Free The List (Zombie Ocean Book 5) by Michael John Grist Page B

And he shot her for it."
    Anna's jaw dropped and she leapt to her feet. "That's bullshit!"
    Witzgenstein banged the gavel hard and now there was steel in her eyes. "Sit down, Anna! You've been asked twice, need I have you removed? This is a court of law."
    Anna stabbed a finger at her. "You're doing this. You've made him change his testimony. Stop wrapping yourself up in the court! And you-" she pointed at Alan. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"
    The tears broke down his cheeks while Witzgenstein beat the gavel hard. "Order. The court will come to order."
    She was about to shout out more charges, but Amo was looking at her again, with his eyes so calm and centered. "Anna, let them," he mouthed.
    She wanted to shout out, 'Let them?' but she didn't. She stood a moment longer, feeling like the world was turning upside down beneath her. Where was solid footing now?
    "Last chance, Anna," Witzgenstein carried on. "Be seated or you will be removed."
    She looked around. Feargal was there, Ollie too. Would they? Yes, she realized, they would. Serious charges required a serious approach, and what good could she do outside the court?
    She slumped back down.
    It took a moment for the muttering of the crowd to silence again, then Witzgenstein turned their attention back to Alan.
    "I know it's hard, Alan, but please go on."
    He rubbed his eyes and his voice cracked, but he carried on. "He just shot her in the back. Then he grabbed Lin and he took my arm and he pulled us back to the RVs. I was too terrified to fight back. I thought he might shoot me too. I didn't know what to do."
    Witzgenstein nodded heavily. She gave him a moment to recover himself, as he wiped the tears away and tried to get the sobs under control. "And why did you keep this from us, Alan? It's OK. Tell the court just what you told me."
    Alan nodded. He pulled himself together. "Because he threatened me. He said I'd get what she got if I ever told anyone. He said he'd kill Lin." A sob escaped. "And I was afraid. I've been afraid ever since. But I thought, with the trial now, I can't live like this. I won't. If he wants to kill me, at least now everyone will know. They'll see who he really is."
    The courtroom went silent. Amo hung his head, as if he was guilty. Anna just stared, as the pit opened inside her. The charges were immense and damning. Amo was a murderer? Amo had threatened a child? Amo was the not the man they all thought he was, and worst of all, her own testimony couldn't disprove any of it.
    Witzgenstein had played her and the crowd perfectly. She began to feel sick at her role in it, right down to her outbursts. It was masterful, and while the hall was in shock, and Anna was in shock, the true reason behind it became clear.
    This was Witzgenstein's coups d'état.
    Witzgenstein banged the gavel. "I call for a recess. The Council needs to meet. We must discuss what happens next, and how the trial ought proceed."
    She rose. She took Alan protectively by the elbow and led him off the pulpit and past Amo before anyone else could object, to the congregation where they collected Lin and walked toward the elevator together.
    The hall erupted seconds later.
    * * *
    The Council met in Witzgenstein's RV, comprised of Witzgenstein, Alan in place of Masako, Anna in place of Ravi, Lara and Feargal. Five members in all.
    Anna was quiet, still trying to figure out this new landscape. She listened while Lara tried to lead the fight, though Lara was too weak to be effective. Every word came to her slowly, pushed out through a fog of exhaustion to form short, flimsy arguments about due process and false testimony and bias. She'd only come out of the coma five days ago and was struggling to follow a coherent line of thought.
    Get it over and done with, Witzgenstein had suggested in the Council meeting a week ago, while Lara was still in her coma. No need for lawyers, the hearings were a formality only. It had seemed a good idea at the time. Anna had had some dim