Aisleland Paradise

Chapter 23

City Hall was the tallest building downtown. During the daytime, it looked like a brilliant tower, a bastion of institutional justice, but it wasn't daytime anymore. The sun had set, the day was winding down, and somehow that changed its aura. Anna entered the intimidating structure with mere minutes left in the year, and now it looked like a military base. She walked in and, despite the late hour, there was a whole division of secretaries hard at work. She passed multiple conference rooms, countless personal offices, research labs manned by army of legal mercenaries, armed freaking guards at the entrance and patrolling the halls, and all of it was ringed with floor to ceiling windows, all the way from the street level where she stood to the top floor, which was the domain of the Judge. The ride up in the elevator took forever, but when the doors opened and she stepped out she was stunned by a breathtakingly clear view of the city below, unobstructed all the way out to the horizon. There were people everywhere, and everyone moved with a perfect purpose, no one stopped to acknowledge her existence. It was the most professional environment she'd ever been in. It was coldly vibrant, full of people and motion and yet somehow sterile at the same time.

"Anna?" asked the receptionist.

"Yes ma'am, I'm here for Judge Emeritus?"

"We know. You're in the main conference room. Center of the floor, all hallways lead there so you can't miss it. Thank you for being on time, I believe they're about to begin."

They?

Anna just walked forward and sure enough, all paths eventually led to the center room of the building. She wondered if it was intentionally designed to be intimidating. The sign outside simply read "Meeting in Progress, Do Not Disturb." She opened the door and entered the judicial battleground.

Inside was a long table, the old judge sitting at the head. He had gray hair and chiseled features. His frame looked like he could have been a bodybuilder fifty years ago and while he was a bit older and slower these days, he carried himself like he was just waiting for some hoodlum to try him. He was reading a stack of documents with a look of crescendoing frustration on his face. Sitting silently to his right were Craig and Todd. Next to them was Frankie the lawyer. Opposite them sat Craig and Todd's wives. They were quietly whispering to one another. They were a couple years older than Anna but they looked lethally gorgeous. These were established women of the community, respected leaders of charities and social clubs, and their outfits easily cost more than Anna's car. Anna got the impression that they weren't thrilled with whatever was about to happen. They maintained a pleasantly neutral expression.

Anna sat down on Craig and Todd's side, albeit several seats down. Frankie resumed his normal lawyer persona.

"Hey Anna, great to see you." He offered a handshake that she accepted. "Don't worry about all this, it's not as scary as it seems. It'll be over in no time." She was beginning to learn that the bigger his smile, the more trouble she was actually in.

Judge Emeritus looked at the time on the clock and then at the empty chairs at the end of the table.

"I suppose we will begin with those of us who bothered to attend. I'm looking at some guardianship papers here and I don't believe I've ever seen anything like this before. And I don't think I like it."

"Your honor, we-" Frankie began but was cut off by the judge simply looking up from the papers and making eye contact with him. Frankie shut his mouth.

"Miss Anna, you consented to all of this?"

Her mouth was dry so she squeaked a little when she replied, but she pulled it together.

"Y-yes sir. Your honor."

He stared at her, analyzing her. She didn't know what to do, so she continued.