Runner {Muke}

14 - Fixing The Truth

The treason of which I stand convicted loses all its guilt, has been sanctified as a duty, and will be ennobled as a sacrifice. ~Thomas Francis Meagher

Michael's POV

I ran, and I ran to the court room, the next day. I was sure Luke was going to be okay. Ashton had never found the bits, but it was safe to say they disintegrated. Whatever happened was just a set up, a set up for Luke and Calum to take the blame for.

I got there early, saying that I was a detective to make my way through the crowd and eventually I saw Luke standing with Calum and their lawyer, no one saw me but I could see them.

"Boys I am going to be honest," Their lawyer said. "It might be easier to just plead guilty on manslaughter, that way it can help you slightly. You'll spend your life in jail but you won't have to get the electric chair." (A/N: I don't know if it was obvious by now but I am doing death sentence in this book.)

"No it won't be easier!" I yelled and Luke turned to me with hopeful looking eyes as I held up a vanilla folder. "Luke and Calum didn't do it."

"We didn't!?" Calum gaped.

"You, my friend, was simply set up and I can explain everything." I smiled and led the three to a room where we sat down and I opened the folder.

"Okay, if you see here, on this photo is shows a scorch mark. And on the floor right there, is Luke and Calum's stink bomb. Do you know what that means?" I asked and they shook their heads. "It means that whatever blew all this up was right here. If your bomb blew it up then the scorch mark would be under your bomb. But instead your bomb melted. You didn't do anything."

"We didn't do it." Calum smiled wide. "We win!"

"Not exactly Calum.." Their lawyer said.

"W-What do you mean..?" Luke mumbled, his eyes instantly fogging.

"Well.. You're in court now. You can't just pull out of it because there is evidence that shows you didn't do it." She sighed. "We still have to prove your case first."

"He's right, Luke." I said and bit down on my lip as his eyes pooled with tears. "But! But listen, you didn't do it. And we can prove it. There is evidence to support your case."

"He's right, you have a pretty good chance at this." The lawyer said. Luke and Calum nodded.

"Now Michael," The woman spoke. "I am going to call you up."

"Okay." I said.

Before I left I grabbed Luke's wrist and pulled him towards me.

"I need to say something." I said quietly. Luke nodded. "I am so sorry for what happened, I should've just told you. I know that. But I swear you will get out of this, no matter what. Ashton and I will be inside."

"Okay." Luke nodded timidly. I leaned forward and kissed him hard before running out of the hallway. I walked into the court room and sat down on the opposite side of Luke's table. Bouncing my leg with nerves.

And I sat in silence, not moving a muscle. Not really listening to the case of the other lawyer. I waited for my name to be called and that was it.

"I would like to call to the stand Detective Michael Clifford." Their lawyer said, she had just finished talking to the judge, I guess I was what was referred to as a "surprise" witness, but once he heard my name he probably approved it.

"You do understand you are under oath Detective?" The judge asked.

"Yes, your honor." I nodded and took my seat.