Chapter 16: Unexpected
Technoid had gathered for a hasty meeting. They had really come across a big problem now. No matter what they had done, Sonny Blackbones and his men, had not responded in the expected way. On the contrary, they had been calm and composed. It scared Technoid, and Duke Maddox in particular. Sonny already knew what lay in store for him, the minute they would arrest him, and he was clearly fighting it. He could understand his former employee, I'Son had lived through a nightmare they couldn't possibly understand, under Bleylock's reign. Duke Maddox had realised, years ago, that Sonny had stumbled across something when he still went under the name I'Son, something that made him realise the true meaning behind their invention, and how it could become a deadly weapon. He had tried to prevent a new war, by taking it, and trying to destroy it. Off course, the greedy and powerhungry Bleylock had realised what he was up to. He had found the records in Bleylock's office after his death, showing the surveilance I'Son had been under. What struck the Duke as odd, was the timeframe. Since the very start of the Metaflux project. There were no records on Yarrit Labnor, who now went under the name Clamp. It was just I'Son. Till this day, Duke Maddox still hadn't figured out why. But one person knew, or at least, had his strong suspicions as to the reason. Sonny!. Duke Maddox had come to realise that they had gone about the «problem with the pirates» the wrong way. Instead of winning this trial, and have Sonny sentenced, it was now evident, that Sonny stood a major chance of becoming a free man again. To him and the pirates, this would mean changes, great changes, changes they might not be able to cope with. Not to speak of the lack of funds the pirates had. They had not conducted as many raids as normally lately. Duke Maddox had to wonder why. To him, it was clear that Sonny had good leaders around him. They had chosen him, because Sonny was the voice of reason in their chaotic world. Sonny didn't show any signs of stress at all. Not even when they were trying to prepare him for the surgery to place the mind control device in him, had he seemed stressed. Duke remembered how his hazels had stared at him. Calm, but hateful.
«Your Excellency?».
The question pulled him from his trail of thoughts.
«Yes?»
«What should we do about the pirates? We've already detected a breach in our security systems, it seems to be the pirates, they tapped into files concerning Niobe D'Arish, I'Son D'Arish and the entire Blackbones file. If Sonny learns this...»
Duke Maddox sighed. By now, Sonny surely knew the content of the file. He knew how he had been a pawn, used by the company, bleylock. Duke knew Sonny had every right to be mad at them. He probobly already was. It was time, to change Technoid's angle of attack.
« To minimize the damage, I'll go for a complete not guilty verdict for Sonny». He stated to a shocked board.
«But, Your Excellency. This is madness. We've hunted Sonny for all these years, and now you're letting him go?» one of the boardmembers was in total shock. Duke Maddox rose from his seat, and walked towards his window.
«Gentlemen, we tried to have the pirates make mistakes, they didn't. We bombed Shiloh, to stress Sonny into doing something that would allow us to take him. He didn't. So far, he's stayed away from all media. With the help of Judge Allegi, Sonny's been able to stay safe and get medical attention at the Aarch academy. Putting him in housearrest didn't help either, a clear sign is his clone, wich we have, we have to think new, and outside the box, if we want to defeat the pirates once and for all» he said.
«Then, what do you suggest we do, Your Excellency?» the boardmember asked.
Duke maddox turned towards them.
«I got a plan...»
Sonny was preparing for the verdict. All the material that had been presented these last days, had been presented to the court by his men, and friends, his role had been to sit and observe. In particular, he had kept an eye on Duke Maddox. The old man had seemed angry when the content of the Blackbones file had been revealed. Sonny had felt disgusted when he learned the true extent of the technoid surveilance program. Not only, had they surveilanced him. They had surveilanced Niobe too. The file contained dates and times for every doctors appointment concerning her pregnancy with D'Jok, a detailed record of wheter he was present with her or not, and the duration of his stays. It had been the kind of reading that had made Sonny send everyone out of the room while he read it. A reading that for the first time, in decades, had made Sonny really feel an urge to singlehandedly strangle Duke Maddox. Who had done all this to him and his family? And why? Not only he and Niobe was effected. His own family, now in safety in a secret location, had also been surveilanced, since the day Technoid enrolled him in their program for gifted youngsters. Sonny had always seen Technoid as a monster, but it occurred, not even he, had realised the full extent of the nature of this beast. Now, it occurred to him, over and over, that Technoid was much worse than even he had imagined. Then, he read the last file. While reading, his hands slowly cluthced and was shaking harder and harder, untill he was done. With hands glowing green, with the flux, the seed of shiloh, Sonny lashed an energy wave into the wall.
«The bastards! How dare they?» he was breathing heavily.
«Dad? Are you ok in there? Please, answer me!».
Sonny calmed as he head his son's anxious voice from outside. D'Jok. His one and only son. The son he thougt he would never see. Sonny knew he could never fully express how proud he was of him. Since he found D'Jok, he had seen his son stumble and fall, he had seen a teenager, who's fostermother truly had done her best to help him, who rejoyced at the fact that he found his fahter. And Sonny had tried to be a good father to D'Jok. Sometimes, he stumbled and fell too, but they had grown together. Sonny had been unable to have as much time with his son as he wanted, but never gave up hope.
«I'm fine D'Jok, you can enter safely» he called out to his son, as he removed the lock from the door.
«Are you sure of that Dad?» said D'Jok and gazed at the wall. Clamp had some repairwork to do.
«I'm sure D'Jok» smiled Sonny, and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
Corso looked in.
«Anyone want to tell me what made half the school shake?», then, he noticed the wall.
«Sonny?» Corso looked nervous.
«Nothing to worry about, just lost my temper a bit» explained Sonny.
«I thought you had control over your flux now?» asked Corso.
« it's under control Corso, we need to get ready, time to go to court» said Sonny.
All three left the room and went to make ready...
«All rise»
Sonny had made sure to hand out orders to all of his men, before they left for the court verdict. They were all aware that they possibly had to leave without Sonny, but only for a few hours. A special tracking unit had been concealed on Sonny's body, to help them find him, if techoid won.
«Have the jury reached a verdict?» asked judge Bremmer.
He was Technoid's chosen judge, who replaced judge Allegi. Even she had been made to make a testimony to his case, to establish that she was not acting on his orders, but out of justice and respect for the law. A fact that her testimony had established. Sonny looked at the judge. He had been unable to find anything on this man, nothing that Technoid could use to put pressure on him. Sonny had checked this out of old habit. Years of working for technoid, had thought him to be cautious, and not leave anything to chance.
«We have, Your Honor» stated the jurer selected to offer his opinion.
Sonny felt how his pulse picked up speed. A quick gaze around the room, told him that all the pirates there, were holding their collective breaths.
«And what say you?» the judge wanted to know.
«We find the defendant, I'Son D'Arish, Aka Sonny Blackbones, leader of the shiloh pirates, on the charges of grand theft, Not guilty, on the charges of property damage, not guilty, on the charges of endangering other peoples lives, not guilty, on chages of industrial espionage..»
This was it, here it comes, Sonny thought to himself. There was no way they were going to clear him on all charges.
«Not guilty, in total summarize, Sonny Blackbones is found not guilty in any crime».
Judge Bremmer banged his hammer in the desk.
«I hereby order Sonny Blackbones immideately released from any claims from Technoid, and the current housearrest he is held in. Congratulations Sonny, you truly earned this, enjoy your freedom. This court is adjourned!".
Sonny just remained seated. He couldn't possibly have hoped for this much. It was overwhelming.
"Sonny?" Corso tapped his shoulder gently. Sonny looked up.
"It's over Sonny, you won!".
Sonny shook his head.
"No Corso, we won" he smiled.
He didn't want to tell his men of his suspicions today, now was the time for celebration. As he looked up, he saw Duke Maddox make his way towards him. Sonny rose from his seat. Duke Maddox stopped in front of him.
"Congratulations Sonny, you gained your freedom" the old man tried to smile.
"Thank you, Your Excellency" Sonny responded with a humble bow.
"Come see me, if you need a job Sonny. I'm sure we got something that might be of interrest to you" The Duke informed.
"Thank you, Your Excellency, but I seem to have this allergy towards buildings with the Technoid logo and their labs" smiled Sonny sheepishly.
"How does freelancing sound then?" The duke wasn't brushed off all that easily.
"I'll think about it, and let you know when I make a decission" replied Sonny.
Slowly, the pirates made it out of the courtroom. People everywhere wanted to shake Sonny's hand and congratulate him.
Finally, they made it to the taxi and headed back to Aarch Academy.
The celebration was to involve all involded parties, and the Black Manta wasn't big enough for that...
This chapter is short, but the next will be longer. Why did Technoid have a change of heart? And what is it Sonny isn't telling his men? How will life in freedom be like for Sonny and his men? All this is to follow. Enjoy