Elementa Naturae - A Cold Day in Hell

Connor II

9:11am EDT

Connor whistled as he strode along the walkways of the legal firm Scott Sullivan Williams, comfortable that the work he had completed that morning was outstanding. Hands in his pockets, he smiled at the various associates and clients that he came across, navigating the hallways for the central bullpen, and thus his desk. Now that the latest emergency had been taken care of, it was back to the grunt work.

Dumping his satchel on the desk, Connor slid onto his chair, sighing deeply. He sat with his eyes closed for a moment, sensing the room surrounding him. He heard the gentle hum of the air conditioner working on overdrive, the stapling, hole punching, printing and discussion of the other associates, even the faint ding of the elevators in the entranceway. Taking another breath, he opened his eyes and reached for his laptop, barely brushing the power button with his finger. In seconds he was logged in and began a cascade of typing. Set to work, Connor ignored the various distractions of the firm, concentrating on the task in front of him. It took him all of ten minutes to finish it, before rising from his desk, stepping to the printers and signing off the documents.

"Damn it Layman, leave some for the rest of us."

Connor cocked his head to one side, turned on his foot and grinned. "I would, but it would never get done," he chuckled to the young man standing before him.

"That really stings you know?" replied the associate, holding his hand over his heart in an exaggerated gesture.

"Of course I do. How's life been Jack?"

"Life? You saw me yesterday."

Connor shrugged his shoulders. "A lot can happen in a day. Look at what happened over in Italy."

"True, unfortunately not for me."

"Are you sure? That looks like a pretty interesting file you're holding there."

Giving him a withering stare, Jack responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ah yes, this exciting permitting case."

"Damn, another one?"

"I'm telling you, Sullivan has us working the same cases over and over. At least you get to work on something interesting. I mean, you're being trained under the great Augustus Williams." He spoke clearly at first, before lowering his voice to a whisper as his tirade went on.

"Oh, come on Jack, it can't be that bad."

Jack gave him a sharp look. "Trust me, it is. You would realise that if you weren't Caesar's favourite centurion."

Connor looked down, shaking his head, and laughed with a wry smile. He continued to organise his paperwork, stacking it in a neat pile on the mail cart. The pair strolled out of the bullpen, stepping towards the tiny associate's kitchen. It seemed amazing that in such a massive building, there was only room for a coffee maker, a sink, some mugs and a few cookies.

"C'mon man, spill. What's your secret? How do you do it?"

Connor replied, shrugging his shoulders as he gripped a mug, "I guess I just have a different way of thinking."

"Couldn't agree more," Jack said, feigning fatigue. A buzz emanated from his suit pocket, followed by a gentle marimba from his phone. As he raised it to his ear, Connor finished making his coffee, casually leaning against the counter.

Raising the mug to his lips, Connor gazed out over the city sky-line. Far in the distance, a line of dark clouds had formed, a stormfront ready to roll in over the city. It seemed the world had gone to the wolves recently. A rampaging hurricane decimating the tropics, a violent volcanic eruption in Europe. Despite the turmoil in the natural world, Connor couldn't care less. He was right where he wanted to be.

"Hey, isn't that hot?" Jack had put his phone away and was now gesturing to the cup of coffee in Connor's hand. It had only been a minute, yet it was already half empty.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied, self-consciously placing it on the counter. "Busy morning?"

"Ah you know, those permits won't write themselves."

Connor chuckled. He hadn't felt this comfortable since... well, a long time. As he thought back on his old life, he looked out over the city, seeing everything, and nothing, in the way that people do when lost in their own minds.

"What are you thinking about?"

Jack's question jolted Connor back to reality. He reached for his drink, letting the warm drug run through his system.

"Ah nothing. Life before the firm, I guess."

"Well there's no such thing as life during the firm," Jack responded, reaching for his phone after the emittance of another buzz.

Connor considered for a moment, opening his mouth to speak, closing it, then finally committing. "You remind me of someone, you know."

"Huh? Who?" Jack's response was inattentive, as his focus was pulled to the goings-on of his phone.

"An... old friend. Sorry, do you see a dark-haired douche of a name partner sitting at my desk?"

Jack looked up, glancing into the bullpen. Mindlessly rifling through Connor's papers, William appeared bored, leaning back in the chair.

"Pff, that's not a beast I want to touch. But yes, I think so."

"I'll go see what he wants. See you later Jack."

"Good luck." Jack smiled, informally saluting his fellow associate. Connor poured the dregs of his coffee into the sink and strode back to his desk.

"What can I do you for Mr Williams?" Connor yawned as he looked down over his superior.

"Come with me."