“This is disgusting,” Jeff said.
“Jeff, I hope you don’t expect to step down from this case and ever have a case in my court again. I’ll destroy you as a lawyer, destroy your reputation, then destroy you as a person. You will sit second chair in this trial and you will win. If you don’t, then you and whatever family you have or will ever have will pay the price. Do not take my words lightly, Jeffrey. My son will not spend a minute in jail.”
The tape went silent and Lawrence looked at me with his palms out, “So that’s what we have, that’s what Franklin has, and I suspect it is a conversation he has never heard before.”
“Wow, so Franklin’s father was a judge or what?” I asked.
“Correct. He just recently retired. Richard was the District Attorney and he went on to become a district court judge, and Jeff became the District Attorney.”
“Well, that explains Franklin’s approach to life. He really thinks he’s untouchable.”
“Well, he has been. He’s manipulated the gifted. He makes them believe they are flawed, that the only way to create balance in the world is to turn the lot they have been dealt to cause destruction. He claims that their gifts are the ultimate wrongdoing of the creator, so they have the right to incite chaos, that it is practically their duty.” I glanced to the side, remembering the convincing argument Franklin had with me. “I’m guessing this sounds familiar to you?”
“It does. . .”
“I’d like to say I have always been able to see the irrational side of his argument, but there were days, months, and years in prison where those words seemed true even to me. It’s like we go into this dark place and the words seem so authentic. The thoughts consume you and they become your truth. Franklin preys on the people in those places. He looks for the forgotten, the ones who have been through so much already and seen terrible things, people who are desperate. He presents this life of luxury, of importance, of free reign. He gives these people the tools for self-destruction, and it works every time.”
“What do you plan to do to him?”
“Well, taking someone like Franklin down takes time. We have to have all of our angles covered, we have to have a strong case. This is a risky and dangerous thing to uncover. To remove the blindfold unexpectedly from the public, to make them question the integrity of a justice system that they already assume is corrupt. If we do this, we cannot afford to be wrong. We must strike with precision. We can’t trust any local government at this point, so we’re going straight to the top. We’re hoping to be ready to meet with the governor next month and determine our next course of action.”
“We? Jeff’s presenting with you?”
“He is.”
“That will literally ruin his life. I’m sure the man can barely walk after what I did to him ” I say as words escape me and guilt creeps into my stomach.
Law surveys me for several moments, perhaps to see if my expression of guilt is authentic, or if a hidden pleasure lies below.
“I was with Jeff as soon as you left. I was able to help him, right before I helped you. He knows what this will do to him.”
“Then why would he do that?”
“He wants to be free. He’s been nothing but a pawn since that day. Think about all the crime that happens here. How much of it gets reported? Franklin runs law enforcement, he runs the court, he runs the leaders, and gets one of his henchmen to destroy anyone who challenges them.” My mind wanders to the political event Caro and I crashed and what I did.
“Franklin isn’t the only one who has responsibility in these crimes,” I said, knowing my own guilt.
“I know that,” Law said.
“What’s going to happen to us?” I asked.
“My intention is to take down Franklin. I suspect the majority of his supporters will flee and leave him holding the ax. I’m not planning to go after his employees, if that’s what you‘re afraid of. However, you, me, all of us here have committed crimes against this world. Are you willing to take responsibility for them?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I just feel like if I knew then what I know now, I would’ve made different choices. I’m not going to prison.”
“What if prison isn’t your punishment? You think this life won’t repay us for what we’ve done? That’s why I created this place. Some of us have taken so much from the world, it is our duty to give back. I don’t know. Maybe, in doing so, we can offset some of what we’ve taken. We must give of ourselves.”
“Like karma?”
“In a sense, I suppose it is. However, I think we cannot earn redemption for what we have done. What we can do is make sure it doesn’t happen again, be a source of good in this world, mentor the future generation so that they never take the paths that we took.”
“What’s the point then? What do we get out of it?”
“The things we do, we aren’t seeking a reward. We’re trying to make the world a better place. We’re planting the seeds of trees we might never see blossom, much less the day when they cast shade- but one day they will, likely not for ourselves but for others. You are making substantial progress, Danielle, but I understand the process of growth takes time. I believe that because of your gift, you have the dual perspective of light and dark, which will constantly be with you, and could one day change this world.”
“You refer to us and the bad things we’ve done as we, but I don’t understand what you have done wrong?”
“I have things I have done that I, too, will have
