Even with all the tragedy and loss she had experienced, Mina was feeling really good about this case. She finally had an edge on Croix-Saint and this case would be quick to mop up his entrails of escargot.

She stood in the lobby wrapped in a red velvet scarf Blind had given her last Christmas. Not only was it fashion forward, it warmed her like he no longer could. This October was surprisingly warm, but the cool air of November had eventually overtaken it in California.

The Montero siblings both greeted her. For career criminals, they were surprisingly kind hearted and relaxed. Even if they had stolen, Mina was hoping that they would go straight. Monica at least. Ricki was a bit beyond that when he greeted her with a high pitched "holi!!!!"

"Holi?" Mina asked. "Don't you mean hola?"

"Holi is when you want to be muy muy adorable! And senorita, I have a good feeling about this trial. Mi hermana's freedom is so real I can taste it!"

Monica nodded. There was a seriousness behind her auburn eyes. "Si. But if this man truly is Pierre Le Risque, he might still have some cards up his sleeve. Much like his name, he is known to take risks!"

Mina giggled. "Well so am I, but I don't need to broadcast it with a pun name!"

Mina looked around the courtroom. Surprisingly, Raven wasn't there.

She had gotten so used to his wacky presence again, that his absence was immediately noticeable. She hoped he hadn't gotten into an accident in that purple deathtrap of his. She went to reach for her phone, but she was cut off by a loud beep.

She looked up. Cyrus Borg was standing over her looking as menacing as ever behind his mask. She narrowed her eyes at him as he stood breathing over her. "Did you just beep at me?"

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The Dark Persecutor shook his head. "When you give your body to a machine, there are parts of you you can no longer control. Beeping is now a way of half-life for me."

Mina shook her head. "Good. I thought you were talking about your bowels. Anyway, what do you want?"

"I have a feeling," the cyborg prosecutor answered. "Or rather a computation. The man I am defending is not innocent."

Mina narrowed her eyes. "You needed to compute that? You should draw him because he's the definition of sketchy!"

"Yes…" Cyrus answered. "But it matters not. I am programmed to end you, no matter what it takes. This man is just a cog in my machine!"

Mina pursed her lips. "Sounds like you need to be reprogrammed, bucko. You are hardly a noble prosecutor…whoever you are. I hope somebody scraps you, buckethead."

There was a sharp breath from the machine man, but he did not answer. He merely turned and walked away. Mina shook her head again. She remembered when she was up against respectable prosecutors. Blind always stuck to his principles and even Ashley…well, at least she was alive. This out-of-control machine belonged in the junkyard.

Mina was about to head into the courtroom when she heard a loud 'ahem'.

Speaking of the devil, Raven had appeared but he looked different. When Mina saw who was beside him, she knew why. Harmony Ebony, the mayor's wife was beside him. And not only did Raven wearing his half-white-half-black suit, but he sported a haughty look on his face. Mina rolled her eyes. This wasn't Raven, this was Ivory Ebony, the mayor.

But at least she knew this time, he wasn't for real. He was just undercover.

"Miss Attorney," Ivor declared. "My wife and I will watch this court case with great interest."

The blonde cherubic looking Harmony giggled. "Especially you Mina Hawkins."

The pupils in her eyes shrank and a dirty smirk spread across her face. It was not befitting of a doe-eyed wife, but someone more devious. "I will be watching you!"

"C'mon dear!" Ivor announced to her, seemingly oblivious of her stink face. "Let's get the hot seats before we're forced to sit in the nosebleeds. And I don't know why they're called that, aside from the fact I'm with a very sexy woman!"

"Oh you!" Harmony giggled and together they headed into the courtroom.

Mina was left baffled. "How the huh does the mayor's wife know my name?!"

She chalked it up to her being an avid watcher of Court Court TV. Or perhaps Raven mentioned her to his 'wife'. Besides, she couldn't worry about something inconsequential like that, she had a very important case to get to. One where she might have to take risks to defeat Le Risque!