Jury Duty

Later that evening, Camille leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head. "Alright," she said, exhaling. "Everything's almost done."

I raised a brow. "Everything?"

She nodded. "The mask. The outfits. The final touches on all three identities." She gestured toward the table, where carefully folded pieces of fabric lay. "I just need a bit more time, but by tomorrow, we should be ready."

I glanced at the materials, noting the clear distinctions between each outfit. The detective trench coat for Mr. Dust, the rugged firefighter gear for Mr. Fox, and the celestial, almost regal attire for Mr. Angel. Camille had considered every detail.

I exhaled slowly. "Good. We'll need to start practicing."

Camille smirked. "I was wondering when you'd bring that up."

I pulled out my phone. "I need you to call Alexis. Have her come over."

She tilted her head. "You really think we need a full rehearsal?"

"I know we do."

Camille sighed but nodded, pulling up Alexis' contact. "Fine. But she better not try to run tests on us."

Two Hours Later

The moment Alexis stepped inside, she stretched her arms lazily over her head and grinned. "So, we're finally getting to the fun part?"

I gave her a deadpan look. "This is court preparation, not a game."

She hummed, stepping further into the apartment. "I dunno, Rey. Something about deception on a mass scale does sound kinda fun."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Let's just get started."

Camille handed out the outfits, along with the masks. Sienna held the sleek firefighter gear in her hands, looking down at it with uncertainty. Camille ran her fingers along the detective trench coat, her eyes sharp with evaluation. Alexis twirled Mr. Angel's mask between her fingers, her blue eyes gleaming with mischief.

As the girls continued adjusting to their new roles, I leaned back slightly, letting them work through their struggles. I wasn't worried about the legal side of things—not really.

I had my system.

That alone gave me an advantage no other lawyer had. Laws, precedents, strategies—if I needed something, I could acquire it.

And speaking of acquiring…

I let my thoughts drift to Damian Voss.

Nathan's old lawyer.

I had heard stories that Voss was ruthless in the courtroom, a man whose knowledge of legal precedent made him practically untouchable in a debate. He had built airtight defenses, dismantled arguments with precision, and turned even the most unfavorable cases in his favor.

I focused, activating Skill Copy.

A familiar pulse of energy settled in my mind.

New Skill Acquired.

Case Precedent (Level 1) – Grants access to historical rulings and previous cases, allowing the user to strengthen their legal arguments.

I exhaled slowly.

The moment the skill took effect, I felt it. A rush of information, a network of cases and rulings, a growing database of legal history that I could now access at will.

This would be useful.

With this, I could reference past rulings, cite important cases, and reinforce my defense with precedents that had already shaped the legal system.

My lips curled into a small smirk.

With every skill, every plan, every detail coming together—

This case was mine to win.

I looked back and watched as they slowly finished putting on the disguises, transforming into their respective identities.

Or at least, that was the goal.

The moment Sienna put on Mr. Fox's mask, she turned to face us—feet planted firmly, fists on her hips—and declared, "Fear not, citizens! For I am here!"

I groaned.

"Sienna."

She looked at me, confused. "What?"

I gestured toward her stance. "You're acting like a superhero."

"Isn't that what Mr. Fox is?"

"No," I deadpanned. "Fox isn't a hero of words. He's a hero of action." I crossed my arms. "Less speeches, more presence. You need to be grounded."

She hesitated before nodding. "Got it. Less talking, more acting."

Camille let out a chuckle. "I'll try, but I am a fashion designer, you know?"

I turned to look at her. She had put on the trench coat and was trying to act like Mr. Dust—quiet, composed, reserved. But the issue was in how she stood.

Camille loved standing out. Her posture, her poise, her very presence radiated confidence.

But Mr. Dust wasn't someone who stood out.

"Camille," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You need to stop acting like you're walking down a runway."

She scoffed. "Excuse me?"

"You're standing like someone who wants to be noticed."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"For Dust? Yes."

She pouted slightly under the mask before adjusting her posture, trying to slouch her shoulders a bit more.

It wasn't perfect. But it was better.

I turned to Alexis next.

She was wearing Mr. Angel's mask, but the problem was… she was too casual.

She stood there, hands in her pockets, looking almost bored.

I sighed. "Alexis, you're supposed to be portraying a messiah-like figure."

She blinked. "Oh, right. Lemme try again."

She straightened slightly, lifting her chin as if trying to exude presence.

It lasted about five seconds before she giggled. "Okay, I can't take this seriously."

I exhaled slowly.

"Alexis."

"I mean, come on!" She grinned. "You expect me to act like some celestial being above all others?"

"Yes," I said firmly. "Because that's what Mr. Angel is. He's supposed to be enigmatic. Otherworldly. Unreachable."

Alexis tapped a finger against her mask. "You know… if there's any DNA left in this thing, I could—"

"Alexis."

She huffed playfully. "Fine, fine. I'll get it right."

The practice continued late into the night.

Sienna slowly adjusted, relying less on words and more on her body language to play Mr. Fox. Camille worked on shrinking her presence, trying to make herself forgettable like Mr. Dust. Alexis, despite her occasional giggles, started to understand how to carry herself with the quiet, overwhelming aura of Mr. Angel.

By the time we were done, Alexis had grown surprisingly close to Sienna and Camille.

Still, as I watched them interact, as I processed everything that still needed to be done…

I couldn't shake my unease.

The trial was getting closer.

And I still felt like I was walking into the unknown.

The Next Morning

I woke up early, stretching as I sat up.

Alexis had crashed on the couch—though calling it a couch was a bit misleading. It was large enough to be a proper bed.

Sienna was already up. Camille was still buried in blankets.

Nothing new.

I ran a hand through my hair before stepping toward the front door.

The doorbell had just rung.

I opened it—

And froze.

The mailbox was overflowing with envelopes. Bills, advertisements, tax documents…

And one letter that sent a chill down my spine.

I picked it up carefully, my name printed clearly on the front.

Jury Summons

I exhaled sharply as I flipped it open.

Reynard Vale had been summoned for Jury Duty.

Regarding a case that was happening in one week.

A sense of dread settled in my stomach.