The FAYZ Trials – Chapter 2
The judge re-explained the situation to the jury. Caine and Sam had gone into the mineshaft along with Duck Zang in order to rescue the Healer and save their friends. As far as Karim was concerned, Caine had only thrown the boy in the heat of the moment without thinking of the consequences. Besides, Duck Zang had asked them to throw him, but Karim wasn't going to say that in court. He'd made that mistake before and had been called insensitive and had received a three week suspension.
Freddy was first to question Caine Soren but, this time Karim was confident that Caine would hold his own ground unlike Sam who had crumbled under the pressure.
"So Mr Soren, you killed Duck Zang." Freddy said not expecting an answer, Karim hated the way Freddy strutted about the courtroom like a school headteacher. At least Caine wasn't fazed...or "fayzed" for that matter.
"You threw a boy to his death and played God, you decided who was more important and who's life wasn't quite as worthy." Freddy was trying not to smile but his well rehearsed speech did hit home with the jury. Karim had no speeches or propaganda, he was going to play it fair, this was a court after all.
"On the contrary," Caine Soren said raising a hand as though in general conversation, as soon as he did so the four guards raised their guns and the courtroom gasped and a few people let out small cries. Caine looked a little surprised and glanced to his left, and then he smiled and lowered his hand. "Oh, sorry." The courtroom settled down and for a split second Karim spotted Freddy looking dumbfounded by the boy's apparent lack of fear as four machine guns had raised to his head.
"Had I wanted to decide who should live and who should die then I'd have made some sort of list, but as you know, I have no such list-and if I did? Duck Zang probably wouldn't have even made the list; he was irrelevant to me,"
The courtroom fell silent. Karim smiled slightly, Caine Soren got one over Freddy Wishman! But Freddy wasn't deterred for long.
"Well he seemed relevant enough to take down into the mineshaft." A few people on the judging bench nodded and said 'hear, hear'
Caine smiled modestly as though someone had just complimented him.
"Sir, Duck was a freak-" some people made tutting noises but the judge intervened and explained the term. "Thank-you your Honour," Caine said and the judge looked uncomfortable. "As I was saying; Duck was a freak and we, Sam and myself, believed that the three of us should have gone down, had there been another four freaks at the scene we would have persuaded them to all come as well."
"But Duck Zang said no," Freddy countered and Karim noticed that he wasn't as charming as before, in fact Freddy looked a little stressed, a red flush was slowly creeping up his neck.
"None of us wanted to go into the mineshaft." Caine responded. "But we had to step up."
The judge indicated that it was Karim's turn to question Caine, and he had some well thought questions.
"Mr Soren, you did not live in the town like the rest of the children did you?" he asked. Caine Soren answered politely,
"No I did not, I lived in Coates Academy with some of my fellow students."
"So you didn't know Miss Arwen-Lazar well?" Karim had thought through these questions the night before and they were risky, Freddy could easily manipulate them.
"No I hardly knew her," he replied. "Neither did I know Mr Zang," he added as an afterthought.
"So are you telling me Mr Soren that; even though you did not know The Healer and had no sentimental feelings towards her, you still volunteered to enter the mine and save her? Quite commendable if you ask me," Karim glanced at Freddy who was expressionless-had his poker face on.
"Well, I couldn't just leave her there could I?" Caine said turning to the jury with a sweet, innocent look plastered across his face. Karim was satisfied that he'd played his cards correctly as the jury began to whisper amongst themselves and steal glances at Caine Soren.
But then Freddy stood up and revealed his hand.
"Mr Soren I was under the impression you went into the mine in order to save Miss Ladris?" he asked and the cameras swivelled to get a better look at him.
Caine shrugged,
"Well of course, she was hurt and needed the Healer, as was Edilio," he added. "Is that such a bad thing? To want to help people?"
Freddy didn't answer, instead he asked another question.
"But, correct me if I'm wrong, weren't you in a ...well, how shall I put it? A relationship with Miss Ladris?" the jury gasped and all eyes averted to Caine Soren's expression, he was smiling.
"Oh no!" he smiled "Miss Ladris and myself were simply friends,"
"Friends with benefits right?" Freddy winked at Caine in his unprofessional manner, Karim glared up at the judge hoping he would intervene but judging by the look on his face he was hooked.
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Caine replied, his face less content as it had been moments ago.
"Well is it not true that you and Miss Ladris shared a bed whilst in the FAYZ?" Freddy couldn't hide the laughter in his voice, Karim jumped out of his seat,
"That alleged incident occurred after the time span in hand!" he said sharply, "Can we please keep to the chronological order of events please?" Freddy glowered at him and Caine let out a small sigh.
"Alright then fine, but surely you found Diana Ladris attractive?"
"Who doesn't" Caine replied smoothly
Karim was annoyed, Freddy's comment had influenced the jury, but Caine's turbulent relationship with Diana Ladris had occurred after the Mineshaft Inccident, any feelings towards Miss Ladris were irrelevant.
"Witnesses claim that you were distraught when you saw the blood around her head, that you were adamant about going to get the Healer," Freddy was really trying to eat into Caine now.
"Well naturally I was distraught, there was a girl with her head smashed in and a by who'd been shot in the chest." Caine sounded irritated and Karim hoped that Freddy hadn't managed to threaten Caine's cool exterior.
"But Mr Quinn Gaither has stated that you were crying and told Mr Temple that you loved Miss Ladris," Freddy smirked as Caine flushed slightly.
"I felt like I was responsible for her injury, I was the one who'd brought her to the mineshaft, I had the uranium rod," Caine sounded more than irritated now
"Ah yes the uranium rod," Freddy was in control now Karim knew it, "A whole new kettle of fish."
"May I remind you Mr Wishman, that the Uranium Spillage is a separate incident," Caine said much to the surprise of everyone and much to the annoyance of Freddy, Caine saw the irritation, "Yes, Mr Wishman I am aware of the number of cases I am to trialled on."
"Alright let's wrap this up then shall we?" the judge said although it sounded as if he wanted to hear more. Great, thought Freddy even the judge thinks this case is one big soap opera. "Mr Wishman your plea."
Freddy straightened up and spoke to the cameras,
"This boy killed another so that he could save the girl he had a childish crush on, he did not think twice, he killed in cold blood," Freddy paused and faltered, what else could he say? Everything he'd tried to throw against Caine had been knocked straight back. "He is a killer," he sighed feebly and sat back down.
Karim stood up and said his bit,
"Caine Soren, risked his own life to save those of others whom he hardly knew, his involvement with the throwing of Duck Zang can be put down to consenting to what Mr Zang told him to do and was a heat-of-the-moment act, there is no way this boy can be guilty, the only thing he is guilty of is heroism."
Caine smiled and was taken away.
Quinn waited nervously for his turn. He'd seen Sam and Caine walk into the courtroom and return looking almost satisfied. He was scared, scared because he knew that Freddy Wishman would slaughter him. He was guilty. He had bribed Duck with food. Only because he was worried about Lana and Edilio...mainly Lana though.
"Quinn, it's your turn." Karim poked his head in through the door and smiled at Quinn he tried to smile back but his jaw was clenched in anxiety. "Hey don't worry pal, it'll be fine," Karim added seeing Quinn's expression. Okay sure, Quinn thought, everything will be fine.
"So Mr Gaither, the man in the middle," Freddy was still annoyed that Caine Soren had gotten the better of him earlier that morning and so he was ready to rip into Quinn Gaither. "You are not accused of murder so I'd lighten up a little kid," he smirked at the boy's ashen face.
"Blackmail is nevertheless, a serious crime, especially when essentially it leads one to a premature death." He peered over to Karim to test his reaction. Nothing.
"Why did you do it?" Freddy wasn't in the mood for elaborate dramatics, he just wanted to rip into Quinn and bring Karim down a peg or two.
"I...I don't know" Quinn's voice was barely a whisper.
"So you don't deny it?"
"Well, no...I mean...I don't know."
"How can you not know if you were blackmailing someone?" Freddy laughed "Oh wait, let me guess-were you being 'possessed' by the Darkness too?"
"Order! Order!" Freddy glared up at the judge but bit his tongue and carried on.
"Alright Mr Gaither, you blackmailed him, but why? Why Quinn why?" he raised his hands in mock distress and Quinn looked as though he were about to break down and cry.
"Because...because...I don't know," Freddy shook his head in irritation
"How can you not know? He purposely promised Mr Zang a fish-yes really ladies and gentlemen- and he went to his death because of you! All I want to know is why you did so that we can determine which branch of mental asylum we can send you to,"
"Thank you Mr Wishman," the judge interrupted "Mr Smith please."
Freddy fell into his chair and frowned, his mind was still on Caine Soren the brat who'd tried to undermine him. He only hoped the jury would see what a conniving little creep he really was.
"Let me just set something straight," Karim was saying and Freddy suddenly realised that Karim was addressing him. "Blackmail is when goods are offered in an 'or else' situation, Mr Gaither didn't threaten Mr Zang he simply encouraged him so I think it would be good of you to revise your basic law Mr Wishman."
Ignore it. Blah, blah, blah. Freddy vaguely heard Karim. Quinn was only encouraging Duck. He didn't know the outcome –whatever. Freddy was more concerned about the next part if the case. In just under an hour the jury would come to their decision on live television and he had to get Caine...he had to.
"Mr Sam Temple, the jury has come to its decision regarding your involvement in the Mineshaft Incident during your time in the Fallout Alley Youth Zone," the judge spoke firmly and Pablo Zaragoza was nervous. He'd been elected as jury spokes person by the others. He didn't even want to be on the jury. He would have rather sat at home and watched the whole thing from the comfort of his sofa.
The decision hadn't been easy. Sam Temple was on trial for several charges but the Mineshaft Incident was the most serious. If the jury found him guilty he'd be locked up for life and placed in a special mental care unit. He seemed like a nice kid, he was nervous and tried to keep clam. Pablo didn't think he was guilty but others did. The bank manager did. He figured that anyone who was prepared to toss another kid to an evil being was evil himself.
There were twelve people on the jury and a real mix of characters.
Pablo himself was a chef in his Spanish cafe, and there was the bank manager. Three women who all had various secretary like jobs. A history student from London, an ex-soldier who was now in his sixties, a vet and a mechanic, a photographer and a science teacher and finally Patricia Young a lifeguard who had distracted Pablo a lot during the trials.
At first there was a split amongst them. Pablo, Patricia, the solider and the three women believed he was innocent or at least as innocent as he could get. But then the women changed their minds and it was 9-3. Nobody wanted a hung jury and having to do the trial would be a blow for everyone. For Sam, for the barristers, for the jury, for the TV, for the world.
But then Patricia changed her mind and she wouldn't budge.
"The jury has decided," Pablo couldn't look at Sam Temple who looked ill and scared. "Sam Temple is found guilty!"
The room burst into noise, some people shouting 'here, here!' others booing and hissing. Pablo sat down and hung his head. Poor kid. He thought. Like he hasn't already been through enough. Sam went white and his eyes screamed with terror.
"Mr Temple the jury has found you guilty for the assisted murder of Duck Zang, your sentence is lifetime imprisonment but due to the exceptional conditions that you were in during your time in the FAYZ, it has been reduced to ten years." The judge spoke to Sam Temple before ordering the guards to take him away.
Across the room Freddy Wishman winked at Karim Smith.