Disclaimer: I don't own Pretender! I just write the fanfiction! lol
A/N: This isn't very long. In fact it sorta just came to me in the car on they way home from church. We had been talking about capital punishment and it this got born. I hope you enjoy it. I'll try to post more soon! Please R&R!
LIFE OR DEATH?
By InsaneGenius
He thought this day would never come. He had been working towards this for a long, hard time. Reliving his entire life in front of a courtroom, or really the world was the most difficult thing he had ever done. Finally, today was the day. Today they would decide the fate of the one person who had made his life miserable.
This whole thing started almost a year ago. He had handed over his entire DSA collection to the F. B. I. And made them aware of the atrocities the centre was responsible for. They had the place cleaned out only two weeks after he gave them the DSA player and its contents.
Then the trials began. They tried each of the main players individually. First Mr. Cox. They gave him life in prison. Then Broots, Sydney, and Miss Parker. They were acquitted of any charges against them. Then came then Triumvirate, which conveniently consisted of three very well known figures: Raines, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Parker's father, the very same man who first stole the scrolls and started the organization. Raines was given the death penalty. Mr. Parker and his father were given life in prison.
Now they were waiting for the final person to receive his verdict: Mr. Lyle. His trail was a fairly short one, as far as trials go. There really was no question as to his guilt. He even admitted to the many murders he had committed close to end of the trial, Kyle's included, and to the torture of Jarod himself. The jury didn't really have much of a decision to make anymore.
The judge called a fifteen-minute recess after Lyle's proclamation. Apparently he wanted to talk to the jury. Almost everybody left the courtroom then. Almost everybody that is, except for Jarod. He had spent so much time in these courtrooms the past year. He was glad it was all going to come to an end. But one question remained in his mind. What would he do now? He had his family with him, so there was no more searching for them, and now the last leading member of the centre was about to receive his fate. It seemed so weird to know that for once in his life he wouldn't have to worry about looking over his shoulder constantly, or being chased all over kingdom come. But he was glad this portion of his life was finally drawing to a close. He could settle down somewhere, and have a family. That was something he had always wanted. His own family, and a purpose in life. That's what he would do now.
Jarod glanced at his watch. The judge and the rest of the court would be returning anytime now. It wasn't long before his prediction came true. Within a minute the courtroom was packed once more. The judge filed in with the jury behind him. Everybody sat down, but the President of the jury remained standing.
"We the jury define the defendant guilty of murder, kidnap, and torture, but we have asked the judge that his fate be determined not by us but by the one person who suffered the most by this man's hand. The question before you, Jarod Allen Malone, is Life or Death?" she said.