The Professor was furious. It was rage unlike anything he'd felt before, and he had to repeatedly take deep breaths to try and calm himself, as well as make sure he didn't accidentally crush the phone in his hand.

While the girls were out he'd decided to try his hand at making scones. As he was sliding the tray into the oven he heard the front door fly open, and someone wailing.

When he exited the kitchen to investigate, he found his girls huddled on the couch and Bubbles was the one crying. All three of them were shivering and their voices stuttered when they tried to talk, though Buttercup's had a hint of anger.

After preparing them some tea and waiting until they'd calmed down enough to form coherent sentences, he'd gotten the full story out of them. He was shocked. And horrified. And angry.

He wasn't just angry that there's been a murder. He was angry that the police seriously thought it was a good idea to let three five-year-old girls see a dead body.

What the actual fuck were they thinking?

He'd sent the girls to bed, even though it was barely noon. They could use some rest, especially Bubbles.

He also felt a spike of anger towards the Gangreen Gang for committing such a heinous crime. It was their fault his girls won't be able to rest easy for the next few weeks.

The Professor took another breath, held up the phone and dialled the number of an old friend of his, who had been a therapist for a decade.

Meanwhile, Jack Wednesday was also dialling up an old friend of his. One who owed him a massive favour.

"Alice," he said gruffly when the phone picked up. "You remember how you owe me a favour, right?"

"I do indeed."

"I'm calling it in now. I don't suppose you've heard that there's been a murder?"

"I have. It's the talk of the town."

"Well, my recent charges have been accused of committing this murder, and they need someone to defend them. And that someone is going to be you, Alice."

"Oh, er, sure. When do you want me to come around?" And where?"

"Now, at the police station. The police are still gathering evidence and I want us both to make sure they don't fabricate anything. I have a feeling the Gangreen Gang..."

"Hang on, you want me to defend the Gangreen Gang?! They're criminals, defending them would be suicide in my line of work!"

"Alice, listen to me. Yes they're criminals, yes they're delinquents, yes they're rude, unprincipled, immature and out of control. But I have a feeling they're also innocent of this crime, yet the police still want them behind bars for this. Now, are you a woman of justice or not?"

"I-I am! You've convinced me. And I guess I do owe you. I'll be right over."

When Alive arrived at the police station, carrying a bursting suitcase, she saw Jack thumbing through a magazine in the waiting room, and went over to him.

"Jack," she said.

He looked up. "Alice. Glad you're here. We have much to discuss...what's in the suitcase?"

Alice readjusted her grip on the bulky object. "Just some things I thought might be important. Copies of their legal rights, as I don't think they'd know them. Other legal document like that. And some snacks."

"Snacks."

"Yeah. Kids like snacks, don't they? You can always win someone over with food. And I don't think the Gangreen Gang would warm up to me otherwise…"

"The Gangreen Gang?" A teary voice asked.

Alice and Jack both turned to see that the person who spoke was a woman in her mid-thirties clutching at a handkerchief. She was well dressed, with a pressed white suit and tidy, voluminous hair. A designer purse lay on the seat beside her. These details made Alice and Jack feel more than a little impoverished in their shapeless beige clothes.

"Patricia," Jack muttered, standing up. "The victim's wife."

"The Gangreen Gang?" Patricia repeated. She dabbed at her eyes and sized Alice up. "You-you're not defending them, are you?"

"I am. Why do you ask?" Alice was secretly almost afraid of the answer.

Patricia inhaled to compose herself better, then continued to speak. "Because they're criminals! Murderers! They don't deserve to be defended!"

"Ma'am," Alice began. "Everyone deserves to have a defence lawyer in court…"

"But they don't!" Patricia interrupted. Her voice raised in volume, still carrying that teary edge. "They are horrible people, if you could even call them that! They killed my husband! And you're no better! Defending them as if...as if they're innocent!"

Alice's back stiffened as straight as a board. "What did you just say-"

"Enough," Jack said sternly. He looked at Patricia. "They may be guilty, they may not be. Currently though, there's not enough evidence to convict them." Then he looked at Alice.

"Come with me, we should start working on their case. The sooner the better."

"Right. So, where's the Gangreen Gang?"

"They're currently in a holding cell. Let's go, they'll be glad to see you."

And so they left, leaving a half-angry, half-sad Patricia Kendall by herself.