Two trials will connect with each other for the remainder of this series. In fact, this will be a two-part Act where the first trial will contest Paulo's innocence with Behnam's guilt. What verdict will be reached, and will the defense team be able to maintain Paulo's innocence and rescue the hostage?

Justice Served - Trial Former

"Mr. Eriksson, Ms. Porter, I am fully aware of the charges this person is filing against the defendant. As you may know, Mr. Eriksson, your father is innocent in all of this, hence why I believe we shouldn't go through with the trial. But seeing Prosecutor Porter and Prosecutor Moriette here means a boring trial and a waste of time." Judge Florentino Vagaday is seated in his chambers with Alessandro, Ashley, and Yves sitting before him, reviewing the case information. Although the doberman judge explains his thoughts on the matter very clearly, there is something amiss with the whole thing. There is also something else he felt wasn't right, to which he turns to Alessandro to find out about his partners in the trial.

"Where is Mr. Blackburn and Ms. McCarthy?" The doberman sends Alessandro an inquisitive glance, wondering where Alessandro's co-counsel could be.

Alessandro meekly rubs the back of his head while he responds, "They're gonna be there. But Mr. Blackburn agreed to be my assistant in this case. But as long as we rescue the hostage prosecutor, we should be able to prove Mr. Filla's guilt to the public."

"I see." Rubbing his chin in thought, Florentino inquires, "And who is the prosecutor having been taken hostage?"

"Estefania Pharrell; she's a tribal lawyer, and our newest hire to the law office. This has to be the absolute worst for an indigenous native to go through." Yves reported, sinking into her seat. She becomes laden with guilt while whispering, "I just feel so powerless now."

Ashley gently squeezes her shoulder while responding to comfort the Burmese prosecutor, "You're not powerless, Yves. You did what you could - hell, you even slapped the life out of that guy when he tried to advance on you."

While Ashley giggles at the memory, neither Yves nor Alessandro were laughing. Even the judge is silent, his eyes having become dinner plates. Alessandro is pale in the face with blue vertical lines running across his face in deep fear while Yves is just silent and disheartened. Feeling the tension in the room, Ashley squeaks, "What…?"

While Ashley is left wondering what she did wrong, the doberman judge turns red with anger and slams a fist on his desk, startling the three lawyers. With all eyes on the doberman judge, the dog gazes between the three and whispers in a seething rage, "We are dealing with a middle-aged perverted man who has walked free from all these charges until now. Make sure he is proven guilty so he can pay for everything he's done, including his advances on Ms. Moriette." Here, he gives a brief nod to Yves to emphasize his point.

The three lawyers slowly get around to gathering themselves together, filled with a new resolve for the trial - prove the guilt of Behnam Filla and rescue the hostage.

~~~~~

(BGM: Title Screen - The Need For Speed OST)

Cue a scene where a mahogany door appears and opens up to a massive courtroom, followed by the scene panning upwards with the text displayed:

DAY 1
Court is now in session!
All rise!

~~~~~

A packed courtroom is the setting for this trial, so once the judge slams down his gavel, he announces the start of the trial. "Court is now in session for the trial of… wait a minute, what is this again? I blanked out!" Judge Vagaday is so immersed in going through the motions that he forgot what type of trial is underway. The mildly humiliated doberman pales slightly, which takes Prosecutor Porter to explain, "Your Honor, this is simply a civil trial on the grounds of assault, so we're here to see whether Mr. Eriksson, the defendant, is guilty."

"Right, thank you Ms. Porter!" The doberman judge turns back serious while retaining his normal coloring. "Court is now in session for the trial of Paulo Eriksson! Now based on the allegations of assault, I assume this trial will be quick? Any objections?"

"I advised him to settle things out of court but since the defendant assumes the accuser is hiring a lawyer to represent him, he did the same so, here we are." Alessandro shrugs while giving his father a warning glare.

"Is that so? It makes sense but since we are stuck here, we might as well proceed." The judge continued on. Turning his attention to the prosecution, the doberman requests, "Okay Ms. Porter, your opening statement, please!"

(BGM: Psychonaught by Captain Ginger - Need For Speed Porsche Unleashed OST)

"Very well, Your Honor." Ashley proceeds to give the opening statement to kick things off. She explains, "yesterday afternoon, a sudden fight broke out in a local forest. There were two individuals - the accused, Mr. Paulo Eriksson, and the plaintiff - Mr. Behnam Filla. Mr. Filla claims that Mr. Eriksson instigated the fight between them in the forest and sustained a couple of bruises as a result."

OBJECTION!

"Ms. Porter, when you saw Mr. Filla, did it look like he had been in a fight?" Alessandro patiently reasons with the Angora cat in question, pointing out what his father came to him for. The snow leopard attorney didn't believe the information one bit, finding it all false. He further explains, "Remember I mentioned that they should have settled this out of court."

"That is what I definitely remember, and we can skip directly to the verdict right now. Ms. Porter, any objections?" The judge is already decisive in rendering an immediate verdict, siding completely with Alessandro on the matter. But Ashley wasn't done by a long shot.

The Angora cat continues her opening statement, "Mr. Filla had stated that Mr. Eriksson started the fight by luring him into a forest and then beating him while he was down. But as far as evidence is concerned, I have none. But there is a bit of hearsay from Mr. Filla where he stated that Mr. Eriksson is a monster."

HOLD IT!

"Why don't we get down to the nitty-gritty right now and end this showboating once and for all?" Alessandro demands, his tail lashing around in annoyance. "After all, this isn't like you at all, Ms. Porter! You're better than that!"

The snow leopard attorney forcefully objects, "Why don't we have the instigator of this whole thing testify himself? That oughta shed some light on the matter! Besides, it's not like the two couldn't have had any other way to settle this out of court! Mr. Filla is a crybaby instead of a real man!"

"Ms. Porter, if you are finished with your opening statement, then we can move on to the witness testimony if one of you calls in your first witness." The judge ordered. He too seems keen on getting this trial over with, annoyed it had to come to this.

'It's best if I resign anyway but who's gonna rescue Estefania?' Ashley wondered to herself. 'I don't know how long I can prolong and stall this thing. Unless I can get someone to testify, maybe that'll work.' Finally, Ashley speaks, "Very well, Your Honor. We can move on to the witness testimony. The prosecution calls on their star witness, Mr. Benham Filla himself, to take the stand!"

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #3 - The Need For Speed OST)

Sitting in the witness chair next to the judge, Behnam is the very first to testify. He casually gazes around the courtroom, a subtle smirk on his features. Observing the gallery, the tomcat muses inwardly, 'Maybe if I can convince these people of my innocence and prove my side of the case, I can walk away winning big.'

"Witness, your name and occupation please." Ashley began, getting the trial underway.

The tomcat simply introduces himself, appearing smug and confident, "Behnam Filla; construction worker at 56 years of age."

"Okay, Mr. Filla, you may explain your side of the incident that happened first. No excuses, no restarts. Just one chance." The judge strictly ordered the tomcat one single chance to testify to the court about what he experienced that instant. He's hoping to see a flash in his eyes.

Raising an eyebrow in question, Behnam shakes his head sullenly, agreeing to the demand, "Alright, I'll testify. I promise you, no mistakes will be made."

'Why do I have a bad feeling about this? It's like he's setting himself up to play the victim here! Just look at how fast his demeanor changed! I hope Ashley can nail this perp on the head or else I'll be set to testify next.' Standing next to Ashley is Yves, who has kept silent the entire time. She kept her thoughts internal while uneasy the entire time. But she patiently waits her turn to testify, since she too is a witness in the later part.

~~~~~

– Witness Testimony –

– The Fight, Part 1 –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"Mr. Eriksson and I agreed to meet at a local park later on in the day. We met and from there, things went smoothly. Then he talked for a bit about our livelihoods and lifestyles and that's when he decided to pick a fight with me. You can't possibly say I was scared for my life. So that's when I fled the scene to inform the police."

Following this testimony, the judge has his hands clasped on his stand in a tentative expression. Finding this revelation fishy, the doberman doesn't even assign the cross-examination to the defense, for he himself points out, "If it's where I think it is, there are no payphones nearby. And there is no police station nearby where you can just walk in and chat. Your testimony is completely ransacked. Plus, you do not look like the type of person who would be scared of anyone, period. Therefore, I believe you are lying completely, Mr. Filla."

(BGM: Cold Fusion Power - Morphadron [Need For Speed Porsche Unleashed OST])

Mixed whispers and gasps erupt from the courtroom following this statement. Even Alessandro himself is surprised at how quick, smart, and perceptive the doberman judge is. Judge Vagaday didn't believe one word of Behnam's flimsy testimony! To clarify his point, the doberman sets his sights on Alessandro and points out, "Mr. Eriksson, whenever we would talk, you would speak so highly of your father until the day I actually met him for the very first time - he's graying but he still keeps up his duties and is also fun to hang around with."

With Alessandro left blushing from the comment, the judge rails on Behnam, setting his own aquamarine eyes on the middle-aged LaPerm in disgust. He hisses, "This joker here, this is my first time meeting him and right off the bat, I can tell he's a bad guy. Untrustworthy and manipulative. What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Filla?"

Behnam didn't care one bit; he smugly remarks, "I don't care what you think of me, Judge. You will grant me my credibility and give me my reward."

"OBJECTION!"

Furious at his demeanor and attitude, Ashley points out, "Let's set the record straight, shall we? I have substantial evidence that proves what type of guy you really are, Mr. Filla. You can say what you want, but you're done for."

"And what evidence would that be, Fluffy Cheeks?" Behnam snidely asked while folding his arms.

Ashley nods to Yves to present their side of the argument in evidence form and the Burmese prosecutor emerges from the bench, carrying a videotape. Marching straight up to the judge, she presents the tape while informing the doberman, "You'll have all the evidence you'll need in this tape and everyone will see what a pervert this man is."

"Get on with it already! I'm tired of waiting!" The male LaPerm rolls his eyes, already growing irritated at the proceedings.

"NOT SO FAST!"

Wagging a finger at Behnam, Alessandro reminds Behnam, "This may be your lawsuit but the final ruling belongs to the judge and the jury. You'll see the results when you watch the video, so I would zip it if I were you."

The video shows an angry Yves confronting Behnam in what appears to be an earlier situation. Seconds later, the tomcat is advancing on her, slamming his hand on the wall above her to block her from escaping when she brutally slaps him. The slap alone makes everyone flinch.

"Just as I thought, but I see now - you're untrustworthy in the workforce." The judge declared. He gets ready to announce his verdict when a loud banging noise comes from the courtroom door, interrupting the trial. Standing at said door is a female wolf, panting while out of breath. Noticing this, the doberman judge gasps upon recognizing the figure instantly, "Ms. Pharrell!? But we're about to end proceedings now!!"

"Estefania! You came!!" Ashley rushes up to hug the female wolf when the wolfess points out, "I'm not alone; I had company. And this man," here, she points directly at Behnam in accusatory outrage, "ordered my kidnapping!"

(BGM: Tunnel Society - Bejeweled 2 OST)

The entire courtroom falls into collective gasps and a chilled hush. But then, the gallery erupts into a screaming mass where the judge is forced to call in a brief recess. He explains the matter to the prosecution and defense teams claiming, "I see no need to continue the trial any more. Once we hear testimony from Ms. Pharrell, we will render our verdict. Any objections on the matter?"

Yves points out, "I was hoping I could testify against Mr. Filla but as you saw, the video explains everything. We're all packed and ready here."

"Interesting turn of events here - and to think this was supposed to be just a simple lawsuit!" The judge noted in understanding. His eyebrows raised, the doberman cuts his attention to Alessandro and asks him, "Mr. Eriksson, what do you think about the sudden turn of events involving your father?"

"He is innocent, Your Honor. Why not just let him go? After all, I've been trying to convince him to settle this out of court to save time." A grunt of complaint is heard from Paulo himself, who seems less than pleased about his situation. But he is even more worried upon learning of this new kidnapping setup made by his rival. Chances are he and Behnam are gonna have some face time following the trial, if he agrees to it. And after hearing out his son's explanation, Paulo remains silent, though his body language says otherwise - his lashing tail, his ear flicking, all show signs of worry.

Behnam is more than annoyed at how this is playing out before him, and he seems more angry than worried. Although he doesn't complain verbally about the matter, the tomcat releases an annoyed grumble in irritation. He isn't too happy nor concerned about the sudden appearance of his victim. But behind Estefania, a pair of scathing eyes belonging to a fennec fox eyeballs the LaPerm with scrutiny and hatred.

Following this, the judge declares, "Recess will commence now; everyone must be back in 20 minutes to reconvene so we can focus on this new revelation. I've been ready to give the verdict - I would like to hear the testimony of one more witness in the case before we wrap up and end this shindig for good."

~~~~~

Outside the courtroom, Estefania explained to everyone, "This case isn't as simple as you think it is. It was supposed to be a lawsuit originally, but with my kidnapping, it got more intense. And I also had some help from someone who apparently had a change of heart."

"That would be me." A muscular fennec fox reveals himself to the small crowd, stepping beside Estefania. He introduces himself and explains, "My name is Stuart Young and I am an assassin. I was originally hired to kidnap this beautiful lady until I reconsidered. When she busted out, we fled the area and came here. And that ugly tomcat is behind all of it; he's got hell to pay when we're through!"

Paulo cracks his knuckles in anticipation of a fight and his expression shows intense anger. But after a disapproving glare and headshake from his son, the middle-aged snow leopard reconsiders his course of action and warns Stuart, "Whatever you do, don't kill him - try and talk some sense into him if it helps."

Stuart scoffs and folds his arms, laughing scornfully at the patriarch. He protests, "You want me to talk some sense into that ugly tomcat and his pea-brained mind? Been there, done that! It didn't work! It'll take the judge to give him his wake-up call!"

"Well whatever the case, the trial is about to resume so we should head back inside." Ashley noted while glancing upwards at the overhead clock.

~~~~~

(BGM: Pause Screen Theme - The Need For Speed OST)

"Court is back in session! Now, in light of this new unexpected event, as well as the circumstances surrounding the case so far, this should be a speedy trial." The judge summed up.

"Not exactly, Your Honor - we, Stuart and I, agreed to testify." Estefania explained simply, "And it may be more complex than you think. Adding the charge of kidnapping can result in imprisonment for sure."

"I see - Mr. Young, is it? He agreed to testify too?" The judge observed.

"Yes he did. Even I'm surprised at how far this has gotten." Alessandro noted in surprise.

"Very well Ms. Pharrell - we will hear your testimony first and then move on to Mr. Young." Agreeing to the demand, the judge makes an exception to allow both new parties to testify, thus strengthening their case against Behnam and supporting Paulo.

~~~~~

– Witness Testimony –

– The Kidnapping –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"I remember us going over the details of the lawsuit as usual. That's what we usually do. It was just a normal day to me. But when I was walking home, I suddenly passed out. And next thing I know, I see Mr. Young over me after waking up. After some time, he busted me out and told me who hired him to kidnap me to further his cause. That's basically it."

Estefania gazes at Stuart in an on and off fashion while explaining her testimony before the court. Somewhere along the lines, Alessandro can already tell that something is wrong. But he waits his turn to investigate. Even the judge is worried, though relieved at the same time. He gives a relieved smile at the she-wolf while noting, "So you escaped with the help of your assailant; that's quite shocking, yet surprising."

Judge Vagaday turns his attention to Alessandro next and winks, hinting at the start of his cross-examination process, "You may knock this one out of the park, Mr. Eriksson!"

"Will do, Your Honor!" Alessandro answered the judge's call resoundingly.

– Cross-Examination –

– The Kidnapping –

Rising up from the defense bench, Alessandro marches up to the witness stand beside the judge and immediately fires off one single question to start, "Ms. Pharrell, you mentioned that your day with Mr. Filla was a normal one. How was he acting?"

"He was the same as usual, friendly, hard, determined. He seemed eager to put Mr. Eriksson in his place for what happened." Estefania reported. The judge nods to the snow leopard attorney to continue.

"Right. And you said that you walked home. Didn't you normally drive to work and back? That'll lessen your chances of danger." The snow leopard convincingly points this out to the she-wolf, already finding a hole in her explanation. Estefania, however, explains with a shrug, "Sometimes I alternate between driving and public transportation. It's what I usually do."

Now comes the final part of the cross-examination. Alessandro turns toward the gallery and back at the prosecutor-turned-witness and pops this new question to her, "Ms. Pharrell, what did you pass out from? Do you remember what made you fall unconscious?"

Estefania cuts her eyes away in thought, attempting to figure out what it was that made her pass out. She then reveals, "Somebody approached me from behind and covered my nose with a chloroform rag." The she-wolf points out her assailant directly, jabbing a finger directly in Stuart's direction - the fennec fox himself is seated in the gallery near the prosecution side.

Putting two and two together, Alessandro summarizes, "So let me get this straight, Mr. Young crept up behind you and put you to sleep?"

"Yep. That's my attacker. I'm sure he'll have plenty of explaining to do in this case." Estefania reported.

"I'm also intrigued as to what Mr. Young has to say for himself. Bring him to the witness stand! This marks the end of your cross-examination for now, Mr. Eriksson." The judge ordered.

Likewise, Alessandro shrugs and returns to the defense bench, acknowledging, "No further questions or statements until now, Your Honor. We can proceed!"

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #2 - The Need For Speed OST)

Sitting on the witness bench next to the judge, Stuart seems more annoyed than anything. While darting his chocolate eyes around the room, the muscular fennec fox perks up at hearing Yves' voice where she begins the procedure, "Okay sir, what is your name and occupation, for the court?"

"My name is Stuart Young and I am an assassin. Now is that all you need to know or are we gonna get out of here?" The fennec fox demanded.

"We will be wrapping this up with your testimony, Mr. Young. Then we will move on with the verdict." The judge assimilated.

~~~~~

– Witness Testimony –

– The Setup –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"The plan was a simple one - we discussed it face-to-face. Yeah, I knew it was wrong, but I decided to go through with it to investigate. I wanted to see what was wrong. So what I did was use a chloroform rag supplied by Mr. Filla himself to nab the prosecutor. A cheap, dumb move, if you ask me. Then after she woke up in my safehouse, I busted her out and escorted her here. Trust me, I hate that ugly cat as much as the rest of you."

This is the testimony that Stuart gave in explaining himself to the court, and the fennec fox himself is brooding, seeming more disheartened than disappointed. The room is also silent until the judge finally acknowledges Stuart, "Mr. Young, that was a brave thing you did in helping Ms. Pharrell escape. Yet why would you accept a job like this??"

"Why don't you ask the fat cat himself? I wanted to take him down from the start." Stuart hissed, now angry.

"HOLD IT!"

To everyone's surprise, Paulo stops the proceedings and stands up from his seat, aiming to put an end to everything surrounding this wasted time. Turning serious, the snow leopard patriarch demands, "Your Honor, instead of letting Behnam testify, I'll take the mantle here. That will clear up a lot of confusion."

Muttering erupts throughout the courtroom where even the doberman judge is flustered. Realizing this, Judge Vagaday comments, "Mr. Eriksson, if I had known any better, I'd hold you in contempt of court for shouting like that. But it didn't occur to me that we never heard your side of the story until now." Grinning at the patriarch, the judge nods in acceptance and agrees to the demand, "Very well, Mr. Eriksson! We will wrap this up once and for all!"

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #2 - The Need For Speed OST)

After seating himself at the witness bench next to the judge's chair, Paulo relaxes in the seat while waiting for the proceedings to continue. In time, the Angora prosecutor approaches the witness stand to address Paulo, "Name and occupation for the court, sir."

"Paulo Eriksson - Vehicle mechanic. I am also a military general for the United States Army." Paulo responds calmly. Satisfied, Ashley waltzes back to the prosecution bench with her hands clasped behind her back, telling Paulo, "Okay Mr. Eriksson, the floor is all yours!"

"Don't worry about a thing; I got this" Paulo assured them.

~~~~~

– Witness Testimony –

– What Really Happened –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"While on break, I met Behnam at a Cafe and we seemed to hit it off pretty well. We introduced ourselves, wanting to learn more about each other. Something seemed off because I had noticed his face twitch. He must have been angry about something but I don't know what it could be. But anyways, we agreed to meet at a park and moments later, he started to pick a fight with me. And although I didn't hit him that hard, he claims he has bloody vengeance on me, or something along those lines. So there you go."

The judge blinks at the snow leopard patriarch beside him and summarizes, "So let me get this straight, you're the peacemaker in this the entire time? Then why would someone say they sustained a couple bruises when they didn't appear to be hurt?"

"Spot on, Judge! You're even smarter than you look! But we'll be getting to the bottom of this, very soon!" Paulo assured with a chuckle.

"Which reminds me - Mr. Eriksson, how would you like to cross-examination two witnesses now? We skipped Mr. Young's cross-examination when your father had butt in." Paulo gives an alert glare to the judge, who pays the patriarch no heed.

This provides a new challenge to Alessandro, who gulps, "I can try, but I won't be good at it."

His father backs him up encouragingly, giving his eldest son a thumbs-up in support while the judge likewise encourages him to follow through on it, "It won't be that bad, Mr. Eriksson. You'll do fine. Once we have Mr. Young back on the stand, then we will proceed."

~~~~~

– Cross-Examination –

– What Really Happened –

'Well, this is my first double-examination, so here goes nothing!' With his hands clasped behind his back, Alessandro pads to the witness bench where the older snow leopard and the fennec fox are. The attorney is nervous, though he doesn't show it. And once he reaches the witness bench, he starts off with his father first. The nervous attorney coughs and begins the proceedings, "Mr. Eriksson, what did you and Mr. Filla discuss upon meeting each other?"

"Oh nothing big, really. He seemed surprised when I told him my age and that was it." While Paulo trails off in thought, Stuart is pursuing his lips in a sort of pout. Noticing this, Alessandro keeps his distance and turns back to his father, noticing he is now quiet. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no… well actually, Behnam mentioned something about staying single, but we had agreed to talk that part out." Paulo explained.

"Right, moving on then." Alessandro continues the cross-examination process, "My next question is this - You said you noticed his face twitching. What exactly was Mr. Filla angry about??"

"When Behnam wondered how I keep looking so young, I explained what I did, but I also did this," Paulo firmly flexes his left bicep to emphasize his point, relaxing afterwards. Then the snow leopard patriarch affirms, "Presumably, I think he has jealousy over not packing any muscle. Both of us don't appear our age but I have the muscle to show for it. Hahaha!!"

'Irk! Like anyone needed to know that.' Alessandro mentally complained. Stuart, on the other hand, only rolls his eyes at the older snow leopard where he mutters, "Whatever. This is not a bodybuilding contest. This is a trial where that fat cat needs to be locked up."

"HANG ON!"

"Mr. Young, if I heard you correctly, can you repeat that last part and explain your reasoning, please?" After hearing Stuart's muttering, Alessandro attempts to divulge information from the fennec fox assassin himself, to which Stuart folds his arms and snorts, "The ugly tomcat needs to go to prison. He's untrustworthy."

"Untrustworthy? How? And why are you so certain that Mr. Filla is, without a doubt, guilty?" The snow leopard attorney pressed.

Stuart smirks, "Social media can uncover a lot of dirt, but that's not the point. He called me asking for my services and I agreed to a certain extent. But to kidnap a prosecutor is just dead wrong! I took on the job just to investigate the shady cat and yeah, he's full of himself."

All eyes are on Stuart now; even Paulo and Judge Vagaday drop their relaxed and stoic gazes to listen attentively to the fennec fox. With the silence being the cue to continue, Alessandro presses Stuart once more, "What did he say or do that made you so sure of that?"

Stuart grows more and more annoyed the further his explanation grows, "Filla started exaggerating about how much money he doesn't have, that Eriksson here," the fennec nods to Paulo directly, "is better than him, though he's the one who should be better. It was a whole lot of nonsense. But when he requested me to nab her," the fennec points directly to Estefania, "I almost walked off on him. But something told me to follow through on it. No bribes or anything. He was also complaining about the settlement too."

"Money isn't normally an issue in court cases, right?" Paulo mumbles audibly in thought.

"It depends on what grounds you're suing for and how much you earn, so it ranges." Alessandro shrugs in return, not even bothered by the subject.

"So yeah, the ugly tommy boy was basically greedy and arrogant. And when I see him, I will make sure he has hell to pay. Don't even try to stop me. I rest my case - case closed." Stuart huffed.

While Paulo appears uncertain, Yves claims, "Looks like Mr. Filla has no more legal support in this case." This draws everyone's attention to her when she addresses the judge directly, "Your Honor, Ms. Porter and I request to resign from this case."

Before the judge can even grant the prosecution's request, Behnam screeches, "You resign and I'll sue you!!! All of you are nothing but failures!!!"

Everyone turns their undue attention to the livid LaPerm next following his outburst. The judge, however, slams his gavel in demand of silence and addresses Behnam directly in a strict warning tone, "Mr. Filla, I see no need to continue or stall this trial any longer. And your outburst and threat of further retribution against a pointless case proves this. If we lasted any longer and went about our way I would have warned you about contempt of court."

"Contempt of court, eh? I see no need to be held in restraint." Behnam smugly asserts.

"If there is no need to be restrained, why are there claw marks on your face, hmm?" The judge plainly points out the scratches left behind on his face when Yves brutally slapped him. And the resulting twitch of irritation on Behnam's face would compare to the beginning of a stroke.

"Urk! She attacked me first, Judge!" Behnam attempts to buy his way out by playing the victim. But given the evidence stacked against him, it doesn't work.

"OBJECTION!"

Alessandro forcefully objects to Behnam's false claim, "Haven't you seen the video of what happened during your time at their law office, how you advanced on Ms. Moriette where she slapped some sense into you in return?" He points objectively at the LaPerm while hissing, "If she attacked you first, you'd have more than claw marks on you!”

His face twitching again, the LaPerm whirls on Alessandro in a threatening manner, "Why you little–"

"OBJECTION!"

Yves confronts Behnam next, asserting, "The video doesn't lie, and neither does your actions, Mr. Filla. Face it, it's over! You have nothing left to prove! And even if you did sue me, you have absolutely nothing on me!"

"Grrr…!!!" A menacing growl rises in Behnam's throat upon whirling on Yves next.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

With an outstretched arm, Estefania silences the courtroom with one final shout. And with one threatening snarling glare directed at Behnam, the angry she-wolf points directly at the tomcat and declares, "You're finished! This trial has gone on long enough! You have nothing to live by! May everyone remember what a horrible person you are."

"Rrrggghhhh!! This isn't over!!" Behnam is not only livid, but he is also furious that his plan has completely fallen apart. Before he can protest any further, Judge Vagaday cuts him off completely, shattering any hopes of retribution.

"This is over, Mr. Filla! You have no more say in the matter! Now take your good looks and cart them off somewhere else! There is nothing further to discuss!" The doberman makes his point clear to the angry LaPerm, leaving him to storm out of the courtroom in a string of angry words. This leaves the doberman judge setting his sights on Stuart and Paulo next where he addresses the fennec fox first. "Mr. Young, although you took part in this incident both willingly and unwillingly, kidnapping is still a serious crime. But since you came to your senses, I will impose a lesser sentence on you pending a future trial later on down the line."

Understanding the judge's reasoning, Stuart agrees to the demand, giving a light shrug of his shoulders in the process. "Very well, Judge. I figured I had it coming sooner or later so why not now?"

"Good! Now that this has been taken care of, I will render the official verdict! On the grounds of assault, I hereby find the defendant, Paulo Eriksson…"

NOT GUILTY

"...Not Guilty!!!" With a resoundingly cheerful cry, the judge slams his gavel down to finalize the verdict.

(BGM: Win #2 - The Need For Speed OST)

Following the verdict announcement, the room erupts with cheers and applause from the gallery. Paulo is relieved and grateful while Stuart is looking more pleased than apprehensive. Yves and Ashley high five each other and hug each other, even including Estefania herself in the celebration. Alessandro watches from the defense bench and stands up to approach and hug his father in a squeezing embrace.

With the celebrations ending, the judge happily announces, "Court is adjourned for the day! This trial is over!"

~~~~~

Behnam Filla belongs to Sunnahal from ToyHouse!; the rest belong to me!