<TIAMAT> *Well, let's see. It's probably a week or so after Whisper was released -- she's looking much better after having a couple solid meals, a hot bath and a change of clothes. There're still a good number of people who're giving her hateful looks, believing she really was the murderer, but most have either forgotten about the ordeal or focused their malice on Bailey.

<JETMODE> *Kender, et al. are in the front row, watching the proceedings!

<JETMODE> *Pacheco is presiding, a dark scowl on his face, which he occasionally directs at Kender and company.

<TIAMAT> *Ooh, evil. ^_^ Clarra's probably not there, but I suspect Jarod and Cassie are -- the former because Kender dragged him along and the latter because she's just like that. Farore might be in the crowd as well, but she's not sitting with our group.

<TIAMAT> *Oh, and Teal, of course, is doing the interrogating.

<JETMODE> *Bailey would be pissing his pants elsewhere, I suspect, waiting to be called in.

<TIAMAT> *I suspect there's a fair crowd here today as well, so it takes Teal and his soldiers some time to settle everyone in. When they do, Teal announces Bailey's name and calls for the guards to bring him in.

<JETMODE> *Bailey looks haggard.

<JETMODE> *He's jumping at shadows and flinching at the slightest movement. When he reaches the front, he looks at the judge with despair. Pacheco scowls down at him.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper is probably watching Bailey with a mixture of suspision and anger. Teal looks down at Bailey grimly. "How do you plead, sir?

<JETMODE> <Bailey> I.. *gaze darts nervously between Pacheco and Teal* N-not guilty.

<TIAMAT> *Teal sighs. "Very well, let's get on with this...

<JETMODE> *The judge is looking impatient, heaven knows why, but Bailey is looking sicker and sicker as the minutes pass.

<JETMODE> *Then, suddenly, there's a faint pop, and Bailey gives a jerk, eyes widening. His mouth opens as if to protest, but instead of speaking, he slumps forward, blood beginning to dribble out from a hole in his back.

<TIAMAT> *And pandemonium ensues! Whisper gasps, clutching the railing in front of her, and Cassie shrieks, burying her face into Kender's chest. Teal roars for everyone to get down and for the guards to seal off the entrances, but most of the crowd is either screaming or trying to get out.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod's looking around wildly for the source of the shot, too, readying a spell if need be.

<JETMODE> *Kender stares blankly at Bailey, patting Cassie mechanically.

<JETMODE> *The shooter appears to have disappeared -- though he or she never really appeared in the first place. No more shots, no threats at all, just Bailey, dead in the witness stand.

<TIAMAT> *Well then, that makes Teal's job considerably difficult, doesn't it? The guards do manage to close off the entrances after a while, but by then they all know it's too late. Teal starts taking names of people who might have seen something, though no one that he talks to seems to have any solid info.

<JETMODE> *Whisper, however, might sense someone standing behind her and hear a low, amused voice murmur in her ear, "Congratulations, kitten."

<TIAMAT> *She whips around, staring wildly.

<JETMODE> *There's no one there -- no one, that is, except a cloaked figure leaving the room through the milling crowd. I really wouldn't recommend giving chase.

<JETMODE> *Cardinal Pacheco, BTW, is gazing at the body with an odd expression. One might even call it satisfaction.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod silently notes the Cardinal's expression, frowning to himself. Teal also calls for the medics to haul the body off as quick as you like, thanks.