ANGEL BLUE [1]

LEAD 37: pride & pre-justice

       "I can't accommodate for anything outside the judiciary of Manhattan, you know that," Dad spreads his hands wide, sitting at the head of the table in the Loft. I've just broken the news to the team that today is the day where we meet Helena's niece and see where the pieces fall. "The MDP aren't cooperative when it's beyond their boarders, and you have no solid proof of Quade's accusations―and you know the jury won't believe anything Helena says when put against Quade's attorney."

      "Half of Oliver's entire case will break since Blake's memory's been wiped," I say, pacing the entire Loft. "Ergo, he can't give a witness statement."

      "But how do you know that this entire case is based entirely around Blake's accounts with that Colville guy in the taxi?" Banks pipes up. "For all we know Quade's friends have a dozen witnesses saying otherwise."

      "As for the niece," Snag bites down on his knuckle, "her situation is extremely unfortunate but you, Akira, cannot be the one to take her under your wing and nurture her back to health. The inevitable is that Helena Quinn will get a ten year sentence at bear minimum, and she won't see her niece until she's released." 

      "I can't go back on my word, I promised Chloe and Helena that I'd at least get some charges dropped," I clench my fists. "If we can't nail Oliver for setting Helena up, we can get him for our case."

      "The soul focus in that court room will be on Helena Quinn, not the victims of Angel Blue," Sam sighs. "Whatever we do, it's not going to be good enough. I know for a fact that Helena hasn't spoken to her attorney to build solid grounds, I'm afraid that Quade's resources will tear her apart and there's nothing we can do about it."

      Maybe my good intentions were going to bite me in the arse quicker than anticipated. I turn on my heel and stomp to the elevator, pivoting and then pacing the entire section underneath the incline where everyone sits to stare at me. I've had four days to prepare some evidence to give Helena a fighting chance against those of the law, but everything will become equitable. Her mouth-accounts won't be taken into consideration, there's no proof to back up her story, the entire Bureau seems to be against her, there aren't any alibi's to give...

      "I'll testify," I say.

      "Like hell you fucking won't!" Banks stands up. "You're not a lawyer Akira, there's no way you'll be allowed to say your piece unless it's as a witness, and even if you're called back to the stand, Quade's an FBI―if you name yourself as a Detective of the NYPD, you will be ripped a new arsehole. You've got to think of all the other options."

      "What other options do we have?" I shout. "If I don't object to what Oliver puts forward, Helena's going to be given capital punishment when he appeals for a retrial in Washington!"

      "Why would he push for a retrial in D.C. if the verdict's decided here?" Dad frowns.

      I clamp my mouth shut and throw my arms up in the air, admitting 'defeat' to get the team off my trail. They don't know anything about the deal I've made with Quade or the fact that he's threatened me and them. If I tell the team about what Helena knows, then I'm in deep shit. I clear my throat and stomp back up the stairs to take my seat next to Sam.

      Banks rubs her temples, "No offence but Akira you don't act...reasonably when under pressure. If the attorney asks one wrong question, you're going to probably impale them on the scales of justice. Now I'm not a Diablo so I don't know how you guys work, but from what I've seen so far―Akira's primal trigger is rage, if you get angry, you'll get reprimanded by the judge."

      I groan and rest my forehead in my cupped palms. My anger will evidently be my downfall sooner or later, it doesn't matter if I go to my 'happy place' or count to ten in my head―it feels like the emotion eats away at my insides and boils my blood unless I release it all at once in a torrent of foul words and/or fist fights.