Xander felt his fingers tighten into fists so tight that it felt like the skin on his knuckles might rupture. His heart pumped hard and fast, sending heat coursing through his body and into his face as he imagined simply walking over there and ending Genblade, once and for all. He peeled his gaze away from Genblade’s for a moment, looking from the three guards stationed near him, hands on their holsters, to the thick shackles clamped around his wrists and feet. He couldn’t help but smile. He turned away from the killer altogether as the judge took a seat at the head of the courtroom, taking stock of the people gathered. Suddenly, he felt more anxious than ever, but he wasn’t nervous anymore.
The journalist from the hospital was there, scribbling something fiercely into his notepad. Mr. Miles was there too, cleaning smut off of his glasses with the tail of his shirt. As his eyes shifted through the masses, he caught a glimpse of Mike and Cathy. They were both shifting their eyes from him to Genblade, trying to figure out whom they should keep their eyes on more. Xander looked back at Genblade, who was still smiling fiercely at him. There was a bruise going up the left side of his face, something that made Xander beam.
“Case number 28654 on the docket,” the bailiff continued as everyone rose. “The honourable Judge Pike presiding.”
The judge sat down, her long black robe flowing behind her. Her curly blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders and down her back. She had full, pink lips and a tight chin. Her eyes were big and blue, with long lashes. Xander inhaled suddenly when he saw her. She looked exactly like Sara would have at that age. If Sara had made it to that age. He quickly pushed the thoughts out of his mind as he felt Black Womb stirring. Focus, dammit, he chided himself, praying that nobody noticed. His gaze once again fell on Genblade, who grinned at him viciously now. He mouthed something that Xander couldn’t quite pick out, but knew what it was anyway.
Strawberries.
Genblade smirked at Xander sinisterly, nodding slightly, as if he knew exactly what Xander was thinking.
Xander shivered, the notion that Genblade knew what was going on in his head sending chills up and down his spine.
“You may sit,” the judge said, in a voice that was hard, haggard, and nothing like Sara’s, bringing him back to reality. She sat down herself, leaning out over the high table and looking down at the people below. She glared down at Adam Genblade with contempt.
Adam laughed hysterically, turning and throwing a glance at Xander.
Xander frowned, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I’d hoped at least the judge would be impartial,” he grumbled to himself softly, letting out a short sigh.
“Adam Genblade,” the judge said, her voice venomous as she said his name. “You have been charged with ten counts of first degree murder, eight counts of second degree murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and crimes against humanity. Defense, how does the accused plead?”
Natasha stood again, swallowing twice and still unable to get enough moisture into her mouth to create sound. She turned towards Megan before she spoke, the redhead lawyer beaming happily at her. “Not guilty, your Honour,” she said finally, with all the confidence she could muster.
The judge raised one eyebrow. “Alright,” she said flatly, checking some papers hidden by her desk. “Hearings will begin at exactly one fifteen tomorrow afternoon. Have your opening statements prepared, councils.”
The judge banged on her gavel with a loud clang. Just as the gavel hit its wooden holster, Genblade leapt from his seat, planting both feet onto the defense’s table next to Natasha and sending her glass water-jug smashing to the floor. “I object!” he shouted, breaking into hysterical laughter at the wide-eyed judge.
Xander jumped to his feet so fast it sent his chair back into the person behind him. Leaping over the rail between the gallery and the court, he lunged at Genblade’s legs.
Genblade leaped down from the table, allowing Xander to crash through it. The wood splintered and fragmented into hundreds of sharp spikes, digging into his side as he hit the hard marble floor. “Not this time!” Genblade squealed in a half-giddy voice.
One of the three guards posted around Genblade pulled his gun from its holster and shot at Genblade, pumping off one bullet after another. Genblade vaulted into the air as if from nowhere, spinning and twisting in midair as the bullets whizzed past him. He landed just a few feet from Xander, unharmed.
The other two guards took out their guns as well and took aim.
“No,” Xander whispered to himself as he looked up from the shattered remains of the table, seeing what was about to happen.
All three guards began firing, filling the air with lead.
Once again, Genblade bent his legs and effortlessly extended them, sending his body thrusting into a twisting backspin in the air.
There was the unmistakable sound of metal meeting metal, and then again as Genblade slowly fell back to earth.
He landed safely on the ground, like a circus acrobat just finishing some amazing trick.
A moment later, his shackles hit the ground as well, a smoldering bullet hole still warm in the center of the shattered chain.
Genblade smiled.
He snatched up the broken water jug and hurled it at one of the guards. The broken glass dug into the
