After the Cure by Deirdre Gould (year 7 reading list .txt) 📕

“He said he was supposed to deliver them to court on verdict day. Those were Dr. Pazzo’s express instructions.” He paused and the despairing look he gave her in the rearview mirror made her heart ache. “That gives us about two weeks.”

“That short?” asked Sevita.

“I can try to stall, but I can’t do very much. The prosecution elected to skip survivor testimonies at the beginning of the process. The government thought it would be bad for morale to rehash what people had gone through, especially since we’ve all been through it. It isn’t like other tribunals where the world needs to be educated about what happened. We all know too well. I thought I was doing the right thing by agreeing to skip that part. And then there is Ann’s attorney, but I have a feeling Ann’s case will be dismissed in short order, right Nella?”

“I filed a finding that she was incompetent and I haven’t heard any protest from the prosecution’s side, so it will be fast.”

“That leaves Dr. Schneider’s attorney. I don’t know her, we’ve never met before. But I assume it’s in her best interest to gloss over most of the evidence and concentrate on the work Dr. Schneider did on the Cure. So barring a sparring match between the two of us or between the prosecutor and Dr. Schneider’s attorney, it will probably be pretty fast.”

“I don’t think Dr. Schneider is going to have it all her own way,” Sevita said, “Ms Jacobsen and I had a long talk with Dr. Carton.”

“Jesus,” swore Frank, “You’re lucky I’m not representing Dr. Schneider. I’m going back to manual labor after this. There’s no way I can do this job with you around.”

They pulled up in front of Christine’s apartment. Nella got out and Christine hugged her, pressing Nella’s keys into her hand.

“I’m glad I didn’t need to use these. Frank’s a wonderful person,” she blurted out and turned away, quickly climbing her stairs and disappearing inside.

“That was weird,” said Sevita. “Don’t worry, I’ll ferret it out of her before long.”

“Nella, would you mind driving?” Frank asked suddenly.

“Sure,” she said, stretching her bad arm to test it. She walked around to the driver’s side and got in. She glanced over, but Frank had walked away from the car and was talking earnestly to Sevita in front of the building. Sevita glanced nervously at her and looked away quickly. Nella was confused. Frank returned to the car.

“What was all that about?” Nella asked.

“Hmm?” he asked with a cheerful smile, “Oh that? I was just telling Sevita to remember that this was all a secret and to be careful who she told what.”

Nella didn’t believe him, but she held her tongue. He leaned back into the seat and brushed wind whipped hair off her face. “Let’s not think about it any more today. We can’t do anything else yet can we?”

Nella shook her head. “Then let’s pretend none of this is happening. Just for today. Let’s just be us.”

“Okay,” she said and flashed him a watery smile before turning the car off and getting out.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“We’re going to be us today. I thought we could walk to the Farm. Maybe see a guy about a boat.”

He stuck his hands into his pockets and kicked a stone into the road. “You know a guy with a boat?” he asked.

“Mmhmm.”

“And you settled for a guy like me?”

She laughed. “You have thicker, more luxuriant hair.”

Frank rubbed the soft skin of his head. “Yeah,” he sighed, “I’ve always been lucky that way.”

He kissed her in the warm spring sun and they headed down the crazy cracked pavement toward the transformed park that now fed the last city in the world.

Opening Statements

The crowd pressed in around Nella and Sevita, even more people packed into the large auditorium than there had been last time. Sevita reveled in it, but Nella could only think of how easy it would be to infect everyone at once with every steaming breath that rolled against her back and stuck to the windows. Someone sneezed off to the right and Nella recoiled.

“Sorry,” said an elderly man with an early tan. He held up a bright handkerchief. “Hay fever,” he confided to Nella. She smiled to show him she wasn’t worried about it.

Frank was sitting with Dr. Pazzo, trying to make calm and cheerful conversation. She could tell by the way he gripped the side of the table that he was uncomfortable and nervous. Dr. Pazzo, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, leaning back in his chair and talking casually to Wells as Johnson kept a gentle hand on Ann’s shoulder. Ann was mildly sedated again, but the crowd was overwhelming anyway. She rocked slightly and chewed the bandages on her hands whenever Johnson was distracted. Mr. Grant completely ignored her. He was laughing with Dr. Schneider’s attorney, an attractive blonde who looked far too young to ever have finished law school. Nella knew better though. She had been a big name even when Nella had been in school. She wondered what Dr. Schneider had to trade to get her. Or maybe this lawyer did it just for the fame of defending the maker of the Cure. Nella looked over toward the prosecution. Ms Jacobsen looked exhausted and cranky. Good thought Nella Maybe she’ll contest the finding on Ann’s competency and buy me some time. But Nella suspected it had more to do with the last minute addition of Dr. Carton to the witness list and Dr. Schneider to the defendant list.

The microphones turned on with a loud crack and the bailiff called for everyone to rise. The three judges walked out on to the dais and everyone returned to their seats with a rustle and then silence. The judges straightened their files and the bailiff talked with them in a low voice. There was a loud hacking cough somewhere in the crowd. Nella saw Frank look straight toward her as her own heart jumped out of its setting. He quickly looked back at his papers, but she saw his hand curl even tighter on the outer table edge. She couldn’t tell if Dr. Pazzo had noticed.

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen,” said Judge Hawkins, “Ms Jacobsen, would you read the indictments please?”

Ms Jacobsen stood up and smoothed her jacket. She spoke clearly and loudly and was assisted by two sign language interpreters on either side of the room. The mass of people were utterly silent.

“Ann Connelly, Dr. Robert Pazzo and Dr. Gerta Schneider stand accused of violating the Geneva Biological Weapons Convention, the Nuremberg Code and the United States Common Rule of research.

Each of the defendants participated in the development of the Recharge bacteria and after discovering its rapid rate of contagion and the dangerous effects the bacteria had on the human brain, failed both to contain it or to alert the proper authorities to its presence and symptoms. The citizens of the world were the unwitting and unfortunate de facto test subjects of the Recharge bacteria. Each defendant directly contributed to the death of millions of human beings through reckless disregard of proper handling, testing procedure and containment practices. Dr. Robert Pazzo also stands accused of the wrongful restraint of Dr. Gerta Schneider and neglecting to seek proper medical care for Ann Connelly. In addition, Dr. Gerta Schneider stands accused of theft, transportation of dangerous materials without precaution, and the kidnapping and enslavement of Dr. Michael Carton.”

The crowd erupted and even the two subsidiary judges looked shocked. Judge Hawkins called for calm. “Would the defendants please enter their plea?” he asked.

Dr. Schneider and Dr. Pazzo entered not guilty pleas in order. Mr. Grant stood up for Ann. “My client was directed to undergo a competency evaluation. I believe your Honors and Ms Jacobsen have the results in front of you.”

There was a quiet rustle as the prosecution and the panel found the paperwork. “Does the prosecution have any objection to the findings?”

Please say yes thought Nella.

Ms Jacobsen glanced up toward her with a worried expression, as if she were trying to disarm a bomb and wanted a hint. “No,” she said.

The judges turned off their microphones and discussed for a few moments between themselves. Nella glanced nervously back toward Frank and noticed Dr. Pazzo staring intently at the judges. He was leaning forward as if it would help him hear. She sat up straighter and watched him.

The microphones were turned back on. Judge Hawkins spoke for the panel. “It is the finding of this tribunal that Ann Connelly is incompetent to stand trial at this time. She is remanded to the state for ninety days so that she may be returned to competency. We can revisit this finding at that point if necessary.”

Ms Jacobsen broke in. “Your Honor, the military government has studied Dr. Rider’s recommendations. We feel it is best for all involved that this matter not be revisited on the strength of Dr. Rider’s findings that Miss Connelly will never regain the mental capacity for competence at trial.”

“Very well. Then Ann Connelly will be remanded to the state for the remainder of her life. I’m ordering her to be housed at Harbor Home when they can find space based on Dr. Rider’s recommendation. In the meantime, I understand she is getting excellent care where she is. And I thank you for your fine service.” He nodded gravely at Wells who grinned and at Johnson who blushed.

“I object!” Dr. Pazzo was on his feet, his gargoyle face a pallid yellow with burning spots of red on his cheek and chin. His eyes glittered.

Judge Hawkins looked confused and Frank was trying to make Dr. Pazzo sit again, one hand over the microphone, the other pulling gently on the other man’s arm. “On what grounds?” Judge Hawkins asked.

“On the grounds that I should have a say in who cares for Ann,” shouted Dr. Pazzo. His voice was distant without the microphone but perfectly clear.

The other judges murmured behind Hawkins and he leaned back to talk with them. “Are you related in some way?” he asked at last.

Dr. Pazzo was breathing rapidly as if he’d just run a race. Frank gave up reasoning with him and sat down. Nella half rose from her own seat. “I’m the closest thing she has to a spouse or living relative,” Dr. Pazzo said, a little calmer now that the judge was speaking with him.

“I’m sorry Dr. Pazzo, but even if you were actually her spouse, this is not that type of competency hearing-” He broke off as Dr. Pazzo began screaming incoherently over him. The bailiffs came over to help Frank calm him down and Nella was already working her way down to the floor. Judge Hawkins banged the gavel as the crowd began it’s own dull roar. Nella followed the bailiffs out the door with the still shrieking Dr. Pazzo. She dimly heard Hawkins ordering a recess and Frank joined her in the