Playing With Fire

75

Candor was buzzing, a lot of people had come to watch the trial. Hungry for truth and justice. As soon as they parked the car, security stepped close to her door, ready to take her in custody. Martin stepped out quickly and said to the guards who had opened the door and were holding her wrists "No cuffs! Order from the Leader." They stopped, looking at him. Martin had the meanest face she had seen on him. They stared each other for a moment, the guards trying to read him. Then they obeyed and stepped back. Martin walked quickly to her and said loud "I will personally escort her in and take the responsibility." and looking her, asking "You okay?"

She nodded. He stepped aside and let her walk out. In the elevator she sighed, knowing that there will be a lot of people judging her in a matter of minutes, whispering, judging her from head to toe.

One last breath before the doors opened and she faced the crowd, the noise that waited her behind the doors. She walked through it, her eyes ignoring everybody, only looking for one specific person. Eric. But he was nowhere to be found. She was taken into a room, the guards stayed outside.

"Can I see him?" she asked as soon they were alone.

"I don't know." he said uncertain "I think not." The words made her sad.

"The only thing he said was to take care of you." he said and opened the door "I'm gonna tell them to bring you water." and gave the order to one of the guards.

Some time later, the door opened, one of the guards said "It's time." She was led into a large room with a lot of people sitting around the centre point of the room which had spotlights pointing on it. Some doctor stepped closer making her startle.

"Jamie Coulter. You will be injected with a truth serum." the Candor leader said and added "Taking a notice that there have been some protests in using it, due to the state of the person, we are injecting a lighter version and let it set before we start with the questioning." Jamie couldn't help but to notice that Jack had a friendly spark in his eyes, but it disappeared as soon as he faced the crowd "Let the trial begin."

She was sat back down and the first person that was called to witness, was Nadia, then Emma, then some guards, then doctor Lever and then, as a hit in the gut, was "Eric Coulter." She looked at him walking in the middle of the room, confident than ever. He was injected with the serum too. And in moments it hit him, he was sweating, knowing he'll tell the truth, no matter what. He was questioned about everything that happened before Zane's murder and after, Eric telling things between his teeth, trying to control his anger "He killed our mother!", "He tried to frame me!", "He killed an innocent!", "She had her own agenda but she didn't deserve what that... BASTARD did to her!". Jamie could see he was fighting to hold back his emotions, he was shivering and sweating, about to break under the pressure. She would have wanted to run to him, drag him out of there. But the knowing that she was soon there too, was too frightening. So she just looked at the wreck.

"She was in a bad place." Eric said, still not looking at her.

"She tried to kill me. He had messed her up big time!" Eric said "Our kids... She still struggles." Hearing this made Jamie burst to cry. Hearing this, he looked at her for the first time, pain written all over him. Martin took a hold of her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She glanced at him and nodded, trying to gather herself.

"I planned to kill him myself." he said dark and lifted his hands, looking at them, realizing the truth under the serum was something else. The crowd was gasping and murmuring. She could see it and was scared of it.

"How are you feeling?" Martin asked worried, pulling her out of the thoughts. She looked at him, sweating.

She looked back at Eric pouring his soul out in front of everybody. She knew he hated it.

„Thank you for your Candor." Jack finally said, convinced that there's nothing left and looked at Jamie „Bring her here." Eric saw her walking, sweaty and her feet barely bearing her, he wanted to go help, but Martin said „I got her." and supported her. Leaving her there alone seemed hard on Martin, too. But he had to walk away.

Eric looked at his wife in the circle, questioned, she was exhausted mentally and physically. He was pissed at Jack for ripping the truth out of her relentlessly, knowing that this serum could have a setback on her progress. Eric stood there furious because he as a head leader, had to think of a penalty for her killing Zane. It was his sentence.

When the final truth was out in the open, she felt weak and dizzy, about to black out.

„Fuck..." Eric jolted towards her and grabbed her in his arms „That's enough!" he said looking around, panting, facing all the scorning stares. Jack came to them, making sure she was conscious and said loud „Thank you for your Candor." and turned to the crowd. As soon as he said it, she let her head rest on Eric's shoulder.

„The jury will make the decision now." Jack announced and walked away with all the other leaders. Eric glanced at them and then the guards „Take her! I need to go." giving Jamie to one of the guards, giving them a death stare.

„Yes, Sir." they said serious and took her to the waiting room.