The Zero Game

61

“You scheming piece of shit…!” I yell, lunging forward.

Barry hears me coming and instinctively tries to sidestep. He’s too late. I’m already on him, shoving him in the shoulder and forcing him backwards.

“A-Are you nuts?” Barry asks.

“They were our friends! You’ve known Matthew since college!” I shout. “And Pasternak… he took you in when no one else would hire you!”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Was that why it happened? Some business deal that went wrong with Pasternak? Or did he just pass you up for partner, and this was your easy shot at revenge?!” I shove him again, and he stumbles off balance. He’s struggling to get to his desk. His shin smashes into the wastebasket, sending it wobbling to the floor.

“Harris!” Viv shouts.

She’s worried because he’s blind. I don’t care.

“How much did they pay you?!” I yell, staying right behind him.

“Harris, please…” he begs, still searching for balance.

“Was it worth it? Did you get everything you wanted?!”

“Harris, I’d never do anything to hurt them.”

“Then why was your name in there?” I ask.

“What?”

“Your name, Barry! Why was it in there?!”

“In where?”

“In the damn lobbying disclosure form for Wendell Mining!” I explode with one final shove.

Staggering sideways, Barry slams into the wall. His diploma crashes to the floor as the glass shatters.

Locking onto the wall, he presses his back against it, then palms the surface, searching for stability. Slowly, he picks his chin up to face me.

“You think that was me?” he asks.

“Your name’s on it, Barry!”

“My name’s on all of them — every single client in the entire office. It’s part of being the last guppy in the food chain.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Those forms — filling them out — it’s grunt work, Harris. All the forms are done by support staff. But ever since we got fined ten grand because a partner didn’t fill his out a few years back, they decided to put someone in charge. Some people are on the recruitment committee… others do associate benefits and staff policy. I collect all the disclosure forms and put an authorizing signature at the bottom. Lucky me.”

I stop right there, searching his eyes. One of them’s made of glass; the other’s all cloudy, but locked right on me. “So you’re telling me Wendell Mining isn’t your client?”

“Not a chance.”

“But all those times I called — you were always there with Dinah…”

“Why shouldn’t I be? She’s my girlfriend.”

“Your what?”

“Girlfriend. You still remember what a girlfriend is, don’t you?” He turns to Viv. “Who else is here with you?”

“A friend… just a friend,” I say. “You’re dating Dinah?”

“Just starting — it’s been less than two weeks. But you can’t say anything-”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“You kidding? A lobbyist dating the head clerk in Appropriations? She’s supposed to judge every project on its merits… If this got out, Harris, they’d string us up just for the fun of it. Her reputation… It’d be over.”

“How could you not tell me? Or Matthew?”

“I didn’t want to say anything — especially to Matthew. You know how much crap he’d give me… Dinah busts — Dinah busted his balls every day.”

“I–I can’t believe you’re dating her.”

“What? Now I can’t be happy?”

Even now, that’s all he sees. Perceived slights. “So the help you’ve been giving to Wendell…”

“Dinah said it was one of the last things Matthew was pushing for — I just… I just thought it’d be nice if he got his last wish.”

I stare at Barry. His cloudy eye hasn’t moved, but I see it all in the pained crease between his eyebrows. The sadness is all over his face.

“I swear to you, Harris — they’re not my client.”

“Then whose are they?” Viv asks.

“Why’re you so crazed for-?”

“Just answer the question,” I demand.

“Wendell Mining?” Barry asks. “They’ve only been with us a year, but as far as I know, they only worked with one person: Pasternak.”