Chapter Seven

I was awaken an hour later by someone roughly shaking my shoulder. I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the face of a very concerned Katie Stone. Once she saw that I was awake she pushed back and allowed me to sit up.

"You okay? What happened?" She asked once I was stable.

"I don't know...all I remember was this little girl coming in here with a present for me. Once I opened the box I was surrounded by a thick fog of sleeping gas. Then a prerecorded message came on. Some group called the Soprano Clan..."

"I've never heard of such a group." Stoner said quietly.

"Well neither have I..."

"You think they're another group after Amanda?"

"No, I don't think any of the top world leaders are the targets of the group."

"Then who? Who else would be on the hit list?"

I looked up at her and smiled.

"Who else has the power to anger people?"

"You? But why?"

"I really don't know, but I am obligated to find out."

"Well that's going to have to wait. I was sent here by Amanda and Mike to find you. The trial was suppose to start an hour ago and you weren't there."

After cursing under my breath, I quickly jumped to my feet. Unfortunately this caused a huge wave of dizziness to wash over me. I clutched Katie's arm as I tried to steady myself.

"You take it easy young lady. You just woke up and I bet that gas is still affecting you." Katie said sternly as she held me.

"Yes mother...but I need to get to the trial. They're probably mad right now."

"Fine but I'm going to help you."

"I don't need help."

"Yes you do, oh stubborn one, so deal with it."

I sighed in defeat and she smiled at me. She began to help me down the hallway to another room. I took the opportunity to look at some of the walls as I passed. This courthouse had to be the most elegant of them all. It was furnished with dark red walls and clean tiled flooring. The walls also had photographs of famous world leaders. Why they are there is still a mystery to me, but Amanda insisted.

"Well here we are." Stoner voice called out, breaking my thoughts.

I looked up as she opened the two large brown doors in front of me. We walked into the courtroom to be face to face with the other clarinets.

"Cheryl! Where were you? Are you okay?" They all asked at once rushing to my side.

"I'm fine, I was attacked..."

"Explain." Mike said calmly.

I then explained about the little girl, and the box with the sleeping gas. When I told them about the message they all were shocked. They began to whisper excitingly to each other about this new development. By listening to them, I learned none of them have ever heard of this group. This was bad news because it was going to make it harder to figure the new enemies out. Finally Mike spoke to us all again.

"These are unfortunate developments. They will have to be addressed. But now is not the time, we have a trial to start. I hereby call an emergence meeting after the case to start this discussion, lets catch them before it gets out of hand."

We all bowed our heads with agreement to our King. He and Amanda turned and went to take their seats. I could see a small hint of fear in Amanda's eyes but she quickly covered it up with a look of pure power and elegance that only a true queen could produce. We followed them and each took our own seats.

The courtroom was separated into two parts. One half was for the general public. They were half full already with spectators and reporters. The other half was the place where all the action happens. There was a long table where the accused sat. Across from that was where we sat. It was a two-row arrangement. I sat in the middle on the lower level of the two. On my left sat Maria and the boys, and on my right were the girls, Lauren being the closest. Above us, in the two golden thrones, sat Mike and Amanda.

Once we were all seated, I raised a hand and waved it to the officer that was standing next to us on the floor. He gave me a bow and made his way over to the door on his left. He walked out with the nine Trumpeters that I catch yesterday. They were all wearing orange suites and were chained at the feet. They were then seated in the table in front of us. I then stood up and began to speak.

"Members of the Trumpeters, you are here today charged from the hostile attack on the sushi restaurant last night. You're aloud to have a lawyer to defend you, and yet you chose not. Is this information correct?"

The nine of them sat silently, glaring at me.

"Cheryl asked you a question." Andy said staring at them dangerously. "I think it would be wise to answer her."

Again, they remained silent.

"You are all being trailed here. So start answering my questions if you want to leave this courtroom actually alive." I threatened.

"Yes!" One finally yelled sarcastically. "We chose not to have a lawyer."

"See? Now was that so hard to do?" I asked sweetly, taking my seat. "This will quickly be done and over with if you just answer my questions honestly and quickly. Now lets begin."

"What's the point of being trailed if we're already guilty?" One asked suddenly. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

"This is not to see if your are innocent of your crime. It is to see why you did this, who may have sent you, and what we plan to do with you in the end." Maria explained calmly to them.

"So what privilege do we have to have all the Clarinet Leaders present?" The leader asked sarcastically.

We happen to be in the area trumpet slug." Snarled Stephanie. "But I would watch what you say. Nine clarinets deciding your fate are much worse that one or two. If I had it my way, you would be long gone."

"Well its not Stephanie. Now everyone please! This is a serious matter." I explained shaking my head.

"So why don't you all zip it so we can get this over with." Another called out.

The courtroom got quiet and everyone stared at me.

"We want to know who sent you and why. If you answer truthfully then maybe, just maybe, I will drop the charges and let you go free."

Again the room got quiet I could see the thoughtful looks on the Trumpeters faces. Some were actually considering my proposal. This was actually funny. Back when I first started to catch these idiots they wouldn't talk. It would take weeks of torture to make them tell me what I needed to know. But they were the most loyal ones, and we have them all captured.

"It was Dan Cornick." The teen spoke up suddenly.

"Traitor!" Hissed his comrades.

"Dan? But that doesn't make sense. The last time I checked Brian was the main leader. He was the one who gave out the orders and such." I thought out loud, clearly confused about the matter at hand.

"He use to be, but he got really sick lately. So Dan is taking over by orders of his brother...at least, that is what he tells us." The teen explained.

Lauren and I glanced at each other out of the corner of our eyes. She raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged slightly. Something about this sounded fishy and I was glad to see that she noticed it too. Corey spoke then.

"Why are you telling us this? Even if we are to drop your charges, this is the first time that a Trumpeter has told us anything. Even the ones that we sat in a room and questioned for days were much harder to get to tell us anything. And yet here you are."

Before the teen could open his mouth and explain him, the big person spoke first.

"You Clarinets have already captured some of our best men...and women." He added hastily looking the women who glared at him. "So we only have our newly trained people on the field. And they are too weak and scared to know not to talk."

"I am not weak. I just choose my life over death."

"You are just a little foolish boy!" One of the girls yelled suddenly at him. "Have you learned nothing from all of your training from us?"

"Defend and protect myself from any and all harm. Rule 26."

"Yes but that doesn't mean betraying you team mates." Another one countered glaring at him.

"Oh shut up! All of you!" I yelled slamming the mallet to the table.

Again, the room fell into a sudden silent as I started to rub my eyes. I took a deep breath and let it out in a loud sigh.

"You are all pathetic! I have never met such an annoying and loud group. The whole lots of you are giving me a huge headache. Whose stupid idea was it to have you all trailed at once anyways?"

Lauren leaned over and answered that one for me.

"It was your idea Cheryl."

"Oh..."

I could hear the others laugh softly at me and I smiled. I guess this loud mess was mine after all. I looked at the nine Trumpeters in front of. I wondered what I was going to do with them. Then my gaze stopped on the teenager. An idea came into my head and I smiled at Maria.

"I think I have come up with an idea of what to do with them all." I whispered to her.

"Really? What idea is that?"

I smiled to her slyly and stood up. A last time the room fell into a silence that was almost unnerving. Yet, it was completely understandable of why they were. Everyone knew that I have come up with my decision to the matter. In addition, what an idea I had too.

"By looking at all of the evidence," I started. "I have decided what is to happen with these trailed Trumpeters. I want those eight taken back to the cell, you are all guilty. I also want the teenager to stay here."

There was uproar from the Trumpeters as they were removed from the room. I then sent the crowd out too, leaving the nine clarinets and the Trumpeter alone. I smiled and sat down.

" What do you want with me?" The boy asked nervously.

" I am not going to hurt you. Like I promised, the moment we're done, you're free to go."

" Cheryl?" The others exclaimed.

" I want to ask you some questions. The faster you give me answers the faster you can leave." I said ignoring the others.

" Okay, just don't kill me..."

"I would never! What gave you that idea?"

" That is what they say at the Trumpeters place. The clarinet player Cheryl kills the captured Trumpeters."

" None are dead, they just stay locked up in my cells around the world. In fact, as soon as one is to die, I release them so they may die in peace. I can't kill them, that would make me as barbaric as the Trumpeters." I said with a reassuring smile.

" Okay, what do you want to know?"

" Why are you a Trumpeter?"

" I wanted some adventure."

The others rolled their eyes at this.

" Where were you trained?"

" I started in Russia and then moved to South Africa."

" Who trained you?"

" Braden and Amy."

" Who is the Soprano Clan?"

" I've never heard of them."

" You sure?"

" Yeah..."

"Alright, what is the Trumpeters plan?"

" Well I've heard rumors that the assassination attempt on your Queen was to throw you off."

" Meaning?"

" They plan to go big, like knocking out all of you at once."

" Good luck at that...Finally, where are the Cornick brothers located?"

" Canada."

" What?"

" They are in Canada last time I heard..."

I looked at Lauren in surprise.

" I never knew that!"

" Me neither..." She said with equal surprise.

" Cheryl," Mike called out. "Address this matter at once."

" Yes my King, they will be captured.

I waved my hand.

" Release him, but boy hear me out, so help me of you ever go back to them. Because your next trial will not be so friendly."

" Okay!" He said, his voice cracking. "I understand."

" The Trumpeters are mine!" I declared grinning.