BOOK 3 of the ORPHIC Series
CHURLISH
/ˈCHərliSH/
marked by a lack of civility.
~~~~~
Lucille 'Lucy' Opal Baker finds herself in the 21 century sporting the title of Aunt while lugging along h...
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"You have today. For as long as you hold on. You'll have today."
Washington D.C, America November, 2016
THE COURTROOM WAS QUIET as Lucy found interest in her rubik's cube. She didn't spare James a glance as he grasped his own, carefully twisting and turning the puzzle. Lucy could feel Matt glancing back at the pair with curiosity, while Foggy looked a little uncertain about the entire thing. Well, Lucy was too, especially since Henry was sitting in the witness box. She paused for a moment, lifting her eyes to look at him. His eyes flicked away quickly, fingers digging into the desk.
"Mr. Murdock?" One of the judges called, impatient.
Matt turned to face the judge, giving her an apologetic look. He looked down at Henry, clutching the cane in between his hands. His grip tightened, before loosening—an almost therapeutic gesture.
"Mr. Schaffer—" he started.
"Doctor." Henry interrupted, tilting his head.
Lucy watched as Matt's hands clenched the cane again, tightening so hard his knuckles turned white. It was like he took offense to any word he spoke, and Lucy wondered if he really cared—cared enough to despise Henry.
Or maybe he just didn't like abusive assholes.
"Dr. Schaffer," he started slowly, "what is your relationship with Mr. James Barnes and Ms. Lucille Baker?"
Henry blinked.
He clasped his hands together, leaning them against the desk. He slowly brought his lips to the microphone, clearing his throat.
Lucy couldn't read him. Not that she could ever read him well, but, she usually could sense when she was upset with either himself or someone else. But he'd been quiet all morning—hadn't said a single word to her. Klause had sat beside him, trying his best to make him eat the breakfast the hotel offered. But Henry had stared at him with a sharp look that made him pull his plate away.
Lucy usually could find something in his expression—there was nothing discernible here:
"I met Ms. Baker when I was a HYDRA scientist in 1939." He started smoothly. "I chose her to become a subject, and was given permission from our project leader, Johann Schmidt, to take her. I became her first primary handler."
The murmurs that erupted from the crowd had been expected, not that it made it any less dramatic.
"As for Mr. Barnes," Henry turned his head, "I met him in 1943, at a prison camp, and then again, in 1945, where I aided in his programming. I'm not a registered handler, but the Soldier seems to think so."
