Fatal Attractions

XLIX

"Today's the day, Mike, I can feel it."

"It won't be today, Jack, they've barely gotten anywhere. My cousin is on the jury and he says that he has no idea who to believe. It's insane."

"If you ask me, I think the bitch should go to jail."

I don't think the guards realized that I was sitting in the back seat of the transport bus and could hear everything they said.

"Naw, I think she's innocent."

"From what the inmates have been saying, her attorney is her ex. He was head over heels for her, of course he is going to make up some big story so everyone believes it. For the record, I'm don't."

I leaned up to the bars separating me from the driver's seat. "From what I've heard," I started. "She castrated two guards last night, and is out for more blood."

They both glanced back at me nervously, then turned back towards the road.

I couldn't help but smile as I leaned back in my seat, looking out the window for the rest of the silent drive.

Another day in court, probably my last if I decided to go through with Blake's threat. I didn't know yet, I hadn't decided. How could I decide? It was literally a life or death decision. Let me rephrase that, it was a death decision.

No matter what I did, there would still be unnecessary death, whether it happened while I was in jail or out of it.

Today, Jason had informed me, was going to be a lot about reputation and witnesses coming up to give their opinions of me. The evidence had been presented, now it was time to actually see if I was the type of person who would be a vigilante.

They finally pulled up to the courthouse where less reporters stood waiting for me, not shouting my name as loud anymore, just clicking their cameras and continuing to ask questions about the case.

I made it into the courtroom without being mauled by protesters who had arrived a few days earlier.

Not surprisingly, the Birds of Society.

What was odd was that Gigi wasn't with them, but I didn't take much of it. For all I cared she could be talking some council member's ear off to get them to take some action for her dumb cause.

They led me into the courtroom and we had done this so many times before, heads stopped turning.

All except one.

Every single time Jason laid eyes on me it was like he said a silent prayer to God. I hated the effect I had on him, because it was making him weak, and he was one of the strongest people I knew. The last thing I wanted to do was strip him of his dignity.

I sat down next to him, taking a deep breath. "Another day."

"Today is going to be good, I can feel it." He smiled at me weakly, looking worse than he had since we started the trial.

The bags under his eyes got more purple every day, his lips drier, hands shakier. I didn't usually go to his trials, but he never looked this awful, even on his worst days. Then again, it could've been the whole heart thing catching up to him, but I had a strong feeling it wasn't because of that.

The bailiff announced for everyone to take their seats and everyone quickly quieted, both Jason and the prosecution taking out their paperwork.

I noticed Jason pulling the picture out of his briefcase, as he had done the last six days, and started to put it into his jacket when I stopped him.

His face flushed and he swallowed hard, looking down at my hand on top of his. "I've never lost a case."

"You don't need it." I said quietly, taking it from his hand and shoving it in my pocket. "You don't need me."