Second Chances & New Beginnings: A New Start

Prologue

Daren Ross shivered slightly as he listened to the judge tell his lawyer that he was a lost cause and was beyond saving, beyond defending. Daren had done many things over the years and they were finally catching up with him, but as far as he was concerned they weren't really his fault. He was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, he couldn't seem to help getting caught up in things that weren't of his choosing.

"Please," He prayed, "I only want a new start, a new chance to redeem myself." He whispered while his lawyer talked on about procedure and due process.

"Mr. Mackenzie, this is the eighth time that you've come before me with young Mr. Ross, and he hasn't changed one bit in all this time. What makes you think that he will change this time?" The judge asked shaking her head.

"Ma'am what we have here is the fact that my client hasn't had the best upbringing, and his own mind has also conspired against him. You've read his clinical psychology reports, and you know what they say about him." The lawyer mentioned softly, he wasn't going to tell the judge that he felt something for the man who was sitting beside him. He'd had to deal with this man since he first found himself afoul of the law a decade ago, and he felt the same way now as he did when he first met him. When he looked at Daren what he saw wasn't a scared young man, but rather a frightened little boy, no more than six years old, who didn't understand the world that he was trying to live in.

"Jack, we both know that time won't cure him, indeed the severity of his crimes has only gotten worse as he's gotten older." She shook her head, knowing how much some clients meant to her friend. Though they were friends, when they came to work they displayed a purely professional treatment of each other.

"I know that Helen, that's why I have one more solution to keep this person from an environment that will destroy him permanently." He said, trying to keep himself his hope for what could happen. "He may not like it, but sometimes a bitter pill is better than one that will ruin him."

"What are you suggesting Jack?" She asked curiously.

"I'm suggesting a gene-tech adjustment. He would be adjusted into a body that is better suited to his personality." He said earnestly pushing a manila folder over the table to her.

"I've heard of that, but what is to say that he'd be any better in a new body?" She replied with a question of her own as she opened the folder and eyed the contents carefully.

"Because Helen, I will personally ensure that he is given a body that suits him, and I will take care of the consequences." He said firmly, again trying to restrain himself from reaching over and hugging Daren.

The judge sighed softly before looking to the young man in question. "You're lucky that you have a lawyer who is a good friend of mine, and that the ones that you stole from aren't pressing any charges. However, if I ever see you again in my office I will throw the book at you and you will spend the rest of your twenties in my jail! Do I make myself perfectly Clear young man?!"

Daren shivered and nodded, desperately trying to keep himself melting into the chair in a puddle. This woman scared the piss out of him, on more than one occasion he'd left this office while apologizing for leaving a puddle under his chair. It wasn't like he ever intended to do the awful things that they accused him of, but he needed to live, and he couldn't hold down a job to save his life.

As soon as he was out of the room he sighed softly and thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't had an accident in her office again before his lawyer brought him up short with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Daren this time we're going somewhere different." He said and the young man shivered at the steel in his lawyer's eyes.

"Sir, can't I just go..." Daren started to say