highlander_ii

Knock One: Sam

Leo looked up at the knock at his door. Sam stood there silent for a moment.

"Leo, you got a second?"

With a nod, Leo waved Sam into the office.

Sam crossed to the desk, but didn't sit. "The fossil fuel numbers are almost ready, but I wanted to know, do you need the ten-year projections or just the five-year?"

"Can you get me the ten-year?"

"Yes. Sure. But it pushes the timeline out by a day."

Leo looked up from the document he'd returned to. "That's fine, Sam. We'll still be on schedule."

"Are you sure? Because I can get you the five-year when I said-"

"Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Get out."

"Yes, sir."

Knock Two: C.J.

Leo was on his way back from the head. He looked down the hall to find C.J. lurking outside his door. Part of his brain told him to find an excuse to turn down another hallway before he go there.

His sense of professionalism wouldn't let him do that.

"What can I do for you, C.J.?" he asked as he neared the door.

"Hey. I wanted to drop off the talking points for the briefing later. And ask if I'm missing anything new?"

He glanced at the page. "Nope. That's all. Thanks, C.J."

"You bet."

That would probably be his easiest question of the day.

Knock Three: Josh

"What is this, Grand Central Station?" Leo muttered at the latest rapping at his door.

"Leo, I need you if you're free," Josh said.

"Need me here, or somewhere else?"

"Uh, here's good." Josh made his way in and took a seat in the chair next to Leo's couch. "I can't find a single Senator willing to endorse this proposal." He held up the assignment he'd been given last week.

"No one?"

Josh shook his head.

"Have you called them all?"

Josh blinked. "All one hundred of them?"

Leo gave Josh a flat look.

"Well, I mean... I can..." Josh stopped. "Leo - oh my god."

Leo laughed. "Don't worry about it, Josh. Put it in a drawer for a month."

Knock Four: Jed

The only person who could walk in without waiting for an invitation, almost always knocked anyway. "Leo, c'mon. Let's go have some dinner."

"Abby still in Texas?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Jed sighed.

Leo gave him a sideways glance. "I'm not a stand-in for your wife."

"Right now, you're not even a stand-in for my best friend. Come have dinner with me. I think we've having pork chops."

"Well, how can I pass that up?"

Jed made a face. "Your sass is going to put you out of work, Leo."

Leo smiled. "You'll fire me? Great. Then I can go on all those vacations I've been wanting to take."

"Shut up and come on."

He laughed. "I'll be there in a minute. I have a couple things to finish up."

Knock Five: Margaret

"Yes?" Leo called to the incessant knocking at his door. The only person who knocked like that was Margaret. What the hell could she possibly want at this hour? "I swear," he began as he approached the door, "if the building isn't on fire, I'm going to dump you in the Potomac," he grumbled and unlocked the door.

Margaret stood on the other side, expectantly.

"What?"

"Um, well, I know it's late and you said you didn't want to be disturbed, but I was getting ready to leave for the night and I was wondering if you needed me for anything before I go?"

"No, Margaret. I'm good. Have a nice night."

"Oh. Are you sure? Because I could stay and help if there's anything-"

"Go home, Margaret," he told her and closed the door so he could finish working and meet Jed for dinner.