thankfully, it wasn’t a demented balloon but something strangely interesting all the same. On top of his bookshelf, near the wall to the far left of his bed, was a rectangular digital clock that displayed the time in red numbers. There was no problem with this clock, as it was in perfect condition. Everything from the timing dials to the snooze button worked. Nathan knew this much because the alarm was enough to give even the faintest of hearing a decent heart attack. However, what was off about this clock was its time. That not being the primary concern after seeing the time and remembering that his Saturday was about to go from being pleasant to awful.

Ah, damn…gotta be up in four hours, Nathan thought as he craned his head back towards the darkness from a clock that read 3:30 AM in red.

It seemed to be constant for him, every Saturday waking up at precisely 3:30 AM in the morning. He never knew why it was like that for him but, at that time in the morning, didn’t care to think about it. He figured that long nights at the office were to blame rather than himself. Then again, he wouldn’t have to stay late if his bosses weren’t so hard on him. It’s not comfortable working for two egotistical perfectionists.

Nathan took a few more minutes to himself before using the bathroom and getting some water. He was finally calm enough to allow sleep to carry him away again. As he lay down, he could feel that his bed was somewhat cold and damp from the sweating. He thought about changing the sheets, but the ambition faded when exhaustion took over again, allowing his eyes to grow weaker.

I’ll get it tomorrow. Must…rest…brain., Nathan said drowsily, sounding deliriously enthusiastic as he lay down stomach-first on that damp bed; nearly smothering himself as he cracked a smile while half his face lay in the pillow. The other half of his face managing to stay anchored-up for air and any possible snoring that may have occurred.

Before Nathan drifted into oblivious sleep, the thought of his dream turned nightmare came back to him. He managed to say the very same thing that was alien to him minutes ago. With the image of that bright light paused in his head, Nathan hesitated a moment before he quietly said, I wish you were here too.

As the sentence left his lips, so he fled the consciousness of reality, and Nathan faded into blissful sleep once more. There was a slight knock of his air conditioner as it kicked off, but not loud enough to wake up a defense attorney with a job to do later that morning.

A critical job at that.

CHAPTER 2

Casual Morning

The living room of Nathan’s apartment wasn’t too big. It had held a comfortable brown couch that sat before a small black table with a stack of books that were covered in dust. A large window, with vertical shades drawn, adorned the wall at the right-hand side of the couch. On another end of the room was a large kitchen with a bar, stainless steel Whirlpool refrigerator and, near the sink, a black microwave. In a small dining nook sat a glass-top table accompanied by three straight-back black chairs.

The apartment was meant for a single person but, surprisingly, large enough for a party of five or more. Although no television hung on the wall across from the couch, an elongated brown shelf took up the wall space where a flat-screen TV would typically be. On this shelf were pictures that were placed differently, all aimed directly toward the couch, however. The images, like the books on the table near the sofa, were dusty as well. The faces underneath the dirty glass, however, were bright and cheerful. Some were of people in restaurants and others of people outdoors enjoying whatever outdoor activity they had arranged that day in time.

One image, framed in a small brown frame, was of a boy carrying a blue baseball bat with a catcher’s mitt hanging off the end of it. In a gold frame sat an image of an older man and woman sitting cheek to cheek, smiling as their picture was being taken at a table inside a restaurant. In a red frame that sat in the middle of this shelf was the image of a young man and woman standing outside in University t-shirts; both shirts and smiling faces covered in a multitude of paints.

Even though dust had settled upon them like the others, those memories underneath seemed to shine brightly along with the frozen smiles under that dirty, old glass.

The apartment was quiet, and the cold air still. In Nathan’s bedroom was a small window that sat to the left of his bookshelf, a dresser with a TV that was put in front of his bed; a nightstand with a lamp, and, of course, the bookshelf with the same digital clock he’d seen earlier that morning. Within the stillness of the room, Nathan lay asleep in his bed. More books adorn the shelves of the bookshelf nearest the bedroom window as well as more dust upon their spines and covers. Although he was an avid reader, his time would be more dictated toward something else nowadays; that being his career as a defense attorney at the Grindson & Solts Law Firm. A job that may have suited his field of interest but made him think of better things when it came to the owners of the firm. Two rich, old men that were his bosses.

It wouldn’t be too long before the digital clock on his bookshelf would sound its alarm and force Nathan to begin his day.

The sun had finally come over the horizon that bright Saturday morning. The sky was bright blue and the morning traffic below hummed on in a steady rhythm. Nothing major to happen on a Saturday morning unless you counted those trying to quickly start their weekend plans before the new week came. However, for a less than enthusiastic Nathan, mornings were joyless. Especially, when your alarm clock goes off in the morning, and all you want is sleep, or, quite possibly, a massive boot to throw.

It was now 9:30 AM and Nathan, still trying to shake off his early morning horror show, rose up in his bed. As he sat up, he took a deep breath in, got up slowly, and made his way over to turn the digital clock’s alarm off. Usually, he’d just pull the pillow over his head and tell the world to shut up for five minutes. Instead, he was happy that the alarming sound coming from his digital clock was now completely gone. He planned on unplugging the damn thing but knew he would’ve had to reset it again.

Mornings weren’t the best, but that’s what you get for being a day-worker He looked around the room and could see everything again thanks to the daylight coming from his bedroom window. He rubbed the tiredness from his face and thought, I don’t want to see another balloon ever again.

He chuckled as he made his way around his bed, making sure not to stub his toe like he had one Wednesday morning before; that pain was worse than the pain in his lower back. For Nathan, his morning routine was incredibly dull. He would get up, take a shower, then turn on the TV and watch the morning news or reruns of Supernatural on TNT. He never knew why he liked that show so much. Most of the time, he thought it was for the storyline, other times for the gory action. Either way, it was something to watch in the morning and better suited for his morning persona anyway. Better watching a vampire being decapitated than that cheery crap everyone puts up with when watching the morning news.

With the television in his room on and a cup of coffee in hand, he would instead have to contend with the morning news crew that brought him the latest in traffic, weather, and awful incidents that became the general news. He smiled after one of the anchors reported a bus crash at a school, then suddenly became jovial at the sight of baby turtles being born and let free. He would watch on as the crew made their round of lame jokes about specific stories and try to be oh-so-happy.

Not since Benny Hill or Red Skelton, Nathan thought as a young anchor-woman laughed hard at the weatherman’s lame joke about a cumulonimbus on a layover from New York to Cleveland. It wasn’t until he heard another lame crack from the weatherman that Nathan said, Jerry, you’re a national friggin treasure.

He took a sip from his mug and kept watching until he couldn’t tolerate any more of the same stuff he’d already been informed about; the media overdramatizing every story to keep people interested. A trick of the very same trade he’d learned in law school that helped lawyers grab their jury’s attention in the courtroom. Ultimately, the goal is to make any case a lawyer took seem worse than it already was. Anything to win, so long as it was professional enough to the guy with the tiny hammer.

Nathan shook his head and walked over to the TV to grab the remote, trying to pry his eyes away from a story about a flock of geese migrating, strangely, to the north for some reason. While he kept his eyes on the TV, he felt around the side until the empty feeling in the palm of his hand became unbearable. It wasn’t until he looked down to find that his remote was gone.

Oh, great, Nathan thought as he started looking behind his dresser and under his bed sheets for it. He searched for a while longer until the commercials became the expected surge of irritating noise that morning ears can’t handle. With annoyance levels peaking in his head, Nathan gave up the search and turned it off manually. It wasn’t a burden to him to physically turn off his TV, losing the remote control, however, was.

He looked back at the empty space near his TV and felt weird inside until work resurged in his head. Instead of worrying about the remote, his morning routine would have to be number one. He didn’t care a whole lot when it came to the morning routine. To him, every morning was just another chance to laugh at himself, or others if the opportunity presented itself. With breakfast finished and some hot coffee still in the pot, Nathan proceeded into his bathroom to take a shower; stopping first in his closet to bring out his professional attire to change into afterward.

Although being a defense attorney wasn’t easy, it had some great perks that included being able to afford a decent apartment, car, and the ability to stock the fridge when necessary. The suit not being one of these luxuries, because he bought that at a yard-sale for twenty dollars. Something no one he worked with knew about. A detail he was glad to have kept secret.

When he was finished with his shower and changed into his suit, Nathan stepped out of his bathroom and retrieved his black socks and loafers from the shoe-rack that sat on the floor of his closet. When he was finished dressing, he moved back into the bathroom to see himself in a mirror still adorned with droplets of water. He sleeked back his hair and, as he adjusted his tie, said, It’s just for today. Before you know it, Monday will be here again.

What Nathan meant was that his Saturday morning wasn’t a typical visit to the office. As he was getting ready for work, Nicholas Grindson & Christopher Solts were getting their case meeting prepared for the day. Nathan was a small member of a team who was promised big if he’d win the case his partners were hired on too.

As he tightened his tie, he thought of the figurative noose that would be wrapped snug around his neck if he screwed the paperwork for this new case. Though his partners made big promises, some of those promises, as Nathan knew, weren’t good ones.

Why am I nervous, it’s just more paperwork, he thought, trying to remind himself that this was another typical run with the partners. He kept a straight face, dragging his hand across his head again to make his hair fashionable. He saw the bags under his eyes while looking in the mirror and sighed, Could be worse.

He looked himself over again before going back to the kitchen where his belongings sat ready. On his kitchen counter sat a black, leather briefcase, a large satchel bag, and car keys for a silver KIA Forte. He went back into his room to grab his extra coat due to the harsh October cold that had set in. He made his way back into the kitchen, readied his coffee mug with warm coffee, and grabbed his things from the kitchen counter. Nathan was ready to leave until a small glance into his room stopped him.

After a small double-take, Nathan grew a confused look on his face as he saw a small, black object sitting at the foot of his bed. He strolled cautiously into his room, not thinking much of what he saw until he got closer toward his bedroom door. Nathan moved to the foot of his bed and slowly picked up a remote control that was neatly facing his TV.

While he stood there in total confusion, the standard questions flew through his mind. He didn’t remember leaving it on the bed and would’ve felt it when he got up that morning. Nathan looked around the room that had once been dark and tried to think of how it got there. He held it in his hand for another minute before glancing at the watch on his wrist. Nathan shook his head and quickly placed the remote near the TV as he hurried to get out the door.

He walked quickly from his room back to the kitchen to grab his things. Before he reached the door of his apartment, Nathan stopped. He turned back to his room, not seeing the remote control on his bed anymore. The controller lay exactly where he placed it, unmoved in his still bedroom. He hesitated some, almost waiting for the remote to fly across the room or hover in mid-air like a UFO. Instead, nothing happened, and the remote control stayed where it was. Nathan shook his head and walked out of his apartment as he thought, Don’t be an idiot, you just misplaced it. Keep your head on straight for today.

Nathan walked quickly out of his apartment, making sure to lock the door behind him before heading to his car with his belongings. With a sip from his insulated thermos and an almost alarming thought that he’d lost his keys, Nathan made it to his car. The frigidness of the air outside striking his face like a bat cracking a home-run.

His commute to work that day was typical and natural. Not being too far away from his firm, getting from his apartment to work was an easy drive without much hassle of traffic. He wasn’t keen on waiting for people in crosswalks but respected their efforts to get off their butts and use their legs for a change. He was thankful he didn’t live in New York or Chicago, places where crosswalks aren’t as highly regarded on a busy day; let alone a Saturday.

When Nathan arrived at his parking spot on the third floor of the parking garage across the street from his office; he sat in his car and took another long pause. Not knowing what the day had in store for him had him scared enough. However, after the remote control incident and his dream from that morning, he was sure something worse was waiting for him at work. He sat in his car and could only think of the two events that had happened to him that morning. How odd it was to him that they should happen side by side like that. Nathan soon snapped out of it thinking, Okay, stop thinking about that. Today is going to be okay, just more of being crapped on.

Nathan was still uneasy as he exited his car, making sure to take his coffee mug and suitcase with him lest he falls asleep at his desk or screws up his case files. I’m not jeopardizing the only career I have, not today, he thought as he let out a small sigh before drinking a gulp of warm coffee.

Nathan exited his vehicle and began the long, cold walk from the parking garage to his office building. He liked the stroll he had to take to get to his office building. It always gave him time to think about the day ahead, plan what he would do, and helped him think of the many sarcastic jokes he’d tell. At least he had a few co-workers that appreciated his sense of humor. Whether it was hot or cold, the morning walk fueled a positive motivation that was needed before dealing with the struggles at the legal office.

After the brisk walk from the parking garage, Nathan came to the ground floor that led out onto the main road. As he passed the security booth that faced out toward the street, and elderly gentlemen stepped out and greeted Nathan. Dressed in a thick blue coat, black khakis and polished, black shoes came an older man named Sam.

"Nate, how the heck are ya?" Sam said, showing off partly clean dentures.

Nathan smiled, I’m fine, Sam. Frozen, but fine. How are you today?

Sam laughed, Well, to tell you the truth, I think my nards are trying to hibernate into my cavernous parts again. I have to say, I hate this cold weather.

Nathan smiled as Sam laughed, Honestly, Nate, I don’t see how you do it every day. Especially on a Saturday like today!

Well, that’s the price you pay for being a lawyer. I don’t mind the walk down to the booth or the cold weather. I just need the time to think before going in.

"So, what do they have you doing today? I sure hope they aren’t trying to get you to defend one of them lying thieves. It bugs the heck out of me when lawyers are forced to defend one of them!"

Oh no, nothing like that today. Still important though.

Nathan wanted to tell him the truth but knew if he did, Sam would’ve had a heart attack. Sam wasn’t happy about Nathan defending the usual criminal, but Nathan coming to the aid of a murderer was out of the question when it came to Sam. He kept this in mind as he said, Today they’ve decided to call a meeting for one of our new cases. I don’t know how this meeting will turn out, but that’s the word.

Sam grimaced, "They sure picked a heck of a day for a meeting. You tell those two bosses of yours to keep it warm in there for ya’ll."

Nathan smiled, I’ll be sure to do that, Sam.

Sam readied to continue the conversation until he took notice of some cars forming a line near the entrance of the parking garage.

Oh boy, what a pile-up. Sorry, Nate, I guess I’ll have to talk with you later. Darn cars won’t leave me be. You have a nice day now and keep warm too! Sam said while making his way back to his booth.

Nathan was close to crossing the street when he heard Sam one last time, "Oh, don’t forget to tell that lovely, young woman I said hello!"

Sam gave a wink, as Nathan said, I’ll be sure to do that, Sam!

Nathan walked quickly across the street, making sure that no cars were aiming for him. He made his way to the front of the building and was met by the entrance. Two giant, redwood doors stood firm at the opening of the Grindson & Solts Law Firm building. With their golden handles and uniquely crafted glass window panes embedded in gold frames, the doors stuck their noses up at the outside world and the people that passed them by. The building itself stood tall and uniform in cemented grey like a soldier awaiting orders from his commanding officer.

Though the building itself was architecturally uptight like those therein, Nathan was more-or-less a breath of fresh air. He wasn’t into the whole prestigious act of being a snooty lawyer but knew the two rich airheads who owned the place would expect that of him. Nathan never liked dawning that mask of arrogance, but if it earned him a paycheck, then he’d wear the entire costume. It was a good gig and the only real thing he liked doing. Of course, during his college year’s, the law was the furthest thing from his mind. After graduating, he gladly worked on small-time cases and enjoyed those especially. The fewer murder cases he had to contend with, the better.

Unfortunately for Nathan, this was one of those times where a car accident wasn’t the case. As Nathan entered the building, he could hear phones ringing from here to there. In the main lobby, the receptionists were taking phone calls and jotting down notes in their small leather-bound, black books. Many other men and women dressed in their professional attire walked about like royalty. Nathan could only smirk while thinking about how fake they were. Never knew snakes and vultures could thrive in the same nest, Nathan thought humorously while getting closer to the elevators.

Mixed in with a crowd of suits, Nathan stood there and waited for the elevator doors to open. He never liked cramped conditions but knew that it wouldn’t last forever. As the elevator doors opened, a small wave of people stepped out, and a new wave swept in. Nathan followed this wave in, and up, until, after several floors, a ping sound opened the doors to the top level.

When the doors opened, Nathan got off the elevator alone and casually strolled to his office. Passing his co-worker’s doors as he made his way into a cornered office space that reminded him of the broom closet in the corner of the room. He took a moment to notice how the doors he’d passed had golden plated names on them.

His, unfortunately, was still labeled in plastic. From top to bottom, in black and white, it read:

Nathan Green: M.L

PARTNER

Though it was spelled correctly, he was very grateful that it was, it was still degrading to him. He never pushed for a golden plate and didn’t care too, because he knew he would get the verbal bashing about him being like a garbage boy at a restaurant. The only thing he wanted was some respect from his staff for a change. A change he knew he wasn’t getting from that corner office space, let alone working for two snobs that made kings look like humble gentlemen.

Once inside his office, he sat down at his desk and pulled out the paperwork needed for the day. He spent a few hours sorting through statements, police reports, and some evidential photos. He took the time to read the fine print on an investigation report with a magnifying glass. Admittedly, he was still tired and uninterested as he sat in his office without any distraction to keep him awake. He was in the middle of a fingerprint sheet which was turning into a small Rorschach painting until a slight knock came to his door.

Come in, doors open., Nathan said tiredly, his eyes had a few strings of red in the whites of his eyes.

The door opened and in stepped a petite young lady wearing a professional women’s suit, square rim glasses and carried a small steno pad with her. She had her bright red hair collected into a bun and piercing green eyes that were hard to ignore in any light. Nathan looked up from his boredom to be greeted with the excitement he’d needed for that droll morning. Her presence bringing to his face the smile that was nonexistent before.

Tracey! How are you? Nathan asked, getting up to give her a hug.

Tracey returned a bear-hug of an embrace, I’m fine, but I think I’d rather be at home than cramped in this stuffy office building. That desk chair out there is killing me.

"Now, now Tracey, you should know that all the puppets have to take it up the ass when performing."

She managed a small laugh, Well this is one puppet who’s about to cut the strings and run. Our evil masters won’t be able to stop me either.

If only it were that easy. Oh, by the way, Sam wanted me to tell you he said hello.

Tracey rolled her eyes in amusement, That horny old man will never leave me alone. Still, better him than the old scrooges we have to deal with.

Nathan raised his eyebrows, Wow Trace, never knew you liked ’em old and wrinkly.

Tracey narrowed her eyes, a sharp green color showing through, and tightened her lips.

"I’ll have you know that fools never become kings, Mr. Green."

Nathan sarcastically said, "Ooh, your literary ways have truly instilled primal fear into me. What-ever will I do?"

Nathan laughed as Tracey hit his shoulder with her bony fist. Nathan grabbed his shoulder in false pain as he dully said, Oh my, the pain is unbearable. Someone, please help me, oh for the love of God, please help me.

Tracey laughed as Nathan finished his act.

Anyway, Mr. Green, I wanted to warn you that your meeting with the antichrist is at eleven this morning.

"Oh, I don’t know if I’d call them the antichrist. However, I did hear that the ninth level of hell is hiring."

Nathan laughed sarcastically at his joke while Tracey actually laughed. For the two of them, it was impossible not to make quips about the two snobs who owned the firm. For Nathan and Tracey, it was much more than just another typical day at work. They continued to shoot the breeze with one another until Tracey had to get back to her desk. Before she walked out, Nathan managed one more joke directed towards her.

"Hey, don’t worry, I’ll tell Sam that Ivy sends her warmest regards."

Tracey turned back to him, her dark green eyes shooting back mercilessly.

I’m sorry, Nathan. What was that you just said?

Nathan backed up and faked fear. The reason he called her Ivy was because, in a way, she reminded him of Poison Ivy from the Batman comics. He knew she hated being called Ivy but liked the fact she knew Batman.

Don’t sick your plants on me., Nathan said, acting out a cowardly man hiding from evil.

Careful Mr. Green, Tracey said with an evil sneer, I studied Herbology in college. I know for a fact that nightshade and the heart don’t mix.

Nathan smiled, and his eyes widened in a panicked sort of way. Tracey showed an evil smile and slowly exited the room, leaving the door cracked slightly to instill fear. Nathan only felt laughter thinking, You don’t scare me, Ivy, as he went over to shut his door closed.

After Tracey left, the room fell silent and joyless again. Nathan felt it and wished Tracey would pop back in with a poisoned cup of coffee; laughing maniacally when he drank it. Nathan and Tracey had been good friends ever since college. They both studied law together and now worked together in the same firm. They were close, and Nathan liked that more than anything. He believed Tracey did as well, although he knew that she hated being his secretary.

I didn’t graduate top of my class to be a freaking secretary to you! Tracey had said to Nathan at lunch after their humanities class. Nathan would laugh, Relax Ivy. Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two from a real lawyer.

This memory popped into Nathans’ head as he went through the rest of his files. He smiled when he remembered that, after he’d said that, she took her book on constitutional rights and, in one swing, knocked him hard upside his head. He chuckled as he remembered having a large bump where her book landed. He knew she never meant to leave a bruise but was impressed that she had a strong arm. Nathan thought Those were the days, as he tried reading some report about his new case.

He remembered rubbing the side of his head where the bruise had been left from Tracey’s ungodly book. He smiled at the thought of this memory. The memories of him and Tracey were a lot more pleasing than signing off on a legal deposition or being forced into a meeting on a cold Saturday morning.

He looked up at the clock that hung above the door frame and sighed before returning to his papers. Nathan was about to start reading up on a case report when a knock much louder than Tracey’s came upon his office door. A rap he knew could only belong to Steven Compson, an asshole with no sense of humor and more money than Nathan would see in his lifetime. Without Nathan even allowing him in, Steven opened the door and entered with, Green, get your papers and come on. We’ve been waiting for you in the meeting room.

Nathan glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was already five minutes past eleven, and Nathan knew he had to hurry. The two old men he worked for didn’t like tardiness, nor did they like Nathan much for that matter. A sudden memory of being late for a case review of some lawsuit over a large CAT land-excavator came to mind. The reason he was stuck doing paperwork for the longest time instead of practicing what he had gone to school for.

Tell them I’ll be there in minute Steve., Nathan said, quickly throwing his papers and pens into his briefcase.

Steven stood in the door and bellowed a condescending chuckle, Nate if you don’t get your ass in there in less than 30 seconds you’re screwed.

Nathan wanted to tell Steven to piss off but lost interest as he glanced back at the clock, gladly ignoring Stevens comments and annoying mouth.

Steve, I’m going. Just keep them busy until I get there.

Steven snorted, Your funeral, pal.

Steven was never a pal to Nathan, even on his off days Steven Compson was the same bastard most of the building disliked. Nathan and Tracey knew how much of a boot licking, kiss-ass Steven Compson was in the workplace. Something they would both riff on after having to deal with his crap every day. Steven was another person that both Nathan and Tracey never minded mocking daily. That was if Nathan and Tracey ever got the chance to bad mouth him.

Most of the time, Steven harassed the two and stood at the water cooler, talking about his big successes and how he would one day write a book about becoming a district attorney. He was no office hero but had an ego that persuaded him to think he was a legal genius of the 20th century. Not to mention the fact he was the teacher’s pet when it came to Grindson and Solt’s. A very spoiled and pampered pet that could never do wrong, even if he did get caught with Solts’ second, much younger, wife some years back.

Nathan gathered the last of his paperwork and sped out of his office with no time to waste. He walked briskly to big, polished oak wood doors that led into the meeting room. When he met the two oak doors, he turned around and saw Tracey sitting at her desk, typing away at her computer. Tracey looked up and saw Nathan looking at her from across the room. Their eyes met, and Tracey gave him a small wink. Nathan cocked his head to the side, knowing that her wink meant he was screwed. She smiled and played out the amusing person-being-hung-until-dead scenario at her desk. Nathan grinned and shook his head in amusement as he straightened his tie and collar. He was about to return his own amusing gesture to Tracey but, before he could, she had turned to answer her desk phone.

I’m gonna get you back, Ivy Nathan thought humorously as he turned back to the two big, oak doors.

He stood there for a moment and gazed upward at the doors in front of him. He didn’t want to go into that room, he knew what would be awaiting him the moment he entered those doors. Nicholas Grindson and Christopher Solts were two, grumpy old men that only expected the best of their employees and the cases assigned to top-floor employees. Nathan liked the fact that his bosses were tuned in to the claims that the firm received. However, those were cases that were viewed by the public as essential or news-worthy only. Another reason why Nathan was nervous about this meeting and how he knew it was much more than an accident or lawsuit.

Nathan scratched the back of his head, took a deep breath in, and summed up what was the general meeting in his head. A simple meeting being jokes made on Nathans behalf, insults galore, yelling and comments from Steven Compson that would make even a baby seal want to rip his throat out. Nathan had wished he could be this deadly but cuddly killer as he opened one oak door and stepped inside the large meeting room. He wasn’t in the door a minute when a loud, disgustingly old voice charged at him from a distance in front of him.

"Where the hell have you been, Nathan?! We started six minutes ago, sit the hell down!"

Christopher Solts’ eyes seemed to be bulging from their old, wrinkly sockets as they popped out at Nathan in anger. The lines around the angry old man’s eyes and redness in his face would only suggest to Nathan a more than joyful notion that Solts’ drinking and high cholesterol would eventually do him in one day. A funeral Nathan would be happy to wear his best tap-dance shoes and white suit during.

While the thought was kind enough to block the pent-up anger, Nathan kept a calmly tired eye into Solt’s old ones and said, Yes, sir.

Both Nicholas Grindson and Christopher Solts veered angrily at Nathan as he took his seat. Christopher Solts was still heaving heavy breaths after launching his vexed question at Nathan. Once he made his way to his place near the center of the table, he was amazed that the vast, angry man at the other end if the table was still alive; his breathing slowed but his face just as red. Nathan was surprised that he could be angry like that and not have a heart attack.

So, Nathan, are you ready, or should we wait?, Nicholas Grindson asked, once again insulting Nathan as lightly as he could.

Nathan kept an angry retort at bay and only said, No, sir. I’m ready.

Nicholas Grindson leaned back, put on his glasses, Then let’s get started, shall we?

CHAPTER 3

Devils in Law

The meeting room inside the Grindson and Solts Law Firm was incredibly vast and spacious. Adorned on dull, mauve walls were pictures of Grindson and Solts from years since passed. Pictures of them with clients, powerful governors, senators, and most of them at their favorite fishing spot. One framed portrait showed Christopher Solts holding up a marlin on his yacht while his skin burned bright red. He was wearing a sun visor on his still balding head, tan cargo shorts and bulging out of a blue button-up shirt covered in navy blue flowers; one of Solts’ favored Hawaiian shirts he wore on his off-day visits to the office.

The most striking picture was the one that hung on the main wall between the two front windows that overlooked the outside world. It was set within a solid gold frame and hung tall on the wall surrounded by past and present partners that have, and still, worked for the two corporate fat cats. A giant self-portrait of a young Nicholas Grindson and Christopher Solts portrayed the duo standing side by side; both smiling, bearing teeth that were once naturally white and sporting full heads of natural hair. In the portrait, they were wearing finely pressed black suits accompanied by red ties and looked somewhat muscular at the time it was painted.

Nathan got a kick out of that portrait because he knew why these two fat, old men kept it around. Though they treated him like crap, he knew they loved standing in that office thinking they were still young. Believing they still had the same looks, youth, and libido. Nathan always laughed at the thought of them trying to act young and end up breaking their necks while trying out such a stupid idea. Either way, the selfishness of some of the other partners seemed to overwhelm the large meeting room.

When Nathan came in, he noticed several of his associates that were heading this new case he’d been reviewing. Sitting to the left side of the big marble table was Steven Compson and Barry Coleson; two snobs Nathan thought would take over as soon as Grindson and Solts passed on. Steven and Barry sat side-by-side in matching professional attire, both wearing looks of overzealous pride on their faces. On the right side of the table sat a meager, skinnier man