Chapter _18

Draco laughs again "Deep breath, Aurora. What do you need from me?"

I did as he said.. took several deep breaths, actually.. and asked "Why was this case not pursued? And what crimes are being committed against the people?"

Culver punched a few keys on his laptop and turned it to me.

I saw pictures of five different people, in human form. Varying degrees of wounds and bruises.. then, their dragon counterparts.

Culver pointed to the dragons.. "Look! See here? Here.. and here?"

At my nod, he says "Michaelson abuses his people.. we're talking torture.. beatings.. shit like that. But this? See the notches in the wings?"

I nod again.. he continues "Those injuries are not only to cause pain.. they take a long time to heal.. and the placement of them prevents flight."

Isla growls "He hobbles his people? Grounds them? So they what? Can't escape?"

Draco nods.

I mutter mother fucker! Then, I ask.. "Why was the lawsuit not pursued?"

Adrian tells me "When the process server had gone to deliver the summons, Michaelson had moved the Weyr. The entire weyr of two hundred.. just vanished."

I sat back down, deflated "Are we looking? Have efforts continued to find this piece of shit? And where are these five people who came forward? Safe, I hope!"

Draco smiled at me "The five are indeed safe. They are members of the pack. Search teams are in the sky, every day.. no luck, so far. The case can't move forward, until Michaelson is located."

I looked directly into his eyes and told him "May I pursue it? With sworn testimony of the victims, I can move forward to convict in absentia!"

Adrian asks "What the fuck does that even mean? Absentia?"

I grin "I don't need a defendant in a courtroom, in the face of overwhelming evidence! If the victims are willing to swear statements and testify, I can win this! Then, he becomes a wanted fugitive from justice.. as opposed to a person of interest!"

Draco leans back in his chair "What do you need?" Nodding, I let him know "I need to interview the victims.. take their statements. Transcribe them and submit them as evidence, to the council. Then, we issue a blanket notice that this is going to trial. If Michaelson doesn't show up.. at the appointed date and time of the hearing, he forfeits his right to defense. Done deal!"

Culver asks "And if he shows up?" I reply, "then I depose him.. and he gives his side of the story. Either way.. he would have to come out of hiding.. leaving an opportunity to discover his weyr?"

Draco asks "How soon? We lost contact with Michaelson six months ago. Our previous attorney told us there was nothing we could do until he was located."

That didn't ring true with me.. something's not right. "How long ago did your attorney leave? And

what was his reason?"

Adrian responded "He left a little over five months ago. His reason was an illness in his family, and he was needed home.. somewhere south."

I smirked "And nobody found it suspect that this lawsuit was filed with the shifter's commission.. Michaelson disappeared before he could be served, and the attorney leaves? It didn't seem too coincidental? How did the Alpha know to move his weyr?"

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