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𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°The prosecutor rose smoothly, buttoning his suit jacket.“Your Honor, the defendant was apprehended two days ago after being found with a missing minor, Junior Stewart.”Murmurs rippled through the courtroom.“She claimed at first that he was her son,” the prosecutor continued, “but after being caught red-handed, she confessed—signing a statement that she knowingly took the child from Maverick’s Hospital and attempted to cross state lines.”Nevena’s lips burst open . “That’s not true, I never tried to take him with me” The judge glanced at her over the rim of her glasses. “Ms. Bachvarov, you’ll have your chance to speak.”The prosecutor stepped forward, holding up her passport and an expired plane ticket.“This evidence proves she was preparing to flee.”The judge examined the documents, then looked toward the defense table. “Do you have anything to say in her defense?”“Not reall—” Santiago began, but a voice interrupted from the back.“Yes, Your Hono
𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°The man sighed, glancing between him and his untouched plate.“You can go after breakfast.”Junior nodded— but he didn't wait.Barely two minutes later, he was already running down the corridor, frantically reading door signs in search of his mother’s office.Breanna was with Sophia when the door jagged open. “I want to give my testimony” Junior's small voice broke out.Breanna shot to her feet, pushing away the file in front of her table. Sophia’s heels whispered as she crossed to him. She crouched low, pulling him into an embrace.“You don’t need to feel pressured, sweetheart. The testimony can wait until—”“Come over here, my boy" Breanna interjected, taking out a small device from her drawer.“Sophia get a file and pen.” She flicked the recorder on and a red light blinked to life.The room fell silent, save for the sound of Junior’s uneven breathing. ☆☆𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧☆☆Antonio stood before the bathroom mirror, buttoning his shirt.
𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°Breanna held the door open while men dressed in sleek black suits surrounded her like a pack of wolves. There was an ephemeral silence before she spoke. “You’ve been released,” she announced. Nevena sniffled an amen and exhaled, her shoulders finally easing.A junior officer hopped into the van, jingling a bunch of keys against Antonio’s cuffs. The metal clinked softly until the lock clicked open. Free.Antonio flexed his hand forward and rubbed at the sore mark on his wrist. Without lingering a second longer, he stepped out of the van.Breanna handed him his phone and leaned in.“You’re lucky the commissioner called. If it were up to me, I’d have buried you where Lorenzo fell.”He shouldered past her and followed his lawyers.Nevena’s brows knitted as the policeman stepped down and began closing the van’s door.“Detective— I should be with him,” she rasped.“Sorry, ma’am. I'm just following orders,” he said, snapping the door shut.The van’s eng
𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°° Breanna remained motionless and focused for a few seconds before lowering her binoculars, jaw set. “Patch it through,” she croaked. He did and she collected the mobile. “Yes,”she answered, eyes now peeking through her binoculars.“What?—That’s not possible… Hold on, I’ll get back to you.”She drew her gun and screamed out of the Van into the crowd. At that same time, Antonio skimmed through the people and successfully got an ice-cream. “You sure you don't wish for some”, he asked Nevena as he made to pay. “No— thanks" she replied, rummaging through her purse. It was already late noon, and she needed to go. “Are you traveling?” He inquired, spotting her passport. She looked up from her purse and damn, Junior's face already dropped. “Yes — I'm going back.” “Oh” His throat croaked, but deep down he was unbothered. “Before anything Mr Hunt — I need to talk to you” He looked up from the cone he was licking and scrutinized her demeano
𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°° “Why did you lock us out when we came to see you?”“Um—I—”“I even took out time and brought a present!” He cut him off smoothly. “All you did was just drive past us.”Antonio sank into a crouch until his eyes were level with Junior’s.“Sorry—I was in a hurry that day.”“Oh, really?” Junior yawned dramatically, milking his advantage.“But sorry isn’t going to make up for the wasted fare, nor the energy squandered walking up your hilly driveway—”“I’ll send a car next time you wish to visit,” Antonio interjected.“Mr. Hunt, you don’t have to—” Nevena started, but Antonio raised a hand.“I’ll handle it.”He folded his hand into his breast pocket, pulled out his wallet, and offered a few bills.“For the fare. And if you do well in the semester’s finals—we’ll go shell hunting.” Junior went utterance blank,looking at the money but not taking it.“No?” Antonio tilted his head. “If you feel so uncomfortable about the money, how about ice cream, then?” “V
𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°“I know,” Breanna’s eyes hardened. “But he likes to watch his work … let me give him a show.”Sophia hesitated then glanced at her. “You sure?”“Tell the team to take the school. Every hallway, every door, every face.” Breanna snubbed. “I will meet Principal Ortiz in the meantime”Sophia watched her go. Without waiting She slotted the team everywhere. Radios whispered confirmation. Doors were checked and barricaded with practiced hands. Hallways that had been mere thoroughfares became choke points mapped by eyes and palms.☆☆𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥☆☆ “Principal Ortiz?” Breanna called, meeting him by the lectern. “I'm Detective Stewart” Orituz’s face turned paper-white, >why is the police here? He however gave her a curt nod and excused himself from the podium. “Yes, Detective. To what do I owe this visit?” he asked backstage. “Sorry for the uninvited intrusion though,” she began, her tone soft so it would carry only







