Empire of Shadows

When the police chief apologized to Lance , who wasn’t even there, some people in the gallery let out a few laughs.

Clearly, these were not good-natured laughs; they were filled with mockery and ridicule.

Perhaps in the eyes of ordinary people, this was the impartiality of Federal Judge—it wouldn’t tolerate your wrong words or wrong deeds just because you are a police chief.

As long as it’s discovered you did wrong, and someone points it out, you have to pay for your mistakes.

But in the eyes of others, this was the effect of power and influence.

Sometimes it’s hard to say what the difference is between power and the law.

Perhaps people feel that power only looks after a very small minority, but the law can look after the majority. So, can it be understood that ”the law is the power of ordinary people”?

Perhaps it can be understood this way, but the sad thing is, the power of ordinary people—the law—is made by those who truly hold power.

The police chief also heard those laughs, and his face felt hot, but at this point, confronting the court was meaningless.

In court, the Judge sits there. Even if you know some of his words are wrong and some decisions are incorrect, you cannot question him.To question the judge is to question the Federation’s laws. Any problems can be resolved in private, but the conflict cannot be escalated in public.

“Please continue, Mr. Chief.”

The police chief opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn’t know where to start.

He thought for a moment, then continued from where he left off, “We had an intelligence source. We learned that someone was going to attack Mr. Lance White in New Golden City . So we planned to arrest these attackers while they were attacking.”

“These people came from the Perez Family . They are extremely resourceful, and I dared not underestimate them.”

“The attack happened very suddenly, and very quickly. I had no time to react. By the time I realized the attack had begun, I called for backup, and then our police cars started to move. That’s the whole story.”

“I assure you, I was confident in protecting Mr. Lance White’s safety, which is why I made this choice.”

Lawyer Robben shook his head. He looked at the sergeant. “Is he telling the truth?”

The sergeant shook his head without hesitation. “He is not telling the truth. He told us to wait until the firefight... I mean, the attack... was almost over, and then we would go clean up the mess.”

“Because he felt that any casualties on either side, the attackers or the attacked, were acceptable. After all...” The sergeant didn’t finish the sentence, but everyone could understand.

Letting two gangs fight it out, then going to clean up the mess, this was an unwritten rule that almost all regional police followed.

They wouldn’t proactively intervene to stop a firefight. That would involve huge risks, and doing so was pointless.

Saving the lives of a few gang members would only let them do more bad things in the future. But letting them lie there quietly... the entire city would be grateful to them.

Some things can be done, but not said. When not said, it’s right. When said out loud, it’s wrong.

Lawyer Robben thanked the sergeant for his statement, then looked at the police chief. “So from the beginning, you knew these people were going to attack my client. And because of your subjective, or other reasons, you chose to allow them to attack my client in a metropolis like New Golden City .”

“This is attempted murder, Your Honor!”

The lawyer on the police chief’s side immediately stood up. “I object, Your Honor! There is no evidence to support this. The opposing counsel needs to apologize to my client!”

He repeated almost word for word what Lawyer Robben had said earlier. The Judge considered it, but Lawyer Robben explained at this moment, “I was just giving my conclusion based on my way of thinking. If you feel it’s a problem for me to state the result directly, then I can articulate my thought process. I hope Your Honor will give me this chance.”

The Judge’s expression remained calm. He glanced at the police chief, then nodded. “You may do so. But if the result you present is different from what you’ve said, then you will need to apologize to this gentleman.”

In fact, he himself knew that according to the normal ”procedure,” the police chief’s actions indeed had no discernible problems. If it were a different plaintiff, the objection might have been sustained, and the result would be different.

But the mistake was that the police chief messed with the wrong person, not that he did the wrong thing. So the Judge now also agreed with this viewpoint—that this was a criminal act, when the person being attacked belonged to the ”privileged.”

Lawyer Robben gave a slight bow to the Judge to express his thanks, then turned to the police chief and asked, “Mr. Chief, is there any... dispute between you and Mr. Lance White ? For example, in your work?”

“You said he is a gangster. Have you investigated cases related to him, and has this created a dispute?”

The police chief recalled. There were too many disputes, but he couldn’t possibly say so.

People had just accepted Lawyer Robben’s line of reasoning that he ”allowed attackers to attack an innocent citizen.” If he admitted to having a conflict with Lance now, then this would be a typical case of abuse of power for revenge. Even if he were a fool, he would know to say nothing at this time.

“I have no disputes with Mr. Lance .”

Lawyer Robben asked again, “Then are you currently participating in any case investigations surrounding Mr. Lance White ? For example, you always believe he is a gang organizer. Are you investigating criminal evidence related to Mr. Lance White ?”

Another question that couldn’t be answered, because the implication was too clear. To put it simply, Lawyer Robben was now looking for a motive for ”this was a premeditated murder.”

A key point in Federal Justice is the motive for the crime.

Even if a criminal is caught at the scene, but not caught in the act of killing someone—just discovered at the scene, with blood on him, the deceased’s blood.

As long as he lacks a motive to kill the deceased, and is then given a halfway-decent lawyer, he has a high probability of being acquitted.

This kind of case has happened many times in the Federation. Every known piece of evidence clearly points to a certain suspect, but they just can’t find his motive for killing the person. The case can only be helplessly dropped in the end.

Lawyer Robben’s actions now were precisely to find this fatal thing. What drove the police chief to watch all this happen and not interfere? If a motive is established, then his motive for premeditated murder is also established.

He could only claim, “I have not participated in any cases or operations investigating Mr. Lance White . He does not appear in New Golden City often. Even if he were to be investigated, it would be the work of other departments and other regional police. It has nothing to do with me.”

Lawyer Robben nodded and continued to ask, “Then do you have any financial dealings? For example, does he owe you money, or do you owe him money?”

The police chief glanced at his defense lawyer, the lawyer cooperating with the police department. But it was clear this lawyer didn’t have a very good defense plan at the moment.

He could only continue to answer along with Lawyer Robben’s questions, “No, I have no financial dealings with Mr. Lance , and neither owes the other money.”

Lawyer Robben nodded. “That is to say, in all respects, there is no possibility of conflict between you, nor does either of you wish to harm the other?”

The police chief thought seriously for a moment, concluded this was not a trap, and nodded. “We have no conflicts, and I do not wish to harm him.”

Lawyer Robben nodded. “Since there are no conflicts between you, why did you commit these actions?”

“When you clearly knew my client, Mr. Lance White , was in danger, and the police had already arrived near the scene, ready to be dispatched at any time to prevent this attack from happening, you chose to indulge these attackers, allowing them to appear leisurely around my client, and use pistols, submachine guns, and even rifles to open fire on a public street?”

“And, at the very first moment the attack occurred, you still had everyone remain silent, only starting to act after the attack was over?”

“What were you waiting for?”

“Were you waiting for a result you wanted? For example, for my client, Mr. Lance White , to die in this attack?”

The police chief’s lawyer stood up again. “I object, Your Honor! The opposing counsel is clearly leading the witness with malicious intent! His questioning triggers court rules...”

Lawyer Robben turned to face the Judge. “Your Honor, I believe that for anything to happen, there must be a motive. This was the very first lesson I learned in college.”

“I believe if we want to find out whether the defendant has any... issues in this case, we must find out what his motive is.”

The Judge considered the ”arguments” from both sides. He nodded and continued to support Lawyer Robben. “Objection overruled.” Then he looked at the police chief. “You need to answer this question.”

This was obvious favoritism. The lawyer for the police side sensed it too, but there was no problem with Lawyer Robben’s logic. One could only say this was Robben’s home court.

It’s basically very difficult to win a home-court case. As a lawyer, he understood this deeply. He was already starting to consider whether, during the recess, he should chat with the chief about the necessity of going all out.

The police chief was also thinking about how to answer this question. Since there was no conflict, dispute, or hatred, then why did he do it?”

He himself was considering it. Of course, he knew the reason was that Director Roland told him to.

He stood silent in the dock. His lawyer stood up at this moment. “Your Honor, my client is feeling unwell. We need to recess temporarily to rest.”

The Judge looked at the police chief, who didn’t look unwell at all, and asked, “Are you unwell?”

The police chief nodded. “I’m a little dizzy. These many questions have made my head very confused. I feel unwell right now. The enclosed space also makes me feel fear. I can hardly breathe.”

The Judge whispered a few words to the person next to him. “Then go get some fresh air. Recess for ten minutes.” He banged his gavel, stood up, and left through the side door.

The police chief’s lawyer immediately went with the police chief to the courtyard outside. Because the police chief was not yet a ”criminal suspect,” he didn’t need to be locked in a room.

This temporary recess was within Lawyer Robben’s expectations. He needed to give these two people a chance to think. It was also their last chance.

If the police chief still didn’t plan to cooperate, then he would pull out some dirt on the police chief, some evidence, and bite him to death directly, then force him to compromise through a backroom deal.

For example, the house, the cars, and his family’s expenses, which the police chief couldn’t afford even if he worked for five hundred years.

Also, some cases he had handled that were clearly distorted by power. These could all send him to prison.

As a lawyer, Robben knew very well that the higher the position in a law enforcement department, the more afraid they are of going to prison.

A low-level officer might get beaten every day in prison, having a hard time, but it’s also possible to get along well with the criminals. It’s hard to say, since they’ve been on the front lines for a long time.

Although they have enemies, they also have friends.

But it’s different for the top brass of law enforcement. Almost all the people in prison have a grudge against them.

If he didn’t want to die, he would know what to do.

And indeed, in the garden, the chief’s lawyer was talking to him in a low voice, “Next, that Robben might use more material to apply strong pressure. To be honest, I’m not very confident I can handle him.”

The police chief was smoking. He turned his head to look at the lawyer beside him. “Is this Robben very good?”

The lawyer nodded. “He was the star student in his university. After graduating, he was also formidable at work. He won many cases that we thought were very difficult to win.”

“If it weren’t for some conflicts he had with people in the Justice Department, perhaps his private law firm would already be a well-known firm by now.”

The chief’s first reaction was to find Robben’s rivals in the Justice Department, but he quickly dismissed this idea because there wasn’t enough time.

Even if they found someone now, and the other party was willing to cooperate with them, it would be very difficult to change the trial’s landscape and outcome.

Unless the Judge got sick and couldn’t continue the trial, he would be the one presiding until the end.

The lawyer looked at the chief, who was spacing out, and said softly, “My idea is, if this matter isn’t too thorny, just find an excuse to push it onto someone else. Don’t let the responsibility fall on you.”

“According to Lawyer Robben’s plan, I’m afraid I’ll have a hard time getting you even the most common charge of ’dereliction of duty.’ A crime of office means going to prison.”

Hearing the words ”go to prison,” the police chief snapped back to reality. He pressed his lips together. “I’ll consider it.”

With only two minutes left before the court reconvened, Lawyer Robben walked over. The chief’s lawyer stood between him and the chief. “You’re not welcome here.”

Lawyer Robben smiled. “I just want to say a few words to the chief. You’d better not block me.”

He pushed the lawyer aside. The chief behind the lawyer didn’t object, so the lawyer took the opportunity to step aside.

“What do you want to say?” the chief asked.

Lawyer Robben smiled. “I just came to give you a reminder. The law is just, and it relies on evidence.”

“Anything anyone has ever done will leave some traces. And these people often become careless because they weren’t punished for what they did in the past.”

“Mr. Chief, you not only need to think for yourself, but also for your family.”

The chief stared at him. “Is this your idea, or Lance’s ?”

“Are you threatening me?”

Lawyer Robben spread his hands, showing a ’whatever’ expression. “Think whatever you want. I’m just giving a friendly reminder. As long as you go to prison... you’ve been chief for so many years, you’ve definitely offended some people.”

“I’m saying this for your own good. Don’t suffer, and make your family suffer, for someone else’s affairs. This has nothing to do with you. You know that!”

He took two steps back. “See you later, Mr. Chief.”

When the court reconvened, the chief’s mood had clearly changed. Under Lawyer Robben’s persistent questioning, he finally hesitated, then stated that this answer involved some important information and was not suitable for a public gallery.

There was precedent for this kind of request to clear the gallery, and it was allowed. But Lawyer Robben wouldn’t let him do it.

“My client, Mr. Lance White , once said to me when we were chatting—”

“Before the law, everyone is equal. It doesn’t matter if you are the president or a beggar. Everyone is an independent and equal individual. We are all protected and bound by the law.”

“Your Honor, I suggest that right here, in front of everyone, the defendant say what he wants to say.”

While the Judge was still thinking, his staff handed him a note. He glanced at it, then looked up. “A unique viewpoint. I support it too.”

“Defendant, you can say it here.”

The police chief took a deep breath. He could already see a dagger stabbing toward Roland . He just didn’t know if this was all of it, their full hand, or if this was just the tip of the sword.

“It was... FBI Director Roland who ordered me to do this...”

In an instant, the courtroom, which had been somewhat noisy, suddenly became so quiet that only the sound of the cameras running could be heard. Everyone looked at the police chief in the dock in disbelief. How did this case involve the FBI, and the Director of the FBI?

Lawyer Robben got what he wanted. He was naturally the first to react. He walked to the side of the dock and looked at him with a smile. “Are you willing to take legal responsibility for what you’ve said?”

“Can you guarantee that every word you’ve said is the truth?”

Since the chief had already made his choice, he naturally wouldn’t flip-flop again. “I am willing. I can guarantee that every word I’ve said is the truth!”