Page 139 of Strays
Sônia and Alice are here. And unexpectedly, I see every single pack from thegarrison. All of them standing together. Aegis in pressed suits, shoulders squared, silent and massive. The humans in the room look even smaller beside them.
Jo squeezes our hands, one by one, before a court officer comes to escort her through the witness entrance. Her uncles give her a small nod as she passes, then they head to the gallery and take seats near the front.
Jayme and Renner lead us toward the defense table. I take the middle seat, with Shane to my right and Jay to my left.
Papers are laid out. Water cups. Jayme checks his tablet. Renner smooths his tie.
At the far edge of the room, the jury box is already full. Twelve jurors: six men, six women.
A clerk enters quietly and hands a file to the bailiff.
“All rise,” the bailiff announces. “The Honorable Judge Leigh Conway presiding.”
The room stills, and everyone stands. The doors behind the bench open, and Judge Conway steps in wearing a black robe, with short dark hair and an unreadable face.
She doesn’t sit right away, calmly scanning the room.
Then she speaks. “This court recognizes the public interest in these proceedings, but this is not a political event. It is not a spectacle. This is a court of law. And this case will be decided on evidence, and evidence alone.”
She finally sits. The trial has begun.
She glances toward the State’s table. “Prosecution, you may proceed with your opening statement.”
The District Attorney buttons his jacket slowly, then steps forward. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this case may seem complicated, but at its core, it is simple.”
He paces slowly in front of them, voice even, confident. “On the night of May eleventh, two thousand twenty-five, a pack of aegis hosted a private barbecue at their home. Luc Knolson, an unarmed human, attended.”
He stops just short of the jury box. “An interaction took place. Words were exchanged. And Mr. Knolson was punched unconscious. He suffered a concussion, facial fractures, and was hospitalized.”
He glances toward me, Jay, and Shane, then back to the jury. “The defense will argue that this was protection. That it was instinct.”
He raises his hand slightly. “But the law is not built on instinct. It’s built on accountability. On proportionality. On facts. And you will see: what happened was not justified. It was not defense. It was assault. Three aegis, each significantly larger and stronger than the victim, used overwhelming force against a man who never stood a chance of defending himself. That is not protection, is brutality.”
He walks back to his table and sits. One juror in the front row nods slightly.
Judge Conway looks at Renner. “Defense, your opening.”
Renner rises slowly, adjusts his jacket, then steps forward.
He looks at the jury, voice light. “You just heard a version of events that is clean, easy and labeled. But that’s not how real life works.”
He steps closer. “On that evening, a drunk man made sexual comments to a woman and advanced on her. And the people who love her, who are legally bonded to her, acted to protect her.”
Renner turns slowly. “You will hear from that woman. You will hear from eyewitnesses. You will see the toxicology report. You will hear from a police officer who was there that night. And all of it, every word, every fact, will point to one truth: they were protecting their mate. And the law does not punish you for defending someone you love.”
He returns to the table. A juror near the back shifts in her seat, scribbling a note.
Judge Conway’s eyes shift. “Prosecution, call your first witness.”
“The State calls Luc Knolson.”
I feel Jay go rigid beside me. Shane exhales through his nose.
A side door opens, and Luc steps into the courtroom. It’s the first time we’ve seen him since that night. He looks different from how I remember him at the barbecue. He’s clean-shaven, hair combed, and wearing a pressed suit. He walks slowly to the stand, eyes straight ahead, never once looking our way. He places his hand on the Bible, swears in, and sits.
The prosecutor approaches. “Mr. Knolson. Can you describe what happened on the evening of May eleventh?”
Luc nods solemnly. “We were at a barbecue. I was drinking, just relaxing. Chatting with people. I said something to Johane, Doctor Larsen. I thought it was a compliment. Didn’t mean anything by it.”
