[center][img]https://i1.wp.com/nerdbastards.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/daredevil-logo.png[/img][/center][hr][h3][b][sub]The Law Offices of Nelson and Murdock,[/sub][/b][/h3][h3][b][sup]Hell's Kitchen[/sup][/b][/h3][hr]
An odour hangs in the air, like the smoky smell of a candle being burnt from both ends. More likely, it's the broken AC unit. As it lets out a final spurt, Nelson eyes the clock. Seven-thirty.

[color=A49480][b]"You ready to finish up for the night?"[/b][/color] Foggy asks, a hand hovering over his keyboard. Matt agrees.

[color=a42632][b]"Yeah,"[/b][/color] he starts, letting out a sigh of relief. [color=a42632][b]"We've done all we can on this tonight. Lets see what we can turn up tomorrow."[/b][/color] There hadn't been a minutes rest for either of them all day - they are both due in court again in two days time. Their client, Martin Peters, was facing a potential charge of first degree assault. A local kid, the two of them had taken it upon themselves to act as his defence. Matt had heard his testimony and he and Foggy knew him well enough to have doubt about the accusations. More importantly, Matt had listened to his heartbeat; he knew he was innocent. Now he just needed to convince a judge and a jury of his peers. The two lawyers spent most of the day working out their statements, while Karen looked into the alleged victim. Peters had claimed that the man, the proprietor of a deli on 35th and 10th, had been attacked prior to his arrival. If word on the street was to be believed, he owed money to the Kitchen Irish. He was in no state to make a statement due to the extent of his injuries. Matt wasn't optimistic he would be able to help shed light on the situation regardless. If he was in that deep, he'd know what would happen if he talked. Still, Matt continued to wonder how he'd be able to see an innocent man put away, even if it would save his own hide.

Matt shuffles some papers back in order while Foggy starts to shut his computer down. A yawn emanates from his side of the office, only to fade away unanswered. Matt moves to Karen's workstation, grabbing his coat and cane, before collapsing her laptop down. He lowers it carefully into an open drawer. She'd had to bail on them earlier. Matt was fine with it but Foggy was still a bit bitter. Where she had to be in such a hurry he would never know.

As the two step off the premises, Foggy starts fumbling with the keys in his pocket, lagging behind.

[color=A49480][b]"Hold on..."[/b][/color]

Matt steps around him to get out into the hallway. It is clear as he does this that they were not in fact alone. Matt says nothing, having already caught the sound of her footsteps as she had came down the street. He'd heard the rhythm of her pacemaker as it had been ticking from outside. Foggy turns to see her.

[color=A49480][b]"Mrs Flass?"[/b][/color] He asks, startled. Matt makes an effort to appear surprised. [color=A49480][b]"We were actually just... No, it doesn't matter. What's up?"[/b][/color] he shrugs. The night would always find something else to throw at them. The woman stays tight lipped, clearly trying to think of what to say. [color=A49480][b]"Is Albert settling in alright?"[/b][/color] He refers to the woman's son, a former client of theirs. They'd helped him settle a rental dispute with one of the local slumlords in the Fall. Mrs Flass came in from time to time to let them know how he was doing. Last Tuesday, she had filled them in about the boy's new job with a construction firm. She had been too proud to speak. Her tongue remains tied still, but Matt can tell there's something different. She finally forces a sound out from past the pit in her stomach.

[b]"It's my boy. He's..."[/b] Matt hadn't noticed before but she was clearly shaking.

[color=a42632][b]"What's happened?"[/b][/color] He stands resolute as Foggy tries to comfort her.

[b]"They've fired him,"[/b] she blubs, a proud woman close to tears. Miles away from the bubbly woman they had chatted with the week prior. [b]"The contractor said, well, he said that my boy had been taking supplies from work. He would never... I. I don't get it."[/b]

[color=A49480][b]"Come on, come on in Mrs F. Let's try and make some sense of this."[/b][/color] Foggy assures her, leading her back in to the office. Matt goes to follow in but stops. Something is niggling at him, dragging his attention from the scene. It starts as a sound, but then fades to nothing. He tries to focus on it, finding himself stood blank-faced in the hall.


[color=A49480][b]"Matt, could you grab us some water from the kitchen?"[/b][/color] Foggy's voice is in full damage control mode and the tone does serve to shift Matt back into the room. He walks through to the kitchen, past Foggy and the old woman, who had taken a seat at his desk. The lawyer was trying his best to calm her down. Mixed results. Matt turns to the tap. He was fifty-fifty on whether they'd even paid the water bill this week but he carries on. Ever the optimist. He can hear the water slosh against the pipes as he twists the handle. Relief. He stops, picking up more noise. Beyond the running tap, there was something else. Was it coming from outside?

[b]"The money, now!"[/b]

[color=a42632][b]"What's that Fogg-"[/b][/color] Matt stops. That didn't come from the other room. He starts to catch a whirring sound, like screeching sirens. An alarm? He focuses closer on the noise.

[b]"You heard me! Put the money in the bag. I won't ask you again."[/b]

[b]"You really want to push him..."[/b]

[b]"I'm going as fast as I can!"[/b]

Matt makes out three separate voices. At a push there could be five discernible heartbeats - four calm, collected; another, scattered and loud. He needed to go to work.

[color=A49480][b]"What did you say?" [/b][/color]Foggy calls in. Matt walks out.

[color=a42632][b]"I'm so sorry, Mrs Flass, Foggy. I need to go."[/b][/color]

Foggy's face grows annoyed, but he quickly twigs that there's something up. He shifts from annoyance to concern. 

[color=A49480][b]"Let me know how it goes, for chrissake."[/b][/color] Matt's already past the door and out to the street. The rain begins pelting his suit as he turns a corner. Now he was just going to have to change.