Executive Orders

CH 80 | Episode 21: Whiskey and Warm Memories

It was mid-morning and memories of the start to her day had Olivia still smiling as she walked into OPA's conference room.

Tea in hand, perfectly coiffed and suited as usual, she paused just inside the doorway; something was out of place - but Olivia couldn't put her finger on what that something was - at least not right away.

Looking for an answer, she let her eyes travel around the room, marking everyone present. Only Abby was missing, although the one chair that was empty but twisted slightly away from the table told Olivia that she'd already come and gone this morning.

That left Harrison, Quinn and Huck, with empty seats and deliberate spaces between them. Harrison and Quinn were seated on one side of the table, she in front of her laptop, while Harrison was studying his phone. Huck was on the opposite side of the table and seated more to the far end of it. All of them appeared very studious - far too studious for this early in the day - and there it was. It was the quality of the silence between them that had caught her attention.

Olivia's gaze zeroed in on Huck first. There was little doubt that he felt her eyes come to rest on him. His own gaze flicked up to meet hers for a moment but just as quickly it returned to his laptop screen without saying a word, leaving Olivia to try and puzzle out his response. Was that smugness she'd seen in his eyes? - but since when did Huck do smug?

"Good morning...?" she left the question in her voice as she looked to Quinn and then Harrison. "Or should I ask how did last night go first?"

Still buoyed up by her own good mood, Olivia couldn't resist the urge to add. "Were there any survivors?"

It was Quinn who answered; her words were first preceded by a yawn - one that she tried to fight off, but didn't quite succeed. "Trust me when I tell you that the night went just fine - and a good time was had by all."

That remark was book-ended by a second yawn and an unapologetic grin at the end of it.

"Some more than others." Huck announced, speaking to no one in particular but raising his voice just enough so that there was no mistaking his intent to be heard by everyone in the room. Heard loudly.

Okay, that was definitely smugness Olivia was hearing, she decided. With no small sense of rising mingled amusement and sympathy, Olivia watched as both Quinn and Harrison winced just a little.

"Some of us put themselves on the clock." Quinn shot back.

"And some of us weren't the only ones on their j-o-b." Harrison added. He turned to Olivia. "And good morning to you, too."

"I hope last night was worth it." Olivia grinned at them as she turned towards her office. "Harrison, do you have the time to catch me up on the evening's festivities?"

"Not a problem." He stood up. "Just let me top off my morning sustenance and I'll be right behind you."

Olivia nodded and went into her office and had just settled down behind her desk when Harrison knocked and joined her, mug in hand.

"Hibiscus tea." Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she caught a whiff of the herbal blend. "That bad?"

"Not even close." Harrison scoffed at her as he took a seat opposite her. "There's nothing 'bad' about this at all. I am simply - and smartly, I might add - re-hydrating after an evening of extensive whiskey tasting - and there were several very, very good whiskeys involved."

"Well, that explains the whole good time was had by all part - was there anything else?"

"In general, or were you looking for something specific?"

"We can start with general and go from there - you did say that you were working last night, didn't you?"

Harrison put on an expression of mock outrage. "Among other things - I am able to multi-task, you know."