The House Part 21

April 29th
Chapter One in which Matthew fills John in
“Don't you ever pick up your phone?” Matthew demanded.
“Well,” John said making faces in the mirror as he talked. “Since we're talking on the phone now, and you called me, I'll say.. yes. Yes I do pick up my phone. Why are you calling?”
“Tom's trial.” Matthew responded.
\ “That's right,” John said, “It started today. Was it as much of a kangaroo court as we expected?”
“Actually, no.” Matthew said, “But it was bad. And Hillarious.”
“Tell me.” John said, sitting down in his chair and putting his feet up on his desk, “I want details.”
“Ok,” Matthew said, “Well Allison was the Judge and Brien was the prosecutor.”
“We expected that.” John said, “Who was the defense attorney?”
“This guy called Hugo November, I have no idea where he came from.” Matthew replied.
“Was he any good? Did he actually try and defend Tom or did he just roll over and die?”
“No,” Matthew said, “He certainly didn't roll over and die.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well....” Matthew began, “He gave a really cool and fiery opening and then things got out of hand.”
“Define out of hand.” John said, interested, “What happened?”
“Well....” Matthew said, “So Brien gets up and makes this great opening statement and then it's this Hugo guy's turn and he just starts to clap.”
“He started to clap?” John asked, sure that he misheard.
“Yep.” Matthew said, “Mockingly.”
“Bet Brien was thrilled with that.”
“Yeah, he really wasn't but Allison was trying to run a fair court so she let him go on and then things seemed to mellow but then Brien objected to something in Hugo's opening and Hugo started to yell at him. Allison asked him to stop and he said that he wouldn't. Then he started yelling about how the court was biased and the trial had already been decided.”
“What?!” John said, laughing, “He didn't!”
“He did.” Matthew confirmed, laughing as well “Then Allison told the bailiff to take him away and he said that he would go peaceful if he could say seven words to Brien. Allison says fine so Hugo walks over and says 'Mr May Please Die and Painful Death.””
“No way.”
“And then,” Matthew said, laughing, “And then he pulls out a knife and stabs Brien.”
“Wait, what?!” John said, almost falling off his chair, “Brien May is dead?”
“No,” Matthew said, “But he is the hospital.”
“That is fantastic.” John said, “And perfect timing. Operation Dismissal begins tomorrow.”
“What in the name of God is Operation Dismissal?”
“Well, I'm trying to keep it under wraps but it's actually the reason I didn't answer my phone earlier.”
“Well, what is it?”
“I can't tell you specifically,” John said, “But let me ask you this question: Did you really expect us to let Tom be executed by the Foremen?”
“Ah...” Matthew said, “I think I understand you. It begins tomorrow you say?”
“Yep.” John said, “So I really should be getting to bed. What are you going to do this evening?”
“Not much.” Matthew said, “I'm going to go and visit Margret and then I have a meeting with Ava and then a meeting with Marc. After that I have a meeting with James and then I'll grab a quick dinner with Henry and then I have a meeting with Bill and then a meeting with Bob and Carl. Then I have another meeting with Ava and then I have a meeting with the Recruitment Subcommittee and then a meeting with the Publicity Subcommittee.”
“That's not much?” John said, “Lord, I don't even want to know what much would be.”
“It's really not that heavy.” Matthew said offhandedly, “I mean I'll probably get to sleep by one. Tomorrow I'm scheduled till three.”
“Three Am?” John said.
“Yep.”
“My God, I need to give you a raise, how much am I paying you now?”
“Right now?”
“Yeah. How much are you getting paid right now?”
“Right now, I'm being paid, let's see add in benefits and such.......the grand total is....nothing.”
“Really?”
“Yep, nothing.”
“I thought we were paying you. I mean, I get paid”
“Technically I'm supposed to be paid a little less than you but we're having some financial problems so I haven't been paid since January.” Matthew explained, “Very few people have.”
“Man,” John said, “I feel really bad now. Is there a way I can arrange for my pay to be donated back to the council?”
“Dude,” Matthew said, “You haven't been paid since January either.”
“I thought that I was being paid?”
“John, You remember how I told you that I'd just deposit you check right in the bank every week?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I don't.”
“You don't deposit my money in the bank every week?”
“Nope.”
“That means that you've been stealing from me.”
“Yep.”
“You've been stealing from me for months!”
“Yep.”
“My God, I should have you arrested!”
“Yep.”
“I should fire you!”
“Nope.”
“And why not?”
“Because you could never survive without me.”
“You have a point.”
“Yep.”
“Bye.”
“Goodnight.”