(मोर्गें) ओं थे लाश

“Woman you are ridiculous!” He shouted at her from behind a stout, antique wooden desk. His legal documents were scattered everywhere and smoke from the dying cigarette in his ashtray spiraled lazily up and out the open window.

”Why, in God’s name would pull something like this? “ He gestured frantically towards a stack of papers from a recent hearing. “This isn’t New York City damnit!” He slammed a palm down on the desk with a thud.

She noticed color starting to creep up from under his collar and make its way towards his face. He pointed at her. “Woman, this is New Orleans! How the hell did you pass Louisiana State Bar and think for one second you could pull something like this? You’re a damn defense lawyer!” He spit a little, with that last sentence. She noticed, and she was beginning to get annoyed.

”Harry, Harry, Harry… please don’t forget your blood pressure.” She moved from where she’d stood in front of the desk and faced the window. A small breeze ruffled her black hair.

”Don’t take this the wrong way, but Harry – this is the twenty-first century, two thousand one not eighteen o’ one. This firm was sinking to mediocrity until I came.” She watched him from the corner of her eye. He started to speak.

”Don’t deny it Harry,” she interjected. “You know it’s the truth.” She rounded on him. “And isn’t that what this firm prides itself on, Mr. Stevenson? Or am I as mistaken in that respect as to the correct date in time?”

Harry Stevenson glared at the dark haired woman standing before him. He couldn’t stand her attitude, her presumptuousness… and he couldn’t stand to loose her.

He sighed and gestured to the empty wing chair. ”Ms. DeHaven, please, take a seat.”

Morgen hesitated a moment and examined the old man behind the desk, lips pursed, arms crossed. He was sweaty and out of breath, frustrated. She had the upper hand. Deliberately she strode across the room, spike heels echoing loudly against the hardwood floor. She took her seat and pulled a cigarette from the pack on the corner of the desk.

”Got a light?”

Harry fumbled around and found one on the desk. His aged hands were shaking. He looked at Morgen. She didn’t move.

Count to ten, he told himself. Remember your blood pressure Harry Stevenson.

She had him wrapped around her perfectly manicured finger, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

With an effort he rose from his seat and moved from behind the desk to give her the lighter.

Morgen smiled and put the cigarette between two red lips. Harry bent over and lit it for her. She inhaled deeply, eyes closed. Wisps of smoke escaped from her nostrils.

“Thanks.”

Harry mumbled a reply and shuffled back behind his desk. He sat down and scratched his head.

“Now Morgen,” he began. “I didn’t ask you to come here with the intention to keep you in check, however one more stunt like yesterday’s court session and I’m going to team you up.” He paused for some sign of acknowledgement. There was only smoke.

”As in constant collaboration,” he continued. “You’ll be on a tight leash. No more flying solo and no more making the final call.” He looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for some sort of violent reaction. Her body language, however, was cool, collected and unmoved. She smirked.

”Well,” he said. “I see that –“

Morgen cut him off. “You’d better find me a new partner Harry.” She took another drag. “I’ve done it again.” There was no response. She rolled her eyes. “Oh for God sakes Harry don’t look at me like that.”

Stevenson was mortified. “Please tell me you’re not talking about ZTech’s antitrust trial,” he asked quietly.

Morgen looked him in the eyes, leaned forward as she extinguished her cigarette.

“The one and only.”

Harry sat back in his chair and breathed deeply. He looked at Morgen.

“What have you done?”

”Hear me first Harry, before you decide to condemn me,” she said.

Harry sighed. “Do I have a choice?” He gestured for her to go on.

Morgen smiled.

“The trial’s rebuttal phase resumes on Thursday. When it does, I plan to attack the credibility of DiJa Microsystems senior executive Don Cullber.

She shot Harry a wicked smile.

"I'm going to grill him about the company’s $6.5 billion acquisition of NetCom. That should bolster the weakest part of the case.”


”Good.” Harry liked the sound of this.

“Cullber’s performance last December just about did us in."

He winked at her and smiled condescendingly. "I hate to say it darlin’, but your cross-examination was unable to impeach his most damaging testimony and we’ve suffered ever since.”

Harry crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.


Morgen suppressed her pride. “Furthermore, as one of my three rebuttal witnesses I’d like to call Bill Lewis to testify on our behalf.”

”Lewis, the top executive of CNET?” This puzzled Harry.

”Yes, but former chief exec of Syntext and staunch ally to ZTech.”

“Ok then,” he said. This has been confirmed?”

Morgen lit another cigarette. “I got the conformation fax in my office this morning.”

Harry nodded, “Good.”

Morgan continued.

“The second witness I’m calling is Rick Scheuler, Dean of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. He’s an economist who’s published several articles concerning the rise of Ziina Technology.”

She smiled at Harry. “He’s actually agreed to explain his writings, which, as I so generously pointed out, seemed to contradict his prior testimony. He’s also agreed to refute allegations that ZTech is a monopolist.”

Harry was silent for a moment as he digested the plan. “It’s good Morgen, solid.”

Morgen smiled. “See there Harry? I knew you’d come around…”

Harry shook his head. “It’s too damn easy. Who have you got to discredit Cullber, who’s the third witness?” He saw her manipulation, and it had almost worked, almost. He pointed at her.

“Seriously Morgen, I’ll say it again, this is not New York City and it is not your firm. It’s my firm and we don’t stand for scandal. There had better be absolutely no hint of ambiguity in what you’re about to disclose.”

Morgen exhaled silently and examined her nails. “Of course not Harry. Its not so much that I’ve got something, or someone to discredit Cullber. He’s just such a blind bastard that he’s discredited himself. I’d like to call him back to the stand, as my third and final witness.”

Harry laughed out loud at this. “Absolutely not. He’s the prosecution’s key witness and he broke you during cross examination.” He chuckled again. “Bad joke hon, stick to your day job.” He continued to chuckle as he reached under his jacket for his flask.

Morgen stared silently at the old man, her expression unmoved.

Harry took a quick swig and met her intent gaze. He frowned. “You’re serious?” He couldn’t believe this. “It’s a bold move. He’s a hostile witness Morgen, very risky.”

”What do you take me for Harry, a high school debater?” Morgen put out her cigarette and rose from her chair.

“I know just as well as you do that it’s a very dangerous tactic to recall a strong hostile witness as one of your three rebuttal witnesses.” Her voice rose as she paced the room.
“Do you think I wasn’t humiliated last December?” She turned to face Harry.
“Do you think I’d face him again if I wasn’t absolutely sure I could crack him?”

Harry took another drink from his flask and looked up at the woman standing before him.

“What makes you so sure?”

”ZTech is constantly being accused of monopoly and yet prosecution has continually failed to prove consumer harm.”

”Yes, Morgen, but that alone is not viable against ZTech’s profit numbers,” Harry added.

”I know that Harry but look at it this way. The real issue is the amount of competition in the software industry in general. Essentially, if there is a way, statistically, to prove there is viable industry chance and competition, then would allegations of monopoly stand? I think not.”

Harry considered this. “How does this involve Cullber?”

”I’d like to have Cullber testify under oath on the details of last December’s merger between DiJa, NetCom and CinneTech. His testimony is to concern only details of the deal and when executives and antitrust prosecutors knew about it. I’ve already taken the depositions of executives from all three companies.”

Morgen smiled. “You see Harry, I’d like to use the evidence to show that at the same time Cullber testified that ZTech was a monopolist, he orchestrated a merger that profoundly shaped the competitive landscape of the software industry. ZTech’s quarterly stats are enough to prove that it boosted competition significantly, and antitrust prosecutors have had access to those numbers since the beginning.”

Harry simply stared incredulously at her.

”In addition to harming Cullber’s credibility, my strategy fully combats charges that ZTech’s dominance in the industry has gone and is likely to go further unchecked by rivals.”

Morgen returned to her chair and glared fixedly at Harry.

”You know, this may not be New York City, but it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Money is power and power is corruption. Its always up to us to sort through the muck. So next time you decide to put this bitch on a leash, you’d better be absolutely sure you’ve got what it takes to keep up the pace.”

Harry nodded and fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. “Duly noted.”

A quick rap on the door was the only thing that saved him from a very uncomfortable silence.

He cleared his throat. “Come in.”

”Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Stevenson,” said the receptionist, “but I’ve a message for Ms. DeHaven.”

Morgen glanced sideways at the young woman. “Ok what is it Chyleen?” she asked impatiently.

Chyleen raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got visitor.”

”Tell them I’m busy and to leave a card.”

”I did but she insisted.” Chyleen yawned. “It’s a detective, Marion Jones.”

Morgen paused.

”Jones you said? Tell her I’ll be just a moment.”