Chapter 47 – Strategic Cordiality
Pearson Hardman – Monday, 8:12 a.m.
The office was in its usual rhythm: footsteps hurried through the hallways, phones ringing nonstop, voices muffled in closed-door meetings. Nothing seemed to have changed on the outside. But there was a silent undercurrent that now united Logan Moore, Harvey Specter, Donna Paulsen, and Mike Ross.
The silence. An unspoken pact.
Since Logan had confronted Mike with the truth about his past and received, from Harvey, the silent confession of someone protecting an unusual talent with an explosive secret, things hadn't exactly gone back to the way they were but no one backed down.
Logan, as always, remained professional. Reserved. Precise. And incredibly efficient. His demeanor gave nothing away about what he now knew about Mike. It was as if he had stored the information in a locked drawer in his mind, along with hundreds of other confidences he had collected over his years at the Department of Defense.
Mike, on the other hand, felt a certain discomfort in the first few days after the confrontation. But over time, he realized that Logan really wouldn't treat him any differently. Logan never brought up the subject again. Not directly. Not even with looks. Nothing.
And so, the three of them, Harvey, Mike, and Donna silently agreed: to leave it in the past.
Logan's Office – 9:02 AM
The insistent sound of rapid knocking on the door interrupted Logan's reading.
"Come in."
The door opened abruptly, revealing Louis Litt, carrying a bulky brown folder and a distressed look — a mix of anxiety, pride, and a hint of despair.
"Logan! Finally. I know you're busy, of course, extremely busy, because you're brilliant, as I always say... although never out loud," he breathed, "...but I need your help."
Logan put the marker on the reading point and leaned back, with a half smile.
"Good morning, Louis."
"Oh." Yes. Good morning. Formalities. Of course. Logan, I have a case... a very, very, very important case. And I need you to help me with it because... it involves criminal undertones. And I confess: that's not my forte.
"And what exactly do you need?"
Louis placed the folder on the table and opened it, spreading some documents in front of Logan. His voice dropped in tone.
"It's a corporate money laundering case, but it has a delicate component. The client is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company with contracts with the HHS — Department of Health and Human Services — and... there are suspicions of illegal transfers made to a foreign consortium linked to influence peddling."
Logan narrowed his eyes.
"Money laundering with federal implications? Contracts with the HHS? This is very close to being investigated by the DOJ... or at least the SEC."
Louis nodded, swallowing hard.
"Exactly. And the client is... in a panic. Because an anonymous tip reached the FBI.
Logan pulled out the first document, his eyes skimming with surgical precision. For nearly a minute, the room was silent, except for the sound of paper being turned over.
"Who's leading the defense?"
"Me. But I don't have your expertise in criminal and federal law. I'm familiar with contracts, and I can parse a clause like no one else, but… the criminal nature of this is thick. And if this goes any further… it could turn into a formal indictment within weeks."
Logan nodded.
"I'm going to need access to all of the company's financial records for the past three years. Emails. Bank transfers. Internal compliance reports. And any interactions they've had with members of the federal government."
Louis's eyes widened.
"I have all of this… more or less organized. It's on a secure drive. I can send it over now."
"Do it. And Louis…"
"Yes?"
"This isn't just a technical case. It's political. If the client is truly involved, there will be public and regulatory repercussions." How we handle the communication will be just as important as the legal arguments.
Louis nodded, a lump in his throat.
"I… I'm counting on you, Logan. Seriously. This client is big. If we lose him, it will directly affect Pearson Hardman. Does Jessica know yet?"
"Not yet. But as soon as I have something concrete, you and I will go to her."
Later – 3:44 p.m. – Pearson Hardman Office
Logan was poring over the documents he had received. His desk was covered in printed charts, transaction spreadsheets, and internal company communications. Debussy played softly in the background—one of his favorite tracks for analyzing data.
Rachel came in with a cup of coffee, which she set on his desk, smiling.
"You look like an FBI analyst surrounded by evidence."
"I'm not that far off, to be honest."
"Do you want me to print out more transfer logs? Louis just sent some more."
"Please." Oh, Rachel... after that, help me put together a timeline of payments. We'll need to present this in a visual way when we talk to Jessica.
— Understood. Would you like to more coffee, too?
— Yes, if you don't mind. You're an angel.
Jessica's Office – Next Day, 11:10 AM
Jessica stared intently at the chart Logan was projecting on the monitor.
— Are you telling me that the CEO authorized payments to a shell company based in Luxembourg… and that company has ties to an Eastern European consortium with a history of illicit financing?
— Exactly. Except that these payments were disguised as "market consulting." And none of the services claimed were actually provided.
— And is HHS involved?
— Not directly. But there are emails exchanged between the CEO and two aides from HHS's drug division discussing "regulatory facilitation." If that's construed as bribery, we have a clear federal case.
Jessica crossed her legs, resting her chin on her fingers.
— What do you propose?
— Propose a settlement with the DOJ before it becomes a public case. But only if we have guarantees that the client will not be arrested. To do that, we need to show willingness to cooperate.
Jessica looked at Louis.
"And you agree?"
Louis, who had remained silent until then, nodded slowly.
"I trust Logan."
Jessica smiled slightly.
"Me too."
Main hallway – Exit from Jessica's office
"Louis," Logan called, still with the folder under his arm, "I want to tell you something."
"Sure, tell me."
"I admire the fact that you came to me. It wasn't easy, I imagine."
"It wasn't. But you're good. And when something is good... we swallow our pride."
"Welcome to the club," Logan smiled.
Breakroom – Later
Mike and Donna were sitting, drinking coffee. Logan walked past them, waving cordially.
"Mike. Donna."
— Logan — Mike replied, with a slight smile. — I saw that you and Louis are on a case together. That must be... interesting.
"More than you think," Logan replied with a subtle wink.
Donna, sensing the mood, smiled.
"Are you going to have dinner with us tonight? Harvey is coming over, and Rachel is bringing some wine."
Logan hesitated for a moment.
"Why not? I think we all deserve a quiet evening."
Mike stood up, offering the cup.
"I'll bring you more coffee. After all, we're colleagues now… and accomplices."
Logan laughed briefly.
"You're not as subtle as you think, Mike."
"Good thing."
Chapter 48 – The Value of a Name
Pearson Hardman – 10:17 a.m.
The late autumn sun filtered through the expansive glass panels on the 49th floor, casting golden reflections on the modern furnishings of the main conference room. Jessica kept her arms crossed over her chest, her face firm and impassive.
Across from her, sitting with the exaggerated confidence of someone who had never been contradicted in his life, was Elliot Grainger CEO of Grainger Innovations, a biometric technology company contracted by the State Department to develop airport identification systems.
Elliot was the definition of a successful Manhattan businessman: tailored Ermenegildo Zegna suit, Patek Philippe watch, hair styled to surgical perfection. His expression was one of mild boredom mixed with barely concealed contempt.
"Jessica, don't get me wrong," he said, leaning back in his leather chair, "but I came here because I want the best." And with the resume I have, I deserve the best.
Jessica just raised an eyebrow, as if the sentence held no weight whatsoever.
"I agree. And that's why I scheduled this meeting. He's coming soon."
The door opened with timely precision. Logan Moore walked in. Impeccable navy suit, steady steps, leather briefcase in one hand, serene gaze the kind of serenity that is won through battle.
Jessica made the introductions:
"Elliot Grainger, this is Dr. Logan Moore. Logan, this is the CEO of Grainger Innovations."
Logan held out his hand professionally.
"Mr. Grainger."
Elliot shook Logan's hand with a firm but slanted grip. The typical "test of strength" disguised as cordiality.
"Logan Moore, is it?" Elliot sat back down and leaned back, eyeing Logan as if he were about to appraise him at auction. — I've read about you… Harvard, Department of Defense, TS/SCI clearance, government consultant, criminal consultant. Impressive on paper. But tell me," he paused dramatically, "why should I, Elliot Grainger, hire you to defend me?"
Logan didn't move for a second. He didn't even blink. He just calmly pulled out his chair and sat down.
— That's a good question. But maybe the right question isn't why you should hire me. It's… why would I agree to advocate for you.
Silence fell over the room like a blade. Jessica smiled, almost imperceptibly. Elliot stared at him, disarmed for a moment. Then he forced a laugh.
— Arrogant. You challenge me at my own desk? —
No. Let me put you in perspective, Logan replied calmly. — You're in serious legal trouble. I've read the summary of your case. You're being accused of allowing the biometric data of American citizens to be leaked to an international server, which could be considered criminal negligence, or worse: a violation of the Espionage Act. This is federal. This is DOJ. This is serious.
Elliot stopped smiling.
Logan continued:
"Now, you have two options. You can keep looking for the 'hottest' lawyer, the 'most expensive' one, the one who will give interviews talking about his 'absolute innocence'. Or you can work with someone who has been on the other side of the table, who has advised JSOC operations, who understands how the system really works not just in the courtroom, but behind the scenes. Someone who can not only clear your name, but prevent you from spending the rest of your life in a federal cell without the right to parole."
The silence grew even heavier.
Elliot shifted in his chair. His tone lowered.
"Are you saying the government can really go all out?"
"I'm saying they've already started. You're just not listening yet." But I am.
Jessica crossed her legs, resting one arm on the backrest.
"Elliot, if you want someone to tell you what you want to hear, there's a line of lawyers out there. But if you want to get out of this case in one piece or at least breathe easy this is your only chance."
Elliot stared at Logan for a long moment, this time with a different look. Less arrogant. More realistic.
"And how much would you do that for?"
Logan gave a slight smile.
"I don't work by the hour. I work by results. And I'll tell you this: either you get out clean, or I give you my name back. And my name, Mr. Grainger, is worth more than yours."
Logan's Office – Hours Later
Rachel knocked on the door with a smile.
"May I?"
"Sure. Come in."
"I heard you broke a CEO this morning."
Logan smiled wearily.
"I didn't. I just adjusted his ego to the size of the problem."
"That was one of the most incredible things I've heard in a long time." Harvey heard it and laughed for five minutes.
"That doesn't sound like something Harvey would do."
"Exactly. So, are you going to take the case?"
"I did."
Rachel walked over to the desk and left a report.
"Here are the first documents sent by Grainger's company. Including an attachment from the State Department warning about the irregular use of private servers."
Logan took it, scanning it quickly.
"This could be the key. If we can show that it was a corporate security breach and not intentional, we can convert the charge to an administrative violation rather than a criminal one.
Rachel nodded.
"I'll work on it right now. Can we talk later today?"
"Perfect. And Rachel…"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for being with me on this. It's a tough case."
She smiled.
"Working with you is always a learning experience. Even when it involves overbearing CEOs."
Pearson Hardman Hallway – 6:45 PM
Logan was walking toward the elevator when he passed Harvey, who was coming out of his own office.
"Logan."
"Harvey."
"I heard about the little act with Grainger."
"You would have done the same."
"Not with such style. And… good job."
Logan stared at him for a moment.
"Do you compliment me when no one's looking, Harvey?"
— If you tell anyone, I'll deny it to death.
Logan laughed lightly, and they entered the elevator together.
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