Chapter 25
Elijah
“Commander Walsh, please state for the panel your history with Detective Joshua Hart.”
The Commander’s eyes glittered with malicious glee where he sat in the chair provided for all witnesses brought to give testimony. “I met Joshua Hart eighteen years ago when he lied about his age in order to gain admittance to the Lycan Detective program.”
The prosecutor, Camilla Hightower, nodded. “I understand you petitioned to have Detective Hart removed from consideration. Is that correct?”
“You’re damn right it’s correct.”
“Language, Commander,” Lily Albright cautioned from her seat on the panel. “This is not a platform to air your personal dislikes. If you cannot maintain impartiality, then your testimony will be stricken from the record and you will be forcibly removed from these proceedings.”
“Understood, Coven Leader Albright.” Hightower returned her attention to the witness. “How was your petition met?”
“With resistance.”
“Do you have any speculation as to why?”
“Friends in high places.”
Hightower pursed her lips in feigned thought. “Are you referring to Detective Angela Starling, who now holds the esteemed position of Director?”
Commander Walsh crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “One and the same.”
Hightower turned to face the panel. “No further questions at this time.”
Senator Stevens gestured to Lombardi. “Your witness, counselor.”
Lombardi took his time peeling himself out of his seat and straightening his suit before approaching where Walsh sat, smug as a cat with cream. “Commander Walsh, records show that you yourself were once enrolled in the Lycan Detective program. Is that true?”
His arms tightened. “It is.”
“And were you not in the same recruitment class as Detective Hart?”
“I was, but…”
“I understand you gained the privilege to apply from your outstanding work with the military. A rising star by any means.”
“Councilor, are you aiming to make a point?” Senator Johnson interrupted. “Commander Walsh’s military commendations are not what are in question here.”
“Just so, they are pertinent,” Lombardi acquiesced. “Commander Walsh, you had the promise of an impressive career before you. That was until you failed to pass the rigorous training required of all Lycan Detectives.”
Walsh’s face pinched with barely contained fury. “I found my calling elsewhere.”
“Clarify for me, if you will. Did you request to have my client removed from the very program that you yourself proved inadequate to pursue before or after he publicly humiliated you in front of your peers?”
“Objection! Inflammatory and argumentative,” Councilor Hightower called from her seat.
“Sustained.” I wasn’t sure who said it, but judging by the smug expressions on each representative of the UFH, it was obviously one of them.
Lombardi bowed his head. “I’ll rephrase. Did you request to have Joshua Hart removed from the program after he bested you in a routine sparring match and before you learned his true age?”
“That’s not what happened,” Commander Walsh said through gritted teeth, his face becoming increasingly red.
“It’s not? Exhibit Delta, esteemed tribunal.
” Lombardi walked back to the desk and thumbed awake the data tab sitting closest to the edge.
He flicked the image on the screen towards the wall where a screen hung, waiting to display evidence.
“Records show that on November 15th of 2157, you and Joshua Hart were assigned a sparring match to determine your readiness to proceed to the next tier of training. By all accounts, you were defeated in an impressive two minutes.”
“Esteemed panel, relevance?” Hightower spoke up.
“The point, Councilor Lombardi,” Senator Stevens reiterated.
“Exhibit R, as previously submitted by the prosecution.” Lombardi swiped at the screen on the desk, and the image on the wall changed to a formal petition placed by Lieutenant Richard Walsh.
“As the tribunal can see, the petition is dated November 27th of the same year. An astonishing twelve days after you were dropped from the program. Contrary to what the prosecution would have the tribunal believe, the petition was not submitted on grounds of age or any other potential ineligibility. You didn’t contest Detective Hart’s placement in the program until after you and your career options were destroyed by a sixteen-year-old boy.
Well before Detective Starling intervened and actually prevented Detective Hart from taking his oaths for a full year. ”
By now, Walsh had uncrossed his arms. He leaned forward, his face now blotchy red, and aggressively pointed at Josh. “That arrogant prick never should have been allowed to take the oaths in the first place!”
Lombardi turned his back on the furious commander to once again address the panel at large. “I move to dismiss any and all testimony provided by Commander Richard Walsh as biased and unreliable.”
The panel shared looks among themselves. “Motion sustained,” Senator Stevens said at last, though he looked as though he’d rather eat a live hornet. “Commander Walsh, if you would please step down.”
The prosecution brought forward several more witnesses from various militant groups in an attempt to degrade Josh’s character and undermine his position as a Lycan Detective.
Each and every one, Lombardi twisted their testimony to build up Josh’s unwavering professionalism and dedication to the position.
By the end of the fifth attempt to discredit Josh, the prosecution threw out all pretense of subtlety.
“I call Lycan Detective Director Angela Starling to the stand.”
Josh
A morbid sense of excitement brightened the otherwise dreary proceedings as Director Starling emerged from the crowd to take a seat in the witness chair.
In her prim bun and crisp navy suit, Director Starling looked the farthest thing from intimidating.
Underestimating Angela Starling, however, had been many a lycan’s last mistake.
“Director Starling, were you aware that Detective Hart was in the habit of murdering innocent lycanthropes?”
Lombardi surged to his feet. “Objection. Incendiary language.”
Senator Stevens held up a hand in acknowledgment. “Sustained. Councilor Hightower, please rephrase your question.”
Hightower shot Lombardi a withering look, then promptly returned her attention to the Director. “Were you aware that Detective Hart committed several unsanctioned executions beneath your purview?”
Director Starling arched one golden brow. “Are you implying that I am not aware of the assignments my detectives take?”
“You must admit that the access to resources in addition to the license your agency carries makes a compelling case for negligence and abuse of power.”
The director’s eyes narrowed to shards of ice.
“During the six months that Detective Hart’s whereabouts were unknown and the subsequent four in which he was held, a thorough investigation was conducted on the entire Lycan Detective Agency.
Conclusive findings reflect that every resource is accounted for, a precedent I suspect other units cannot boast.”
“You’re saying that in all that time, you were unable to find evidence that Detective Hart had misused government funds and resources in order to commit these atrocities beneath your very nose?”
“I am saying that Detective Hart didn’t use so much as a single item that could be traced back to government supply, nor did any of the crimes he is accused of committing occur during any of his assignments. Perhaps you should reassess your queries, Councilor.”
“Your witness,” Hightower snapped, then promptly resumed her seat.
Lombardi once again stood and approached. “Director Starling, when did you realize that Joshua Hart was, in fact, too young to take the oaths?”
“The first time I met him.”
“And when was that?”
“The day he passed training in a record six months.”
“An impressive feat,” Lombardi said with a nod. “You mean to tell me you had never before met Joshua Hart before that day?” He gestured toward Josh as if the question required clarification.
“Correct.”
“And what brought you there?”
“It is a tradition for all current Lycan Detectives to be present during the testing.”
“How did you know he was too young?”
Director Starling broke eye contact with Lombardi to glance quickly at me. “I looked at him.”
“So you in no way aided in his deception?”
“No. I held him back.”
“Why not simply have him expelled?”
“Because he was the best I’d ever seen.” Something that sounded suspiciously like pride entered her voice. “Still is.” My chest tightened at the unexpected praise.
Lombardi turned away, then seemed to remember something. “One more question.”
“Yes, Councilor?”
“Were you aware at that time that Detective Joshua Hart is also the last male heir of the ancient family of lycan hunters known as the Harkers?”
Gasps and whispers erupted around the room, joined by Elijah’s and my shock. The gavel came down repeatedly, along with cries for order. At last, the buzz of noise died down enough so that Senator Stevens could be heard.
“Director, answer the question.”
She looked from Senator Stevens to me. “Yes.”
Elijah
Josh looked as if he were going to faint at that one word. I longed to reach out and steady him, but I also recognized that any such move could be seen as interference.
“No further questions.” Lombardi turned back to resume his seat with a small, smug grin playing about his lips. Behind him, the panel continued to whisper among themselves, clearly alarmed by this latest revelation.
The gavel struck home once more, and Senator Stevens declared, “We will adjourn for a brief recess. When we reconvene, Beatrice Harker will take the stand.”
My stomach curdled at the mere thought of having to see that awful woman again, of having to hear her spew her vitriol and hatred.
“Come on.”
I glanced up to see Lombardi already walking with Josh and his obscene escort of guards towards the bronze doors.
My foot caught on the railing as I scrambled to follow before they could leave me behind.
Back in the temple holding room, I tried not to let the pervasive magic get to me while I waited impatiently for the guards to finish locking up Josh.
This time we were forced to have the bars separating us.
As soon as they were gone, I stepped forward to hover just before the barrier. “Moonbeam.”
“It was just a shock. I’ll be fine. I suspected that Director Starling knew a lot more than she ever let on, but I never imagined she knew who I really was this whole time.” He shook his head in amazement.
“Forgive the intrigue, Detective. Your honest reaction was conducive to the point,” Lombardi interjected.
“Understood.”
My gaze darted between the two of them, acting as if all of this was somehow commonplace. “Hello. Is no one concerned about the fact that in less than two hours Josh’s mom is going to testify against him? Can they even do that?”
“I imagine she volunteered,” Josh deadpanned.
“And they are likely including a plea deal for her testimony,” Lombardi added.
I snatched at the tiny glimmer of hope. “Could Josh testify against her?”
“He can and has already agreed to do so.”
A relieved breath rushed out of my lungs. “This is great. You’ll testify against that monster, and they can shorten your sentence.”
Josh shook his head while Lombardi frowned in blatant disapproval. “I will answer whatever questions they ask, but I didn’t take a deal.”
“What? Are you out of your damn mind?” I rushed towards the thin bars and the only thing separating us.
“Don’t!”
Too late, my hands closed around the spelled metal. The stink of burned flesh wafted from the point of contact. I ripped them off, but not before they stole a layer or two of skin. “Son of a badger.”
“Baby, are you okay?” Josh moved as if to reach through the bars, then seemed to think better of it.
“Just tell me why. Why won’t you take the deal? Why won’t you let me tell anyone about us?” The pained look in Josh’s eyes made my heart ache, but I held firm in my demand for answers.
“Because it could jeopardize everything. I understand that you’re not happy with this—”
“Happy? Josh, I am so fucking far away from happy. If you had a plan, you should have told me.”
His shoulders slumped. “I know. I just…”
“Don’t you dare feed me some bullshit line about how trust isn’t easy for you.”
“Elijah, I trust you with my life. More than that, I trust you with my heart.” I stared back at him, both elated to hear him say those words and wary of the other shoe about to fall. “Besides, that’s not what I was going to say.”
“Then what?”
“I didn’t want to put you in any more danger than you already were.”
I stepped closer to the bars, careful to stop shy of actually touching them this time. “At least answer me this: Is there any version of this plan where you live?”
After a moment, he nodded without voicing the response.
“Out loud, Josh. I want to hear you actually say it.”
He winced. “Yes. There is a chance you could live through this.”
“That is not what—”
“Eh-hem.” Lombardi’s discreet interruption drew our attention to where a cluster of formally dressed individuals had appeared at the far end of the room. Some of them appeared to be from the panel, while others were not. However, they were all undoubtedly supernaturals.
I bit back a growl and turned to face Josh. “I know promises aren’t something you can readily make, but I’m making you one right now. When you walk out of here, we’re looking at having kids.”
“Elijah.”
“No arguments. I don’t want to hear how it’s impractical or potentially irresponsible.
Dr. Lyons said that you had one of the worst cases of Mein Zeke she’s ever seen, but look at you.
Four months in isolation and you’re even-tempered, collected, and haven’t rambled once.
I want a family with you, Joshua Hart, and you’re going to give me one. ”
Josh stared at me in open shock, apparently stunned speechless. The moment he appeared to regather his wits, I spun on my heel and walked back toward the courtroom, Lombardi’s quiet snicker following me every step of the way.