xp_logs | Paradise Lost: But Half His Foe

Considering the extent of Shaw and the Black Courts influences, one would have expected his personal lawyers to belong to one of the major partnerships, in some gleaming tower in the centre of Manhattan. Instead, the discreet building in Lexington Avenue was a mere ten stories high, though it still gleamed with glass. The firm of Boyd, Shilling and Fellers was one of the premier boutique law firms but it didn't feel the need to be gauche about it.

"I appreciate you meeting with me on such short notice," Julian gave the pair of lawyers a congenial smile as he took the offered seat. Upon doing so, he realized that the chair he'd been given was only designed to look comfortable. Knowing who these people were affiliated with, he resisted the urge to look discomforted by the accommodations and moved the satchel he'd been carrying to his lap; undoing the lock and clasps quickly. "Ms. DeLisle, you went to Stanford, correct?" Julian began to remove the contents of the bag, resting them on his lap and making small talk.

Anna DeLisle looked up from the various papers in front of her, just the tiniest amount of surprise showing on her face. "That is correct. I see you have been doing some reading, Mr. Keller." She didn't look impressed. "Now... what did you bring for us?"

One of his eyebrows arched slightly as Julian's head tilted to the right, "Not even an offer of a coffee, manners Miss DeLisle- if you were representing my company, you'd be looking for a new client about now."

"If we were representing your company Mr Keller I think you'd find we could afford rather more decadent offices, and an intern to wait upon each of our clients hand and foot," Arthur Coleman drawled as he eyed Julian across the table, “instead we'll have to make do with just one intern per meeting, Elizabeth, please take Mr Keller's coat and get him a drink and perhaps one of those pastries from the trolley," he gave Julian a predatory smile, "we want to make him feel comfortable after all now don't we." The lawyer steepled his fingers as the intern rushed over, "So now, Mr Keller, if you'd please answer my colleague here, what have you brought in for us today?"

Julian gave a slight roll of his eyes, just enough for the lawyers to see without them thinking he'd intended them to notice. Placing the plainly wrapped parcel on the table before him, he gave it a slight push toward the legal team. "I've brought you as much as certain parties were able to discover- though I'm told it should be enough for you to make good use of. The term, "everything they need" was thrown around."

Anna pulled the parcel to her and carefully slit it open. Handing the thumb drive over to her partner, she scanned the various signed statements. "How did you find this?"

Julian took a coffee from the beleaguered looking secretary with a fleeting mutter of thanks, blowing on it for a moment, he made them wait for a reply. Taking a sip he winced slightly, it wasn't actually terrible, but given how the lawyers were treating him he wasn't going to give them the slightest bit of comfort. "Does it matter?"

"I'm afraid it does," Arthur replied shaking his head at Julian's naivete, "if we can't show the provenance, the legally sound provenance of this evidence then I'm afraid that we can't use it and all the hard work you and your...friends have done will be useless." he pointed out with relish, "We can bend the rules, but sadly we can't break them, not even for you master Keller."

With a sigh he pulled another folio from his satchel, "If you must have them, then here," he handed several sheets of paper across to them. "I think you'll find those acceptable, as will any judge." The papers detailed each piece of evidence's origin, all of them fake, but plausible enough to sound legitimate. Keller took a sip of his coffee, enjoying the surprised looks on their faces, "If you don't agree though...."

"We will have to examine everything closely." Anna allowed grudgingly, quickly looking through the papers. "There is a chance they might be workable..." She glanced over Arthur. "What does the thumb drive has to offer us?"

"CCTV footage," Arthur drawled slowly, "I do hope you have a good explanation for this footage young man, you are aware that illegally obtaining video like this is...lets us just say inadvisable in the least. And as honorable members of the legal profession we would have no choice but to reveal it's existence to the police, it would only be our duty you understand."

These drawling, cowardly lawyers were not-at-all what Julian had expected from Shaw's personal legal team. "You're not much for reading then, are you?" Julian indicated the printed sheets in his hand. "Page two, CCTV footage was acquired from an anonymous member of New York's finest who was on shift that night- and didn't agree with what happened. We've agreed to protect him, or her, by not revealing his, or her, name." The lawyers were about to jump in, but Keller held up a hand to silence them, "I am one-hundred percent certain that any judge we bring this too will accept that condition for the evidence. Furthermore, even if we had- hypothetically- hacked into the police precinct's CCTV channels and retrieved footage that was supposed to have been deleted, then brought it here to you- it would be your job... your job, to pursue legal action on behalf of your client.

"You have everything you need," Julian stood and set down the coffee mug on the table between them. He leaned forward, pressing his knuckles into the surface of the table, his eyes starting to glow slightly, "You have your directive, sir, madam- carry it out, or I can assure you that our mutual acquaintance will hear about how...unhelpful you were." Julian pushed off the table and used his telekinesis to grab the satchel that still rested on the floor as he walked toward the door.

Anna threw an unimpressed look at her associate as she addressed the fiery young man. "We know our duty, Mr. Keller..." She let the words hang for a moment, before adding: "Nothing more, nothing less."