Ted, followed by absolutely everyone, burst through the doors of the court house. Forming a human wall they pushed and pushed past anyone and anything in their path.
Their cause was helped greatly by the fact that the security was basically rendered powerless due to anti weapon laws designed to curb any kind of violence. Police figures were encouraged to solve problems with excellent negotiation skills. Using force of any kind, even if it was used against you as a police officer, was strongly prohibited. However, these efforts did little to improve the public view of policing as outside the court house it was still the wild west as far as law enforcement was concerned. Anything goes.
Nevertheless, Ted and company pressed on, plowing their way into the first court room they could find. The judge, who was already hearing another matter looked at the ever increasing, extremely diverse, crew with stern disappointment.
“I will have order!” She screamed. “You will not desecrate this instituation with your audacity.”
“Oh please,” Allison replied. “Your entire job is to listen to injustice all day. Solving disputes over $800. Now you have a real injustice and you won’t even here us out.” By this point, due to the crush of the continuously filling room, Allison, Ted, and Lawson were right in her face.
“Fine.” The judge relented. “The current matter between Brown and Suiter will be in recess for fifteen minutes. Count yourselves extremely lucky.”
Nobody moved. Nobody could. Ted had the floor. He had never seen so many people crammed into one room.
“Well, your majesty.” Ted stammered. The judge made no effort to correct him. She kind of liked it. Ted continued. “The majority of people in this room believe that it is inhumane to be relegated to living in tents outside of town like a group of lepers.”
Ted made eye contact with Vernon on the word lepers. Vernon took it as a slight, but said nothing, for fear of being destroyed by someone beside him. The power balance had changed among the group. He had to accept that. That would be the smart thing to do. Vernon secretly hoped that Ted would fail and be ostracized from the community. Then there would be a Vernon sized power void for only Vernon to fill. Surely he would only need to wait a few minutes for the decision of the judge. After all, Ted had neglected the formality of scheduling an appointment. For the moment, he would listen to the blathering idiot.
“You see, we would like to be treated with the smallest amount of dignity. Housing that is up to code. We are not asking for the moon here.”
“You should all consider yourselves lucky you even have your lives!” The retort came for none other than the prosecutor. The judge made no move to silence him.
“Sir, you can’t honestly say that you’re alright with folks living in tents in the snow.” Ted said.
“That was a choice you all made.” Snapped the prosecutor.
“We did not choose this life. We are making the best of it and trying to improve our situation.” Lawson said, speaking dreadfully out of turn.
“Not a good look.” Said the prosecutor. He advanced toward Ted and swept him off his feet with on of those foot tackle things that Ted did not know the proper name of. He sure knew how it felt. Out of nowhere, suddenly he was on the floor. The ugly features of the prosecutor were above him.
Vernon produced some pre cooked pop corn from one of his pockets. He began to munch. This was better than anything he could have hoped for.
“The only thing that prevents me from standing on your neck right now is public opinion.” The prosecutor screamed. Drips of spit fell on Ted. He thought this was totally disgusting. At least if the man had chosen to stand on his neck, then Ted would be dead and it would be all over.
The judge chose not to silence the prosecutor.
“I own all the cops in this town!” Said the prosecutor. “I win every time. Leglislation has nothing on me.” Seeing that everyone in the room had lost interest in his ramblings, he kicked Ted in the face.
One by one, members of the tent community decided the verdict of this experiment within their own minds. They left the room in an organized manner. Dejection filled the air.
Their leader was down for the count. There was nothing to do but go home and feebly defend what they had left to call their own. Ted woke to an almost empty room. Allison and Lawson helped him up and led him out of the court house in silence.