Sally and Lightning got to the court house and Sally quickly ran through the building looking for Jackson. Lightning was stopped by press again and had to deal with that while she looked. The kids were with Flo, Ramone, and Minty this time. After what happened last time, Sally wasn't going to let Cleo some how use their kids again. Lightning finally escaped the press and gor inside where Sally rushed over. "There's no sign of Jackson anywhere.." Lightning sighed and shook his head. "Coward." He growled. Sally looked everywhere around them hoping that Jackson would just turn up.
Then she saw Cruz and Mateo. Sally spotted them and said "There's Cruz um.. I'm going to see if she's seen Jackson." And she ran off. Lightning frowned a bit and stared at Cruz. Watching Sally talk to Cruz. Cruz glanced over at Lightning with such a curious and pathetic look. Lightning looked away. Walking away and into the court room. Lightning sat down and noticed Cleo across the room. She seemed happy ans ready. Lightning hated her. He couldn't believe on top of kissing his wife, Jackson didn't show up to his own trial! Lightning began thinking, planning on what he was going to do once Cleo was free..
Sally walked into the courtroom and up to Cleo's lawyer. A tall, brown haired man with a slight scruffy face, black suit and red tie. "You must be Miss De Frank's lawyer." She lent her hand out. The man shook her hand and introduced himself. "Yes! I'm Finnigan Myers. And you.. You are the.. Great Mrs. McQueen." Sally snickered a bit then glt to the point. "Meet me in the judge's chamber. My client hasn't showed up." Myers eyes widened and watched Sally walk off. Cleo then grabbed the man and growled "Don't you dare lose..." He gently pushed her away assuring. "Don't worry. I got this. She just gave me the BEST news in your case. Be right back." and winked before rushing off to meet Sally.
The two atrornies and the judge sat in the chambers and the judge asked "So what is it this time? I doubt we are talking a bargain here." Sally answered explaining "No, um.. My client hasn't shown up for trial your honor." Callie Matthews was the judge again for the trial. She sighed and leaned back into her chair. Myers then said "With that, I would like to motion to have the entire case dismissed." "What, no. NO, YOUR HONOR.." Sally snapped. "The things that Miss De Frank put Jackson through will not go unpunished!" "Calm down Mrs. McQueen. Will your client, Mr. Storm, be here within the hour?" Sally bit her lips thinking.
The judge sighed then recommended "Either the case will be dismissed or I can send out a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Storm." Myers then snapped "A bench warrant? Miss Mathews, my client has suffered enough. She has been falsely accused and imprisoned long enough. My client is emotionally hurt, damaged by these false accusations. I am pushing for the case to be dismissed." "But I still have three witnesses. shit..." Sally announced. Callie's brows lowered. "Excuse me?" "Sorry.. I.. Forgot about something and.. I won't speak like that again, but.. I still have three other witnesses to testify other than Jackson." "You want to proceed without your client?" Callie asked in a bit of shock.
Sally hesitated answering that. Myers spoke up disagreeing. "I admire Mrs. McQueen's confidence. But.. Come on.. Proceeding without the victim is just plain silly." "No, it's not. Happens all the time." Sally defended. Myers snickered saying "Yeah, when the victim is deceased." Sally frowned. Callie stared at these two then said. "Do you really wish to proceed Mrs. McQueen? Without Mr. Storm? That will not only give Mr. Myers and Miss De Frank an upper hand, but will also prevent Mr. Storm from asking for a re trial." "I think her client knew of the consequences when he decided not to show up." Myers butted in with a smile.
Sally thought for a moment then nodded. "Yes.." she answered. "Yes, I want to continue without Storm." Callie nodded and took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's get in there then. I'm sure these people would like to get home as soon as possible." So Sally ran out quickly. She had forgotten to tell Lightning about the third witness who would testify in Jackson's favor. Sally ran into the court room and hurried over to Lightning. But before she could say a word, Lightning got rude with her. "BEN! Really? Why on earth did you call him here?" "He was one of the surgeons on call in that event.. He-he performed Jackson's trauma surgeries and I"-"But you didn't tell me that he would be here." Lightning snarled. He was angry and probably still very hurt about Jackson. Sally frowned and felt she was going to be sick.
"Stickers I.. I forgot about it because I was so busy." She defended. Lightning glared and snarled "Yeah.. Busy making Jackson want to fuck you, I know.." "Lightning, stop that.. I told you what happened." "Yep. First that kiss with Jackson and now Ben is here and I didn't even get a warning. So are the lies and deceit just beginning all over again?" He asked. That hurt! That hurt and it wasn't fair. Sally's brows lowered. But she had to get to work. Ben approached and placed a hand on her shoulder greeting. "Hey.. You doing alright?" Sally looked at him and just nodded. "Great.. Hi Lightning." Ben said. Lightning nodded once before Ben went and sat down.
Callie looked to Sally and said "The floor is yours Mrs. McQueen." Sally put on a smile and glanced back behind her at Lightning. He was definitely still mad. Sally stood up and called "Ben Bentwheel to the stand.." Ben stood up and walked to the seat. Sally approached and began. "Can you tell the jury what your profession is Mr. Bentwheel?" Ben looked to the jury answering "I'm a trauma surgeon and neurosurgeon and specialize in the neuro and skull base. But I do way more than just neuro based operations. It's why I work in trauma mostly anymore and.. Train younger doctors, nurses.."
Sally nodded then asked "Who were you to Jackson Storm?" "I was his doctor and surgeon at the time of the uh.. Accident that happened." "What were his injuries? If you can remember." Sally asked. Ben nodded answering "Jackson came into my hospital unconscious. He had severe trauma to the frontal lobe and deep lacerations to the face and neck. His helmet's.. Lens?.. Had shattered into his cheek bones and pierced his face, shrapnel got into his eyes. His injuries were severe enough that he flatlined once. He's lucky to be alive."
Sally sighed then asked "So you performed his surgeries?" Ben nodded explaining "Most of them. Just for that first bit when he arrived." Sally but her lips, thinking. "What happened once Jackson woke up?.." "Well.. Testing was done and along with help from his.. Friend Ramirez, Jackson was diagnosed with optic nerve atrophy, which I suspected anyway from his injuries.. And.. Sudden moderate sensorineural hearing loss.."
"How was Jackson after being diagnosed and treated?" Sally asked. Ben thought a moment before answering honestly. "I performed a surgical nerve repair operation and restored his vision partially but successfully. After being diagnosed, I recommended him to a friend for some further surgery to restore his sight who was more qualified in that field. Jackson would be legally blind for the rest of his life and.. After diagnosing his.. hearing.. He would be legally deaf to, but with a hearing aid could hear again." "Was he?.. Traumatized?" Sally asked softly. Ben sighed. "I wouldn't say traumatized... He was scared. And.. It is rare to see, to say this in my place of work... But I would say that Jackson made a full mental and stable recovery with his treatments, therapy and support from friends." "Like Cruz?" Asked Sally.
Ben nodded. Sally then turned to the judge saying "Nothing more I guess.." She was off her game. Sally had this entire trial planned out to a t. But Jackson kissed her and messed her mind up. Myers stood up saying "I'd like to ask a few questions.." Sally say down feeling stupid. She left out half her questions, her points as Jackson's doctor. FUCK. Myers approached and began his turn. "How many people came into the hospital injured from the accident?" "Well over twenty I believe." Answered Ben. Myers shrugged asking "Was it chaotic?" "Very much." "Can you?.. Describe the chaos?" Sally stood up shouting "Objection! The chaos that Myers refers to is absolutely irrelevant."
Myers immediately snapped back with "So was the entirety of bringing Dr. Bentwheel as a witness!" Callie then yelled "Enough! We are not going down that path.. Mrs. McQueen I do have to agree that bringing Dr. Bentwheel as a witness was pretty irrelevant.. You were the one who called him so go ahead Mr. Myers." Myers smiled and thanked the judge before continuing "So.. Can you describe the chaos please?"
Ben nodded and gently began. "Well, our e.r, the hospital.. Was already filled with some other patients. Um.. I got the call and the place just flooded within.. Thirty minutes. And not with just the drivers. There were the family members, friends, the.. loving and adoring fans that were in the way of everything. It was very crowded and loud." "Was it hard to think? Stay organized?" Myers asked. Ben raised a brow then glared and firmly replied "Um.. I am trained to react and do my job in whatever conditions come before me if that is what you are getting at." "They train you to prepare for a twenty plus car pile up?" Myers asked rudely.
Ben shook his head answering "No. But.. For trauma situations." "Mmhmm. And.. How many drivers did you personally perform on?" "Helped.. Rescued. I saved lives that day." Ben growled. Myers brows raised for a moment. "But you lost more than you saved.. At least the papers say that and.. How many did you save that day?" Ben and Myers stared at each other. "I don't know.. Between assigning and jumping from patient to patient and surgery to surgery, plus looking for." He stopped and glanced at Sally then continued. "If you are going to ask if I made mistakes, if extra measures could have been taken to save even one more life, than yes. Mistakes were made." "Name one." Myers ordered. Sally stood up but before she could Object the judge said "I know. Myers"-"Its okay." Ben interrupted.
He then looked at the jury and answered that question. "The drivers suits had their names and race numbers and main sponsors on them. Some suits were burned and or stained. Because staff was short and in a hurry, the suits were cut off so quickly and tossed, that no names were taken down and sense most of them were unable to speak, unconscious, or in so much pain they couldn't comprehend questions. We identified a lot of them by numbers. Just... Male number one, two, three.. Proper identification should have and could have been done for most of the drivers and their families.. I'm ashamed of that."
Myers snickered before asking his next question. "What are the side effects for someone with Jackson's injuries?" Ben immediately answered. "Trouble concentrating, memory loss, irritability and personality changes. Sensitivity to light, sound. A person may have trouble sleeping, depression, physiological problems may occur.. A change of smell and tatse. The list goes on and differs from person to person." Sally had heard that speach plenty of times after Lightning's big accident. Myers nodded then asked. "And Jackson? Did he show any of these?" Ben shrugged answering "Jackson was scared. He was angry. He suffered minor memory loss, but no.. He made a.. Pretty much full recovery I'd say."
Myers then stepped down with nothing more to argue. Sally was satisfied though. It seemed Ben did get the jury to feel some sort of compassion for Jackson already, even in his absence. Sally then called Cruz Ramirez to the stand. Cruz sat down, promising to tell the truth and nothing, but the truth and bla bla. First Sally asked, "How was Jackson after the accident?" Cruz glanced at the jury before answering "He was hurt. He had lost his job, his fame.. He continuously felt guilty for all the racers that.. Didnt make it." "Was he suicidal?" "What, no. He was pretty normal. If anything, he became my best friend through the experience. He and I joked and hung out. He was going to be okay." Said Cruz. Then a pause.
A pause swept between these two women and they just stared at each other. It was odd and made Lightning nervous. It made Sally wonder if Cruz knew she knew what she knew or if she knew what she did or what Lightning did for her. Mateo coughed loudly, snapping Sally back and out of that awkward stare. "Right.. um.." she mumbled and looked lost. The judge noticed and asked her "Are you alright to continue Mrs. McQueen?" Sally looked up at the judge and nodded then turned to Cruz and continued. "Are you sure that Jackson seemed okay?.." "Yes, definitely. He became a better him really. Jackson was.. Kind of a jerk before the accident and some how.. It made him a better person." Lightning snickered at that. At this point, Jackson would always be a coward in his eyes.
Sally stared at Cruz. The thoughts running through her mind about that house and Lightning and then the affair. Sally couldn't continue with Cruz and thanked her before sitting down. Callie asked Myers then. "Would you like to question Miss Ramirez?" Myers shook his head with a no. Sally then stood up and announced suddnely. "I have another question for Miss Ramirez your honor!" Callie motioned for Sally to go ahead. Sally approached and rudely asked "Did Mr. McQueen give you a house?" Cruz's eyes widened and immediately everyone on the court room was confused. "Um.. What?.." Cruz muttered and began to hunker into the chair behind the desk, sort of hiding.
"Did Mr. MCQUEEN buy you a house to shut you up? To keep you from spreading your dam legs in front of him!?" Sally shouted and hit the desk in front of Cruz! Myers immediately stood and shouted "YOUR HONOR!" Callie then scolded "Enough Mrs. McQueen or you will be removed from my court room!" But Sally didn't hear that. "You swore to tell the truth! Now tell it! Why did you sleep with Mr. McQueen to begin with!? Knowing he had a wife." Cruz stared up at Sally with the face like a child being brought down and beaten! Callie then yelled "ENOUGH!" Slamming down the gavel! Sally continued though. "Was it just that easy for you to spread your legs!? To let anyone with a big cock come in and fuck you!?" "Officers!" Shouted Callie!
Sally got into Cruz's face, but before she said a word, Lightning stood and yelled "STOP IT! ENOUGH SALLY!" Sally immediately looked at Lightning. Her face pale and eyes wide. The embarrassment and disappointment in Lightning's eyes felt like a knife was being driven through her. The other people staring like she was crazy. Including Cleo De Frank. Two officers came to assist as Callie snapped at Sally ordering. "My chambers immediately! Half an hour recess!" What had Sally just done. As she was escorted out, Cleo laughed and complimented "Nice going sweetie..." With her evil smile and as Sally glanced back behind her, she saw Cruz and Lightning watching her go. Sally just knew she screwed up this time...