A weakened, wounded Luc, Dr. Renard and a shocked beyond belief Kylian entered into Case Carswell’s courtroom where Dillon forced them to sit at the defendant’s table. Dillon was the only armed officer of the court and he kept his gun gripped in his hand. He pointed his gun at no one, but he kept his finger on the trigger just in case he needed to subdue any uncivil behavior exhibited by anyone while in court. Dillon sensed Judge Carswell enter the courtroom.

“All rise!”

Without exception, everyone behaved and stood. Dillon announced the arrival of the judge.

“The Honorable Judge G. Case Carswell presiding.”

Case Carswell entered the courtroom from his chambers and wore his black judicial robes as always. He took his place on the bench higher up than everyone else so that all looked up to him.

“You may be seated,” Dillon said and everyone sat back down.

Luc whispered to the others. “It’s G. Case Carswell. Leader of the Order of One Justice. No one has ever seen him before until now.”

Judge Carswell shuffled some papers on his desk until he found the correct one.

“I see we have the matter of Leandre Renard before this court. We know about your clandestine activities with teleportation technology. How do you plead? Guilty or innocent?”

Leandre Renard was incensed at Case Carswell’s mockery. “Guilty or innocent of what? What are the charges? What sham trial is this? Under what authority do you have to try me in this kangaroo court?”

“Oh, I have the authority, I assure you, Renard. My jurisdiction in this matter comes from the higher authority of JUSTICE itself,” admonished Judge Carswell. “Do your actions require that written laws be broken before you can be considered a criminal? From your own hand, teleportation came into this world. By inventing the technology of teleportation for the UEN, it is kept from the rest of us. We are constantly disadvantaged and suffer from the tyranny of the UEN’s Ruling Party. Is the current world order just? No! It is not just! Justice may be blind, but anyone else can see that a great atrocity is being done here.”

Dr. Renard was less defiant. “Many times, I have wondered if inventing teleportation was a mistake. My original intention was for teleportation to be a gift to the world, not to create an imbalance like this! It was the doing of the Ruling Party!”

Judge Carswell interrupted. “Don’t try to shift the blame to someone else for that is not all! Bailiff, bring in Renard’s victims.”

Dillon retreated from the courtroom and out a side door. He returned with Viviane and the twins Anaelle and Marielle! Their hands were bound behind their backs, but as soon as they walked in, everyone was shocked and surprised to see each other again.

“Dr. Renard! Kylian! Luc!” Viviane gasped.

Anaelle and Marielle cried out simultaneously, “Father!”

Luc, Kylian and Dr. Renard all stood up upon seeing the three girls enter the courtroom. Luc gnashed his teeth. His muscles tensed up as if he might spring into action again and do something rash. Dillon sensed the unstable Luc and pointed his gun at Luc.

“Don’t make any sudden moves, Agent Luc!” Dillon warned Luc. “Perhaps you do not fear for your own life, but what about one of theirs?”

Dillon pointed his gun at Viviane instead. Viviane squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away from the barrel of the gun. The twins whimpered in the background. Luc backed off.

“Please, everyone be seated.” Dillon asked everyone to be cordial. “This is a courtroom after all.”

Luc, Kylian and Dr. Renard returned to their seats. Dillon pointed his gun away from Viviane and held it with its barrel pointed upward to the ceiling. Judge Carswell continued with the business of the court.

“Now that we have the victims of your doing, Renard, how do you answer to what you’ve done to your own daughters? You’ve condemned them to live a lie! And still, that is not all! What about what you’ve done to Miss Fox? Another woman’s life, Miss Lilou’s, was conveniently discarded due to your selfish desire not to be parted from your wife, Elise. Were the choices you made moral and just? I believe not! When will you be held accountable if not now? And by whom better will you be judged if not by me?”

Anaelle and Marielle spoke out of turn but simultaneously nonetheless. “Viviane told us everything, father! We don’t blame you!”

For Luc and Kylian, the topics under discussion confused them and stretched the limit of their understanding but they listened with rapt attention. Dr. Renard, who had been living with the guilt of his actions and mistakes for over twelve years, now faced his moment of truth. For him, it had been over a decade of torture. The pain and anguish of wondering what might have been clawed at his conscience.

“I believed I had the power of God, the power of life over death. But in truth, I am not a god. I am a weak mortal who abused the power of God. I knew this day would come, the day of reckoning, the day to pay for my sins.”

“Then you admit you are guilty of these deeds?” asked the Judge.

“Yes.” Dr. Renard resigned to his guilt.

“It is said ‘for the wages of sin is death’, so you shall be sentenced to die as well. Do you understand and accept your punishment?”

“I do.”

Judge Carswell was triumphant. “Justice will finally be served! We have everything we want! And soon, we shall posses the power of teleportation, too!”

Judge Carswell became overexcited by the conviction of Leandre Renard in his courtroom that he started coughing. He tried to stifle his cough caused by the pollution in the air of the Etatsunien where he lived before he started the Order.

“But wait!” Dr. Renard begged the court. “I have an offer! A plea bargain, if you will.”

Judge Carswell contained his cough and turned his attention to the convicted Dr. Renard. “Interesting. I’m listening.”

“Since it is my life you want, I’ll make an exchange,” bargained Dr. Renard. “Spare the lives of Viviane, my twin daughters, Agent Luc and my postdoctoral research assistant Kylian Bouche and I will teach your scientists the secrets of teleportation technology. The 99.999999999% accuracy rate. The teleportation of living organisms. And the Fountain of Youth Effect. All of it.”

Judge Carswell was not expecting Dr. Renard to co-operate with him under any circumstance but this was a welcome offer. He turned to Dillon and whispered a question to him.

“Dillon, how are our scientists and researchers doing on cracking the secrets of teleportation? How much progress have they made?”

Dillon covered his mouth with his hand as he whispered back his answer. “I’m afraid they’ve made no substantial progress since the last time you berated them in person.”

That was all Case needed to hear. He leaned over the bench and spoke to Dr. Renard.

“I have taken the plea bargain under consideration and upon further reflection, I will accept your bargain under one condition.”

“And what would that be?” asked Dr. Renard.

“A show of goodwill that you’ll carry through with your end of the bargain.”

“Agreed.”

“Bailiff, please escort everyone to the Order of One Justice’s research Transportal.”

Dillon was ever loyal and obedient. “Yes, your honor.”