A Trial for the Centuries - The CW Districts vs. Lazarus

[Trillian]

Ben slow blinked at Lisa-Joe as she muddled through a bunch of unnecessary explanations. He'd been quite clear about where he'd been in and how he'd got there. Now she was testifying in her own defense. He almost asked if she wanted to take his place in the witness area but kept that particular nugget to himself. Let her commit professional suicide in front of everybody here. All she'd needed to say was 'that's what I meant' and move on. If she was going to explain every fucking question, this was going to be a tedious experience.

Still, it wouldn't stop him from having a dig at her every chance he could get, and he had a few statements to make that were coming out whether she liked it or not. They needed to be said.

At Lisa-Joe's next question, he had another go. "I went there because Charon wanted me to, but I was under the impression that I was there of my own free will and could leave any time. Except I was wrong, wasn't I? Because when Jake told me to go home after he found out I was raped, you stopped me and forced me to tell you why I was going... and after finding out I was raped, you arrested me."

He heard some of the crowd gasp, which was what he was angling for. He expected Lisa-Joe to defend herself again, which would only make her look worse.

Do something with that, bitch.

[Black Philip]

”So you informed District Leader McCloud you were raped. Please point to the person who raped you.”

Her face was still netrual but inside she was fuming. This was all a joke to him. He was here not to get justice for his rape or to see Lazarus pay but to play another round of petty. The fact that he was lying out his ass was also a problem. Even if Ben had been delirious in the way Dr. Barrow had stated, he’d been told multiple times, by multiple people that he was arrested for withholding information about Jake, and because he took it so far as to mislead her. Jake should’ve never dropped those charges. His kindness was weakness once again.

While Ben heard gasps, Lisa-Joe heard boos and even a “liar,” from Manuel, the bartender she’d asked to get the chains. His deep voice cut through the other noise. Lisa knew those already predisposed to hate her would see this as confirmation. Lucky for her Ben was just as polorizing. Logistically she’d mispronounced his name and he’d continued to be defensive, aggressive and off topic. She wasn’t worried. She hoped Sabrina was keeping track of who was saying what to whom.

[Trillian]

Ben's answer was curt, but he didn't point so much as wave a hand towards Lazarus. Because of where the blonde ancient stood, Ben would have to turn his face towards the audience to see where he was pointing and he still couldn't bring himself to reveal himself to them. They were looking at and listening to him as 'the victim', and it was all because that fucking show pony, Jake, couldn't even keep his defeats to himself.

"Lazarus," he said, just to make sure he couldn't be forced to actually point.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe smiled as Ben said Lazarus's name. Finally, they were getting somewhere. There was a louder series of gasps this time, and even murmured conversation that the Keeper would likely try to quiet. Lisa-Joe waited till it past, long since relaxing her face. So ignoring him was the better strategy. He could throw out all the baseless accusations at her that he wanted as long as he told the truth where it mattered He could call her a filthy red haired cunt licking dyke bitch etc, as long as he put a Ms. before it. She didn't look at Lazarus. She didn't see the need. Sabrina she did look at though. This was the central point of her argument and Ben had said in front of half the city who his attacker was.

Once the chaos had died down, Lisa-Joe uncrossed her arms and tilted her head to the side, eyes upon the witness. "I would like you to tell me what happened when Lazarus and yourself came into contact at the apartment of Mr. McCloud." She kept the venom out of her mouth this time, adding a slightly softer element. She knew this part would be the hardest to talk about, and even she didn't want to mock his suffering. Well, not over this at least. The story Jake had told her about Ben crying on his knees as Charon scolded him had been hilarious.

"Please pause once the incident is over so that I might ask any follow up's before moving on." With that, Ben had the floor. She wondered how many times he'd shit talk Jake, her or the Anarchs. She decided to keep count.
Case Study - Ben
Wowzers. He made some pretty explosive claims. If that Lisa-Joe Hampton arrested him for getting raped then why was she not also on trial. It didn't make sense but Ben sure seemed to believe it. That's why trials are hard. It comes down to who do you believe. Zeph said Ben had abandoned him with Charon, so I can't say I'm inclined to believe anything he said. On the other hand, he also looked like someone in pain. Too bad he didn't pick up booze before he got bit. It saves lives man.

Case Study - Lisa-Joe Hampton
What. A. Bitch. I mean that in a good and bad way. She was tough. There was no getting around that. But the bitch was actually mean at points. Her questioning of Ben for one. She just ignored all this shit he threw at her, and it came off really cold and unfeeling. Granted, she was there to do a job, and the kid was lighting smoke bomb after smoke bomb of shit against her. At least the trial wasn't boring.
Jake was livid. Ben had gone up there with a seek and destroy mission attitude and it made him regret dropping the charges against him, and for trying to extend the olive branch from earlier. If Lazarus's guilt wasn't dependent on Ben's account Jake would have never let him testify and this was the reason. He was using the time he could be using to help convict Lazarus to just attack him and Lisa. What was wrong with him? It was such misplaced energy.

He was also lying a lot. Jake had never unsheathed his blade in the limo. He pulled over and asked him to get out, and Ben even took the time to put in a parting insult! Then there was the bullshit with Lisa again. Ben was not charged with "being raped" but was charged with "theft, espionage, obstruction of justice and physical assault of district employees." The worst part was Ben acting like a victim about everything except for the thing to which he was an actual victim! Jake didn't dare look at Murphy. Ben had accused him of horrid things, and he assumed that Murphy would hate him because Ben wished it. Who could ever care about Jake with someone like Ben to constantly ruin it? He hoped he and Sam's testimony was enough to fix this dumpster fire, but was relieved slightly when he did say Lazarus's name. At least they agreed on that. Jake half expected Ben to point at him.

[Trillian]

Ben hadn't missed the 'liar' accusation that had floated out of the audience previously but he didn't care. Regardless of what anyone in the audience believed, or what Lisa-Joe believed, everything out of Ben's mouth was his truth. Perception was the bitch that could tear entire nations apart.

He took a moment before speaking, looking down at the floor for a long moment before raising his head and looking at Sabrina. This confession was for her and only her. There was nobody else in the room.

They were alone.

"I was alone," he said, then cleared his throat for the rest of what was to come. "Everyone was out, but Lazarus came back early. I was in my room and stepped out to see who it was. He was taking off his boots by the door."

He could see it unfolding in his mind's eye, the memory almost as sharp as the actual. It took him a long moment to start speaking again.

"He saw me so I went back into my room and shut the door. He opened it and... um... I think he..." Ben's hands reached out in front of him like he was cupping the face of someone who came to his shoulder-height, playing the part of the ancient. Lazarus was a lot taller than him. "I can't... I don't really remember what was said, but then he - "

Lazarus chose this moment to interrupt. "We spoke about consent, love. You told me to do things with you instead of to you."

Before anyone could complain, or perhaps while they complained, Ben turned to glare at Lazarus. "That wasn't consent."

Lazarus shot back a quick reply. "I said you were just teasing me, you said you weren't!"

Ben blinked his shock. He remembered that part. Had he given his consent? Had he asked for it? He turned to look at Sabrina.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe was fucking furious. Lazarus was trying to cross examine her witness during his main testimony with the intent to mislead and confuse him. This was why she'd asked Dr. Barrow to come. Even she felt for Ben as Lazarus disgustingly twisted the idea of consent. There had not been consent. Even if Ben looked confused, his words from before rang much more true. She would give Sabrina a chance to address this horseshit, but if that blonde waste of the blood said one more comment she'd be objecting, strongly!

[Harlequin]

Sabrina's hands ached with the urge to take Ben's as he spoke, and she couldn't keep the concern from creasing her brow as her white-out eyes held his. Even through the bickering and potshots, he was doing a brave thing. A right thing.

Those eyes bled to black when Lazarus began to speak, and her head turned toward him with agonizing slowness. She fixed him with her stare as if pinning an insect to a board. He would recognize those eyes from the last night he'd seen her; when she'd dragged him on his knees through the wreckage of the home he'd built with Errol. With Spaz. Her power was a hungry, angry thing then, felt easily by the three onstage, and by the two witches in the audience.

When she spoke, it was in the voice she'd cursed him with, as hard and dark as onyx -- though she put no power into the words to bind his tongue. Hopefully the reminder was enough. "You will not speak out of turn again."

 She turned her gaze then on the gallery as a whole, including those gathered in the statement. This was not a circus. Further heckling would not be tolerated.

The horrors that lived inside her drained from her eyes as she looked back to Ben, and gave him a gentle smile. The thing under the bed turned Fairy Godmother once again. The boy didn't deserve any of this. "Please proceed, Mr. Samson, if you feel comfortable."

[Trillian]

Lazarus was staring at Ben, triumphant with the doubt seen crossing the youth's face before Sabrina caught his eye and he looked at her. He flinched and his mouth went dry at the sound of her instruction, and once again - after she broke eye contact - he decided the buttons on his suit were profoundly interesting. He only looked up again when Ben started speaking, but he didn't interrupt again.

Ben nodded at Sabrina's encouragement. He hadn't the chance to know her properly but believed he would like to. She radiated comfort and safety in the same way his love and sire - Kerr - did, even the way Murphy did. He sought them out, seeing Kerr first and Murphy second. Frustration and impotence struck him when he saw who Murphy was sitting beside and he turned his face away from the betrayal. Back towards Sabrina. Again, he spoke to her.

"He did say something about teasing. Lazarus did, I mean. Um..." he stopped talking, aware that he'd been thrown by Lazarus' interruption and wanting to return to that mostly calm state he'd been in before. Slowly, he got there. "It doesn't matter what was said then, anyway, because after he threw me onto the bed, he pinned me down. I told him he wouldn't like it if I wasn't willing.  It didn't matter because... he had sex with me anyway," Ben said, the last statement tumbling out of his mouth. He wanted to add extra information on the end, about how Lazarus had callously cleaned himself up and left the room once he was done, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything more without prompt.

[Black Philip]

Sabrina's intervention did more than simply not disappoint. It was fucking scary. Who was this woman? Jake liked her a lot, and Lisa-Joe had often wondered what was so special about her. Now she knew at least a part of it. She felt the power as directly as the two men on the stage, and her face was a lot more respectful afterwords. While Ben's testimony was not exactly dripping with details, it didn't need to be. Ben's aversion to the details was better evidence of Lazarus's guilt then what phallic object went where. She waited until there was a long pause, surmising that Ben was done.

"After the incident had finished, at what point and how did you alert District Leader McCloud of what had happened?"

Her tone was downright contrite, Sabrina's display of power, and Lazarus's interjection shifting her towards being more accommodating to Ben for the moment.

[Trillian]

His gaze flicked to Lisa-Joe but he couldn't stand looking at her so he kept his eyes trained on Sabrina.

"I don't know how much time passed before Jake came back. I was in the shower until the water ran cold. Then I got dressed and waited. I heard someone at the door and looked out to check. When I saw it was Jake I told him straight away, but... telepathically. I didn't want Lazarus to overhear. He was in their bedroom."

[Black Philip]

"No more questions," she said simply, feeling less was more, and Jake could fill in other details. It was painful, but she got what she needed. She'd be shocked if Sabrina required further evidence for this charge. She considered now Lazarus might cross examine him, but if Sabrina's warning was still in his ear, she imagined it would be gentler than what he'd gotten before. She hoped he'd make it quick so she could call Sam and move this thing along.
Drew's expression was pained as Ben got to the meat of his story, and some of his hostility towards the guy dissipated. He regretted his comment from earlier, becoming ashamed for the crass comparison. The hulking figure sunk in the chair that was too small, still towering over those around him. The witches look had freaked him out too, and he suddenly couldn't wait to hug Zeph after this. He wouldn't tell him that he'd been freaked out. Zeph needed him to be a tough guy, but he was sure the nymph wouldn't mind a little extra handling. He pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.

I miss you.
Send.

[Trillian]

Ben kept his head averted, even though he imagined the blonde ancient's eyes were on him. It was his turn to question after all. Ben's anxiety spiked and he started saying a calming mantra in his head, careful to block his thoughts from the other vampires in the room.

Lazarus stared at the young vampire for a long moment, not remorseful about what had transpired between them - it was the way of the way of the world after all, the strong took advantage of the weak - but regretful that he'd bothered because it had led to this nonsense.

"Ben," he said, his voice soothing, like a lover. "You and I have been intimate before. More than once, on more than one occasion, and we even shared mortals in our bed between us. Is this true?"

Humiliation flooded through Ben at Lazarus' opening question. The blood baggie he'd drunk from earlier tonight revealed his embarrassment by pinking his cheeks, though slightly.

"Yes," he said brusquely, only because he didn't want the question repeated. He found the strength to add: "Years ago."

"Ah, but there were years between the first time and the second, and now we're at the third," Lazarus said. "You kept coming back to me, didn't you, Ben?"

Ben finally looked Lazarus' way, to answer him. "And each time was a mistake."

"But it would always take you a while with me before you reached that conclusion. I was the bad boy you were drawn to, you came to me every time you left your sire Kerr Galvin, the ex-Luminary and by all accounts a good man."

Ben swallowed, uncertain how to argue. Lazarus hadn't asked a question.

"And none of those times did you express or state your willingness to have sex with me, yet that's what happened. We had sex. Or did I rape you all those other times, too?"

Ben shook his head. "Just because - "

"You can't just shake your head. You have to say yes or no. Did I rape you every other time I had you in bed?"

Ben was livid. His gaze fell to Kerr but he felt too guilty about his past that he looked next at Murphy, but Jake was right there so he looked at Lisa-Joe and she was just another problem so he looked back at Sabrina, but he was too ashamed to keep his eyes on her.

"Ben?" Lazarus prompted.

"No! Fuck!" Ben burst out, then was mortified at his own reaction. He had to take control. "It doesn't matter about all those other times when I was willing. Just because I fucked you once doesn't mean I'll come back for seconds."

A tiny smile played around Lazarus' mouth. "But you did come back for seconds. That's my point. And every time before we had sex, I would talk you into it. That was our thing. I don't remember you saying 'no, I do not want this' or anything like that. I don't remember you fighting me off, or yelling, or doing anything other than talking to me - like you always did. It was a way to excuse yourself from cheating on your lover, isn't that right, Ben? I didn't pin you down the entire time, did I? Because I didn't have to."

Ben stared at the floor.

"So you told Jake it was rape, but it wasn't really, was it? At worst it was a misunderstanding."

"No," Ben said, his voice trembling. He glared at Lazarus. "You made a mistake when you told me I was the first person you'd raped, and I'm not even talking about Jake. The Oligarchy kept good records and I had a chance to go over them since staying with Charon. You've done this before. And much worse."

Lazarus pulled a face. "We're talking about me and you, Ben."

"You're the one who pulled our past into this. Did you forget that you were trying to make me kill a human to harden my heart? Did you forget I watched you murder them after I refused to drain them dry? Did you forget about Dom and Michael? You invaded their house and raped them over the course of three nights. The Oligarchy had to institutionalise one of them and clean up after your mess. You're a serial fucking menace and I hope you fucking die."

Charon made a soft exclamation. He nudged Jeanne again - this was an amazing twist to the plot! He hadn't realised that Ben had changed his mind about wanting Lazarus dead. He didn't agree with Ben's change of heart, but it made for excellent viewing.

Lazarus and Ben glared at one another.

"I'm only on trial for raping you, Ben, and you've just proved to everyone here how you like to muddy the waters and give answers to questions that aren't asked. When I did all of those things you're accusing me of, it was during a different regime, when I was allowed to throw my weight around and cover-ups were a thing! Their trials were way more barbaric. You whine about how this cunt arrested you after you were "raped"," Lazarus used air quotes with his fingers, "but the Oligarchy did much worse to you just for being an unregistered pet, so instead of digging up every bit of dirt you have on everyone, just answer the fucking question!"

"What question?" Ben snapped.

"Is there a chance that you communicated to me that you wanted me to fuck you?"

"What? No."

"So you didn't bring up Jake? You didn't imply that you and I having sex would bother him?"

"What? Um..." Ben floundered.

"You knew that he and I were in a relationship. It's no secret you can't stand him. What did I say to you, when you brought him up?"

"Um... you said... you said he wouldn't care."

"And that's when you decided to change tactic. That's when you decided to call it rape. Because that was something Jake couldn't ignore."

"What? No! That's not the reason why." Ben said, but now that he was looking at all those faces staring at him, at the doubt he imagined he could see in some of their eyes, he turned his face away and looked at Sabrina.

"I'm done with him. He can go," Lazarus said softly.

Ben didn't need to be dismissed a second time. He reeled away and moved to the back room of the theatre, away from prying eyes.

[Existentially Odd]

Kerr's jaw ached from clenching it. He disliked the fact that Ben's testimony was slightly undermined by his doubt as much as Lazarus' twisted words but all his hatred was reserved for the ancient. Kerr had helped Ben prepare for this evening as much as he could and he was angry at himself for not seeing this angle coming; they'd focussed on Ben's recollections, on him being able to say out loud the words he needed to, on remembering the events that unfolded afterwards.

Lazarus' words were vicious but largely irrelevant and Kerr was confident Sabrina would see through them, as he had. The arrogant fuck hadn't effectively proven that Ben had encouraged him to have sex; Ben's responses had been too raw and believable. From Kerr's personal perspective, the dredging up of all those old memories of a Ben long since gone just roused his passionate hatred for the ancient he also wanted to die.

With a final squeeze of Ichabod, Kerr separated himself from his youngest fledgling and began making his way as unobtrusively as possible to Ben. He didn't care how he got there - he'd walk right through the middle of the proceedings if he had to - his only thought was in reaching his love, reassuring him he'd done well and holding him.

Jeanne swatted Charon's arm away in faux disapproval of his enjoyment... but her eyebrows were raised in a similarly exclamatory fashion, despite her attempt at composure. When a stony-faced Kerr began moving towards his lover, she emitted a sighing, "Aww!" and clasped her hands together over her heart, touched by the display of love (she anticipated, rather than witnessed). Family and loyalty were everything that mattered, after all.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe decided to mostly listen. Lazarus was currently filling the pot of water he'd boil in, and during the earlier parts of the exchange she even found it humorous that he thought this was his best defense. Dr. Barrow highlighting memory problems was probably the smartest thing she'd done so far in this trial. People didn't need to believe Ben's every fact. They just needed to believe that he'd been hurt enough by this man to have those memory problems, and this exchange looked exactly like the Malkavian doctor had described. She jotted a few notes for her closing statement, planning to use the blonde's words against him.

She did grow angry when he forced Ben to say yes or no. When she'd asked him to point she'd been fine with him just saying Lazarus's name. This wasn't about getting the right answer. It was about control, and rapists love to be in control of their victims. A loud snap would be heard as Lazarus brought up Jake, the desk she was using now having a large crack in it as her fist slammed down on it.

"Objection, intimidating the witness." She shot Lazarus a deathly stare. Maybe she could convince Jake to let her collect the scab's head. If she couldn't see Ben right in front of her, she might've wondered if this was all a ruse to humiliate Jake. However, she could look at his face, and Lazarus's, and she knew then there was no way Lazarus was telling the truth. Her objection was not needed, as right after she said it Lazarus said he was done with Ben, and he scampered away. She knew Sam was next but she had something to do first.

"I recall Dr. Barrow."

The Malkavian rose from his seat and once again took the stage, although he looked slightly different this time. His hair was slightly tossed now, and his suit was starting to come off, a tie undone and now several buttons. His face had moved from annoyed to hatred, and one had to wonder who he was currently hating.

"Dr. Barrow, after watching Ben's testimony I was hoping you might answer a few questions. One. Was Ben's memory consistent with someone who's suffered the kind of assault under discussion?"

Dr. Barrow's voice was much less posh, and had an almost working class like sound to it, still English, but decidedly not Royal Pronunciation.  "Yes," he said simply, not wanting to go into the details it seemed.

"Did Lazarus attempt to control the witness in the way that attackers use power and control in these kinds of crimes?"

This time Dr. Barrow turned to face Sabrina, the angry expression softening some as he looked at her. "Yes."

"Last question. After hearing the testimony, and using your knowledge of psychology does Lazarus have the profile of an attacker and did Mr. Samson have the profile of a wronged party?"

Finally, Dr. Barrow looked at Lazarus. It was a shame the ring kept him from seeing what was behind those piercing eyes. His glasses came off and were placed in his pocket. "Yes. They both match the profiles I described earlier." He smiled at Lazarus now, the look almost playful, like a cat with a ball of string. "Can I go now, or do you need me to prop up your case some more, prosecutor?"

Lisa-Joe looked like she'd been slapped but nodded and said, "thank you Dr. Barrow." He slunk out of the chair with a youthful energy that he didn't seem to have last time, turning towards Lazarus once more and winking at him. He returned to the audience and sat down, now looking more and more like an Anarch and less like a proper doctor. Lisa-Joe decided that her Dr. Barrow card had been played. She didn't like how he seemed to be... transforming.

"I call Sam Rede."
Jake was revolted by Lazarus. He supposed it made sense he'd try and defend himself somehow, but watching the exchange he didn't imagine he'd done himself any favors just now. He looked like a manipulative, hostile attacker, and despite how much Jake hated him, Ben looked credible where he needed to be. He considered only the coldest people in the world would believe Lazarus over Ben, and the drudging up of his past hadn't been something Lisa-Joe could do and look credible, but it didn't hurt that Ben had done it. It reminded Sabrina who exactly was sitting there.

He also feared what Lazarus would say to him. He was almost terrified to be cross examined by the man. He started fidgeting and wishing he could get up and take a walk, but then Dr. Barrow was recalled and he looked almost like a different man. Jake was able to feel what Lazarus's ring couldn't. It was a different man, and yet it wasn't. He wasn't close enough to tell exactly what was going on, but something about the trial had changed the good doctor and his snappy line to Lisa suggested that he wouldn't be called back up to support any of Jake's claims.

Now it was Sam's turn and he was nervous about that too. What if she told everyone how much she hated him? What if she disavowed herself from him? What if she didn't even believe him and just thought he was a mean person. He turned his nervous expression to the ailse he knew she'd need to walk down and would try to catch her eye.

[pinkroses]

Ichabod could feel Kerr’s tension in addition to his own as Ben and Lazarus argued on the stage. Lazarus was a terrifying, disgusting creature and bringing up things he and Ben had done in the past only reinforced that idea in his mind. Ben wasn’t that person any more – and that was a part of him Ichabod would never come back.

Go to him, Ichabod sent to Kerr as his sire released him and disappeared behind the stage. He slumped down slightly in his seat, knowing he wouldn’t be welcome back there and wanting to be able to let his family know what happened in the rest of it if they didn’t return.

*

Murphy made a couple of notes about Sabrina’s sudden change in demeanour as she put Lazarus in his place as that wouldn’t show up on the recording, but then when it was Lazarus’ turn to ask questions she just let him tear into Ben. He guessed it was only fair that Lazaurs had his turn to defend himself, but Murphy wished he didn’t. In Murphy’s opinion he was doing nothing to help his own cause, but then again, this was a rape charge, not a ‘you’re a terrible person and we’re charging you for all the shit you’ve done in the past’.

He tensed up when Lazarus mentioned that Lazarus and Jake had been in a relationship. At the time. So that would have been after the party, where Jake had fed from him, asked to kiss him. And he hadn’t mentioned that at all when he’d told Murphy Lazarus had raped him. That didn’t make a difference to what had happened with Lazarus, but why the fuck did no one ever want to tell him the whole story? Jake, Ben, the Sacramentum, it was all so frustrating, especially for someone who liked to know every detail.

And now he was suddenly the guy Jake had been ready to kiss whilst he was in a relationship with… that. Knowing Jake and Lazarus had been a thing definitely did make Murphy see Jake slightly differently.

He glanced sideways at Jake, watching him fidget. Murphy was annoyed, but couldn’t bring himself to let go of the vampire’s hand. He looked so lost and scared.

When Ben left the stage Murphy shifted in his own seat, wanting to get up and follow him, but Kerr was already moving. He was torn between his best friend, needing to know what was going to happen next, and his new… well, there wasn’t a word for it now. He had no idea what he and Jake were or could be.

He stayed where he was, knowing Kerr was there for Ben. Too many people might be overwhelming and they were going to talk later.