We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

Book 3: Chapter 37: Court Battle

Book 3: Chapter 37: Court Battle

Howard

September 2220

Omicron2 Eridani

“How long do you expect this to last?” I whispered to Ms. Benning. I glanced across the courtroom where Bridget’s children sat with their lawyer, Gus Kistler.

“Actually, it’ll be over in an hour,” Benning replied. “In the end, it’s a really cut and dry situation. Bridget Brodeur’s last will is on file, and its veracity is not being questioned. They are trying for an ‘undue influence’ ruling, but since that’s usually about inheritances, it’s not likely to fly. Lastly, they’re trying for sympathy with the ‘laying our mother to rest’ gambit.”

She shuffled some papers. “What it’s really about is a delaying action. They’ve been trying to prevent it for long enough that something would happen, or we’d run out of money—” I snorted. Fat chance of that. “Or get tired of fighting, or we’d make a mistake…” Ms Benning turned to me. “They’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at us. It’s a good thing Mrs. Brodeur was wealthy.”

She sat back and sighed. “Anyway, Mr. Johansson, they’ve used up all their ammunition, and we’ve used up all of ours. Today, the judge will decide. Unless a miracle occurs for them, we will win.”

I looked over at Rosie, Lianne, and Howard. Howard looked ready to throw up. It seemed like a bit of an over-reaction, since my impression through all of this had been that he was being dragged along by the girls.

And speaking of, they didn’t look nearly as nervous as would be indicated by Ms. Benning’s confident remark. Perhaps their lawyer was stringing them along. But why? It wouldn’t increase his billing. And anyway, he didn’t look all that confident.

Then Rosie turned and looked at me, and my heart froze. I don’t think I’d ever seen the particular facial expression malicious triumph before, but trust me, it’s one of those expressions you’ll recognize the first time with one hundred percent certainty. What was going on? She couldn’t be expecting to win this case? And if not—

With a sinking feeling of panic, I remembered Dr. Onagi’s suspicions. I sent a text to Will, Bill, and Bob. One of them had to be free, and they were in the minority of Bobs that were guaranteed to not be travelling at relativistic speeds.

I’ll take care of it, came back a moment later from Bill. I breathed a sigh of relief, but my stomach refused to un-knot.

The judge came in, we did the all-rise thing, then sat. There was considerable noise from the surprisingly large number of spectators. Apparently this case had achieved significant notoriety. The judge banged his gavel several times and demanded quiet.

Judge Katz spent a long time summarizing the facts and pleadings of the case. Even though I was deeply emotionally involved, I still found my mind wandering. I had to respect people like Ms. Benning who could sit through this regularly without their foreheads slamming onto the desk.

Then, finally, the judge came to the punchline. “I must, in the end, uphold the right of the decedent to decide her own destiny.”

There were gasps and muttering around the courtroom. I half-expected Rosie to stand up and start screaming invective, but no. She just—huh. She just took out her phone and texted something.

And, at that moment, I knew that Dr. Onagi had been right.

* * *

We all filed out of the courtroom. Ms. Benning was shaking my hand, and her assistant was making a phone call, when Rosie strode up to me.

“You may think you’ve won, but you still won’t steal our mother from us.”

“Chrissake, Rosie, are you still on that narrative? There is no stealing. There never was any stealing. Ignoring for the moment the fact that it was your mother’s decision, you still have her. You still have the body to bury, you still have her memories. You lost nothing!”

“Just the same, you won’t get her. I’ve made sure of that.”

“You mean sabotaging the stasis pod at the hospital?” I raised my eyebrows in an expression of exaggerated inquiry, and she went white. “I’m sorry, Rosie, but if you can defy a court order, so can I. Bill sent in a drone with the scanner and did the deed while we were in court. Except that, unlike you, Bill would have respected the court’s decision if we’d lost.”

Rosie took a step back and her lips formed into a silent snarl. I shook my head. “Bill confirmed with me that a device embedded in the stasis pod damaged it and shut it down, just around the time you sent a text. There will be an investigation, of course. I’m pretty sure sabotage of hospital equipment is a crime of some kind. I’m willing to throw myself on the mercy of the court for my transgression. I have a feeling it’ll go worse for you.”

I gave Rosie a blank, cold look. “I knew your mother and father. I loved and respected them both. Right now, I can’t understand how you could be related to them.”

She opened her mouth to say something, and I turned and walked away.