I did not have room in my summary, but I need to mention that there may be influences from Kay. Oh yeah, and I don't own anything in this story. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Don't sue me. Except for a few original characters. Most will relate to the book in some way, but not all of them. And don't worry, this will not revolve around the trial, although it will play a key part in the beginning of my story.
"Hell is not a place, it's a state of mind and body; Hell is an obsession with a voice, a face, a name."
- -
"Your honor, the prosecution feels that it would be in the best interests of our case to have the defendant, Erik Ramsey, remove his...mask. It hides his expression from the jurors, and without that hint of humanity, or lack thereof, we do not feel this will be a fair trial."
"Objection!" Gus shouted vehemently, shooting out of his chair. "Your Honor, my client will not feel comfortable-"
"Mr. Dally, sit down!" the Judge ordered, banging her gavel. "I am tired of your dramatics in my courtroom. If you have an objection, there is no need for the display of hostility."
"Your Honor-"
"Mr. Ramsey, I have not brought up this issue myself," the Judge said, cutting Gus off, "but I too feel that it would serve the best interests of the court if we were able to gauge your reactions."
Erik stood up slowly and placed his palms on the wooden table, and stared at the Judge. "Come and take it, then."
"Erik, sit," Gus said sharply. He looked to the Judge, whose mouth was hanging open. "Your Honor, may I approach the bench?"
She blew out a loud breath, partly surprise, partly a release of anger. "I think you had better, Mr. Dally. You as well, Ms. Crow."
The prosecuting attorney stormed across the room, hissing beneath her breath before she got there. "Your Honor, this juvenile delinquent has disrespected the authority of this court! I demand that he..."
"Be thrown in jail?" Gus cut in. "Your Honor, what my client suffers from goes beyond anything this courtroom has ever seen. Showing his face to you and everyone else will damage what little faith he has in the world. It could well destroy it."
"Mr. Dally, we do not permit anyone else to hide their face," the Judge said quietly. "Give me a good reason why I should allow your client that privilege."
It was on the tip of his tongue to say a good enough reason was the death of a teenage boy, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He could feel Erik behind him, his golden eyes burning holes into the back of his head, and Gus knew his daughter was watching as well. Christine had said nothing to him about the case, and Gus could not have discussed it even if his daughter had wanted to.
This was day one of what would surely be a long and drawn out case, and in no way was it going to be open and shut. Erik himself would complicate matters given the opportunity, as he had just done by challenging the Judge.
"I have spoken to Erik's mother about his mask, and she told me that from the time he was an infant, she has forced that mask on his face. I have arranged for him to speak with a psychiatrist, who will show that removing it at this point in his life...or rather, having it forcibly removed, will cause irreparable harm to his state of mind. Please, your Honor, consider this very carefully," Gus whispered. "That mask is the only protection Erik has ever had from this world. When I prove his innocence, he will still have to live in society. If he chooses to always wear the mask, and I believe he will, it could undermine his right to privacy. I believe that whatever is beneath it will be quite unforgettable. And the press...I don't think I need to mention that he his a minor..."
"Alright, Mr. Dally, alright," the Judge said, giving a little sigh.
"Your Honor!"
"Quiet, Ms. Crow. I have made my decision, and it is final," the Judge said firmly.
Gus breathed deeply, relieved, and turned to Erik with a smile. The boy immediately slumped into his chair, and Gus knew that if the Judge had ruled another way then there would have been serious problems.
"Mr. Ramsey, the mask can stay, but if you ever speak disrespectfully to me again, the punishment will be severe. Do you undestand?"
Gus sent Erik an imploring look when he only gazed back at the Judge, his eyes unwavering and unforgiving that anyone should dare mention that he remove the mask.
"Mr. Ramsey, did you hear me?"
"Yes, your Honor," Erik replied slowly. "I heard you."
No one missed the fact that he did not agree with the Judge's first question.
- -
Andras refolded his hands across the table, and glanced serenely up at the new recruit. "You are to kneel before me, Kevin," he reminded him kindly. "Don't forget your manners."
"Of course," the boy whispered, dropping immediately onto his knees. "Forgive me."
"This once," Andras said reproachfully. "Bow your head, and tell me why Lina sent you into my chamber."
Kevin complied again, trembling inside and out. "She says there is a murder case happening in America right now. A boy...a little older than me...she says he is special."
"What is so special about him?" Andras asked, sitting forward intently. Lina did not normally take an interest in recruits, considering them far beneath her...although she had only been here three years. Ah, his dark little princess. She had learned quickly, and continued to please him more each day.
"He wears a mask," Kevin replied, his gaze trained on Andras's feet. "It is said that he hides a grotesque disfigurement."
"A mask?" Andras raised a black sharpened nail to his chin. "Interesting, to say the least. And is he guilty of murder?"
"Everyone thinks so, but he has pled not guilty."
"Where is this young man again? America?"
"California," Kevin confirmed. "His name is Erik Ramsey."
"Erik," Andras repeated. He leaned back against his throne, the conduit to a dark god to those who believed. "Erik Ramsey. I look forward to meeting you...soon."
- -
The day of Kate Sorelli's testimony, Erik's case suffered a crushing blow. Ms. Crow had begun by asking simple questions to Miss Sorelli, such as her name, where she went to school, and her age.
It was when she asked Kate how she knew the victim, Phillip Chaney, that the girl burst into tears.
Once composed, Ms. Crow pressed on. "Can you tell the court what happened that night?"
Gus held his breath. As his personal witness, he had gone over the testimony countless times with Kate, judging her to be the cornerstone of his case, and a strong one at that.
"I s-saw Erik Ra-Ramsey...attack Phillip from behind...and stab him..."
"Objection!" Gus screamed out.
"Silence!" the Judge demanded, giving him a withering glare. "Mr. Dally, you cannot object to the witness's testimony!"
"This is not her testimony!" Gus thundered. "This is not what we discussed!"
"Mr. Dally, I will hold you in contempt!"
Gus sat heavily back in his chair, and tried not to glare at the sobbing young girl on the stand. "This is not what she told the police," he muttered beneath his breath. "This is wrong...wrong..."
"Be quiet, Mr. Dally," Erik said calmly. "You should have known this would happen."
Gus turned to him in shock. "You cannot be serious."
"And you," Erik replied, studying him carefully, "will learn that my life has no meaning to these people. They need someone to blame, and I am so easily condemned."
Gus stood again, shaken by Erik's acceptance of hatred. "Your Honor, I would like to remove Miss Sorelli from my witness list. She has given a statement to me and to the police that contradicts what she has just told this court. I would like the jurors to disregard everything that she has said here today."
"Are you accusing her of lying on the stand, Mr. Dally?"
"Yes, I believe that I am."
Kate said nothing, and looked at no one.
In the back of the courtroom, Phillip Chaney Sr. met the contemptuous eyes of Mrs. Sorelli. In a mocking gesture he tapped the pocket of his jacket, where beneath lay a wallet that was several thousand dollars lighter.