Noir AU, [The Monochrome Spectrum] Part Three
[Because I don't want to fiddle with the whole lj comment length business.]
"Sorry guys, I can't tonight." Jimmy straightened his desk, organizing the last of the files he'd been working on. Seth gave a snarky laugh.
"Yeah, he's got some broad waiting on him-"
"Woah hey!" Jimmy tried to tamp down the laughter that was building among the junior detectives. "She's classy, a real dame, and I swear to god I'll punch the next son of bitch who disses her right in the nose."
The other detectives 'oohed' and fluffed their proverbial feathers at his words.
"That sounds like a challenge," Seth sniffed, "Hey- maybe Ross wants to take you on, don't you, Ross?"
Mike rolled his eyes, glancing up momentarily from his case, brain still whirring and calculating all the dates of the known alibis and creaitng a mental picture of the events leading up to and following the robbery.
"I'm sure she's a lovely woman, Jimmy. Now I have work to do." Something would have to eventually not add up- and Mike would catch it. He was good with numbers that way. And besides, just the other day Louis told him that Work. Comes. First. No questions asked. So when the other junior detectives were being juvenille, he was to have no part in it. No uncertain terms.
Seth clucked like a chicken and Mike's skin was crawling with annoyance. "I think Mike is just scared to get his sorry ass kicked, aren't you Mikey?"
Mike wasn't the most popualr with the boys' club at the station, mostly because he refused to be a part of their ritual hazing and brother-bashing. The stupid games of machismo distracted him from his work- the reason he wanted to be a detective in the first place. If the others wanted to goof off and possibly lose a life, it was their business.
"No, actually, Evans- I was just more concerned with an old woman's valueable painting being stolen- you know. My job?" He bit off the last word caustically, trying to force finality into his tone. But it didn't seem to work.
"You know Ross, we got a lot done here before you arrived," Seth said, anger finally leaking into voice, coming closer- encroaching on Mike's personal space. "Just because we didn't get picked out of the goddamn bullpen yet doesn't make us any less valuable- so you better watch yourself because we don't like people who can't learn their place."
Mike stood, leaning his face right into Seth's. "First of all, never, ever, stick your sorry nose into my business, or my cubicle. Second, I can think of at least twelve reasons, legitimate ones, to bring your up on charges right now, so unless you want Internal Affairs to look into the way you conduct yourself, I'd suggest that you learn your place, and let me do my goddamn job."
"Ross!" Louis leaned over Mike's desk, and his prescence cowed the other detectives into silence. "What's going on here? Shenanigans?"
Mike glared at Seth, who stammered out, "N-no sir, n-not-t-"
"Get back to work, I thought you had witness statements to proofread?" Seth slunk away with one btter backwards glance.
"My office, Ross," Louis commanded. Mike gathered his thigns and followed.
"What the hell was that?" Litt demanded when they were safely ensconced behind mahogany doors. Mike stared at him, nonplussed.
"What do you mean what the hell was that? That was me doing my goddamn job!"
Louis flinched, very subtley. "No, Michael, that was you wasting your time- which, in turn, means you were wasting my time, which is far more valuable to this precint and this city."
"But you told me not to horse around with those men-"
"Boys, Michael."
"So I told them off in order to do my work!"
"Just give me what you have for me and get out of my sight."
Mike handed him the folders, organized notes on top, picture and timeline included.
"I found your thief for you, you can pass on my 'welcome' to Miss Spinnett."
And, following orders, he left.
--
"Alicia called," Donna informed Harvey as he passed by her desk. "Apparently, Littl found the thief. They're taking him into custody today."
"What?!" Harvey's normal, cool veneer was shocked into hiding at the moment. "He what?"
"They're meeting with the guy and getting an un-coerced confession via wire."
"This I have to see."
"I already called Mister Banzeri for you."
"Thank's Paulsen. I'll be back."
She rolled her eyes. "Bring coffee!"
--
Harvey arrived on the scene to see Louis' new rookie waiting outside, arms crossed, an expression of haughty boredom written clearly across his face. If the kid was going to get anywhere in this world he'd have to better at hiding his feelings. Not that Harvey cared- it was pure fact.
Mike's eyes snapped up to him, and suddenyl- even though his jacket was new and nice and his slacks and shoes were the best his money could by, Harvey seemed to be impeccably dressed, from his shiny soles to the just-so tilt of his fedora. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I don't know why you're here, but Detective Litt and I already solved this case."
If Harvey were a lesser man, he might grin. As it was, he /had/ gotten far in this life and was far better at playing it close to the chest than Ross.
"Relax kid, I don't know if you forgot-"
"-of course I didn't-"
"But I was hired as well. As it is, I have every right to enter this property."
"Not on my watch," Mike tried tosay threateningly, but failing.
"And by whose authority?"
"Louis Litt's. Which carries the full weight of the law behind it."
"Even though I have permission from the owner of the estate."
"Miss Spinnet, though she owns the property. Cannot interfere in a police investigation."
"It's her own investigation!"
"Be that as it may, if you take a step onto the property line, I am within my full rights to arrest you for obstruction of justice, as well as Miss Spinnet.
Harvey was glaring into the kid's eyes, playing "who's the bigger dog" with him. But he had to admit, the kid had guts. And smarts. Litt couldn't have been the one to wrap this up so quickly.
He didn't conceded defeat. He waited until Mike averted his eyes for a second before backing away, realizing that Mike must have been left outside even though the operation had come from the kid's brain (and what had been the defensiveness at the mention of forgetting?). From Vanessa's research he knew the kid was smarter than he looked (no insult intended, naturally).
"Well played kid. But then again, I don't think you would."
"Oh is that so?"
"Yeah, it is, and you know it. But hey- I'm not going to get you in trouble with your new trainer on day two."
Mike ground his teeth. "He's not my trainer, he's my senior partner."
"Yeah, but you're more of a puppy than a detective, and I'm pretty sure senior detectives don't stay in the habit of keeping puppies around the office." He backed off, intending to wait aroundthe corner to catch Litt alone.
"And next time kid, do some research. If you arrested me, you'd have Jessica Pearson breathing down your neck, and you really wouldn't want that, would you?"
Mike lost color in his face as Litt opened the door, holding a docile Great-Nephew by the arms, followed by the old estate owner and her daughter, both flushed and triumphant looking.
Litt froze. Harvey cocked a grin.
"Out of my way, Specter," he growled. "I just made an arrest. He needs to be processed."
"Oh sure Louis, no problem," Harvey said sarcastically, not moving an inch.
"Look, I don't know what you're playing at-"
"Me? Playing? Louis, you wound me so."
"But I swear to god, next time you show up at one of my crime scenes, I will have you arrested."
"Yeah, but mom never really liked when you tattled, Louis."
Louis was seeing red- just like the color his face turned. "Shut. Up. And stay the hell away from me. Ross! Let's go!"
Mike stumbled a little bit, taken aback by the fury in Louis' tone, but he followed dutifully, casting one confused glance back at the PI.
"The name's Harvey Specter kid, and don't forget it."
Louis slammed the car door in his face.
--
A/N: To be continued! Ah! I'm really REALLY enjoying this one! :D I had other things to say but I forgot all of them. Oh well! Till next time my beautiful chickadees.
"Sorry guys, I can't tonight." Jimmy straightened his desk, organizing the last of the files he'd been working on. Seth gave a snarky laugh.
"Yeah, he's got some broad waiting on him-"
"Woah hey!" Jimmy tried to tamp down the laughter that was building among the junior detectives. "She's classy, a real dame, and I swear to god I'll punch the next son of bitch who disses her right in the nose."
The other detectives 'oohed' and fluffed their proverbial feathers at his words.
"That sounds like a challenge," Seth sniffed, "Hey- maybe Ross wants to take you on, don't you, Ross?"
Mike rolled his eyes, glancing up momentarily from his case, brain still whirring and calculating all the dates of the known alibis and creaitng a mental picture of the events leading up to and following the robbery.
"I'm sure she's a lovely woman, Jimmy. Now I have work to do." Something would have to eventually not add up- and Mike would catch it. He was good with numbers that way. And besides, just the other day Louis told him that Work. Comes. First. No questions asked. So when the other junior detectives were being juvenille, he was to have no part in it. No uncertain terms.
Seth clucked like a chicken and Mike's skin was crawling with annoyance. "I think Mike is just scared to get his sorry ass kicked, aren't you Mikey?"
Mike wasn't the most popualr with the boys' club at the station, mostly because he refused to be a part of their ritual hazing and brother-bashing. The stupid games of machismo distracted him from his work- the reason he wanted to be a detective in the first place. If the others wanted to goof off and possibly lose a life, it was their business.
"No, actually, Evans- I was just more concerned with an old woman's valueable painting being stolen- you know. My job?" He bit off the last word caustically, trying to force finality into his tone. But it didn't seem to work.
"You know Ross, we got a lot done here before you arrived," Seth said, anger finally leaking into voice, coming closer- encroaching on Mike's personal space. "Just because we didn't get picked out of the goddamn bullpen yet doesn't make us any less valuable- so you better watch yourself because we don't like people who can't learn their place."
Mike stood, leaning his face right into Seth's. "First of all, never, ever, stick your sorry nose into my business, or my cubicle. Second, I can think of at least twelve reasons, legitimate ones, to bring your up on charges right now, so unless you want Internal Affairs to look into the way you conduct yourself, I'd suggest that you learn your place, and let me do my goddamn job."
"Ross!" Louis leaned over Mike's desk, and his prescence cowed the other detectives into silence. "What's going on here? Shenanigans?"
Mike glared at Seth, who stammered out, "N-no sir, n-not-t-"
"Get back to work, I thought you had witness statements to proofread?" Seth slunk away with one btter backwards glance.
"My office, Ross," Louis commanded. Mike gathered his thigns and followed.
"What the hell was that?" Litt demanded when they were safely ensconced behind mahogany doors. Mike stared at him, nonplussed.
"What do you mean what the hell was that? That was me doing my goddamn job!"
Louis flinched, very subtley. "No, Michael, that was you wasting your time- which, in turn, means you were wasting my time, which is far more valuable to this precint and this city."
"But you told me not to horse around with those men-"
"Boys, Michael."
"So I told them off in order to do my work!"
"Just give me what you have for me and get out of my sight."
Mike handed him the folders, organized notes on top, picture and timeline included.
"I found your thief for you, you can pass on my 'welcome' to Miss Spinnett."
And, following orders, he left.
--
"Alicia called," Donna informed Harvey as he passed by her desk. "Apparently, Littl found the thief. They're taking him into custody today."
"What?!" Harvey's normal, cool veneer was shocked into hiding at the moment. "He what?"
"They're meeting with the guy and getting an un-coerced confession via wire."
"This I have to see."
"I already called Mister Banzeri for you."
"Thank's Paulsen. I'll be back."
She rolled her eyes. "Bring coffee!"
--
Harvey arrived on the scene to see Louis' new rookie waiting outside, arms crossed, an expression of haughty boredom written clearly across his face. If the kid was going to get anywhere in this world he'd have to better at hiding his feelings. Not that Harvey cared- it was pure fact.
Mike's eyes snapped up to him, and suddenyl- even though his jacket was new and nice and his slacks and shoes were the best his money could by, Harvey seemed to be impeccably dressed, from his shiny soles to the just-so tilt of his fedora. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I don't know why you're here, but Detective Litt and I already solved this case."
If Harvey were a lesser man, he might grin. As it was, he /had/ gotten far in this life and was far better at playing it close to the chest than Ross.
"Relax kid, I don't know if you forgot-"
"-of course I didn't-"
"But I was hired as well. As it is, I have every right to enter this property."
"Not on my watch," Mike tried tosay threateningly, but failing.
"And by whose authority?"
"Louis Litt's. Which carries the full weight of the law behind it."
"Even though I have permission from the owner of the estate."
"Miss Spinnet, though she owns the property. Cannot interfere in a police investigation."
"It's her own investigation!"
"Be that as it may, if you take a step onto the property line, I am within my full rights to arrest you for obstruction of justice, as well as Miss Spinnet.
Harvey was glaring into the kid's eyes, playing "who's the bigger dog" with him. But he had to admit, the kid had guts. And smarts. Litt couldn't have been the one to wrap this up so quickly.
He didn't conceded defeat. He waited until Mike averted his eyes for a second before backing away, realizing that Mike must have been left outside even though the operation had come from the kid's brain (and what had been the defensiveness at the mention of forgetting?). From Vanessa's research he knew the kid was smarter than he looked (no insult intended, naturally).
"Well played kid. But then again, I don't think you would."
"Oh is that so?"
"Yeah, it is, and you know it. But hey- I'm not going to get you in trouble with your new trainer on day two."
Mike ground his teeth. "He's not my trainer, he's my senior partner."
"Yeah, but you're more of a puppy than a detective, and I'm pretty sure senior detectives don't stay in the habit of keeping puppies around the office." He backed off, intending to wait aroundthe corner to catch Litt alone.
"And next time kid, do some research. If you arrested me, you'd have Jessica Pearson breathing down your neck, and you really wouldn't want that, would you?"
Mike lost color in his face as Litt opened the door, holding a docile Great-Nephew by the arms, followed by the old estate owner and her daughter, both flushed and triumphant looking.
Litt froze. Harvey cocked a grin.
"Out of my way, Specter," he growled. "I just made an arrest. He needs to be processed."
"Oh sure Louis, no problem," Harvey said sarcastically, not moving an inch.
"Look, I don't know what you're playing at-"
"Me? Playing? Louis, you wound me so."
"But I swear to god, next time you show up at one of my crime scenes, I will have you arrested."
"Yeah, but mom never really liked when you tattled, Louis."
Louis was seeing red- just like the color his face turned. "Shut. Up. And stay the hell away from me. Ross! Let's go!"
Mike stumbled a little bit, taken aback by the fury in Louis' tone, but he followed dutifully, casting one confused glance back at the PI.
"The name's Harvey Specter kid, and don't forget it."
Louis slammed the car door in his face.
--
A/N: To be continued! Ah! I'm really REALLY enjoying this one! :D I had other things to say but I forgot all of them. Oh well! Till next time my beautiful chickadees.