Detective Cook takes the witness stand Tuesday afternoon. Remorith and Cerna stand at opposite podiums from where Cook sits. Judge Nobakht sits directly across from the witness, and Bellemare’s force cage is directly to Cerna’s left.

“Detective George Cook, of the Unjust Existence Elimination Investigation Force for the Inter-River District of Two Rivers,”Judge Nobakht uses the full title for the detective, “you are called to provide testimony on your findings in the case against Adrienne Bellemare. You are asked to give your recount, and then stand for questioning. Please begin.”

Cook shuffles his notes briefly.

“Around noon on Wednesday, while tracking the possible murder of Marion Durandal of the Second Strabthine Empire and Bandon, Detective Alton and myself entered Bellemare Crypt in the necropolis district. We had followed a suspected thrall, Helen Emerald, from the victim’s last known location. Miss Emerald brought us to the crypt, and there we met Adrien Bellemare.

“Mister Bellemare volunteered information about how he had skipped steps in her turning to become a vampire.” Cook flips to a different page in his notes. “A contact with the Vampire Ethics Counsel verified the legitimacy of the paperwork. We sought out information on Spawn and confirmed similarities between cases where Spawn were created and cases of kidnapping.

“With that in mind, we investigated the victim, Marion Durandal’s credit history. She had multiple loans taken out from the Permanent Savings Bank, which far outstripped her means. One of these included a student loan to attend Sacred Dark. All other documents we found from the victim’s life indicate that she had no interest in attending a religious institution, and that her interests lay in secular scientific studies. These documents provided by Mister Bellemare being out of character gave us evidence that the victim may have been Spawn.

“At this point two things happened to force our hand to move toward bringing Mister Bellemare in for questioning: We found the person responsible for our victim’s destruction who confirmed that she was Spawn. We confirmed with an expert that it is possible to recover Spawn and remove their master’s control.

“That gave us the impetus to hire outside experts, including three Blackfeather Adventuring Company agents. The agents aided in capturing the vampires and thralls found in Bellemare Crypt. We searched the building and uncovered more evidence indicating that the vampires created in this location were not the willing participants that the Vampire Ethics Counsel requires.

“The crypt contained documents for many more loans, a room containing drugs and auras of mind affecting magic, and a room with vicious bloodletting devices. A Crime Scene Investigator bespelled a blood stain to display the moment it spilled, which confirmed that the bloodletting devices were used to torture unwilling victims.

“Mister Bellemare escaped the raid on the crypt. Back at our headquarters, Miss Emerald gave information about possible places he would have gone. A multidisciplinary team worked together to magically track Mister Bellemare by the blood of his admitted victim, Marion Durandal. This lead to Mister Bellemare’s capture.”

Cook finishes his testimony. It’s time for the questions to begin.

“What lead you decide that Helen Emerald was a thrall?” Cerna starts the questioning.

“We witnessed extreme obsessive behavior and a contact pointed her out as having information about our victim. We were unaware of what that information would be until after we followed her to the crypt.”

“When did you eventually question Helen Emerald?” Cerna takes another question.

“After the raid on the crypt, when we had all thralls and Spawn in custody.” Cook keeps his answer short and on point.

“What method, magical or scientific, do you use to determine whether a person is a thrall or simply an enthusiastic fan?” Cerna turns a page on his notes. Bellemare, safely contained in the force cage, looks smug.

“We ask.” Cook’s answer is even shorter. His impatience shows.

“Detective Cook,” Romorith takes her turn, “What method do you use to ask a person to determine whether they are under the magical control of any kind?”

“We begin with questions that ought to be simple,” Cook elaborates, “things like their name, where they live, and what their profession is. If the person has trouble with these or gets any of these questions verifiably wrong, then we know that the control is deeper than will be able to be cracked in one session. If they get the simple questions right, we move on to questions that are more complex, and more personal. That includes questions about their motivations, hopes, desires, and their recent decisions. If these are out of character based on the other information we have, then that can be further proof. Characteristic answers from someone being controlled by another are shallow, revolve around the person controlling them, or answered with nothing but confusion at the idea of even having a choice at all.”

“How did Miss Emerald respond to your questions?” Cerna again interrupts.

“We talked about choices. As she was far removed from Bellemare at the time and his attention was taken up by the battle, she was able to answer freely. She gave us vital information about safe houses the vampire may be using and spoke at length about her lack of free will over the past period of time. She clearly regretted her actions, and explained at great length what happened.

“She’s currently undergoing therapy for her time as a thrall.” Cook grants them just a little more information than he was strictly asked. “The controls that make a thrall rather than a simple Spawn are more subtle and do not end immediately when the spells end. She will have to undo a lot of her own developed personality as part of the therapy.”

“Will Miss Emerald be available for questioning at a later time?” Nobakht asks, intent on the case.

“Possibly,” Cook answers before Romorith has a chance. “Her therapy is important to her well being and it may be healthier for her to not be involved.”

“But we will make her available if at all possible.” Romorith corrects the detective harshly.

“Are there any other questions for this witness?” Nobakht asks, looking between the two lawyers.

“Not at this time,” Cerna answers.

“No,” is Romorith’s simple response.

“In that case, Detective Cook, you are dismissed with our thanks.” Nobakht sends the senior detective out of the room, and calls in the next witness: Guard Trageser.

In much the same way as his superior, Trageser explains his role in the case. He does not include his drunken assault on Sir Durandal or his capture of Hendry Wymark, but focuses his explanation on the events of the raid and on the nights spent studying old cases and magic texts in the library.

Cerna uses pressing questions to call into question the veracity of his statements, but Romorith upholds his honesty. Even though he’s been demoted as far down the ladder of police authority as possible, he’s still an officer of the law and not under suspicion for wrongdoing at this point.

The court breaks for the evening after Trageser’s testimony.