Post by Acid Beth on Oct 7, 2021 22:14:37 GMT -5
"Getting What I Want...ish"
"I...I don't know what you want me to say."
Tell them the truth.
She wanted to say more, needed to say more, but simply couldn't bring herself to. She had tried a thousand times to even tell Vincent, who was grasping at straws trying to keep her out of prison. But still, as she took the stand, Isabel Diaz simply couldn't tell the truth, because she knew what would happen if she did.
"I don't know who it was all for...I never saw a face...only made a drop. I had no connection with the people I worked for."
Give him up.
Those were the only words she could manage, her eyes darting around the room. She knew for certain he would have sent someone inside the court room. Eyes an hears open at all times, he would say. Her eyes immediately went to the minorities in the room, people like herself that he found on the streets, easy money. But she knew better. Her eyes then went around to everyone in the room, because she now understood how high up his reach actually went. It could be anyone.
"Thank you, no further questions."
Last chance.
The prosecutor sat back down in their chair, having asked all they needed to ask. She felt it again, rising up in her throat. The need to say something. The need to be strong. But no, she kept it down, forced it down, and kept quiet. From there, she doesn't even recall being excused but suddenly she was no longer up on the stand, but sitting back on her defense side of the bench. She turned to her left and Vincent was there.
"Now remember to look surprised when the verdict is announced..."
He was whispering to her, barely audible to her so that nobody else in the room could hear.
"This judge owes me a favor, and I'm going to take care of you like I promised. Unfortunately, at recess he let me know that things aren't looking good..."
For a moment she felt her heart sank when she heard that. Things weren't looking good. She was gonna go down, and she was gonna go down hard. But then she remembered Vincent's promise - the promise he had made to her years ago, that he had kept to this very day. She remembered he always had a plan.
"This isn't anything we weren't expecting though, Beth. We knew you were going to have to serve some time. Luckily for us I have some pull. You're going to get sent to the Sanatorium program ran by WWH. That's still what you want, right?"
She thought about that for just a moment. What she really wanted was to be free of all of this, to turn back to clock and make better decisions in her life that wouldn't lead her here. But she knew the time for regret was over, she'd never get what she really wanted, and this was the next best thing. They'd discussed the slim chance of getting off scot free, and the Sanatorium was the best place for her, and with the possibility of winning your freedom each week. She had convinced herself, this HAD to be the next best thing.
Respond, Beth.
"Yes...yes, that's still what I want."
Vincent focused his eyes forward again, before reaching his arm forward and tapping his fingers three times on the desk. The judge at the front of the court room, flipping through court documents, glanced up at Vincent at nodded slightly. Obviously some sort of code that they had worked out between them, she figured.
"Would the accused please rise?"
The old man in the judge's gown looked to them, asking. Vincent nudged her arm while standing himself, giving her the signal to stand up with him. As they did, Vincent crossed his hands in front of him, but kept them around his waist.
"Isabel Diaz is hereby found guilty of one count of drug trafficking. This court has approved your request for rehabilitation via the WWH Sanatorium program until the medical professionals there decree her as fit to rejoin society..."
There was a gasp from the room. No wait, that came from her own mouth. She was playing up that shock factor, acting like this wasn't the plan all along.
Tone it down a smidge, Joan Crawford.
"The defendant shall be escorted to the Sanatorium premises immediately. This court is adjourned."
The judge banged his gavel in front of him three times, signaling the end of her sentencing. She'd got what she wanted...but why did it feel so hollow. Vincent turned to her, putting his arms around her in a hug.
"They're about to take you. Remember that it's not forever, every time you win you're given your freedom from that place. Use what you know, and do it well. I know you will. I'll see you soon."
His words were quick. They had to be as the guards drew closer and closer to the pair before finally getting close enough to break them apart. The first guard took her arms, placing them behind her and facing her towards the crowd. Just in time to make eye contact with Siren, who turned away a second later and exited the court room. That was all she needed to say, a simple look and Beth understood. No words needed. The handcuffs locked around her wrists.
"See you soon."
She managed to muster those words back before being lead from the courtroom. And she believed them. She planned on doing everything she could to earn her freedom each week, brawling was certainly not a new concept to her. Maybe the environment would be new, but she knew how to adapt, and adapt she shall. Being sent held another advantage, keeping Beth within a program that protected her from those that would want to harm her. However, they weren't yet aware of how it would effect those locked inside with her.
Tell them the truth.
She wanted to say more, needed to say more, but simply couldn't bring herself to. She had tried a thousand times to even tell Vincent, who was grasping at straws trying to keep her out of prison. But still, as she took the stand, Isabel Diaz simply couldn't tell the truth, because she knew what would happen if she did.
"I don't know who it was all for...I never saw a face...only made a drop. I had no connection with the people I worked for."
Give him up.
Those were the only words she could manage, her eyes darting around the room. She knew for certain he would have sent someone inside the court room. Eyes an hears open at all times, he would say. Her eyes immediately went to the minorities in the room, people like herself that he found on the streets, easy money. But she knew better. Her eyes then went around to everyone in the room, because she now understood how high up his reach actually went. It could be anyone.
"Thank you, no further questions."
Last chance.
The prosecutor sat back down in their chair, having asked all they needed to ask. She felt it again, rising up in her throat. The need to say something. The need to be strong. But no, she kept it down, forced it down, and kept quiet. From there, she doesn't even recall being excused but suddenly she was no longer up on the stand, but sitting back on her defense side of the bench. She turned to her left and Vincent was there.
"Now remember to look surprised when the verdict is announced..."
He was whispering to her, barely audible to her so that nobody else in the room could hear.
"This judge owes me a favor, and I'm going to take care of you like I promised. Unfortunately, at recess he let me know that things aren't looking good..."
For a moment she felt her heart sank when she heard that. Things weren't looking good. She was gonna go down, and she was gonna go down hard. But then she remembered Vincent's promise - the promise he had made to her years ago, that he had kept to this very day. She remembered he always had a plan.
"This isn't anything we weren't expecting though, Beth. We knew you were going to have to serve some time. Luckily for us I have some pull. You're going to get sent to the Sanatorium program ran by WWH. That's still what you want, right?"
She thought about that for just a moment. What she really wanted was to be free of all of this, to turn back to clock and make better decisions in her life that wouldn't lead her here. But she knew the time for regret was over, she'd never get what she really wanted, and this was the next best thing. They'd discussed the slim chance of getting off scot free, and the Sanatorium was the best place for her, and with the possibility of winning your freedom each week. She had convinced herself, this HAD to be the next best thing.
Respond, Beth.
"Yes...yes, that's still what I want."
Vincent focused his eyes forward again, before reaching his arm forward and tapping his fingers three times on the desk. The judge at the front of the court room, flipping through court documents, glanced up at Vincent at nodded slightly. Obviously some sort of code that they had worked out between them, she figured.
"Would the accused please rise?"
The old man in the judge's gown looked to them, asking. Vincent nudged her arm while standing himself, giving her the signal to stand up with him. As they did, Vincent crossed his hands in front of him, but kept them around his waist.
"Isabel Diaz is hereby found guilty of one count of drug trafficking. This court has approved your request for rehabilitation via the WWH Sanatorium program until the medical professionals there decree her as fit to rejoin society..."
There was a gasp from the room. No wait, that came from her own mouth. She was playing up that shock factor, acting like this wasn't the plan all along.
Tone it down a smidge, Joan Crawford.
"The defendant shall be escorted to the Sanatorium premises immediately. This court is adjourned."
The judge banged his gavel in front of him three times, signaling the end of her sentencing. She'd got what she wanted...but why did it feel so hollow. Vincent turned to her, putting his arms around her in a hug.
"They're about to take you. Remember that it's not forever, every time you win you're given your freedom from that place. Use what you know, and do it well. I know you will. I'll see you soon."
His words were quick. They had to be as the guards drew closer and closer to the pair before finally getting close enough to break them apart. The first guard took her arms, placing them behind her and facing her towards the crowd. Just in time to make eye contact with Siren, who turned away a second later and exited the court room. That was all she needed to say, a simple look and Beth understood. No words needed. The handcuffs locked around her wrists.
"See you soon."
She managed to muster those words back before being lead from the courtroom. And she believed them. She planned on doing everything she could to earn her freedom each week, brawling was certainly not a new concept to her. Maybe the environment would be new, but she knew how to adapt, and adapt she shall. Being sent held another advantage, keeping Beth within a program that protected her from those that would want to harm her. However, they weren't yet aware of how it would effect those locked inside with her.