Freedom

Another Investigation and Hearing

   Ian was nowhere to be found during the investigations. Everyone besides Mitch and Ian gathered at the scene. "Well, who's going to fess up? Who screwed up this time?" Cat demanded, having gotten over her grief rather quickly and had turned to anger for comfort.
   "Raven and Sub can clarify that we weren't at the scene when it happened," Sky said. Raven and Sub both nodded.
   "Ryan, Mitch, and I were looking through the potions to see if anything could get us out of here," Quentin added. Ryan nodded.
   "So that leaves one person," Fox said before Cat could.
   "Ian," Cat spat.
   "But why?" Raven asked.
   "Who knows! Who cares! He's a dead man once I get a hold of him!" Cat shouts. She began to rush off but Raven and Sky hold her back.
   "We need evidence!" Sky exclaims, straining against the force of both Cat and her exposed wings. Cat stops pushing when Fox grabs her wing and pulls her back.
   "Ow! Ow, Fox!" Cat yells.
   "Sky is right. We need evidence to convict Ian," Fox says calmly. Cat huffs.
   "Fine," she says as she hovers.
   "Fox, if you will frost the handle of the axe," Sky says, the environment calming down. Fox nods and gently frosts the hilt. Fingerprints appear on the hilt.
   "There! Now just get Ian's fingerprint and-"
   "Ding dong! The investigation is over. Please report to the elevator at the Main Hall. The Court Hearing will begin in ten minutes, so don't be late!"
   "Damn it!" Cat shouts. Fox takes her hand and leads a teary-eyed Cat away from Micheal.
   "Guess we better leave," Raven says. The others nod. In the elevator, Sub ties his blindfold which he used as a bandana now over Raven's eyes. Once the doors opened, he carefully led her to her spot.
   "So! Got any assumptions?" Mastermind asks once everyone is in their spot.
   "Ian did it!" Cat yells.
   "What...what?!" Ian exclaims nervously. His blue, derped eyes darted nervously under his shades.
   "We didn't have enough time to get proof, solid proof at least. However, by process of elimination it has to be Ian," Quentin says.
   "We were all with someone except for Ian. Plus, it's a little suspicious that he shows up and the next day Micheal is...is...well, you know," Mitch says weakly.
   "No hard proof, but the facts line up. Simple as that," Ryan says.
   "Very well. Is that your final answer?" Mastermind asks as though this is a game of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
   "Yes, that is our final answer," Fox assures him with a death glare.
   "Very well!" Mastermind flips the switch and down falls the box with faces. Faces flicker past until it finally lands on Ian's face. Fireworks explode. "You are correct!" Mastermind exclaims to no reaction. "Down we go!" He flips another switch and the platform lowers. Ian is forced into the arena. "Cat, you will be needed for this one," Mastermind says. Cat walks into the arena. She pulls out her daggers out of instinct.
   "Look...look, Cat, I know what I did and...and-" Ian begins.
   "Shut up!" Cat growls.
   "Okay," Ian squeaks.
   "So, Selena Cat Kyle, I hear your husband got murdered," Mastermind starts. Cat turns and glares at Mastermind. "I also hear you would like some revenge." Cat turns her attention to Ian, her glare hardening. "Well, he's right there. He is entirely defenseless. Slay him now, and the rest of you will go free." Cat stares at Ian for a moment, then her gaze softens.
   "No," she says simply.
   "What?!" Mastermind shouts, taken aback.
   "He's defenseless like you said. I don't fight unarmed brats," Cat says. She turns and walks back to the platform.
   A click sounds and a sword falls from the ceiling. Cat stops as she registers the sound. Ian catches the sword. Cat tightens her grip on her daggers. Ian goes to swing wildly at Cat. She spins around but an arrow is already protruding from Ian's right shoulder which he held the sword in. His arm drops as well as the sword in his hand. Ian grasps his arm desperately, terrified to pull out the arrow.
   "Is that poison?" Ian questions, turning to see Fox. Fox stands still in her stance, having just released the arrow.
   "Are you such a coward that you would swing on a turned back?" Fox inquires back.
   "Yes," Ian says weakly. His eyes flutter as he crumpled to the ground in death. Cat stands in shock, staring down at Ian's body.
   "Then there's your answer," Fox mutters solemnly.
   "Fox, I could have-" Cat starts. She's cut short, however, by an arrow finding its way into Fox's abdomen. "Fox!" Cat shouts. Fox's eyes are glazed, but she stares definitely at Mastermind.
   "Cat, I love you. I'll see you when we get home," she says. As she takes her last breath, she stares deadly at Mastermind. "You were never a father to me, Notch." With a death grip on her bow and quiver, Fox crumples to the ground.
   Cat's scream rang throughout the arena. A bloody murder scream, which one would suppose is appropriate. Cat charges Mastermind, unfolding her wings for speed.
   Raven takes off the blindfold in time to see this. In an instant, Raven is h between Mastermind and Cat.
   "Let me kill him!" Cat demands.
   "No," Raven states firmly. Cat's eyes fill with angry tears which slowly melts into pure depression.
   "Please, Rave, let me do this," Cat says. Raven places a hand on Cat's shoulder.
   "Let's work on getting out of here alive. Then you can kill him," Raven advises.
   "Fine...fine" she agrees. The two make their way back to the main platform. As the platform raises again, Cat flips off Mastermind. "Some father you are!" she shouts as the platform goes out of view.
That night at supper, no one said a word. Cat and Raven sat at the end with Sub and Sky. No one dared to speak of the Hearing.
   All Raven and Cat could think of were Fox's last words. "You were never a father to me, Notch."