Eawan.
Federal Court House.
"This is what we get for taking pity on those Border-born bastards! A dog that bites the hands that fed it! After dealing with this dog, I suggest we vote to have the Legislation that states we have to bring the Border-borns into the cities withdrawn." A thick mustache shook due to the quivering lips underneath, only to continue;
"The rest of the Border-borns should also be deported back to where they came from!" The speaker was a short, chubby man. He was well-aged as he seemed to have grey hairs lining his mustache. And just like most of the people in this courtroom, he was dressed in a white decorated military uniform.
"I understand your anger, Sir Besimount, however, claiming that the entire basket of eggs is bad just because one of them is, is ridiculous."
"Don't try to put your mouth in this matter, Christine! You of all people would be biased towards them since they're the only type you seem to manage to get to bed you!" With an accusing finger, Besimount retorted.
"You speak as though you are any different. You-"
"Silence!
"High-ranking officers such as yourselves should try to maintain some level of decorum… or at least, you should maintain your face in front of a criminal." A voice came from the center of the room.
There was a palanquin set in the middle of the room, surrounded by curtains that veiled whoever was within from the eyes of those outside.
Flaring his nostrils with trembling hands, Sir Besimount sat down and turned his gaze away from the center of the room.
The room fell into silence.
Next to the palanquin, on his knees, was a young man in cuffs and chains.
He had been looking up, at the Officers that were supposed to decide his fate, but his attention was nowhere near this room, no. From time to time, he glanced from one face to another, while his fingers absently tugged at the sleeves of his orange overalls.
The young man hadn't even paid attention to a single word that Sir Besimount uttered.
"Where did everything go wrong? I handled the security details properly, moreover, there was no news from recon about armed individuals in the perimeters." He muttered to himself.
"Let the trial begin. All will be accessed fairly." The voice from the palanquin fell upon their ears once again. "Prosecutor D.A. Layla Miren, take charge."
A prosecutor in blue, looking like she was in her mid-thirties stepped forward and began;
"Let the record reflect that the defendant, Marcus Black, was acting in his capacity as an officer on a special contract issued by the family of the victim, The Bales, to guard the victim, Ms. Susan Aussy Bale, on the night of July 18th. Officer Marcus—correction, Mr. Marcus—when you were carrying out your duties that night, were you at a point alone with Ms. Susan?"
The person in question was still lost in his thoughts. Oblivious to the fact that his court trial had begun.
"Mr. Marcus Black!" DA Miren called out, snapping him out of his thoughts. Turning his head to face the person who called out to him.
His eyes seemed to remain calm and collected as he stared at her.
"Answer the question, Mr. Marcus."
"Sorry, can you repeat the question?"
His response immediately garnered disgust and sneers from some of the Officers in the court. Nonetheless, DA Miren repeated her question; "Were you assigned to Protective Detail Bravo on July 18th, tasked with safeguarding Susan Aussy Bale?"
"Yes, I was," Marcus answered softly after delaying for a few seconds.
He could somewhat understand why he was being suspected and prosecuted, but he couldn't understand where things had gone wrong with this mission.
If all the evidence is taken into consideration, then there should be enough questionable factors that should absolve me from being incarcerated. He thought, but his guts churned in contrast.
"At a point, during the mission, were you alone with Ms. Susan, Mr. Marcus?"
"Yes…" said with a measured tone, his eyes darting towards the palanquin for the first time since his arrival here.
With a nod, DA Miren continued.
"And did you, at that point during that assignment, file a risk notice or threat alert?
"No. There was no activity that warranted one at that moment. However, I tried-"
DA Miren immediately closed the distance between the two of them, only stopping when she was an arm's reach away from him. She stared down at him, as though trying to see through his expression and calm countenance.
"And yet Ms. Bale was found dead in the safe house. Shot twice in the abdomen and twice in the back. Shot with a service-issued firearm. Your firearm, to be exact."
With Narrow eyes and a slight frown, Marcus stared right into his Prosecutor's eyes. Suspicious rather than intimidated by her tactics.
"Objection. The Prosecution is testifying." Marcus's Defense Attorney, Isaac Trent, spoke out immediately.
"Sustained. Prosecutor Miren, question the defendant. Don't narrate." From the palanquin came a response.
With a nod, DA Miren acknowledged her wrong before continuing;
"Mr. Marcus, did you discharge your weapon on the night of July 18th?
"Yes, I did."
"At whom?"
"At an intrud…" Marcus paused, not because he didn't have an answer, but because he knew that his answer was incriminating. He had seen something crazy that night, and trying to explain what had happened in the court now would make it seem as though he was trying to claim mental instability. And that still wouldn't paint a good picture for him or his case.
There was a lot at play here.
On the night that all of this happened, he was arrested immediately and thrown into a cell, with almost no outside contact for 4 days. No one had come to take his statement, nor had he been interrogated, and yet, here he was, in court.
Protocols weren't followed as they were meant to be.
Marcus had only had an hour to converse with his Defense Attorney before he was brought in.
Not that he had any faith in the man either way.
"At Susan Bale." He finished.
A few gasps rippled through the gallery from the officers around.