Souls of the Reaper

by Markie Madden

  Ling glanced at Lacey and her team, then pulled her hand away from Xiong’s brow. “It is done. You are a disgrace to our entire species. After your punishment is carried out, I will no longer be associated with you. I wish I’d never met you.”

  “But I love you, my Queen! You must stay with me! I command you!”

  “We’ve got him now,” Lacey said, looking at Ling.

  The figure nodded as it began to fade away.

  Xiong howled. “Please DON’T LEAVE ME AGAIN!”

  Marcell’s low voice spoke in her ear. “Ling wants to say thank you.”

  She responded out loud, knowing the retired Reaper could hear her, even though she had to speak through Niall. “I was only doing my job, Ling. We’re going to put this guy where he can never hurt anyone again.”

  Ling nodded again, the vaporous shape of her body growing thinner and thinner, until she disappeared entirely. Lacey turned to Xiong, who was being pulled from the bed by Colton on one side and Kazz on the other. The man, for no reason apparent to Lacey, was sporting a massive erection. “Get him out of here,” she said with disgust. “The other officers should be downstairs. I don’t want that scummy bastard in my car.”

  “With pleasure, Lieutenant.” Colton said as they headed for the door.

  Epilogue

  Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars. ~~Kahlil Gibran

  The courthouse was surrounded with people. Lacey was forced to park in the underground ramp reserved for employees; both the other parking lots were already filled to capacity, and the sidewalks were crammed with protesters, the press, or the simply curious.

  “At least we won’t have to push our way through the people,” Kazz commented.

  “And we can avoid the press,” Colton added.

  The three agreed to arrive together, presenting a unified team. Marcell and Niall would meet them in the foyer outside the courtroom, and the two had something up their sleeves, though neither would let on what it was, which irritated Lacey. She hated going into a court case without all the facts, but no matter how much she pressed, neither man would speak about the upcoming case. Jaidon, though he returned to his duties in Baltimore while the preliminaries were ongoing, would also join them for trial.

  They took the elevator up to the main floor, and when the gleaming doors slid open, the trio was immediately surrounded by members of the press, pushing and shoving in their haste to be the first to ask questions. Bright camera lights flashed. Kazz shrunk back, as if in fear. Colton scowled.

  “Lieutenant, what can you tell us about this case?”

  “Detective, how did you find your suspect?”

  Voices melded and blended into one another, until there was no way to tell one from another. Lacey stepped from the elevator, faced the press squarely, and said in a loud and stern voice, “The department has no comment to make at this time. For any information regarding this case, make your inquiries to the Press Liaison. Now, get out of our way and let us through!” She snarled, hoping the horde of people would move so they could enter the courtroom.

  A moment of silence fell, then reporters were once again vying for their attention. She gestured to Colton and Kazz, who followed her silently down the hallway to the main room of the courthouse. It was Kazz’s first time dealing with the judicial part of the justice system, and Lacey spent many hours coaching her, but she knew the young woman was still nervous about facing the court, even though no one was even sure she would actually be called to testify, or if her deposition could simply be read into the record.

  The court case was proving to be long and arduous. Xiong’s counsel, who turned out being Delbert Cummings, filed numerous appeals in an attempt to put off the case as long as possible. Selecting the members of the jury was also difficult. Most of the Reapers brought in as potential jurors were found to be prejudiced against the defendant, and the humans polled were especially biased. Cummings even filed a request for a change in venue, but since Xiong’s victims were found to be located all over the world, and his arrest made world-wide news, no other city wanted to take on the challenge. So, the case remained in Dallas, despite Cummings’ attempts to move it elsewhere.

  Months after his arrest, Xiong’s case finally moved into the opening stages. Joe would be taking the brunt of the work, albeit under the watchful eye of one of Dallas’ District Attorneys. Though Lacey knew he spent many hours preparing for this case, she could tell he, too, was just a bit nervous. He barely smiled at them as they took their place on the benches behind the railing.

  “All rise!” The bailiff’s voice rang out, and the loud sounds of shoes on the wood floor could be heard. The jury was brought in, then the court officer declared, “The Dallas County District Court is now in session! The Honorable Judge Montgomery Rossi, presiding.” The judge strode forward, a thin, elderly man in black robes. His hair was silver peppered with black, and he sported a mustache and goatee of the same color. He wore gold-rimmed glasses. Rossi sat at his place behind the bench, and gestured to the waiting people, who then took their seats.

  “Docket number 2118-69043, the State versus Su Xiong, charges of...” At this, the bailiff glanced down at his clipboard as if not sure what he was seeing. He cleared his throat. “Charges of multiple counts of theft of Spiritual Material, homicide of said Spiritual Material, and assault.” The court officer shook his head and sat down.

  “Mr. Pratt, are you ready to make your opening statement?” Rossi looked down at Joe over his glasses.

  “I am, Your Honor.” Joe stood, buttoned his suit jacket, and turned to the jury. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to make what may seem to be outlandish charges against the defendant, Su Xiong. He is accused of ‘theft of Spiritual Material’, and the homicide of that material. It’s a charge you’ve never heard of before; indeed, we were forced to make it up upon his arrest. For you see, what the defendant is accused of is something no one ever thought could, or would, happen. Su Xiong is a Reaper, and he stands accused today of stealing human souls.”

  Joe turned to look at Lacey and her partners, then took a deep breath as a sound of shock whipped through the courtroom. “And that’s not all he’s accused of. These souls stolen by the defendant were not nearing death, nor did he have a legal writ for them. No, their bodies continued living, without the personality or the morals given them by the spirit. Sadly, some of his stolen souls were too far gone to be returned to their physical bodies.” Another round of gasps circled the room. “Yes, he is accused of murdering these innocent souls, and we will present to you, the jury, all the evidence that supports our charges. For what the defendant has done is most heinous, and he must be charged accordingly.”

  Joe returned to his place behind the prosecution’s table, and Judge Rossi turned to Su Xiong and his attorney, Delbert Cummings, who stood and faced the jury. “I see the look of disbelief on many of your faces,” he began. “I understand the reluctance. I, too, feel it. The State would have you believe this man, my client, a man who holds an esteemed position in a reputable drug manufacturing firm, is responsible for stealing souls? And the charges they have laid upon him are, in fact, made up? They’re made up because they have no proof, no verifiable proof that souls can even be stolen, much less that Su Xiong is guilty of having done so.”

  He put his hands behind his back and began to pace. “My client has been singled out for discrimination by the State, and I intend to demonstrate that they cannot conclude, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my client is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thank you.”

  Lacey saw the look that crossed Kazz’s face, and she shook her head ever so slightly. The young officer was learning a harsh lesson in courtroom operations, but she wanted to reassure her partner there was nothing to worry about. Or, at least, nothing to worry about, yet. She sat back and watched as Joe called Niall, his first witness, to the stand. But no two ways about it, this should prove an interesting lesson for all of us!

&
nbsp; ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Several days passed, with more of the same. Lacey and Colton both testified, but Joe said that putting Kazz up on the stand would be redundant. Kazz was obviously relieved. Delbert Cummings seemed to have made it his life’s goal to discredit everyone on the team, and Lacey was glad that her young officer wouldn’t be subjected to the same kind of ridicule she and Colton were. Marcell was scheduled to take the stand next, but when court reconvened one morning, Joe startled everyone by calling someone no one expected.

  “The prosecution calls Grand Reaper Jiao Ling to the stand.”

  A flurry of excited whispers broke out in the room. “Quiet!” Judge Rossi banged his gavel several times. “Quiet in the courtroom!”

  “Objection, Your Honor!” Delbert hollered.

  “And just what is your objection this time, Mr. Cummings?” Rossi’s voice made it plain he was getting tired of the attorney’s constant interruptions.

  “This witness isn’t on the State’s list.”

  “Please, the court,” Joe broke in. “This witness has not been deposed by the prosecution, for reasons that will soon become apparent, Your Honor. I request a little latitude.”

  “Very little, Mr. Pratt.” Rossi cautioned him. “Overruled.” He addressed Cummings.

  The attorney sputtered and sat down, ignoring the fact that Xiong tugged on his jacket sleeve to get his attention. Lacey smirked. No one else in the courtroom knew, yet, who Ling was, and she was unaware until that moment Joe was going to call her as a material witness. This should be interesting, she thought, watching out of the corner of her eye as Xiong continued trying to get his counsel’s attention.

  Marcell stepped to the bar, a jar of clear liquid in his hands, where he waited respectfully. Joe gestured to him, saying, “My next witness is unable to be here in a physical form, as her body passed away many years ago. We are using nanotechnology as a way of letting her manifest in this physical world so that she may testify.”

  “Your Honor, this is an outrage!” Cummings yelled over the shocked sounds of the crowded room. “We have only the State’s word that this woman is who they say she is! How can she be considered an expert witness if we have no way of verifying her credentials?”

  “I believe, Mr. Cummings, that your client knows who she is,” Rossi replied. “And he’s trying to tell you. Overruled.”

  Cummings sat again, with a loud, “What?” whispered to Xiong yanking his sleeve from the other man’s grasp.

  Marcell, who waited patiently at the railing, stepped forward, placing the jar onto the handhold in front of the witness chair, and opening the stopper. Within seconds, a white vaporous form began to coalesce, until it took on the form of a young Oriental woman with long black hair.

  “Your Honor, if I may address the defendant?” Joe asked. Rossi nodded. Joe turned to Xiong and asked, “Do you know this woman?”

  Xiong looked at his lawyer, who gave him a look that said ‘whatever’. Then, he addressed the court. “Yes, I do. She was my trainer.”

  “Is that good enough for you, Mr. Cummings?” The judge asked.

  “Objection withdrawn.” Though the defense attorney didn’t sound the least bit happy about it, he must have realized he had no real legal means of preventing this testimony.

  “For the record, state your name please?” Joe stood halfway between the witness stand and the prosecution’s table, where Ling could clearly be seen by all the members of the jury.

  “I’m Jiao Ling.” Her voice sounded a bit mechanical, and Lacey assumed Linus at the lab had programmed the nanites to allow Ling to speak through them.

  “Can you tell me what your role in the Universe is now?”

  “I am a Grand Reaper.”

  “And what does a Grand Reaper do?” Joe asked.

  “We are responsible for, among other things, harvesting the souls of Immortals.”

  A shocked sound passed through the humans watching the drama unfold.

  “I see. And you know this man, the defendant?”

  “Yes, I do. I was his trainer. I taught him the ways of the Reaper.”

  “Was he a good student?”

  “Some things he learned easily. Some things took more time.”

  “Can you tell me something that he had trouble mastering?”

  “He could never understand how important the human soul is.”

  “How important the soul is? You mean for humans?”

  She shook her head, causing the wispy tendrils of her hair to seemingly float on the air. “How important they are for the Universe. There is a natural balance that must be upheld at all costs. I apologize, but according to Grand Reaper law, I cannot tell you anymore.”

  “Okay.” Joe nodded as if understanding. “Can you tell me how you met Doctor Matthews?”

  Joe walked Ling through her first encounter with Niall, and the jury listened with rapt attention. When she finished her tale, the ADA thanked her, then turned toward the opposing counsel.

  “I have no questions for this witness that I was unable to depose, Your Honor.” The lawyer grumbled, getting in a jab for not being informed of Ling’s testimony.

  “The witness is excused.” Joe indicated to Marcell, who went to close the jar as Ling’s essence released the nanites. Lacey was startled to see the look of leering lust in Su Xiong’s eyes as the psychologist carefully placed the vial in his pocket and returned to his seat. She resolved to ask Marcell about it at the first opportunity.

  Joe then addressed the jury, recapping the evidence in his closing argument. He gave particular relevance to Ling’s testimony, as well as all the other evidence presented in the case. The assistant district attorney reiterated how heinous the crimes were, and asked the jury to return a guilty verdict for each and every charge lobbied against the defendant. Then, he returned to his seat, a small smile of triumph on his lips.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  The jury deliberated for a mere half an hour, returning a verdict in record time. Lacey, who planned a trip to Platelets for a meal, got the call before she even made it across town. Colton stayed behind, claiming the coffee was as good at the courthouse as anywhere else, and he was the one who got in touch with her. She pulled a rapid U-turn through five lanes of traffic and raced back to the court building.

  “I just can’t stand this anymore,” Kazz whispered to her as she took her seat. “I’ll be glad when it’s over, no matter what the verdict.”

  “I’ve seen these things go both ways,” Lacey confided. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

  “Yeah,” Colton interjected. “It’s not over ‘till the fat lady sings.”

  Lacey saw Kazz’s confusion as she looked around the room, obviously hoping to spot a fat woman who looked as if she could sing. “It’s an old saying.” Kazz shrugged.

  Colton was saved from getting slapped in the back of the head when the jury room door opened, and the twelve men and woman filed silently into the courtroom. He turned his attention to the front of the room, as Lacey and Kazz both did the same.

  “All rise.” The bailiff called.

  Judge Rossi strode in, glasses in hand. Once everyone was seated, he looked at the jury. “Have you reached a verdict?”

  “We have, Your Honor.” A gaunt, young-looking man who was obviously a Reaper was the foreperson. He stood and handed a folded sheet of paper to the bailiff, who passed it up to Rossi sitting at the bench. Rossi slipped his glasses on, and made a show of slowly unfolding the paper and reading it, his lips moving slightly as he read. Then, he folded the paper neatly again, handed it back to the bailiff, put his hands on the desk, and nodded to the foreperson.

  The young man took the paper back, opened it, and read in a monotone voice. “On the charges of theft of Spiritual Material, we find the defendant, Su Xiong, guilty as charged.” A cheer went up from those watching the scene. Rossi banged his gavel on the desk. Once the hubbub died down, the foreman read again. “On the charges of homicide of Spiritual Material, we find the d
efendant, Su Xiong, guilty as charged.” Another burst of noise broke out.

  “That’s it!” Rossi yelled, banging his gavel. “Clear the courtroom. And do it now!”

  Sheepishly, the assembled public began to meander out of the room. After about fifteen minutes, when no one was left in the courtroom except for the jury, the attorneys, and the members of the Undead Unit, the judge nodded once again to the young Reaper representing the twelve jurors.

  “On the charges of assault on the woman, Cherri Glenn, we the jury find the defendant, Su Xiong, guilty as charged.”

  Rossi turned to Xiong. “A jury of your peers has determined that you are guilty as charged. You will be remanded to a maximum security prison until such time as your sentence is determined. You will not be allowed outside contact of any kind. As your trainer has told us, it will be her responsibility to carry out your sentence and to harvest your soul. Hopefully, she’ll put it someplace where you can never have contact with humans again. May God have mercy on your soul, as you denied those souls you murdered.” The gavel hit once more with the sharp crack of a slamming door.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  They gathered at the Crimson Goblet to celebrate. Lacey could already tell this was going to become a sort of tradition for the team, but she couldn’t fault them for wanting to commemorate the win. It was the first major case Joe Pratt had done on his own, from start to finish. It was the first case Kazz closed with the team. Joining them were Marcell and his friend Jaidon, and Niall, who everyone could tell was relieved it was over.

  Marcell pulled Lacey to one side as everyone was toasting to Joe’s victory. “I was hoping to get a moment alone with you, Lacey,” he whispered.

  She smiled as she watched her team. My team! Look at my team! I’m so proud of them. “I don’t think anybody’s getting a moment alone tonight,” she replied ruefully. Then, she voiced her thought. “I’m pleased with the way they worked this case. They deserve this.”