Exciti

Chapter 23 (Adam)

If he weren't in so much trouble, Adam would have laughed at how Dawn opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He was clearly shocked to see Dr. Little's arrival, like he had actually made sure he wasn't going to show up.

A few seconds passed before Dawn seemed to find his composure. He looked at the ceiling with a sour look on his face and drawled, "I assume we can start now?"

A flicker of a smile passed over Gafol's expression, and Adam suddenly understood what he was trying to rely to him earlier. "Of course, the hearing may be commenced. IDs?"

"Dr. Daniel Little. Senior Tracker Antiquarian. Clearance level E," announced one Husher as he returned the chain to the doctor.

"Uzmanda Bane, Senior Keeper Antiquarian, Clearance level E," announced a second Husher. Uzmanda seemed somber and, Adam hoped, sober.

The woman next to Uzmanda handed her chain to the third Husher. She was a tall woman with willowy limbs and a short green hair that looked like coils of ivy sprouting right from the massive glasses covering most of her bronze face.

"Ion Shamon, Senior Sensorial Antiquarian, from the department of Specials, Naturals and Other Unusuals Training (SNOUT). Clearance level D."

Adam tramped down a rising bubble of untimely laughter. SNOUT?

Dawn waved his hand, losing much of his earlier enthusiasm, "Yeah, yeah. We know them all. Can we move to the charges at hand?"

Dr. Little raised his hand, "Those charges should be dismissed right away. These three are here on a legal basis." He kept on looking at the bench, not even sparing a glance at Lucy, who seemed positively green now.

Dawn stood up and leaned over the bench, "Your apprentice snuck them in, and you know it." Lucy's head whipped to face him with a scowl.

"She can't sneak them in if they were here legally," explained Dr. Little with a tolerant expression.

Dawn pointed his stubby finger at them again, and Lucy looked like she was about to bite it off any second. "They have no IDs. They are illegal."

Uzmanda nodded, "Yes, your honor. But Article J of clause seven thousand and fifteen of the entry code dictates a few exceptional conditions under which entering The Society is legal without IDs."

"A load of ..." Started Dawn.

Gafol interrupted, "Uzmanda, please explain to the bench the exceptional conditions that apply to those two young gentlemen?"

Uzmanda squared her shoulders, "One of the boys, Liam Lopez, is an unevaluated Natural with a reportedly advanced Visus. He is on the waitlist to be evaluated by a senior sensorial," she waved at Ion, "Which makes him eligible for entry."

Ion stepped ahead, placed a file on top of the bench, and then spoke in a thick Middle Eastern accent, "This is a copy of the evaluation request submitted last week by Dr. Little."

Liam looked appalled at the idea of being evaluated, but remained silent and kept his gaze fixed on his shoes as everyone stared at him.

Gafol glanced at the contents of the file, "The papers seem to be in order."

Dawn sat back, his face swelled like a crimson balloon with a goatee, "I assume you will tell me the second boy is a natural, too?" he spoke through gritted teeth.

At that, Uzmanda exchanged an uneasy look with Dr. Little. He nodded, and she looked up at the president, who had been silent all along. "President Liu, we invoke the right to approach you, alone."

A murmur exploded through the audience. Adam caught snippets of people trying to guess what was going on. Tony complained that the President was being hoodwinked and even the Hushers exchanged looks.

The President frowned, then nodded and gestured for the other judges to leave. Gafol and Dawn stood and moved back, and Dr. Little, along with Uzmanda and Ion, approached the bench. The President leaned forward, and Uzmanda whispered one sentence behind her hand.

Adam had no clue how one sentence could cause such a reaction. Especially one regarding him. President Liu went pale and looked at Ion, who nodded and handed her a thick file. Adam thought he could see some of the papers from the wolf attack poking through the pages.

All the noise died when the President stood up. She didn't open her mouth, but a clear, loud voice came out of the gramophone, "The defendants have shown enough evidence pertaining to their legal entry. This concludes the hearing. The charges are, hereby, dismissed."

Adam and Lucy exchanged astonished looks as the crowd exploded with loud chatter. Liam's face caught on to theirs when Lucy signed to him what the President had said.

Gafol bowed to President Liu, and Dawn managed an odd jerk before they both descended from the bench. Dawn then stomped away, only stopping to grab the whining twins and drag them out. Adam smirked and wiggled his fingers goodbye when the pair threw dark looks at them over their shoulders.

The President seemed to ignore all of that. She descended from the bench then pointed at Dr. Little, "You better bring those young people and follow me."

Adam winced. They weren't out of the woods yet.