Uriel and Karen sat back in Uriel's office, with the city glowing in through the large panes of glass and tension hanging heavy in the air. The trial of *David Morales* had seen huge leaps forward, undermining the prosecution's version of events and revealing the financial ties that bound the *Torres Cartel* to a more sinister organization pulling the strings behind it. Still, the trial was not over. The prosecution still had some cards up their sleeve, and Uriel knew the next several days would be crucial to secure Morales's acquittal.

Karen leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples. "That was one hell of a move today, Uriel. We shook that jury, no question. But you know Mitchell's going to come back harder. She won’t let us keep the focus off Morales for long."

Uriel leaned back in his chair and turned to the whiteboard where they had laid out their strategy. "I know. Mitchell’s going to pull out all the stops in the final phases. She’ll go heavy on the murders, play the emotional angle with the victims' families, and try to get the jury to forget about the greater conspiracy altogether."

Karen nodded, her eyes narrowing as she thought through the possibilities. "We need something stronger for the closing arguments—something that ties it all together. If we can’t give the jury a clear road map to acquit Morales, they’ll fall back on the easiest storyline. And that storyline is that Morales killed those people."

Uriel leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. "I've been thinking about that. We have the financials; we've shown that Morales didn't pull the trigger, but we need a clear alternative. We need to show them who did."

Karen frowned. "We don't have enough evidence to pin it on anyone else. The real shooters are still out there, and the organization’s in the wind. We’ve shown there’s a conspiracy, but if we can’t point to someone else, it might not be enough."

Uriel’s mind ran through all the angles they had gone over. "Then we make the jury understand that convicting Morales won’t solve the problem. We hammer on the idea that Morales is a scapegoat, that the real killers are still out there, and convicting him lets them get away with it."

Karen tilted her head, weighing the approach. "It’s risky. But it could be our only move left."

Uriel nodded, his eyes hardening. "We've come too far. We can’t play it safe now. We bring in *Luis Rivera* tomorrow. I know he has enough on the inner structure of that cartel to cast even more doubt on the prosecution's case. Then, we hit them with everything we have in closing arguments."

Karen sat up, determination returning to her eyes. "Alright. Let’s do it."

Thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, Aaron Sinclair stood before a set of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sprawling city from his luxurious penthouse. The evening was still, except for the hum of conversation behind him. A group of prosecutors from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office had congregated in Aaron’s penthouse, sipping drinks while watching the Morales trial unfold on one of the large screens mounted on the wall.

Aaron, sharply dressed in a fitted suit, sipped wine from a glass and rotated it gently as his colleagues discussed the case.

"*Uriel Zander* is something else," one of the prosecutors said, shaking his head in astonishment. "Did you see him tear up that witness today? He has the jury questioning everything the prosecution has built."

The other prosecutor, younger with sharp features, nodded. "He was brilliant. The way he shifted the focus from Morales to the cartel's finances was pure genius. Mitchell never saw it coming."

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Aaron turned from the window, a faint smirk on his lips as he approached the group. "Zander’s good, but you’re all missing the point."

The prosecutors looked at him with interest, obviously intrigued.

Aaron’s smooth voice cut through the air. "What Zander’s doing—exposing the financial links, shifting the narrative—it’s impressive, sure. But it’s not unbeatable. Mitchell’s letting him control the narrative. She’s reactive, not proactive. That’s why he’s winning."

The young prosecutor furrowed his brow. "But how would you handle it, Aaron? Zander’s tactics are pretty solid."

Aaron’s smile widened. "Zander’s tactics are *clear* once you know how to counter them. He’s going to base his defense on misdirection, calling the prosecution’s case into question by hinting at a greater conspiracy. It’s all smoke and mirrors."

He sipped his wine, narrowing his eyes.

"If I were in Mitchell’s position, I’d shut him down in an instant. I’d focus on the emotional heart of the case—the victims, their families. Make the jury feel the weight of those eleven murders. Zander thinks he can intellectualize the trial, but human beings aren’t logical; they need something to hang their emotions on. Mitchell’s playing the wrong game. She’s trying to fight Zander on his terms."

The group fell silent for a moment, digesting Aaron’s words. One of the older prosecutors finally spoke. "So, you think Zander’s overplaying his hand?"

Aaron chuckled, shaking his head. "No. Zander’s doing exactly what he needs to win *this* case. But he’s only winning because he’s up against a weak prosecutor. If he were up against me, I’d tear his strategy apart."

The moment he started introducing those financials, I’d have redirected the jury’s attention back to the victims. You can’t fight emotion with logic."

Aaron’s assistant, a tall man in his mid-thirties, stepped forward and handed him a fresh file. "Here’s the information you requested, sir."

Aaron took the folder, leafing through the contents. It was a detailed breakdown of Uriel’s past cases, including the ongoing Morales case. A gleam of amusement entered Aaron’s eyes as he scanned the file.

"Zander’s good," Aaron said, his voice rising in almost applause. "But he’s not ready for the big leagues. He’s playing small-time opposition at the moment—like the FBI, or these prosecutor ten-cent hacks. If he ever steps inside a courtroom with me, then he’ll understand what real law is all about."

The team of prosecutors exchanged glances, their faces reflecting admiration for Aaron's confidence. They had all heard whispers of Aaron Sinclair, the brilliant and ruthless prosecutor who made a name for winning impossible cases and putting high-profile criminals behind bars. And with Uriel Zander’s growing reputation in New York, none could help but imagine what would happen if the two ever clashed.

Aaron closed the file and handed it back to his assistant. "Keep a tab on Zander, will you? He’s rising through the ranks, but his strategies have weaknesses. Someday, he’s going to run into someone who knows just how to capitalize on them."

With that, Aaron turned back to the window, looking out over the city as the conversation in the room continued. He had no doubt that Uriel Zander was a rising star in the legal world, but Aaron also knew that the higher you climb, the harder you fall. And, when the time was right, Aaron would be ready.

As night fell, Uriel and Karen continued fine-tuning their strategy for the trial's final phases.

The following day, Luis Rivera was set to take the stand, and they hoped his testimony would further weaken the prosecution’s case and solidify the notion that Morales was being set up as a scapegoat.

Karen turned to Uriel, a trace of doubt in her eyes. "Are you sure Rivera will hold up under cross-examination?"

Uriel nodded. "He's scared, but he’s motivated. Give him the right support out there, and he’ll stick to the truth. His testimony may be the final piece we need to break their case."

Karen straightened, drawing a deep breath. "We’re so close, Uriel, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong."

Uriel met her gaze, his voice steady. "We’ve been through worse. Stick to the plan, and we’ll get through this."

Karen nodded, though Uriel could still see the tension in her eyes. They were coming down to the wire on this trial, and, though they had made great strides, the outcome was still uncertain. The next few days would seal Morales's fate: set him free or send him behind bars for life.

Uriel went over the case files one last time before heading home. His mind couldn’t help but wander to the battles to come, the greater opponents still awaiting him in the legal world. For now, though, his focus was on winning this case. The real fight would be later.