Vigilare (20 page)

“Oh yes,” Dr. Shaw confirms. “Very retaliatory. We were testing bone density and strength...for super bones, super strength, which we did not find, of course. However, she managed to finagle the device away from the tester and used it on him...mashing down, nearly breaking his radius...his forearm bone.” Tony, still seated in the back of the room, can’t help but chuckle with the image.

“Dr. Patricia Ryan testified that Ms. DeLuca is of sound mind. Would you and your team agree?”

“Oh yes.”

Mr. McVain nods. “Thank you, Dr. Shaw.” He proceeds to the prosecution table.

Judge Carter signals to Aubrey. She stands, shimmying her pencil skirt down a smidge until the hem settles mid-kneeline. Making her way around the table, she holds a pen in her hand, subconsciously working it between her forefinger and her thumb, continuously pulling the cap off and pushing it back on.

“I witnessed the sparkling emerald green light,” Aubrey begins before catching herself, stopping abruptly in hopes of deterring Mr. McVain’s objection at her testimony. She glances at him. He smiles boastfully and winks at her, letting this one slide. She quickly regroups, spotting Tony and Randall Barnes in the courtroom. “Two individuals have reported seeing the sparkling emerald green light. What do you say to that, Dr. Shaw ?”

He ponders momentarily. “I am inclined to believe there are those individuals who want to see something so desperately, they may eventually see it, even though it wasn’t physically present.”

“So, we imagined the sparkling emerald green light?”

“It’s not that you imagined it. You wanted to see it so badly, your mind may actually be convinced you did. It’s the same premise as the kid who watches the movie E.T. and wants so badly to have the same experience, that every passing plane with a light becomes E.T. Or, better yet, Santa Claus. Every parent wants their kid to experience Santa Claus. At Christmastime, any pleasantly plump individual with white hair and a white beard to match may fit the bill.” He shifts in his chair. “The world is full of wonder, and it’s natural to want to be a part of that, to believe and experience things that may be possible but not quite tangible. It’s the mystery that makes it magical. That’s why this city is in an uproar right now. You’ve got citizens who want something to believe in, so desperately need something to believe in, that they too have latched onto the possibility of a Vigilare.”

“I assure you, Dr. Shaw, what I witnessed was not a figment of my imagination.”

“Objection.” Mr. Vain does not let this one slide.

“Sustained.”

Aubrey nods, simply pleased that her statement reached the jury’s ears regardless. “What I’m getting at, Dr. Shaw,” she begins, “there are those who have witnessed Gina DeLuca as Vigilare. Do you propose we discount those records simply because you did not witness such? And we are to assume anyone who believes in Vigilare does so because they need something to believe in? You may consider giving my fellow Vanguardians a little more credit, Dr. Shaw.”

A few muffled cheers are heard from the courtroom, quickly quieted by one repressing glance from Judge Maybelline Carter.

Aubrey continues, “What are the skills required to effectively observe a Vigilare? Do you have the appropriate skills to do so? Is it possible that Ms. DeLuca is exactly that diamond in the rough you are looking for, but that you simply do not know how to tap into her?”

“The skills?” he questions, offended.

“Yes. Instead of restraining and tying Ms. DeLuca down like some vile, dangerous thing, poking and prodding her for hours on end, did the thought to observe her in her natural environment ever occur to you?”

“Oh, I don’t know why that thought never occurred to me,” he begins sarcastically. “Could it be the fact that the reported Vigilare murdered fifteen men and was also reported to have superhuman strength? Yes, let me volunteer to watch her...
it
...in its natural environment. Do you hear yourself, Ms. Raines?”

“Has the fact escaped your mind that the only people Vigilare retaliates against are evildoers? In self-defense, or in the defense of others.”

“Objection,” Mr. McVain interrupts. “Speculation.”

“She did not kill me. She did not kill Detective Gronkowski,” Aubrey continues.

“Sustained...” Judge Carter begins.

“She almost killed me,” Randall Barnes yells out from the back of the courtroom.

Aubrey flings her arm out in his direction, her index finger accusing in its position. “A credit to my point,” she scoffs.

The courtroom erupts with a rumbling of voices and quick glances.

“Order!” Judge Carter reprimands, her trusty gavel finding its way to the wood block repetitively until the crowd idles. She aims the end of her gavel in Randall’s direction. “I’ve read your file, Mr. Barnes,” she says with full contempt. “You, sir, are treading on thin ice. Consider this your first and last warning. Open your mouth again, when your derriere is not in the witness chair, and I’ll see that it’s shut for you.” She returns her attention to Aubrey assertively. “Wrap it up, Ms. Raines.”

“Roswell, New Mexico, Area 51...ring any bells, Dr. Shaw ?” Aubrey asks.

By his facial expression, he identifies what she is referring to. “Those files are top secret,” he states, bewildered at her knowledge of them.

“A light force found in the sand. After ETNA Division’s inspection, under your direction, deemed to be a child’s toy of some sort. Russia’s SPLUNKIN Division, similar to your ETNA, inspected the same site, and took the light force home with them. The same light force that won them the prestigious International Metaphysical Science Award, for its possible link to the ancient astronauts. And here you are discounting another supernatural wonder.”

“We tested that light force for days,” he defends.

“The same way you tested Ms. DeLuca for days,” Aubrey cleverly derives. “No further questions, Your Honor.”

Chapter 13

“DR. SHAW,” JUDGE Carter addresses him. “You may step down.” She waits until he leaves the bench, returning to the courtroom. “Mr. McVain, how many witnesses do you have left this afternoon?” she asks as she eyes the clock.

“Two, Madam Judge.”

“Just as well. Proceed, Counselor.”

“The prosecution calls Randall Barnes to the witness stand,” Mr. McVain states, once again rolling up his sleeves and fluffing his abnormally abundant locks. Gina watches him, partly intrigued, mainly annoyed. She chuckles to herself, barely audible, and looks away.

Randall Barnes walks apprehensively to the bench, his eyes shifty and darting, his hands visibly shaking, his voice almost a whisper as he is sworn in.

“Mr. Barnes, do you need a moment,” Mr. McVain asks him out of earshot of the jury.

Randall’s knee jitters against the witness railing as he bounces it up and down. Placing his hand over his knee, the nervous tick ceases. His face is as white as a ghost, beads of sweat surface on his forehead.

He shakes his head. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“We’ll keep it short,” Mr. McVain assures, assuming his position between Randall and the jury. Clearing his throat, he speaks up into a leading statement, “Mr. Barnes, you seem nervous. Scared. You’re safe here.”

Randall wipes his brow with his forearm. “No, I’m not. No one’s safe with her around.” He points at Gina, looking away quickly, unable to maintain eye contact. “She stalked me. Trapped me in an elevator. Almost let me fall to my death. Then, she hunted me down, like a predator hunts down its prey, and tried to strangle me,” his voice on the rise, becomes more confident. “She would’ve killed me if he hadn’t stopped her.” He points to Tony. Tony’s jaw clenches, disappointment surfacing as he curses himself, a fact he is not in the least proud of.

“You were with Ms. DeLuca and Detective Gronkowski in your girlfriend’s apartment the night of the attempted murder on your life, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Briefly describe the scene for me, for us?”

“She broke into the apartment, carrying on with her wicked banter about how she was going to kill me and I was going to pay. Reap what I sowed. For such a fan of the Bible, I swore I was in the company of the devil.” Randall grins, amused at his play on words.

“Continue,” Mr. McVain leads him, quickly.

“Then, that guy comes barging in.” He identifies Tony again. “They get into a fisticuff, go rolling around on the floor, and before I know it she has him pinned on the floor, strangling him. I thought she was going to kill him. So, I grab his gun...the gun she took from him earlier. I aimed it at her and pulled the trigger.”

Gasps are heard throughout the courtroom.

“I had to do something,” Randall rebukes. “Don’t let her fool you. She is not some superhero Vigilare. She’s ruthless and evil. A cold-blooded murderer.”

“Objection,” Aubrey calls.

“Sustained,” Judge Carter agrees. “Please refrain from elaboration and personal opinion, Mr. Barnes. Stick with the facts.”

Mr. McVain jumps in, assisting him back to his point, “You pull the trigger, and then what happens?”

Randall shakes his head, still in disbelief as he replays the scene over again. “She got up and came after me. Really! The bullet went through her shoulder when she was choking that man. And, I’ll be damned if she didn’t get up and come after me. I’m telling ya, she’s one determined freak.”

Mr. McVain motions with his hand to Randall, a calming gesture, simply waiting for Judge Carter to reprimand Randall for his cursing and name-calling. She let’s this one slide. “When she came after you, what did she do?”

“She choked the shit out of me, that’s what she did,” Randall answers, adrenaline continuing to run through his system.

“Mr. Barnes,” Judge Carter speaks his name. “I know you’re nervous. Testifying is no easy task, but you must refrain from using profanity in my courtroom.”

Mr. McVain gives her an assuring nod. “One more point, Judge.” He returns his questioning to Randall, “When Ms. DeLuca was strangling you, was she facing your direction?”

“Yes. She was looking right at me.”

“Her eyes were open?”

“Yes.”

“Were they emitting a sparkling emerald green light?”

“What?” Randall acts as though he’s never heard or seen such a thing.

“The sparkling emerald green light Ms. Raines speaks of, constituting Ms. DeLuca as the Vigilare...of something out of this world. Did you witness such a light?”

Randall huffs. “No. All I witnessed was a crazed lunatic trying to choke the life out of me.”

“You’re a lying piece of shit, Barnes,” Tony pipes up from the back of the room. “You saw the same thing I did. You said so in the police report.”

Randall looks to Mr. McVain, who nods his head reassuringly, giving Randall a mimed
shush
with his lips.

“Detective,” Judge Carter advises.

“Lying piece of…” Tony sputters, trailing off his words before further instigating Judge Carter.

She gives Mr. McVain the go ahead to continue questioning. He turns back to Randall. “You asked for help from Vanguard PD when you were being stalked, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Who did you report to at the police department?”

Randall points to Tony, quickly shifting his eyes away from him.

“Detective Gronkowski,” Mr. McVain clarifies. “Did he help you?”

“No,” Randall says flatly. “He took my statement, then turned me away. Told me he didn’t have to do a ‘goddamned’ thing for me.” He looks to Judge Carter. “Sorry Judge, that’s what he said.” He returns his attention to Mr. McVain. “Said he hoped she got to me before he did.”

Tony nods in agreement, with total disregard for pretense. Gina smirks, as her mind allows her to imagine Tony saying those exact sentiments in his own endearing manner.

Mr. McVain parades toward the prosecution table, disgust and a total lack of reverence exuding from his expression and body language, as if he simply cannot tolerate any further testimony on the subject. “No further questions, Madam Judge.”

“Ms. Raines,” Judge Carter signals to Aubrey.

Gina notices how Randall smiles, ogling Aubrey as she stands to approach the witness chair. She calms her urge to say something, reminding herself not to distract from Aubrey’s line of questioning.

“Looks like he got to you before she did,” Aubrey clarifies snarkily, reciting
unfortunately
to herself. “You’re awful eager to bury the guy who saved your life.’”

Randall’s smile dissipates, replaced with subtle anger.

“Let’s see if you’re as forthcoming with your own truths,” Aubrey challenges.

“Objection,” Mr. McVain charges. “Counsel’s interrogating the witness.”

“Sustained. Simple Q & A will suffice, Ms. Raines.”

“What were you doing in your girlfriend’s apartment that evening, Mr. Barnes?” Aubrey asks.

“Babysitting,” he says, shortly.

“Babysitting whom?”

“My girlfriend’s daughter.”

“Tessa?”

“Yeah,” he says, his demeanor cocky as he leans back in his chair, casually flopping his arm upon the bench, eyeing Aubrey up and down.

Gina clenches a pencil in her hand, snapping it in two attempting to curb her desire to reprimand him. Mr. McVain clears his throat, begging Randall’s attention.

Judge Carter takes him in with her eyes, her brow furrowed intensely, less than impressed at his arm disrespectfully resting in her personal space. “Sit up,” she commands bluntly.

Randall sits upright. Although his posture has been adjusted, his attitude and body language scream defiance.

“Tessa,” Aubrey quickly circles back around. “I spoke with Tessa and her mother this morning. They inform me the proceedings for their sexual assault case against you are going quite well.”

“Objection,” Mr. McVain states. “The witness is not on trial here.”

“No, he is not,” Aubrey agrees. “However, it is imperative to this case to clarify just exactly what he was doing prior to his run-in with Vigilare. It establishes a motive of self-defense. And, it establishes a pattern, one where Vigilare is rescuing victims, much like a hero, rather than a cold-blooded villain.”