nothing lasts#16

#1 week later#

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"Today is the sentencing of the defendant for the murder of Jay Walker and Sezar Julien, And in a way it's the second time their families are gathered again to grieve.

It's also a day for Smith's family to grieve for the future of their son.

All three of these families and the friends of these families are suffering, and all of their lives have been irrevocably changed because of the actions of the defendant.

The unintended and collateral consequences of a reckless, cruel action taken by the defendant will ripple forever in time.

It's literally changed history, because it ended two lives. Two young men are dead, their deaths were horrible, tragic and terrifying.

The defendant did not control the events nor the murder was intentional.

The review of the evidence supports the factual findings, the forensic testimony, the testimony of Rony Sergi, the testimony of the emergency doctors who treated the defendant, the testimony of those who knew the victims and the defendant.

However, the murder could've been avoided,

The defendant wasn't completely cornered and thus shooting the victims wasn't the only option nor his only way out of the situation.

The difficulty of sentencing today honestly is whether or not I believe you should get a reduced sentence, I'm troubled that should I give you a reduced sentence that people will believe that somehow I'm being disrespectful to the victims but on the other hand I have to ease the punishment because it's important to consider the defendant's clean record, age, motives and conditions.

I understand that the pain in this room wants me to impose the harshest sentence but I don't believe that would the appropriate sentence.

So Kai smith is sentenced on count one, the murder of Sezar Julien, 6 years and on count two the murder of Jay Walker, 6 years, to be served consecutively."

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-Charlie: "I'm sorry Matthew.. you trusted me for once in your life and I.. I failed you."

-Matthew: "No.. it wasn't your fault.. I should've been more careful.. I'm sure we would've won the case if not for Angelo playing another filthy game of his.. I should've acted before he could, the reason I didn't go to any illegal ways to win it was because I was confident that we're winning.. not because I'm against it.. I don't care about what's wrong and what's right when it comes to Kai.. but this is what happens when you let your guard down with Angelo.."

Matthew tightened his grip on the terrace fence as he continued

"I fucking hate this feeling of helplessness."

Charlie wrapped one arm around Matthew and used the other to support Matthew's weight

-Charlie: "don't go hard on yourself.. you did your best."

After minutes of silence, Matthew broke it asking

-Matthew: "..Charlie.. do you think that people like Kai deserve to be in jail?"

-Charlie: "No.. if it was for me, I'd honor him..

Everyone who kills for the same reason should be considered a hero..

But you see Matthew.. justice and law aren't the same thing.. the law can be sometimes unjust but we still have to follow even if we don't get justice."

-Matthew: "I can't even blame him.. I can't help but feel small.. you know..

Those who got fears.. hate can't take over them... And those who're full of hate.. their fears can't hold them back..

That's the difference between me and Kai,

I could've announced a war against Angelo the day Jhon was murdered but I was afraid..

I was afraid of getting Kai and Shiley harmed,

my priority was to protect them not to take revenge and I'm sure that's what Jhon would want me to prioritize.. and I was afraid of losing everything that I worked hard for..

I spent my life living in fear.. avoiding any kind of transaction that involves Angelo because of that.."

-Charlie: "I'm sure that Kai was afraid of losing the life he has always known too"

-Matthew: "You know why I accepted Jay into my school? Because I had hope in him..

I thought that I could save him from becoming like his father.. but I think it was impossible with the things he made him live.. everytime I passed past him in the corridor, he'd smile at me and greet me with his calm relieving voice, that made me feel at peace.. he wasn't kind to everyone but he's still managed to get some friends and I was happy for him.. but I overlooked so many things.. who knew?"

-Charlie: "this life is unpredictable, people are unpredictable.."

-Matthew: "Charlie, I don't actually hate your work techniques. You're an amazing lawyer and you do your job perfectly.. the power you hold when you get to the stand.. your convincing and arguing skills.. everything about you when it comes to doing your job and even as a person is just amazing..

I wanted to tell you this just in case we didn't meet for another five or ten years.."

Charlie smiled slightly then said

-Charlie: "I'm not going anywhere before taking this case to the supreme court, I'll fight with you till the end.. And if you have anything in mind to fucking end Angelo once and for all, count me in."

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*Angelo's office*

-Neithen: "sorry master.. but that's all we could do.. it had to be logical."

-Angelo: "12 years is what he was getting without us meddling with it Neithen.

Do you think that my son's death is worth 12 years of prison?"

-Neithen: "absolutely not master, I'll personally take care of him once he's out."

-Angelo: "why do we have to wait? Kill him from the inside TODAY!"

-Neithen: "..I'll do as you command Master."

And just like the loyal dog he is, Neithen hired some insiders to murder Kai.

But he survived and was taken to the hospital.

Once it was reported, Matthew and Charlie went to see him.

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-Matthew: "it's all Angelo's doing, I know it!"

-Charlie: "we cannot prove it, but we can demand that he be transferred to another prison."

-Matthew: "let's check on him for now."

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#Evening, Matthew's house#

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-Matthew: "Angelo tried to murder Kai."

-Daniel: "WHAT?!"

-Matthew: "but don't worry, he's good. Shiley doesn't have to know about this though."

-Anya: "this man won't leave him alone."

A few minutes later, shiley joined them with some food.

-Shiley: "any updates Matthew?"

-Matthew: "yea, we're transferring Kai to another prison that is.. kinda far"

-Shiley: "why??"

-Matthew: "shiley, long as Angelo knows his place, he's not safe. Also when he goes there you guys will not be able to visit him"

-Anya: "what do you mean we cannot!?"

-Matthew: "I'm doing my best to transfer him secretly and not let any informations get leaked, if we go visit him Angelo can simply track us down."

-Daniel: "true.."

-shiley: "you mean.. we won't see him at all.. for 12 years straight?"

-Anya: "sir, that's not possible we can't do that.."

-Matthew: "Anya, the only people allowed to visit him are his family.. which means me, his legal sponsor and his mother. You and Daniel won't be able to see him anyway."

-Daniel: "it's alright, if this is what it takes to get him back in a good health and as the Kai we know.. we will do it. Risking his life and safety just because we miss him would be selfish."

Daniel put his hand over shiley's and looked at her as he nodded slightly, assuring her that everything would be fine.

-Matthew: "thank you for understanding, just know that he's missing you too."

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One week later, Matthew was in his office doing his Job till the phone rang. And it was the school's security agent calling him.

-Matthew: "yes?"

"Sir, Mr. Walker is on the door, he says he wants to see you. Should I let him in?"

Matthew felt a bit scared, because he knows, Wherever there's Angelo, there are troubles.

He hesitated for a moment then allowed Angelo in.

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-Angelo: "goodmorning Bruno"

Matthew lied back on the chair and intertwined his fingers as he said in a serious tone of voice.

-Matthew: "what do you want?"

Angelo sat down cross-legged one leg over the other.

-Angelo: "you really thought I'd not know about transferring Kai?"

-Matthew: "I know.. and I also know that this is all you learnt about. You don't know where he is and you'll never know."

-Angelo: "you know, I should've killed him the day he broke into my company with a kitchen knife. I shouldn't have given him a second chance. I saw his future in his eyes that day."

Matthew giggled a bit then replied with a sarcastic tone

-Matthew: "this is your problem Angelo, you sometimes forget that you're neither a shinigami nor a god, to take lives or give second chances."

-Angelo: "we will see about that."

-Matthew: "If you showed some of this love to Jay when he was alive, he'd not be dead by now."

Angelo's face expression suddenly went from a relaxed confident to a tensed annoyed one.

As he got all worked up over Matthew's words, he pushed the chair to the back and stood up then said

-Angelo: "that does it. protect him with all you got Matthew, but to me he's already dead."

-Matthew: "give it your best, I couldn't protect Jhon back then.. but this time.. I won't fail. I'll protect Kai with my own life."

-Angelo: "As you wish, I will end you and this circle of sacrifice that you all seem to enjoy."

Once Angelo left the office, Matthew took a deep breath to relieve himself from the tension as he thought to himself

(-Matthew: "I've been running from it this entire time.. I was just hiding like a coward and avoiding any kind of interaction with Angelo my entire life.. because I was afraid.. but not anymore.. I have to stop him.. or I'll regret it so much later.")