Conspiracy

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: -_- I uploaded the wrong chapter on the wrong story, so yep, here ya go. Wasn't ready for this chapter to be posted till tomorrow, but here ya are!

Chapter 29 (A Key Person)

"So here's the deal." Sikowitz and Jade sat before Robbie in the interrogation room. He was calm, but his eyes held a degree of fear. His face was wet with sweat, and his eyes were swollen with tears. "We've spoken with the DA, and you are being offered immunity."

It was the best thing for him. Jade didn't want to see him locked up, not after all the hell he'd been through.

Robbie raised his head and looked into Sikowitz's stern gaze. "Immunity?" His lips quivered and fresh tears rolled away from his eyelids. "The DA's cutting a deal?"

"Yeah kid. Duress, self-defense. You won't be charged." Sikowitz unfolded his hands and leaned back slowly, sliding his hands with him along the table. "The Senate came back, as of now your mother no longer holds a title as a sitting judge, she holds no power and can be charged for her crimes." He leaned a bit forward and pointed at Robbie. "You can help us put her away for life."

Robbie's eyes shot open and his muscles stiffened. "Y-You want me to testify against her? Are you crazy? If she wasn't already going to kill me before."

"That's the terms of the deal, Robbie. You're a minor, but you're able to be tried as an adult for your part in this." Robbie's head fell and he slouched back in his deal. "The DA said in exchange for your testimony, you will granted immunity as well as legal protection."

"Take the deal," Jade pleaded. Robbie whimpered nervously and Jade reached out to him, setting her hand on his and looking him straight in the eyes. "Robbie look, you will be okay, you will be safe. Lanie's going to be punished for her crimes, and all you have to do is go on the stand and testify."

He pulled his hand away. His cheeks grew pale and his eyelids closed over. Sikowitz took a deep breath, then spoke huskily. "Here's what we have, Robbie. Our team exhumed the bodies of those suspicious deaths and had our medical examiner look at them. They tested positive for the same trace found in the drink given to your friend here."

"Mom tried to poison Jade?" He looked worriedly at Jade. She nodded slowly and watched the man become unwound. Robbie put his hands up on the table and clenched them into fists, his body began to shake as the tears continued to well up. "She's evil, but-but I'm scared."

The door slid open and Jade looked up suddenly as Beck entered with an officer. "What's going on here?" Beck's hair was a mess and his shirt was drenched in sweat. He was breathing heavily and staring down at Robbie with horror. "Robbie. Jade said you were in trouble, what did you do?"

Robbie looked up, then away. His lips parted to let air escape, and his hands loosened up. "Sorry Beck."

"I…" Beck walked over and looked at Sikowitz. "I apologize, I don't mean to intrude, but can I have a moment?"

Sikowitz sighed in defeat and rose up. "Be my guest." While he left, Jade remained there.

Beck put his hand to Robbie's back and sat beside him. "Robbie, look at me." Robbie turned his head away and closed his hands back up. "I know you and I have been at each other's throat lately, and I'm sorry. You're still my cousin, okay? I know we've had history together, and maybe your dad isn't my uncle, but that doesn't change things. Talk to me."

"I put my mom in a coma. Tried to kill her." Robbie sank his head into his hands and started to weep. Beck's hand fell from Robbie's back, and the muscles in his forehead bulged for a moment. "I just couldn't take the abuse anymore. I didn't want to die." Robbie's breathing grew heavy and his trembling became worse. "She was going to kill me, I know she was. She said it so many times-I was nothing! I had to get away from her. I had to. I knew what she was capable of, but she was my mother. All I ever did was try to please her, try to make her love me like a son, but she never did-never would."

"Robbie, I'm sorry." Beck put an arm around his cousin's shoulders and pulled the boy into a hug. "I know I've been harsh on you the past month, I'm sorry."

"I know Aunt Rebecca's in jail now."

"Yeah. Dad wants to move away too, there's nothing to be done." Beck pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Robbie, are you going to go to jail?"

"The DA's offering me a deal. Testify against her and the charges against me attacking her are dismissed."

"The jury may also sympathize," Jade added. Robbie might have to stand for knowing about a crime, but it was a precarious situation. While the attorneys would try to paint him as an accessory-or even an accomplice, the jury could very well see him as an abused son with no way out. "Trapped in that hellhole all your life, no way to get out, clearly forced to know details of a crime and no way of reporting to the police for fear of your own safety. Ever since you were just a kid…no jury in the world would hold you responsible."

Beck pat Robbie on the shoulder. His lips clamped shut and his eyebrows swept inwards. "Take the deal, Robbie." Robbie ran his fingers across his cheeks and looked away with a heavy sigh. "Robbie, my mom's already going to prison. I know that without a doubt. You're still my cousin, even if recent events say otherwise. I don't need more family in prison."

"You mean that? But what's going to happen to me?"

"Of course I mean it man. Look." Beck put his hand to his chest and smiled reassuringly at Robbie. "No matter what, I'll be there for you. Cousins, brothers, they fight. It happens, and I'm sorry we fought. There's no excuse for it, the only explanation was I was angry…I'll be honest, I was probably angry with everyone in the world."

"So you don't hate me, then?"

"No. I don't. I'm sorry for giving you that impression."

Robbie tilted his head back and slung his hand over his eyes. His mouth opened into a wide frown as his tears ran into his hair. "I'm still in a trouble. I know I am. I also don't think Tori and Trina are going to want anything to do with me after this."

"Honestly? They probably won't want anything to do with any of us. Memories, man. Those girls have been traumatized."

"More ways than one," Jade recalled. Robbie and Beck looked at her curiously, but then glanced back at each other.

"Robbie, you're not a killer. I know you're not. If you testify against Lanie, I say do it. Because if you don't, I've seen enough news program to know you'll go down for the same charges that Lanie, Mom, and Mr. Vega are going down with."

"There's a lot there." Jade crossed her arms and leaned back. That was what accessory and accomplice meant; it placed the person in the vicinity and meant they'd be going down for murder even if they weren't the one that pulled the trigger. "Kidnapping, murder, and other things."

She poked her thumb over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows. "You just heard Mr. Sikowitz. They found the poison on those other bodies. There's ample poison in your mother's home. They're able to place them at her house. So she's going down for murder too and if you knew about it, you could go down for the same exact thing. That's what it means."

"But I never wanted to hurt them. I never knew why mom did the things she did."

"Then take the deal," Beck replied, "Take the deal and testify against that woman."

Jade looked into Robbie's eyes and tried to speak as calmly and clear as she could. She wanted him not only to understand the gravity of the situation, but how much impact his testimony could have. "There may be enough physical evidence to put her away, but your testimony would be able to prevent her from ever getting out. She won't be able to hurt you."

Robbie closed his hands together and bowed his head. Jade felt his grief and it was moving to see, so she wanted to do everything she could to help him. "I know it isn't easy, Robbie, and it's not meant to be, but it's the only way. You can save those women a lot of grief too. She's going away regardless, but you don't have to. You don't deserve to go away because of the things she's done."

She wasn't a lawyer either, so she knew it was better for him to have the advice of one. He was aware that he had the right to a lawyer, but had yet to ask for an attorney to be present. Still, he was going to get one regardless.

The door swung open and Sikowitz entered the room. The man's arms were crossed and his moustache bristles were being pressed down by a long breath of wind from his nostrils. "Okay Robbie," Sikowitz started, "What's it going to be, pal?"

Robbie took a deep breath and shut his eyes. "It's a hard decision, but at least…" He turned to Beck and furrowed his brow. "You've got my back?" Beck smiled and nodded without hesitation. "It's good to know I have friends willing to help me through it."

"That's what we're here for," Beck said. Robbie took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair. Jade waited with baited breath. She hoped maybe they got through to him, but in the end, it was up to him. No one could call him foolish for letting his fear of Lanie's retaliation hurt him, but he had to know that he'd be protected.

Not to mention, as long as she was comatose, she couldn't do a damned thing. Of course, that would mean the trial for Lanie would not happen until she awoke. David and Rebecca, however, would most certainly have theirs.

Regardless of circumstances, all three were in police custody now, and Robbie had nothing to fear. "Another thing, Robbie." He looked at her with arched eyebrows. Her head bowed and her hands folded over in her lap. "Lanie's injuries were so severe that there's a chance she'll never recover. She might not wake from that coma"

"I…I see. And if I testify against David and Rebecca?"

"It's the same thing," Sikowitz replied, "They're being charged with conspiracy to hold hostage, among other charges."

"What charges? I have a right to know don't I? Because if it affects me…"

"Murder, assault and battery, kidnapping, breaking and entering, sexual assault." Robbie paled on the last words and raised his hand up to his forehead. "Robbie, I don't want to place you under arrest as much as your friends don't want to see you go to jail. I need an answer regarding the DA's deal, and I need it now."

"You have my answer. I accept." Robbie pulled his glasses from his face and ran his fingers across his eyelids. "I'll testify against them." Jade nearly fell from her seat, she was so ecstatic.

This was beyond good news. Sure, they couldn't do a thing with Lanie until she woke and was able to understand the charges against her; and they could build such a case to prepare for the judge, but at least now they had David and Rebecca right where they needed them.

"Those monsters deserve to be put in a cell," Robbie growled, "They deserve to never get out. With that…" He returned his glasses to his face and bowed his head. His thumb curled over his hand and scraped at the surface. "I'd like my lawyer now."

"Alright, good." Sikowitz put a strong hand to Robbie's shoulder. The boy looked up at him with a sore expression and a weak smile. "We can safely prepare a case against Lanie. There's nothing preventing us from investigation."

Jade couldn't wait to get the good news out to the family either. Tori and Trina would be thrilled, she knew they would. Gary and Holly would be excited as well. They might not be happy about the situation with Lanie, but at the very least-or perhaps at the most because of their roles-David and Rebecca would be great hurdles to clear. Lanie may have masterminded everything, but to the victims that were kidnapped by Rebecca and held or attacked by David, those two could potentially be a greater threat to them.

Thoughts?