Hadrian's Lover

by Patricia-Marie Budd

  As the door opens, Faial turns to see Sabine enter followed by three women, one of whom is Vice President Stiles. Sabine purposely kept Stiles’ presence from Faial, hoping to add shock value to the start of this meeting. So, she realizes, he has founding family support. Fortunately, Faial learned long ago to school her expressions. Although Faial feels the surprise Sabine intended, he is not fortunate enough to witness her distress. Faial’s face remains, as it always does when she encounters opposition, impassive. A forced smile blossoms on his pudgy face as Sabine leads his entourage around the oval conference table.

  “Graham,” Faial nods in greeting.

  “Faial.” Graham leans forward, casually resting his forearms on the glossy jack pine table, his hands clasped together, unsuccessfully feigning a relaxed countenance.

  Graham is not in control, Faial immediately surmises. The three women are all sitting with their backs against their chairs. The youngest, Crystal Albright, no doubt, has dropped her head. Gail Albright, the genetic mother, has all her attention focused on the girl while Vice President Stiles, Crystal’s mama most likely, sits with arms folded under her breasts. Stone gray eyes, like a frozen pond, bore down on Faial. She could easily see how this woman won her way into office. Even without her founding family status, she would have accomplished much, maybe even got to where she is today. Smiling now, she returns her gaze back to the prosecution. “It’s been a while.” Their mutual greeting, though polite, is strained. These two have faced off in court before. Both times, Faial won. Sabine’s smile suggests to her that he believes he is on the winning team this time. Faial has no illusions; this is going to be an impossible case to win, but through it, she is going to break a little ice, crack open something she believes needs revealing. With luck, she muses, I may just create an old fashioned river break-up! Disgusted by Sabine’s puffed up confidence, Faial adds, “The Andrea Hodgson case I believe.”

  Sabine’s smile turns quickly to a scowl. He lurches forward, unclasping his right hand and directing his index finger her way. Elena Stiles, sitting next to the man, rests her hand on his shoulder. Sabine resumes his posture of ease, hands re-clasping, and his smile, though strained, once again blossoms on his face. “I see you are alone—no client?”

  “I saw no need to bring them.” Faial’s smile solidifies into confidence. Having successfully exposed Sabine’s weakness, that of being a poor loser, she also exposed the true nature of the hierarchy in this room. Elena Stiles, as she had rightly assumed, is the woman in charge. Even so, Faial knows the balance of the meeting has tilted in her favor—for the moment.

  “Is it too emotional for them?” Sabine asks sincerely.

  “That, and their presence is unnecessary. As, I suspect,” she adds assuredly, “is this meeting.” In response to Gail Albright’s quizzical look, the menacing glare given by Elena Stiles, and Sabine’s chagrin, Faial adds, “I have all the evidence I need right here,” reaching now into her pocket and retrieving Todd Middleton’s cell phone and presenting it, “to subpoena the girl.” Faial hones in on Crystal Albright as the girl looks up and stares at the object as if it were a viper ready to strike. Her wide eyes and pale clammy face are all too telling. Sabine glares at the girl, then her mothers. Gail Albright grips her daughter’s hand under the table and Crystal’s head drops. Sobbing commences and Mama Elena grips Crystal’s other hand, silencing her whimpers; even so, her upper body continues to convulse.

  “I see.” Sabine resumes his smile for Faial, a very tight smile. “And do you really believe that evidence is usable?”

  Faial nearly laughs, “Absolutely.” What game is he playing at? Faial wonders. Elena Stiles gives no clues; she remains stolid and angry, but, for the moment, silent.

  “You realize there is no way you can prove Crystal Albright is the author of said text.”

  Faial’s smile widens imperceptibly. “I haven’t mentioned a text yet.”

  Sabine remains in control. “What else could it be?”

  “Good guess.” She decides to throw Sabine a bone. “And, yes, as I have the original text.”

  “May I see the text message?” Sabine reaches across the table for the device.

  Faial pockets the phone and replies quite congenially, “Of course.” She blinks to open her voc line. “Is your voc id the same?”

  Sabine sits back, disappointed by the way things are progressing. He had really hoped Faial would have been sufficiently intimidated by the VP’s presence simply to hand over the phone and all documentation. “Yes.”

  With a blink and a quick whisper, “Graham,” Faial sends off the link. Sabine’s eyes slit as he receives the data.

  “Send it to me,” Elena Stiles demands, “esHgov33vp—uppercase the ‘h.’” Faial obliges. As soon as Elena receives the data, she passes it on to Gail and Crystal. Gail immediately begins blinking and reading. Crystal ignores her voc—she already knows what the document contains.

  After finishing his read, Sabine pronounces, “You still can’t prove Crystal Albright is the text author.” Sabine is reaching here and Faial knows it, but he has serious political clout behind him. “Anyone could have written this.”

  “Really?” Faial isn’t falling for it. She knows better, and one quick look at Crystal proves how easy it is going to be to get the girl to babble once she is on the stand. She is obviously drowning in the deep end of her own fear and guilt. Looking now at the girl’s mothers, Faial is held by the arresting stare of Elena Stiles. It feels as if Elena can read her mind. Vice President Stiles just sits there, impassive, and then suddenly, she cocks her left eye and Faial knows. This woman will not allow Crystal Albright on the stand. Looking back to Sabine, grim with determination, “I will subpoena her.”

  “No, you will not.” Elena speaks so softly each word becomes an explosion.

  It is hard to stand up against a founding family member, even when one is as formidable as Faial Raboud, but stand up to her she does. “I am merely following the rules of legal engagement established by your forefamily and the other founding forefamilies.” Determined not to allow Frank Hunter to be sacrificed on the altar of politics, Faial persists, “My client has the right to a fair trial and he is innocent until proven guilty.”

  “Your client has already confessed—he is guilty!” Elena Stiles, now in control of the meeting, treats Graham Sabine like a piece of furniture. His head is bowed. No doubt he is fuming, Faial reasons. Had it not been her client’s life at stake, Faial would have enjoyed watching Sabine so successfully subdued.

  Not being one to cave under the bully, Faial announces, “My client is still entitled to a trial. That is the law according to the founding forefamilies’ constitution. This case is going to court.”

  “The national prosecutor can arrange for his sentencing based solely on his confession,” Stiles insisted.

  Faial instantly lowers her head. Placing her hands atop her head and resting her elbows on the table suggest defeat, adding a long drawn out sigh for emphasis. All the while, she is rapidly blinking out a voc message to her aide—“with Frank?”—“good”—“stick like glue”—“tell you later”—“no visitors”—“no voc contact”—“keep out of his eye”—“no pen, no paper”—“trust me, he’ll ask.” All the time she is voc’ing, Faial is desperately hoping she is not too late. They must have someone near him right now, and knowing the state her client is in, Frank Hunter would willingly sign his life away.

  Sabine, responding to a tap on the shoulder by Elena Stiles, looks up to observe Faial Raboud’s physical position. Believing her to have been subdued, he takes full advantage to stick the knife into the jugular. “There is precedent. The Nation vs. Almer.” Gerald Almer had murdered Henry Wilfer. It was a crime of passion. Gerald Almer had walked in on Henry and another man. He reacted badly to the sight. Having brooded over his lover’s betrayal for months, Gerald eventually took action. Having staked out Wilfer’s new home, he waited for a night when his ex was alone. He then snuck into their housing complex a
nd slit his throat. Like Frank, he turned himself in, confessed, and then asked that a trial be waived. He did not want to be exiled, asking instead that the state assist in his suicide. Having given Faial time to register this new information, Sabine now twists the knife. “We plan to do the same with your cli—”

  Faial, having finished her silent communication, cuts Graham off. “That action was at the accused’s request. My client has made no such declaration!” She adds fervently, “And, any such request must come through me.”

  “Or your aide,” Sabine adds gleefully. Faial’s instant anger is unusual, suggesting her back is against the wall—the exact position she hopes he and Elena Stiles believe she is in.

  Faial ponders Sabine’s comment briefly. It is unlikely Gil would betray her. The two have worked closely for over twenty years. They are very close, Faial being Gil’s spouse’s son’s auntie. When Gil’s boy was diagnosed with leukemia, Faial had financed the boy’s treatment. Gil may have them convinced he is working for them, but the odds of his betrayal are very unlikely. But why didn’t he say anything when I voc’d? Either they haven’t contacted him and are bluffing or I never gave him the opportunity. Her messaging was sent like a Gatling gun. She had learned years ago how to text with a blink of the eye so she wouldn’t have to speak. Most people don’t use this feature because it is very hard to master, but master it she did for when she needed to let others know something important quickly; quietly pulling up the keyboard is the only way. No, she reasons, Gil is trustworthy—yet, Sabine and Stiles seem so sure. She finds herself asking, “Have you received Frank Hunter’s consent?”

  Both Stiles and Sabine smile, suggesting the answer is yes. Yet Sabine’s eyes shift ever so slightly, betraying his confidence. They are waiting on it. Stiles, on the other hand, has the perfect poker face. Faial considers the vice president her real opponent. This woman has substantial power and is now running for president. This court case may very well destroy her chances of winning. Considering just how dangerous Elena Stiles could be, Faial decides to bargain. “Well, I’m not giving you an out of court option. What would you like instead?”

  “Keep my daughter out of it!” Elena Stiles answers instead of Sabine. Faial has gauged his role correctly. He is merely Stiles’ tool.

  Losing Crystal Albright’s testimony is huge. It is a key point in Faial’s argument. Without the girl’s confession, Sabine might very well convince the court that the text message is fraudulent. Faial is only worried slightly over that; at best, Sabine might be able to cast some doubt as to Crystal’s authoring it, but there is enough damning information in the text for Faial to open up the idea that Todd Middleton was not a rapist but a young man in love. A young man who had been betrayed by his lover, the woman he loved; a young man who had then been raped while at reeducation camp. Her plan is to show how Todd’s mental state deteriorated to such an extent that he could never have accepted life as a homosexual—not after everything that had happened to him. Thus Frank Hunter is no longer a murderer but one who committed the lawful act of euthanasia. Would the text alone be enough? Probably. Even if Sabine does manage to cast some doubt over its authorship, the damage will be done. Graham Sabine is an opponent Faial feels confident in overcoming, but Elena Stiles—Vice President Stiles, soon to be President Stiles—founding family member Stiles—this woman is a hurdle Faial is unsure she can leap. “I’ll keep Crystal off the stand, but the text is being used as evidence.” Before Elena Stiles can explode, Faial adds, “It is already documented evidence.” Stiles’ glare is daunting, but Faial is not backing down on this point. She wants her client to live. Elena Stiles’ reaction is more subdued than Faial expected. She nods once, and though her face remains grim, her scowl fades ever so slightly. Faial has the sinking feeling that she has just given the woman exactly what she wanted all along. Everything prior to this moment has been a bluff. Faial comes to realize that as much power as a founding family may have, not even its members can circumvent their own laws. Elena Stiles had known all along that she couldn’t keep Faial from putting her daughter on the stand until she wrenched the offer out of her. Thank Hadrian it’s Graham I will be up against in the courtroom and not this woman! Faial takes a brief moment to remind herself never to play poker with Elena Stiles. She’d clean me right out, down to the very last credit.

  * * * * *

  Transcripts: Hadrian vs. Hunter

  Defense Questioning of Geneticist Avery Gillis

  Defense: Mr. Gillis, you are a geneticist for Hadrian’s Procreation Arm of the Government, are you not?

  Gillis: Yes.

  Defense: How long have you worked in this capacity?

  Gillis: Twenty years.

  Defense: So, for the last twenty years, you have been working to identify and create the genetically perfect homosexual human gene. Is that not so?

  Gillis: We do not consider our work as an attempt to create genetic perfection. We are simply working toward identifying, isolating, and ensuring the DNA most likely to produce homosexuals.

  Defense: Why is it so important that every human born in Hadrian be homosexual?

  Gillis: Everyone knows the answer to that.

  Defense: Of course we do, but humor me and provide us with your reasoning for the record.

  Gillis: Obviously, here in Hadrian our goal is to create a stable human population that will live in harmony with the earth.

  Defense: And being homosexual is crucial for living in harmony with the earth?

  Gillis: No, of course not. But it is critical for controlling human population.

  Defense: And why is that?

  Gillis: The evidence is all around us in the outside world.

  Defense: Once again, humor me, for the record.

  Gillis: Over twenty billion people populate the outside world of our earth. Hadrian, on the other hand, has for over fifty years created and maintained a stable population of approximately ten million. This stability has only been accomplished through radical measures with a homosexual population and licensed births.

  Defense: Very good. I am sure everyone here agrees with you. Let us go back to your work with genetics. How successful have Hadrian’s researchers, such as yourself, been at identifying the homosexual gene within an embryo?

  Gillis: Very successful.

  Defense: Define very successful for me.

  Gillis: What’s to define? Very successful is very successful.

  Defense: Excuse my ignorance, but I am not a geneticist, so I need you to be very specific. For example, can you guarantee that 100 percent of all genetic tracing in embryos will in fact identify if a child will have no homosexual tendencies at all?

  Gillis: Yes.

  Defense: Really? One hundred percent? No homosexual tendencies at all? Guaranteed? Absolutely? Beyond any shadow of a doubt?

  Gillis: Yes.

  Defense: And what happens to these embryos?

  Gillis: They are destroyed.

  Defense: So, is this why you believe you have eradicated all zeros and ones from the Kinsey scale?

  Gillis: Yes.

  Defense: Does this mean you are able to distinguish the exact ratio of homosexual tendencies that are blended in with hetero-sexual tendencies—in each embryo, of course, prior to it being approved for maturation?

  Gillis: No, of course not. But we are so close we honestly believe we have eradicated the majority of zeros and ones from the Kinsey scale.

  Defense: The majority of?

  Gillis: Yes.

  Defense: I’m sorry, Mr. Gillis, but you just stated unequivocally, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that any embryo lacking the gene for homosexuality—every single one—is destroyed, ensuring absolutely no zeros—no pure heterosexuals—exist today in Hadrian. Yet, now you use the phrase “The majority of.” When one says the majority, one suggests a minority exists.

  Gillis: Yes, but—

  Defense: Wait for the question, Mr. Gillis. Please, correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t the Kinsey scale based on b
ehavior patterns? His research, if I recall correctly, was not founded on any genetic studies.

  Gillis: You are correct.

  Defense: So how can you claim to have eliminated only “the majority of ” the zeros and ones on this scale if it is not a genetic scale?

  Prosecution: M’Lady, I fail to see the purpose behind this line of questioning.

  Judge: Nor I. I would ask the Defense to please explain herself.

  Defense: I am looking to establish the deceased’s sexual orientation and the motivation behind my client’s act of euthanasia.

  Prosecution: Correction, M’Lady. The defendant is on trial for murder.

  Defense: I am aware of the charges against my client, but it is my intent, M’Lady, to prove his act was, in fact, euthanasia and not murder.