8"I'm glad to see that you decided to speak with me... I wasn't sure if you would choose to come and visit me, but I'm happy that you made this choice."
"Listen, we both have our reasons for being here. This is a mutually beneficial conversation, so it isn't all about what you want to find out."
"I suppose you do have a point there... What is it you wished to ask me about?"
"I want to know more about the previous head of Interpol... Cade Green, I believe his name was. He was the leader of the group roughly fifteen years ago, but he went missing."
"What makes you so sure that I know anything about him? Perhaps you're jumping to conclusions a bit too quickly without thinking of the consequences."
"Don't treat me like a child. I know a lot more than you realize, and I will get the answers I seek. It's just a matter of time."
"If you truly know more than I expect, then I must ask... How much do you know about the Oracle of the Law?"
"Don't change the subject! I asked my question first, and I expect an answer to it before we move on to your topic!"
"I will do no such thing until you tell me the truth behind-"
"That's not how this is going to work. I'm not going to let you push me around like this. Answer the damn question already."
"I refuse."
"Then-"
"...I must thank you for subduing her, but I must ask one thing... What have you done...?!"
March 12
Defendant Lobby No. 1
9:35 AM
Chrysalis Starr
I followed my brother into the defendant lobby while rubbing at my head gently. I already had a sneaking suspicion that today's trial was going to be a chore and a half to deal with. I wasn't looking forward to it in the slightest.
Cotoli sat down next to me on the couch, letting out a small sigh. "I know that this is a lot to deal with out of the blue, but... We can handle this. I know that we're capable of handling this," he told me, though I got the sneaking suspicion that he was saying it more to reassure himself than me.
"I know," I murmured with a shake of my head. "You're right. You're definitely right." I also knew that he definitely wasn't buying my words, though to be fair, I was lying through my teeth, so perhaps he was right to have a bit of doubt.
Quite some time had passed since the case where we learned the truth about Cormous Arme. In fact, it had been nearly a year since then. Our agency seemed to hold its breath each time a case came in, but nothing ever seemed to happen. We were waiting for an inevitable explosion that never came even months after everything seemed to be nice and sorted, leaving us in a state of only half acceptance when it came to the peace that had fallen upon the city.
It had only been recently that we were able to come to terms with the fact that everything was fine. There was nothing for us to worry about, and we had been panicking as a result of what had happened previously. Life was settling back into a routine, and there weren't any groundbreaking cases taking place. The Oracle project was even in a place of security, something unexpected for us all. I hadn't been able to truly step back and relax while at work in ages, but with the lack of pressure on the legal system, I could finally enjoy myself fully, though the constant worry of a sudden fracture in the rest of the legal world seemed to always hold me back.
Of course, everything that we had been enjoying regarding peace fell apart the morning before. Cotoli and I had been enjoying ourselves when we received a phone call from the hospital saying that somebody had gotten hurt. We rushed over there to find out that Polly had been attacked while at someone else's house. She had gotten a concussion thanks to a blow to the back of her head. The culprit was unknown unfortunately.
That was when the media got a hold of it. A suspect was arrested, and he was brought down to the detention center. Cotoli and I, needing to know the truth as soon as possible, volunteered to take on the case. It would be a heavy emotional burden to bear, yes, but we wanted to know what had happened, and being the primary investigators would be the best way for us to learn everything we could possibly have been curious about.
We had volunteered to defend the suspect, one Collack Strann. Mr. Strann had invited Polly over to his home the day before to speak with her. They seemed to be able to talk to each other about matters of importance, though I didn't know the exact details. Polly was still recovering, and we hadn't been able to speak with her since the attack. She was meant to be testifying, though I wasn't entirely sure as to if that would be a good idea.
As for Mr. Strann, we hadn't been able to hear from him much either. Since we took on his defense so late into the day, we didn't get to speak with him before the detention center closed. We were going into this trial completely clueless, and I was not at all happy about it. Cotoli didn't seem too pleased with the idea either, but he was hiding it much better. While I was tense and couldn't stop frowning, he had a neutral expression on his face as he stared at the floor in consideration of what we were going to have to do.
If all went according to plan, we would be able to speak to both Polly and Mr. Strann during the trial. Chances were that they would be testifying at some point or another. If there was another witness, I hadn't heard about them, and neither had Cotoli. He surely would have mentioned it if there was someone else we would need to speak with during the trial.
Luckily for us, we were going to be able to cooperate with the prosecution. Since Polly was occupied in the hospital due to her attack, Anton had stayed at the Prosecutor's Office for most of the day yesterday. It felt like it had been a thousand years since I had seen him though it had just been a few hours.
Lily's older brother, Prosecutor Roberto Shield, volunteered to take on the case to find the case. Anton was practically glued to his side afterwards, not wanting to be left alone when he was the one who could lead him to the truth. Prosecutor Shield seemed to have a soft spot for the boy and was happy to watch over him. They likely weren't able to get in much investigating either, but they still probably prepared as much as they could.
Cotoli nudged me gently, snapping me out of my daze. I felt like I was going to jump six feet in the air from surprise. I was more spaced out than I initially thought, it seemed.
"What is it?" I asked once I had somehow regained my composure.
"I think that our client has arrived," Cotoli replied, taking my hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze to calm me down after my brief moment of panic. I relished in the action, glad to have him there to reassure me when I got jittery and nervous.
I looked up to see a man had entered the defendant lobby. I didn't recognize him, so I figured that he was the client Cotoli had mentioned. He had white hair and skin so pale that it seemed to combine with his hair in some places. There were a few streaks of black here and there, though they were somewhat difficult to see due to how small and few they were. He had deep blue eyes so dark that the ocean would not survive being swallowed by them. He wore dark clothing as well, though I didn't observe it in further detail.
Cotoli got to his feet, and I followed his example. I didn't exactly want to get up, still overwhelmed by the action-packed events of the day before, but I knew that I didn't have any other options if we wanted to find the truth behind the attack. I trailed after Cotoli as we approached the newcomer, and I clasped my hands together tightly in front of my chest, messing with the black fingerless gloves I always wore. It was a nervous habit for me, and not a good one, but I knew well I wasn't going to be able to break it while we were standing around the defendant lobby. I was too stressed to bother thinking about it with the trial about to start.
"You must be Collack Strann," Cotoli said, reaching out one hand with a small smile. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Cotoli Morix, and this is my younger sister, Chrysalis Starr. We'll be defending you in court today."
The man, Mr. Strann, it seemed, reached out one hand to return the handshake. "I am Collack Strann," he said simply. He examined Cotoli before turning his attention to me, looking over us carefully. I kept my gaze as neutral as possible, hiding my nerves to ensure he didn't rattle me. One thing I had learned as the leader of the Oracle project was that I couldn't let anyone get to me. I had to keep up a mask as often as I could to make sure nobody caught onto me.
"Is there something wrong?" I asked, keeping my voice deadpan as I stared up at him. There was something akin to a glare in my eyes, but I didn't really care if I was making a poor first impression. I didn't need to be friends with him. I was trying to figure out the truth behind the case that had hurt Polly, not get along with our client. He gave me a bad feeling, if I was being perfectly honest.
"Nothing," Mr. Strann said after a brief pause that felt like it stretched on for a thousand years. He shook his head before looking to us once again, his eyes locking with Cotoli's when he spoke next. "I have to ask... You said your surname was Morix, yes? Do you happen to work at Morix Law Offices?"
"I do, as a matter of fact," Cotoli replied. "What about it?"
"I have always been curious about your agency," Mr. Strann answered. "You were involved with the Interpol kidnapping case that nearly exposed the truth behind the Oracle of the Law, bringing Occisor to light in the process. You revealed a lost agent of the Emsthorpe crime ring, a feat that has not been pulled off in quite a long time. I must say that I'm rather impressed with you and your agency. I've been observing your group for quite some time, and I didn't expect to meet with you when you were defending me from assault charges of all things."
"I'm honored to hear that we have gained such a reputation," Cotoli said with a small smile and a light chuckle. "I didn't realize that we had such a large impact on the rest of the city. I suppose we have been lucky, or perhaps unlucky, enough to be involved with most of the significant cases as of late... That would earn us quite a bit of renown, for better or for worse."
I looked up at him with a small frown, not understanding how he was willing to be so forthcoming with information. I suppose that he was better at hiding his distaste for humanity than I was. He could maintain a casual conversation with someone he didn't know well, but I wound up just avoiding anybody who asked me about things outside my comfort zone.
"I would love to learn more about what cases your agency has been involved with where Oracle is concerned. I understand that most of that information has gone public due to the general fascination with the spy, but I want to look into it myself," Mr. Strann remarked.
I frowned heavily, unable to keep myself from glaring at him. He was being far too friendly and open on the matter. I looked up to Cotoli, hoping that he would cast me a brief glance to see that I was so uncertain.
"Perhaps we can save that conversation for after the trial," Cotoli suggested, looking over to the doors to the courtroom. "We have to ensure that you are cleared of these false charges before starting up any other chats. Speaking of, perhaps we should enter the courtroom sooner rather than later. We have a lot of preparing to do before everything gets started, after all."
Mr. Strann hesitated before nodding and walking to the courtroom. He didn't seem to like that Cotoli had cut the conversation short so suddenly, but he didn't say anything about it, instead leaving me to stand alone with my brother.
"I have a bad feeling about this guy," I murmured. "Maybe it's because I'm feeling like garbage because of everything that happened yesterday, but... I don't know. I just don't think I want to talk to him much after this trial ends."
"You aren't the only one who feels that way," Cotoli agreed. "I think that there's something strange about him as well, but I don't know how to describe it. Maybe it was because he was so open about discussing the Oracle of the Law. I know that's what our agency has gained a reputation for, but... I don't know many people who are that forthcoming with their questions."
"We'll have to figure it out later on," I sighed, shaking my head. "Let's leave it there for now and head into the courtroom. I want to find the truth behind the person who attacked Polly, and we can't exactly do that while we're standing out here."
Cotoli nodded and took my hand in his once again. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "We're going to find the truth behind this case," he assured me. "I promise. I know that it's looking rough right now, but we've found our way out of dark situations before, and I know this will be the same."
I nodded silently, not bothering to say anything that would go against that. I was too tired to argue with him or think about the worst case scenario. I just wanted to get this over with so that I could go back home and rest. This was the first significant case in ages, and I had gotten used to the unsteady peace without even realizing it. It was shattered before I could truly enjoy it, and I hated that this was the case.
March 12
Courtroom No. 1
10:00 AM
Chrysalis Starr
When I walked into the courtroom, I felt as if my body was being weighed down by lead. Everything was hurting deep down, and I wanted to be anywhere but there. The emotional stress of my unexpected peace suddenly being destroyed was a lot greater than I could have expected, and Polly getting attacked only made it worse. Plus, there was the fact that our client appeared to be something of an asshole. For the most part, I did what I could to avoid vulgar accusations like that, but given that I was already in a bad mood, I couldn't help the thought that echoed in my head over and over.
I could tell that Cotoli was just as stressed as I was, but he was much better at hiding it than I ever could have been. We were both good at acting, just in different ways. He had a loose smile on his face to hide how much he was screaming on the inside, but I chose to glare at everyone who looked at me wrong. This trial was already aggravating me, and it hadn't even started yet.
"We're going to figure this out," Cotoli assured me, able to tell without even hearing me speak that I was still not feeling great. He smiled gently to me as he shifted around with the papers he had his limited information about the trial written on.
I nodded silently, unsure of what to say. I didn't trust myself to be able to speak without my voice failing me somehow. I didn't want to show any weakness so long as Mr. Strann was around. Something about him still bothered me, and I couldn't have him seeing through the mask. For the sake of my identity and job as Oracle, I had to keep him away. Unlike Neptune, he didn't seem like he would turn around later on. I had been unsure of her at first, but she gave off different vibes than him. Mr. Strann just bothered me whenever he looked in my direction, and it made me feel queasy just to think about.
The gavel slammed down against the podium, and I jumped slightly, frowning bitterly at the weakness I had been forced to show for that brief moment. I didn't look over to Mr. Strann to see if he had noticed, not in the mood to give him the time of day as I stared up at the judge.
Judge Ervan Frost was the one presiding over this case, and he held his gavel in one hand. He passed it back and forth between his fingers before setting it down no long afterwards when he realized he had the attention of everyone in the courtroom. "Court is now in session for the trial of Collack Strann," he declared, glancing around at the people sitting in the gallery before setting his attention on me and Cotoli. "Are the defense and prosecution ready?"
Cotoli nodded firmly. He didn't look my direction, likely knowing that I was just as prepared as he was without needing confirmation. "The defense is ready," he declared, his hand resting on the bench before him. He seemed oddly calm, though I knew there was more rage and hate than he could ever hope to describe bubbling beneath the surface. He wanted to find the truth behind who had attacked Polly more than anything, and this trial was only means to reach that end to him. It was hard to be overly passionate given how emotionally burned out he was, and I couldn't blame him for being upset about all that had taken place.
I looked over to the other end of the courtroom soon after, seeing Prosecutor Shield standing next to Anton just as I had suspected. Anton seemed oddly calm next to him, something that I never would have anticipated given how terrifying Prosecutor Shield is at a first glance. I've heard from Lily that he's really a softie deep down, and I guess that Anton has picked up on that as well. He's more perceptive than you would expect at first.
"The prosecution is also ready," Prosecutor Shield replied. There was a fire in his eyes that I had seen before, and I could tell that he was just as eager to find the truth behind the attack on Polly as the rest of us were. He often wore a mask that made it seem like he didn't care about most things, but he was much kinder than he let on. He cared about Polly as well, it seemed, and he was going to do what he could to make sure that everything was revealed about what happened to her.
"Prosecutor Shield, please give your opening statement to the court," Judge Frost said, looking to Prosecutor Shield with an expectant gaze.
I clenched my fingers into a tight fist, ready to hear whatever it was that was coming next. We still didn't know that much about this case, so this opening statement was going to wind up being one of the most important parts about the trial for us. I don't think I could ever begin to say how much I hated the legal system for giving us so little time that we weren't able to investigate.
"The crime took place at the Strann residence," Prosecutor Shield began. "The defendant, Collack Strann, invited the victim over to his house to share a conversation with her about some unknown topic. They spoke for quite some time, but their conversation didn't end well. The victim, Polly Burke, was hit on the back of the head. She was concussed by the blow and fell unconscious. The police were called by the defendant, and when they investigated the scene, they found that Collack Strann himself was the most suspicious person there. He was pinned as a suspect for the case and arrested soon after."
"I wonder what they were talking about," I murmured, placing one hand on my chin as I thought. I wasn't sure if we were going to get the answer until Polly got the chance to testify for herself, but I could wonder until then. It wouldn't hurt, right?
"I can't imagine that they're going to hold out on us entirely, so she'll probably testify a bit later in the trial about what happened... If there aren't any witnesses, perhaps Mr. Strann himself will take to the stand as well," Cotoli whispered to me.
"I wish that he hadn't asked us about the Oracle project while we were out in the lobby. It would have been much better if we could have heard details about the case rather than just him blabbing on about how curious he is about that damn spy," I grumbled with a roll of my eyes. I was used to seeming like I hated the Oracle of the Law to throw people off my trail, and I shot Mr. Strann a glare out of the corner of my eye. He hadn't heard us talking, but I still wanted him to know that something about him bothered me.
Cotoli didn't give me a response, instead focusing his attention back on the case at hand, but I knew that he was thinking it just as much as I was. Why the hell had Mr. Strann insisted on asking us about Oracle rather than telling us about his alibi? What a frustrating man.
"The defense would like to know what it was that the victim and defendant were discussing the day of the crime," Cotoli declared, frowning slightly as he looked to Prosecutor Shield. "I'm afraid that we didn't hear much on the subject of this case since we were put on it at the last minute."
"I was thinking that perhaps we could do something better," Prosecutor Shield said. "After the detective investigating the case testifies, we could have her come to the stand and explain what happened the day of the crime. She's the only one who can tell us about what happened at the time aside from our other witness, though she would naturally know more on the matter."
"Other witness?" I echoed, realizing belatedly that I was loud enough for the prosecution and judge to hear me. I didn't really care though, too shocked by the idea that there was another witness in the first place. I sure as hell didn't see that one coming.
"Yes. There was one other witness who was present at the time of the crime, but we won't be hearing from him for quite a while since we need to hear the details behind the case first," Prosecutor Shield replied. "For the time being, I suggest that we call the lead detective to the stand to ask her about the details of the case. She can perhaps fill in a few gaps in what we know about the case."
"Of course," Cotoli nodded. "I think that hearing from her would greatly benefit us. We didn't even have time to speak with the defendant due to how long it took us to take on this case, so that would help us out more than we could possibly tell you."
"The prosecution wishes to call Vera Wattson to the witness stand!" Prosecutor Shield declared, pointing to the stand.
A few seconds later, Detective Wattson appeared and walked up to the stand, taking her place. She had a small smile on her face, and I must admit that it was calming to see her looking so relaxed and calm. It helped me a little bit to calm the screaming of the storm raging in my head, and I took a deep breath, trying to focus on her and relax.
"Please state your name and occupation for the court," Judge Frost instructed gently.
"My name is Vera Wattson. I'm a homicide detective working at the local precinct," Detective Wattson replied with a small nod. "I'm also the lead detective on this trial, in case you haven't already noticed."
"Would you please give the court a few details about this case? We would like to hear a breakdown of the events that took place the day of the crime in order that they occurred," Judge Frost told her.
"Of course," Detective Wattson nodded. "I'll start from the beginning. If you have any questions, feel free to ask for more detail. I get the feeling you'll need it."
~ Witness Testimony ~
~ The Events of the Assault ~
-"The victim went to visit the defendant at his house yesterday when the crime took place."
-"I'm afraid we aren't aware as to what they were discussing, but the victim herself can explain that in more detail later on."
-"The conversation escalated into an argument, and the two began to yell at each other in anger."
-"The victim was hit on the back of the head by a vase, knocking her unconscious immediately."
-"The vase somehow remained intact, and while there was blood found on it surface belonging to the victim, no fingerprints were lifted."
-"The defendant called the police soon after the crime took place, and when they arrived, he was arrested as the primary suspect for the crime."
"I suppose that helps us out a little bit..." I murmured. I already knew exactly what Cotoli was going to aim for when it came to finding a weakness in that testimony. It was a rather glaring contradiction when looked at from a logical standpoint, and he had never been the type to let things like that pass him by.
"I think that this is going to be rather easy," Cotoli said, nudging me gently with his elbow. "See? I told you that we would have everything under control, Chrysalis."
"I just have to wonder where this is going to lead us afterwards... Perhaps she'll get off the stand after this initial testimony and let Polly tell us about what happened," I said with a small shrug. "Only time will tell."
"Please begin your cross-examination now," Judge Frost instructed.
"We'll get right to it," Cotoli nodded.
~ Cross-Examination ~
~ The Events of the Assault ~
-"The victim went to visit the defendant at his house yesterday when the crime took place."
-"I'm afraid we aren't aware as to what they were discussing, but the victim herself can explain that in more detail later on."
-"The conversation escalated into an argument, and the two began to yell at each other in anger."
-"The victim was hit on the back of the head by a vase, knocking her unconscious immediately."
-"The vase somehow remained intact, and while there was blood found on it surface belonging to the victim, no fingerprints were lifted."
-"The defendant called the police soon after the crime took place, and when they arrived, he was arrested as the primary suspect for the crime."
"Objection!"
Cotoli placed one hand on his chin as he thought aloud. "I have to ask you... Why would the defendant call the police if he was the one who committed the crime? That would draw attention to him, wouldn't it?" he asked. "Perhaps it would make more sense if someone else committed the crime and then called the police. After all, why would the culprit be the one who call for help?"
"I must admit that it doesn't make much sense," Detective Wattson murmured. "I wasn't involved with making the arrest. I was placed on this case belatedly as well, and all that I heard came from the officer who was looking over the incident initially."
"Perhaps he called the police to draw attention away from himself. After all, if he called the police, then people wouldn't think that he committed the crime," Prosecutor Shield suggested.
"I think that it's time for us to hear from the victim of the crime herself. Perhaps she'll be able to shed a bit more light on what happened when the crime took place," I said. "I believe that she will be able to fill in the missing gaps of information that we aren't aware of at the moment."
"I agree," Judge Frost agreed with a nod. "Witness, you may step down from the stand at this time."
Detective Wattson and stepped away from the podium. "If you need anything else from me, feel free to ask later on," she said. She walked back to her place soon after, leaving the witness stand vacant once again.
"Alright, prosecution," Judge Frost said once the stand was open. "You may call your next witness at this time. I assume the defense does not object to this."
"No, the defense doesn't have any objections," Cotoli confirmed. I could tell that he was proud that we were able to get through the first testimony without any major hiccups. Maybe this wouldn't go as horrible as I thought.
"The prosecution calls Polly Burke to the witness stand!" Prosecutor Shield declared.
New book ayyyy
-Digital
