Atem: damn, you are early, got inspiration or something?
8 elements: no, not really, usually I would read other stories, and since I'm up to date with them, I got this chapter done.
Atem: well, at least it's done, does it include the trial?
8 elements: :0 guess
Atem: alright, alright, no need to get ratty
Yugi: Atem, behave
8 elements: that's it, Atem, meet Mr Mallet, enjoy the chapter everyone ' goes after Atem with Yugi trying to restrain her
Chapter 11: August 7th Trial day part 1
The time had finally passed for Atem, and all too soon it was time for Tea's trial, he was both looking forward to it, as well as not looking forward to it. The reasons to why he was not looking forward to it was because he never liked strangers knowing what was going on in his life, as well as the press getting a hold of stories like this. On the plus side of things, he was looking forward to getting justice for what Tea had done to him.
Atem had been released from hospital a few days ago and he was now staying with Yugi, since Yugi was still uneasy about not being able to keep an eye on him, they both came up with the idea of him staying over Yugi's house until he could go back to his home, which should be by the end of the trial.
When Atem first saw Yugi's the inside home, he was surprised to see that he lived in a very spacious condo, with more than enough room for Atem to move his wheelchair around, and the best part was that there were no stairs in the house, so he wouldn't have to worry about being carried anywhere.
Currently, Atem was in the spare room in Yugi's home, finishing getting dressed in the suit that he would be wearing. Since the attack, Yugi had helped him work on his legs a lot more, and thanks to that help, Atem was able to move his legs using his hands and not cause a lot of pain, which he found incredible because he wouldn't need any help to get dressed from now on.
A knock at his bedroom door brought him out of his daze, he knew it was Yugi, so he hopped into his wheelchair and opened the door, and Yugi was standing right outside in a suit of his own.
"Morning Atem, did you manage alright?" He asked, referring to getting dressed on his own.
"Yes, I did fine. I have to thank you for all you're doing at the moment Yugi, even letting me stay here," Atem said and Yugi waved it off.
"Don't worry about it Atem, I'm just doing my job, and being an overprotective boyfriend," he finished and got Atem to laugh. They left the room and had a quick breakfast, since they didn't want to be late for the trial.
After they finished their breakfast, Yugi helped Atem into his car before collapsing his wheelchair and putting it in the boot of his car, he walked to the driver's side of the car and buckled in before heading off to the courthouse.
"Hey Atem, has the DA called to say if the media will be there?" Yugi asked on the drive to their destination.
"Yeah he called me last night. He said that the judge has banned all media from the courtroom, she is a person that hates it when the media interfere with her business, so they won't be allowed in. Although, I can't say the same thing for outside the courthouse," Atem explained.
"That's true, since they won't be allowed inside the courthouse, they're most likely be hiding on the outside."
"That is going to make it difficult for me to get in my chair then," Atem commented, already dreading arriving at the courthouse. But there was a surprise waiting for them when they arrived. There was at least two dozen police officers outside the courthouse and not a single member of the press was in sight.
"Well fuck me, I never thought that I would see the day," Atem said as he looked outside the windows of the car. Two of the officers approached the car and opened the doors for both Yugi and Atem, which surprised them.
"Mr Sennen, a pleasure it is to meet you in person," one of them said as he helped him to stand from his seat as Yugi brought round his wheelchair, and as Atem strapped himself in, he asked some questions.
"Hope you gents don't mind me asking, but who managed to get all of you out here to keep the press away?" He asked as Yugi helped wheel him towards the courthouse.
"You would have to thank Mrs Sennen, Mr Kaiba, Mr Travis and Mr Bomani. I believe that the last two was shouting bloody murder if some of our men weren't out here to stop the press," one of them explained and Atem gave a chuckle, at least he wouldn't have to stress over the media being present.
As he and Yugi made their way inside the courtroom, Atem could see the four people who called for backup in the front room, so naturally, he went over to see them.
"What's this I hear about Melvin and Bakura shouting bloody murder?" He joked and the four people turned to face him. His mother was the only that got to talk to him before the DA asked for Atem to sit in the witness-box, which contained some of his employees. Since Yugi was the doctor that treated him, he would have to sit there as well.
"Hey Atem, how good is the DA for this case?" Yugi asked from the seat that he was in.
"He is a very good one. His name Charles Warren, and in the twelve years he has been a district attorney, he has only lost a single case, so Tea won't be getting off that easy," he explained.
"All rise for the honourable Judge Cameron Brown," everyone besides Atem stood as the judge entered the room and took her seat.
"Be seated," she said as everyone took their seat. Tea was already with her lawyer at the defence table, while Charles was at the prosecution table, waiting to begin the trial.
" The court today will be presiding the case of Tea Gardner vs the city of Neo Domino. Mr Warren, would you give your opening statement," Judge Brown said as Charles stood from his seat and walked out from around his table.
"Your honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it is not uncommon for a woman to feel lust towards a man in life, it happens on a day-to-day basis. But what does not happen on a day-to-day basis, is that woman like Miss Gardner, strike out and try to take a man's life simply because he has no interest in her. She struck out at him because he has never taken an interest in her, so she attacked and tried to kill him. Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to prove to you today that Miss Gardner is not someone who is mistaken as a killer, but is someone who was ready to kill to get what she wants, thank you." He finished speaking before returning to his seat.
"Mr Danielson, would you now give your opening statement," Judge Brown said, and Tea's lawyer Matthew Danielson, stood up to give his opening statement.
"Your honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client is in no way what Mr Warren just described to you. She is but a young woman trying to control her emotions. On that day, Miss Gardner did not mean to kill the victim, she merely suffered from an emotional breakdown, and I intend to prove that to you today, thank you," he finished speaking before taking his seat. In the crowd of onlookers, Melvin leaned over to whisper something in Seto's ear.
"Not much of a statement is it?" He asked and Seto nodded his head in agreement, before they both turned back to face the front of the courtroom.
"Will the prosecution please call their first witness," Judge Brown said before Warren stood from his seat.
"The prosecution calls Debra Wilhelm to the stand," Debra rose from her seat in the witness-box and went to take the stand, after taking the oath, she sat down before Warren started his questions.
"Miss Wilhelm, how long have you been the secretary of Mr Sennen?" He asked.
"I have been Mr Sennen's secretary for about 5 years now," she replied and the questions continued.
"In that time that you have been his secretary, has he ever told you about any relationships that he has had, or possibly in?"
"The only one I can think of right now is the relationship he is currently in, with a man called Yugi Muto." Now was the part both Yugi and Atem was not looking forward to.
"And other than Mr Muto, he has never said anything about liking another person, correct?"
"That is correct," she replied.
"Miss Wilhelm, has Mr Sennen ever in your knowledge, expressed any feelings towards Miss Gardner, whether they friendly or romance?"
"No he hasn't. We have talked many times, and he has always told me that he had no feelings whatsoever for Miss Gardner. He admitted to me that he was bisexual, but that he would never go out with Miss Gardner if his life depended on it, those were the words that he said to me." Debra explained and Atem was having trouble hiding a smirk that was forming on his face, since he did remember telling Debra those words.
"Did he ever say why he would never go out with Miss Gardner?"
"He told me that he has known Miss Gardner since High school, and ever since they met, she had tried to seduce him since the age 13. Mr Sennen has always told me that he wanted a meaningful relationship, and said that Miss Gardner would never give one."
"Miss Wilhelm, on the day in question, what led up to the attack on your employer?" Warren asked, changing the subject.
"On the day in question, I had returned to my desk after delivering some folders to Mr Sennen. When I sat down, a few minutes later Miss Gardner entered the top floor and attempted to go straight into Mr Sennen's office. Since I am his secretary, it was my job to try to stop her, which is what I did. I managed to stop her from going into the office, she started to get angry, saying 'I can see Atem when I please.' I told her that it was Mr Sennen to her and that he was very busy. Our shouting got his attention as he opened the door to see myself and Miss Gardner in the doorway. Miss Gardner demanded that he tell me to leave, but Mr Sennen told her to get inside his office and told me to call some security officers in the building, but after Miss Gardner entered the room, he added that I should call the police as well because he had a feeling that she wouldn't leave that easily."
"Just one more question Miss Wilhelm, when did you first realise that Mr Sennen was attacked?" Warren asked her, and she replied.
"Well shortly before I realised that he was attacked, two police officers arrived in front of my desk. Before I could explain anything to them, I heard Mr Sennen scream in pain. It was then that I realised that Mr Sennen was in danger. The officers tried to make entry to the room, but the door had jammed, so they had to break it down. Before they went to break it down, we heard Mr Sennen scream again, it was then that the officers managed to break the door down, allowing myself and some other employees who heard the commotion to see inside the room. We saw Mr Sennen on the ground with blood staining his clothes and Miss Gardner kneeling above him with a bloodied letter opener. The officers quickly removed her from Mr Sennen and put her in handcuffs, I went over to see how he was and he told me to try to stop his shoulder bleeding. I did that until the paramedics arrived, and Mr Sennen passed out from blood loss not much longer after that." She finished explaining, trying not to cry as the memories still haunted her to this day.
"Thank you Miss Wilhelm, I have no more questions your honour," Warren said before he sat down and Danielson stood up, ready to start his questioning.
"Miss Wilhelm, on the day in question, you said my client attempted to walk straight past you and straight into Mr Sennen's office correct?" He asked.
"That is correct," Debra replied, although she was not looking forward to this man's questions.
"Does Mr Sennen have any kind of rule which says that no one is allowed into his office without being told before?"
"Yes, it is not only my job to be his secretary, but I also have to call his office phone to inform him if someone would like to enter his office, or if someone he wished to see has arrived," she explained, keeping a straight face.
"So you are saying that Mr Sennen has you call him on the phone if someone wants to enter his office?"
"Yes," Debra replied.
"Miss Wilhelm, have you ever felt any romantic feelings toward Mr Sennen?" Danielson asked, trying to make her testimony look bad.
"I have never felt any romantic feelings towards Mr Sennen, we are friends and there is nothing more to that."
"You know, some people become very good at hiding their feelings for another," he said, and Debra had enough of his smart ass remarks.
"Mr Danielson, I understand your job is defend Miss Gardner, but it is not to accuse me of lying on the stand. I am in a happy relationship of my own and I am engaged, I hope that satisfies you." She replied, and Danielson tried to hide the shock that he was in at the moment.
"I have no more questions for the witness your honour," he said as he took his seat back at the defence table and Tea whispered something to him, and he nodded his head.
"Thank you Miss Wilhelm, you may step down now," Judge Brown said and Debra stood, walking back over to where she sat before. Atem leaned over to her to whisper something to her.
"Nice to see that you remembered what I said about her," he joked and Debra just smiled at him.
"Hard to forget when she tries to see you as often as humanly possible, good luck when they call you up."
"Will the prosecution please call their next witness," Judge Brown said, and a few more of Atem's employee's were called to the stand to give their version of events. All of them mention that Atem got into an argument that Tea had started, and how they ended up seeing Atem on the floor of his office, covered in his blood. By the end of the day, the prosecution had called 6 of Atem's employee's to the stand, and Tea's lawyer had tried his best to find anything that he could use against Atem should he take the stand, but he could find nothing, he had a clean record with them all.
"Alright, after hearing all the evidence today, we shall retire and continue the trial tomorrow morning. I would all the witnesses to return to the seats they are currently in tomorrow, whether you have given your testimony or not, court dismissed," she slammed the hammer down on the gavel, and everyone stood up and left the courtroom. Tea had to be taken away by armed guards to take her back to prison, although she sent a glare in the direction of Atem before she left.
"Well, talk about your first day of trial," Melvin commented as Atem and Yugi joined the group they didn't have a chance to speak to before the trial.
"Don't worry about it Melvin, I'm just glad she's in jail for the whole trial," Atem said as they all made their way out of the courthouse, and just like before, the officers from this morning were still there and there was no member of the media in sight.
"I must admit, it's great of you guys to get all these officers out here for the trial. If the media had gotten to Atem, it could have caused him a great amount of stress," Yugi said as he and Atem made their way to his car.
"Well, it is easy enough to do when you have three of the most powerful CEO s and the mother of the most powerful CEO demanding that police were here to stop the media," Bakura said with his arms behind his head.
"Although, you could have gone without threatening them you two, you practically reduced the grown men of the police force to toddlers," Seto said and both Melvin and Bakura glared at him, but stopped when Amunet slapped both of them on the backs of their heads.
"He's right you two, I may have a bad temper, but at least I didn't go as far as threatening the whole force," she added before they all parted to go to their own cars, getting ready for the next day of trial, although some things would be different, one of them being that Atem would finally take the stand.
8 elements: hey guys hope you enjoyed it 'puts mallet back down
Atem: I though it was pretty good
8 elements: are you trying to suck up or something?
Atem: no, I'm just trying to behave
8 elements: Yugi blackmailed you didn't he?
Yugi: Yes I did, and if that is what takes him to behave, then I'll use it
8 elements: oh well, finish it off for me Yugi
Yugi: give a review please, you never know if it will be updated this quick again
8 elements: HEY!