Wouldn't You Rather Fight?

Marina Natchios was astounded by our tall, ritzy titzy building...and the great view of the city...as we went up in the elevators....

"Wow you guys are only a little older than me and you work here..?" she said..

''We got lucky."said Khalil.

"Especially You...An Arab in this climate...Are you a citizen?" she asked.

"Born and raised in this very city..My parents are from Iran.." said Khalil..

"I wish I had been born in America...I wouldn't be in this predicament.." said Marina..

"It could be worse..."said Sofia, as they arrived on our floor and walked into our offices...

She looked around in amazement...

"You want any coffee?" asked Bee Bee...

"Yes Thank You...I take mine with three cream and six sugars.." said Marina..

''You have been in America a while.." I said and smiled at her...

Ms. Jade however was not in such a happy mood..

''Sit down Marina.."said Jade..

I passed Marina her coffee and she sat down...

Jade put some files on the table...

"Marina, why didn't you tell us that you were pregnant before ?  And by another politician?"asked Jade...

Marina looked surprised that we knew that...

"Yes we know...It is our business to know..and if we know...The Attorneys representing the Immigration department know too and they're going to use it against you..."said Sofia..

''So Marina...Tell us everything and don't leave out anything...It's the only way we can help you.." said Bee Bee.

''Everything Marina." said Khalil...

"I'm afraid....My situation seems so hopeless.."said Marina...

"That's the kind of cases we like Marina...The Hopeless ones.We always rise to the occassion when it's a tough case like yours." said Bee Bee..

"Besides....Wouldn't You Rather Fight? as opposed to rolling over for these guys? Said Khalil...

Marina looked as if she felt better.

II-

 Marina looked around and began telling her story...

"My Father was a Russian Criminal named Arkady Natchios...He and my mother met in the Ukraine...They came over here when I was 17 years old..He had been here for awhile...

He sold toilets,My father was a leading manufacturer and salesmen of toilets and plumbing fixtures... His business had begun close to ten years before and had bloomed over the past decade.  He was a millionaire many times over... He sold toilets to a lot of the hotels and motels in the city and plumbing fixtures to the top craftsmen...but it was a front... My Uncle Nikolai was in business with him..

They owned a Hotel...and a bar...My Father and my Uncle, both of whom are deceased now were reputed to be major traffickers in Eastern European and Russian prostitutes....The ring was run out of that bar...

 The client comes in and talks to the barmaid , who points him to a backroom...My guess is that this is where money is exchanged and a girl is picked....They have a book of photographs and you pick from the book...The money is paid upfront and the client goes to the bar,orders a drink and waits until he is told to go outside... He goes outside and he's picked up in a car....The car takes him down the street to a hotel...The hotel is where all the prostitute were...and the client goes in and is serviced by the girl of his choice.

I was not stupid, I knew what they both were into..  My uncle had my father killed...A business dispute and my uncle died in a shootout with police and they shut the business down..My Mother and I were not indicted and we lived well off of what money was left for years...

I was educated in public schools and got a Bachelors Degree from Lasalle University in Political science..I began working for Henry Haskins...An internship...I knew Henry was married..but he said he and his wife had an open marriage...That they didn't mess with everyone ,but if they were attracted to someone...As long as the other knew...It was alright.." she said..

"And you believed this?" I asked.

"It was true.."said Marina..

"Keith, Let her finish honey.." said Bee Bee softly...

"Henry was good to me...He paid for me to go to Temple and get my Masters ....He helped me get a good paying job and he took me places I never dreamed.... He helped me get my work and student visas and he made sure they were always current...And then I got pregnant...It was then I found out that he had lied to me ,that he was not in open marriage...and that his wife and no one else knew about us...He demanded I get an abortion and I did and then he cut me loose...I was let go from my good paying job and practically ostracized...He paid me $150.000.00 for my silence..."

"Do you have any proof of this?" asked Khalil..

"I have bank statements, I have letters, receipts for gifts, everything...It's in a safe deposit box....I don't think they know where you're staying or that you've come to us for help...but when they do..I don't want this office or our apartments compromised.." said Jade..

''We are going to meet with Government Attorneys tomorrow..The cat will pretty much be out of the bag...We may have to move you someplace else for your safety.." said Sofia.

"Which reminds me...I've got to meet Ms. Yvette and our client.."I said..

''See you later Hot Stuff.."said Bee Bee, who kissed me passionately..

I almost didn't want to leave...




III-

It was mid afternoon....Aqua Bar..

With it's three bars that doubled as huge aquariums with aquatic life inside.. and it's crowd of people..

"I like this place....Strange place to meet with your lawyer.." quipped Attorney Miles Ellis..

"It gives us a certain bit of privacy..." said Yvette..

"Ummmm so we can uh be alone!" said Miles in a raffish whisper...

''Would you focus on the case...You're in a lot of trouble.."said Yvette.

"I know....I know....Yvette, I can't help but think that this whole thing is orchestrated ...Orchestrated to discredit me, to keep me from getting that partnership...and I'm just so tired of the games..The politicking..Part of me just wants to pack it in and just tinder my resignation.." Miles sighed..

''Wouldn't you rather fight? Why give them the satisfaction? Why keep on running? When are you going to set down some roots?" asked Yvette..

He looked at Yvette....He smiled..For the first time ,it wasn't a lustful smile..

"I've been running for the past few years...D.C. , San Francisco, Seattle and back here...It would be nice to set down some roots....I could do that...With the right woman...I could do that...How bout it Yvette?" he said as their drinks arrived.

Yvette looked at him ..

"How about what?" asked Yvette...

"You and I making a go at things...No bullshit...I'm being for real now...I've really been interested in you for years...All this time, I never forgot about you...I-"he said before Yvette cut him off..

"I have a boyfriend..."said Yvette...

"Yeah Right!"said Miles.

"I do...He works at the D.A.'s office, We've been seeing each other for a few months now.."said Yvette..

"Oh Really? It serious??" he asked..

"It's getting very serious.."said Yvette..

I walked over just then and sat down with them

"Wow you missed an interesting day today...It appears our little client is the daughter of now deceased, Russian Mafia....She filled in all of the blank spaces today...She's still with Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and Jade." I said.

"I plan to be at their first hearing.."said Yvette.

"It's tomorrow." I said.

"So your girlfriend...I'm assuming she's Black, A Latina Attorney and an Arab Attorney and an investigator who's Asian...

Wow you've got the entire rainbow coalition in that office...Incredible and you're supervising the entire thing Yvette?" asked Miles..

"Yes..I'm in your old office and I'm in the process of getting them new offices of their own.." said Yvette..

Miles looked at me..

"You look like you just graduated from law school." he said.

"I did...Year before last and I passed the bar.."I said..

"And you're at McClusky, taking on high profile cases?" asked Miles..

Yvette pulled out a glossy of us..

 ATTORNEY  KEITH JONES

 ATTORNEY BEATRICE EVANS

 ATTORNEY SOFIA GARCIA

ATTORNEY KAHLIL AHMED

"I hand picked the four of them..They had high LSAT scores and they all had high BAR scores....They interned for a few months and passed their probationary period and now they are full associates at McClusky...and they all do quite well..They've had a lot of cases...and worked with some fine attorneys from other firms." said Yvette...

"They seemed to have rejuvenated you Yvette...You seem so alive when you talk about them....So Sexy.."said Miles..

"They saved me in a sense...I wasn't having any fun until these four joined the firm and I got to mentor them, watch them...Experience their passion again and remember why I always wanted to be a lawyer in the first place...Not for the money,although the money is nice...but for the work...Helping somebody..Speaking for those that can't speak for themselves.. But now let's talk about you...And this case of yours..."said Yvette...

"WOW!  THAT was a ...A moving little speech....I'd forgotten what an idealist you used to be..."said Miles..

"At any rate...I have a new life now..A new apartment...I've reconnected with old friends...These guys are my friends....I have a social life now...I'm happy."said Yvette in an unguarded moment..

"You need a man."said Miles..

"I have a man..Why is that so hard for you to believe? What? You think I was sitting around all these years waiting for you to return to my life?"asked Yvette..

"I think you need me in it."said Miles..

"No,I don't...I'm serious...I'm doing just fine..."said Yvette...

The three of us continued to discuss the particulars of the case at Aqua Bar..

The majority of the patrons oblivious to us.

IV-

 But somewhere downtown-

"You didn't find anything?" asked a mysterious man..

"Not a thing "said ICE Agent  Shawn Columbsy.. "I've turned this city upside down...Her apartment is empty, completely...She hasn't been into work and no next of kin has seen her in days..It's as though she's vanished.." he said.

"I brought you back to Philly because you're a damn good agent...Don't screw up this time...Stay away from that Asian woman.." said the man..

"I will sir..."said Shawn Columbsy...though just the thought of Jade got him aroused...

"And find that girl..She's got to be deported before these midterm elections...I'm hanging on by a thread."said the man..

"Don't worry sir...I'm on it.." said Shawn Columbsy...

(TO BE CONTINUED)