Harry Osgood had a reputation as the most trusted talent agent in the business. A good and decent man who treated his clients like family, even some of the biggest and most private names in the entertainment business had trusted him completely with their business and personal affairs. His reputation was so good, in fact, that once, years ago, the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four had personally asked him to represent Dazzler when she attempted to make her break as a pop singer. When that letter arrived about a huge comeback from the Super Bowl, it had come from Harry, and Alison had allowed herself to get her hopes up because she fondly remembered him as not only the best manager in Hollywood, but just about the truest and most trustworthy man she'd ever met in the business.
That all changed a few days ago.
Harry had been sitting in this very office when one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen arrived. He'd seen and managed them all, too: models, actresses, singers, some of the most famous and gorgeous women on the planet, but only the tiniest handful were in the same stratosphere as this stunning, purple-haired Asian woman with a body that almost defied logic. He hated to admit it, but he was actually staggered when Betsy had shown up asking him to help her break into the modeling business. Which is why he was so disappointed when she made it clear that she was willing to take the casting couch approach, something Harry would never let happen at the Osgood Agency, let alone with an upright family man like Harry himself.
And yet. This nagging voice, one that didn't even sound like him, wouldn't go away at the back of his head.
"Come on, Harry," he kept hearing himself, or someone, think. "When are you ever gonna get a chance like this again? You've been good so long. And look at you, out of shape, grey hair, not getting any younger. You'd be insane to turn down a piece of world class tail like this, especially when she's the one offering."
He had tried to ignore it, to turn it down, but it kept getting louder, more insistent, and he broke, and broke his cardinal rule as a talent manager, unable to control himself as Psylocke threw herself at him. Within hours, he was done for. Psylocke, using her equally impressive physical and psychic talents, had almost literally fucked every moral fiber, ever shred of decency, out of Harry Osgood. The most trusted manager in Hollywood was gone forever, his codes and honors erased from his mind, leaving only the shrewd businessman underneath with new thoughts buried deep in his brain of resentment and regret of why he'd never taken advantage of his position and power before. So much wasted opportunity! And then he had received his new orders from Gambit - who Psylocke had mentally manipulated Harry into believing was his new business partner - to reach out to Alison Blaire and make her an offer she couldn't refuse. He remembered the "Disco Dazzler" well, a total failure as a pop star and a crossover actress and, from what he'd heard, as a superhero. She definitely had the looks, a smoking hot blonde, but the talent?
Hell no, the new Harry thought. What a waste.
For the last hour, after Alison had arrived, Harry had used every trick and move in his playbook - the stuff he'd only used to get sweetheart deals for his clients from studio bosses and producers in the past - to subtly undercut whatever confidence Dazzler had left and walk her back up into thinking that this time, it would all be different, if she trusted ol' Harry. It had worked like a charm, and Osgood was secretly reveling in watching Alison spiral into self-loathing only to be smoothtalked into believing that Harry was her ray of light.
"Kiddo," Harry said, "You just got believe ol' Harry. Everybody's gonna want a piece of you and here's the truth, like I always give it: your career is about to go places you never even dreamed of."
Dazzler was beside herself. "Oh Harry! I don't even know how to begin thanking you!"
Harry, the new Harry, had a few ideas. He was hard as a rock and wanted nothing more than to throw Dazzler over the desk and fuck the living daylights out of her, maybe finally get something back for all that money he lost trying to promote her career and protect her secret mutant powers the first time around. It took every bit of skill and concentration he had to keep a permanent leer off his face, and while he was pretty sure he could talk her into anything right now, his new partner had other plans for Dazzler, ones that would give Harry plenty of opportunity to exert leverage over her any time he wanted soon enough.
"So we're agreed, though, kiddo, right? This guy producing the Super Bowl show, I talked you up to him, let him know for sure the time was right for your comeback, that all the kids who used to listen to you were feeling nostalgiac. So now all you gotta do his go play his kid's college party and impress them, make them remember why they all, uh, fell in love with the Disco Dazzler in the first place. And believe me, kiddo, this ain't some small time party, this kid and his college buddies are the children of some of the richest and most powerful people in the country. CEOs! Senators! You show up at that party and, uh, knock their socks off, and I guarantee he'll convince his dad to meet you and make you the most sought after act in the biz!"
Dazzler was nervous, but Harry had done a number on her and convinced her that this was her last chance, and that he had pulled every string and put every resource he had into getting her this shot to get back on top. As an X-Man, she had been a failure and she knew it, but she also still believed, deep down inside, that she had what it took to prove everyone else wrong about her and be famous. "I'll do it, Harry! I won't let you down! I'll do whatever it takes to make this happen!"
"Oh, kiddo, I know ya will. I know ya will!"
Harry sat back and smiled, and if Alison had been able to see through her tears of joy, she might have been a little worried by the cruelty in that smile. Harry had done well, he had used all the info Gambit had provided about her many misadventures as a superhero to knock away whatever confidence she had left. And he had done well by Gambit, too, he had to admit. Turning over every bit of inside information he had on his rather impressive client list. He literally gave Gambit the book on some of the most famous entertainers in show business - TV stars, singers, even some popular A-list movie stars - all of whom had grown to trust good ol' Harry Osgood over the years, trust violated as Harry, guided by Psylocke, spilled every ounce of financial information, every personal detail, every emotional weakness to this sleazy Cajun operator, who Harry would have had thrown out of his office days ago. But now he trusted Gambit with his little black book, and it was goldmine of opportunity for a hustler, thief and pimp with Gambit's skills and connections and his will to use it.
Oh yes, business was about to pick up.