Harvey's back in his office, getting patched up by Donna after beating up Stephen Huntley in the men's room. Mike and Jessica must have wandered off during the interim. Donna's feeling awful about not having realized that her now-ex-boyfriend was a lying sneak who ordered the killings for which Harvey's client Ava Hessington is about to go on trial, so Harvey tells her that Stephen betrayed all of them. "Just tell me you're gonna make him pay," Donna asks. Harvey is glad to oblige. What's he going to do, beat him up again?
Harvey then goes down to see Mike, who's at his desk in the otherwise empty bullpen. He tells Mike to keep working on impeaching the testimony of Colonel Mariga, the man whose troops did the actual killing and who is now the prosecution's star witness. As for Stephen, Harvey says they don't have enough proof of his involvement to use in Ava's defense, or even alert her yet. So for now, Harvey's going to go home, sleep, and find out what the whole story is. Mike warns that Stephen won't tell him that, but Harvey says someone else can.
The next morning, Harvey and Jessica are grilling Edward Darby in her office. Turns out this case was his reason for wanting to merge in the first place, and though he admits he knew about Stephen's involvement after the fact, he denies having given Stephen the order regarding the killings. Darby claims that he sent Stephen over because of how much he cares about Ava, but when Jessica invites him to say in court that Stephen acted on his own without Ava's knowledge, he begs off, saying Stephen never told him and he never asked, so he doesn't legally know. Harvey calls Darby a piece of shit for leaving Ava twisting in the wind like this, and Jessica informs Darby that he's going to do something for her right now.
And…cut to Stephen in his office, locked out of his computer and unable to get his desk phone to work. Donna's there, saying this all is her doing, to get his attention. She has some calm yet harsh words for Stephen, calling him a murderer. Stephen starts mansplaining to her about the moral complicity of the designers who make her clothes, not to mention that of any number of Harvey's corporate clients. Donna gets bored and says the real reason he's cut off is because he's fired. Stephen doesn't believe Darby would allow that, so Donna informs him that Darby signed his pink slip an hour ago. So chew on that, Stephen.
Louis has just finished chewing out the associates in the bullpen for their shoddy work in his absence when Rachel intercepts him on his way out of the bullpen, wondering why he just shit on the people who put him back in charge. Louis doesn't see it that way, saying, "They made me give up Mikado for them." Rachel says they didn't put Louis in this position. "But I know who did," Louis says. Uh, the idiot who sued for someone else's cat in the first place?
Up on the 50th floor, Harvey talks to Mike about their next move. He points out that Colonel Mariga's deal with Cameron Dennis is only valid if he's telling the truth. Mike says they can't use their circumstantial evidence against Stephen in court, so Harvey says they'll use it before then; he'll approach Cameron, and Mike will approach Mariga. Harvey warns Mike to change his clothes first; "If they see a lawyer within twenty yards of that lobby they'll lock the place down."
And so Mike casuals up, which allows him to get past all the large, suited, earpiece-wearing guards in the hotel and onto the elevator. After reaching Mariga's suite, he tells the guard just inside the door that he's a lawyer, then that he's a fraud, then that he's Colonel Mariga's cousin. The guard looks between Mike and the African man in his charge and is about to close the door, until Mike hands him the rugby team photo of "him and my uncle Stephen. Then let him decide if he wants to talk to me."
Harold returns to his desk at his new firm, Bratton Gould, and is rather stunned to see Louis sitting in his chair. Louis is pissed at him for participating in the trial, and Harold's still pissed at Louis for firing him, which is why he called Nigel to volunteer to testify in the first place. Louis says Harold made a business matter personal, and Harold says that Louis's firing was quite personal, coming as it did after the cat debacle and in front of Harold's "very best friend." Does he mean Mike? Hearing that, Louis decides to sit Harold down and tell him a little more about Harold's firing. Oh, yeah, I remember that.
Mike's photo of Mariga with Stephen Huntley on the rugby team has gotten him into the hotel suite, but Mariga doesn't seem intimidated. Mike warns Mariga that when Cameron Dennis finds out that Mariga is lying about Ava he's going to call off the deal and cut him loose. Yes, that seems like the kind of principled move Cameron Dennis is known for. Mike also says that when Mariga returns to his home country, his people are going to execute him and telling the truth is the only way to avoid that. But Mariga figures that all he can do is stick to the story that got him here. Not that he seems to feel too bad about it.
Harvey meets Cameron on the street, and puts some effort into convincing him that he's there to help Cameron put away the real bad guy. Cameron's listening, but although Harvey can't tell Cameron who really did it, he says Colonel Mariga can. Cameron isn't interested in having Mariga change his story, even when Harvey argues that he'd be changing it to the truth. Cameron concedes that Harvey believes Ava to be innocent and even claims he wouldn't go after her if Harvey convinced him of that, but he's not going to promise not to use whatever Harvey has against Ava before he's heard it. So it looks like they're at an impasse. And a commercial break.
Mike returns to the firm to see Harold standing outside, lying in wait. He's pissed about what Louis told him, namely that Louis offered to not fire Harold if Mike took responsibility for all of Harold's work. Mike doesn't deny it, but reminds Harold that he got him a job after that. Harold says that was only so he would owe Mike a favor -- which Mike has already collected on. Mike says that murder trial is about to start, so Harold can either keep being pissed or move on, but Mike has to get to work. I actually don't think Harold would be good at either of those things. But when Louis finds Rachel in his office, and she informs him that one of his clients is getting sued, and Harold's behind it. So look who's bringing the vengeance, y'all/
Harvey sees Donna at the courthouse, because she wants to watch Harvey prove to Stephen that despite what he told her before, they're different from him. Harvey points out that it's Ava's trial, not Stephen's, and Donna's all upset that Harvey isn't taking Stephen down right now. Now, Harvey, I want him in jail now! Calm down, Donna.
Inside the courtroom, Colonel Mariga is on the stand in uniform, testifying that he did the right thing killing the "insurgents," and was paid for it by Ava Hessington. As for the question of the motivation of Mariga's testimony, Cameron tries to inoculate against that by bringing it up himself and asking why the jury would believe a story that Mariga might be telling just to save himself. Mariga says that if the story proves false, he'll be sent back home, "Where I will be dead within minutes." Nobody seems to notice or care that he's staring significantly at Mike as he says this.
During the break, Mike asks Harvey why he didn't jump in. Harvey says he didn't want to seem defensive. They join a room where Jessica is waiting as Harvey adds that the jury is buying Mariga's story. "Then we make them buy something else," Jessica says, and Harvey tells them that "Cameron won't go after Ava if I can convince him it was Stephen." Jessica isn't sure it's a good idea to trust Cameron, but Harvey thinks they're out of other options. Stephen himself comes into the room and threatens to point the finger at Ava if Mariga points the finger at him. "You've been warned," he says before leaving the room. He should probably give a more specific warning.
Back in the courtroom, Harvey declines to cross-examine Mariga, instead calling Stephen Huntley as a rebuttal witness. Nice of Stephen to have shown up, then even though he no longer works for the firm. Although I suppose it's natural to want to see someone else tried for something you did. In the gallery, both Jessica and Darby react visibly while Ava asks Mike what Harvey's up to. Mike just says Harvey knows what he's doing. While waiting for him to take the stand, Cameron mutters to Harvey, "Is this what you wanted to sell me? A lawyer from your own goddamn firm?" Harvey mutters right back that he's about to give Cameron the bad guy on a silver platter. Harvey starts questioning Stephen, but Stephen is taking the fifth on everything. Harvey mentions that Stephen was a rugby teammate of Mariga's, and Cameron objects that Harvey is testifying. Harvey says the witness is hostile, Cameron says they work for the same firm, and Harvey tells the court that the witness was fired yesterday.
Naturally the judge calls both Harvey and Cameron up to the bench. Cameron protests to the judge that Harvey's making shit up, and Harvey argues that the only reason Cameron has Mariga -- his only witness -- is that he tapped Stephen's phone. Right in front of the judge, he appeals to Cameron to reveal how and why Stephen actually called Mariga and what their conversation was, if Cameron really is interested in the truth. The judge has had enough of this and tells Harvey to proceed, but carefully. Harvey's next question to Stephen is, "Did you meet with your old friend Emmanuel Mariga and direct him to kill the opponents of Hessington Oil's pipeline without Ava Hessington's knowledge?" Stephen merely declines to answer, even though that was such a narrowly defined question that there was no reason not to say no if he hadn't done exactly that. Harvey's done with him, so it's Cameron's turn.
After a pause, Cameron starts pursuing a line of questioning about whether Harvey's pointing the finger at Stephen in order to get his client off. Stephen's a lot more cooperative with Cameron, saying it can be an effective strategy. As for why he's the one chosen as the fall guy, Stephen says that Ava asked him to bribe some witnesses for her and he refused. Which he invites them to ask Harvey about, because Harvey knows it's true. "And a woman who bribes witnesses is not innocent," Cameron remarks, withdrawing it after Harvey's objection. Then he asks whether Ava also asked Stephen to set up a bribe meeting with Colonel Mariga in exchange for the killings. Stephen goes back to taking the fifth on that one. I don't think that went the way Harvey hoped.
During a recess, Ava demands of Mike whether Stephen was really involved, or whether that was just a stunt like Stephen and Cameron just convinced the jury. "He ordered the killings," Mike tells her after a pause. He says that they didn't have proof, and putting him on the stand was a calculated risk. Ava doesn't seem impressed.
Harvey catches up with Cameron on the sidewalk and accuses him of screwing him. Cameron says Harvey failed to convince him Ava didn't order the killings, and if he'd taken a recess like Harvey thinks he should have, he never would have found out about the bribery attempts. He still doesn't believe that Stephen "just goes around killing his clients' enemies behind their backs." Harvey tries to convince Cameron to ask Mariga for corroboration, but Cameron is satisfied with Mariga's testimony. "Lawyers killing people?" he taunts. "That's a hell of a firm you got your name on, Harvey. You must be proud to have left the D.A.'s office for that." But didn't he just say he doesn't believe it?
Once again, Harold returns to his desk to find Louis sitting there. He puts on a not entirely unconvincing show of not being intimidated as he offers to negotiate a settlement. Louis isn't fooled by Harold's act, and he lets Harold know that he isn't before telling Harold what he will and won't agree to. Which ends up being one paragraph that Harold begs for, which Louis allows to survive just to serve as a warning to the other paragraphs. "And don't ever let me see your pasty Norwegian, Carrot-Top wannabe face again."
At the courthouse, Darby asks Jessica if she knew about Harvey's plan to ambush Stephen on the stand, and says that it ended up hurting Ava more than Stephen. Jessica points out that he keeps going on about how much he cares about Ava, "But I've only just met her, and you're the one who did what you did." Ava herself comes in, angry at Darby. She demands to know if he kept this from her, and when he says he didn't know until it was too late, she slaps him in a very un-British manner. Darby makes some excuses, but Ava isn't impressed. After she storms out, Darby remarks to Jessica, "You once asked me if she knew about her father and I. In those days, to be a lawyer and to be out… not possible. Her father was in the oil business. He would have been finished." Basically it was Brokeback Abbey. So Ava used to join them on their vacations as Darby's beard. "She did that for us." He maintains that he didn't know what Stephen would do, and that he would undo it now if he could. And he wants Jessica's help in fixing it.
That night, Jessica shows up at Harvey's apartment with the bottle of scotch Harvey gave her when she unseated Hardman, which he said was for emergencies only. Jessica says this is one: "We are about to lose a huge murder case. And it turns out the person behind it is one of our own lawyers. And we're in business with the man who covered it up. But the thing that's been most on my mind is that you goddamn betrayed me." She pours them each a drink and says that he did warn her, and he'd rather forgive him than keep feeling betrayed. Harvey tells her he's sorry, which happens so rarely it sounds odd even coming out of his mouth. Jessica in turn tells her she's sorry she made him want to do it in the first place. They drink to it, and Harvey asks what changed her mind. Jessica tells him about how Darby said Ava was family to him. And since Harvey is family to Jessica, and he confessed, unlike Darby, she's ready to share her idea. "We're not the only people that are like family to each other," Jessica says. "And sometimes you have to put your family in a position where they don't have a choice." You…do? Harvey utters the words that are this show's equivalent of "O captain, my captain:" "What do you need me to do?"
Still later that night, Harvey shows up at Mike's apartment to tell him the new plan: "We're going to convince Cameron that Ava's innocent." After noticing that Harvey's been drinking, Mike wonders how this is different from the old plan. Getting beers for each of them out of Mike's fridge, Harvey explains that Cameron is more interested in his winnable case than in the truth, and that prosecutors are hammers who see defendants as nails. "You're gonna remind him about the time he hit the wrong nail," Harvey smirks.
Mike goes and finds Clifford Danner, the man Cameron Dennis and Harvey wrongly convicted of murder lo these many years ago, and whom Harvey and Mike sprung from prison back in season one by proving he was innocent via Cameron's shady evidence practices. He's working as a busboy in a late night diner now, and he's pretty bitter about it. Mike asks him to go warn Cameron against doing this to someone else. Clifford is pretty resistant to the idea, figuring he'll kill Cameron and he doesn't owe Harvey anything. Mike concedes the point, but reminds Clifford that he does owe Mike.
Rachel comes into Louis's office just after he's Litt Up™ someone on the phone and says that Harold isn't caving -- there's a loophole in the contract. Louis realizes that must be the "insignificant" paragraph nine he conceded. "Oh my God, Harold pulled one over on you!" Rachel realizes. Louis tells her to never say that out loud, and says they need to renegotiate. Which of course Louis thinks means re-intimidating Harold, but Rachel says Harold is already on his way over.
Cameron is intercepted on the sidewalk by Mike and Clifford to make their case. How does Cameron ever get anywhere with Mike and Harvey waylaying him all the damn time?
Louis returns to his desk to find Harold sitting there. The roles are reversed. After some hostile movie-related banter, Louis throws down a stack of folders for nuisance motions that will make it impossible for Harold to do his actual job for Bratton Gould. "You'll be laughed out of there the same way you were laughed out of here." Unless Harold drops the suit by the end of the week, that is. Of course, Rachel was just outside to witness the scene, and she doesn't seem impressed.
Ava shows up to a meeting with Harvey and Jessica, and is also unimpressed to see Darby there. He offers his advice, which is that Ava should take the stand. Harvey says that Cameron will just bring up the attempted bribing of the witnesses. Cameron himself comes in bitching about Clifford Danner, saying that Harvey was the one who put him away, and unlike with Clifford, Harvey won't be getting Ava out of jail, "because she did it. And yesterday, your own colleague said that she did it." Darby disagrees, but Cameron doesn't care. Harvey knows that Cameron cuts deals rather than going to verdict, and right on cue, Cameron makes an offer: eight years in prison. "Eight years instead of forever," he clarifies. Harvey asks him for some time to confer, and Cameron leaves them alone until court starts ten minutes from now.
Jessica tells Harvey that Cameron's got them, but Harvey disagrees. "She's not going to prison for one day," Harvey insists. "I am not losing to him." Ava says his feud with Cameron got him into that position. Darby says she isn't taking the deal, while Jessica maintains that she needs to. Darby doesn't care, and Harvey snaps at him, "Unless you're going to testify that Stephen did this without Ava's knowledge. And as you said, you have no proof. So why don't you get out of the room and let the grown-ups talk?" Instead of getting pissed, Darby offers that he might testify to that after all. Even if the conversation with Stephen never happened. Jessica's impressed, but Harvey doesn't think it'll work; an old friend coming to the rescue at the last second. And with a lie, no less. Jessica says they need to make Cameron believe it, and the way to do that is to convince him this is a win. "I guess this is the best shot we have," Harvey admits.
Harvey and Darby go and find Cameron in the men's room. As usual, he's not receptive to them, advising Harvey to put Darby on the stand if he has something to say. Harvey asks for Cameron's word this time, and Cameron says it can be off the record. Darby says, "I instructed Stephen Huntley to do whatever it took to get Ava her pipeline, and I told him to do it behind her back." Cameron asks if he's admitting to having authorized the murders. Darby denies that and claims to have confronted Stephen about it as soon as he found out. Cameron asks what Harvey wants. "Edward pleads to obstruction of justice. Five years' probation." "You drop the charges against Ava," Darby adds. "And he testifies at Stephen Huntley's murder trial," Harvey concludes. Cameron asks, "Why would I swap out Ava for her minion?" Harvey tells Cameron he knows his case isn't a sure thing or he wouldn't have made the offer. Plus Darby's a waaay better witness than Mariga. Cameron sighs and says, "Draw up the paperwork."
Donna finds Stephen at a bar to admit that she considered what he said, and that maybe he's not as bad as she thought. "You're much worse," she says. Right on cue, cops and FBI guys start surrounding Stephen. Donna tells him about the deal, which also included the provision that Donna got to be the one to tell him. I generally consider it a worse idea to cross Donna than Harvey, and this has done nothing to convince me otherwise.
In the conference room at the law firm, Darby is sitting across the table from Mike, Jessica, and Harvey. Cameron stands over Darby, summarizing that he gets five years of probation for testifying at Stephen's trial. But Darby notices something in the agreement saying he also loses his law license in the U.S. "That's just something I added in," Cameron shrugs. Darby calls that unacceptable, and Mike asks Cameron, "How could you have added it in if we did the paperwork?" "And if he can't practice law in the country, he can't be a member of our firm," Harvey adds. "We must have agreed to it in advance," Mike says, as though just now realizing this. Darby realizes they set him up. Or rather, Jessica did. "You really gonna put this on Ava when you can get off with a slap on the wrist?" Harvey asks him. And Cameron asks if Darby's going to sign or if they're going to go back to the trial. Look who's doing Harvey and Jessica's dirty work now.
Darby signs it, and Jessica says they'll discuss terms of dissolution tomorrow. "And Edward, we may be getting a divorce, but I fully intend on keeping ownership of the house." After Darby leaves the room, Cameron chuckles, "Who'd have thought we'd end up here?" Harvey claims to have predicted it, which Cameron doesn't buy. "You took a chance with Clifford Danner," he tells Harvey. And now that he's gotten his way, Harvey gets all flattering, saying he knows that Cameron doesn't only care about winning but also putting guilty people away. "Nice working with you," Cameron says. Jessica says it's a one-time deal. "I guess this means you're not looking for another name partner?" he asks at the door. They let him head on out. The name of this firm is changing too frequently as it is.
Louis comes in to Rachel's office, and she has a letter for him saying /Harold has dropped the suit. "I win," Louis grins, but Rachel isn't letting him off that easy. She asks why Louis hates Harold so much. "He's a human being. What's the matter with you?" she demands with cold fury. Louis breaks down and tells a story about trying to climb the rope in gym class and how everyone laughed at him. He says the one thing he's great at is training the associates -- except for Harold, his one failure. "Puts me right back in gym class." Rachel tells Louis that Harold's climbing the rope now, but Louis is pulling him down. So Louis tears up the letter and instructs Rachel, "Send back his original offer marked 'Accepted.'" The client should love that.
Mike catches up with Harvey at the elevators. Harvey says Ava's already on her way to the airport. "Someone saves my life, I might stop to say thank you," Mike snits. Harvey reminds Mike of what the firm put Ava through and says, "Doesn't matter. It's a huge win. Go celebrate." Mike wonders if it should be the two of them. Harvey asks Mike if he's really the one Mike wants to celebrate with. "I don't know, it depends," Mike cracks. "Do you put out?" "Why don't you ask Rachel?" Harvey cracks right back as the elevator doors close in front of him. Good one, even if Mike doesn't think so.
Harvey goes out to his car, and finds Donna standing next to it waiting for him. He asks how it went with Stephen, and she says as well as it could. As he starts to get in, she thanks him, and he offers her the car for the night. "I feel like walking tonight." In other words, even with Stephen out of the picture, it doesn't look like there's going to be another Other Time any time soon.
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