3 - 2 - 1 Contact!: Trey Riley's arraignment (Backdated, Thursday morning)

[x-leosamson.livejournal.com]

Nathan and Haller accompany Leo to Trey Riley's arraignment.



Salem Center Courthouse
Thursday, April 9th
10:00 a.m.

The press were swarming like locusts--mobbing every one entering the courthouse, searching for any obvious mutants or persons involved with the case. Protesters against mutants picketed one side of the street, and supporters on the other, with curious gawkers wandering back and forth, reading signs or placards and taking pictures. The Salem County police were out in full force, which was fortunate, because as soon as Leo began walking up the steps, he was spotted by several reporters who ran towards him. One of the courthouse deputies saw him, and quickly ushered him into the building, directing him to the elevator.

As he walked in, the Salem Center sheriff was walking out. He nodded cordially to the man, keeping his face blank. Carson merely looked at him and then moved past. Leo shook his head in disgust. Caron had done his job, mostly. Not that it had been very difficult--Riley hadn't put too much effort into hiding his tracks--he'd used a credit card to purchase the briefcase the bomb had been in, and still had traces of explosive material on his jacket. But Garrison had been convinced there was more to it than that--where had Riley learned to build the bomb? Where had he gotten the materials? If he was that careless about the briefcase, surely he would have been careless about the other materials as well. Kane believe Riley's ties to the FOH were indications that they had been involved, but Carson refused to look beyond the immediate suspect in front of him, and they had no proof to prove Riley wasn't acting alone. He sighed as the elevator signaled he'd reached his destination--if Riley hadn't been acting alone, a threat was still out there. But right now, there seemed to be little anyone could do about it. For now.

The third floor was louder and more crowded than he'd ever seen. He was often on this level testifying on the juvenile docket, but now it was standing room only. He showed his identification to one of the deputies outside Dwyer's courtroom--he wasn't surprised the administrative judge was taking the case. Once inside, the courtroom was loud, despite all the efforts of the deputies to maintain silence. The judge wasn't on the bench yet, and his identification moved him past the standing crowds to one of the pews. He saw Nathan and Haller already sitting--he'd given the courthouse their names in hopes they would hold a space, and it looked like that had worked.

As he walked down the aisle to the pew where Nathan and Haller sat, he glanced around the room. He couldn't see anyone from the SCCS or the Angels Clinic, which was just what he wanted. He'd begged Frank to talk to them. He couldn't deny Dante the right to be there if he wished, but he didn't want anyone else from the SCCS or the Clinic to be there--what if some idiot from the FOH saw them? He didn't want anyone to suffer anymore harassment or harm because of him. Frank had argued with him, but in the end he'd agreed, had somehow managed to convince everyone else as well. Right now, Mama Maria was holding a vigil at the Angels Clinic, and everyone had gone there--including TJ, Sam & Nina, who he wanted as far away from Trey Riley as possible.

"I'm trying to convince myself that it wouldn't really be that bad to convince everyone in the room that they wanted to keep it down," Nathan murmured as Leonard reached his and Haller's side. There was a suspicious tightness around his eyes that screamed I have a headache to anyone who knew him well enough, but the look in his eyes was sharp and alert. Part of the reason for the headache was that he had thinned out his shields, so he'd catch anything about to happen before it did.

"I'd tell you I give my clinical approval to that plan," Leo said dryly as he slipped into the seat, "but I don't think you want to trust my judgment right now."

He glanced around the room, and a sudden worry made his chest tight, "You...neither of you...you don't sense--" He cleared his throat, and lowered his voice another notch, "You'd know if someone would, ah, try something? All these people..."

"If there's intent, Nate will catch it. Any sudden movement, I will." Haller turned his face towards Leonard, revealing the dead expression and grey left eye that indicated active co-ascendancy. Under these circumstances his telepathy wasn't equal to Nathan's, but Jack's hypervigilance had its place. As an identity, his first act had been to catch what would have been a fatal cluster of bullets. He was so alert the odd eddy of telekinesis rippled his hair.

"Don't worry, we have it covered," the younger man continued in that low, detached voice. His mismatched eyes slid meaningfully at the defendant's chair. "Tell us if you'd rather we didn't."

Haller's meaning was obvious, and Leo couldn't deny the temptation. Before he had a chance to respond, the bailiff shouted for silence, and the deputies menaced the crowd enough that the court clerk, nervously stepping into her seat next to the bench, was able to be heard.

"All rise, the Circuit Court of Westchester County is now in side, the Honorable Judge Dwyer presiding."

Dwyer walked out of the back onto the bench, surveying the crowd. He spoke firmly on the agenda, and his expectations of the crowd's behavior, including a threat to close the courtroom if the crowd stepped out of line. Leo could barely hear the words, his attention was focused on the quiet woman sitting three rows up, her head bowed, enclosed in the arm of father, with her mother on the other side. He couldn't see Tisha's face, but he wasn't sure he wanted to--he wasn't sure he could handle it.

He looked up suddenly as the judge's voice ceased, and the doors to the holding cell opened. Trey Riley walked out into the courtroom smiling, the handcuffs and deputies holding him of no concern, wearing his prison blue and grey like an Armani suit. Leo's throat closed and his fists clenched. For the first time in his life, he could seriously considering the possibility of hitting another human being. Multiple times. With all his strength.

"In the case of the State of New York vs. Trey Riley..."

The words faded again as Leo's attention focused in on Riley, sitting calmly next to his attorney, leaning back in the chair as if he hadn't a care in the world. His attorney actually had to prompt the man to stand to state his plea, and when he stood, he glanced back at the crowd with a charming grin and then said, in a cheerful, lackadaisical voice, "Not guilty."

Leo heard the angry growl and it took him a few seconds to realize it was coming from him. His jaw was clenched and he could feel his heart racing as adrenaline moved through his system.

#Leonard,# Nathan sent, gently but firmly. #I understand the impulse, but you need to take a deep breath and calm down.# He certainly wasn't saying it for Riley's sake, but he had a strong suspicion that Leonard would never forgive himself if he did anything to inflame this situation further. #I'll confess to some cynicism about the legal system in these situations myself,# he went on, quite deliberately, #but it's always best to at least give them a chance.#

Nathan's words rang out clearly in his mind, and he followed the instructions, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to lean back against the bench. Judge Dwyer was currently reading the lesser counts against Riley and receiving that same self-assured 'Not Guilty' in return. Leo took another breath to bring his heart-rate under control before responding back to Nathan, #I don't think I have ever been so angry in my entire life, Nathan.#

Leo focused his attention on the back of Tisha Parrish, surrounded by her parents. He still couldn't see her face, but he could clearly see the face of her father. He'd never actually met Jada's grandfather, but his heart went out to the man, staring at his son next to the defense attorney, his face a mixture of grief, shock, and fury. Oddly enough, that reminder of the others involved in this tragedy helped ground him a little, enough that his brain engaged again. #Bail--Nathan, what if they release him on bail? Tamika and Jasmine are still in the hospital--I'm sure he knows all the rest of the SCCS staff members, what if he tries something to finish the job?#

#For a bombing, I'd hope they'd at least insist on an ankle bracelet,# Haller replied. The co-ascendency created a strange echo in his mindvoice, but he didn't have the concentration to strain it out. His eyes were narrowed on Riley's back. #But I wouldn't worry. There are guys who enjoy the ability to make other people jump at shadows without lifting a finger. Dangling the possibility of violence over people makes them feel just as powerful as actually inflicting it. He's feeling good now. Imagine the boost he gets by having that power spotlighted on national news.#

The thought was level, but the varnish on the chair in front of Haller was peeling away from the wood in transparent strips.

#Mind the spillover,# Nathan sent, not quite sharply. #These people are keyed up enough already.#

Haller's eyes flicked down to curling varnish. For a moment the echo dropped, and a voice that was distinctly Jim's alone said, #Jack, stop.# The back of the chair became grudgingly inert. The younger man sighed and turned his face towards Leonard, though his eyes were still on Riley. #I'm sorry. But I do think you're safe for the duration of the trial -- like I said, he knows the damage is already done. Be alert, because it's inevitable this'll stir up some bad sentiments, but don't give this bastard the satisfaction of living in fear of him.#

#I'm not afraid for myself,# Leo responded quietly, his eyes focused on the judge. #I've got thick skin--pun intended. But Sam, TJ, Nina, the SCCS staff, the people at the Angels Clinic...# He trailed off as the defense finished their statement on bail.

Judge Dwyer looked around the crowded courtroom, his eyes narrowed, and then to the defendant. "The defendant has no prior record and has a good standing in the community. I see no reason he should be forced to remain in custody while waiting his chance to prove his innocence. Therefore, I am setting bail at 10,000 dollars. Mr Riley--"

Dwyer was cut off by the noise from the crowd--shouts of protest and cheers. Leo struggled to keep himself calm, resisting the urge to jump up and join the smaller number in the crowd that were protesting. The prosecuting attorney's face was rapidly turning red, his eyes wide, "Your Honor, this is 1st degree murder charge! And--"

"Order!" Dwyer banged the gavel and the bailiffs responded, stepping forward to contain the noise. Once a semblance of quiet had resumed, Dwyer continued. "Mr. Riley. Have you anything you wish to say to the court at this time?"

Riley stood with his attorney at his side. He turned slightly backwards, grinning widely at the crowd. He saw his sister and parents and winked at them before turning back to the judge, his stance relaxed and comfortable.

"Your Honor, I am deeply saddened over the unfortunate death of my niece, Jada, but I have to believe she's in a better place now. The poor child would have had no chance at life--never able to touch anyone without harming them," Riley's perfect composure cracked for one moment, and he unconsciously brought his hand up to touch the scar on his face, "never able to go out in public without being seen for the unfortunate aberration she was--"

"She was my child," Tisha cried out, her voice cracking. She bowed her head, shoulders shaking, as her mother embraced her, and her father stared at Trey in grief and anger.

"Quiet!" Dwyer stared down the crowd until they settled, and focused back on Riley.

Riley cleared his throat. "While I, of course, had no involvement with this incident, perhaps it's for the best. Perhaps now mutants will remember their place and not keep try to live like normal human beings."

The crowd burst into sound again, but all Leo could hear was a roaring in his ears and his mind kept flashing back to his hand on Jada's neck, desperately searching for a pulse. If he had realized the extent of Riley's hatred, if he had taken more precautions...this could have been prevented. Jada would be alive, Tamika and Jasmine uninjured and happy.

Heat throbbed through Haller's head, like a sudden pump of blood; Jack wanted to murder. Fantasies of Riley's bones snapping crawled across his mind. But that was only one part. He knew, too, that he was not the one with the most right to anger. At this moment, Haller knew Jack's skills were no longer the priority. The young man took a deep breath, cultivating a pocket of inner stillness in the chaos. The grey of his left eye drained back into brown.

Alone now in the forefront, Jim put one hand on Leonard's shoulder. He said nothing, only leaned back in his chair to meet Nathan's eyes.

"Don't play what-if," Nathan said, his voice low enough that only Leonard and Haller would hear him. "It doesn't get you anywhere." His voice grew more urgent, although its volume never altered. "We can't live our lives to suit people like that. You can't do your work behind fortress walls."

He could hear Nathan's words dimly through the haze, and he focused on them and Haller's support to maintain his focus. He swallowed and forced himself to stillness, waiting for the judge to dismiss the case. Nathan was right about one thing at least--he had work to do. He had obligations. One of those obligations was sitting in front of him. He had to maintain his calm and control his own anger to be able to talk with Tisha. He owed her--and Jada--that much.

"Next!"

Dwyer's voice was brisk over the still rumbling courtroom--but whoever the next case was, they would have to fight a crowd to get in. Riley had turned to go back to the cell, and was pandering to his supporters with that insouciant smile. His gazed wandered back in the crowd, and Leo froze as Riley met his eyes. For one brief moment, he wished he'd been born with other powers--Scott's, for example. Riley didn't seem at all intimidated by the anger in Leo's eyes, he just smiled even more broadly and mouthed the words: "Next time."

Despite all his better instincts, the way Leonard's body stiffened with those two syllables was the last straw for Haller. As Riley turned to leave the court, hand raised in an extravagant wave to his supporters, a sudden pulse of telekinesis arrested the man's foot halfway above the ground. And, much to his surprise, he realized a split-second before his grip was secure that he wasn't alone.

Nathan didn't even blink to realize that he and Haller had had precisely the same thought. Instead, he simply tilted his head and added a very discreet push. Riley lurched forward, falling against the front row of spectators, some of whom were definitely not in support of the sentiments he just expressed. The deputies found themselves breaking up a small, if vicious scuffle, and Riley reeled backwards, sporting bleeding scratches along one cheek and looking considerably more shaken than he had a moment before. The ripple of derisive, jeering laughter that rippled through the room made him flush angrily, but the deputies were already hustling him out, clearly not willing to risk any more confrontations.

"What a pity that he didn't get to saunter out of here," Nathan said, quite calmly. Haller kept his face carefully blank.

Leo blinked, the unexpected scene taking him by surprise, and then nodded sharply in agreement with his companions. "What a shame," he murmured softly, his eyes returning to Jada's family. Then the full import of Riley's words sunk in--"That...that was a threat...against me." He shook his head, still processing.

Nathan's expression tightened. He wished he hadn't made that comment about Leonard not being able to do his work behind fortress walls. "Yes," he said, almost under his breath, "I think it was. And it needs talking about - but now is probably not the time."

Leo looked back at him, nodding slowly. He took a breath and let it out slowly, "No...not now." He leaned back against the bench and closed his eyes for a moment, then straightened. "I...I need to talk to Tisha and Jada's grandparents. Nathan, David--thank you. Very much. I think I would have acted...rashly...without your support."

"Don't worry about it," Haller said, shaking his head. He gaze went to where Jada's family still lingered, Tisha's parents soothing their daughter in low tones.

I just wish we could have done more for you than petty revenge.