Thanks to Patty & Beth O'K for the great beta job. I hope you all enjoy this part. Char :-)
COURT MARTIAL: Part 25:
Marvel clenched his fists but did not turn around. "Lantern, I may be blessed with gifts from the gods -- but you ... you've just managed to get on my last nerve. If you say anything else, you'll ruin everything you accomplished with your case. Get. Out."
The prosecution started moving out of the room when Jean stopped and turned back, she looked at Barbara more than anyone else. "The prosecution will rest when we start back in the morning."
Barbara nodded then waited as they filtered out before looking up at her co-counsel. "Wally, can you get us to a private room for a few minutes?"
"Sure ... hang on, literally," he said as he grabbed the back of her chair and they disappeared in a streak of scarlet. He stopped when they reached a small conference room. He turned and locked the door. "You okay?" She shook her head and took off her glasses laying them on the table. He couldn't help but notice that her arms were trembling. When she looked up at Wally, Barbara started sobbing. Wally moved over and gently took her in his arms holding her close to his chest and rocking her. "Hey, hey, hey ... it's okay. Don't cry ... please?"
"What ... are they doing ... to Dick?" she sobbed, clutching his arm.
Wally did not know what to say or do. He knew all to well what they were doing to his best friend and it tore out his soul. Yet, he knew as hard as this was for him, it had to be worse for her. Barbara Gordon loved Dick Grayson. "I ... uh... well... I think they're trying to send him to an ice planet?" he started with a stutter. "But he'll be okay ... because you're gonna beat them."
She looked up at him and the goofy smile he gave her. Barbara wiped at her tears and nodded. "Yes ... yes ... we will. You and me, Wally, you and me and Dick. Dick's not going to be ruined by this. He won't be, we won't let him."
Wally shook his head, "Nah ... you know him. He'll bounce back into a quadracle somerflip thingy ... before you know it."
Barbara smiled and hugged Wally, "You don't mind if I borrow you from Dick as a friend occasionally, do you?"
"I'd be honored," he replied. Wally then scratched his head, "Only ... did we just get bitch slapped by Captain Marvel?"
"Yes."
"He's really getting the hang of this judge thing. Who knows, he may go to law school when he grows up." Barbara laughed out loud at this and Wally joined her. "Well ... if we got bitched slapped ... Lantern and Beetle just got the enema of justice cleaning out."
"I like that visual." Barbara smiled a bit then sighed as reality crept back in.
Wally noticed the change on her face. "Soo Ms. Lawyer, did you come out ahead or did Jean?"
"They're not as angry with us as they are with them," she started as she leaned her elbows on the table resting her chin in her cupped hands, " but ... when Marvel spoke about the points they had made ... it scared me."
"But come on, what points have they made. I mean everything they did with Robin was thrown out."
"Thrown out, yes. Erased from the official record, yes. Erased from their minds, no. You can't tell people to unlisten to something they've heard. No curative instruction in the world accomplishes that. But it's more than that. With Robin and Kory, they've proven that Dick has training to withstand things and they've proven he's had the will to get out of mind control when it was the Titans in danger. That hurts us. A lot."
Wally pulled out a chair and sat across from Barbara. "But ... but this wasn't mind control, this was worse. He was beaten down and ... alone."
"I know ... we have to show them that."
"Didn't that tape between Dick and Bruce show them?"
"It helped. But it also showed that Dick wanted Blockbuster dead, or at least that he thought he did. The only one who can show them what he was feeling and thinking that night is going to be Dick. But he's got to keep his cool and the prosecution has proven they can push his buttons. If you think John Stewart has been bad now, I don't care what Captain Marvel said, when Dick is on that stand he is going to try and rip him apart."
"So we do put Dick on the stand?"
"We don't have a choice. We have to. And we have to hope that Dick's subconscious is more understanding of his actions than his conscious mind is."
He understood her and simply nodded.
Barbara sighed, "Which is what they really wanted from Robin's testimony."
Wally shook his head, "I don't understand."
"They already got in that Dick broke mind control in Kory's testimony. Don't get me wrong, it enhanced the judges' view of that and the little excursion into the past with Two-Face and another death that Dick blames himself for, that was all gravy." Barbara clenched her fist and smacked it down on the table. When she spoke again, dark anger crept into her voice. "I can almost hear Stewart chortling with Jean as they discussed getting that in. They used Robin and their unexpected discovery to paint Dick as a killer from childhood."
"But it really didn't mean that, surely the tribunal saw that," Flash countered.
"Oh, I'm sure. But that'll be in the back of their mind. However, that like I said was just an unexpected bonus. The real icing with a cherry on top, was Dick's reaction. That's what they wanted. That's why they pushed Tim to the breaking point. They tried to push Kory, but she was a little more … uh … aggressive than they anticipated."
Flash grinned, "Ms. Gordon, you certainly have a gift for understatement."
Barbara shook her head, "Anyone knowing her history, could have told them that they were going to end up with their livers in glass jars if they pushed her. So they had to regroup with Tim. They had to harass him enough so Mr. Grayson would act like a hot headed idiot. Happily, for them, he complied magnificently."
Flash looked at her with wide eyes, "You mean, they wanted to rip someone apart so Dick would loose it? So the tribunal would see him as unable to control himself?"
"Yes. Of course, they needed someone to rip apart that wouldn't maim them. They couldn't use Batman that would have been … bad. They tried Kory and then settled on Tim. At least, he punched Ted for his trouble. Unfortunately, it was too late Dick had already gone stupid." Barbara pinched the bridge of her nose. "So help me, if that best friend of yours acts up one more time I am going to taser him in the courtroom."
"Nah, you're not going to do that."
"I'm not?" Barbara asked with an incredulous look on her face as she stared across at him.
"Nope. You're not gonna have a chance to taser my best friend because I swear if he jumps up I'm gonna clock him."
Barbara laughed and reached across the table taking his hand in hers. "I do think I love you."
"Sorry, I'm married," he said with a wink.
"Yes you are. And when this is all over, I'm going to help you find your lady love and the four of us are going to do couple things like semi-normal people occasionally."
"Sounds good to me. But ... I dunno ... I've been trying to keep her away from Dick. He secrets some kind of pheromone that makes all the girlies wanna scream and crap." He held up his hands in a "trust me" gesture as Barbara rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Kory used to say that other models used to come up to her and ask if she was still dating "that guy" and would she mind if they did. I never got a fan club like that. It's the speed. I move too fast, no one can see my rear. That's what it is."
"Well, I'd say that you need to slow down a bit ... but then again you are married."
He smiled widely, "Yep, someone finally caught me. When this is over, you need to catch Dick."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Since the prosecution rested, is the defense ready to begin?" Captain Marvel asked.
Flash stood, "Yes. Your honors, we are. We call Alfred Pennyworth as our first witness."
The dignified man in his mid-sixties stood from his chair beside Batman. He pulled down his black jacket and headed forward. He stopped briefly to lay a comforting hand on the shoulder of the man who was, for all intents and purposes, his grandson. Nightwing gave him a slight smile and the elderly man proceeded to the witness stand.
Flash moved around to the front of the dark wood counsel table, perched on the corner, and smiled. "State your name for the record."
"Alfred Pennyworth."
"And Mr. Pennyworth, while I know that most of us are aware of your relationship to Nightwing, can you please tell us for the record what it is?"
"Certainly," Alfred began. He turned his eyes to Dick and smiled. "I have known Master Dick, that is to say Nightwing, since he was eight years old. I assisted his father in raising him from a small boy into the fine young man that he has become. I have no natural children of my own and he is the closest thing to a grandson that I have."
"Now, did you see Nightwing the day before Roland Desmond died?"
"Yes, I did." Alfred kept contact with Dick as his mind drifted back to that terrible day. Rain was pouring down but could not erase the stain of blood and death that emanated from the Bludhaven ground. He had passed by the smoldering remains of 1013 Parkthorne Avenue on his way to the cemetery to meet Dick.
"Tell us about that," Flash asked.
Alfred took a deep breath before beginning. "I had seen the news. Master Dick was having a rough forty eight hours. His circus had been the victim of arson. Twenty people had died and over a hundred had been injured. Master Dick had been there when the fire broke out and he called me and said -- "
"Objection!" Stewart said standing, "Hearsay ... unless the defendant is going to testify."
Flash looked at Barbara who nodded. Turning back towards the bench, he responded, "He will be."
Captain Marvel nodded. "Overrruled. Please continue Mr. Pennyworth." Captain Marvel clasped his hands together and leaned forward on the table to get a better view of the elderly man's face as he testified.
"Master Dick told me that Firefly sat the fire at the circus on Mr. Desmond's orders." Alfred watched as Dick hung his head. He knew the boy felt responsible. He was so much like Bruce, including the unreasonable expectations he sat for himself.
"How did Nightwing know that?" Flash queried.
"Firefly told him," Alfred replied.
"Objection again," Stewart shouted, "More hearsay. Unless Firefly is going to testify too." He threw his hands in the air in a grand dramatic gesture as he swiveled around taking his gaze from the Tribunal to the audience and back again.
"I'm sure we can make him if we have to. I think he's in custody. But we really don't need him because it's not offered for the truth of the matter asserted, even though it's true and we all know it, it's offered to go towards what the defendant believed that helped make up his then existing state of mind." Flash replied smugly.
Captain Marvel quirked an eyebrow and looked at Green Lantern. "That sounds good to me. Overruled."
"What else caused Nightwing to be having that bad forty-eight hours, Mr. Pennyworth?"
"His apartment building exploded the morning after the circus fire. It had been intentionally set. I believe some thirty-six people were murdered by the blast, all Master Dick's friends and neighbors. Master Dick had just left the building and was only across the street when the explosion occurred. He saw it, felt it, experienced it all but the dying. Again, this bomb had been set on Mr. Desmond's orders." Alfred shuddered as his mind went back to the disfiguring pock the apartment building's ruins were upon the street he had so often ventured to in his trips to visit his younger charge.
"Objection!" Stewart was on his feet again.
Flash whirled around. "What now? Are you just going to object to everything?"
"Are you going to have someone say something that actually falls within the evidentiary rules?" Stewart countered.
"I-" Flash's words were interrupted by Captain Marvel's voice.
"Gentlemen, you both need to remember who is in charge here. The bench responds to objections. I believe we've already gone through this. Perhaps I wasn't clear in chambers?" Marvel warned.
"Sorry, your honor," Flash chastised avoided Barbara's glare. He hadn't stuck to the game plan, and would hear about it later. He really did not want to hear about it later, but he knew he would. Dick and his red-headed women.
Stewart nodded, "I apologize, your honor."
Marvel nodded, satisfied for the moment. "What is the objection, counselor?"
"How does the witness know that Mr. Desmond ordered the bomb set?"
Flash spoke quickly, "Nightwing told him, based upon the confession of the bombers. They are also in custody and can be produced if required. But once again, this goes toward state of mind and what Nightwing believed."
Marvel looked at Alfred, "Sir is that correct? Did Nightwing say that Roland Desmond ordered the bombings?"
"Yes sir. Quite correct. Master Dick was upset and said that Roland Desmond ordered the bombings."
Marvel nodded again. "Overruled, please continue."
"When and where did you see Nightwing?" Flash asked.
"The morning after the explosion. He had called me as I mentioned earlier. He was distraught. He asked me to bring him some clothes. The majority of his belongings had been destroyed in the explosion. I brought a bag and met him on the outskirts of Bludhaven's Kane Valley Cemetery and waited for him in the rain." Alfred could not help but notice Batman who turned away. He knew when his eldest charge was combating his own enormous grief. To his credit, Bruce did not leave as Alfred would once have expected from him.
Alfred was not the only person in the courtroom to catch Batman's movement. Catwoman's hand wrapped around his as she whispered to him, "It was not your fault."
Batman's eyes betrayed him. He could not help but feel guilty. It was his fault. Nightwing was not the one guilty of dereliction of duty, he was. He had failed in his duty ... as Nightwing's mentor, as the first Robin's partner, and more importantly, as Dick's father. However, he silently vowed in his head that he would never again fail his boy ... if he could just have another chance. They had to give him another chance.
"How did Nightwing appear to you at that time?"
Alfred sighed, leaning back in the chair. "Tired. He seemed very tired and weary. He was dirty, grunge and grime from the explosion covered his suit. Ash was in his hair, soot covered his face. The look in his eyes was heartbreaking. His words were haunting. I had told him he should be with his friends and he agreed saying "Yeah. The dead ones." It was," he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Weighing upon him deeply. Master Dick believed that he was the sole cause for all of those deaths -- both at the circus and at the apartment building. He was certain that Mr. Desmond had killed all those people simply to get to him. Looking back, I should have realized that Master Dick was in shock from watching the explosion."
"Objection! The witness is not a medical expert," Stewart said standing, a smug look on his face.
Flash jumped up, "I think it's a lay opinion, but I also can lay a foundation to allow it in as a medical term too if I may." At Wonder Woman's nod, Flash walked close to the witness stand. "Mr. Pennyworth, do you have any medical training that would allow you to recognize someone who is in shock?"
"I do. I was a medic in the British Army for quite a few years. I have seen many men suffering from shock. Further, after I came to work for the Wayne's there have been times when I have had to assist Dr. Wayne and Dr. Thompkins at the Park Row Clinic in a myriad of situations, and since Master Bruce took up his crusade, I have been the first line of medical treatment when he or any of the youngsters were injured. While I am not a medical doctor, I do know what I saw. Master Dick was, most definitely, suffering from shock."
"What did you do when you saw him?" Flash asked.
"Not enough, I am ashamed to say," Alfred responded. "I gave him the bag, tried to assure him that he was not at fault and left him to attend his business, asking him to come home when it was over."
"Thank you Alfred," Flash said as he walked back to his chair and took his seat. "Nothing further."
John Stewart stood up. "Good morning, Mr. Pennyworth. You said Nightwing refused to go home with you, is that correct?"
"He was not going home at that time. He had business to attend to," Alfred calmly replied as he sat back in the chair. He knew how his charges were ... single minded in their determination to see justice done. To do their job, their sworn duty.
"And that business was to stop Roland Desmond?"
"Yes."
"He was angry about the fire at the circus and the explosion of the apartment building, wasn't he?" Stewart pounced.
"Why certainly he was angry. He was also in shock and --"
"Thank you, I only asked if he was angry. Now he was convinced that Roland Desmond was behind everything bad that had happened to him, correct?" Stewart asked as he crossed his arms across his broad chest.
"Mr. Desmond was behind it all," Alfred replied icily. He was not accustomed to so rudely being cut off in his speech. His blood pressure was rising.
"And your only evidence that Roland Desmond caused these atrocities is what the Defendant told you? Isn't that correct?" Lantern asked.
"That is what he told me because that was what it the truth is. And you bloody well know that, Sir," Alfred said as his fist balled on the arm of the chair.
"And Nightwing was going to make Desmond, who he claimed was responsible for all the recent calamities of his life, pay for it?" Stewart almost sneered as he asked his question.
"Of course he was," Alfred answered indignantly. "Wouldn't you?"
"And he did make him pay, by killing him," Stewart said with a slight satisfied smile.
"Objection!" Flash yelled leaping to his feet.
"Withdrawn," Stewart said with a flick of his wrist as he sat down. "That's all."
Flash shook his head and Green Arrow leaned over to Alfred, "You can step down. They're done. Thank you, Alfred." Ollie shook his head at John Stewart before looking back to the defense.
With an appreciative nod, Alfred stood, tugged his jacket down, and marched back to his seat. Before crossing the makeshift bar, he took Nightwing's outstretched hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze, turned to glare at Green Lantern, and then moved to his seat beside Batman.
Flash glowered at his opposition, and then turned his attention back to the bench. "The defense calls Amy Rohrbach."
The door to the Hall of Justice opened and Plastic Man led Captain Rohrbach, clad in her dress uniform, past rows of costumed superheroes. Her gaze met Nightwing's and she gave him a smile before following Plastic Man to the witness chair. She slipped her hand through the lasso loop and took her seat.
"Please state your name and occupation," Flash asked.
"Amy Rohrbach, Captain, Bludhaven Police Department," she answered. Amy was nervous as she looked out at all the costumed superheroes who were in attendance in the audience or were participants in the trial. It was unnerving to be a mere mortal amongst these ... gods. The she looked again at the defendant ... Nightwing ... Dick Grayson. He was a mere mortal who stood with these modern gods ... was this his punishment for daring to stand with them?
"Do you know Nightwing?"
"Yes," she said as she looked at him sitting behind the defense table. Her heart ached to see her friend in this position. He did not deserve to be going through this.
"How do you know him?" Flash asked, his eyes going from the witness to the defendant and then back again.
Amy stared at Nightwing sitting at the defense table. She never would have thought her "Rookie" would end up in the defendant's chair charged with murder. "I first met him in his civilian identity. Dick had just joined the Bludhaven Police Department and I was assigned as his training officer. After he joined the force as a full-officer, he was assigned as my partner."
"You got to know him very well?" Wally asked.
"Yes," Amy replied, then hesitated. "At least, I thought I did. He was hiding something, but I didn't think it was anything too serious. Dick was a good cop -- no a great cop. He had instincts and talent that far exceeded what I knew of his training. However, with the state of the Bludhaven Police Department corruption, I was so happy to find some that wasn't corrupt, I didn't look any further. I was distracted by just getting through the day and trying to improve the problems in the department. Of course, after I discovered he was Nightwing, it all made sense to me."
"How did you find out he was Nightwing?"
"Someone put a hit on me, Blockbuster I think. My house was blown up. Nightwing saved me and my family and in doing so, he called me "Amy". I ... I knew that voice. I knew it was Dick. At least, I thought I did. I was almost positive. Then I went about looking into it. I almost dropped it but ... I didn't. Then," Amy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "An assassin was brought into Bludhaven to kill me. Dick had been shot doing some pretty theatrical gymnastics earlier this day but he had made his way back to work from the hospital. I was going home and we had said our goodbyes in the station. I had almost reached my car when I heard Dick shout "Amy, no!" I turned around expecting to see Dick, but it was Nightwing who jumped down and shielded me from a bazooka attack. That's when I knew. That's when I knew that Dick and Nightwing were the same person."
Flash nodded. He watched the Tribunal. Their eyes were firmly fixed watching Captain Rohrbach, which was what the defense team wanted. Flash asked just enough questions to let Amy tell the story he wanted the court to know. "What did you do when you found out your former partner was Nightwing?"
Amy looked at Dick. Her brown eyes flashed and narrowed. "I was angry at first. I'm a cop. I work within the system. When I found out that Dick was a vigilante, I felt used. I felt like he had been ... I don't know ... dishonest. It wasn't real and I questioned everything I thought I knew about him. I felt betrayed."
Dick looked down. He hated having done that to Amy, despite knowing it had been necessary. He had always kept the secret of his identity, but Dick Grayson had had few real friends in his life from whom he had needed to keep his secret. Amy had been one of those, yet he knew he had violated the trust of friendship and partnership by keeping such an important piece of himself from her. She was his partner. Dick had always known the value of a partner. It had been one of the first lessons he learned from his parents and perfected as Robin, partner to the Batman. Dick dropped his eyes in shame; he could not watch Amy continue.
"I confronted Dick. I told him he had to choose -- cop or vigilante. I didn't see that he could do both. Being a vigilante is against the law. It just didn't ... fit," she said interlocking her fingers to demonstrate her meaning. She looked at the judges, her brown eyes willing them to understand what she was talking about. Hesitating a moment, she continued, "He didn't want to chose ... or couldn't. So I ... I chose for him. I fired him. The day after he saved my life I fired him from a job he loved. God, the hurt on his face. Dick asked me not to, but I wouldn't back down. He was hurt, but he knew my position. I ... I thought I was doing the right thing. I wasn't." Amy shook her head. "I wasn't."
"What do you mean; you didn't do the right thing, Captain Rohrbach?" Flash asked.
"I fired him from a job he loved and was more trained for than anyone else on the force including myself. Then, I heard his girlfriend broke up with him," Amy's eyes caught Barbara's. Barbara broke the connection by looking down. Amy watched as Dick's hand slowly covered Barbara's. "Then there was the fire at the circus, the explosion of his building. I was one of the first cops on the scene. My God, it was hell on earth. Fire and bodies and carnage. Only one person survived that explosion -- Aaron Helzinger -- he emerged from the wreckage of the building like a mad phoenix. He was alive, and that itself was a miracle, but he was hurt. Badly. There were so many cuts and burns on his body. The poor man only wanted the pain to stop. He didn't understand what had happened or was happening and he only wanted people to stop hurting him. Some Bludhaven officers were just as shaken as poor Helzinger was. They were pointing their guns at him telling to stay where he was. That was when Nightwing jumped in."
"What did he do?" Flash beckoned her to answer.
"He jumped in front of Mr. Helzinger, between him and the police telling them not to shoot, that Aaron didn't blow up the building and he was just confused. Who wouldn't have been confused? Nightwing stopped him from hurting the firemen who were just there to help, he stopped the police from shooting an innocent victim, and he cried with his friend over the loss of their home and friends."
Flash nodded. "Go on," he softly prodded. He walked to her taking a glass of water to Amy and sat it on the corner of the Tribunal table near her.
Amy thanked him and took a few sips before continuing. "I asked Nightwing who was responsible and he told me Roland Desmond. He looked like he had walked through hell, and I suppose in some way he had, so I asked him if he was all right. He said "Not even a little" and I knew that was true just looking at him. I tried to tell him that we would make Desmond pay, that we'd exact justice for what he did and asked if I could count on him. He was just blaming himself so much though. I told him that he couldn't hold himself responsible and he said "Watch me"." She shook her head. "If there had been someway I could have kept him from going off alone I would have. I should have, but I didn't."
"When did you see Nightwing again?"
"Later that night. I was leaving my shift. It had been a long day; I had worked a twelve hour. Dick, Nightwing, was waiting for me in the parking garage." Her mind went back to him perched on a beam above her car. He looked like he had been through the wringer, and she knew now that it was just getting starting for her friend. It still hadn't ended. Would it ever? "He wanted to borrow a pair of handcuffs. I ... I guess he was out of equipment. I had a letter for him from a girl who used to live at the apartment complex. She was organizing a memorial for the victims of the bombing and wanted Dick to come. I tried to talk him into coming back to the force. So we could stop Blockbuster. But Nightwing said he would handle Blockbuster."
John Stewart scribbled himself a note as he watched the police captain testifying. He leaned over to Jean whispering in her ear. Smiling, she nodded at him as she continued to watch the witness.
"Nightwing did not accept your offer to become a police officer again?" Flash queried.
"No he didn't," Amy said looking down.
"Did you see him again before Blockbuster's death?"
"Yes, I did. I didn't know how to reach him. The phone in what was his apartment was dead. Dick wasn't answering his cell, so I went to his current partner hoping Gannon knew something I didn't. He did. Not much, but that Dick's father was from Gotham. Then the pieces fell into place. Nightwing's father was from Gotham which meant that he had to be Batman. So I ... my husband and I created a Nightwing signal in the sky ... like the Batsignal they use in Gotham. It was effective. Nightwing came to it like a moth to flame."
"What did you want to talk to him about?"
"About how Blockbuster had used the newspaper reporter, Maxine Michaels, to discover his true identity. To warn him. And ..." Amy looked down again. She closed her eyes. "I'm a good cop ... one of the few we had in Bludhaven before Nightwing helped to clean up the force. But that night, after everything that had happened to him, after the way he was hurting, I offered him his badge and gun again. Told him I never should have taken them from him and that if he was a cop I could protect him; that legally as a police officer he could ... he could ... get Desmond."
"What do you mean get Desmond? Did you mean arrest him?"
"No. I mean so he could" This was hard ... too hard ... but she had to admit it. Dick needed her to. And as hard as this was on her, this whole trial had to be one hundred times worse for him. " ... kill Blockbuster and the force would close ranks and protect him. It would have been made to appear to be justifiable homicide. But he would not take the gun. He wouldn't do it, because he's not a killer," Amy stated with conviction as she made eye contact with the members of the Tribunal. "After everything Blockbuster had done for him Nightwing still could not kill him, because he is no killer. When he left Jim and me on that rooftop that night, he intended to bring Blockbuster in, but he had no intention of killing him."
"And at that time, he still refused your offer to rejoin the police department?"
"Yes, he did."
Flash smiled warmly at Amy. "Thank you Captain." He turned to go back to his seat, stopping at the prosecution table. "Your witness," he told Green Lantern and returned to his chair, his red-gloved fist hammering down softly on Nightwing's hand in a sign of solidarity. He was greeted by his best friend's warm smile before they both turned their eyes toward Green Lantern.
Lantern stood. "Captain Rohrbach, let's back up slightly. When you said that you spoke to Nightwing on the scene of the apartment explosion. You told Nightwing that you would try to exact justice on Blockbuster."
"Yes," Amy replied curtly. Flash had warned her of the prosecution's tactics during this trial. She was a cop ... trained to testify on the stand. She stared at the hero turned prosecutor with steely determination.
"What exactly did Nightwing reply to you about exacting justice?" Lantern asked.
Amy looked deep in thought. She sighed, "He said "There's no way to exact justice from this." Amy looked at Dick apologetically.
Green Lantern pressed on, "And in the parking garage, Nightwing told you to let him handle Blockbuster. Is that exactly what he said?"
"Pretty much," she replied.
"Why don't you tell us exactly what he said, Captain?" Lantern clipped, a smirk on his face.
Amy's eyes narrowed as she glared at Green Lantern. He was a pompous bastard, speaking to her as if he was some drill sergeant and she was a newly enlisted recruit. "He said "Leave Blockbuster to me." she replied, "Is that what you wanted me to say?"
"Yet, you stated emphatically that when you last saw Nightwing, he had no intentions whatsoever to kill Blockbuster."
"That's right. I did because he didn't."
"You knew that how?"
Amy steeled herself and glared at Green Lantern. "Because I gave him the method to kill Blockbuster with impunity and he refused to take it. He could have killed him and gotten away with it but he wouldn't do it."
"And you're sure he could have "gotten away with it" under your method of murder?"
She smiled at the prosecutor. "Absolutely. It's Bludhaven. It would've been ruled a justifiable shooting if Officer Grayson had blown Desmond's brains out. Maybe not to you people, but as far as the law would have been concerned, it would have been a closed case."
"And you're one of the "good" cops in Bludhaven," Stewart quipped. "Just like Nightwing was."
"Objection!" Flash yelled.
"Withdrawn," Stewart said holding his hand up. "Basically, Captain Rohrbach, you're telling us you were willing to aid and abet Nightwing in murdering Blockbuster?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Call it what you want. I offered him the means and opportunity to kill that bastard ... which was exactly what Blockbuster deserved. Dick turned me down because he wanted to bring him in, not kill him."
"Nightwing ... that is Dick Grayson, was your partner, correct?"
"Yes," Her gaze ventured back to Dick before she looked back up at the odious man before her.
"And you care about him?" Stewart pressed on.
She knew where this was going and rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course I care about him. He's a friend."
"And you want to help him out of trouble if you can?" His voice dripping with condescension.
"Of course," she replied back with sincerity.
"So, you'll excuse me if I find your testimony that Nightwing did not intend to kill Blockbuster suspect."
Amy let out a derisive laugh, his attempt to intimidate her fell on deaf ears. "You can suspect whatever you like, Green Lantern." She lifted her left arm showing the lasso wrapped around her wrist, "but I think this ensures that I'm not lying."
Jean Loring quirked her eyebrows at Green Lantern and chewed the end of her pen. She slipped Lantern a note. Reading it quickly, Green Lantern took a deep breath before continuing, "You don't know whether his intention changed to kill or not kill Blockbuster changed after he left you on the roof, do you Captain?"
"No, but I don't believe --"
"I'm not interested in what you believe, thank you."
"Well, that's nice, but I don't believe they did. If Dick had wanted to kill Blockbuster he could, and would, have done so. The fact that Tarantula killed Blockbuster tells me everything I need to know; and should tell anyone else. Dick did not kill the man, He wasn't part of it. Period. End of story."
Green Lantern held his hand up, palm outstretched toward the witness. "Just ... enough. I'm done."
Flash was on his feet before Green Lantern's word had moved from the "d" to the "e" of done. "Was Tarantula on the roof with Nightwing when you summoned him?"
"No," Amy said turning her glare from Green Lantern to Flash. She breathed easier as she saw his friendly face.
"Did you see her anywhere around when you were talking to him that last time?"
"No."
"Did Nightwing say anything about Tarantula working with him or if he was going to meet her or anything about her?"
"No, he didn't," she responded.
"Thank you Captain. That's all." Flash retook his seat and exhaled the breath he had been holding as he fired out his round of questions.
Green Arrow told Amy, "You're excused, Captain Rohrbach," when he saw Lantern waving his hands in an "I'm finished" movement. He smiled at her as he slipped the lasso off her wrist. "You can go or you may stay and watch some more of the proceedings."
Wally and Barbara huddled with Dick like a football team getting ready to start the next play. Everyone in the courtroom watched their whisperings. Wally moved back to his seat as Barbara sat up straight and looked directly at the Tribunal. "The next witness we would like to call is not on the Watch Tower. We'll need to get him and his attorney up here."
"Who?" Captain Marvel asked.
"Mateo Flores. I issued a subpoena for him last week," Barbara stated with a slight smile.
"Very well," Marvel replied. "Plastic Man, if you would contact Mr. Flores and his attorney and arrange to bring them to the Watch Tower. We'll be in recess until they arrive. We'll plan on reconvening in an hour unless there's a problem." He stood. The rest of the room stood as well as the judges filed out the back of the Hall of Justice.
Amy moved to the defense table and stood across from Dick. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah," he shrugged as she pulled him into a hug. "I'm okay. Thanks for coming, Amy."
"Like I wouldn't come. Dick ... I'm so sorry. I feel that part of this is my fault. That I'm partly to blame for --"
"Don't Amy," Dick said as he looked her straight in the eyes. "Don't blame yourself. You didn't do this, you didn't cause this. All you've done is try to help."
Amy smiled a sad smile at him before turning her attention to Barbara. "Do you think he'll be acquitted?"
Barbara looked up. "We're going to do our best to make sure he is. They've made points, but I think we've had a pretty good first day so far." She smiled up at them.
"So, you're calling Mateo Flores?" Amy questioned skeptically. "How do you know what he will say? How can you trust him?"
Barbara Gordon stuffed her notes into files while she shuffled her documents around searching for the file she wanted. "Well, there's Lasso."
Amy scoffs. "Are you kidding? There's the truth and then there's how lawyers see it."
"Hey!" Barbara yelped dropping the file on the tabletop.
Amy looked sheepish as her cheeks turned a rosy red. "Oh... uh.. Present company excluded of course."
Dick stretched his arms above his head trying to work out the knots that had formed by his sedentary activities. "It's not lawyers, it the prosecutors you have to watch out for. I have a bad time with prosecutors -- Stewart, Kord, Flores, and never ever forget Harvey Dent."
"Thanks for staying, Alfred," Bruce said as they sat at a round table in the corner of the cafeteria. Bruce sat with his back to the wall surveying the room of all incoming and outgoing occupants.
"Where else would I be, Master Bruce. I did not come solely to testify; although I hope that my testimony was helpful to Master Dick," the elderly man replied.
Selina sauntered up to the table, a tray in her hand. "Coffee, coffee and tea -- Earl Gray," she smiled sitting the tea in front of Alfred before taking her seat. "I'm glad you stayed too. I wouldn't have gotten him out of the courtroom otherwise, and Barbara needs to work with Dick without having certain overprotective people hovering about."
"I am not ... over ... protective," Bruce replied as he slowly sipped his coffee. "I just want to -- "
Selina took his hand in hers. "Yes, we know what you want to do. We want to do it too, but we don't want to get in Barbara's way. She and Wally are doing a pretty good job of protecting Dick right now too."
"Indeed," Alfred replied. "Has Mr. Stewart been as despicable in his tactics throughout the trial as he has been today?"
Selina raised an eyebrow and sat her Styrofoam cup down on the table. "He was restrained today compared to how they've been."
"Which explains Master Timothy's reaction," Alfred replied flatly.
Selina nodded. "How is he doing now?"
"Like his mentors, he is choosing not to share his feelings or what he is thinking. I am afraid that of all the lessons that were imparted by Master Dick and Master Bruce, this is the one he learned the best." Bruce's eyes dropped to his coffee to avoid Alfred's stare as Alfred continued, "He is not returning my phone calls and with the current state of affairs with his father, I dare not call on him." Alfred sighed, "I think that when Master Dick and Master Bruce return, they will be able to reach him."
Selina nodded. "When this is over, I hope there will be something left to rebuild upon."
Alfred nodded in return, "Quite right."
Selina reached across the table and squeezed Alfred's hand, "Thank you Alfred for taking care of transferring my belongings from the apartment to the Manor. I appreciate it."
"I was only glad to assist you, Miss Selina. It is a joyous thought that you are moving into the Manor."
"Or elsewhere," Bruce muttered.
Alfred gave him a knowing look. "Yes, if necessary, everything will be prepared."
"Good," Bruce responded before taking a large gulp of his coffee.
"Why is she calling Tarantula's brother?" Ted questioned as the prosecution team congregated in their assigned workroom.
Ralph Dibney crossed his arms as he sat on the corner of the table. "I spoke to the guy when I was investigating the case. Nightwing and Tarantula had been together in his apartment before Blockbuster's murder."
"And they were together, right?" Ted asked.
"They came together and they appeared to be working together according to Mateo Flores," Ralph answered with his hands outstretched.
"I don't see how that's going to help them," John said as he sipped his coffee. "Nightwing is guilty. He is a murderer and no amount of blustering on the defense's part is going to change that."
"But is he really that bad?" Ted asked, his lingering doubts starting to surface.
"Yes," Stewart answered as he sipped his coffee. He hissed at the heat, it was hotter than he had thought. "Heroes must follow a moral path ... it's an obligation not something they can just disregard when it suits them. There is a bright line here and that line is something they do not cross, because when they do ... who stops them? Us. That's who. And that's what we're doing now. We're stopping Nightwing. We cannot allow Nightwing to become the new standard for the other heroes."
"And that's why we're doing this? Trying him at all costs?" Ted asked.
Jean shrugged, "Well, that and the fact that you both are doing what any real prosecutor would do in any court in the land. Despite the fact that Marvel wants this to be nice, it's not a tea party, it's a murder trial. Your job" she said looking at Ted and then turning to John, "both of your jobs is to zealously prosecute Nightwing to the full extent of the law. Not play nice. Not molly coddle. Zealously prosecute." She pulled her black rimmed glasses off and nibbled on the end of one of the earpieces and stared at them hoping they had gotten her point.
John nodded. "Yes. Also, it's important to show why what Nightwing did is wrong, how he didn't just lose control, how he made a conscious choice to walk away knowing that Tarantula would kill him. That boy is not a hero and anyone at any time that would do this -- in kevlar or out -- is one thing and one thing only ... a murderer. Pure and simple."
"But," Ralph started. "I understand that you're the prosecution team and what you're doing. I just investigated and brought you the evidence. That was my job, but ... I know Dick. He's a good kid. He's Bruce's kid for God's sake. Bruce ... one of my closest friends. One of the best of us. Knowing everything that had happened to Dick, what that boy had went through, can we really blame him for -- "
"Yes," John said, his fist slamming onto the tabletop. "Dick Grayson is not the first one of us in this business to experience a tragedy or a series of tragedies. Hell, I found my wife mutilated by Star Sapphire. Don't you understand how much I wanted to kill her? If anyone deserved to kill someone, it was me. I deserved to kill her and she deserved to die. But I didn't ... why? Because it's not what heroes do. You just can't murder someone. It's wrong."
Ralph shook his head, "I understand. I don't know if I could ever recover, if I lost Sue. I am not so sure that I would not kill whoever hurt her. I feel like a hypocrite. Sitting here when I understand Dick lost so much in those couple of days. He has saved so many, been so much to so many. Are we so heartless that we can't understand his loss; and the desperation and hopelessness that inconsolable grief brings with it?"
Ted looked down and John paused, "Not heartless, but someone has to do this. We have to be better and stronger. We can't condone not saving people – ever! You can't not challenge this and give it the rubber stamp. No one would ever trust a hero again. We need the public to trust us and we need to show with our powers and might, we are still accountable. The press is already going crazy with this. We have to show that we can and will police ourselves so they can trust us to do our jobs."
Ralph looked at them sadly and stood. "So we're accountable for our actions, but not understanding of them? Without compassion, are we truly heroes or just enforcers?" Shaking his head, he walked toward the exit. "Everything is changing. I can feel it. We're telling the world that we don't trust heroes, and if we don't then why should they?" Pausing at the door, he looked back. "I don't know if I want to be part of that." Ralph stepped out of the room.
As the door slid close, Stewart looked down at the hot coffee and turned Ralph's words over in his mind. He had the same doubts, but covered it with his anger. Righteous anger, shoving those nagging doubts and concerns down to do his job. He hated this. Hated being reminded of the guilt and loss over Katma's death. Hated that burning hate that still pursued him in his dreams, when he cheerfully killed Star Sapphire, tearing her to bits. Hated being the enemy. Hated what he was becoming. Hated that satisfaction he felt when they scored points with the tribunal. Hated that in the end, despite the verdict, he suspected that Ralph would be proven right.
Jean sighed and tried to redirect them back to their work. "We can't debate what is happening, we're charged to zealously prosecute. Most importantly, you have to stop second guessing this. Especially you Ted. You're working for the state. Table your doubts. They don't matter. You must rabidly believe in this case and move forward. Your job is not to project doubt, that's the defense. The tribunal's job is to decide guilt or innocent. We're giving them our case for guilt. We have to make sure that guilt comes across, so they can decide what the case is really about." Ted sighed and John rubbed his face, finally nodding, "Let's get back to work. It's time to pull out his statement to Ralph and get ready for Mr. Flores," Jean said as she searched through the manila files for the statement. "If I've learned anything during this trial, it's not to underestimate Barbara Gordon."
"She hasn't even done anything, Jean," John said sitting his mug on the table.
Jean looked toward him. She watched the tendrils of smoke dancing up from his coffee mug. "Barbara Gordon is responsible for everything that went on in that courtroom this morning. Make no mistake about it. Flash is a puppet in her hands."
"Like we are in yours?" Ted laughed as he sat beside her.
"Yes," she said with a wry smile as she handed out copies of the statement. "I know exactly what she's laid the groundwork for ... we need to find a way to counter it. So let's get to reading gentlemen." Jean grinned as she skimmed through Flores' statement. "Besides, calling Mateo Flores is exactly what we want her to do."
TO BE CONTINUED ...
