Chapter 53 – "In the Dock"
Los Angeles Superior Court – Courtroom 304
8:32 a.m.
The courtroom was full. Each bench of worn wood held a member of the Mid-Wilshire precinct: patrol officers, detectives, even administrative staff. On the front bench, on the left side, sat Captain Zoe Anderson, Sergeant Wade Grey, Tim Bradford, and Angela Lopez. They were in uniform not out of protocol, but out of respect. This wasn't just a trial. It was a symbol. A fight for justice within justice itself.
Talia sat next to Gustavo, both at the defense table. She wore a dark suit, her hair tied in an elegant bun. But her hands, trembling slightly under the table, betrayed her. Gustavo noticed and, gently, placed his hand on hers.
"It's going to be okay," he said quietly, confidently. — "You'll leave here innocent. And if you want, we can later file a lawsuit against the State for moral damages, undue embarrassment and damage to your reputation."
She looked at him with teary but firm eyes. — "It's not just for me... it's for what this represents."
— "I know," Gustavo replied, nodding slowly. — "And that's why we're going to win."
On the other side of the room, Connor Vale, the young prosecutor, was looking at Gustavo with some curiosity. He had heard of the "recruit-lawyer," the guy from Harvard who decided to wear a uniform. But there, seeing him in a suit, briefcase in hand and attentive eyes, Connor realized that this was no amateur. And maybe, just maybe, he was underestimating his opponent.
The judge entered.
— "All rise," the bailiff announced.
Everyone stood up. Judge Charles B. Hollander, a white man with thinning hair and sharp eyes, took his seat and began the hearing.
— "We are here today for the trial of Officer Talia Bishop, charged with reckless homicide in the performance of her duties as a police officer. Are you ready, prosecutor?"
Connor stood.
— "Ready, your honor."
— "Defense?"
Gustavo stood with a calm, naturally practiced movement.
— "Yes, your honor. The defense is ready."
The judge nodded and called them forward to set the initial proceedings. Gustavo maintained his posture back straight, voice controlled, and eyes unblinking.
9:45 a.m.—Beginning of Prosecution Presentation
Connor began with an intense narrative: images of Talia with a gun in her hand, audio from the station, inaccurate witness statements. He appealed to emotion, painting a picture of a hasty police officer who took a man's life even when he "no longer posed a threat."
— "The prosecution will prove that the suspect was subdued, that Officer Bishop's actions were impulsive, and that the victim was denied due process."
There was a buzz in the room. Talia looked down, breathing hard. Gustavo picked up his pen, scribbled something on the case file, and whispered,
— "They're basing the case on assumptions and emotion. Perfect. That gives us room to bring in logic and technique."
She nodded, silent.
11:02 AM – Defense: Gustavo enters the scene
— "Your Honor, if I may."
Gustavo stood up. He walked to the center of the room with a restrained but magnetic presence. His footsteps echoed on the polished hardwood floor. He looked at the jury, at the judge, then at everyone in the room.
— "We're not here to judge theories. We're here to judge facts. And the facts will tell a different story than the one the prosecutor tried to paint." He stopped, picked up the remote control, and projected a 3D animation made from the police car's GPS data, body camera, and cross-examined statements.
— "Officer Bishop's patrol car was 75 feet from the suspect, in an alley with no cameras. She got out of the car and followed the standard approach instructions. The suspect... who had a history of violence and an active federal warrant... pointed a gun at her."
Gustavo pointed to the video that showed the exact frame in which the suspect's hand was raised.
— "Is the image blurry? Yes. But here..." — he zoomed in — "we can clearly see the metallic reflection. And now, with your permission, I'd like to bring in the ballistics expert witness: Officer Marisa Kelton."
The technician came in and presented her report. She confirmed that the shot was fired from the front and in self-defense. He confirmed that the gun was functional and had the victim's fingerprints on it.
Connor tried to refute this, but Gustavo was prepared. He brought up the inconsistency in the first responder's report, brought up the radio exchange recorded minutes before the official call. He even brought up the first responder's file — a third-party civilian with a history of negligence.
Gustavo put it together piece by piece, with disconcerting calm. And little by little, the silence in the room began to change. Eyes began to turn not only to Talia... but to him.
1:15 p.m. – Lunch break
Outside the courthouse, on the shaded sidewalk, Angela leaned against the wall and whistled.
— "I knew he was good... but not like this."
— "That's not only Harvard." — Bradford replied, crossing his arms. — "That's a calling."
Zoe Anderson stared out the window, motionless. Sergeant Grey, at her side, murmured:
— "We have a prodigy on our hands."
3:40 p.m. – Final Defense Argument
Back in the room, Gustavo walked slowly in front of the jury.
— "Throughout this entire process, we've been asked to believe that Officer Bishop acted recklessly. But look at the facts. Look at the videos, the reports, the dates, the timed seconds. In each of these pieces of evidence, there's a detail that confirms it: she saved her own life and perhaps others in that alley."
He paused. He took a deep breath. He looked at Talia, then at the jury.
— "Being a police officer is about making decisions in seconds. And being fair is about judging based on truth, not convenience. I trust you. Trust the facts." And then he returned to his seat.
5:12 p.m. – Verdict
The jurors returned after less than two hours of deliberation. It was fast. And in cases like this... fast was a sign of conviction. "In regard to the charge of reckless homicide... we, the jury, find the defendant... not guilty."
Talia broke down. Not in dramatic tears but in a sigh. A relief that went through her bones. She closed her eyes, feeling the world fall back into place. Gustavo squeezed her hand discreetly.
"You're free."
Across the room, Zoe Anderson smiled. Angela Lopez breathed a sigh of relief. Bradford clenched his fist like a last-second goal. And even Sergeant Grey... smirked.
Chapter 54 — "Blue Family"
Los Angeles Superior Court – Side Exit, 6:22 p.m.
The afternoon was tinged with gold by the last rays of sunlight on the courthouse steps. The Los Angeles sky, with its deep blue and orange clouds, seemed to reflect the lightness of a day that had begun full of tension but ended with relief.
Gustavo adjusted the knot of his tie as he waited for Talia to finish signing the release paperwork. The main entrance was crowded with journalists and curious onlookers, so everyone decided to leave discreetly through the side.
Zoe Anderson was the first to break the silence of the assembled group.
"Gustavo…" she said, with that firm voice, always careful with each word. "…I want you to know that what you did today was not only admirable. It was historic. One of us was at risk and you didn't just intervene you won. With elegance. With intelligence."
Gustavo lowered his head for a moment, in respect. He looked back at her and replied:
— "Captain... I just did what any of us would do. I just had a different tool."
Sergeant Grey chuckled lightly.
— "Different tool? You practically tore apart the prosecution, made the jury dance with the evidence, and even cited legal precedents as if you were in Congress."
Angela crossed her arms and shook her head, smiling:
— "He's the kind of guy who makes you wonder if you should have paid more attention in school."
Tim Bradford, always more restrained, extended his hand to Gustavo.
— "Good job, brother."
The handshake was firm, respectful. Bradford looked Gustavo in the eye as if to say "you've proven your worth" even though he had known that for a long time.
Talia then walked out the side door, finally free. The wind hit her face, and she closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. When she opened them, she walked toward the group, her eyes fixed on Gustavo. She didn't say anything right away. She just hugged him tightly, with raw gratitude.
"Thank you..." she murmured, still hugging him. "Really, Gustavo. I don't know what would have become of me without you."
He pulled away with a calm smile. "You would have found another way. You're a good cop. You just needed someone to remind everyone of that."
She laughed, her eyes brimming with tears. "Still... you went above and beyond. I won't forget."
Lopez lightly slapped Gustavo on the shoulder. "It's official. You're not just 'the rookie' anymore."
Gustavo raised an eyebrow and replied with a playful expression: "What a shame. I was enjoying that title."
The group laughed. And then he added:
— "Seriously speaking... we're a team. One of us bleeds, everyone feels it. And if one of us needs it... I'll be there. Always."
Everyone nodded. It was more than companionship. It was brotherhood. A true blue family.
Gustavo looked at his watch. He was tired, but still had energy in his voice.
— "Now, let's rest, guys. Tomorrow the patrol is waiting for us. And I hope no one has forgotten how to work out there..." — he threw the comment in Talia's direction, with a mischievous smile.
She arched an eyebrow, smiling as if accepting a challenge.
— "I hope I didn't hear that... newbie."
Lopez laughed.
— "Here comes trouble!"
Bradford just smirked.
Zoe Anderson shook her head with a subtle smile.
— "Go home, all of you. I don't want anyone exhausted in my precinct tomorrow." Grey waved his hand.
— "Come on, it's getting dark."
They said their goodbyes one by one.
Angela pulled Gustavo aside for a second.
— "Hey... You did incredibly well today. Seriously. I always knew you were more than you seemed. But seeing it with my own eyes... that was something else."
— "Thanks, Lopez. That means a lot coming from you."
— "Now get some sleep." — she said with a mischievous smile. — "I don't want you dozing off at the wheel of the patrol car."
— "You got it."
Gustavo then turned to Talia one last time that night.
— "Tomorrow, you and me on patrol. Like before. Like it should be."
She nodded.
— "Deal. And this time, no drama in court."
He winked at her.
— "No promises."
With that, each of them went their separate ways. Talia walked to her car, Lopez hitched a ride with Bradford, and the captain and sergeant climbed into a black SUV owned by the police station.
Gustavo stood for a moment on the sidewalk. The wind gently blew through his suit. He looked up at the darkening sky. And for the first time in weeks... he smiled peacefully.
He was one of them.
And they were his.
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