To Kill A Mockingbird

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Micah remembered who Josephs was and Eponine listened to what he had to say. So it was because of Josephs that he became a Guardian. "I can't believe I had forgotten about him. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be who I am today." The words struck Eponine, because she felt the same way about her uncle. Without him, she wouldn't be a successful lawyer, and she probably wouldn't be a Politician. "Not today." The small smile he gave made her smile too in amusement. No, she couldn't see Josephs getting anyone accused of murder. He was an upstanding man.

"He was always around when I was a boy. He tried to persuade me to join politics, saying I would make a fine council member one day. Except that my father chose the path of the Guardians. And his father before him and his before him. It's in our blood. We make better soldiers than politicians." Eponine smiled to think Micah could have been her coworker. With his stature he could be intimidating in a Council meeting, but he probably did make a better Guardian. She couldn't see wanting to pick a fight with someone so imposing. But it was interesting to Eponine to find this out about him, about where such a quiet giant came from. "Everyone in your family politicians? Or did you decide to branch off?" Eponine didn't really like to talk about herself, but it seemed like the natural flow of the conversation. He was being open with her, so she should show the same courtesy.

"My family is a mix of Guardians and Politicians, but mostly Guardians. My uncle wanted my cousin to become a Politician, though, and the more he talked about it as we were growing up, the more I realized I wanted to be a Politician. There weren't many female Politicians at that time, so it was a little difficult at first, but I've made a name for myself. My cousin has too, though he wanted to be an Explorer and go against my uncle's wishes. He didn't, but he would have been the first in my family to become an Explorer. As annoying as he is, he is a good Politician, and I'm glad he chose that path," she said, looking down at her pen. When she looked up, she gave a small smile. "Do you have any family?" she asked before adding, "This only for my curiosity now." Her smile was pleasant and she found she actually enjoyed talking to him, getting to know him. The only Guardian she had ever really come to know was Sebastian, her past lover, and he was the polar opposite of the quiet, almost dull man across from her. He seemed almost kind, which was a word she would never use for Sebastian, and her view of Guardians was changing. Micah was a hard person to read, and she found herself wanting to know him so she could read him better.

[MICAH STOKES]

"My family is a mix of Guardians and Politicians, but mostly Guardians. My uncle wanted my cousin to become a Politician, though, and the more he talked about it as we were growing up, the more I realized I wanted to be a Politician. There weren't many female Politicians at that time, so it was a little difficult at first, but I've made a name for myself. My cousin has too, though he wanted to be an Explorer and go against my uncle's wishes. He didn't, but he would have been the first in my family to become an Explorer. As annoying as he is, he is a good Politician, and I'm glad he chose that path,"

She opened up to him the same way that she was requesting Micah to open up. Of course the information that she was giving him had nothing to do with his case but getting to know a little more about her made him feel a little more comfortable. He was still his tense and alert self but that never changed for Micah, it was the military training that was embedded into his brain. But he enjoyed listening to her tell him all about her family and how her cousin had wanted to be an explorer but when it came down to making the choice he chose politics instead. "It's incredible how family can have such an influence on what you choose." He said, giving his own two cents about the matter. If he would have chose explorer his family might have considered disowning him, but that would never have happened. He was a Guardian and had wanted to be one even when he was just a boy.

"Do you have any family?" He didn't say anything at first but she spoke up once more, "This only for my curiosity now." She wanted to know more about him. He didn't mind, he just never really spoke about his family or spoke much at all.

"My father is still alive. So is his father. I have an aunt, a few cousins. Mother is gone. She left, abandoned her duties and took off to see the world when I was young. Haven't heard from her since." He didn't show any emotion when he spoke about his family because there wasn't any there. He still had a decent relationship with his father whenever he saw him and his mother had been gone for so long that he rarely ever thought about her, and when he had it didn't upset him.

"Do me a favor Miss Gascoigne," Micah had an intense gaze set on the woman now. "Get me out of here."

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

"My father is still alive. So is his father. I have an aunt, a few cousins. Mother is gone. She left, abandoned her duties and took off to see the world when I was young. Haven't heard from her since." So Micah grew up in a house of men; it explained a lot of his mannerisms. His respect and lack of emotion and even how soft-spoken he was. Eponine found that men who spent a lot of time around women were more talkative, louder, for that. There were exceptions of course. Eponine herself wasn't what she considered a typical woman. She lacked emotion most of the time, though perhaps not in the same way as Micah. For Micah it seemed a natural behavior; for her, it was learned. You couldn't be a good lawyer if everything made you emotional. This led to violent outbursts from her on occasion, but she was certain there was no bottling of emotions for Micah. He just felt it and released it--he didn't hang on to negative emotions like she did. It was very masculine. Eponine found herself studying him more than she normally studied people. He was interesting, though. She found herself listening more intently simply because his voice was so soft...and she wanted to hear what he had to say.

Though she was looking at him with her heavy brown eyes, it wasn't until he spoke again and turned those intense blue eyes to his that she perked up a bit. "Do me a favor Miss Gascoigne. Get me out of here." Eponine returned her intense look with a serious and contemplative one of her own. She didn't smile, just pondered a moment. There was sinking feeling in her gut. Her soft eyes held a hint of sadness in them as she stared at him in silence a moment. "I can't promise that," she finally stated softly. "But I can promise that I will try my damnedest. You've given me a great start with the information you gave me." Once more her hand covered his briefly, less awkward this time, and there was a small smile on her face. "And I told you to call me Eponine." She took her hand back, keeping her eyes on his, when she heard the door opening. She turned to look, fearing she had lost track of time.

"Hour's up." The officer's voice was gruff and insistent, and she knew it was time for her to leave. She nodded coolly before turning back to Micah with a smile. "I guess that's all our time for today," she said, gathering her things and putting them in her briefcase. "I'll be back the day after tomorrow. I'm going to investigate these leads and find Takimoto." She got to her feet and gave Micah a pleasant handshake. "I promise I'll be back then," she said softly so he would know that promise was for him and him alone. She was going to work herself to the bone over this. Micah deserved it and it would give her an intense sense of satisfaction. Sometimes she liked to play the hero.

[MICAH STOKES]

"I can't promise that," Although the words weren't positive the blunt honesty of them were quite refreshing for Micah. He didn't want a lawyer who was going to make empty promises and fill his head with false hope. He wanted a lawyer who was going to tell him the truth plain and simple. Even if the odds weren't in his favor he appreciated knowing the truth that way he could prepare himself for what was to come. He liked to have a plan; mental preparation was always a big thing with Micah. "But I can promise that I will try my damnedest. You've given me a great start with the information you gave me." This was good enough for him.

"And I told you to call me Eponine." Micah cracked a crooked little smile at her and nodded his head, "yes ma'am," he responded almost as if he were teasing her but not in a rude way, it was evident in his eyes that it was all in good fun. When the door opened and the officer popped his head in to let them know their hour was up he just nodded in silence. He didn't have much time with his attorney but the time he had with her was very valuable, and he felt it was an hour well spent.

"I'll be back the day after tomorrow. I'm going to investigate these leads and find Takimoto." Eponine promised to be back in two night's time and Micah thought that was a good idea. The more she found out the better it would be for him and he could wait out a night alone. "I look forward to our next meeting." He told her calmly and stood up so he could try to be somewhat of a gentleman, even though his hands were cuffed, and bowed his head a bit at her.

Then Thomas watched as his Atticus walked out the door.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

By the second night's time, Micah had already had plenty of time on his hands to do a lot of thinking. He was a man with nothing but his thoughts and a few cellmates. Actually, some of his cellmates didn't necessarily enjoy how quiet Micah was. When night fell on the night of his next meeting with Eponine, his cellmates had voiced their dislike of his constant silence. To them, Micah was weird. He just stared at them and then rolled his shoulders to let them know that it didn't bother him, but that didn't please them either.

It took six guards to breakup the brawl that happened next. Micah didn't make the first move, he never made the first move. He knew better than to attack unless he was provoked by someone else attacking, then he would be on them like a vicious animal. It had been three against one and although the odds were against him, Micah was the one who came out with the least damage done to him. He'd managed to break one cellmate's arm and another's nose.

When Micah was placed in the holding room to wait for his attorney, the man sat there in cuffs with his knuckles bloodied and bruised. A cut lip and a few other gashes near his left eye, but other than that he was fine. Nothing was broken, but even though he looked like he'd just gotten out of a brawl he sat there patiently in silence, just waiting. He couldn't wait to hear what Eponine had found out.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine's cousin's drama had taken up much more of her time that she had originally planned, and she got less done than she wanted to. That didn't mean, though, that she was going into the prison empty-handed. Oh no, she had gotten some good information. At the Silent Stone, she happened to be good friends with one of the bouncers there. He vouched for Micah, actually laughing when she told him that Takimoto had accused him of being high. "High? Stokes? That guy had to be lying," Luca laughed. He even saw the man run down from the roof and tell Micah something. He couldn't hear what was said, but he saw Micah go up to the roof looking calm and collected. "Typical Stokes." She made sure he would be willing to give testimony at a trial, and he gladly said yes. "Anything to help you out, Eponine." She had known Luca for years. He was several years older than her, and it was never romantic between them, but they had done their fair share of flirting over the years. Mostly, though, it was a mutual respect between them.

No one else saw anything, though. She went to the officer who wrote the report and requested Takimoto's information, and initially he had dragged his feet. But a little threatening went a long way. Usually all it required was a look when they dragged their feet, but this time it had taken a threat to the man's job. She got what she needed in the end. As soon as she had that information, she went to Takimoto's.

He was there, thankfully, and at first he had tried to shut her out. She caught the door and forced her way in, letting him know by the look on her face that she wasn't fucking around. He eventually agreed to talk to her, albeit reluctantly. After much cajoling, Takimoto finally confessed he made the whole thing up to pin it on Micah. "Why him?" she had asked. Takimoto said he had nothing to do with choosing who it was. It was the other guy, the one who told Micah to go to the roof, who had decided. Eponine wanted to know who he was, but Takimoto didn't have a name...at first. "Give me a name, or you won't see the next dawn," she threatened. Takimoto wised up then. Eponine hated playing games. He gave her the name Goodman. That was all he could give her, he didn't know the guy's first name. It was enough to go off of, though. She said if he would testify in open court, she would let his false police report slide as a deal. Takimoto didn't like the idea of going to jail anymore than most people did, so he agreed. He had also told her why Jared was pushed. "For that ring," he said, his eyes a little wide with fear. So it was true. There was a ring. For extra measure, she took a recorded statement. She didn't trust the Council at all. If they found out she had spoken to Takimoto, he would be a pile of stone come dawn. She left there wondering how she was going to track down Goodman.

Tonight, though, she was looking forward to see Micah. She was excited to tell him that she had another witness willing to go on the stand for him and a clean report. Even better, she had talked to Takimoto.

When she walked into the room, she smiled at first, excited to tell her news, but then it faded to a worried frown. "What did you do to your face?" she asked when the officer had shut the door behind her. Micah was huge, a good foot taller than her, but she reached up a hand to touch the scabs forming under his left eye. She made a quiet tsking noise, as if fretting over a child's wound, before she realized maybe touching his face was a little awkward. She just let her hand fall, though, heaving an exasperated sigh. "Please don't get into anymore fights. A big part of my defense is going to be what an upstanding, cooperative citizen you are. You having fresh wounds on your face isn't going to help that case," she explained. A bit of a wry smile came to her face as a thought occurred to her. "I may just have to teach you how to put some make-up on to cover it." She was kidding, of course, and her smile gave that away. With another soft sigh, she took her seat, motioning for him to do the same.

"So, I found out some good information," she started. "First off, your toxicology report came back clean. No surprise there. Second, Luca, the head bouncer at the Silent Stone, has agreed to take the stand in your defense. He saw the guy come down from the roof and you go up after he had done so. He can testify that your demeanor was calm, not agitated like Takimoto said. Third, I spoke to Takimoto." Her smile grew bright as she let her excitement show. "He recanted his statement. I recorded it and everything. He told me the name of the man who came down from the roof and got you. His name was Goodman, and he was the one who picked you to pin this on, not Takimoto. I still have to find him, but I suspect he probably hangs around the Council enough that somebody will know him. Takimoto also told me that Jared was pushed for the ring. Goodman will know more about what happened to that ring and why you were picked, but I'm going track him down once I leave here. I'll have to be careful, so the Council doesn't find out I'm snooping around their connection, but I think I can find him. That's all I've got right now, but it's a good start, I think." She cocked her head to the side a little, suddenly thinking of a question to ask him. "Do you know the name Goodman? I know you said you didn't recognize him, but does the name ring a bell? It might help to figure out why he picked you."

[MICAH STOKES]

When Eponine entered the room he saw the smile that she had on her face which he could only assume that she had good news. But with one look at him her expression changed, "What did you do to your face?" and he had expected her to be curious but what he didn't expect was her to actually reach up and touch his face. His eyes softened a bit and he looked a little lost for a split second until she moved her hand away and he regained his composure. "I thought it was time for a new look," was his answer to her question and he was sure she'd get the sarcasm in his words. The last time he'd met with her she'd had a sense of humor so he figured he might as well test it out some more.

"Please don't get into anymore fights. A big part of my defense is going to be what an upstanding, cooperative citizen you are. You having fresh wounds on your face isn't going to help that case," He understood and nodded, "I didn't start it, only finished it." Micah told her bluntly and it had been true. The others were in the hospital wing while he was sitting here with his attorney as if they were having a casual conversation about the weather. "I may just have to teach you how to put some make-up on to cover it." He let a small smile pass over his lips but it was only there for a short time since they got right down to business after that.

She started off by saying his toxicology results came back clean which was no surprise to him since he knew they would, and then going on to say she'd spoken to Luca, who was a bouncer he worked with at The Silent Stone, who had vouched for him. Him and Luca weren't close since Micah wasn't close with anyone but he was a stand up guy who he didn't mind working alongside. He nodded, listening to everything she said as they sat there at the table once more. Except this time she had come through and gotten the cuffs removed from his wrists which was nice. They were so constricting and they had cut into his wrists that last time.

When she moved on to talk about Takimoto he couldn't help but think of the Asian man as some sort of rat, he was capable of watching his friend die but yet he folded under the pressure Eponine clearly put him under. What was the point of killing him if Takimoto was going to speak so easily? It was all in vain in Micah's opinion. He didn't get pleasure from the death of someone and even when he'd been in the military he might have been responsible for many deaths but he didn't enjoy it. He did it because it was his duty to protect his loved ones just the way their enemy had, and fortunately for him they had gotten the short straw and lost.

At the mention of Goodman Micah knew that Eponine was going to ask him about the man when she said she had yet to find him and talk with him. "I'll have to be careful, so the Council doesn't find out I'm snooping around their connection, but I think I can find him. That's all I've got right now, but it's a good start, I think." When she mentioned the council's connection the name made red flags go up in his head and he reached over across the table and placed his hand over hers lightly.

"Scott Goodman, he does a lot of dirty work for the council. I never met him before but I heard things about him. Guardians.. we hear things, mostly we just take them as rumors but there are always some truth to them. Do you remember ten years ago, in the news there was this man who had been going around, sneaking into apartments? He'd beat and rape women and this went on for weeks before it just stopped, nobody was ever convicted of the crime but it didn't happen again." Micah knew the name was familiar and he was hoping that she'd recall it as well. Gargoyles lived so much longer that it wasn't as if she had been ten when these incidents had happened. "Rumors went around that it was Scott Goodman and that the council caught him and cut him a deal, if he works for them he gets immunity."

Slowly Micah began to pull his hand away, letting his fingers slide across the cold surface of the table. He felt that if she had touched his face it was only fair he reached out to her as if in some manner to say its' okay that you touched me. His eyes stayed fixated on her but his brows seemed to be doing a tango on his forehead as he tried to figure out which way to angle them to show concern. "I don't think it would be wise for you to find him, Ms. Gascoigne. If the rumors are true then he is dangerous and nobody messes with the council and lives to tell the tale. We'll work with what we have and let that be enough." He might not have known this woman all that well but he would feel a great deal of guilt if something happened to her because she was working on his case. He especially didn't want her to come face to face with someone who was a violent rapist.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine waited patiently for Micah's reply, but she wasn't expecting his hand to come out and grab hers. She did not act like normal girls did. She didn't hold hands in public with her boyfriends, and she didn't do public displays of affection very well. The most she would do was lean against a boyfriend if they were sitting beside each other. But when a man attempted something, she didn't automatically pull away either. She simply didn't react to it. For some reason, with Micah, it was different. Her face started to feel hot and her stomach jolted. That was a reaction a normal woman would have...if she were on a date. She was in a prison meeting a client. That wasn't acceptable. But still...she couldn't pull her hand away. She tried to keep the color out of her cheeks and focus on what Micah was telling her about Goodman, but she kept wondering why he had his hand on hers. Was it because she touched him? Had she invited him to do this because she touched his face? She remembered the way his eyes had softened for a moment. That didn't help her fluttering heart any. Why did he affect her like this? She had to focus!

"Scott Goodman, he does a lot of dirty work for the council. I never met him before but I heard things about him. Guardians... we hear things, mostly we just take them as rumors but there are always some truth to them. Do you remember ten years ago, in the news there was this man who had been going around, sneaking into apartments? He'd beat and rape women and this went on for weeks before it just stopped, nobody was ever convicted of the crime but it didn't happen again." Eponine was able to focus on this and she did remember those cases. A coworker was the prosecution on that case. She simply nodded, though, listening to what he had to say. "Rumors went around that it was Scott Goodman and that the council caught him and cut him a deal, if he works for them he gets immunity." Interesting... That was something to hold over the Council. Hell, she was on the Council, though a very minor member, but she knew that was good information. She needed to find Goodman.

Micah's hand slipped away, slowly dragging across the tabletop, and her eyes softened just a little. Why was she disappointed? Eponine didn't understand what this internal turmoil was. She couldn't have a...a...crush...on a client! But the way he looked at her, a little confused and a little concerned, it made her cheeks start to flush again, and she had to clear her throat and look away. What was she, 16? No, she was 93. She was supposed to be long over this crap. "I don't think it would be wise for you to find him, Ms. Gascoigne. If the rumors are true then he is dangerous and nobody messes with the council and lives to tell the tale. We'll work with what we have and let that be enough." That stopped her silly, hormonal thoughts. She couldn't leave this unfinished. No way. She shook her head slowly. "Number one, call me Eponine. Number two, what I have is good, but it's not great. If I could find Goodman and get him to at least give me the names of the guys who actually pushed Jared off the roof, your case is in the bag, Micah." She sighed and sat forward more. "Look, it's not just about my numbers, okay? It's not about winning or losing the case, this is about your life. I don't want you to get pushed off a building during the daylight and I don't want you to be cooped up here for the rest of your life. The best way to keep that from happening is to find Goodman. And that's what I'll do. I can handle myself better than you would think." Her voice remained soft, as it usually did, but it was firm. She wanted him to know she was serious about this. It was her job to get him acquitted of a crime he didn't commit, and that's what she was going to do. All she needed was a couple names.

[MICAH STOKES]

Eponine explained that she wanted to make sure she had a great case, not just a good one. She wanted him to start calling her Eponine, just like she had said the night before, and she wanted the names of the men who pushed Jared off the side of the building. He had to frown at her news but who was he to tell her what to do? Then again, he was the client and if he wanted he could ask for different representation, couldn't he? "I can't help but get a strong feeling you're going to get yourself into trouble," he told her flatly and slid his hands off of the table onto his lap, sitting up straighter as if he were trying to get comfortable. The problem with being locked up was nothing was comfortable, especially when you were a foot taller than everyone else in the joint.

He didn't know Eponine well enough to tell her that it was the wrong decision so he had to think and slowly the words came out, "If I fired you as my legal counsel, would you let the case go?" Micah had a strong feeling that she was going to laugh at what he said and brush it off. He was pretty sure that was the read he got on her. But it wasn't his job to worry about her it was suppose to be the other way around. Except that was who Micah was, he worried about others and concerned himself with their problems. If he saw someone in trouble then he stepped in to help. Sure, he didn't say much and wasn't the best company at a social gathering but he was the go to guy when you were in a tough situation.

"It isn't my place to tell you what to do or how to do your job, Eponine. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened because you were trying to find evidence to make a stronger case," He was serious and he was honest, if nothing else. He watched her and wondered how she'd react to what he said. Micah just felt like he should warn her of the danger that she might get herself into.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

"I can't help but get a strong feeling you're going to get yourself into trouble." Eponine appreciated Micah's concern, but she didn't need it. She wasn't a human woman asleep in her bed against a Gargoyle, this was Gargoyle versus Gargoyle. Eponine could handle that. "I get myself into a lot of trouble," she insisted, looking down at her hands on the table. "It's just the nature of my job." Her eyes came back to his, confident and reassuring. She wasn't afraid of Goodman. If she could handle Sebastian Davenport on a daily basis like she used to, then she could handle Scott Goodman. Of course, she would have to dig up those old files to get what she needed to convince him, but she didn't foresee that being much of a problem. Eponine had connections and ways to get what she needed.

What he asked her next stopped her dead. "If I fired you as my legal counsel, would you let the case go?" She didn't know if she had heard that right. Fired? Eponine did not get fired, especially not on cases where she was giving an extremely good deal based on a favor. Her face must have given away her displeasure and Micah kept going. "It isn't my place to tell you what to do or how to do your job, Eponine. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened because you were trying to find evidence to make a stronger case." First, he finally used her name. Then he said something that made her flush just a little bit. For a brief moment, she felt her heart skip, but she cleared her throat and stopped it. Stupid hormones. She wasn't a woman right now. She was a lawyer. Her eyes came back to his, warm but firm.

"Firing me wouldn't make a difference," she told him bluntly. "I agreed to take on this case, and I don't just give up on the cases I take on. I appreciate your concern, and I'm not just saying that; I really do appreciate it. But I will be careful in how I handle this, and I will handle it. I told you I was going to try my damnedest to get you out of here, and that's what I'm going to do." A small smile came to her face as she looked at Micah, softening a little. "You'll learn I'm much too stubborn to just give up. Even if you did fire me." She sat in silence for a moment, studying his face. It was a good face, if you didn't count the cuts he had on it. The cuts made her shake her head. "What did you do to get punched in the face?" she asked, her tone lighter than before. "Let me see your hands." She motioned with own hands, sitting forward a little so she could get a good idea of what they looked like. When he placed his hands on the table, she took them in her hands, grimacing and sucking in a pained breath through her teeth as she looked at his knuckles. "Ouch," she hissed under her breath. She turned her eyes up to his, a pained smile on her face. "I can't imagine what the other guys look like." She gave a little laugh before letting his hands go. "I think at trial, you'll probably need to keep your hands in your lap," she suggested, leaning back a little from him. Men. Testosterone made them do stupid shit, but she decided you couldn't help but adore them for it.

[MICAH STOKES]

"Firing me wouldn't make a difference," He had assumed it wouldn't and when she confirmed that she was going to work on his case whether or not he wanted her to it brought a little grin to his face but it seemed lost on his eyes as he looked down at the table.

"What did you do to get punched in the face? Let me see your hands." Micah stretched his hands out across the table for Eponine to get a good look at the cuts that were across his knuckles. "I'm not too popular in jail apparently," he told her and let out a quiet sigh. "You should have seen the other guys," He said to her comment about them and then chuckled, pulling his hands back and setting them on his lap once more. He didn't want to keep them up on the table for her to look at since they looked gross. It was almost like it was rude. Although he couldn't deny that when she grabbed hold of his hands and looked them over he liked the affection. He enjoyed that someone actually seemed concerned whether he was hurt or not, because most of the time nobody cared. He got hurt for a living and being a body guard he'd gotten into a few fights with drunk occupants but they were hardly a big deal.

"I think at trial, you'll probably need to keep your hands in your lap," Trial must be coming up soon then if his hands weren't going to have time to heal. The thought of going to trial made him nervous but it might lead to him getting out of here and avoiding more fights. "Maybe they'll heal before then. Is there a trial date set?"

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Micah seemed almost proud of himself for his fight and Eponine had to smile at how childish it was. Why did men always get so excited when they did well in a fight? A guy like Micah should have been used to winning fights. Hell, she didn't know who would want to pick a fight with him. He was a giant and the roughness of his hands showed he knew how to use them. Still, men were men, she supposed, and his pride wasn't overwhelming. Almost as soon as it had come, it was gone, and his smile faded. Prison seemed to just wear him down. She wondered if he was like this on the outside too? She would think he was quiet, but not so...beat.

"Maybe they'll heal before then. Is there a trial date set?" Eponine lifted her eyes to his and nodded. "Gargoyles like to get trials out of the way, and for a case like this, they want it squashed quickly. The trial has been set for the Monday after next, but at the rate I'm going, I might be able to move for dismissal. If I can find the two that did it and get them to confess, there's no reason for you to stay in here, and any judge would agree. My deadline is the Monday after next. If I can find them and get confessions, there won't need to be a trial. I'm sure the Council won't be happy, but they'll have to agree. And if I hear any complaints, I can tell them to shove it." She flashed an amused smile at Micah. Talking to him was so easy. No matter what she said, she felt he wouldn't care, he would just listen. It wasn't like talking to August where she had to be careful of everything she said, lest he somehow use it against her.

She made herself sound carefree when it came to the Council, but she knew to be on her toes around them. They may have failed at becoming the mafia, but that didn't mean they weren't dangerous. She knew if she pissed off the wrong people, she really could get hurt. What's more, they could hurt Micah. Perhaps he was worried about her, but she was worried about him in return. If they knew how hard she was working this case, they might create evidence to throw a jury and make hell for her. She had to be careful. Her connections would help, but even they couldn't be fully trusted. She had to play down the importance of this case so it would, in large part, go unnoticed. Then she and Micah could get out of this relatively unscathed.

Her eyes had wandered to the table, but she let them wander back to Micah. "We'll start preparing your testimony after I track down Goodman. I'll know then if it will even be worth preparing a testimony for trial based on what he tells me," she informed him. Her brow furrowed a little at the mention of Goodman. "Do you think Josephs might know something about Goodman? He's a senior Guardian, been around for a long time...maybe he's heard more than you?" Right now, Goodman was her best hope. If she could find him and talk to him, get any little bit of information out of him, regardless of the price, then she might be able to get Micah out of here soon.

[MICAH STOKES]

"Gargoyles like to get trials out of the way, and for a case like this, they want it squashed quickly. The trial has been set for the Monday after next, but at the rate I'm going, I might be able to move for dismissal. If I can find the two that did it and get them to confess, there's no reason for you to stay in here, and any judge would agree. My deadline is the Monday after next. If I can find them and get confessions, there won't need to be a trial. I'm sure the Council won't be happy, but they'll have to agree. And if I hear any complaints, I can tell them to shove it."

He appreciated everything that the woman was doing and if she got him off he'd be eternally grateful. It might have been her job but she was willing to go above and beyond for him it seemed, and Micah would never forget that. He offered her a little smile and a nod of his head, knowing that if she got him off there would be no thank you that would be big enough.

"We'll start preparing your testimony after I track down Goodman. I'll know then if it will even be worth preparing a testimony for trial based on what he tells me," He always found it funny how a testimony had to be prepared and couldn't just be stated. There were things he should and shouldn't say that could potentially harm him in court. It was all just one big game and in his opinion it shouldn't be like that, but what was he going to do, change the justice system?

"Do you think Josephs might know something about Goodman? He's a senior Guardian, been around for a long time...maybe he's heard more than you?" He looked down at his hands and then back up to her and kind of bobbed his head in an unsure way, "I wouldn't know. Possibly, since he is on the council. The higher you are the more you know, but I would think it doesn't necessarily mean he'd be able to disclose that information. I'm sure you know how the council works better than I." The higher you were the more info you were given, but it didn't mean you could just give it out. There were non-disclosure agreements that were signed and contracts that bound you to secrecy. It would probably be difficult for her but if she was careful and played her cards right, maybe she'd be able to find out more.

"Just be careful. Just as you said, if you keep this low profile then you'll remain undetected but I'm sure if you raise any red flags they're going to be all over you." He certainly hoped not, though.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

"I wouldn't know." Eponine had expected as much. Why would Micah know if Josephs would know where Goodman was? "Possibly, since he is on the council. The higher you are the more you know, but I would think it doesn't necessarily mean he'd be able to disclose the information. I'm sure you know how the council works better than I." There was a sliver of hope in that statement. She gave Micah a smile as she said, "Well, Josephs already stuck his neck out for you by coming to me for help. I'm sure he would be more than willing to do it again if he knows where Goodman is." The more she thought about it, the more resolved she was to speak to Josephs tonight. The sooner she got information on Goodman, the better. Josephs was several steps higher on the council than she was, and would have much more access to that information anyways. If he would be willing to risk it, she could really use his help. Her next stop for the evening would be Josephs' home.

"Just be careful. Just as you said, if you keep this low profile then you'll remain undetected but I'm sure if you raise any red flags they're going to be all over you." Eponine nodded, his concern appreciated. "Either way, they're going to be all over me if I can get you out of here. The council doesn't like to be questioned. But then if I can get you out of here, then I've served my purpose, and I can be satisfied with that," she told him, genuinely meaning it. She smiled gently, letting her brown eyes hold his for a moment. Micah's wasn't the first case she had worked this hard on, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but there was something unique about this case. Namely, she truly cared what became of this client. He was a good man.

She sat back and crossed her legs, bringing her hands to her lap as she studied him. "So do you have any questions for me today? I've done most of the talking this evening, but if there's anything you've been burning to ask me, now your chance." Her demeanor was warm and open, although still professional. Eponine was nothing if not professional. She didn't want Micah holding back with her, though, so she let herself be open to any questions or concerns of his. However silly the question, she wanted him to ask so that the air was clear between them.

[MICAH STOKES]

"Either way, they're going to be all over me if I can get you out of here. The council doesn't like to be questioned. But then if I can get you out of here, then I've served my purpose, and I can be satisfied with that," Micah pursed his lips at this information. If she dug any further they were going to end up trying to come after her when this was all said and done, and he didn't like the thought of that at all. He might not have known the woman for longer than two nights' time but it didn't mean that he couldn't care for her well being. He might have looked tough and could take three guys on at once but deep down he was a gentle soul who cared about others around him.

If Eponine did get him out of jail then he would be sure to keep track of the woman if he could. The thought made him feel like he was going to turn into a stalker but that wasn't it at all, he wanted to be sure that she was safe and if the council sent anyone after her then no matter how tough she was he was sure she wouldn't be able to take them on by herself.

"So do you have any questions for me today? I've done most of the talking this evening, but if there's anything you've been burning to ask me, now your chance." He thought about it, his brows furrowing to show his concentration on his face as he considered if he should ask her what was on his mind or not. "Just one," he started out and tapped his fingers against the table lightly, almost as if it were a nervous habit of his that he was picking up. "If you end up getting me out of here you'er going to piss off a lot of people. I would suggest that you have someone look over you for a while until things die down, because they always die down, and what I'm asking is if you would allow me to do that for you?" He hoped he didn't sound too creepy, but in a way he was sure it had. He was the prisoner asking if he could watch over his attorney when he was out. Then again he was innocent and wrongly accused, so then again it might not have been too creepy at all.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine waited why Micah considered his question. She could tell there was something he wanted to ask her, but he was hesitating for some reason. When he did finally ask her, she could tell why he hesitated. "Just one." His fingers were tapping and she smiled a little to herself. Apparently that was his nervous habit. She tapped her foot when she got nervous, or clicked a pen if she had one in her hand. "If you end up getting me out of here you're going to piss off a lot of people. I would suggest that you have someone look over you for a while until things die down, because they always die down, and what I'm asking is if you would allow me to do that for you?" Eponine was...well...stunned. She could only sit and stare at him in surprise for a moment before a slow smile came across her lips.

She looked down at her hand resting on the table. "You realize how creepy that sounded, right?" she said with a wry smile. "If you don't, then I'm quite worried about you." She laughed and contemplated his proposal. Eponine wasn't a woman who felt she needed protection. She was a strong woman and Gargoyle and she had the brains to match. Talking herself out of sticky situations wasn't strange to her in the least, and she didn't think she needed protection. He did have a good point, though. She was going to piss off a lot of Council members, and there might be an attempt on her life made. She didn't like the thought, and she liked living, so she might have to consider his offer. Would he stay with her too? That would only make sense. He better not get any ideas...then again, maybe she wanted him to get some ideas. She certainly wouldn't object to any advances from Micah. That thought made her uncomfortable, though, and she sighed.

"Yes, I suppose that would be best. I don't like to admit it, but I may not be able to defend myself from everything they could throw my way. A bodyguard...wouldn't be such a bad idea," she finally conceded. Her smile grew a little as she looked back up at him. "Okay, then, it's a deal. I have to admit, though, I don't always make for the best company. I'm kind of a boring person." She gave a little laugh. "Thank you for the offer, Micah. I hope there isn't anything you have to protect me from." Somehow she doubted that. Stepping on the Council's toes was never a good idea, no matter how trivially you did it. Eponine would have to be careful after this trial. Micah would make for good protection, and perhaps even good company. "Is there anything else you want to ask me before I leave? I'm probably going straight from here to find Josephs. I'll come back the night after next." There was no use staying if there was nothing more to talk about. She wanted to get Micah out of there as soon as possible.