Game of Royals

32 Law

 "Let's hustle buddy." Came man's voice. I stood up and followed him. We walked through a series of corridors, then stopped before a pair of wooden door. I was hustled forward into the courtroom. It was marvelous, I wish I could visit more, though not in this way. The jury sat in the jury box on the right hand side and the judge sat in the middle of the court room staring right through me. I scanned the audience, quite a few people had shown up. A couple hundred I thought. I turned to the prosecutor table, then the defendant table... and I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw him. It was Professor...one of the only people I truly respected in my life. If my intelligence is like a bucket, his would be like a deep well.

"Defendant come to the forward to this table and state your full name." The judge's voice boomed.

"Ling Qi."

"Now put your hand on the bible or your holy book and swear you will tell the whole truth, and complete truth."

I was an atheist but I knew the procedures from the mock trials so I put one hand upon the bible and swore my oath.

"Very well. You may proceed to the witness stand and give your testimony." The judge said. On my way to the stand a voice among the crowd yelled:

"Death will serve you will murderer!"

"He is the son of the devil!" I completely shrugged off all these kinds of comments.

"ORDER!" the Judge's voice boomed like lighting. He slammed his hammer several times to get the place adapted to silence. I was on the testimony stand there and there were no chairs so I know this is going to be a stand trial for me. When the place was at perfect silence, the judge spoke again:

"You are being charged w"

"Defense consul you may begin."

My attention was on the professor the whole time, I barely noticed Yumi standing beside him. Yumi sat down again after a look from the professor though from the look of her eyes, she seemed relentless even worried... Professor was fifty-three; he wore glasses, but he didn't really need them he just kept them as an accessory. Today he wore a black suit.

"Ling my boy, tell us the whole story of what happened that day," the professor said.

"That morning. We arrived in New York in his private jet. Then we separated at downtown Manhattan."

"Objection! The defendant needs to state the purpose of his travel clearly!" the prosecutor lawyer called. He looked like a scarecrow in a suit. He was so thin I was afraid he might get knocked down by the wind.

"Your honor?" Professor asked.

"Overruled. Processed."

I knew that was coming, Professor and I were preparing for this. It was a communication without words between us, just eye contact.

"The purpose? I didn't arrange a flight to New York. Louis did. And all of a sudden he told me to come."

"And you just went?" continued the prosecutor.

"He said it was emergency."

"And you believed him?"

"A friend is in need, why not?" I could do this all day, lies are essential right now and truth is crucial at this point.

"Lies! Lies!" The prosecutor said in rage.

"Careful with your words." Said the judge. "Though I do doubt your friendship."