Part 30 (1/2)

Ryan's response was as stunning as it was abrupt. ”I will not.”

Marilyn moved toward Ryan but surprisingly, it was the prosecutor who spoke up to avert the situation. ”I withdraw the question.”

Marilyn glanced up at Abigail who, after a moment, nodded for her to withdraw.

The prosecutor stood thoughtfully for a moment, then changed tactics.

”So how did you kill your mentor?”

The question sent a ripple through the crowd, but if it was meant to catch Ryan off guard, it failed to do so. She sat staring at the black man with her unblinking gaze, then began to recount the event in an entirely conversational tone.

”I bled myself until my body was nearly empty, and then I fed upon him until his heart stopped.” Ryan appeared thoughtful. ”It was the first time I had ever accomplished such a feat.”

Susan was once more struck by Ryan's casual predatory nature, and the lack of reaction her words were met with. The prosecutor seemed to examine this statement from a purely a.n.a.lytical point of view.

”Surely that wasn't enough to destroy someone as powerful as Victor. It would have been no more than a momentary setback for him.”

”You're quite right,” Ryan said agreeably, ”which is why I cut him into pieces and ate him.”

The reaction Susan was waiting for finally came. Disbelief and horror were on every face in the room, with the exception of Marilyn who was rather astounded at the ingenuity of it, and Abigail who was nearly startled into laughter. Even so, her head turned in astonishment.

”You cut him to pieces and ate him?” she repeated.

Ryan shrugged. ”It was all I could think of at the time,” she said as if in explanation.

”You cut him to pieces and ate him,” the prosecutor repeated. He couldn't think of anything else to say.

”Yes,” Ryan said simply, ”I did.”

The prosecutor walked back to his table and sat down heavily. He seemed unable to come to grips with what Ryan had just revealed. ”I'm sorry,” he said, shaking his head, ”I have a hard time thinking of anything that would make such an act justifiable homicide.”

Ryan's casual tone changed to one of steel. There was no sign of contrition or compromise in her voice. ”That is because you have not seen what I have seen.”

It was Abigail who would be the first to capitalize on Ryan's slip. ”And what would that be, Ryan?” she asked smoothly.

Ryan's jaw tightened as she realized her mistake. She felt Abigail's sudden presence in her mind, and Marilyn's as well. Although they could not take her thoughts, they could certainly take her feelings, and that was what was betraying her right now.

The prosecutor, like all predators, sensed her sudden weakness. He stood and began circling for his attack.

”What did you see, Ryan? What was so horrible that would make you want to destroy Victor?”

Ryan closed her eyes, trying to shut out the presence of the Others, but even more, trying to shut out the flood of Memories coming back to her. The pain in her head was intense, and the pain in her heart more so.

The prosecutor changed tactics. ”So you killed him, you killed him in a horrible manner.” He began to speculate, re-living the crime. ”And then, covered in blood, you go to Marilyn, and you confess.”

Ryan closed her eyes even tighter, as if she could drown out his voice. The prosecutor was aware of her reaction and was encouraged to continue.

”But it's not a full confession. Marilyn accuses you of regicide, a tragic crime, but your reply is *No, I have done worse than that'.”

The prosecutor moved closer to Ryan, his insistence beginning to wear on her. ”I have done worse than that,” he repeated.

He moved even closer to Ryan, his words becoming seductive. ”What could be worse than that, Ryan?” He leaned closer until his voice was hypnotic in her ear, his words wearing her down. ”Victor was like a lover to you, he gave you everything.”

”What could be worse than regicide, Ryan?” he whispered in her ear. ”What could be worse than killing the man who gave you immortality, your lover, your mentor, your King?”

Ryan's head snapped upward and her unblinking gaze fixed upon the prosecutor. Her jaw was set, and when she finally spoke, her voice was steel.

”I will speak no more.”

The prosecutor stood upright. He realized that no amount of persuasion or threat would make Ryan speak further. Abigail realized this as well, and softly rapped her gavel.

”The defendant may step down.”

Ryan stepped down from the stand, brus.h.i.+ng by Marilyn as she did so. Marilyn gazed down at her coolly as she pa.s.sed. Ryan stalked to her seat and sat down heavily, her barely contained fury evident. She stood up abruptly, startling those nearest her. Her words were scathing as she addressed Abigail.

”I weary of this charade, Abigail. So what now? You find me guilty? And what then?” she asked sarcastically. ”Are you going to have me killed?”

Abigail shook her head, unperturbed at Ryan's temper. ”You ever were the impatient one. No,” she said, answering Ryan's question, ”I told you many centuries ago I don't believe you can be killed.”

”So what then?” Ryan demanded, ”What is my punishment?”

Abigail smiled her enigmatic smile. ”We felt perhaps an *in-custody' situation would be appropriate.”

Ryan nodded as if in understanding. ”Oh, I see. And whose custody might that be? Yours, Abigail?”

Abigail shook her head regretfully. ”No, I'm afraid not.”

Ryan turned to Marilyn. ”Yours?”

Marilyn smiled her cool smile, but she, too, shook her head. Ryan turned back to Abigail, her mounting frustration evident.

”Who's?”

Abigail glanced down at the paperwork in front of her and Marilyn also looked carefully away. After shuffling the paperwork, Abigail looked down at Ryan. ”We feel you should be remanded to the custody of the only One who has any hope of controlling you.” She said enigmatically, then paused, ”But first we must call our final witness.”

Ryan made an impatient gesture and sat down. A stabbing pain in her head made her reach for her temples. Susan looked over at her with concern. Ryan rubbed her temples vigorously, as if trying to leech the pain away. She dropped her hands in frustration, as if unable to comprehend what was wrong with her. Susan reached over and lightly grasped her arm in comfort.

Ryan glanced over to rea.s.sure Susan, but the words died on her lips as a strange look pa.s.sed over her features. She turned away from Susan, staring ahead of her as if hearing some sound far off in the distance. Her hands again returned to her temples. The look on her face changed to one of concern, then disbelief. The color drained from her face as she slowly lowered her hands to the table in front of her, a look of dawning comprehension and shock on her fine features. She slowly shook her head.

Ryan took a deep breath and pushed her chair away from the table, seemingly exerting tremendous effort just to stand. She partially leaned on the table in front of her, then with another great effort stood fully upright, her eyes focused on the table in front of her. She steadied herself as all eyes focused on her.

And then she turned around.

At first, no one could grasp the look of stunned disbelief on Ryan's features, and indeed, it was Susan Ryerson who first turned to see what the young woman was looking at. The Others realized that Ryan was looking past them and they, too, turned to see what she was looking at.

At first they saw and felt nothing.

Then, they felt something extraordinary.

A tall, dark-haired man stepped from the shadows of the alcove into the light.