Reborn by Melody Anne
Chapter Thirteen
The trial against Anna Miller began its fourth day and the courtroom was as packed as it had been since the opening minutes earlier in the week. The amount of information coming out about what was involved with the woman who was previously running for the highest office in the nation was overwhelming for the jurors and some of the witnesses. For others, they didn’t actually care about the information being shared — they were simply excited to watch the biggest circus they’d ever seen — and the price of admission was free.
For those serving as jurors it was a call to duty. Eyes and Sleep were seated next to each other, three rows back from the former senator with Sleep next to the aisle. They were both dressed in slacks and button-down long-sleeved shirts. Nothing about their appearance would make anyone in the room think they were some of the greatest warriors of their time.
“Those reports Steve put together were given to our boss and he sent them to the execs across town,” Eyes said to Sleep.
“Yeah, we had a great quarter. I’m glad he knows how to run those numbers and put them onto spreadsheets,” Sleep replied.
A woman sitting next to Eyes didn’t mean to snicker at their conversation, but she couldn’t help herself. The joke was on her though. She thought she was laughing at two guys who didn’t know how to work simple computer software while they were talking about all of the deep dive information Brackish had gathered and passed on to the district attorney. The world people think they see is quite often an illusion, especially when around the special ops men.
“I wish we could get Green in here. Anna would crap her pants at seeing him. I’d sit him right behind her,” Sleep said, smiling at the thought of who’d be more uncomfortable — Green or Anna. It would have to be Anna as Green had thick skin and enjoyed making bad guys sweat.
“I’d put him in a tux, holding a single rose. Make her think he wants her back. That would screw with her big time,” Eyes replied with a laugh.
The woman next to Eyes was trying to understand what they were talking about but gave up and went back to reading news reports online about money laundering and numerous offshore bank accounts the former senator was in possession of.
As had happened each day of the trial, the process became familiar to those who’d been there more than once: Anna Miller arrived, then the jury, then the judge, and then the proceedings began. It was the same every day and, while the news cameras hoped to capture a different reaction from the defendant or the jurors, nothing ever changed between them.
“Please sit,” Judge Scott stated after the bailiff introduced her.
“Before we begin I’ve received a very troubling note, and while I don’t prefer to have this done in an open forum it’s the only way for me to know for sure if the information is correct. A few minutes ago, I was given a note indicating one of the jurors has a recording device on them and has been making audio and video recordings throughout the trial,” the judge said.
The gasps throughout the courtroom were instantaneous. Camera operators shifted their lenses from the judge to the faces of the jurors, and then to the audience, some of whom had opened their forbidden phones and began instantly typing information and sending it to their friends, family, or social media pages. This was huge news.
“Well, this just got exciting,” Sleep whispered to Eyes.
“I think I found him. Top row, third one from the right, wearing the open jacket over the black polo,” Eyes whispered back.
“What makes you think that?” Sleep replied.
“He’s staring too long at the judge. He’s trying too hard to look relaxed. Look at the rest of the jurors. They keep glancing around and then looking back at the judge. He’s the only one with a lock on her. He has to be the one,” Eyes said, fully confident in his deduction.
The judge exclaimed that she was going to have each member of the jury leave the room, one at a time, and be examined for any type of recording devices. There’d be a female officer to check the females and a male officer for the males. As she announced this information four new officers entered the courtroom — two males and two females.
“Officers, please take the jurors with you as discussed,” the judge said. “I apologize for the unconventional procedure, but we won’t begin until the searches are complete. For those jurors not involved in this — I apologize for the intrusion and putting you in this position.”
The actual process of getting the jurors checked went fairly quickly and they were halfway through when the commotion started. The juror Eyes had thought was the one with the recording device sprang from his seat, jumped over the juror box, and ran behind the district attorney, sprinting up the aisle toward the doors where the public entered and exited.
Sleep slowly stood, and with perfect timing, grabbed the man’s jacket, shifted his weight only a few degrees off its axis, and then let go of the escaping juror. It was far too quick for anyone to see that it was a perfectly coordinated judo move. The juror had flailed for a couple of more steps and then ended up face first on the hardwood floor of the courtroom. Quickly the bailiff and other members of security were on top of him and led him through the doors he’d been heading for. Now, though, he was handcuffed and held by three law enforcement officials.
“Okay, everyone out. We’re taking a recess while we get things under control. A public announcement will be made if I allow members of the public back into the courtroom. Jury members, please sequester yourselves in your rooms. Officers, please take Ms. Miller to holding,” Judge Scott said with an even tone.
“Act like you’re hurt,” Eyes quickly said to Sleep.
Sleep sat back in his chair and leaned his head against the rest. As the courtroom filed out in lines of two, the inaction of Sleep and Eyes gained the attention of the bailiff. He came over and told the two men they also needed to leave but after realizing Sleep was the man who’d tripped up the juror, his attitude instantly mellowed. The man in charge of security for the courtroom turned back and discussed the situation with the judge.
“Are you a part of the media, sir?” Judge Scott asked.
“No, your honor. Mr. Eisenhart and I are military veterans and now own a company focusing on security for executives,” Sleep replied.
“Are you okay? Do we need to call for emergency services?” the judge inquired.
“No, your honor. I just got twisted up some, tweaked my back a little. If you don’t mind giving me a couple of minutes to rest my back, I’ll be on my way,” Sleep said respectfully.
“I’m fine with that. If neither of you take out your cell phones and can sit quietly while I talk with the counsel, you can stay as long as needed. When you feel like you can make your exit under your own accord please excuse yourselves without making any noise,” Judge Scott stated.
“Yes, your honor,” both Sleep and Eyes replied.
“Nicely done,” Eyes whispered to Sleep.
The next ten minutes were fraught with tense words about the entire trial needing to be suspended and opposing arguments that it shouldn’t be suspended as a replacement juror could be brought in. There was much discussion of how the spectacle of it all was an embarrassment to the court.
After hearing from both parties, the judge decided the trial would continue, understanding it would be done under protest from the defense, but gave everyone a one-hour recess and notified the bailiff that while she was upset with what had happened, it wasn’t due to those attending from the public and they shouldn’t have to miss the rest of the trial. Once the recess was complete they’d be allowed to return. From there she and the counsel for both sides left the courtroom. Once all were gone, Eyes and Sleep got up and strolled out. Sleep didn’t have a limp or any indication of being in pain — which he never had to begin with.
“Interesting development over here,” Eyes said over the phone to Brackish.
“I’m already on it. The juror’s name is Joshua Ellishaw. He doesn’t have much to him. It’s been four years since he’s held a job — at least one that paid above board. He currently lives in a two-bedroom apartment with, what looks like, two other individuals. I’m ripping through his information now and while I need a little more time to get it all, I’m willing to bet he was paid to do this as he doesn’t look as if he has the aptitude to figure out how to get this set up, let alone relayed to an outside source. Don’t know who, or what, that source is yet. Could be media, or the defense team, or some outside source — hell, it’s too difficult to know at this point,” Brackish replied.
“Text me when you know. This is a high-profile case, and a lot of people want information, but I want to make sure nothing else is forming,” Eyes said to his tech genius.
“Copy,” Brackish replied.
After Eyes had hung up with Brackish he got ahold of Chad and said he didn’t feel good about the situation, that something was off. The men had been working together for long enough for Chad to drop everything, grab Smoke, and make their way to the courthouse.
People filed back into the courtroom after the recess and most found their seats from the morning were occupied by others. There were grumblings and whispers, but this was an open room, first come first served. The notable differences in the sea of faces was that Chad and Smoke had arrived. Chad made his way to the front row, all the way to the outside, closest to the jurors. Smoke sat in the front row, behind the defense table, the farthest seat from the jurors. Eyes also sat in the front row behind Anna’s team, on the aisle. Sleep sat in the same seat he’d had at the beginning of the day.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this morning we had a very unfortunate incident in which a juror was found with a recording device. It’s never going to be acceptable for anyone to do what that juror did. He’s been taken into custody and will have charges brought against him. I appreciate all of you for maintaining discretion during the interruption,” Judge Scott said.
The judge then went on to discuss how the rest of the day and the trial was going to go, and how an alternate juror had been brought into the fold. Tension floating through the air could be felt but wasn’t broken with a single sound.
For the next two hours the district attorney supplied evidence, brought in witnesses, and was well into a groove when chaos overtook the courtroom for the second time that day.
“Judge — get out! Now!” the bailiff yelled as he ran to the door and opened it for her.
Judge Scott did exactly as she was told, not asking questions. As she did the bailiff was yelling for everyone to get out of the courtroom immediately. People scrambled from the courtroom, and the four special ops guys kept their attention forward, staying calm and scanning the area where the bailiff saw something that had started the panic.
“There! Stenographer seat,” Eyes yelled.
A small box was smoking. The room was out of control with everyone trying to get through the doors. Each of the special ops members were about to take action to get the situation calmed when something none of the men expected happened.
Three men pushed their way past the crowd, jumped over the railing, and grabbed Anna Miller. One of the men stepped up to one of the officers and punched him without saying a word. The same man turned his attention to the other officer and the two started struggling with each other. Anna’s lawyers tried to pull Anna away from their grip, but they were easily disposed of. At that point the intruders plans went to hell.
“That’s enough boys,” Eyes calmly said.
One of the men who had ahold of Anna let her go and took a large stride toward Eyes. That was his first mistake. The attacker took a long, wide swing at Eyes but didn’t come close to making contact.
“You don’t want to do that,” Sleep’s voice came in from behind Eyes.
The man trying to attack Eyes looked at Sleep, scoffed, and took another swing at Eyes — and missed again.
“I told him to stop, but these guys obviously aren’t too bright,” Eyes said over his shoulder.
The man came at Eyes again. This time Eyes acted as a matador, sidestepping the man, sending him straight at Sleep. If anyone was paying attention, the smile that lit up Sleep’s eyes would’ve been an indicator of true danger. This was exactly the type of world Sleep loved, especially when he had free rein to enact violence on bad guys. The crack of Sleep’s fist into the jaw of the man was loud enough to make an audible snap throughout the entire courtroom.
“Not bad,” Eyes said to Sleep as he looked at the now sleeping man.
“I was kind of hoping for a little more than one shot,” Sleep replied.
“That’s what she said.” Eyes laughed as he turned back to the other man still engaged with Anna Miller.
The man who’d been fighting with the officers was currently flailing around like a fish out of water. Smoke had walked up behind him and, like a bolt of lightning, slipped his arm under his chin, squeezed hard, and pulled him away from the officer. With his feet barely touching the ground, the man did everything he could to get out of the death-grip he was in, but his attempt made him look as if he was a cartoon ice skater.
“Look at the situation,” Eyes told the last man standing. “You’re done. Let Anna go.”
“Shit!” the man cried out in frustration.
He tossed Anna Miller away and put his hands over his head. The officer Smoke had saved from being assaulted came up and cuffed the man. From there he cuffed the unconscious man Sleep had taken care of.
After interrogating the man briefly, they learned the men had placed the box behind the stenographer, but it wasn’t a bomb, simply a diversion. The smoke and sparks were for effect. They’d been trying to abduct the former senator for a multi-million-dollar ransom payment they were guaranteed if they could get her out. The attempt probably would’ve worked — at least had a much higher probability of working — if the special ops members hadn’t been in attendance.
After things settled, Eyes, Sleep, Smoke, and Chad came together for a bit of a debrief.
“What made you think something was going to happen?” Chad asked Eyes.
“When we learned of the juror who got caught with the device was a nobody, it meant someone with some kind of money had gotten ahold of him. Anyone with enough money to try that is willing to do more. They hired these guys, but, as we all know, they weren’t professionals. We should recommend to the DA that this trial goes into lockdown and not let anyone near this case from this point on,” Eyes said.
“I agree, and I’ll talk to Joseph and recommend the same. The last thing any of us needs is for this to blow up into something truly dangerous,” Chad replied.
It only took a few phone calls, and just about as many minutes to get through all of the channels needed. Judge Scott agreed the trial was no longer going to be in open court and no outside entities would be allowed inside.
“You know, we should look into Anna for this. She might not have much access to the outside world but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have any. I’ve had enough commotion for the day and I’m starving; let’s get lunch,” Eyes said as they walked from the courthouse.
“That little squabble made you hungry?” Smoke taunted. “It didn’t even raise my pulse.”
“Some of us don’t eat twenty-four/seven,” Eyes said.
“When you’re built like a tank, you eat like one,” Smoke said as he pulled a bag of Skittles from his pocket and dumped a handful into his mouth.
“I never complain about a meal. Let’s head to my wife’s place,” Brackish said as he rubbed his belly.
“Good thinking. We’re done for the rest of the day,” Chad said. “And I can use a milkshake.”
“How do you think this will play out in the end?” Sleep asked as they climbed into their SUV.
Chad looked thoughtful. “I wish I had the answer to that. I don’t know.”
The men sat back as they thought about all of the scenarios of where this could go. They knew in the end they’d be victorious. They just weren’t sure of the detours they were going to be forced to take on the rest of the journey.