The Power of Hope
Chapter One
By: Lily Handle
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Author's Note: Arg, brain fired, chapter took forever and I had to beat it out with a hammer, a very big, very heavy hammer. After multiple blows to the writer's block, I finally managed to knock something loose, though I don't know how good it is. I'm going back to the corner of my room and glaring at the computer. Please read and review.
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"Can you please state your name for the record?"
"Dr. Hope Chandler."
"Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do." She almost couldn't see Stryker thanks to the lights from all the news cameras and flashes from photographers. Almost wasn't good enough though, there was a sickening feeling in the pit of Hope's stomach as she tried to focus on the Department of Defense prosecutor who stepped towards her. Today was her day in court to testify, the day she had dreaded since her summons appear had been delivered to the Institute. She wanted desperately to ring her hands together, but the prosecutor had told her that she wasn't suppose to look nervous. So she had her hands folder together on her lap and tapped a foot instead.
"Dr. Chandler can you tell me how you know the defendant?"
"I first met him when he was claiming to be an FBI agent named Peter Akelm." Who had been silent, brooding and constantly watching her, Hope remembered. Only now she realized how suspicious that should have made her. Too little too late, Hope thought.
"And after you were kidnapped, when did you see the defendant again?"
"I'm not sure on the time, while I was kidnapped I lost track of time." Don't think about it, don't think about it, Hope ordered herself, you're not in that shed anymore.
"Can you please tell the court what happened when you saw the defendant again?"
Hope took a deep breath, "He was yelling."
"For who?" The prosecutor interrupted, catching her off guard.
"Trask, uh, Wilson Trask."
"Please, continue."
"He, um the defendant came into the cabin, he looked surprised to see me." The prosecutor had told her to keep her answers short and to the point, unless he asked her to elaborate. She wasn't suppose to look at the jury either, just direct her answers towards him.
"Did he say anything to you?"
"He asked me where Trask was and then said he'd get me out of there," Hope sighed, squeezing her hands together as they trembled. All of it was flashing before Hope's eyes, every damn, terrifying minute of it was coming back. She tried to keep herself calm, forcing herself to take deep breaths instead of the short panicky ones she felt she needed to take.
"Did you tell him where Trask was?"
"Yes, in a shed on the property."
"And that's when he left you alone in the cabin?"
"Yes sir."
"What happened when he came back to the cabin?"
"He picked me up by the front of my shirt, he shook me," Hope closed her eyes and drew in a deep shaky breath, "He then threw me into a table."
"So he attacked you?"
"Yes."
"Would you please take a look at these photos?" The prosecutor reached for a file on the table behind him, then pulled some pictures from it, and handed them to Hope. "Will you please describe the photos to the court?"
"They appear to be pictures of bruises, on the chest, stomach and underneath the chin. They're pictures taken when I was admitted to the hospital," Hope said after briefly glancing at them she placed them face down on the rail in front of her.
The prosecutor picked the pictures up, handed them to the jury then turned back to her, "How did you get those bruises, Doctor?"
"They were from the butt of a shotgun," Hope could feel the hits all over again, and she resisted the urge to rub at where the bruises use to be.
"And who gave you those bruises?"
"The defendant."
"Thank you Doctor." The prosecutor turned towards the defense table, "Your witness." Now Hope really steeled herself. She was definitely afraid of this man because he was not going to use kid gloves on her. The prosecutor had told her as much, still Hope didn't know what to expect and turned wary.
"Dr. Chandler, do you know what was inside that shed you sent my client to?"
"Objection!" The prosecutor jumped to his feet, "Relevance your honor?"
"I want to show my client's state of mind when he allegedly attacked Dr. Chandler."
The judged glanced at Hope once, "Objection overruled. Answer the question please, Doctor."
"Wilson Trask," Hope swallowed hard.
"Was Mr. Trask alive?"
"No." The court started to murmur softly and Hope squeezed her hands tighter together. She did not like the way this was going. S.H.I.E.L.D. said she was not responsible for what had happened to Trask, criminally, but the court of public opinion was not going to be so gentle to her.
"So, when my client went into the shed he found Wilson Trask dead," The defense attorney smiled charmingly at her, "Do you know how he died?"
"Objection!" The prosecutor called again, "The witness is not a forensic pathologist and was not present at the autopsy of the victim. Her answer would be hear-say."
"Sustained," The judge said gruffly, "Ask another question or rephrase."
"All right then. Dr. Chandler, you're a mutant aren't you?"
"Objection! Relevance?"
"It goes to my client's state of mind, judge," The defense attorney smiled charmingly towards the judge.
"Over ruled."
"So, Dr. Chandler, you're a mutant correct?"
"I haven't hidden my mutant status, sir," Hope said in her best haughty tone, glaring at the defense attorney. She didn't see why her mutant status was relevant. Stryker had attacked her; he should be in jail for that whether or not she was a mutant. That was one of the charges against him, Hope's assault and battery along with attempted kidnapping as well as accessory to murder.
"A yes or no, please."
"Yes."
"So, isn't it logical, Dr. Chandler that when my client saw Mr. Trask in the shed he came to the conclusion that you used you power to kill Mr. Trask?"
"Objection! She is not qualified to comment on the defendant's state of mind!" The prosecutor yelled, but it was too late. The court was in an uproar. She held back the fear, kept her eyes on the defense attorney and swore to herself she would not be rattled by this showman.
"Withdrawn," The defense attorney said almost lazily, "Dr. Chandler, have you ever seen this tape before?" Oh God, Hope thought, watching the defense attorney hold up a black VHS cassette. She had seen that tape, after bullying Fury for a week straight she had gotten him to play the tape that had been found in the camera near Trask's body. Film wise, there wasn't much to see, it was the sound that was haunting. How had the defense gotten in? S.H.I.E.L.D. was supposed to have buried that tape somewhere, along with the autopsy report on Trask. How had the defense attorney gotten his hands on it? Hope took one glance at Stryker and knew. He'd seen the tape when he went into the shed, if the defense asked about the tape due to the law S.H.I.E.L.D. would have to turn it over. And now the defense was going to play it for the court.
"Excuse me, Dr. Chandler have you seen this tape?"
"Yes," Hope whispered, looking down at her hands as shame washed over her.
"Well turns out so has my client. If it pleases the court we'd like to enter this tape into evidence as defense 27 and play it for the jury."
"Bailiff, please bring in the television and VCR the defense requested," The judge said. Hope stared at her hands, even though she could feel the eyes of everyone in the courtroom on her. She wished she had accepted Hank's offer to come with her, instead she'd come on her own. What a fool, Hope thought, you knew you weren't strong enough to do this, stupid pride. The television was wheeled in and faced towards the jury.
"Trask had a pension for making videos of you, didn't he Dr. Chandler?"
"Yes."
"This is one of the videos he made, correct Doctor?"
"Yes."
"Let's see what's on this tape, why don't we?" The defense lawyer slid the tape in the VCR and it started. Hope closed her eyes and looked away, but she could do nothing about the sound. She heard Trask, like he was back from the dead, asking about how she was. She heard herself, whimpering and pleading for Trask to go away. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as the sound of Trask crying out in pain and fear mixed with the sound of camera flashes going off. When there was silence again Hope blinked away the remaining tears and faced the defense lawyer.
"The defense is done with this witness."
"Redirect your honor," The prosecutor said, getting slowly to his feet.
"Granted."
"Dr. Chandler, can you tell us your state of mind when you saw the defendant for the first time?"
"I was relieved," Hope paused to clear her throat, "I was happy. I actually hugged him."
"So you didn't give the defendant a viable reason to attack you?"
"No, never."
"Did the defendant give you a reason to defend yourself?"
"He threatened me with a shot gun. He was going to shoot me."
"Thank you, Dr. Chandler."
"You're dismissed," The judge said, handing Hope a tissue.
"Thank you," Hope whispered, getting up from the stand while wiping at her eyes. She walked quickly out of the courtroom, passed the cameras and spectators out into the hall. The news was only allowed to film in the courtroom; out in the hall there were only lawyers, cops and government officials. She kept her eyes downcast as she tried to rush back to the limo waiting for her outside, but someone grabbed her arm.
"Leave me alone," Hope muttered, pushing against her captor.
"You sure about that Doc?" Hope looked up startled.
"What are you doing here?" She asked Logan, gaping up at him.
"Testifying, just got through the metal detectors," Logan glared in the direction of the security check point, "Hard time explainin' a metal skeleton to certain people. Think medical card's a fake, government flunkies."
"You didn't mention anything about testifying today," Hope sighed, stepping back from him and hugging herself. All she wanted to do was get away from this courtroom, Stryker and his attorney. She couldn't believe how used she felt, actually it was more like betrayed by the prosecution. Shouldn't they have tried to suppress the tape or whatever it was they did?
"Didn't see you, Doc, you left pretty quickly." True, Hope had avoided everyone that morning, staying in her room until the last possible second then running for her limo. Only Hank had managed to catch her so he could offer to come with her, but she'd refused and ducked into the limo. She didn't even give him a chance to say good-bye.
"I just wanted…," Hope sighed, "If I had known I would have waited for you."
"I bet," Logan looked towards the doors of the courtroom, "I gotta tell that lawyer I'm here, see if I can get out of here before midnight. You all right?"
"Sooner or later I will be," Hope mumbled.
Logan leaned down at kissed her forehead, "See ya after the sharks get through with me." Hope sighed and smiled at him. He did always manage to make her feel better about what had happened in Canada. Surprising how much she liked him now when she wanted to knock some manners into him when she first met him.
"Thank you, Logan," She was about to kiss him in return, but someone cleared their throat from behind her and Hope turned around. Two men, dressed in business suits with copper hexagons pinned to their breast were watching her and Logan with stony faces.
"Dr. Chandler?" The man of the left asked, watching Logan the whole time.
"Yes, but if you're the media, I will not be giving a statement," Hope said a little uneasy.
"Actually Dr. Chandler, we're with the MPD, we'd like you to come with us," The man on the left reached into his jacket pocket, Logan put his arm in front of Hope and pushed her behind him.
"What's this about bub?" He growled, while Hope tried to see around him.
"Sir, please this doesn't involve you," The man on the right said, "We'd just like for Dr. Chandler to come with us."
"Yeah, you said that before. What I'd like to know is why?"
"Dr. Chandler is in violation of the Mutant Powers Restriction Act," The man on the left held out a pair of handcuffs, "She's under arrest."
"Uh huh, what for?"
"The murder of Wilson Trask." And that's when Hope's world stopped. She reached up, using Logan to steady herself as the world rolled around her.
"Wh…what?" She managed, looking at the two men, goggling like a fish.
"Please, Dr. Chandler, just hold out your wrist."
Hope was about to but Logan tucked her back behind him, "Bub, you got a warrant?"
"And you are?"
"Keepin' an eye on the Doc. You got a warrant?"
The man on the left sighed and pulled out a blue piece of legal paper, "This is an arrest warrant signed by a federal judge. Dr Chandler, we'd like you to come with us."
"Okay…okay…" Hope muttered, stepping around Logan, even when he tried to hold her back.
"Doc, this ain't right."
"You have the right to remain silent," Started the man on the right while roughly jerking Hope around to handcuff her.
"Just call my father, tell him to get the lawyer," Hope managed, still partially numb, "Just get my father."
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Marcus Chandler considered himself a reasonable businessman. He was level headed and a rational thinker, except maybe when it came to his family. He was a little over protective when it came to them, especially his baby girls. Hope and Thea were all grown up now, living on there own, dealing with the world by themselves, but to him, they would always be his baby girls and now one of his baby girls was in jail. All alone with various riff-raff and criminals, it was unacceptable and he wouldn't stand for it.
"Where do they get off believe my baby girl is a murderer?" He thundered through the phone. On the other end was a man Marcus also treated like family, the mysterious Logan. The man had rescued his daughter, twice, but Marcus knew nothing more about him than his name.
"Mr. Chandler, look, I don't know what's goin' on," Logan said, "She told me to call you, and you'd get the lawyers."
"Damn government," Marcus snarled, "Boy, you tell that boss of yours to call me and help settle these people. And how do I get in touch with that Fury fellow? He told me my baby girl wasn't in any sorta trouble."
"I'll get in touch with Fury. We'll sort this out, Mr. Chandler."
"Damn straight we will." With that Marcus hung up the phone. Damn Yankees in Washington were going to regret messing with this good old Southern boy and his family. The Chandler family wasn't going to go down without a fight, a big fight. He burst out of the office, startling his pretty little secretary.
"Annabelle, I'm gonna be out of the office today," Marcus said when the little woman popped up from her desk, "You tell anyone lookin' for me that, unless it's family. You tell them to call me, right away."
"Uh, yes sir. You want me to call the driver for you?"
"No, I'll be drivin' myself, you can makes some calls to get the jet ready for me," Marcus huffed.
"Where will you be goin' sir?"
"New York, and call Matt Murdock, tell 'im I'm comin' and I'm callin' in that favor he owes me."
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Author's Note: Way before I got sucked into X-men or even X-men Evolution, I was a Daredevil fan. I have had a crush on Matt Murdock since I was thirteen, still do. And since I love my little Murdock, I decided to bring him in. Don't worry, it will mostly be X-men-centric story, and of course I'm going to have some fun when Murdock and Logan square off, because they never seem to get a long for the most part do they?