Chapter 12: The Damned Trial Part 2

Emily

After making it out of the school using Benton’s lockdown as cover he made his way back to me. “were clear, nobody knows we were even part of it, we need to get back to the city nearby, it is where his trial is being held.” I looked at him intently “What will happen once they realise I am gone, ill get in trouble, people might suffer because of my actions.” Benton looked at me in understanding. “Not only does John not deserve to go to prison but he is important, everyone who is working on stopping Commander Jenkins Is, the more people who testify in his court case after he gets caught the better chance of his sentence being less lenient.” I nodded in understanding “Okay let’s go.”

We hitched a flight back to the nearest city, where Benton’s home was him and John lived shockingly close together before battle school it’s a wonder they hadn’t met before hand, either way we had made it, and to my shock we had help the moment we landed, John had build a small network of allies before his trial, he had been busy making friends. It was typical of him to do so and I don’t think he ever meant to he just kind of did it, always talking to people and forming unusually strong bonds with them in a short period of time. “You guys are riding with me to the court room, they are in a break at the moment, Johns given his side of the story, you need to follow it exactly for him to hold his legitimacy with the judge. Ill brief you on the trip.”

John

We sat in a break as my lawyer stepped back to my table “Your key witness is on her way, we have got this in the bag, full innocence, the judge is already on our side, lets seal the deal!” the judge stepped back to his stand. “Now we here to finish up and commence sentencing, anyone else have any final evidence to put up, if so, do it now.” I was becoming nervous, Emily should have been here by now and I was getting antsy “Okay any more questions on both sides? No? okay let’s begin sentencing, Johnathan please step on the courtroom floor dead straight in front of me, I did so swiftly stand on the black dot that showed where I was suppose to be. “Johnathan Doddman, for your actions I charge you with Self-defence using excessive force, you will serve 30 days of community service and no charge on your record. You are free to go!” just as he was about to lay down the hammer Emily burst in with Benton “Your honour, I have another key witness” he bursted out” The judge reframed from hitting his hammer. “Well by all means, take the stand… what is your name?” Emily stepped forward “My name is Emily Warrick, and I was the person who saved John.” the judge stood shocked, “It said you were unable to attend due to family matters? Why have you turned up now?” he stated his questions in anger, as if it was her fault “I was never even told that John’s trial was taking place, someone’s trying to mould this case!” the judge calmed down. “I don’t know who is doing this, but I will.” I chimed In “I already know who…” the judge gestured me to speak. “Commander Jenkins. He threatened to put me here too many times after he saved me from this very scenario, after I quit for him he wanted me arrested and for me to go to prison, Look into him your honour.” The judge nodded and Emily took the stand and told her story, she told it well, exactly as I did, except she somehow painted me as more innocent, as the judge dropped all charges. Myles’s mother was devastated she cried out in agony as the person who called her son had just been dubbed innocent. I approached her after the trial, she ignored me “as much as it may not seem like it, I wish what happened didn’t, no one deserves his fate. But when these things happen, accidents may also follow. I wish you luck in your future!” she broke down in a fit of tears, she couldn’t hold it together. “Go fuck yourself!” I walked away, as much as it didn’t seem it I did feel bad for what happened, I didn’t want to kill him, but I did.

Me, Benton and Emily all walked out the building and across the street and too a local park, Emily spoke up “I’m not going to be able to go back, I’m going to have to home.” She looked down in a sadness, Benton tried to lighten the mood “Join the club, but its not all bad, normal schools more relaxed, and you get to work and shit.” You could tell he was trying to make us all feel better, but we had all lost our dreams just as we were getting to do them. “We can get Emily back in.” Emily looked at me “How?” I had come up with a plan. “you were kidnapped during the lockdown, come up with some skits story to cover your exit, its not over for you, and you got to save me.” I smiled for the first time in over a week, we all did “I did this for Benton, he would be shattered without you.” We all couldn’t help but laugh “Yeah fuckin whatever.” As we were talking, we were approached by my lawyer. “you guys need to go home, this is belongs to you two.” He handed me and Benton an envelope each with cash in it, quite a handsome amount too. “it is to get you home, I didn’t have a plan for you Emily, good luck I guess?” I tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a few hundred, “That should get you back to battle school and back home if you fail, thank you for risking it all to help.” She couldn’t help but smile. “you’re welcome wanker.”