Falling for Crime

Chapter 13

June 25, 2007

"Do you think officers use proactive to prevent breakouts?" A Polish accent echoed in the long hallway heading towards the jury room. A groan followed almost immediately after.

"Feliks, please, we're about to deal with a rather serious case." His Hungarian friend said softly. The long-haired brunette adjusted her dress as she walked alongside her blonde-haired friend, heels clapping against the tile. "Besides, I do not believe that's the attitude you should have, considering the criminal and witnesses in question are from U.N. prison."

Feliks smile almost immediately fell, his relaxed stance uncomfortably shifting to one of tension. He had slowed his walk to a stop, blonde, silky bob halting as well. Liet.....

"Right. The same prison as Ivan." He growled slightly, "I'm certain that Russian dupek was the one who murdered my best friend. I hope he's rotting in his cell."

The Hungarian gulped slightly, "Right, right, anyhow," She continued, looking back at the Polish one. "Let's not let that plague our minds, yes? The doors just down this hall to the left. You remembered to look over the entire case, right?"

Feliks flipped through the papers in his hand, then looked back up at the other and nodded. "Yeah, Elizabeta, I did."

"Good, cause I am not guiding you through another trial as it's happening." She laughed slightly in an attempt to lighten Feliks' sudden downcast mood, and the Polish one felt a small smile tug at his lips as he followed her the rest of the way.

The door to the juror room was rather big, a set of two doors that swung open to the cleanest meeting room Feliks had ever seen. Even if this wasn't the first time he's been here, the cleanliness maintained throughout the courthouse was still impressive. He took no time in waiting, for once taking this case seriously. He let his papers flop onto the table and peered up to watch Elizabeta grab some more papers off of the printer on the far side of the room. Feliks looked around; nothing had seemed to change. There was still a giant pull-down screen off against the wall with a projector not too many feet in front of it, a printer a couple feet next to the screen, and the long, chair-surrounded oak table sleeked down with polish. Elizabeta scanned the papers and hummed slightly. "Yup, these are it," She hummed half to herself, half to Feliks. "The session starts in about thirty minutes. Are you ready? I know for you it's been about three months since you attended court as a juror."

Feliks looked towards his Hungarian friend with slight uncertainty in his eyes. She was right, it had been a while, and he had sworn he'd never attend court again. His last case had reminded him too much of Toris, the horror that his Lithuanian friend had to endure before dying. It reminded Feliks too much of the regret of not telling him sooner, not expressing to Tori just how much he loved him.

And with a small gulp, a plastered-on smile and mild uncertainty in his gut, Feliks fixed his bright yellow tie and nodded. "I'm ready, Liza."

Only ten minutes until court was in session. Arthur could almost hear his heart beating in his ears as he inspected the room. Currently he sat at one of the many double-desks that metaphorically guarded the audience seating. He trailed his eyes around and kept his gaze on the tall judge seat, and then glanced next to it, on the left being a reporters desk and on the right, a witness' desk.

Almost no one was in the room at the moment, save for a few officers he didn't know and the brunette judge sitting in his desk. He glanced further to the judges' left to see the jury seating, almost completely empty. The only two that sit was a long-haired brunette girl, and a blonde male.