The air in the courtroom seemed to vibrate with tension as the trial of David Morales wore on. The prosecution had mounted a seriously precise case, though Uriel took down a few of their pivotal witnesses, and it was now time to turn the tide for good. It was, in fact, now time to take the offense.

Uriel Zander sat at the defense table, flanked by Karen and Leo. Across the room, *ADA Grace Mitchell* was sure that her case was tight-ass. The evidence was overwhelming; the witnesses testified Morales was a merciless enforcer for the Torres Cartel, and it seemed on the surface nothing Uriel could say would change the inevitable outcome.

But Uriel knew better. He had been waiting for this moment, the moment when he could reveal the cracks in the prosecution's case and show the deeper conspiracy at play—a conspiracy not only of the cartel but, more importantly, of the shadowy organization behind it all.

The prosecution was wrapping up its case, and ADA Mitchell called her final witness—a detective who had worked on the case for years, tying Morales to the cartel. The detective testified about Morales's connection with the murders through solidified means of phone records and surveillance footage at the scenes of the crimes.

But Uriel had been ready for this. The moment the detective took to the stand, he mentally ran through a strategy he had been building for weeks. This wasn't just a defense; it was an attack on the very foundation of the prosecution's case.

When the detective was finally finished with his testimony, Mitchell sat down with that self-satisfied look on her face. She had done her job. Now it was Uriel's turn.

Uriel rose slowly to his feet, his walk to the front of the courtroom deliberate, slow, and calm on the outside. He spoke in a measured tone, oozing confidence, as he fitted his beginning cross-examination.

"Detective Ramires," Uriel started, "this case you have been working on, which is already several years now, right?"

He nodded. "That's correct."

"You have testified that David Morales was associated with the Torres Cartel and that he was directly involved in the killings at issue here. Correct?"

"Yes."

Uriel nodded, eyes narrowing somewhat as he continued. "And your testimony is based upon evidence you collected during your investigation in the forms of phone records, surveillance footage, and statements from any witnesses. Correct?"

He leaned slightly in his chair, the beginnings of interest in what Uriel may say. "That's right."

Uriel waited a second, letting the moment expand before continuing. "Detective, can you confirm for me whether or not you investigated the financial transactions involved with the Torres Cartel during your investigation?"

The detective drew back. "No, I wasn't hired to do that."

Uriel nodded to himself, as if the answer wasn't surprising. "So you did not know that for years, the cartel has been taking money through a network of ghost companies?"

The detective scowled—inarguably flummoxed for a reply. "I knew of some financial activity, but that part of the case wasn't my concern."

The voice of Uriel remained calm but sharpened a bit. "Detective, are you aware that these shell companies are directly connected to a larger organization, one that has ties with the criminal activities of the Torres Cartel and beyond?"

A murmur swept over the courtroom, and ADA Mitchell straightened a little in her seat, narrowing her eyes to try to predict where Uriel was going with this line of questioning.

Again, it became a detective who shifted uncomfortably. "No, I wasn't aware of that."

Uriel turned to the jury, clearing up that they were following him. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what the prosecution has presented to you is a tale about one David Morales, a man who, as they put it, was a hitman for the Torres Cartel.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

But what they haven't told you is that the real masterminds behind this operation—the ones who truly bear responsibility for these murders—aren't sitting in this courtroom today, hiding behind an alphabet of shell companies, money laundering, and orchestrating criminal activities from behind closed doors."

Uriel turned back to the detective. "Detective, are you aware that the Torres Cartel has begun liquidating its assets and disappearing? That they are, if you will, closing stores and erasing those very financial trails that might lead to their exposure?"

The detective was looking out of his league, completely flustered. "I don't have that information."

The Uriel nodded again, his gaze turning to the judge. "Your Honor, I would like to introduce evidence that will demonstrate a series of financial transactions between the Torres Cartel and a number of shell companies affiliated with an organization we have not yet named here in this trial."

Immediately, ADA Mitchell stood up. "Objection, Your Honor! This is completely irrelevant to the case before the court. The defense is doing all they can to obfuscate before the jury with conspiracy theories."

Uriel didn't even blink. "Your Honor, the financial transactions in question have a direct link to the organization behind the murders. My client, David Morales, was set up to take the fall while the real culprits stay free to continue their operations behind the scenes. The evidence now produced is essential to comprehending the complete perspective of the case."

The judge looked thoughtful, weighing his objection. "I'll allow it, but keep it focused, Mr. Zander."

Uriel nodded and started anew. "What you are about to see is a pattern of financial transactions linking the Torres Cartel to an organization that has been quietly disappearing over the last several months. This is the same organization that was involved, back in the day, in the Caden Spears case, and they are the ones pulling the strings here."

With a nod from Uriel, Leo stepped forward with the financial evidence they were able to gather. The jury watched in rapt attention while Leo explained the transactions of how millions were laundered through front companies by the cartel; how this money had been used to finance other illegal activities; and most importantly, how the organization was now in the process of dissolving these entities to cover them.

Uriel continued, "These financial transactions prove one thing: David Morales is not the mastermind behind these murders. He is the pawn used by the cartel and the larger organization to take the fall for their crimes. The prosecution wants you to think this is a clear case of a man killing on behalf of a gang member; in fact, it is far from that."

He stopped and let that sink in. "David Morales was with the cartel, yes. He worked for them. But he did not pull the trigger on these murders. The ones responsible are those who ordered the hits—those who orchestrated the killings from behind the scenes."

ADA Mitchell stood again, exasperation in her voice. "Objection, Your Honor, the defense is making factual assertions about an organization that has nothing to do with this case."

Uriel struck quickly. "Your Honor, the cartel and this organization's connection isn't any theory; it is a financial fact. And rather than the prosecution bothering to investigate these connections, they would have found the truth. But they chose not to."

The judge overruled Mitchell's objection, and Uriel continued to present other evidence before the jury. He showed how the enterprise was systematically shutting down operations, liquidating assets, and positioning itself to disappear while the trial got underway. He presented evidence of how these financial maneuvers occurred simultaneously with the commencement of the Morales investigation to further corroborate that Morales was a scapegoat.

As Uriel finished up his cross-examination, and hence the evidence presentation on finances, he could feel the atmosphere shift. The jury, seemingly set on convicting Morales just days before now, appeared to be uncertain. And then Uriel had planted the seed of doubt, and now that seed was beginning to grow.

The prosecution, earlier so confident of their airtight case, now looked rattled. Clearly frustrated, ADA Mitchell realized that Uriel had turned the focus away from Morales and onto the greater conspiracy behind the murders.

Uriel sat down, his heart still pounding from the intensity of the cross examination. Karen leaned forward, her voice low. "That was amazing. You've got them rocking." Uriel nodded. Still, his mind was racing, and he said, "We're not done yet. Tomorrow, we bring Rivera to the stand."

Jake, who stood in the back of the courtroom through most of it, nodded to Uriel. "You hit them hard today, but be ready—they're going to come at us with everything tomorrow."

Uriel knew Jake was right. The prosecution wasn't going to back down easily, but Uriel had shifted the momentum in his favor. He had nailed the cartel's linkage to the organization and had started to dissipate the thread of the prosecution's argument.

By the time they left the courthouse that evening, Uriel knew they finally had the tide turned on their side. But the battle was far from over. The cartel, the organization, and even the prosecution had cards yet to play, and Uriel needed to be prepared for what came next.

But for now, Uriel had gone on the offensive—and the prosecution had been left reeling.