The Attorney ✓( A White House occupants prequel)

Chapter Twenty

Another two days later, I'm sitting in the firm's employee lounge, watching a news story I'm sure will grow exponentially as the months go on. Sarah sent a text to her brother with the attached video (the important part at least), and a picture of the case files, with a smiley face.

Don't get me wrong- there is nothing happy about Zachariah's death. She meant it more as a "Here's a case that'll get you more airtime", and "The public needs to know about this."

So now they know, and they did not disappoint. In almost all U.S cities and even some of the major ones overseas, protests have sprung out- demanding the attention of the U.S government. We expect that the case will take off soon, and the state will be forced to pay attention because of the public outcry.

I flip it to another station, where the anchor is covering a protest right here in New York- outside of the capital building.

"We are here with a man who, for his own reasons- has decided to travel across the country to organize a protest in his hometown. Can you explain to those watching from home why you decided to do this?"

"Sure I...Uhm... My son was killed by police when he was ten years old. His name is Salome Cook. His situation was almost exactly the same as Zachariah's- he was walking home from his grandmothers house in our neighborhood...... and the state dismissed his case. I'm out here today because we as a nation cannot keep allowing this to happen. Salome....Salome died forty years ago. It was a different time but things have not changed a bit. We need to start holding police accountable, because once we stop doing that- we may as well just stand in front of them and wait for our own bullets. I am here today because I want the police officer who killed Zachariah Mathews to know that we will not stop until justice is served- regardless of how."

Around him, protesters mumble in agreement. This could get bad- but if that's what has to be done, fuck it. The state almost never listens unless people get destructive.

If they want destructive I'll show them destructive-

"Joe, you got a second?" Sam approaches me. I didn't notice him come in.

"I'm....on break but yeah." I sit up and turn the volume down. "What's up?"

"I don't know what it is you did and...I'm not going to question it but the family has requested you as their sole lawyer."

"That's not going to be possible." I frown. "This case is going to be huge. There simply aren't enough hours in the day for me to do all the paperwork and research and...everything by myself."

"We could hire temporary assistants or interns to take care of the paperwork for you. Joe, you've been asking for a case that actually matters. Well- here it is." He gestures to the tv.

"But if I fuck this up it's going to define the rest of my career-"

"You are correct-" he reaches over me for the bowl of oranges. "In fact I'd probably fire you. But if you get this right- people will never forget your name. You will always be known as the guy who sent Jake Maxwell to prison where he belongs."

I don't like being relied on this much, but like he said- this is exactly what I asked for. It's just that the last time I had this much pressure put on me, I was kicked out. And now, I'm backed into the corner again. I have three options: Send Jake Maxwell to prison and keep my job, refuse the case and get fired while simultaneously feeling like the asshole I am, or bomb it and get fired.

I think I'll go with the first- but in order to do that I must start the months long process of building a prosecution now.

"Joe-"