Greywind

“Are you okay?” Marlene glanced at Jason. “He's about thirty hours without sleep right now,” she said to Trese. “Jason,” he looked up at Trese. “Don't talk any more than you have to,” she said smiling sweetly. Jason returned to the file he had been reading. Slipping her hand under the table, Marlene touched his thigh. His hand dropped to cover hers. She wished this wasn't necessary, but she had to agree with Jason. Get it done. Get it over with. Let the families start healing as best they can. When this day ended, Jason was hers. Hopefully for the entire weekend. “I still say it sets a bad precedent,” Thomas Abernathy said. 'Tom, I realize that you are doing your job, advising what you see as the best course of action,” Jason said. His voice indicating how tired he was. “I thank you for that, but I don't see this as a company precedent. You're concerned with the legal ramifications should any such event happen again. My grandparents, both sets, had a say in the foundation of this company's culture. The company isn't the buildings. Those can be rebuilt or repurposed as needed. It isn't the products. “It's the people we employ. They built up the company's reputation. They are the company, at its heart.” “But all this for one woman...” “A family,” Trese said. “She's pregnant, if it makes a difference. She lost her husband. Talking to the people he worked with, that knew him, they haven't been married a year. We owe her our support.” Marlene smiled at her. “That's my vote, anyhow.” “I agree,” Marlene said. Kat Collins and Morgan Shaw entered the conference room through the door to Trese's office. Marlene sent a fast text to Sarah. “Mrs. Collins,” Marlene said in greeting. “Morgan. Nice to see you.” “Thank you,” they both said. Kat slipped into the chair beside Trese. Morgan stood at the chair next to Kat. “If you don't mind me saying so, you look like...” shit. “Something that got run over. Multiple times. Busy night?” She slipped into her chair. “Nice to see you, too, Morgan. Evening out, long night, no sleep.” Morgan raised an eyebrow at Marlene. Marlene simply shook her head.

Kat Collins sat in the waiting area. The chair was comfortable and a woman came through every so often to see if anyone needed anything. Parents, husbands, wives, and children would come into the waiting area. Most with lawyers in tow. From time to time different women would come in and escort the families with children out. The parents would soon return childless. She put her hand on her own swollen belly. Two women entered the waiting area. Both looked at her. One nodded her head in Kat's direction. The one that didn't nod turned to the other and said “Thank you.” She was a redhead and comfortably dressed. A green silk blouse contrasted her hair. Dark slacks on her legs and low heels on her feet. She came over. “Mrs. Collins?” “Yes?” The woman held out her hand. “I'm Theresa Gardner. You can call me Trese.” Kat accepted the offered hand. “Kat... Kathleen Collins.” “Can you come with me, please?” “Is there a problem?” Kat asked as she rose from her chair. She gathered her purse and her carry-all. “Not exactly. Everyone has checked in, so we'll be heading into the meeting room shortly.” Trese led her out of the waiting area and into the hall. “This way. The problem, not that it is one, is all the people here have legal counsel with them. This was expected and encouraged. Some of these lawyers, or their firms, are doing double and triple duty with the families here.” They turned a corner. “You are the only person here without counsel.” “I didn't... I don't...” She let out a heavy breath. “With everything going on, I'm concerned about my financial situation.” “I know it's hard, but don't. Don't worry about things right now. Just take it day to day. I read your husband's file. He was a lab assistant and working towards his degree?” “Yes.” “And the two of you were living in housing here?” “Yes. We're over in the north apartments.” Trese nodded. “I guess where I'm going to end up living is another concern.” “Mrs. Collins...” “Kat.” “Kat,” Trese said gently. “I said don't worry about things right now. I meant that. We aren't looking to throw you out into the street. If you don't mind me asking, when are you due?” “Sometime between Christmas and New Years. Where did all the children go?” Kat asked. Trese smiled. “We took them to the daycare facility.” Kat nodded. “Here's my office.” Trese opened the door and they went inside. Sitting in the room was a dark haired woman reading through a brief. “Kat, this is Morgan Shaw. She has agreed to be your legal counsel. Morgan, I'll leave the two of you alone. When you're done you can go through that door there and take your seats.” “Thank you, Trese,” Morgan said. After Trese left, Morgan said, “Please, sit.” Kat sat in a chair that was more comfortable than the one in the waiting area. “I've been going over your husband's file. The monthly reviews he's received are glowing.” “What's the problem?” Kat asked nervously. “Legally, the issue is that your husband hadn't been with the company long enough to enroll in the insurance plan.” “A lot of our money has been going towards doctor bills and getting things ready.” Morgan nodded. “Okay. Now, when we go in, we'll be the first to be seated. I want you to sit beside Mr. Scott or Miss Gardner. Whichever you may feel more comfortable next to.” “Can I ask, why are you doing this? I've heard of you.” Giving her an easy smile, Morgan said, “It came to someone's attention that you didn't have legal counsel. I happen to owe that person a favor and they called it in. So, here I am.” “What can I expect?” “We are going to go in, sit, and listen to whatever is said. Afterwards, you and I have a private chat with Mr. Scott, Miss Palmer, Trese, and Mr. Abernathy.” “Who is he?” Kat asked. “He is the company's lead legal counsel for the upper East Coast.” Kat frowned. “His presence is a legal necessity, since all the survivors were encouraged to bring their own legal counsel.” Kat nodded. “Kat, Jason Scott is a good man. Marlene Palmer makes him a better one. You aren't going to be tossed under a bus over this.”

Thor and Wasp. Ant-Man is working on hero, but he's still paying off thief.

Goggles? Wasn't that what Hancock called one of the kids?

Barrier

RKA with limited TK (pull the target to you). The character's pause can just be the effect of the Stun from the RKA.

I thought the "miscarriage" was Valeria, who had been taken at birth. The lesson to be learned is: don't boink in the Negative Zone.

He's never pulled me to me.

Franklin's age, which is the subject of much controversy within the Marvel Comics Scaling Timeline, has never been fully stated, although often joked about or hinted at.[49] Franklin was five years old during Onslaught's actions.[27] Franklin was seven during the events of Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2. Franklin's eighth birthday was celebrated in 4 #1. Tom Brevoort has stated that, in the real world year of 2014, he was eight years old.[85]

Crisis on Infinite Earths happened, for one thing. After that, a lot of wiggle room was left open.

I do not live to partake of life. I partake of life to live.

Monster Hunter

He started out as a Legacy to Parker in the Ultimate universe.

The problem being the big companies have so much invested in Bruce Wayne/Batman, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Peter Parker/Spider-Man, etc. for marketing and royalties, that they won't take the chance on a living world, where Bruce Wayne dies, Grayson steps up or passes on the mantle of the Bat, and so on, where there are actual Legacy characters. One of the reasons Morales works as Spider-Man, is that he is a different character than Peter. And he isn't 100% a clone. He has different abilities.

Don't expect her to. The divorce was bad enough.

I'm reminded of an episode of Remington Steele. Steele and Laura were trying to get in some place and the door was locked. Laura reaches into her purse and comes out with a set of lockpicks. Steele asks her for a hairpin. Which he then uses to unlock the door.

Atomic man is wanted for murder. Really, I didn't realize the penalty for bad acting was that stiff in this country.

Putting it high on my list of not going to bother.

I married a Texan.

Pretty much how I use every superhero game that isn't Hero.

Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 AM (twenty-five or [twenty-]six [until] 4).[3][4] Because of the unique phrasing of the song's title, "25 or 6 to 4" has been interpreted to mean everything from a quantity of illicit drugs to the name of a famous person in code.[5]

Never had a Texan try to kill me.

But Texas is easier to inhabit and there aren't as many things trying to kill you.

Universal Translator talent.