Thursday, May 24, 2007
Plea Bargain
1:22 PM | Posted by
Warwriter Widow
When Nathan Greene stepped into her office, the first thing that shocked her was his hair. It was white.
“Hey, Linda.”
“Nate?”
“Yeah?” He grinned, and the grin reached his eyes mischievously. No sense of madness or anger behind them. He’s different, changed…which is good.
“So being out on bail really helped.”
He sat down. “Not to mention the very good shrink Fyre sent me to.” He rubbed the back of his head. “A little rough, but dragging up a lot of shit. And helping me to deal with it.”
“Good. So, the DA isn’t telling me what’s going on. But I’m thinking he doesn’t have anything.”
Nathan rubbed at the palm his right hand – Styrm’s “calling card”. It had faded considerably, and would fade more the more often he healed himself. He thought about that night he saw Styrm, and the bag with hair strands, E’s saying, “Styrm wouldn’t give you the whole thing, even if it was yours.”
“Can I get you a coffee?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t be nervous, Nate. Whatever it is, I’ll bargain them down.”
There was a gentle knock on the door. Linda’s secretary opened it, and Linda nodded to her. She stepped aside to let three people in. Two he knew from the last hearing, the other was new. He rose when they came in.
“What happened to your hair?”
“It happens sometimes to people who are bonded with Peacebringers.”
Linda smiled, Good, good point to bring up, Nate.
Jimmy Carr said nothing as he sat across from Linda. He set the briefcase on the table and turned to his two associates, then focused on Nathan for a moment before turning to his lawyer.
“Here’s the offer: Plead guilty to the four civilian murders, receive 20 years’ probation for each, jail time is time served. Continued psychiatric services for the rest of his life. Continued wearing of the teleport belt for the rest of the probation.”
Nathan blinked. Probation..?
“Eighty years’ probation? You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
The two lawyers looked at each other across the table, and Mase could almost feel the battle of wills between them.
“I would like to speak with my client.”
“No, I’ll take it.”
They turned to Nathan. His lawyer said to him, “Are you sure, Nathan? Eighty years is a long time to report to someone.”
“It’s fine! I don’t mind. In fact, I want to. I want to make sure someone knows what I’m doing.”
“You’re also assuming that he’ll never be better,” Laura looked at the assistant DA.
“Fine. If he’s clinically better he can stop.”
“And be released from the probation.”
Nathan was shaking his head. “It’s fine, it—“ Linda put a hand on his.
Jimmy Carr chuckled a little. “You don’t make a very good bargainer, Mr. Greene. How about we reassess when and if that happens.”
Linda folded her arms. “I suppose that’s acceptable.”
The DA rose from the table. “The papers will be drawn up and his probation officer assigned. Good luck, Mr. Greene. We’ll be watching you.”
“Hey, Linda.”
“Nate?”
“Yeah?” He grinned, and the grin reached his eyes mischievously. No sense of madness or anger behind them. He’s different, changed…which is good.
“So being out on bail really helped.”
He sat down. “Not to mention the very good shrink Fyre sent me to.” He rubbed the back of his head. “A little rough, but dragging up a lot of shit. And helping me to deal with it.”
“Good. So, the DA isn’t telling me what’s going on. But I’m thinking he doesn’t have anything.”
Nathan rubbed at the palm his right hand – Styrm’s “calling card”. It had faded considerably, and would fade more the more often he healed himself. He thought about that night he saw Styrm, and the bag with hair strands, E’s saying, “Styrm wouldn’t give you the whole thing, even if it was yours.”
“Can I get you a coffee?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t be nervous, Nate. Whatever it is, I’ll bargain them down.”
There was a gentle knock on the door. Linda’s secretary opened it, and Linda nodded to her. She stepped aside to let three people in. Two he knew from the last hearing, the other was new. He rose when they came in.
“What happened to your hair?”
“It happens sometimes to people who are bonded with Peacebringers.”
Linda smiled, Good, good point to bring up, Nate.
Jimmy Carr said nothing as he sat across from Linda. He set the briefcase on the table and turned to his two associates, then focused on Nathan for a moment before turning to his lawyer.
“Here’s the offer: Plead guilty to the four civilian murders, receive 20 years’ probation for each, jail time is time served. Continued psychiatric services for the rest of his life. Continued wearing of the teleport belt for the rest of the probation.”
Nathan blinked. Probation..?
“Eighty years’ probation? You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
The two lawyers looked at each other across the table, and Mase could almost feel the battle of wills between them.
“I would like to speak with my client.”
“No, I’ll take it.”
They turned to Nathan. His lawyer said to him, “Are you sure, Nathan? Eighty years is a long time to report to someone.”
“It’s fine! I don’t mind. In fact, I want to. I want to make sure someone knows what I’m doing.”
“You’re also assuming that he’ll never be better,” Laura looked at the assistant DA.
“Fine. If he’s clinically better he can stop.”
“And be released from the probation.”
Nathan was shaking his head. “It’s fine, it—“ Linda put a hand on his.
Jimmy Carr chuckled a little. “You don’t make a very good bargainer, Mr. Greene. How about we reassess when and if that happens.”
Linda folded her arms. “I suppose that’s acceptable.”
The DA rose from the table. “The papers will be drawn up and his probation officer assigned. Good luck, Mr. Greene. We’ll be watching you.”
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