Viral Legacy

Chapter Eleven: Witness in Persecution



The next and possibly last second of trial got underway with different emotions. Peters walked in, all smiles, knowing he had won this case and knowing what it would do to his career. On the defense side, worry gave way to anything on their processors. Jet Lan had not returned to his hotel last night and his family was growing increasingly concerned. More importantly, as Jet had taken over the defense, the case and their fates rested in his hands.

And the teen was no where to be found.

Nikki was getting extremely anxious. Jet had shut her out of the proceedings as well, so now she was left without a paddle, so to speak, and she couldn't help but notice that Peters was looking way too smug for the morning and Gain kept giving her looks that gave her the jaggies and creeped her out. Kit, too, was worried. It wasn't like his brother to stay out all night. He didn't think their bickering could possibly lead to his brother going off somewhere, especially in a system they weren't from and didn't know.

"And where is counsil today, Miss Lan?" asked Riley.

Nikki quickly rose to address the judge and counsel. "Um..." she stammered, looking around the court. "Could we have a delay?"

"I'm sorry, but your brothers have used up all your delays." a counsel member said, causing Nikki to send a look to her oldest brother. "I'm sorry. The counsel feels a decision is close at hand, unless you have any witnesses to call."

"Eh..." Nikki stumbled, looking towards her mother and uncles. "Um..."

"Hold everything!" came a shout from the back of the room. The court turned to see a dishelved Jet Lan storm into the court room. He was still wearing his suit from yesterday, his tie undone and sleeves rolled up. All at once, he was bombed by questions from his family, until Riley banged his gavel for order. "Order! Order!" he demanded. Pointing the wooden instrument at the defense, he said, "I've had just about enough of your antics, Mr. Lan."

"I'm sorry, your honor." Jet apologized, trying to catch his breath.

"Where have you been?"

"Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

"Where did you go?"

"You nearly had us call out a search party." Kit said, his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I know." Jet gulped, a small smile on his face. "I'm sorry."

"Mr. Lan..."

"Yes, honor." Jet began, straightening his tie and cleaning himself up a bit. "I'm sorry for being late, sir, but something of importence came up and..."

"Spare the court your excuses, Mr. Lan." Riley repiled. "Let's just end this thing and go home. Any witnesses?"

"Yes, your honor." Jet said, confidently. "The defense calls one last witness."

The court was surprised as were those at the defense table. Riley motioned for Jet to get on with it. "Defense calls T. Johnson Peters to the stand."

The court errupted into chaos. Peters himself was just as stunned. "Order! Order!" Riley again exclaimed. "Mr. Lan, what is the meaning of this?"

"I agree, your honor." Peters piped up. "What exactly is Mr. Lan trying to prove by calling me to the stand?"

"If I may approach counsel table?"

The counsel looked at each other, then at Turbo. "All right, son." said the former Prime. Jet went over and whispered something to the table. They seemed stunned and shocked by what Jet was telling them. "What do you suppose he's telling them?" Nikki asked no one in particular.

"Maybe he's getting us a reprise." Sabrina suggested.

"I think he has more up his sleeves than we think." Kit muttered.

When Jet was finished talking, he waited for the counsel's decision. "Although this is highly unorthodox," Turbo began, looking at the other members at the table. "Take the stand, Mr. Peters."

Peters stood from his table, sending a glare to Jet ~one in which the teen returned~ and headed for the stand. "Mr. Peters," Jet began, pacing the floor. "What exactly are your intentions in this trial?"

Peters smirked. "You're kidding, right?"

"Just answer the question, TJ." Riley pleaded.

"My intentions, as you so put it, Mr. Lan," Peters replied. "Is to put your family in jail where they belong."

"And to further your career, no doubt."

"No doubt." the attorney responded, smugly.

"Well then," Jet began. "Mind telling the court where you were last night?"

"I was at home." was the answer.

Jet stopped pacing to regard the witness. "You sure about that?" he asked. When Peters didn't respond, Jet reached into his pocket and removed a few small pop up windows. "What if I said I have video evidence that you were at a sleezy motel in the downtown sector?"

Peters leaned back in the chair. "I would say I was...entertaining." he replied. "And there's nothing wrong with that."

"What if I said I was also at said sleezy motel?"

"Then I'd say you're a pervert and need a girlfriend."

"That's enough, Mr. Peters." chastized a member. "Please continue, Mr. Lan."

"Thank you." Jet once again started to pace. "You see, Mr. Peters, I just happened to be wandering around this system, when I came upon that sleezy motel and where I heard a most interesting conversation." He stopped and looked at Peters. "Want me to tell you how it goes?"

All Peters did was clear his throat.

"I happen to overhear someone who sounded a lot like you and looked a lot like you mention certain things that probably shouldn't be discussed outside of chambers." Jet started. "Care to talk about that?"

"You have no proof."

"Defense exhibits D and E, your honor," Jet said. "Exhibit E, Mr. Peters, is a record of said conversation. Now, again I ask you, where were you last night?"

Peters again cleared his throat. "So I was at the sleezy motel and yes, I had a meeting of sorts."

"With who?"

"Now I can't tell you that." Peters replied. "I can say I was paid hansomely for my services."

The energy in Jet's body began to boil. "I asked you a QUESTION!" he exclaimed. "Who did you meet with last night?"

Peters was silent until Turbo demanded, "You're in enough trouble as is, counselor. I suggest you answer the man's question."

Peters tried to stare down the former Prime, with no success. Blowing out a frustrated breath, he replied, "Vance McMillian and Alexander Gain."

As the court went in an uproar, Jet replied, "No further questions." and went back to his table.

"Order! Order!" Riley demanded. "I will have order in this court!"

"Everyone calm down!" Turbo exclaimed. "There will be a millisecond recess. After that, the verdict in this case will be heard." To Peters, he said, sternly, "I suggest you stay where you are, Mr. Peters."

"That's where you were last night?" Kit asked, his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You were tailing him?"

"No," Jet replied. "I was telling the truth up there, but that's the least of our problems. I'm sure Gain and McMillian heard every single word just now and if we don't find them, they're gonna get away it."

Jet's words didn't have to convince Chip Matrix. He had already been standing when his cousin came back over. He wanted his hands on Gain, but to do that, the boy had to find him. The court was already milling around, talking at a fever pitch about the new development in the case and the fact a verdict would be forthcoming. There! He saw them, trying to make their way out the door, a worried Robert Packard slinking behind them like the snake his was. "Hey!" the teen cried, bursting from his row and giving chase to the trio. Jet and Kit suddenly realized their fears were coming true and the real criminals were about to get away.

***

"That dirty son of a null." Vance seethed, his eye on Peters the whole time. The prosecutor had just turned traitor and had now exposed him and his plan.

"We need to get out of here." Gain hissed, his eyes darting back and forth between the door and the defense. He knew they would be after them before Peters even stepped down.

"This is bad, genetlemen." Packard whispered. "Very bad."

As the court went in an uproar, Jet replied, "No further questions." and went back to his table.

"Order! Order!" Riley demanded. "I will have order in this court!"

"Everyone calm down!" Turbo exclaimed. "There will be a millisecond recess. After that, the verdict in this case will be heard." To Peters, he said, sternly, "I suggest you stay where you are, Mr. Peters."

"Let's get out of here." Vance suggested, slowly standing as the spectators milled about, each talking about the current situation. The trio had made it to the door, until they heard "Hey!" and they took off running. Tearing through the hallways until they reached the door to outside, the three sprites split up. Gain didn't bother to see where the other two went, he just wanted to get the heck out of Dodge. He wasn't moving very fast anyway, thanks to his injury sustained in that retched system of Mainframe, but he thought he was doing okay when he sprinted into a nearby alley, only to be hit from behind and knocked down.

"Guess who." said the green sprite.

***

Packard and McMillian each headed west, while Gain headed in the opposite direction. Both sprites had been keeping up with each, trying to distance themselves between the court and everyone in it. Vance picked up the pace, then said, "This is where we part company, old sprite." He ran into Packard, causing the blue sprite to stumble and fall. Vance pushed the pace further, taking a zipboard from a group of teens who stood on a nearby corner.

He was home free.

***

The Lan boys quickly raced after Chip, hearing the teen exclaim as he watched their enemies escaping from the courtroom. Both boys caught up with the lad when he skidded to a stop at the steps of the building, searching frantically for his prey. Finding him, the green sprite took off after Gain in a flash. The Lan brothers also saw their prey scurring away and quickly started up the chase. Jet was surprised when Roscoe came up behind and passed him, hurrying in the direction McMillian had taken after knocking Packard to the ground.

The blue sprite, seeing the boys coming, quickly stood and began his stride again, but was soon tackled by Kit. A small struggled took place as the two wrestled on the ground. Kit finally pulled the old sprite up by his shirt and decked him for his troubles. "Kit!" Roscoe cried, blurring past him on his own zipboard. "He's getting away!" The doctor pushed Packard into his brother's waiting arms.

"Watch him." he growled, before taking out his board and following after Roscoe.

"You see that, Jet?" Packard replied, wiping some of the energy from his split lip. "That's what you come from. Assailants and murderers. Is that what you want for your life, Jetison? Becoming someone like your brother?"

Jet stared at the sprite, the person who was supposed to be his grandfather. "I am nothing like my brother." he said.

"Then come with me." the sprite replied. "I can take you away from all of this. I'll save you."

"I think you need to worry about saving yourself." Jet sneered, handing the sprite over to some Guardians who had been called out to keep peace in the system. "Grandpa."

"You don't know what you're doing!" Packard shouted, as he was being hauled away. "You're making the same mistake your father did. And he'll pay for what he's done. As will you, Jetison Lan! I promise you that!"

***

Gain tried to stand up, but was quickly kicked in the midsection. "Get up." Chip growled. "GET UP!"

"We're going to play this game again, are we?" Gain said, stumbling to his feet. "I remember the last time we played together."

"So do I." the teen said, removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. "And if you remember, I promised I'd get you."

Gain thought back to that moment. He had been in Lost Angles when young Chip Matrix came through. He had quickly captured the boy and regained his power. As he lay on the ground, Gain demanded the boy call the other elements.

"Byte me." Chip whispered, squeezing a few tears from his eyes.

"You'll do it or I delete your parents." Gain whispered back. Getting by the boy's ear, he said, "Your mother is very beautiful, you know. I would hate for you and your father to watch what I could do to her." The virus grinned, saying, "Wouldn't you like a younger brother?"

Chip tried to quell his anger, the fury only making his pain worse. He turned slowly to look at his tormentor, his blue eyes moist with tears, but seething with ire. "When I see you again," he whispered. "Your ASCII is mine. And believe me...you're gonna pay."


Gain looked at the boy turned teenager. He certainly wasn't smaller any more and if he remembered anything from the trial, other than never trust the prosecutor, it was that Chip Matrix had his father's temper. In a personal first, the virus wasn't sure he wanted to take on this bigger and stronger Chip. But the green sprite didn't give him a chance to decide. In a flash, Chip came flying with his right, hitting Gain right in the nose. The virus barely had time to snap back when Chip used his incredible speed to get behind Gain and punch him in the back, causing the virus to fall once again.

"What's a matter, Alex?" Chip taunted. "You're not so cocky now, you smug son of a batch. Where's Mr. High and Mighty, huh?"

Gain struggled to get back to his feet, when Chip delivered an elbow to his lower back, sending him back down. "Maybe it's because I'm not a little boy anymore, huh? So you're big shit when you're attacking little kids, but you can't handle a teen sprite, huh? Get up."

"This is how you got in trouble the last time." Gain spat and was quickly punched again.

"What was that you said about my mom last time?" Chip asked. "Something about whether I wanted a little brother, wasn't it?" Chip's speed was no match for the crippled Gain, as the boy picked him up and slammed his against a nearby wall. "You listen to me, you sick bastard." he growled. "No one, but no one, makes lewd comments about my mother. I suggest you look into taking some lessons in learning your manners. But I'm sure someone named Bubba will be happy to share some insights with you."

***

Vance glanced between him and knew if the two sprites that followed got to him, he'd be in deep nulls. He could see neither looked happy and he remembered what happened when those two weren't happy. Picking up speed, he darted in and out buildings and people in order to lose his persuers. Again he looked behind him and was estatic to see no one there. Chuckling to himself, he turned back around...

And ran right into a purple fist.

The promoter was knocked back and fortunately, landed in the soft grass of a nearby park. Well, fortunate for somebody. He wouldn't be so forutnate is the sprite attached to that fist found him. He once again took off on foot, but was stopped when Kit landed in front of him. Turning quickly, he nearly ran into the other purple fist of Roscoe. "Now, now, boys..." he stammered. "You gotta listen to me. It was Gain and that Packard guy. They put me up to this, I swear."

"You've never been a good liar, Vance." Roscoe replied, advancing towards the sprite. Just as he was about to reap the rewards of venegance for all the sorrow he had gone through at the hands of Viper and UFL, Kit stopped him.

"Bri, Matrix, and Enzo are already in trouble for taking out their anger and revenge." he told his friend. "Do you really want to be added to the list?"

Roscoe looked as though he might refuse, but his features softened and he nodded his head. Vance realized the two might want to enjoy this tender moment in peace, so he decided he would go off somewhere until he thought it be good to come back. He began to backspace and began to turn around, but suddenly he heard, "Raiden, containment field!" and he was wrapped in energy strands. He looked over at Roscoe and Kit, who just smirked at him. "Going somewhere, Vance?" the young guardian asked.