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Registered Phenomena Code: 528
Object Class: Gamma-White
Hazard Types: Extra-Dimensional Hazard, Destabilization Hazard
Containment Protocols: Should any sapient anomaly captured by Authority personnel claim to be a client for "W.F & Smith LLP," Attorney at Law Mr. Donovan Davids is to be contacted immediately for a court appointment in the name of the Authority for the anomaly's custody. During the trial, six Authority personnel not related to the anomaly's capture will be chosen to participate as jury1 for the trial's duration.
Mr. Donovan Davids is to carry a concealed camera alongside an audio recorder to all court trials for documentation purposes. Conversation with both RPC-528-1 and RPC-528-2 is encouraged for a better understanding of RPC-528 as a whole, alongside a probable physical location.
Due to the nature of RPC-528, traditional containment methods are considered futile. All attempts to censor information relating to the anomaly have also been unsuccessful. The most effective method has been the active management of each case regarding this anomaly.
Picture of RPC-528-1 provided by RPC-528-1 as a gift during interviewing.
Description: RPC-528 refers to the law firm "Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff & Smith LLP,"2 and its residing courthouse, both located in an unknown spatial dimension only accessible via phone call, the use of the law firm's presentation card, or when vocally requested by a client.
This law firm is led primarily by two individuals: RPC-528-1, being a 28-year-old English female by the name of Marie Isabella Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff,3 and RPC-528-2, an African man in its late 30's by the name of Michael Smith. Both individuals dress and speak in a manner that is historically associated with the early-1900s, while being familiar with contemporary 21st-century slang and vocabulary. The alternate reality from where both of these individuals operate their law firm remains unknown, but has been temporarily classified as ALTR-AC18. Efforts to accurately pinpoint the location of which remain underway.
It is unknown if any of these individuals possess anomalous properties themselves, but seem to otherwise have extensive knowledge of the anomalous world, alongside the Authority and other similar organizations, seemingly having dealt with alternate versions of the former in the past.
Cases regarding RPC-528 tend to have an extremely short duration compared to normal cases, with the longest one having taken only 5 weeks. Each case's jury, alongside the judge and bailiff, seems to be comprised of a random array of anomalous-aware individuals or anomalous individuals4 in a 1:1 ratio with the opposing party side so as to not cause unfair bias. It should also be noted that the laws applied to the case are the ones from the area where the anomaly was detained.5
Since its discovery, a total of 34 trials have been held within RPC-528, 15 of which have ended with the jury coming in favor of the Authority and 19 of the cases being settled with Ms. W.F or Mr. Smith out of court or resulting in a loss for the Authority. All terms and agreements resulting from either winning or losing a case seem to alter baseline reality as a means to force them to be complied with. The way this occurs remains unknown. To date, no case has resulted in a breach of the veil of normalcy. Despite this, all personnel involved in RPC-528 cases are advised to do whatever possible to win each case, or settle it in a favorable outcome for the Authority.
Discovery: On October 5th, 2001, a report regarding a possible LAH6 was sent from Anderson County, Texas. The report itself consisted of several sightings of a "Burning Man" having caused forest fires during the week. A search by local ASF forces was able to locate the LAH and apprehend it after extinguishing the anomaly's combusting body, revealing a frantic middle age caucasian male. After arriving at the nearest site for proper categorizing and initial research, an interview was conducted.
Interviewed: LAH-055 "Jacob B. Wiggins"
Interviewer: Dr. Elias Buttrick
Foreword: LAH-055's hands and feet were restrained to prevent the activation of unknown anomalous properties. Dr. Buttrick performed the interview behind a ballistic window in front of LAH-055 in case of a violent outburst.
<Begin Log>
[Dr. Buttrick enters the secured side of the interview room with a notepad in hand.]
Dr. Buttrick: Hello, Jacob, I'm Dr. Buttrick, but you can call me Elia. We're not here to harm you, but to understand what happened to you, and help you.
LAH-055 Please, let me out of here. I swear I didn't mean to do it, i-it was an accident! It'll never happen again, please, just let me go home!
Dr. Buttrick: I'm sorry, but we can't do that for the time being. We can see about another solution, however, if you agree to cooperate. Now, tell me what exactly happened. Why were you on fire?
LAH-055: I-I was drinking with a friend, and we both got wasted. At one point in the night, he gave me a mix he made with brandy. I didn't know it had Dr. Pepper in it, I swear on my mother I didn't know, I wouldn't have drunk it otherwise.
Dr. Buttrick: Dr. Pepper? What's the issue with Dr. Pepper?
LAH-055: Look, man, I'm sorry but please, I need to go home or people will start worrying about me if they aren't already. I need to pick my dog out from my mom's house, I-I. I can't be here, please, I swear it won't happen again.
Dr. Buttrick: I'm sorry Jacob, but we can't let you go. In the meantime, you will be stationed here in one of our rooms until we decide on the next course of action.
LAH-055: What? No, no. You can't hold me here against my will, I don't care what's wrong with me but I'm still a US citizen and I have rights, you can't do this to me!
Dr. Buttrick: I am sorry, Jacob, but I swear we're only doing this to help you. For now, this interview is over. Security, escort Mr. Jacob to his room.
LAH-055: NO! You can't do this to me, you have no right! I want to speak with my lawyer!
[A spatial rift opens up in the middle of the room, by which the then-unidentified RPC-528-1 comes through.]
RPC-528-1: Hello, gentlemen, pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Ms. Wiff and I'll be serving as Mr. Jacob's lawyer for all legal anomalous matters. Could you please provide me with a signed document stating why Mr. Jacob has been apprehended against his will?
[On-Site ASF personnel point their guns towards RPC-528.]
Dr. Buttrick: Hold it. Uh, hello, I'm Dr. Elias Buttrick. Mind telling me what you're doing and how you got here?
RPC-528-1: Oh, my apologies. We are just getting settled in the states, expanding our firm and all. As I said, I'm Ms. Wiff, from W.F & Smith LLP [RPC-528-1 hands Dr. Buttrick a business card from said law firm] This here is my client, Mr. Jacob, whom you may already know for holding here without any documents. Now, do you have anything to say in your defense?
Dr. Buttrick: We are holding Jacob here for his safety, and the safety of all other people. We have agreements with the US government that allow us to do this.
RPC-528-1: I'm certain the US government didn't specifically say you can kidnap citizens, toss them in a black van, and put them in an interrogation room with their hands and feet tied up. And even if they did, laws exist for a reason. You do it by the book, or you don't do it at all. Now, seeing as you don't have any documents for this, I will be taking my client with me until we settle this in court. You already know how to contact me, goodbye.
[RPC-528-1 alongside LAH-055 pass through the spatial rift before it closes. No other anomalies can be seen in the area.]
<End Log>
Closing Statement: Following this event, an anomalous file was opened for RPC-528. As a result of the transpired incident, the Authority contacted retired Mr. Donovan Davids, who had a degree in law before being hired by the Authority's Office of Ethics and Review in 1989.
Attached Documents:
Interviewed: RPC-528-1
Interviewer: CSD-02110
Foreword: Calling the contact number provided by RPC-528-1 resulted in the sudden manifestation of a spatial rift close to the caller. Assuming it to lead to an area containing the anomaly in question, a CSD was suited as a reporter and given both a video and sound recorder, alongside a list of questions and talking points, before being sent into the spatial anomaly.
<Begin Log>
[After entering, video feed shows a decorated wooden office in which RPC-528-1 sits across a table, examining papers before turning to CSD-02110.]
RPC-528-1: Oh! Hello there, who may you be? Do we have an appointment?
CSD-02110: I… I am a reporter for a news channel and came here for an interview.
RPC-528-1: Is that so? I was reviewing some papers now, but I guess can make a little time. Take a seat, please. Want anything? Coffee? Maybe tea?
CSD-02110: Oh no, I'm fine. I would like to start with the questions if you don't mind.
RPC-528-1: Alright, I see how it is, shoot!
CSD-02110: Umm, could you tell me a little bit about yourself? Your early years and such.
RPC-528-1: Eh, I didn't have a pretty interesting life growing up. Born in a rather normal London town, with normal parents and normal dreams. Later on, I went to study law at Oyster Harbour's University7 for quite some years and then graduated. Couldn't find many jobs at first, normal economic depression stuff.
CSD-02110: And how did you end up here, in W.F & Smith LLP? Seems you are doing pretty well.
RPC-528-1: Now that on the other hand is a pretty interesting story. Michael and I grew up in the same block, his family had moved from Africa some years prior, and I always considered him as sort of my older brother. We did pretty much everything together, and when it came to professions we both chose law. As I told you before, jobs were hard to find for two new graduates in a rough economic period, so, after a while, we decided that since no one was going to hire us, we might as well do our own thing. And that's how Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff & Smith LLP came to be.
CSD-02110: An inspiring story, but you seem different from most… common law firms.
RPC-528-1 Hehehe, that was actually Michael's idea. You see, during that time anomalous rights were the next big thing, like the computer boom of 1892. And yes, there were already some firms that dealt with anomalies for quite a while, but Michael… he had a brilliant idea. Why just stick to our own law market, when we can have all versions of the anomalous law market across reality!
CSD-02110: You mean that your law firm operates in different realities?
RPC-528-1: Bingo! That little phone number you used to come here was one of Michael's first projects, and his best one at that. And while other Michaels and Maries we found may have different quirks and personalities, it seems law is consistent in all. And as with all companies that get really big in one market, we became sort of a monopoly in regards to anomalous law. Can you believe there are some places where this stuff isn't even public knowledge?
CSD-02110: So… You seem to possess a lot of information about various realities.
RPC-528-1: Of course, like you guys at the Authority! When I came to look for Jacob and saw those pristine white walls I already knew it was your lot. When it comes to temporal constants, the Authority seems to be the most common one.
CSD-02110: I-I don't know what you are talking about.
RPC-528-1: Come on, I wasn't born yesterday, nor is it the first time I've had an interview like this. News reporter? Really? But hey, it's always nice to talk about myself. Now, if you don't have questions regarding the current case, I would ask you to leave me to work. Oh, and before you leave [RPC-528-1 turns around and takes a 1.2mx1.75m photo of herself from the wall before turning it to CSD-02110] Take this for your guys. Don't worry, I have a lot of them. In the meantime, I'll be sending all files to your lawyer, when you tell us who it is. But for now, goodbye, the door's right behind you.
<End Log>
Closing Statement: Mr. Donovan Davids was given access to RPC-528's business card to exchange information about the case, which was scheduled to begin two weeks after first contact.
Foreword: A week before the start of the court case for LAH-055 custody, a spatial rift similar to the one RPC-528-1 came from opened in the meeting room of Site-041, where Mr. Donovan Davids, alongside a group of Authority-employed attorneys, were discussing the case. From said spatial rift appeared a tall African man dressed in early-1900s clothing, presumed to be affiliated with RPC-528-1.8 The encounter was recorded by a security camera located in the room.
<Begin Recording>
[After most of the room's occupants have calmed down, RPC-528-2 proceeds to take a seat in one of the available chairs.]
RPC-528-2: Hello, gentlemen, pleased to make your acquaintance. Excuse me for the sudden appearance at your meeting, but I have pressing matters to discuss with Mr. Davids.
[One of the attorneys, Mr. Fiwick, stands up and points at RPC-528-2]
Mr. Fidwick: And just what-
[Mr. Davids holds up a hand, gesturing Mr. Fidwick to sit down again]
Mr. Davids: That would be me, and greetings as well. Mr. Smith, I assume?
RPC-528-2: That would be correct.
Mr. Davids: Now, what is the matter with this intrusion?
RPC-528-2: Our client. Mr. Jacobs, despite our best advice, wants this case to be done as soon as possible, even if that means coming to an out-of-court settlement.
Mr. Davids: Alright, and what would the terms for this settlement be?
RPC-528-2: You immediately release Mr. Jacob back to his home and stop pursuing him altogether. In exchange, Mr. Jacob agrees to never again make use of his anomalous properties, both accidentally and intentionally. He also does not ask for any kind of monetary compensation. I think you'll find these terms very generous.
Mr. Davids: And how can we trust his word? How can we be sure that in the next week he won't burn down a forest, but a city block, a hospital, or kill dozens of people, both accidentally or intentionally?
RPC-528-2: First and foremost, I would ask you to not make such accusations of my client when you have no proof to back them up. And second of all, I don't know how you folk deal with these issues around here, but when we sign a contract regarding the outcome of a case, it is followed head to toe! No matter what happens, no matter what anyone tries to do. I may not agree with what Mr. Jacob is willing to do to go home, but it is what it is. So, I will ask you again to think of my offer before I add a price tag to it. Are we understood?
Mr. Davids: I think we are understood alright. But we would like to go through with this case regardless. We can't allow a ticking bomb to wander around the world.
RPC-528-2: Then so be it! I hope our next encounters will be most pleasant. Good morning and goodbye.
[RPC-528-2 returns to the spatial rift before it is subsequently closed.]
<End Recording>
Additional Notes: Despite RPC-528-2's offer, the Board of Global Directors has chosen to continue with the trial for a better understanding of the anomaly.
On October the 19th, a small spatial rift was opened in the middle of Site-041's meeting room, delivering a single letter which reads as follows:
- Formal Court Appointment Notice -
Hello Mr. Donovan Davids, you and all your required legal team are formerly summoned to attend the case of "The Authority v. Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff and Smith."The case will take place on the 20th of October at 12:13 PM and a 30-minute recess will take place at 1:40 PM.
You are legally required to attend this case. Failing to do so will result in the case being dismissed and all charges dropped.
Once you are ready, dial the attached number on any communication device and proceed to enter the resulting dimensional rift.
Remember that you are required to bring a number of your representatives as members of the jury, six of them, neutral stance on the matter. We'll know if you lie.
You are also allowed to bring any witnesses of your choice for this case.
We are waiting for you.
With regards, Marie Isabella Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff.
Additional Note: The attached phone number has been classified for all personnel except Mr. Donovan and his team.
Recorded Legal Cases:
Foreword: When the deadline for the court case was met, Mr. Donovan Davids, alongside his legal team and six chosen personnel for the jury, typed the phone number attached to the letter into his phone, causing a spatial rift to appear. Mr. Donovan Davids was suited with hidden cameras and audio recorders for research into RPC-528.
[Camera feed captures the image of a seemingly innocuous courtroom, although once the camera centered its view on the present audience, judge, and jury, abnormalities were quickly spotted. The seat of the judge was occupied by what appeared to be a three-meter tall grey obelisk. Members of the jury were more varied, with some appearing to be non-humanoid in nature.]
[A door to the left of the witness podium opened, letting through a featureless, black entity with a semi-liquid consistency which slithered towards Mr. Davids.]
Unknown Entity: Welcome to our courthouse, my name is Jonatan Henderson and I'll be the bailiff for this case. You can go to your seats and the case will begin in five minutes. All six members of the jury, please accompany me to the Jury Box.
[All six Authority personnel follow the entity while Mr. Davids and his team take their seats. RPC-528-1 and RPC-528-2, alongside LAH-055, can be seen already in their seats towards the left.]
Jonatan Henderson: The court is now open and in session. The Honorable Judge Almada'zar Epipath presiding. This is the case of Authority v. W.F & Smith. It is now time to swear in the jury. Will the jury please rise?
[All 12 members of the jury stand as requested.]
Jonatan Henderson: Please raise your right hand or appendages - you there can tilt to the right, yeah, like that - and be sworn: Do you solemnly swear that you will try the issues now to be given you? That you will speak nothing to any one of the business or matters you have in hand, but among yourselves? And when you are agreed upon any verdict, you will keep it secret until you deliver it up in court? Do you all so swear?
[All members of the jury swear.]
Jonatan Henderson: Good. Now Judge Almada'zar Epipath will take the word.
[The grey obelisk in the Judge seat begins to emit a purple light, before starting to vibrate.]
Almada'zar Epipath: DOES THE PROSECUTION HAVE AN OPENING STATEMENT?
Mr. Davids: Uh… Yes, Your Honor. [Mr. Davids talks towards the Jury Box] Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and entities of the Jury. I am Donovan R. Davids representing the Central Authority in this case. On October the 5th, merely two weeks ago! The defendant committed the crime of Aggravated Arson, burning down more than five acres of forest during the time in which this crime took place, killing wildlife, and damaging private property in the process.
[LAH-055 can be seen on the right of RPC-528-2 covering its head in a presumed display of shame or anxiety.]
Mr. Davids: During this trial, I will show with irrefutable evidence that, Mr. Jacob B. Wiggins here standing, not only committed the crime of arson but did so by the reckless use of his anomalous properties, without a care in the world for the lives or properties of the innocent citizens of Anderson County. I will show Mr. Jacob B. Wiggins, not only on the scene of the crime but also his own words about the matter. And I will show that Mr. Jacob B. Wiggins needs to be immediately taken into Authority custody, not only for the safety of the citizens of Texas, but for his own.
[Mr. Davids looks towards the seats of RPC-528-1 and 2 before gesturing at them.]
Mr. Davids: The defense may argue that this horrible outcome was the result of forces outside of his control, that it was an accident, maybe even a period of insanity. But as you will see with our witnesses' testimony, alongside tangible evidence, this is nothing more than a crude attempt to hide the truth of what really happened. What our brave men and women did, risking their lives for the safety of others. Thank you.
Almada'zar Epipath: GOOD. NOW DOES THE DEFENSE HAVE AN OPENING STATEMENT AS WELL?
RPC-528-2: Indeed, Your Honor, we do. [Both RPC-528-2 and -1 walk towards the Jury Box] Dear members of the jury, I am Mr. Smith and here with me is Ms. W.F, pleased to represent Mr. Jacob B. Wiggins in this, oh so unfair case. Our defendant has not only been accused and slandered by this so-called "Authority" to have committed hideous crimes and attempts on the life of not only his dear neighbors, but to his own city as if he were a maniac. Accusations such as this always hold a grain of truth, but they can always be covered by all manners of skewed interpretations.
[RPC-528-2 brushes the left side of his shoulder two times before continuing. This behavior is seen many times throughout the case but its purpose is unknown.]
RPC-528-2: Yes, our client's anomalous properties indeed manifested, but not intentionally in any way, and with no intent to harm or destroy anything. It was an honest mistake that anyone could've made, and that is not an attempt to hide the truth. Even more, I am sure that most of you, and myself included, have made mistakes, some worse than others, during our lives. But I also don't see anyone here being treated like an animal, a threat, or as Mr. Davids himself put it "a ticking bomb, waiting to explode".
RPC-528-1: And not only did they treat him merely as an object, but they sent their "brave men and women" to search and capture Mr. Jacob, knocking him out before carrying his body to a van and into a Military Fire Range, which is only a facade for what can only be called a "Human Zoo." [RPC-528-1 shows several, large pictures of ASF troops during the initial capture of LAH-055.]
RPC-528-2: Given all of these facts here presented, we will prove without a shred of a doubt that Mr. Jacob B. Wiggins had in no way the intent to utilize its anomalous properties to harm Anderson County, or any of its citizens, alongside the horrible treatment he was given by the Authority and its goons. Thank you.
Almada'zar Epipath: HEARTBREAKING. WILL THE PROSECUTION BRING ITS FIRST WITNESS AND OR SHOW A PIECE OF EVIDENCE?
Mr. Davids: Yes, Your Honor. The prosecution would like to call Captain Michael Flintlock to stand. He was present during the mission that took place to bring Mr. Jacob to our facility, as well as preventing the fire from spreading towards nearby population centers. He will testify about the condition that Mr. Jacob and his immediate surroundings were in, as well as the circumstances that lead to his detention.
[Cap. Michael Flintlock stands from his seat and proceeds to walk towards the stand accompanied by Jonatan Henderson.]
Jonatan Henderson: Mr. Flintlock, do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth under oath?
Cap. Flintlock: Yes, I do.
Almada'zar Epipath: THE PROSECUTION MAY EXAMINE THE WITNESS.
Mr. Davids: Please state your name for the record.
Cap. Flintlock: Yes, sir. My name is Michael Fitzgerald Flintlock. Captain of Site-041's ASF team, second division.
Mr. Davids: Mr. Flintlock, can you tell us what happened on the 5th of October?
RPC-528-2: Objection! Mr. Davids is asking a narrative question, and I don't think anyone here wants to know what Mr. Flintlock ate for breakfast that morning.
[A beam of purple light shoots from the tip of the grey obelisk, fully illuminating RPC-528-2.]
Almada'zar Epipath: SUSTAINED. MR. DAVIDS, BE MORE SPECIFIC.
Mr. Davids: Alright then. Mr. Flintlock, did you get a call for a possible security threat on the 5th of October?
Cap. Flintlock: Yes, sir, I did. At around 12:35 PM my team and I got a call from central about a possible rogue LAH in Anderson County. The anomaly did not seem to pose an immediate threat, but was still a cause of worry for the area. So, after gearing up to deal with extreme-temperature hazards, we headed towards the given destination.
Mr. Davids: And what was it that you found in said destination?
Cap. Flintlock: We found an isolated area of the nearby forest in flames, an indication that the LAH was close, so we prepared to strike and capture it before the fire could spread to separate areas of the forest.
Mr. Davids: When you arrived close enough to see Mr. Jacob, what happened?
Cap. Flintlock: The LAH seemed to not notice us at first. He was hunched over in a circle of sand amongst several smoldering trees, his entire body appeared to also, be covered in fire. Thanks to this Lt. Bennet was able to shoot an anti-incendiary explosive close to the LAH, completely extinguishing him, alongside all trees in the area. This seemed to temporarily incapacitate him, making it easier to transport him back to Site-041.
Mr. Davids: What would you say was the forest's condition before you and your team arrived?
Cap. Flintlock: Trees closer to the LAH seemed to have long since turned to ashes, with the remaining fires closely spreading towards the rest of the forest and into the city. I think that would be all.
Almada'zar Epipath: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE PROSECUTION?
Mr. Davids: No, Your Honor. I pass the witness.
Almada'zar Epipath: DOES THE DEFENSE WISH TO CROSS-EXAMINE THE WITNESS?
RPC-528-1: Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Flintlock, did you have to sign any document after being employed by the Authority? An NDA, maybe?
Cap. Flintlock: Yes, my line of work is completely confidential, and I'm expected to keep information regarding its anomalous nature a secret to the unknowing population.
RPC-528-1: Does this document, by any change, prohibit you from talking about certain aspects regarding your line of work even to people with knowledge of the anomalous?
Cap. Flintlock: Yes… There are certain things within my knowledge that can only be shared with individuals that possess a sufficient level of clearance.
RPC-528-1: Do I have sufficient clearance to know all aspects of your work or actions within the Authority, Mr. Flintlock?
Cap. Flintlock: Uh, no. I don't think you do.
RPC-528-1: So you admit under oath that, not only have you signed a contract with the organization that illegally detained Mr. Jacob, but that due to that contract, said organization has the power to prevent you from revealing information to this court under an arbitrary clearance system.
Mr. Davids: Objection! Not only is Ms. Wiff making such an assumption without knowledge about the inner workings of the Authority, but she is doing so while giving the Jury an improper characterization of my witness as a liar.
Almada'zar Epipath: SUSTAINED. MR. WIFF, REFUSE YOURSELF FROM MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT MR. FLINTLOCK'S CHARACTER. NEARLY ALL ORGANIZATIONS NEED FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO SIGN CONFIDENTIALITY DOCUMENTS.
RPC-528-1: I'm sorry, Your Honor. Then let me ask you another question, Mr. Flintlock. Can you repeat the position and place in which you find Mr. Jacob?
Cap. Flintlock: He was hunched over in a circle of sand amongst burned-down trees.
RPC-528-1: And what did they teach in middle school about how to make a bonfire without risking the fire from spreading.
Mr. Davids: Objection! I don't see how this question has any relevance to the case.
RPC-528-1: I assure you, Your Honor, that this question is highly relevant to my case as you will see in a second.
Almada'zar Epipath: OVERRULED. THE WITNESS MAY ANSWER MS. WIFF'S QUESTION.
Cap. Flintlock: I… don't remember much. They mostly told us to make a little hole, a kind of container for the fire to not spread outwards, a sort of circle.
RPC-528-1: And, will you say the position of Mr. Jacob, alongside the sand circle he was enclosed within, resembled such instructions?
Cap. Flintlock: Yes, they did appear similar in nature, but I don't thin-
RPC-528-1: As the Jury can hear, not only was Mr. Jacob immobile within a damaged area, he was hunched over in fear of causing harm. He created a bonfire sand circle to the best of his ability so that, if all his other measurements failed, the fire wouldn't spread. And even if it did spread, our client didn't leave the area that, according to Mr. Flintlock, was already burned down. It may not have been obvious to the Jury at first, but it is clear now that the only thing within Mr. Jacob's mind, even during such moments of unimaginable stress, was the safety of all the people of Anderson County.
Almada'zar Epipath: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE DEFENSE?
RPC-528-2: Yes, Your Honor. We do have one more question. Mr, Flintlock, could you tell us the meaning of the word "LAH"?
Cap. Flintlock: Of course, the word "LAH" stands for Lesser Anomalous Humanoid. It is the term used to refer to all entities of human-like appearance that possess minor anomalous properties.
RPC-528-2: Lesser. Anomalous. Humanoid. Not only do these people not have the decency to even call them humans, they classify them in ranks, with our client being only a "Lesser" type of not human, but humanoid. I have to say, I've never seen such good dehumanization tactics in my years as a lawyer, pretty impressive!
RPC-528-1: I think this goes to show the levels of brutality and disregard by which the Authority treats people. We have no more questions, Your Honor.
Almada'zar Epipath: GOOD. THE COURT WILL NOW TAKE A 30-MINUTE RECESS. PROCEED TOWARDS THE LEFT WHEN EXITING THE COURTROOM IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF THE CONSUMPTION OF FOOD AND OR WATER IN THE LUNCH AREA. [The grey obelisk stops giving off light and becomes inert again]
- End of First Session -
Foreword: Mr. Donovan Davids begins heading towards the aforementioned “Lunch Area” for inspection. On arrival, Mr. Davids takes a long view of the whole room, which while keeping the classical theme of the courtroom, includes food locals such as: Amazing! Burgers, Wood Kebabs "London's Finest", S.o.Y All-Vegan, All You Cannot Eat Buffet, and Subway. Before being able to proceed to any singular locale, he is stopped by RPC-528-1 and 2.9
RPC-528-1: Hello, Mr. Davids. Glad we can see each other again so soon.
RPC-528-2: Indeed we are, but now onto more pressing matters. Our client has, once again and despite all advice, asked us to propose the same settlement I offered you during our first meeting. Same terms as before and… no price tag.
Mr. Davids: Is there anything wrong with the case for your client to ask you this? Perhaps he is smelling defeat in the air?
[RPC-528-1 grabs RPC-528-2’s shoulder to put itself directly in front of Mr. Davids.]
RPC-528-1: Dear Mr. Davids, I’ll ask you to not make such claims, as the only reason our client is going out of his way to make such irrational decisions is caused by your constant attacking of his character. If Mr. Jacob wasn’t on the verge of a nervous breakdown when I brought him from your interrogation room, he now is.
Mr. Davids: I completely understand your point, Ms. Wiff, but I cannot accept the deal no matter the terms. I was sent here to win a case, and that's what I intend to keep doing if you don’t mind.
[RPC-528-2 grabs RPC-528-1’s shoulder (with its left hand) to put itself directly in front of Mr. Davids, this time closer.]
RPC-528-2: Then so be it. We will meet again in 28 minutes once we are done with our lunch. And I advise you, Mr. Davids, do not take a hand lent in peace as an act of weakness. Good morning and goodbye.
[Both RPC-528-1 and 2 sit on a table 5 meters across from Mr. Davids and eat their respective meals for the remainder of the recess.]
- End of 30 Minute Recess -
Foreword: Mr. Davids walks towards the courtroom once the recess ends, and takes his seat. RPC-528-1, -2, and LAH-055 enter afterwards to take their seats.
Jonatan Henderson: WIth all members of the court in place, the trial can continue. Judge Almada'zar Epipath will now take the word.
[The grey pillar shines once again and starts vibrating.]
Almada'zar Epipath: DOES THE PROSECUTION CALL ITS NEXT WITNESS?
Mr. Davids: Yes, Your Honor. The prosecution would like to call Kevin Brown, Mr. Jacob’s friend, to stand.10 According to Mr. Jacob himself, during the interview log already provided to the defense, Kevin Brown was present during the “incident” that took place before Mr. Jacob’s latent anomalous properties took effect. His testimony will verify that, not only was Mr. Jacob in full use of his senses during this period, but that all his actions were done without any outside intervention.
[Kevin Brown is brought from a separate room and into the stand by Jonatan Henderson, who at the time took the vague shape of a human. He is then made to take an oath.]
Almada'zar Epipath: THE PROSECUTION MAY EXAMINE THE WITNESS.
Kevin Brown: Holy shit, what is that thing?! Is that a goddamn talking rock?
Mr. Davids: Self-learning Judge AI, a new initiative by the democrats to uhhhh, facilitate trials - to prevent clogging in the legal system -, but don’t worry about it. Now could you please state your name for the record?
Kevin Brown: Alright then… My name's Kevin.
Mr. Davids: Full name, please.
Kevin Brown: Ah, sorry. Kevin Miller Brown.
Mr. Davids: Now, Mr. Brown, could you tell us when did you last see Jacob Wiggins?
Kevin Brown: Sure, I last saw my man when we were drinking at my place. It was the 4th… Monday, I think? He got dumped by his girl and a man gotta do what he gotta do, so we downed a few.
Mr. Davids: So, you are saying that both you and Mr. Jacob were under the effect of influence when this meeting took place?
Kevin Brown: This won't get me in trouble right? I don't wanna get kicked out of the house again.
Mr. Davids: Don’t worry, Mr. Brown, this case is regarding Mr. Jacob, and the information shared within these walls will stay within these walls. We just need to know the state in which Mr. Jacob was in that night.
Kevin Brown: Ok, Mister. I won’t lie, my man was pretty busted. I didn’t wanna ruin his morning the next day so I went and made some of my brandy mix for hangovers.
Mr. Davids: Brandy for hangovers? Did said mix include Dr. Pepper by any chance?
Kevin Brown: Amongst other stuff, yeah. Tried to give it to Jake but he didn’t wanna even look at it for what it's worth, so I took most myself.
Mr. Davids: Does this mean that Mr. Jacob didn’t drink the beverage?
Kevin Brown: Not really. Late at night we were just chillin' on the couch watching Seinfeld, I still had some in my cup and he asked me if he could get a drink out of the blue, he couldn’t even speak straight at that point.
Mr. Davids: So, despite knowing that the drink in question had Dr. Pepper in it, and acknowledging that fact, he still asked you for it?
Kevin Brown: Yeah? I don’t why Dr. Pepper gotta be an issue, but yeah, he knew it had.
Mr. Davids: And now, what happened after Mr. Jacob drank the beverage?
Kevin Brown: Gotta warn you though that I may have been tripping there, cause I saw some weird shit happen.
Mr. Davids: It's ok, Mr. Brown, just retell the events to the best of your ability.
Kevin Brown: Ok. As I said, I was watching some Seinfeld when I felt a heat to my left and I turned to look. And there I saw him, my man was on fire, but he was still chilling. Gotta thank he at least wasn’t sitting on the couch.
[Kevin Brown begins playing around with its hair and frowns heavily.]
Kevin Brown: It's all kinda over the place, but he looked scared after I saw him, and just went out blasting through the door. But after that, I didn’t see him 'till now, he wouldn't answer his phone either.
Mr. Davids: Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Brown. So, not only have we seen that Mr. Jacob was aware of the contents of the drink, but that he willingly consumed it. And not only that, but he then went on the loose for several days, causing severe damage to Anderson County. I think that's enough for this examination, Your Honor.
Almada'zar Epipath: I DID NOT KNOW PEOPLE STILL WATCHED SEINFELD. DOES THE DEFENSE WISH TO CROSS-EXAMINE THE WITNESS?
RPC-528-2: While the witness here present was clearly too drunk to properly recall the events of the night, I think that's obvious enough for the Jury to see. In fact, Your Honor, the defense would like to call its first piece of evidence if the prosecution doesn’t have more witnesses. Does it?
Mr. Davids: I don’t, you may do as you please.
Almada'zar Epipath: KEVIN BROWN YOU MAY LEAVE THE STAND NOW. DEFENSE, YOU MAY BRING YOUR PIECE OF EVIDENCE FOR THE COURT TO SEE.
Kevin Brown: Sure… Mister? [Kevin is then escorted towards a dimensional rift at the left of the courtroom. Following this, Authority personnel activated the Class P amnestics and sent the subject back home.]
[RPC-528-2 is seen slowly moving a TV on wheels towards the center of the courtroom for both the Jury and Mr. Davids to see.]
RPC-528-2: While what I’m about to show may be deeply disturbing to some, I ask you to please watch it until the end to understand the danger Mr. Jacob was and is currently in.
[RPC-528-2 turns on the TV, showing a video feed of an old security camera slightly obstructed between the branches of a tree. The video shows a woman sitting alone at a bus stop before an Authority-owned van stops in front of her. The following footage shows ASF-021-2 “Emilio Penton” coming out of the van and beating the woman over with a baton until she is unconscious. ASF-021-2 proceeds to carry the woman into the van and drive off.]
RPC-528-2: What you have now witnessed is one of the Authority’s “brave men” beat a woman, oh, sorry, a Lesser Anomalous Humanoid with a stick to the head until she fell onto the ground, and then take her off as if nothing happened. Now, normally, these kinds of videos wouldn’t exist at all, because the Authority is very good at hiding its tracks. But no one in the universe is perfect, and sometimes, things just slip under the radar. Like an old camera, hidden in a tree.
RPC-528-1: Sadly, this is not the only video we have, because people don’t just make one mistake in their lives, they make many. Our point with this was to make the Jury understand that, by choosing to send Mr. Jacob to the Authority, you are dooming him to a life of abuse and pain, all for a little mistake, made in a state of grief, that caused no more harm than a few burned trees.
Mr. Davids: The prosecution would like to have a word with the defense, in private.
Almada'zar Epipath: DOES THE DEFENSE CONSENT?
RPC-528-2: Yes, Your Honor. We do.
[Mr. Davids, RPC-528-1, and 2 are guided to a room to the left of the court to speak in private by Jonatan Henderson.]
Mr. Davids: Given you’ve already seen the footage of this… individual, I’ll assume you also know he no longer works with the Authority, caused by his abusive behavior towards anomalous humans.
RPC-528-1: We do, and we would be most glad to share said information with the jury, if you, of course, agree to explain why it took the Authority 5 years of repeated reports and claims to fire Mr. Penton.
Mr. Davids: Most of these claims were made by the anomalies themselves, and we couldn’t trust their word, at the time.
RPC-528-2: Oh, we know very well indeed. Because it was so convenient that none of the poor people taken in by this thug were able to show physical evidence of the abuse. They all possessed regenerative properties, after all. Makes me wonder if Mr. Jacob can receive lasting burn marks.
Mr, Davids: May I ask how you acquired that information?
RPC-528-2: I wouldn’t have this information if I gave my sources out so easily. Aside, we are not using it in court. We're merely talking, isn’t that right?
Mr. Davids: You seem like a reasonable man, so I hope you will understand what I’m about to say. We cannot, under any circumstance, allow Mr. Jacob to go back to the public sphere now that we are aware he has anomalous properties.
RPC-528-1: He doesn’t seem to have caused much trouble in the 20 or so years he’s been alive, hasn’t he? I don’t see people protesting across the state around Authority sites nor riots for anomalous rights. I think you may be overreacting to this issue, Mr. Davids.
RPC-528-2: But even so, we are not fools, Mr. Davids. We know about the need to protect your secrecy at all costs, but we need you to understand that we also need to protect our client, at all costs.
RPC-528-1: And that is why we will ask for the last time you accept the settlement we proposed several times. But to make it more digestible, we added the term that, under no circumstances will Mr. Jacob talk about, or reefer about, or even hint at the existence of the anomalous world to anything or anyone. An NDA, if you may.
RPC-528-2: And also the grand sum of 22,000 Canadian Dollars for all mental damage inflicted to Mr. Jacob, and our paycheck.
Mr. Davids: And how can I be sure the terms of the agreement will hold any value. That he won’t go towards the media and tell the whole world about this?
RPC-528-1: Look around, Mr. Davids. You're not in a normal courtroom, and we don’t make simple settlements on paper. When we say the terms will be met, we assure you that there is no force stronger in the universe than the one of the law. Mr. Jacob won't even be able to process the thought of even wanting to talk about the Authority with anyone.
RPC-528-2: The second choice is: we go back to the courtroom, we play the 15 videos we have left, and you lose. Making Mr. Jacob a completely free man to fly around the world like a bird. Your choice.
Mr. Davids: Fine, then. We will keep a close eye on Mr. Davids for the next five months, still. Should he try even the slightest thing, he is a dead man.
RPC-528-1: Great! now sign here, here, and here. Put your finger here and breathe here.
[Mr. Davids does as instructed, causing the document to combust in purple flames.]
RPC-528-1: We will send you another copy by email. Now, we have other things to deal with, Nucorp forgot their “Turtle Research Executive Branch” existed, and now they are demanding their paychecks. So let us go get this all settled.
[Mr. Davids alongside RPC-528-1 and 2 go back to the courtroom.]
RPC-528-1: Your Honor, the defense has settled the case in private with Mr. Davids for the complete release of Mr. Jacob back to his home under the agreement he will not share any information regarding the anomalous world with anyone, nor that he will ever make use of his anomalous properties even remotely close to the public eye again.
[LAH-055 is seen falling out of his chair while hyperventilating.]
Almada'zar Epipath: WHAT A SHAME, I WANTED TO SEE THIS THROUGH. MEMBERS OF THE JURY, THE DEFENDANT, IN THIS CASE, IS NOW FORMALLY RELEASED FROM AUTHORITY CARE, AND UNDER OUR LEGAL SYSTEM, A FREE MAN. THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION ON THIS CASE. YOU ARE ALL NOW DISMISSED.
RPC-528-2: I hope we see each other soon Mr. Davids, but for now, Good morning and goodbye.
[Mr. Davids's camera cuts off for a second. Once video feed is recovered, he is seen sitting in Site-041’s meeting room. All other Authority personnel present at the time in the courthouse were also returned to their previous locations.]
- End of Second Session -
Closing Notes: Following the completion of the trial, Mr. Jacob was seen back again in his residence. Following surveillance showed no signs of any attempt to share information about the event, nor the recalling of such. A close watch is to be maintained until further notice.