Helios Awakened (The Helios Chronicles #1)

by Tawa M. Witko

  “As I was saying, with Mr. Harrison’s history, Mr. Bowers had a right to be skeptical about him being there.” Mr. De Luca turned to the jury and gave a sympathetic look. “For the well-being of everyone else.”

  “Andrew is a good man,” Madison gritted her teeth, wanting desperately to leap on Mr. De Luca and smack him for the way he was talking about Andrew.

  He turned to her and leaned against the witness stand. “Well, Ms. Ellis, generally speaking, good men don’t go around beating people up,” he said with a glance to the jury.

  “They do if the person being beat up deserves it,” Madison said with bite.

  He smiled and walked to his desk pulling out one of the pictures. He showed it to the jury before placing it in front of Madison, who didn’t bother looking down. She stared at Mr. De Luca, determined to not let him trick her into saying anything that could harm Andrew in any way. Mr. De Luca smiled as he picked up the picture and made her look at it.

  “So he deserved this?” he said, cocking his head slightly.

  “He pushed me, hard enough that I fell. He would have hit me had Andrew not intervened,” she said looking at Mr. De Luca.

  “You can’t be sure of that,” Mr. De Luca said in a condescending way as he glanced at the jury.

  When she didn’t answer, he looked back at her, giving her an evil smirk, feeling that he had her right where he wanted her to be.

  “Can you say with certainty that had the defendant not brutally assaulted Mr. Bowers that Mr. Bowers would have harmed you?”

  Madison didn’t say anything. She just pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at the man before her. Of course there was no way to know that for certain. That’s the whole point. Andrew acted so that nothing would happen.

  “You can’t, can you, Ms. Ellis?” Mr. De Luca said coolly.

  Madison swallowed and shook her head. “No, I can’t say with certainty.”

  Mr. De Luca nodded. “So it’s quite possible that Jimmy would have just backed away,” he said dramatically, and then grimaced at her. “Instead, he was beaten to within an inch of his life by the defendant because he was angry. Mr. Bowers called it like he saw it and that enraged the defendant. He wasn’t trying to defend you, Ms. Ellis; he only wanted to hurt Mr. Bowers because Mr. Bowers knew what he was,” he said forcefully as he slapped the edge of the witness stand forcing Madison to sit back in complete shock.

  Madison swallowed and furrowed her brows. “Andrew...”

  “Yes, yes, I know, he’s a good man,” Mr. De Luca stated flippantly as he crossed his arms.

  “But Jimmy thre...” Madison began to say in a timid voice.

  “Nothing further,” Mr. De Luca stated quickly, cutting Madison off.

  “Re-direct,” Mr. Bennett said as he sprung up and walked in front of Madison. “Ms. Ellis. Is it reasonable to believe that with the escalating behavior of Mr. Bowers throughout the day that both you and Andrew believed that he was a viable threat?”

  Madison sat straight and nodded. “Yes.” She turned to the jury. “At that point, we both believed that Jimmy was a threat.”

  “Do you still believe he is a threat?”

  “OBJECT!” Mr. De Luca stated loudly as he stood up. “That is irrelevant to the case at hand.”

  “Mr. Bennett, we have discussed this previously, you may not pursue this line of questioning.”

  Elias stared at him and then casually glanced at Senator Bowers who was smiling knowingly at Mr. Bennett. Elias breathed in deeply and then, to his surprise, Liam walked through the door. Liam offered him a small smile as he walked up to sit in the pew with Jayden and the rest of Andrew’s supporters. Elias’s eyes followed Liam and then Liam nodded slightly to him. Liam knew that he was reluctant to go full barrel at Jimmy, out of fear at Senator Bowers’ casual threat. They had spent a great deal of time discussing the options but Liam would not budge and he certainly would not allow Elias’s guilt about the past to prevent him from doing the right thing now. Elias closed his eyes for only a moment and then turned to Madison.

  “Ms. Ellis, has Mr. Bowers ever given you reason to question that his motives were anything but friendly?” Mr. Bennett queried.

  “Yes, when we met he looked at me strangely but I wrote it off until the lake. He seemed very agitated that I was there with Andrew and then last week he approached me and...”

  “Your Honor,” Mr. De Luca stated, frustrated that Mr. Bennett was still trying to pursue this.

  “Mr. Bennett, I will not allow you to disparage...”

  “Your Honor, you are hindering my defense.”

  “If you pursue this line of questioning I will hold you in contempt.”

  “Your Honor, Mr. Bowers threatened to rape the witness, the jury has a right to know that.”

  There were several gasps and mutterings in the audience as the judge rapped his gavel several times, the sound echoing in the room as he tried to regain control of his courtroom.

  “Mr. Bennett, you are in contempt, this is your last warning, one more outburst like that and I will not only have you removed but will bring you before the bar as well,” the judge shouted and then turned to the jury. “You are to disregard Mr. Bennett’s last statement in its entirety.”

  Elias raised his hands dramatically in a surrender type motion. “Nothing further.”

  The judge turned to Madison. “You may step down, Ms. Ellis.”

  Madison couldn’t get out of the witness box quick enough. In fact, she was so desperate to get out of there that she nearly stumbled and would have fallen had a juror not gotten up and grabbed her arm. Madison muttered a 'thank you' and an 'I'm sorry' and quickly slid in the pew behind Andrew. She wasn’t sure at this point whether she had helped Andrew or hurt him, a thought that tore her up inside.

  “The defense rests your honor.”

  “We will adjourn until tomorrow morning where we will hear closing arguments,” the judge said before tapping his gavel and dismissing the jury.

  Once the jury was removed and the judge stepped down, Mr. De Luca chuckled as he stopped next to Mr. Bennett.

  “It’s not too late to change your plea, Elias,” he said, smiling widely at the look on Mr. Bennett’s face.

  “Not a chance, Arturo. The jury is mine and you know it,” Elias stated firmly.

  “We’ll see,” Arturo said as he walked past him, stopping to talk to Senator Bowers.

  “Well, I got it in. It will counter the judge’s statement,” Elias said, shaking his head.

  “Why would the judge say that, isn’t that against the law?” Jayden asked confused.

  “I think it’s pretty clear now that he’s in Bowers’ pocket,” Elias said, glancing back at Senator Bowers and Mr. De Luca. He watched them for a moment and then turned back around. “He’s trying to show me he can influence the proceedings. But the judge can’t overlook the jury without appearing impartial,” he said pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “Why does he even care?” Madison asked, feeling completely out of the loop.

  “He’s running for office, he has political aspirations and having the man who beat his son get acquitted would not look good for him, especially since I have brought up what a scumbag his son actually is.”

  “How the hell is Andrew supposed to get a fair trial?” Madison asked, unable to mask her tears.

  Andrew leaped over the railing and pulled her into his arms. “Baby, don’t cry. It’s going to be okay. I swear it will be.”

  Madison was crying against his chest while Andrew buried his face in her hair. Hoping that what he said was true but he was no longer optimistic about his chances. Suddenly Aaron stood up and walked out of the courtroom in anger. Everyone turned to see the door swing closed behind him, everyone except Andrew and Madison who were too lost in each other to notice anything else going on around them.

  “James!” Aaron shouted down the hall.

  Senator Bowers stopped and turned. “Aaron.”

  “What the hell are you doing
?” Aaron asked as he got closer to him.

  “I believe I am walking to grab a cup of coffee. Would you like one?” Senator Bowers asked casually.

  “No, I don’t want a cup a coffee,” Aaron replied frustrated. “Why are you interfering in this case?”

  Senator Bowers gave a charming smile to the coffee barista and took a sip of his coffee as he placed his hand on Aaron’s shoulder, leading him away from the crowd.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Aaron. I am simply observing and hoping for justice for my son’s assailant.” He nodded and grinned at a few passersby who looked their way.

  “Don’t forget I know you, James.”

  “Are you threatening me, Aaron?” he said, stepping closer to him. “That is so unlike you.” He smirked before leaning down close to his ear, “Did you finally grow some balls?”

  “Senator Bowers,” a voice said nearby.

  James looked up and smiled radiantly at the person. “Sam, it’s wonderful to see you again,” he said as he squeezed Aaron’s shoulder.

  Aaron moved out of his reach while Senator Bowers talked committees and funding with his constituent. Meanwhile, Aaron stood there wondering how someone like James Bowers had made it so far politically. He had always been a bully in school but when push came to shove he smiled that 'boy next door' smile and people were putty in his hands. When the man finally walked away, Aaron looked at the ground for a moment and then eyed him with disdain.

  “Stay out of my nephew’s trial, James, or the world will learn where Jimmy picked up all of his wonderful views on women.” Now it was Aaron’s turn to get close to him. “I’m thinking that might mess up your presidential aspirations, don’t you think?” Aaron hissed at him before stepping back and turning to walk away.

  “Aaron.”

  Aaron stopped and turned back around.

  “It’s out of my hands.”

  “You better hope that my nephew doesn’t pay the price for your interference.” He walked up to him again. “Because if he does, I guarantee that you will regret it.”

  Aaron turned before Senator Bowers could respond. He didn’t want to hear anything else from him. As he got closer to the courtroom door he saw that Mr. Bennett was waiting for him He had his hands in his pockets with a curious look on his face.

  “Is there something I should know?” Elias asked.

  Aaron shook his head. “We went to high school together.”

  Elias stared at Aaron for a moment as he stepped passed him and entered the courtroom. Elias looked over at Senator Bowers who no longer seemed to have the cocky and smug expression he had been carrying earlier. Elias turned and stepped inside as well, following Aaron to the front of the courthouse. Tonight would be a long night.

  30 THE VERDICT

  Andrew stared in the mirror. He had replayed the last couple of days over and over in his mind, worrying himself into a frenzied state. Madison had been a calming elixir for him, something he hated to leave. As he had left her and began the short walk to his aunt’s home, the gravity of the situation began to overwhelm him. It was as if he had been entombed in a shroud of despair. As he stared at himself, he tried to see Madison’s Andrew; the one whose eyes shone brighter when he looked at her, the one who had survived not only prison, but life on the streets, addiction and abusive parents, but all that he saw reflected back at him was fear. Fear of losing it all. He had tried to hold it together with Madison but he sensed that she had picked up on his distress.

  “Andrew.”

  He heard his aunt’s gentle voice in the hallway. His hands held on to the edge of the sink as he breathed in deeply. He shook his head slightly, trying to rid himself of the wary thoughts he was having. He needed to be strong, just in case he was to go back to prison, as that would be imperative. Love was a weakness inside. He swallowed as footsteps approached. A gentle rapping of knuckles on the door signified Olivia’s presence.

  “Andrew, hon, it’s time to go. Are you okay?”

  He could hear the tension in her voice. She was trying to be strong for him, to not let him see that she was worried as well. He cleared his dry throat and then turned abruptly to open the door, nearly knocking Olivia down. He grabbed her arm to steady her.

  “Sorry,” he muttered.

  She offered him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Everything will be okay, Andrew. I believe that.”

  He nodded. “I hope you’re right.”

  She followed him as he made his way into the living room where Aaron was waiting for them. Andrew noticed the look of concern on his face as well. They left silently. Andrew was happy for that. He didn’t think he could manage conversation right now. He wanted to get to the courthouse and find out his fate.

  ~*~

  Madison waited patiently for Andrew to arrive. She could tell he had been troubled. The way he made love to her told her that he thought it might be the very last time they were together. That worried her. She knew that Mr. Bennett was good; she just hoped he was good enough to sway the jury in their favor. She smiled when she saw Andrew walking towards her with his aunt and uncle.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Hey,” she mumbled against his chest.

  “Hello everyone.”

  Andrew and Madison broke away from each other as Elias, Jayden and Callie walked up. Elias could see the worry and concern on everyone’s faces. He tapped Andrew’s shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

  “We better go inside.”

  Andrew took a deep breath and held on to Madison’s hand. Everyone nodded as they made the slow march inside the courtroom. In less than fifteen minutes the district attorney and other observers started taking their seats. Elias tried to reassure Andrew that things were under control but he sensed that Andrew was preparing for the worst. Soon the judge and jury were seated and prepared for the commencement of the trial.

  “Mr. De Luca, you may begin your closing arguments.”

  “Thank you, Your Honor.”

  Arturo stood and casually walked over to the jury box. He once again displayed the pictures of Jimmy to the jury. He spread them out along the railing, ensuring that each juror could see what Andrew had done. He then stood back and crossed his arms, making eye contact with the men and women sitting before him.

  “In spite of what Mr. Bennett has tried to show, this case is really cut and dry,” Arturo began. “A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he or she attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. So the question is; does the attack on Mr. Bowers fall within this realm?”

  Arturo let his hand float over the pictures on the railing before taking hold of one of them, the most damaging one. He held it up as he walked back and forth, displayed it to the jury.

  “As you can see before you, the answer is a resounding yes. You have heard testimony that Mr. Bowers stopped fighting back, yet the defendant continued his assault. You have also heard testimony that people were screaming at him to stop, but the defendant didn’t. You have also heard testimony that it seemed as if the defendant wanted to 'kill Jimmy'.”

  Arturo gathered the pictures and walked to the table, placing them down unceremoniously.

  “It’s easy to be swayed by the idea that the defendant had a hard life. That he grew up fighting, which is why he couldn’t stop himself. It’s almost romantic to think that he was fighting for his love and defending her honor but, once again, that’s not why we are here.” Arturo then turned to Andrew and pointed at him. “We are here because, for whatever reason, the defendant showed an extreme indifference to human life.” Arturo turned and faced the jury again. “He purposefully and knowingly caused bodily injury to Mr. Bowers. He didn’t do it for love or for honor or anything else so noble. He did it because he was angry and out of control. If the police had not arrived when they did we would be here for murder
instead of assault.”

  Mr. De Luca tapped the railing of the jury box and looked at them sincerely.

  “Life is hard for many people but that does not give us permission to do as we please. It’s time that Mr. Harrison learns that valuable lesson. It’s time to show him that he isn’t allowed to act violently towards others, that there are consequences to his behavior and that he must now pay the price for his actions. I ask that you put aside your personal beliefs and look at the law, because that is what must be done, and when you do, you will see that a guilty verdict is the only right and just thing to do.” He finished with a genuine smile. “Thank you.”

  Mr. De Luca sat down and glanced at Mr. Bennett, giving him a smug grin. Mr. Bennett ignored him as he stood, straightened his tie and walked over to the jury.

  “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this case is anything but cut and dry. Yes, a fight ensued but the key here is whether Mr. Harrison showed extreme indifference to human life. Did he act with the purpose of destroying Mr. Bowers? Did he show nonchalance for the well-being of another?”

  Mr. Bennett walked from one side of the jury box to the other, making eye contact with as many of the jurors as he possibly could. He needed them to side with him, to see that Andrew was not some vile and loathsome being who deserved to rot in prison.

  “The end result of the fight is not the issue at hand. We have not once contested the fact that Mr. Harrison and Mr. Bowers fought. You can look at the pictures Mr. De Luca enjoys showing you to see that.”

  He waved his hand lazily towards Mr. De Luca who was sitting with his arms crossed and a visceral stare. Mr. Bennett gave him a smirk before turning to the jury.

  “It's quite obvious that they fought and that, well, Mr. Bowers lost this particular fight,” he continued, offering one of his dazzling smiles and an eyebrow arch to which several of the jurors chuckled slightly.