-He resisted arrest!
Resounded the voice of the chubby policeman when asked why the accused had several bruises, a black eye and lips split in two different places.
-Sure... Replied the judge, -You are dismissed, officers.
-PLEASE! Adam added with his head down as he was pushed down on the bench.
It was the first hearing and the judge, a young man not much over 30, raven-black hair, slim, with brown eyes, and agile movements that betrayed a life that has not only focused on study, but also on a sport or sports.
-I understand he waived his lawyer and will handle his own defense.
-Actually no defense attorney wanted to take my case," exclaimed Adam.
-In any case, the prosecutor thinks it's pointless, the case seems pretty clear cut.
As the judge said those words the forty-something man in an old suit and gray hair across the courtroom stood up and looked at Adam with malice....
The courtroom was rather small, and low ceilinged, more like a glorified office, both benches on either side and in the center the judge's desk, which, breaking with tradition, did not rise above the witness and jury boxes....
-You are accused, Mr. Adam Javier Uzcategui Castillo. Of homicide in the first degree with a firearm, with overkill and malice aforethought, with the aggravating circumstance of assault and robbery.
Mr. Augustus Castillo, 74 years old, widower... pensioned from the Jacinto Convit Experimental University.
How does he respond to the charges?
-Innocent, your honor...
-Are you trying to say, Mr. Adam, that you did not kill Mr. Augustus?
-And what would your honor like to know? I think he has already noticed that I have had a couple of difficult nights and I feel somewhat indisposed?
At that point the prosecutor interrupted with the following words;
Your Honor, Mr. Adam was arrested at the scene of the crime with the murder weapon in his hands which leaves no doubt of his guilt, the weapon is presented as evidence, and in case of self-defense, what kind of danger could a 74 year old man pose against a 36 year old civil war veteran, who also has in his hands a Glock 19 9mm firearm?
I take your point, Mr. Prosecutor," replied the judge.
Mr. Adam, do you have anything else to add?
-No sir, or nothing that you can understand, or want to understand, we are all clear about where this is really going....
-Yes I killed the old man, in self-defense! What that man was doing and what he was going to do was monstrous. He was going to feed me to his pet.
- The verdict will be given 15 days from today, in this very courtroom, you may all retire. - Replied the judge
But before Adam managed to awkwardly get up in handcuffs, the judge signaled him with his palm to sit back down.
When the policemen approached Adam he told them he wanted to talk to the prisoner for a moment.
When everyone except the judge and Adam had left...the precocious prelate opened his suit and pulled from a pocket of his jacket a pack of cigarettes, and taking out two, offered one to Adam.
-Ha! Looks like we're serious. -He replied, and I suppose I should take advantage of it since it might be the last thing I put in my mouth then....
He took the cigarette in both hands because of the handcuffs and put it in his mouth, then the judge passed him a silver Zippo lighter... simple yet elegant. Like everything else about him, Adam then asked him:
-Since we are respecting customs, I suppose I should say my last words before you send me to my execution?
-I don't know what customs you are referring to, Mr. Adam, but I really do want to hear your words....
In your cynicism you can call it Morbid Curiosity if you like....
But it's not every day that an ex-combatant of the famous Red Eagle group passes through this room...
To begin with... -I would like to know why you dismembered the poor old man... I know that you have been a terrible criminal for years, but your cruelty always had some twisted sense... this... on the other hand...
-Ha... That... let's see judge, I didn't do anything to the old man's corpse, that was done by your pet!
-And what kind of pet would that be that did that to his master?
-A monster... and that's why I killed the old man too, to prevent him from continuing to bring monsters into the world, who by the way should focus on looking for him and killing him instead of having fun torturing me here!
Then the judge smiled with a certain malice that increased exponentially due to his appearance...
-Of course... That's what I mentioned a while ago... you extremists, the radicals, always tell us that what you do, the crimes you commit are for the good of all, you always say that you do it to save us... tell me something Mr. Adam, have you ever stopped to think, to measure in the scales, how many lives and futures you destroy, compared to how many you actually save?
Now you want to talk to me about monsters? My Lord, monsters with pointed ears and big fangs do not exist, monsters look like you and me? And I believe that the one in this story has already been caught... It's you...
This time it was Adam, who, with his split lip... And his face bruised... Sketched what looked like a bitter smile.
-You have no fucking idea what real monsters look like...
-Tell me about your old unit... The Red Eagle Squadron...
-Am I being judged for what happened in the war then? Don't misunderstand me, I know that's why I'm here, a normal case would have taken months before going to your first hearing, that's Latin America, but I only took two days... Someone upstairs wants to put me in jail soon so they can kill me....
-Ha, don't fool yourself Mr. Adam, they don't have to put you in jail to kill you, in fact... we could sentence you to death penalty... I remember it was approved for special cases...
But here we are just having a conversation... you see... you and your old unit are kind of celebrities...
The last true outlaws...
The GAETI. Strategic Advisory Group/Irregular Tactical was... what for decades have been the "advisory" groups in the conflict terrain, on paper we were a group to train and advise the Rebel army and coalition forces in the semi-irregular conflict aspect that was developing in New Venice, that was on paper, in reality we were doing what the MAC-V-SOC did in Vietnam, or its counterpart the Russian Spetnaz... Or like the CIA agents in Afghanistan in the 80s. We were conducting irregular warfare operations, high-value target eliminations or sabotage, missions that a regular army can't do.
-So a group of military hit men?
-Our focus was especially on cutting off the enemy's cash flow, and thus degrading their ability to drag out the war.... As long as they continued to have millions of dollars from drug trafficking for weapons and soldiers, the war could last for decades, and the civilian population and millions of people would continue to suffer?
-Of course, and they solved that by killing everyone who had a connection with drug trafficking... even plantation workers or the women who packed in the kitchens... they are genocidal... even today there are massive graves...
-YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND! -Adam exploded, "Half a trillion dollars a year! That is the estimate of what drug trafficking in the region produced per year, that is, in 2 years they could buy a fully equipped and manned Ford supercarrier! Imagine what a criminal syndicate with those resources, which also has the government of a country with abundant natural resources, and does not respect any rules or humanitarian agreements could do? They fight dirty, they killed civilians, they used children as spices, they bribed or blackmailed... how could they expect to beat them without using those weapons as well?
That's why we did what we did... we had to stain ourselves... we had to give up our humanity... so that people like you, could continue to live happy, peaceful and prosperous lives... and after they used us and we were no longer useful, they threw us away, and whoever didn't behave or didn't let themselves be controlled... they hunted them down to lock them up or kill them....
I think maybe the sergeant was right... it is the destiny of warriors today... and has been for centuries...
1400 kilometers away two men in a hut in the middle of the jungle were discussing sitting at a small wooden table... they were examining on their laptops pictures of a courthouse, a police station and the house of an old ex-university professor...
-So maybe there is a cult cell there?
-Maybe, but most of the evidence was destroyed by Adam as the case report implies.
-I don't think the damn old man had everything so accessible... there must be more in the house, no one unfamiliar with the nature of the cult could even know where to look or what.
-What about Adam?
-We're going to need him if we're going to get the beast...we'll have to get him out.
A promise is a promise my friend @Barrywyte