The judge shuffled his desk a bit before locating a pad of paper. He thought for a second before writing something down. I wondered why he didn't have a computer. “Alright, we'll revisit that at another time. Let's get this trial on the road. So this bad thing happened to you and then you decided to take up the fight against night creatures. A holy crusade to kill all the unclean.”
“How are you even certain that I've taken up arms against night creatures? Yes, I was dressed in drag but I have video evidence that the so-called victims were ready to kill me. Do I not have the right to defend myself?”
“You have the right to defend yourself. But even you must acknowledge that you were setting them up to be executed.”
“I don't need to acknowledge any such thing. I can defensibly maintain wanting to interview them to hear about what it was like to be a vampire. The munitions I hit them with were not immediately lethal until after they closed in on me and established that they were going to torture me.”
“Assuming I believe that,” the Judge replied, “you also shot our inspector.”
“Only after he threatened to cripple me and failed to identify himself as law enforcement. Even our laws take into account that cops need to identify themselves. And if they fail to identify themselves and create a fear of lethal danger they can be shot. There was a case in Texas.” I let him sit with that idea for a second.
“I also have a recording if that would help. Well I might have a recording. Your guys have been a little rough with my equipment.” I looked at the bailiff whose nose looked a little out of place. “And my camera, too.”
“Citing precedent, I like you. Fair enough we don't even need to prosecute you for that. What you did can fall under self-defense. But this event does satisfy that you have the munitions and ability to kill night creatures. We have previous evidence that indicates you were at numerous scenes where individuals have gone missing presumed deceased,” said the judge.
“And that evidence would be?” I asked.
“The sworn statements of three scent trackers using double blind tests.”said the prosecutor while sitting.
I could argue that that was circumstantial but honestly that stretched reasonable doubt to the breaking point. It would require a jury as stupid enough to want to deal with Nigerian Princes that write letters about lost relatives' money. I sighed. “Can I ask a question about your case laws?” I asked the judge.
“Certainly but for the most part we structure our case laws after yours.”
“Do humans have a right to life?”
“Do you think you don't? We're structured somewhat after your laws. We're even allowing you self defense.”
“What I mean is, is it against your laws to murder humans.”
“Yes, it is a contentious issue around here as many would like to thin your herd.”
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“Y'all wreck the environment entirely too much and being longer lived we have to put up with it,” the prosecutor chimed in.
“I believe he was addressing the questions to me,” the judge said in a level tone.
The prosecutor grimaced and bowed his head apologetically.
“So if we have a right to life, is it totally illegal to hunt us?”
“Yes, yes it is.”
“Is there any species that is absolutely required to kill us for the maintenance of their life? Or, is there a financial hardship that they could fall under that would make humans the only viable or cheaper option?”
“This is boring, can we just hang him already?” asked a member in what I thought was the jury box.
The judge directed a baleful glare at the jury member. The juror harumphed in response.
“No, there are some that do need human items, but it is not necessary for any night creature to kill another person. That is why it is illegal to kill people just like your laws. I will not tolerate anyone who kills humans and we prosecute them to the fullest extent.”
I sat there considering. I wasn’t getting out of this. There it was. There was someone I could hand this off to.
“Do you have the contents of my apartment here?” I asked.
“They are checking it over.”
“Just bring the two external hard drives marked with yellow tape and red tape.”
The court went through a small recess while they had bomb sniffing werewolves give it a once over. They were currently hooking it up somewhere in the building to give us remote access. Honestly, I felt a little honored by their precautions. It seemed I had made an impression.
The doors banged open loudly. “Why is the trial still going on? I thought you said this would be an open and shut case.” A gorgeous brunette with a dusting of freckles and an Irish lilt to her voice hobbled in on crutches. Her chest was wrapped tightly. “I wanna see the little shit get his.”
Her companion whispered something that was too low for me to hear but it didn’t slow her down in the slightest.
“I see Elijah, sitting right there. This trial has already gone longer than most of his cases. He hasn’t gotten any better since he started criminal law.”
She hobbled closer to a seat open behind me in the general galley.The court had previously been packed with individuals wanting to watch the proceedings. The row behind us was conspicuously abandoned and had been since the mind lord was transported out.
Judging by her injuries I guessed this was the werewolf that tore off my car door. “Sorry about the chest. I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening.”
“You weren’t sure what was happening?” Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve been massacring people. You shot an inspector. And when I went to apprehend you, wrecking your car instead of just reaching in the window and ripping your head off, you shot off one of my tits and hamstrung me.”
“Gabby, hamstrung is a different muscle…” She stopped as Gabby’s glare fixed her in place better than a gorgon.
“Yeah, being an unstoppable engine of destruction doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. I get it.” I said quietly. “I’m sorry that sucked. I didn’t know if you were a murder or protecting them. I just wanted to escape. You might want to talk to the doppelganger that threatened me rather than say he was the police.” I didn’t meet her eyes.
“Would you have done anything different if he had?”
“That is a fair question. I’m not sure I would have believed him.” I murmured
“Um, you know thatz quite a few people here have goodth hearing, yes?” said Elijah.
I turned a little red as the prosecutor and a few members of the jury barked a laugh. If I hadn’t had a change of heart, I probably would have felt worse.