Title: Righteousness, Revelations and Enigmas: Locked Up in Los Angeles
Author: Kaykyaka
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE and TNA characters used within this fictional story. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made by this work of fiction.
Ratings: K+
Characters: Shawn, Cameron, Rebecca and Cheyenne Michaels, Amy 'Lita' Dumas Michaels, Hunter Hurst Helmsley, LC Helmsley, Aurora Rose Helmsley, Chyna Helmsley, Trish, Randy and Randy Orton Jr, Melina, Johnny and Romeo Hennigan, Jeff, Stephanie and Elizabeth Hardy, Angelo and Angela Jericho, Vince McMahon, Marion Cena, CM Punk, Dave Batista, Brie and Justin Danner, Adam "Edge", Angelina Love and Angelica Copeland, Alannah Pirelli and Charlotte, Dan and Carla McCool.
Summary: With their friends on trial for attempted murder Batista and CM Punk try to find Brie to testify against Chris Jericho. Will her testimony be enough to stop ATM, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and Joanie Helmsley from going to prison for a crime they didn't commit?
Chapter Fourteen – Don't Speak
Day 1 of the trial, L.A County Court, 1pm Monday December 12th, 2021
Judge Earnest T. Hartman looked down over his tiny spectacles at the two attorneys about to give their opening statements. He had glanced at the man charging the accused with attempted murder but he couldn't get a reading from him. The accused however were harder for him to review. They appeared to be quite a unique bunch of people, hardly the kind of people that would try to kill anyone outside of the ring. The opening statements he was about to hear would go a long way in putting this case in perspective for him.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," he said to everyone in attendance. "Despite the cold weather outside this is one of the hottest cases this town has seen in awhile. Be that as it may we are here for the next couple of weeks to decide the case of attempted murder. If the prosecution would like to proceed with its opening statement."
Jericho's attorney Victor Elliott stood to his feet and headed to the front of the court.
"Your honor this may be a hot case but don't let the celebrity skin fool you. My client has been the victim of a crime that is not uncommon to the average person living below the Hollywood grid. An attempt was made on his life by nine individuals, three of which are not here today. Although his loved ones are delighted that Mr. Jericho has returned to them, they will never get back the decade plus years they lost because he was forced to go into hiding in fear for his life. Although the accused have many a great accolade to their names they simply disguise themselves with acts of benevolence. Underneath their polished veneers lies the stony black hearts of six cold-hearted murderers,"
LC flinched at the lawyer's words but Cameron held her hand and calmed her down. The both knew who the real murder was and hopefully in two weeks so would the rest of the world.
Arthur Metcalfe stood to his feet as Mr. Elliott took his seat with a smile on his face.
"You know your honor I couldn't help but notice that Mr. Elliott forgot to mention that Mr. Jericho is not the victim or upstanding citizen he wants the world to believe that he is . He is not stranger to my clients as we all know, they worked together for years. You will know by the end of this trial exactly what kind of man Chris Jericho is from the people who both knew him best and those whom he made a distinct yet very common impression on,"
"Very well gentlemen, the trial will begin in fifteen minutes with the prosecution's first witness," Judge Hartman said and everyone rose as he left to go to his chambers and prepare for the trial to begin.
"How you doing Chris?" Rich Ward the lead guitarist from Fozzy asked and Jericho smiled back cockily.
"Are you kidding me?" This trial is in the bag," Jericho said. His Fozzy band members were going to be his first witnesses and he had absolutely no problem with what they were going to say, namely that they thought he was 'King of the World.'
As Judge Hartman returned to the court the ARK Angels shot Amy, Shawn, Randy, Trish, Jeff and Chyna a smile to show their support. The Nashes were there too along with the McMahons, Sean Waltman and Scott Hall.
"Mr. Elliott please call your first witness," Judge Hartmann said.
"Your Honor I would like to call Rick Ward to the stand," Mr. Elliott said.
After being sworn in he took the stand and Mr. Elliott asked him his first question.
"Please could you give your name and tell the judge your relationship to my client," Elliot asked.
"My name is Rich Ward and I play lead guitar in Fozzy," Rich replied.
"And how long have you known Chris Jericho?" Mr. Elliott said.
"Since 1999," Rich replied.
"Wow that's a long time, how did you feel when you found out that Chris Jericho wasn't dead but in hiding?" Mr. Elliott asked.
"Well I first thought why didn't he tell any of us what was going on so we could help him? But then I was so happy to see him I didn't care anymore," Rich replied.
"Before he disappeared did Chris Jericho ever talk to you about the accused?" Mr. Elliott asked.
"No," Rich replied.
"He never mentioned them, not once?" Mr. Elliott asked again.
"No not once," Rich replied.
"Thank you Mr. Ward, nothing further your Honor," Mr. Elliott said to the judge before going back to his table.
"Mr. Metcalfe," Judge Hartman said and Arthur Metcalfe headed to the witness.
"You say that Mr. Jericho never mentioned my clients to you, not once in all the years you've known him," Mr. Metcalfe said.
"That's correct," Rich replied.
"So what happened on the night that he went missing?" Mr. Metcalfe asked.
"I don't know he just didn't show up," Rich replied.
"Didn't you have a gig at the House of Blues downtown that night?" Mr. Metcalfe asked.
"I really don't remember," Rich replied.
"Could it be that you don't remember because Jericho was there that night at exactly the same-time as my clients and their children?" Mr. Metcalfe said. "The truth is that Chris Jericho went into hiding because his plan to destroy Shawn Michaels and Hunter Hurst Helmsley failed miserably!" Mr. Metcalfe stated.
"Objection there's not proof that my client was in L.A that night," Mr. Elliott said.
"I have your for your consideration your Honor exhibit A," Mr. Metcalfe said giving the judge a picture. "That is a picture taken on that very night of Jericho, he was there. The question is what was he doing there?"
"You're wrong that's not what happened," Rich said.
"Oh really, well then why don't you tell us what did happen outside the House of Blues that night," Arthur said.
"Triple H threatened Jericho and said that if he didn't leave Stephanie he'd kill him and they were all watching," Rich said pointing to Amy, Shawn, Chyna, Jeff and the Ortons.
"He's lying!" LC cried banging her down angrily.
"Young lady sit down," Judge Hartman said firmly.
"Lisa Jericho's got his Fozzy band members under his control, they'll say anything he wants him to say," Cameron whispered to his fiancé.
"But what are we gonna do about it we can't just sit here and do nothing?" LC replied angrily.
"The only person that can refute what Fozzy say is Brie," Cameron said.
Brie was not scheduled to testify until the last week of the trial.
"So we have to put up with this bull-crap for two weeks?" LC said incredulous and she sighed heavily in her seat crossing her arms across her chest in frustration.
"I have no more questions for this witness," Arthur said.
"The witness may step down," Judge Hartman said while Arthur spoke to his clients.
"The witness just lied on the stand, does Jericho really thing he's gong to get away with this?" Arthur said to them.
"Yes he does and he always has," Trish replied.
"What a despicable piece of work he is, well tomorrow Stephanie will tell the judge what kind of man Jericho really is," Arthur replied.
Chyna looked over at LC who was clearly upset; she wasn't sure if her daughter could wait that long.
"Why is he so cocky?" Chyna said looking at the smile on Jericho's face as he conferred with Fozzy and his lawyer. "He has no proof that Hunter threatened him that night."
"Hunter killed him Chyna, Jericho's dead don't forget that," Shawn replied and Arthur Metcalfe frowned at the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels.
"What was that about Jericho being killed by your best friend?" he asked Shawn.
"We've already told you what happened," Shawn replied.
"Yeah I know and I ignored you, that man over there is Chris Jericho, he is not dead therefore Triple H did not kill him," Arthur replied.
"Mr. Metcalfe if you don't open your spiritual eyes and listen to us this trial is going to be hard for you to get through. Jericho will lie his way through this, he has no conscience he doesn't even have a pulse!" Shawn replied and Arthur Metcalfe looked at him like he was insane.
"What are you talking about Shawn?" Arthur asked befuddled and Shawn sighed shaking his head.
"Nevermind," Shawn replied.
"No Shawn I mind, I mind very much. If you go on the stand and say what you just said to the judge he will put you away by reason of insanity. Now you either change your mind about this whole thing about Jericho being some kind of zombie or I'm not putting you on the stand," Arthur said.
"I'm telling you the Truth," Shawn said.
"I thought that was your job?" Arthur said to Trish who ignored him and turned her attention to HBK.
"Don't bother its not worth it, God will take care of everything. When Arthur puts you on the stand God will speak for you and we all know that the Almighty cannot lie," Trish said and Shawn nodded.
"Okay Truth," Shawn replied and Amy kissed Shawn on the face.
"Thanks Trish," she said. "You know how I hate to see Shawn upset,"
"Hey the last thing any of us want is for you guys to get upset," Chyna said. "I don't think Righteous Indignation will help prove our innocence,"
"But it would make for some truly great court room drama," Randy Orton said.
"Don't worry honey we'll have plenty of that coming," Trish said and Arthur Metcalfe eyed her suspiciously.
"Is there something you're not telling me Mrs. Orton?" he asked his Canadian client.
"Yes there is – you're doing a great job. Keep up the good work," Trish said and Arthur didn't think she was being serious. It was hard for him to decide how much of the Truth to believe. "The Truth:" Trish Stratus knew that he could only handle so much because the whole Truth would absolutely blow his mind.