Chapter 14 - The Trial of Iron and GlassThe federal court battle lasted for twenty-eight agonizing days. The defense attempted every corporate delay, every technical objection, but the evidence gathered by Daniel, Miller, and Claire was an unbreakable wall of iron and glass.
The prosecution presented the shattered porcelain dolls, the encrypted video diaries of Elena Cross, and the undeniable molecular footprint of the Vancetine compound taken from young Leo's blood.
On the final day of the trial, Julian Vance sat at the defense table, his hands heavily bandaged, his expensive suit looking hollow and oversized on his defeated frame. He didn't look like a titan of industry anymore; he looked like a broken ghost waiting for the trapdoor to drop.
The jury foreperson stood up, a thick sheaf of papers in her hand.
"On the count of first-degree murder of Elena Cross, we find the defendant, Julian Vance, GUILTY. On the count of attempted murder of Claire Hale and Leo Vance, we find the defendant, GUILTY. On the count of illegal chemical manufacture and corporate espionage, we find the defendant, GUILTY."
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The judge slammed his heavy wooden gavel down, a sound that echoed like a thunderclap through the crowded courtroom. "Julian Vance, I sentence you to consecutive life terms without the absolute possibility of parole. You will spend the remainder of your natural life in a maximum-security federal facility, where your name will be replaced by a number, and your crimes will be remembered forever."
As Julian was led away in chains, he turned to look at Claire one last time, but she didn't look back. She was already looking toward the doors that led out into the sunlight.
