August 1, 12:30 P.M. District Court, Courtroom No. 1

Helado conducted himself while Ms. Mazak left the stand and stood next to the bailiff angrily. Out of nowhere, a telephone on a wall near the judge started ringing. It startled some of the people in the court gallery, and annoyed others. His Honor took no delay in answering it.

Phoenix sighed, "What gives. I suppose anything goes nowadays in courtrooms."

Jamie replied, "Not that I know of. It might just be that the judge is discussing important matters right now. There aren't that many calls made to a courtroom phone." The defense attorney looked at the news crews. They were about as mystified as he was.

"Very well. I'll see the witness once they arrive." His Honor set the phone into its receiver.

"It seems that a new witness is arriving," he said. "Sybil Mackey, the friend of Ms. Mazak, has decided that she has a few words to exchange in regards to the murder. Mr. Helado."

Mr. Helado answered, "Yes, Your Honor."

"While we wait for the witness to arrive, we need some time to look at the facts. Specifically, what has happened so for in the case and what we know.", added the judge.

Helado gave the scoop quickly and efficiently.

"We know that Reggie Simmons was killed in the boys locker room five days ago. We also know that the band director did not kill him, and that there is currently no evidence that ties the defendant to the crime. On a second note, el señor Wright tiene que intensificar su juego."

Phoenix interrupted, "And the only leads we have right now is Reece Handel and his connection to Ms. Mazak, and potentially Sybil Mackey. For now, there is little to go on."

Helado remarked, "You're a defense attorney, so that's what usually happens to your case."

Phoenix mumbled, "No kidding."

The doors of the courtroom opened suddenly, and a teenage girl paraded her way past the cameras up to the bailiff.

She grumbled, "I'm here. Now get me on the witness stand." Within 10 seconds, Sybil was on the stand and facing the gallery with an iron stare at the Ratchet News Network cameraman. With a monotone voice, she began to speak.

"Hello, people of the common world. I am Sybil Elizabeth Mackey, the next witness for the prosecution. I go by 'Sybbie', if you please. For if you don't respect my name, I will disown yours. Is that clear?!"

Helado chuckled, "Ella es una luchadora uno, bien."

She snapped, "Idiota!"

Helado's face receded into his skull and he shut his face as quickly as he had opened it.

"Very well," she resumed. "As you may have noticed, I am not in a very delightful mood today. For at the last trial I testified in, I was berated by the defense, laughed at, pointed at, and treated ghastly. If I sound like a female version of Squidward Tentacles, I apologize. As you can see, Reggie Simmons was murdered five days ago."

Phoenix sneered, "Tell us something we don't know..."

Sybbie yelled, "Aw, shut up!"

The defense attorney's head came down on the counsel bench in shock.

"As I was saying, my ex-boyfriend was doing things that made him a target for violent retaliation."

The judge asked, "Retaliation? Violence? Sounds like your testimony will shed new light on the case."

Phoenix thought, "More like stall the case even further and bore the gallery to death." The judge banged his gavel and let Sybbie do the talking.

"I remember the days of when Reggie and I were a happy couple. For about 6 months, we were pretty serious. And then he broke up with me. That's what made me realize that he liked to take advantage of people. And then someone decided they had enough with Reggie, and they killed him!" Her index finger moved to the right half of the courtroom.

His Honor grumbled, "So you're basically saying that the defendant is guilty and nothing more."

Sybbie growled, "Oh, no. Not just that. Not only did the defendant kill him, but she knew that the whole drunken crash incident in the parking lot was going to happen, but didn't say anything!"

The defense attorney pondered, "She reminds me of a conspiracy theorist for some reason. Why all the accusations without any proof? She won't last very long on the stand."

The judge acknowledged the defense for the first time in 15 minutes when he said, "Mr. Wright, you can Cross-Examine the witness." Phoenix glared at Sybbie, who was still looking straight into the eyes of the RNN cameraman for no apparent reason. Helado tapped his foot impatiently.

"I remember the days of when Reggie and I were a happy couple. For about 6 months, we were pretty serious. And then he broke up with me."

Phoenix exclaimed, "Hold it!"

"Could you be a bit more specific? Saying that you were 'serious' with another person is a little vague."

Sybbie snapped out of her depression that instant. "Oh, well, he asked me out for prom last year and then we started dating shortly thereafter. And we went on dates, rolled around in the grass, made jokes, you know? All the spoils? And then he ended the relationship. He said that he 'had to'. It was by decree of him parents. That's all that happened."

The attorney whispered, "Your emotions and thoughts are all over the place, Sybbie. One moment you're pissed off and the next you're back to normal. I can already see where this is going..."

"That's what made me realize that he liked to take advantage of people. And then someone decided they had enough with Reggie, and they killed him!"

Phoenix repeated himself by calling out, "Hold it!"

"I'd like to know right now where these accusations are coming from. After all, evidence is everything in this room."

Sybbie scoffed, "Quit with the sass, Mr. Point-finger. This is my testimony, after all. You're just in for the ride. So quit being a backseat driver!"

Helado interrupted the exchange with his own catchphrase. "¡Objeción!"

"Srta. Mackey, this may be your testimony, but this isn't your courtroom. Pulling at straws and claiming that 'somebody did este and aquello is insufficient to back up your claims. Contribute or I will send su culo out the door." Sybbie growled deeply in outrage.

Jamie sighed, "Mr. Helado is sure acting strangely today."

Phoenix suggested, "I bet he realized sometime in the past 15 minutes that his case is vanishing faster than he can make it stand."

She laughed, "That doesn't seem to be too far off from the truth."

The judge closed his eyes and grunted before speaking. "Ms. Mackey, it appears your testimony has fallen to pieces. Could you please give your testimony again?"