Ripley led me to the back porch this time.  Aris, Max, Theo, Ethan and James were waiting for us.  “You look beautiful,” James commented.  I looked down.  Instead of putting me in a snowsuit, my tights got thicker, my boots turned into snow boots, my jacket turned into a fur coat, and I had ear warmers on.  “Thank you,” I accepted the compliment.  Ripley lit me a cigarette, then one for himself.

“Are you nervous?” Theo asked me.  “I don't know.  Should I be?” I asked.  “Not one bit,” he answered.
There were others outside, but none approached us.  “The Drakes,” Aris answered my unasked question.  “Hey, Drakes!” I called out.  I waited for them all to look.  “Just so you know, he raped his little girl, Emma, too,” I announced.  They all looked at me funny.  “They either don't believe me or don't care,” I grumbled, “disgusting.”  We finished our cigarettes and went inside.

Aris got a bottle of wine and we headed to the library.  “How is Emma?” he asked me.  “Laying down for a story,” I answered.  We reached the library doors and went in.  The room was packed.  We stopped so that Aris could announce me, then took our positions at the table.  Ripley and Max had switched places this time.  “Jade, if you get really angry, squeeze my hand instead of having an angry outburst,” Ripley whispered to me, “just do it and you will see why.”  “Okay,” I agreed.

We waited for a few minutes.  When it was time Aris brought the same screen down.  The picture came down showing a not so scary looking Tobias Drake.  He looked sickly, sweaty and desperate.  “My baby!” I heard from the crowd.  A scared Mrs. Drake shoved her way forward to sit at the other end of the table.  There were other whispers.  Apparently they allowed some of the Drakes in as spectators.

When the screen was in position, Aris cleared his throat and the room went silent.  “Please state your name,” he started the proceeding.  “Tobias Drake,” he answered in a very shaky voice.  “Tobias Drake you stand accused of assault and battery, attempted rape, attempted murder, dream walking violations, rape of a tender aged child, assault and battery of a tender aged child.  How do you plead?”

“Not guilty!  He pleads not guilty!” Mrs. Drake yelled from the other end of the table.  I squeezed Ripley’s hand.  “Mrs. Drake, if you can not control yourself, you will be removed from these proceedings,” Aris warned her, “I assure you that we do not bring charges against someone without ample amounts of proof.  There are more charges that I would love to add, we just do not have the required proof.  He is guilty of what I have listed.”

“Tobias Drake how so do you plead?” Aris asked again.  “Guilty,” Tobias answered in a small weak voice.  “Noooo!” Mrs. Drake cried out, “do not plead guilty.  We can fight it.”  “Momma, I am guilty.  I just want this misery to end,” he answered her, “I would have to live without my gifts and I just can not do it.”  “Noooo!” she cried out, then just sobbed.

Aris gave her a moment to quiet her sobs.  Then a man spoke up.  “Can I ask a question?”  “Yes,” Aris answered.  “He stands accused of rape of a young child?”  “Yes.”  “Who is this child?”  “His daughter, Emma,” Aris replied.  “And you have proof of this?”  “Yes.  And he just plead guilty,” Aris responded.  “Well she is only like three or four years old,” the man stated, “Janine, I can not fight for the freedom of someone who does something like that.”  “Same here,” another man spoke up.  Several others were agreeing with him.

“He is my only son,” she sobbed, “he is all I have!”   “Momma, you still have Emma,” Tobias told her weakly.  “I do not want Emma!” she growled, “nobody wants Emma.  Who would want that little witch!”  “I want her,” Aris spoke up.  The room fell silent.  I looked up at him.  If I wasn't in love with him before, I definitely am now.  “I want her too,” I spoke up.  “Well you can have her!” Mrs. Drake growled.

“The others who are gearing up for a fight need to know,” the first man to speak up told the others.  A few of them left the room to go spread the word.  “If I had known, I would have done something,” he told Aris, “I would take her, but I have five of my own.  I just do not think I can.”  “That is okay, “ Aris replied, “We want her.”

Aris cleared his throat and took my hand at the same time.  The room went silent.  “We need to finish this proceeding,” he announced to the room, “Are we ready to sentence Tobias Drake?” he looked at each of us on the council.  He waited for each of us to give our death verdict before he said the final, “death.”  “Will it be swift?” Tobias asked.  Aris looked at him, “swifter than I would like.”  “What will the manner of death be?” Tobias again.  “We have not decided yet,” Aris answered.  Aris turned the screen off and it went back up into the ceiling.

“That is it?” Mrs. Drake asked.  “That is all that is open to the public,” Aris answered.  “Can I see Toby before you…?” she couldn't finish her sentence.  “If the guards will allow it, I will allow it,” Aris answered.  She got up and left the table, but not before giving me a dirty look.

We waited for the room to clear before we started discussing the manner of death.  When the last person had left, Max spoke up, “I know I always vote for beheading, but I think he deserves much worse.”  “He deserves to be raped,” I whispered.  Ripley must have heard me, “that can be arranged.  We have someone that will do it.”  “Really?” I wrinkled my nose at him.  I hope to never meet that person.  You never will.  I had forgotten that he could read my mind.  “How about dismemberment?” Ethan suggested.  “Wouldn't that be quick?” I asked.  “It can be drawn out for quite awhile,” he answered.  “How about rape, then dismemberment?” Theo asked.  “I can be on board with that,” Max agreed.  “So can I,” Ethan agreed.  Everyone agreed, then it was my turn, “I agree.”  “It starts as soon as his mother leaves,” Aris stated, “I am ready for a cigarette.”  We all stood up.

We went to the back porch.  Most of the people that were there had cleared out.  “Can I get my children so that we can clear out and head home?” the man from the hearing approached us.  “You are welcome to stay the night,” Aris offered, “we have enough food and the room.  Your children are probably sleeping anyway.”  “It would be much appreciated,” the man agreed.  “Let us finish our cigarettes and then we will get you something to eat.”  “I thank you,” he replied, “is that courtesy extended to all of us?”  “Yes.  As long as I have your assurance that there will be no trouble,” Aris answered.  “Oh, there will be no trouble.  I doubt Mrs. Drake will stay.  She will need a lift back to her car though.”  “That can be arranged,“ Theo replied.

We finished our cigarettes and went inside.  We waited while they took their heavy snow gear off.  We led them downstairs to the cafeteria.  His name was Matt Dowd.  The people who were with him all had the Dowd last name.  Aris didn't serve them leftovers.  He brought out some special wine and treated them to the hospitality of special guests.  Mrs. Dowd offered to help and Aris declined.  Instead, Ripley and I helped, while Max, Theo, Ethan and James visited with our guests.  We made baked chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.  We all ate and drank with them.  Then Ethan and James showed them where to sleep and Max and Theo went to give Mrs. Drake a ride to her car.

Aris, Ripley and I quietly went into the children's room.  They were all asleep including Lia, who had occupied a cot at the front of the room.  Ripley took a cot not far from Emma's.  We decided not to wake her and went into the bedroom.  We changed clothes and went straight to bed.  Aris turned out the lights and slipped in next to me.  He pulled me close.  “Are you alright?” he asked.  I paused for a moment, then, “ as much as I’m going to be.  How about you?”  “I am just fine now that that is over,” he answered, “I am a little worried that Max and Theo are not back yet.”  “We could go check on them,” I suggested.  “You are not too tired?” he asked.  “No.  I am wide awake,” I answered.  “We should wake up Rip,” he decided.  We got up and changed into snowsuits.  We quietly went into the children's room and approached Ripley.  He was awake.  He got up and we silently went into the hallway.

“Have you heard from Theo or Max yet?” Aris asked Ripley.  “No.  I am beginning to worry,” Ripley answered.  “We thought that we would go check on them,” I suggested.  “Sounds good,” Ripley agreed, “I need to dress warmer though.”  “We will meet you on the back porch,” Aris told him.  We ascended the stairs together, then split up at the top.  Aris and I went out to the back porch.  Antony and Kale were there smoking.  Aris lit us cigarettes.  “What are you doing up so late?” Kale asked.  “We have not heard from Max and Theo.  We were just going to check on them,” Aris explained, “We are waiting for Ripley.”  “We will go with you,” Antony offered.  “I would really appreciate that,” Aris thanked them.

When Ripley came out we loaded up on snowmobiles.  They each had their own and I road with Aris.  The ride to the cars took about fifteen minutes.  They should have been back already.  Their snowmobiles were there.  We disembarked and went into the little shed.  They were laying down on the floor as was Mrs. Drake and two other men.  I went to Max and Aris went to Theo.  They had both been stabbed.  I put my hand on Max's stab wound and it started heal.  Aris did the same for Theo.  Ripley told us that Mrs. Drake was dead.  One of the other men was still alive.  Max woke up, “I am so glad to see you,” he told me.  “As am I,” I whispered, “don't talk.  Save your energy.”

“Just keep your hand on it Jade,” Aris directed me, “We can neutralize the poison.”  “How is Theo doing,” I asked.  “He is coming to,” Aris answered, “If we had come just a few minutes later he would be gone.”
“I am okay now Jade,” Max told me, “save that man.  We want to question him.”  “Jade come to help Theo,” Aris instructed me,” I will help that man.  I do not want you anywhere near him.”  I did as he asked and took over with Theo.  He went to that man.  “I do not know if I can save him, but I will try,” Aris told the others.  “He does not have to be fully recovered to be questioned,” Max reminded him, “Just enough to get information from him.”

Theo was awake and talking now, “Well, you are just a sight for sore eyes,” he flirted, “you look like an angel.”  I smiled.  It was good having the old Theo back.  “Do you think that I can get a back rub too, it hurts.”  “Jade, he was stabbed in the back too,” Max told me.  Kale helped me turn him over onto his stomach.  There was another stab wound, but it wasn't as bad.  I put my hand on it.  “Awe, that feels so good.  Maybe I can get a full body massage later.”  “I will see if I can find somebody to do that for you,” I suggested.  “I will do it,” Antony offered, smiling.  “Not what I had in mind,” Theo grumbled.

I held my hand over the wound until it was sealed, then we turned him back over to check the other one.  It was fine.  “Is that it?” I asked him.  “As if that is not enough,” he answered, sitting up.  “Slowly,” I urged.  “I am fine now,” he told me.  He and Max stood up.  We all went to gather around the man that Aris was helping.  “I do not think he is going to make it,” Aris stated.  “Can you at least wake him up for one question?” Max asked.  “I can try,” Aris answered.  He touched the man where his heart would be located.  The man bounced, then fell back.  His eyes opened.  He looked around at us.  “Did all of your people go home?” Max asked, “Is there a planned attack.”  “No, it fell apart when the Dowd’s all backed out,” the man answered.  His head fell back to the floor, dead.