CHAPTER 126: THE TRIAL II

Charis

"Mr Riggs, do you understand the charges against you?"

"I...yes, I think so. The data breach, the—"

"Think so?" he interrupted. "This is not a thinking exercise. Do you or do you not understand what you’re accused of?"

"Y-yes, I understand," I managed.

"On the night of the fifteenth, you were recorded entering the administrative building at 19:22. Can you explain why you were there, especially after the academy had just issued a curfew to prevent any student from loitering about except members of the Student Council?"

My mind raced. "It wasn’t me. I was indoors, I promise. It wasn’t me."

"It wasn’t you?" the man scoffed. "But the footage captured you, besides the biometrics matched with your existing record that the academy has. What are you saying?"

"I left for the dorm after we were asked to go in. I was there until the next morning. I’d left my bag inside my class because when it happened, I was at the café eating. Whoever that is, it’s an impersonation of me. I didn’t move an inch outside after that announcement."

"So, you’re saying that the footage of the individual that was caught in 4K is not you? That you went to the dorm and remained there until the next day?"

"Yes," I nodded, feeling a little confident. "Whoever it is, that wasn’t me."

"Then do you know who?" the man asked, making me pause.

"I-I don’t understand," I stuttered.

"My words are not hard or sophisticated, Mr Riggs. You sound so sure that that isn’t you, so I’m hoping you can tell us who the person is since it wasn’t you."

I stared at the man for a few seconds, wondering how he expected me to answer that. The person in the video wasn’t me, and I had no idea who it was either.

"Mr Riggs?"

"I have no idea who that is," I said quietly. "Wouldn’t I know if I was the one?"

The man looked at me for a few minutes and then nodded before consulting the book in front of him. When he looked up, his gaze sought mine again.

"Mr Riggs, you said you went back to the dorms, right?"

I nodded.

"But an eyewitness account attests that you did not, and we did check the records. It appears you’ve only used your designated dorm room twice since you came to Ravenshore. May I ask where you’ve been staying?"

It felt like someone had dunked me in an ice bath. My gaze shifted to Kael at the jury stand, but Kael wasn’t even looking at me; his gaze was elsewhere.

"Mr Riggs," the man called out impatiently. "We don’t have all day. Answer the questions or don’t. I’ll ask again, if you weren’t sleeping in your designated dorm room, where have you been sleeping?"

The room stirred.

"In my brother’s room sometimes, and then Kael’s recently."

"Are you aware that sleeping in the room not assigned to you is breaking an academy rule?" the man asked.

"Yes, sir," I nodded miserably.

"Who did you inform about your illegal sleeping arrangements?"

I took in a deep breath; I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. Headmistress Vale had found out back then, and it had caused a ruckus, but she didn’t ask me to return to my dorms. Even if I tried to say I told her, the chances that she would deny it were high.

"The boys were bullying me in my dorm room. They kept calling me a bastard and—"

"Answer the question, Mr Riggs," the man said sternly. "Who was aware that you weren’t staying at your designated dorm room?’

"No one," I said with a tired sigh. "But I wouldn’t have left in the first place if Phil from Red Moon Pack and his goons didn’t try to make life difficult for me. They bullied me. What was I supposed to do?"

"Report them!" the lead investigator said sternly. "There are protocols followed for such things, however long. You cannot take matters into your hands because of small discomforts. Rules, regulations and protocols exist for a reason."

There was a slight pause before the wire-rimmed man continued.

"From our investigations, it shows you’ve had extensive contact with the representative of the student on the academy board, Alpha Rhett Thatcher. Describe the nature of this relationship."

"We’re...we’re friends. Classmates and study partners."

"Just friends?" the man leaned forward. "But our investigation shows you’ve been seen entering and leaving his private residence on multiple occasions, often very late at night."

"That’s a fucking lie," Rhett exploded from the crowd, and everyone turned to stare at him.

"And you are?" the Lead Investigator asked, peering at Rhett from the top of his glasses.

"Rhett Thatcher," Rhett said fiercely, "And your investigation is a sham. Eamon hasn’t been to my house many times. And in the night? Fuck me!"

"Language, Mr Thatcher," the Lead Investigator growled. "And this doesn’t concern you. If we have anything we’d like to clarify with you, we will let you know."

I saw Slater pull Rhett back to the seat, and everyone’s attention turned back to me.

"Well, go on." The man said.

"We study together, hang out, eat and—"

"Mr Riggs," the man interrupted, "do you take us for fools? Multiple witnesses have reported seeing you in what appeared to be intimate situations with not just Alpha Thatcher, but also with Alpha Winters. An eyewitness also said, Alpha Thatcher had once declared his love for you in public."

The blood drained from my face. "That’s not....we’re just—"

"Just what, exactly? Because from where we sit, it appears you’ve been using these relationships to gain access to privileged information."

"No!" I yelled, louder than I intended. "That’s not true! I would never—"

"Alpha Winters and Alpha Thatcher, and also your brother Alpha Riggs," he continued without stopping, "all have access to different levels of the academy’s systems. Convenient relationships for someone planning a data breach, wouldn’t you say?"

I was falling apart at this point. I was hearing the words without really understanding them.

"I don’t...that’s not...we’re really friends, and I would never use them like that!"

At that moment, one of the investigators turned toward the student jury bench, as his gaze settled on Kael.

"Alpha Winters, are you supposed to be sitting on this jury? Our records show you have a close personal relationship with the accused."

My heart stopped. If they removed Kael from the jury, I’d lose what might be my only friend in this nightmare.

But before Kael could respond, headmistress Vale rose from her seat at the side of the hall.

"If I may," her voice cut through the tension. "Alpha Kael Winters is the most truthful student in this school. In his two years here, he has never once allowed personal emotions to cloud his judgment. If there’s anyone who can set aside personal feelings in the service of justice."

The investigator looked sceptical, but after a moment’s consideration, he nodded. "Very well. Mr Winters may remain on the jury."

"Eamon Riggs," the only woman on the council board called out. "Do you admit you broke the Academy rules?"

"No!" I shook my head. "I think there’s been a mistake."

"A mistake," the woman laughed. "What mistake? To snoop? To gather information?"

"No!" My voice shook. "I don’t even—I mean, I don’t care about things like that.’

She leaned forward. "You’re saying you don’t care, but every year one student’s private information was stolen. Do you expect us to believe this is a coincidence? Especially when you were looking for paying jobs."

"That is different. I was broke and I needed money," I blurted out. "Is there any harm in looking for a job?"

"I am assuming you didn’t get it and resorted to other means, after all, you’ve had your friends pay for your school stuff."

"That is different," I sighed. " I swear, I had nothing to do with the data getting leaked. I don’t know who did it. I’d never—"

"Then explain the surveillance footage," the woman insisted.

"I don’t know," I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "I don’t know how that happened. It wasn’t me, I swear. It wasn’t. I am innocent."

Murmurs rippled through the hall.

The woman nodded, and the other wire-rimmed eyeglass man took over.

"In one word, explain your association with the Beta Prime, with Thatcher and with Winters."

"They’re just my friends, only."

"Or convenient allies, you mean. High-ranking names with powerful families. Are you using them for protection? After all, Rhett Thatcher’s father bailed you out some days ago. That only figures."

There was no air in my lungs now. I wanted so badly to sprawl on the ground and cry, but if I did that, I would only complicate things.

I looked to Kael again, and this time, I saw him watching me. He looked away when our eyes met.

"Mr Riggs, we’ve tried our best to get a suitable argument and explanation from you, and so far, we’ve gotten what we need. We will now go for recess, when we come back, the student jury would give us their judgement and then we would finalize."

I nodded, with my knees trembling so badly.

No matter how much I protested, I couldn’t be as truthful as I wanted to be because the truth would damn me even more.