The day of the pre-trial hearing was finally there, and Uriel Zander stood confidently in court, going through his notes one last time before the hearing was about to get underway. He knew this was only the beginning, but it was one that had to be laid out properly for whatever was going to follow in the real trial. It was also a pretty good self-defense he had built for Daniel, but this would be its first proper test against the prosecution.

Daniel sat beside him, his tension palpable. Karen sat just behind them, flipping through case files and ready to assist if needed. Ellen Price stood tall across the courtroom—to her, this was like any other day in court, exuding that quiet confidence she always seemed to have when entering the courtroom. Uriel recognized that she was there to poke holes in his defense, to undermine the arguments before they reached trial.

The courtroom fell into focused silence as the judge took his seat. "Let's get started," he said, his voice carrying across the room. "We're here for the pre-trial motions in the case of *The People vs. Daniel Reiss*."

Ellen sprang to her feet, addressing the court. "Your Honor, it is the People's burden to show that this is not a case of self-defense at all, but rather a man losing complete control in a violent and reckless manner. We will further demonstrate he acted in spite and jealous spite, which caused the death of the victim."

Uriel waited calmly, having expected this line of attack. Once Ellen was through, Uriel stood with his characteristic composure and addressed the court. "Your Honor, we will argue that Daniel Reiss acted in self-defense. The prosecution focuses on Daniel's emotional state, but they would completely divest the record and varying threats leading to this occurrence. The defense will provide evidence that Daniel was reacting—not out of jealousy or anger, but in self-defense."

The judge nodded, flipping through papers. "Very well. The court will hear these arguments at trial. Are there any other pre-trial motions?"

Uriel took the opportunity to file motions to suppress some of the more inflammatory character evidence the prosecution planned to use—text messages between Daniel and his girlfriend that, in Uriel's opinion, painted a misleading picture of Daniel's mindset. After listening to both sides, the judge decided: "Motion granted in part. Some texts to be excluded; others relevant to state of mind remain. Prepare accordingly for trial."

Uriel felt this to be a small victory. It was not a total win, yet it curtailed what damage Ellen could do with those texts. An hour later, after all back-and-forth legal arguments were heard, it was the end of the pre-trial, and Uriel had left the courtroom all focused. The real fight was yet to come.

Later that afternoon, Uriel and Karen took a walk across Central Park. The fresh air and the far-off sounds of children playing relieved the tense atmosphere of the courtroom. They did this often after difficult days; it helped to clear their minds and shift the conversation away from the cases that consumed them.

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Karen turned to Uriel, who had been uncommonly silent since they'd left the courthouse. "You okay? You've been kind of… distant today."

Uriel gave a half-smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Karen raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future," Uriel admitted. "After all these cases and everything we've done at the Public Defender's Office… I don't know if this is where I want to stay forever."

Karen turned to him, stopping in her walk. "You're not thinking of leaving, are you?"

Uriel shrugged. "Not right away. But I've been thinking about starting my own firm. Going private, doing things my way."

Karen nodded slowly, her mind working over what he was saying. "You'd be good at it—no question. You've got the name, you've got the talent, and you're ambitious. But setting up your own practice? That's a leap. You'd need capital, you'd need clients, and… well, you'd need someone to watch your back."

"That's the thing," Uriel sighed. "I don't have the capital just yet. I've been saving, but it's nowhere near enough to get something like that off the ground. It's a long shot, but I just can't seem to get it out of my head."

Karen smiled sympathetically. "I get it. We all have those moments in which we contemplate being done with the chaos of public defense for something a little more stable. But you know it's not just about money, it's the risk. You'd be walking away from everything you've built here."

"I know," Uriel said, kicking a pebble on the path. "But I can't help thinking there's more I want to do—more cases we don't have the resources to take on here. I've had offers from firms, but I never took them. I don't want to be under someone else's thumb."

Karen laughed. "You've never been one for authority, have you?"

Uriel smirked. "Not exactly. But seriously, Karen, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. The hours, the pressure—it's wearing on me."

She looked at him, grasping the deeper meaning underlying his words. "You've been carrying a lot, Uriel, not just for your clients, but for the office, for everyone around you; of course, you'd want to find a way to do things on your own terms."

They continued walking as the cool breeze brushed against them in the soft, dying sun behind the trees. "Let me know when you decide to take the leap," Karen said. "Maybe I'll go with you."

Uriel turned to her, his brow furrowed in surprise. "Really? You'd think about leaving?"

Karen shrugged and smiled. "Maybe. Depends what's on offer."

They laughed, to lighten the poignancy of their exchange.

That night he sat at his desk with the law papers, fanned out before him. Hours were invested in Daniel's case, bringing his arguments to trial readiness. But his mind kept returning to the thought of opening his own firm and what that leap of faith would mean. His savings weren't enough—not by a long shot. He'd need investors or a big case payout to fund the kind of firm he envisioned. The thought frustrated him, but it also motivated him. He had the talent, drive, and vision to one day make it so, but for now, it was out of reach.

Uriel shook his head, banishing the thoughts away and focusing on the case at hand. He had Daniel to worry about, and that's where his energies needed to be.

Late into the night, he worked on drafting motions, reviewing evidence, preparing for what was going to be an inevitable clash in court with Ellen Price. Each and every aspect of the case was a jigsaw puzzle he had to put together in such a way that the jury would believe Daniel's innocence, at least beyond a reasonable doubt.

It wasn't until midnight approached that he finally leaned back into his chair, the edges of his mind being tugged by sheer exhaustion. His head still buzzed with legal strategies and long-term plans, but he knew he needed rest. A different day would mean different challenges, but Uriel Zander was ready for it—one step at a time.