Hell's Angel: Devil's Backbone (BK 2)

A Day in Court

Alison's POV
(bellamysgirl)

This was utterly and completely, certifiably pathetic. I've stooped to a new low. I was sitting on a closed toilet lid in a stall of the women's bathroom at the courthouse, ear buds in and an iPad in my lap. Except I wasn't watching some new realty show just released on Netflix. I was watching the trial. How, you ask? Dani was wearing a special pair of glasses adorned with a hidden camera. Now I could see and hear what was going on.

Legally this shouldn't even be happening. We could get in serious trouble for this. But I was past the point of caring. I passed that milestone weeks ago. Colonel Shoonover had just been sworn in. He served with Frank in the Military. From what I understood, he was meant to be a character witness or something. Foggy stood up from the table and stepped toward the stand. "Colonel, how long have you known the defendant?" he asked.

"I'd say the better part of a decade," the Colonel answered. "Most of his career in the Marine Corps."

"So you're familiar with his service in the Middle East? Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran?"

The Colonel nodded. "Yes. Very familiar."

I exhaled and turned slightly on the toilet, leaning back to prop my crossed ankles on the small storage container mounted on the side of the stall. "I'm wondering if you could tell us how Lieutenant Frank Castle won the Navy Cross?" Foggy prompted.

"Due to the nature of that mission, you'll have to understand that precise circumstances are classified," the Colonel replied, calmly. Foggy paused and turned to look back at the table. Dani turned her head just enough for me to see Karen in the shot. Karen shrugged slightly and Foggy turned back to the Colonel. I heard Dani sigh. "How about the part that's not?" Foggy reasoned.

"Lieutenant Frank Castle was part of a small team that was conducting a small target reconnaissance in the vicinity of the Hindu-Kush. Mission became compromised, taking enemy contact on three sides. Lieutenant Castle wanted to abort, said the mission was a bust, pulling the plug would save lives. Officer in charge said no," Colonel Shoonover recounted.

"Why was that?" Foggy inquired.

The Colonel replied, "Maybe he wanted more medals on his chest—doesn't matter. Either way, Frank was right. They were cut off, boxed into a canyon."

"And what happened next?" Foggy prompted.

I was practically chewing a hole through my lower lip—again. This was ridiculous. I should be seeing this from the courtroom. But, no, I'm in a women's bathroom watching it from an iPad. Thanks to the DA, and maybe even my big mouth, this is as good as it gets. This better not go too much longer because my butt is starting to get sore from sitting on this stupid toilet.

Dani's POV
(Nightwing27th)

"In the first hour, the officer in charge of that mission got his arm blown off," the Colonel continued. I crossed my arms and leaned back, intently listening to the war story. Those types of things have always fascinated me, but at the moment, I was more interested in learning more about Frank. Was he always a 'punisher', of sorts?

"So Lieutenant Castle assumed command. His only goal was to get his men out alive. The enemy had set up an ambush at the only LZ that would accommodate one of our birds."

"Sorry, Colonel..." Foggy said, probing him to explain more.

"LZ is a landing zone that can accommodate a helicopter. So the enemy...they'd blocked this landing zone knowing it was the only way the team had to get out alive. All they had to do was wait. Knew that Frank's team would come to them."