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Chapter 187: Rake Knavelton

After Raven had finished his phone call with the deputy and girlfriend, the jury began to deliberate.

With the outpouring of evidence in Mina's favor, she seemed to breath more easily and relax as she sat with Raven. She even waved to her mom and dad, a curious couple Raven had met only one time before.

Not only was the young teenybopper excited about being proven innocent, but she was also interested in her charming defense attorney's love life.

"Soooo..." she said, her head resting on her arms, a sly look in her eyes. "You're dating a woman in uniform?"

Raven chuckled. "That's one way to put it. But we're all wearing uniforms, kiddo."

And with natural, teenage curiosity, she asked, "How come you're dating a woman you call mom? My class is reading a book about a guy named Rex who does something similar."

Raven's eyes widened. "Naw, kid. She's not actually my mom. Sometimes, you'll learn words have two meanings. There's a such thing as a mom mom and a uh...fun woman who you also call mom."

Mina wrinkled her button nose. She was even more confused and seemed even a little disgusted. "Um....gross."

Raven ruffled her already frizzed up hair. "You'll get it when you're forty...if you age well!"

Raven paused for a second, but he continued with a new question brightening his eyes. "By the way, kid, just want to ask ya something...even if it's a bit cliched."

"Huh?" Mina asked and double blinked. "What?"

"What do ya wanna be when you grow up?"

Mina bit her lip with her bracey teeth. "Mmm..." she answered. "Probably a fashion designer or uhhh, maybe an animal doctor? You know for the cute gerbils and what not."

Raven grinned brightly. "Have you ever thought of being an attorney?"

Mina giggled and put a hand forward. "Oh no. After this, I want to be as far away from court as possible. I won't even watch Court Court on TV anymore!"

"Fair enough," Raven answered as he gazed wistfully towards the window pane. "The need for law and order comes from strong feelings for it. That's what my mentor always taught me."

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At last, the jury filed in and Mina's expression changed to worried again. "What if they still think I shot the Juan? What if the Duke hires more British thugs to infiltrate the jury and lie under oath? What if this is all a computer simulation?!!"

"Breathe kid!" Raven said, easing the panicking teenager down. "You've been playing too many court videos games....and uh, watching the Datetrix too much. Just relax and let Lady Law do her work."

Mina simmered down but her eyes darted around nervously.

A middle aged woman in a business suit stood in front of the crowd. "We the jury have reached a verdict, your honor. We find the defendant..."

There was a loud rolling sound and everyone immediately turned to Raven who was making mouth noises and pretending to rattle a drum set.

Justine Divine Justice slammed her gaval. "Order. There will be no drum rolls to accompany the jury. Or you'll have to roll outta here, Mr. Lockwood."

Raven chuckled and apologized. "Someone has to create more suspense here. This is a pretty obvious verdict."

The woman ignored Raven and his shenanigans. "We find the defendant. Not guilty."

Immediately, there were loud shrieks of glee and Raven and Mina grabbed hands and played ring-around-the-court room singing, "We did it! We did it!"

Despite earning a lot of disproving glares, the rest of the courtroom stood up and applauded young Mina's freedom. Raven was enthralled he had managed to make a serious court case seem easy peasy.

Once the applause settled down, Mina and Raven were approached by two people. Two people who looked like a perfect genetic blend of their daughter. Mrs. Hawkins on one hand was dainty, brunette and birdlike. Dressed in pearls, in a pink business dress and with long brown hair that reached down to her lower back. And Mr. Hawkins was a balding, goofy looking, bespectacled man, who when he grinned displayed rows of adult braces. Mina seemed happy to see her father, and ran to hug him. It seemed she was more a daddy's girl. It made sense to Raven, she was far more doofy nerd girl than a prom queen.

As he watched the family celebrate, a new adversary approached Raven. Larry had removed his hood to reveal his shiny bald head. "I guess this means we're arch enemies now, rookie," he said to Raven.

Raven went to open his mouth, but realized it was a waste of air. Much like Larry himself.

That, and he was receiving a phone call. His phone reverberated with a bouncy orchestrated disco tune and he quickly activated it and held it to his mouth.

"Hi!" he said. "Thanks for saving me from a pointless conversation."

"Oh, you're welcome, Raven, dear boy," a very familiar voice answered. "I do say, you put the wrong man behind bars, sport. That tepid little girl should be serving a sentence, not me,"

"Wait a minute," Raven stammered. "Hold the phone. Is this? Duke Regalton?"

"Rake Knavelton is my real name, mate," was the caustic answer. "And I am sorry to inform you. My queen doesn't trifle with those who put her countrymen behind bars. And neither does her organisation."

"What queen?" Raven squawked.

Did the Duke...er...the Rake mean the Queen of England? And what organisation?!

"Bloke," Rake answered. "The Aura will taint you for the rest of your life. She will make sure of it."