Law & Order: Leanbox

The Lynx

by Derald Snyder

Part 5- Tenten Ryghts

"Docket number 261010!" called the bailiff. "People v. Tenten Ryghts, charges are five counts of grand theft, four counts of grand larceny, one count murder in the first degree."

"How does your client plead?" the female judge asked Tenten's NPC attorney.

"Your Honor," Tenten spoke, "I plead Not Guilty to murder, but will plead Guilty to all other charges."

"Well, isn't that generous of you," the judge snarked. "People on bail?"

"The People request remand, Your Honor," stated Rizzoli Isles. "The defendant is a notorious thief who has continually evaded capture by the police for several weeks..."

"May I remind the court," Tenten's lawyer spoke up, "that my client surrendered herself to custody voluntarily..."

"Well, in that case," said the judge, "Miss Tenten will be incarcerated in a medium-security facility, instead of maximum-security. Defendant is hereby remanded to custody!" She banged her gavel for the next case, as Tenten was escorted out by another bailiff...

SING-SONG CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

VISITING ROOM

SEPTEMBER 18, 12:04 PM

Rei Ryghts walked into the room and sat down, a solemn look on her face which hid the cauldron of mixed emotions she was currently experiencing. About a minute or two later, Tenten was escorted into the room, now dressed in an orange jumpsuit, taking a seat across from the lawyer.

"Hello, sister..." Tenten greeted cautiously.

"Sister?" Rei growled. "You have no right to call me that, worm, especially after your frame-up job."

"I-I'm sorry about that," the thief said with a wince. "Th-that wasn't my intention..."

An uncomfortable silence descended over the room as the two looked each other over... (She kinda looks like I did as a teenager, expect for the horn being on the wrong side... At least that makes it easy to tell us apart, side by side...) She noted that Tenten wasn't wearing any glasses, either, despite Rei having already needed them at that age... Not that she was blind without them or anything, but...

"So," the former goddess finally spoke, "Why the name, 'Tenten'? Did you come up with that yourself, or did the scientists name you?"

"Well... you could say it was a little of both," the clone shrugged. "I was the tenth attempt at making a clone of you, and first one to not dissipate in a puff of Share Energy or melt into primordial ooze, not to mention surviving the rapid-aging process to bring me up to teen age. When I was ultimately rejected and tossed out on my rear, I took the name 'Tenten' for myself."

"Why were you rejected? Was it because of my own bad reputation?" Rei inquired.

"That was part of it... but I also had no idea how to use the Share Crystal they gave me." Tenten shrugged. "Anyway, after I was thrown out, I was forced to steal in order to survive, since a lot of people would scream and run away when I tried to greet them, for obvious reasons..."

"So what? You decided to make a career out of stealing?" Rei deadpanned.

"It's all I've ever known." Tenten heaved a sigh. "If it's any consolation to you, I got those scientists back by ratting them out to the authorities..."

Rei blinked in surprise. "Wait, that was you?! YOU were the anonymous tip?!"

"I took a small measure of satisfaction watching the news that the Leanbox Army had shut them down," Tenten said with a sinister smirk not unlike her sister's. "Bastards got what they deserved..."

"That's one thing we can agree on," the lawyer concurred. "And I suppose I should also thank you for surrendering to the police... I've been formally cleared of all charges related to your heists thanks to that."

"Like I said, it was never my intention to frame you," the clone reiterated. "And if I had known how to get in contact with you, I would have... I figured that if anybody could understand my situation, it would be you..."

"...Maybe," Rei allowed. "Though now that you're in custody, I can finally set my mind at ease, knowing the fallout of what happened to me a few months ago has all finally been dealt with."

"I-is... is th-that really how you f-feel?" Tenten said with a hint of sadness.

"You caused me a lot of trouble, you know, even if you didn't mean it," the lawyer asserted. "To be blunt, I feel no kinship with you whatsoever, clone. At least when I went berserk, it was forced on me pretty much against my will..."

"Y-you d-don't think I c-could reform myself, a-and b-become a p-productive m-member of society?" the clone stuttered in disbelief.

Rei felt her heart twisting, though she showed no outward emotion. (She's starting to stutter like I do a lot of the time...) Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "That being said, I'm inclined to believe your statement that you were only a witness to the murder you were charged with. I've looked over the evidence, and things don't add up to you being the guilty party..."

"Fat lot of g-good that d-does me, though," Tenten sighed. "I've heard th-that this J-Jared McCoy is a real hard-nose wh-when it c-comes t-to p-prosecuting a c-case... I d-don't put m-my chances very high."

"...Do you have any idea what this means?" Rei pointed to her badge.

"Not a clue."

"It means I'm a certified Lowee defense attorney," the former goddess explained. "And this won't be my first time in the ring with Mr. McCoy, either..."

"Wh-what?!" Tenten gasped. "Y-you mean... y-you're going to d-defend me in court?!"

"Don't take it the wrong way, worm," Rei growled. "The only reason I'm doing this is because the facts don't add up. I'm only defending you to help find out the truth of what happened, got it?"

"...OK. I understand. But still, thank you so much," Tenten smiled. "I guess you'll want to hear my side of the story, then?"

"The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," Rei asserted. "Or else I withdraw. And I'm not doing this pro bono, either. That means you have to pay me for services rendered."

"...is it OK if the only money I have is from selling some of my ill-gotten gains on the dark Internep?" Tenten ventured.

"I'll overlook it this once. Now, then..." Rei opened her briefcase and pulled out some papers. "Before we go any further, let's make this official..."

OFFICE OF

EXECUTIVE A.D.A. JARED McCOY

SEPTEMBER 18, 2:17 PM

"...You're kidding," Rizzoli Isles spoke as she heard the news over the phone. "Well, that's a new twist. Thanks." She hung up and turned to her co-worker. "You're not gonna believe this... Rei Ryghts agreed to defend her clone in court."

"After all the trouble she got her in? She must have really strong feelings about the murder case," Jared observed.

"Well, you have to admit, the circumstantial evidence is pretty weak," Rizzoli pointed out. "Sure, The Lynx's paw-prints are at the scene, but they're not anywhere near the body. And from what I saw of Miss Tenten, she doesn't look like she uses any sort of hair products, much less Beautiful Hold..."

"But the victim is a private investigator," McCoy retorted as he held up the autopsy report. "Dirk Lotson, who was hired by one of The Lynx's previous victims... That gives us motive."

"Maybe, but the spot he was killed was nowhere near any of The Lynx's previous heists," his partner countered.

"And yet, Tenten Ryghts and the victim were in the same spot at the time of the murder. And I don't believe in coincidences, Rizzoli."

"I'm just saying, it could easily be argued that someone else killed Mr. Lotson, and The Lynx just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She already confessed to the thefts, why would she want to fight the murder charge? She's going to prison either way..."

"Because a murder conviction means the difference between being put in jail or getting a needle in her arm. She may already be planning an escape once things settle down..." At Rizzoli's look of disbelief, he continued, "Look, I'm not saying there aren't some holes that need to be filled in. But we're supposed to be the prosecutors for this case. And until I see some blatantly exculpatory evidence, I'm going to do my job."

"Just as long as we don't get blindsided like last time we went up against Rei Ryghts in court," Rizzoli snarked.

"I'm well aware of the risks," McCoy nodded.

*To be continued...*