_____ Actions will always speak louder than words. _____
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I was not expecting a young soon-to-be eighteen year old. "Drop your weapon" I said roughly.
"Look, I don't want to fight. Let me tell you my story, and you can do whatever it is you wish to do with me."
I calmed down and stared at him. "My name is Alicia. I'm recording this conversation, so you can go ahead and say whatever it is you wish to."
He looked at me a began talking. "About two weeks ago, my brother, Jason, was shot three times, and left to bleed out. I called and called and called, so many times, and they only sent an ambulance after he was dead." He paused, to wipe a tear trailing down his cheek. "I wanted to prove that places for the rich got better care, whilst places for us second class citizens weren't worth shit, so I tried doing an... an experiment. I was going to abduct people from their neighborhoods, bring them to places they weren't supposed to be, and shoot them. I was going to shoot two people in shady neighborhoods like mine too, to prove they would die. To prove that action speaks louder than words, but you know what? I couldn't do it. I couldn't watch her become another tragedy like my brother."
"Did you have any accomplices?"
"No, but my younger brother Jeremy is at home. If I'm going to serve jail time, please make sure he's taken care of."
I bit my lip, unsure of what to do. "I'm not going to give you jail time, nor are you going to go off scot-free." His eyes were emotionless, but I sensed pain in them, he truly was confused, and unsure, and he was hurting. He was hurting so much.
"What you did was wrong. I get it, you were hurting, but that doesn't justify hurting innocent lives." My glare softened "However, I will get you the best lawyer in America to be your defense attorney."
A smile played on his lips. "Thank you" he said softly, as another tear slid down his cheek.
"And I promise, I will make sure your story, and your brother's stories get told. I promise you that."
