Hellcat

Chapter Ten

The next morning, I had wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed. But if I didn't show up to work, it would be obvious that something was seriously wrong. So, I dressed and set out to work. Unfortunately, I reached the door to the office door just as Matt stood outside, reaching for the knob. I froze in my step and he paused, head turning slightly so he could listen.

"Allison," he muttered, turning his blind gaze in my direction. He had two butterfly stitches holding closed a cut above his eyebrow. I hadn't noticed it last night, but I did now. "Hi," I forced out. My voice sounded strained and awkward to even my own ears. "Hi," he muttered back. We just stood in the hall, neither of us moving, and possibly not even breathing.

"I'm sorry I didn't show up last night," Matt spoke up, soft and sudden. I was a bit shocked by his words but I wasn't sure which part – the apology, of the confession that he hadn't shown up at all. "Oh," was all I could say in response. "You didn't deserve my anger," he added softly. A scoff erupted from me, unbidden. "Well, you're a Murdock. You've got the Devil in you, and that's bound to bring anger," I said as I shifted towards the door, in hopes of getting into the office and avoiding the rest of this awkward conversation.

"It didn't used to," Matt countered, still blocking the door from me. I froze, forgetting about the awkward tension for a moment, and just looked at him. I wasn't sure what to say to him. Yes, Matt and I used to argue when we were younger. Sometimes even scream and yell, but he had never been so angry. "People change," was my simple reply, nothing else coming to mind.

Then I reached forward and shoved open the door. "... Allison and Matt in the dark? How long do you think –" Foggy's voice cut off abruptly. "I should grow my hair?" Foggy asked, trying to cover his ass as Matt and I moved into the office. "Guys, what's your take on that?" he continued. He failed at covering his tracks. We had already heard his words. "Mullet? Full pony?" Foggy continued. Matt didn't dignify a response and neither did I.

"Holy shit. Did you fall down again?" Karen asked before her eyes darted to me. I had to wonder if she thought I would have the answers. I also wondered if she thought we had come into work together – as in from the same place. "Oh, it's nothing. Don't tell me what?" Matt asked, leaning his cane against the wall and setting down his briefcase. He put his hands on his hips as he faced his friends.

"Damn it," Foggy hissed under his breath. "You heard that?" Karen asked in shock. "Guy's like a bat," Foggy told her quickly. "Not blind like a – I mean, you know, with the hearing," Foggy said, trying to cover his tracks, hoping he didn't offend. "Bats aren't blind, Foggy," I sighed, stepping into the conference room to set down my purse before rejoining them. "They're not?" Foggy asked in confusion. I gave a tired nod as I leaned against the door jam, arms crossed over my chest. "It's a myth," I replied with another tired nod. "So, we're good," Foggy said, to Matt.

While Foggy and Karen seemed tired, Matt and I were a pair of exhausted individuals. "You guys okay? You both seem... half dead," Foggy asked, real concern in his voice. "Fine," I replied simply. "Karen," Matt called, ignoring Foggy's question. She raised her eyebrows and made a soft humming noise to acknowledge his question. "What don't the two of you want us to know?" Matt asked seriously. Karen and Foggy shared a glance, and Foggy shook his head at his cohort. But Karen bit her lip before speaking up.

"We're investigating Union Allied," she blurted out. "Remind me to keep you off the witness stand," Foggy said, a bit miffed that she spilled their secret. I let out a harsh laugh at this. "And I thought I was the only one with a death wish," I grumbled, shaking my head. Foggy peered at me with concern, but I just shrugged in response.

"You can't be doing that," Matt chastised his friends in a flat voice. "Why not?" Karen challenged him. "For starters, you signed legal papers and took money to leave it alone," Matt began. "No, I signed papers saying that I wouldn't go public and I won't," Karen insisted. "We have someone lined up for that part," Foggy jumped in. "What part?" Matt asked. There was a pause as Karen and Foggy shared another glance. "Breaking the story that, uh... Look, whoever is behind Union Allied, or whatever they call themselves now, they are trying to strong-arm people like Elena so that they can sweep their homes away from them and build condos no one can afford," Karen pointed out passionately.