Summer vowed to never, ever, doubt Law and his impeccable skills of prediction ever again. Not even a day after the graduation party, the blonde had updated her photography website to include her credentials, displaying her qualifications that she was indeed a professional. That afternoon, after spending an hour figuring out how to word the fact that she graduated with a degree, and sleeping in several hours because of her hangover, she'd finally updated her website.
Miraculously, within the span of 24 hours since then, she'd already gotten 6 new requests for various weddings and family photo shoots.
That next morning, Summer had been over the moon, picking up Max and spinning around in a circle, shouting with glee. She'd been lucky to get 2 or 3 a week on average before, which had just been enough to cover her rent and her college education. But to have 6 in one night? Well, this was fabulous!
Her mind still wouldn't wrap around the fact that she was done with college. It felt weird not having to take the bus up to the campus, let alone sleeping in on a weekday. By now, she'd usually be sitting through a rather taxing lecture on the finer points of panorama shots or the perfect lens flare for certain lighting backgrounds, waiting for the last class of the day to be over. She wouldn't miss those lectures.
Of course, she'd texted Hitomi the great news, knowing that at this time of day the young woman was probably at work, with Soma at school. Summer didn't expect an answer so soon, but it appeared that Hitomi had a break from her work at that time, and her phone vibrated loudly against the counter.
Well, I hope you can handle this new workload. You may have to consider turning down some of them if it keeps up at that rate.
"Huh." Summer mused to herself. The thought hadn't even occurred to her. Before graduating, she wouldn't have dreamed of saying no to a job. Financially, there was no way she could have afforded that. Beggars couldn't be choosers, after all. But now, Hitomi had a very valid point.
I'll be sure not to overwork myself! The blonde promised. Who even knew if the workload would continue to come so quickly? It could just be a fluke, some busy week where an unusual number of people needed her services. Sometimes that happened. In fact, about two summers ago, she could recall being so busy, she'd found herself with an excess of cash, and she'd treated herself to fancy restaurants for about a week straight.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, though, there were always dry spells, when no one was contacting her and she worried if she'd be able to pay for her rent after too long.
Surely she wouldn't be bouncing back and forth across the city several times a day, right? Having a degree didn't generate that much business…did it?
Eyebrows raising, yet another thought occurred to the blonde. She did not own a car. And it wouldn't exactly be smart to continue riding the public buses with all of her camera equipment in tow. Now that college was out of the way, granted there was a fair amount to pay per month for her student loans, she'd probably want to invest in getting a vehicle all her own. She'd never owned one before, and honestly didn't know where to even start. Maybe Hitomi or Bellemere could help her with that.
Hitomi responded back that she had to go into the courtroom and wouldn't be able to talk, so Summer messaged Law instead, letting him know of the great news. Her eyes drifted over to the clock, and she paused. It was only 8 o'clock. Much too early for him to be awake. He'd admitted that most days he didn't wake up until noon.
Shrugging, she tucked her phone in the pocket of her lounge pants, wandering to the kitchen to find some food.
With a tired sigh, Hitomi pulled into her usual parking spot in front of the Quicksilver Law Firm, turning off the car with a flick of her wrist. Grabbing her briefcase and laptop case from the passenger seat, she opened her driver door and exited the vehicle.
Honestly, when are they going to quit with all of these appeals? She thought to herself, looking back onto the two hour court proceeding that had all been for nothing anyways. It had been a taxing session, most notably because of the defense attorney's insistence on inspecting every element of Hitomi's argument, demanding clarification and forcing her to repeat everything she'd just said an unnecessary amount of times. Hitomi recognized the strategy for what it was: stalling for time in the hope that she'd slip up and say something incorrect as time wore on.
But Hitomi did not slip up. She seldom ever did.
And so, after a long two hours of nonsensical bickering about the unfair amount of bail posted for his client, along with Hitomi's arguments that all of the defense's tactics were purely selfish and unlawful, the judge decided that they'd continue the issue the next week, no doubt having been fed up with the proceedings as well.
Simply thinking about the whole thing was exhausting and, dispelling the matter from her mind, the olive-skinned woman trekked up the stone steps to the entrance of the firm. Tucking her laptop case under her arm, she straightened her pencil skirt and tugged on the handle to the glass door.
As soon as she entered the lobby, Hitomi heard the familiar tik-tik of the receptionist's keyboard, and her soft voice as she spoke to someone over the phone through her headset. Glancing up at her entrance, Camie gave her a brief smile, never pausing her conversation with the person on the phone. Nodding a greeting, Hitomi silently made her way past the desk and into the extensive hallways and conference rooms of the building.
A few of her colleagues passed her in the hall, either distracted by phone calls or nose-deep in their paperwork to notice she was there. That was fine. Hitomi was too tired to socialize anyways. Navigating the halls to her office, Hitomi retrieved her key and unlocked the door, swinging it open as she adjusted her grip on her stuff.
The scent of pinewood and the orange air freshener plugged into the wall was what first met her as she walked inside. Taking a moment to breathe in the sweet aroma of her office, Hitomi hummed in appreciation.
Placing her stuff on her desk, she walked around to sit in her chair and went to unclasp the briefcase, pulling out files from the case previously. A stack of other court papers and policies lay behind the stack of folders, but she ignored those for the time being. Setting all of the files on the desk with a papery thump, she sighed. staring at such a large workload. So much to do and so little time didn't even begin to cut it.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips, just one of the signs that her stamina was nearly spent. Normally she could make it through the day relatively easily, but today in general had been less than motivational. There was still Soma's homework to do when she got home as well, so the day wasn't quite over once she left the office.
The clearing of a throat made her glance up in surprise to see a certain green-haired security guard standing halfway in her office.
"Oh, hello Zoro. Did you need something?" She asked, some of her previous irritation forgotten as she smiled at the man. He nodded, all business-like and professional.
"Capone Bege is in conference room C with his attorney. They're here to speak with you about a plea deal." He said, crossing his arms and leaning against the door. "Because of how high-profile the case is, it was decided it would be best if security is present in the room as well so I'll be sitting in."
Closing her eyes, Hitomi rubbed at her nose slowly, suddenly remembering that she was indeed supposed to meet with the two of them today. In all the morning's proceedings, it had slipped her mind. Just another thing to add to her list of things to do today. Well, at least Zoro would be there to keep her company. And keep her in check. Bege and or his lawyers were known to be a hassle, seeing as this wasn't his first rodeo around the court room. With that man, you just never knew.
"Ah, yes. Allow me a few minutes to settle in and I'll go meet them." She promised, slowly cracking open her eyes to smile at the green-haired man. Unconsciously, her eyes skirted over the way his jawline, moving lower to the muscled arms contained within the long sleeves of his security uniform.
If he noticed her wandering gaze, he gave no indication. Or perhaps he simply didn't mind or care, which was less likely. Though, knowing him, if she'd been caught staring, those cheeks of his would have flamed an obvious red.
Completely oblivious to her amused thoughts, he raised a brow and nodded, pushing off against the wall and departing down the hallway.
Once Zoro left, Hitomi leaned back in the chair, the wood creaking with protest as her weight shifted. It felt so good to just sit in the comfy chair. The courtroom seats were hard wood and not built for comfort, unlike her plush, leather office one. A large part of her didn't want to get up, weighing the consequences of if she tried sneaking a quick nap at work.
Closing her eyes, she massaged her temple with her fingers, hoping to reduce the growing headache that day had given her. If they'd only allow her a minute or two of sleep…
The sound of something being set on her desk drew her attention, and Hitomi opened her eyes to Zoro placing a cup of coffee on her desk, crossing his arms with a raised brow.
"Did you get enough sleep last night?" He asked, a look of concern passing through his eyes.
With a gentle small and a quiet chuckle, the silver-haired woman reached for the cup gratefully, noticing the steam still escaping from the top of the lid. "Unfortunately, no. I had to pore over the files for my court appearance earlier, not to mention the other dozen or so cases I've got going on right now. Nothing quite that big, thankfully." She muttered, bringing the cup to her lips and tasting the sweet drink, which surprised her. Zoro had put sugar in it. Just the way she liked it. "Thank you for this, by the way."
"Maybe you should take a vacation or something, or request a few days off."
"I appreciate the thought, but I don't really feel that 'I'm on vacation' is a good enough reason for the judge to allow postponements of all those court appearances." Hitomi hummed as the delicious taste of the coffee filled her body. Yes, this was just what she needed right now.
"Well, think about it, at the very least. Don't want you to…you know, get sick or something from all the stress…" He said, rubbing the back of his head and glancing away. His words had slowly died away, to where she almost couldn't hear the end of his sentence. But she had, nonetheless.
"With you looking out for me, I don't have anything to worry about." She quietly responded with a smile, noticing he couldn't look her in the face. The faintest of blushes marked his cheeks, just barely noticeable. Again, she appreciated how adorable it made him look. Not quite sure what to say, he cleared his throat and pointed towards the hallway.
"We should…probably go meet those two."
"Right." The silver-haired woman replied, unclasping her briefcase and retrieving her files for Capone Bege's case. There was time for talking later. Now was business. Grabbing her cup of coffee as well, she followed Zoro out the door and towards the designated room.
"Mr. Capone," Hitomi said as soon as she entered the room, sparing no time in getting straight to the point, "I understand you wish to enter a plea bargain for the charges against you."
Bege and his lawyer jumped in their chairs at her sudden entrance and the sharp tone of her voice, watching as she set her files on the table in front of her, taking a seat in the chair behind her. With a sour expression Bege looked to the sharp-dressed lawyer beside him, as if silently telling him to get on with it. Obviously his time was better-spent elsewhere.
"Thank you for meeting with us." The man beside Bege said, clearing his throat of phlegm before continuing. The lawyer pushed his glasses higher up on his nose, adjusting their perch so he could see better. "As I stated in my email, we are willing to negotiate terms of an agreement, but there are several conditions that must be met before my client agrees to plead guilty of any charges-"
"Mr. Lawrence…was it?" She paused, sparing only a glance his way when he nodded. "Unless the four counts of illegal firearms smuggling are on that list, I'm afraid we are unwilling to accept any agreement you set forth." Hitomi's gaze never strayed from the gangster, as she considered him, in question, practically ignoring his four-eyed lawyer.
Bege's lawyer shuffled around his files, as if looking for a single paper in the haphazardly organized stack. Apparently he'd expected this answer. Her eyes watching as his fingers shook slightly, she almost sighed aloud. Honestly, with all that money, Bege couldn't afford a better lawyer this time? Honestly she'd been expecting more. Or, perhaps, and it was entirely a possibility, her own reputation as being one of the state's most ruthless and successful prosecuting attorneys proceeded her.
Hmph. Nothing less for someone to go against someone as well-known and extensively-connected as Capone Bege. The man had a reputation of his own.
"I understand that the state is unwilling to compromise on some counts." The lawyer started, pulling out a small stack of papers. "However, from precedent in New Jersey and other surrounding states set by previous cases, charges of similar degree were ultimately dropped in acceptance of a plea deal. It would be irresponsible for the state not to consider these instances before reaching a decision."
A quick glance over the paper confirmed that it was indeed a series of similar cases with just the result the lawyer had explained. In fact, several names listed were recognizable to the silver-haired woman. It had always astounded her how frequently high-profile businessmen seemed to lower themselves to illegal money practices and fraud. Before she could reply, he continued on with his case.
"Not to mention, my client's status as a crucial figurehead in his business' success should be taken into account as well. Most business dealings go directly through him, and an extended sentencing is guaranteed to harm revenue production." Mr. Lawrence explained.
"My apologies. I didn't realize Mr. Capone's profit was in danger. How inconsiderate of me." The bitterness in her words was blatant, going so far as to cause Mr. Lawrence to visibly swallow. Such indecisiveness. It repulsed her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zoro give a smirk, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall by the door. She'd almost forgotten he was present. Well, at least he was entertained.
"The basis of what I'm trying to say is that the less time this case takes the better for everyone. My client can get back to running his business and you'll have one less case on your stack of things to do." Mr. Lawrence reasoned, gesturing as he spoke. Hitomi's stony gaze met Bege's easily, totally bypassing the glasses-wearing man beside him.
"While I agree that precedent does dictate the norm of case decisions, positively or negatively, it does not directly mandate the result. So saying, I have considered these points and this is my response." Hitomi argued, letting the stack of papers drop back to the table, as if disregarding their validity. In reply, she pulled out a paper of her own from the file, sliding it to face Bege directly. The businessman frowned, before leaning forward to see what it was.
"What is this?" Mr. Lawrence questioned, pulling the paper his way before his client could look at it. His eyes scanned the contents, and the silver-haired woman smiled thinly.
"That is the very minimum we will allow to compromise on. Mr. Capone will agree to plead guilty to all four of the counts of fire arms smuggling, and only 2 out of the 7 counts of money laundering and or fraud charges. No less than that."
"Based on the needs of my client here, we cannot accept such outrageous responsibility." Mr. Lawrence's strained tone of voice indicated he was not happy to be outright ignored by the prosecuting attorney, finally noticing her lack of conversation with him, though she could care less. She much preferred to deal with the clients directly. It showed that she was willing to get straight to the heart of the matter, unrelentingly.
And, on the plus side, it tended to intimidate the more easily startled defendants. Unfortunately, Mr. Capone didn't seem to be one of them. That scowl never wavered, his eyes pinned unendingly on Hitomi herself, as if cursing her very existence with every word that left her mouth.
After a brief pause, she sighed, and leaned forward in her chair.
"I'll be frank." Hitomi continued, steepling her fingers on the table in front of her. "Mr. Capone, your social and financial status mean nothing to me or the justice system you are being tried in. The very real fact is that you will be tried in accordance with your actions of underground weapons smuggling and only a few of the financial crimes, if you so choose to accept our conditions. The state refuses to accept any sort of deal unless you are willing to comply with the provisions I provided you."
Leaning back, she spread her arms to shrug nonchalantly. "Of course, if you'd simply like the trial to continue as it is, with the jury being in full responsibility of your sentencing, be my guest." A confident smirk lighted her face. "But l assure you. The public won't be very forgiving, considering you aren't a very popular public figure."
Bege muttered something under his breath, and Mr. Lawrence was quick to shoot him a pointed look, one that obviously meant 'don't say anything at all.' Taking a slow breath, the glasses-wearing man turned back to face her.
"The state's refusal to even consider a lower sentence or to compromise on any point is simply brash." Mr. Lawrence frowned, gesturing to Hitomi with one hand. "My client has discussed the issues regarding the money laundering charges and fraud. We are willing to negotiate on those. However-"
"Those are my stipulations, Mr. Capone." Hitomi once again confidently interrupted, growing rather tired of the sound of Mr. Lawrence's voice. Honestly, he was so much of a pushover it wasn't even humorous at this point. "No further discussion will be had until you agree to our demands." Having nothing else to say about the matter, Hitomi stood, gathering and straightening up her file on Mr. Capone and brushing down her pencil skirt.
For a moment, she could see the lawyer's face morph from one of outrage to sudden clarity, as he realized that she'd just effectively dashed any hopes to reach an agreement, and had done so in almost no time at all, simply by being stubborn alone. For one who probably thought himself capable of handling even the most unpleasant of cases and clients, he sure wasn't prepared for Hitomi in any way.
"While I've never worked with you before in the court system, I've certainly heard about you." Bege's lawyer started, pointing accusingly at her. "I've heard how you do things and I won't tolerate it with this case. Your scare tactics are very well known but they won't work here."
Hitomi's outward expression did not chance, besides her smile spreading a bit wider. "Then you should also know that I will be unrelenting in my pursuit to see Mr. Capone thrown into prison where he belongs."
Mr. Lawrence followed suit in standing, suddenly taking on a threatening stance, too angered by her blatant disregard for him entirely fueling his actions. "We will not be stifled so easily." He growled, eyes narrowing.
Zoro, who'd remained silent up to that point, made it a point to walk closer and make himself known. Not having to say anything and raising a brow as if to ask, 'are you really going to start something?' Zoro stood between him and the woman behind him, making things very clear that there wouldn't be any unprofessional instances happening while he was around.
With a glance at the green-haired body guard, Mr. Lawrence scowled and gathered up his papers, all the while muttering unintelligible things under his breath as well. Bege looked decidedly pissed, remaining seated in his chair. It seemed his choice in lawyer hadn't been the best, and was probably cursing himself or whoever he blamed for what had transpired.
"Good day, Mr. Capone, Mr. Lawrence." Hitomi nodded to each of them in turn, leaving them where they were and returning to her office. Zoro remained with the two men, no doubt intent on escorting them out to make sure they didn't cause anymore trouble.
Things had gone a lot better than she'd expected, she thought with a growing smile, some of her energy from before returning. Perhaps the rest of the day wouldn't be such a slog.
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