[June 13th] [Perry Mason] Lux Aeterna, 13

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Title: Lux Aeterna, scene 13
Day/Theme: June 13th - Voices at the door
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: David Gideon, unnamed woman (intended to be Valerie Comstock), guard OC
Rating: K+/PG

Takes place at an unspecified time.

And so I write for the much-hated David at last. I don't mind him myself, save for feeling he would have crowded things had he stayed. I've tried to make him more mature here, but he still has a quick temper and an impulsive streak.


By Lucky_Ladybug

The young lawyer looked up from his book with a start of alarm at the sound of the voice on the porch. “Help! Someone help me, please!”

Immediately he was up, hastening to the front door. Perhaps it was foolish to open it without checking the peephole, but he was too concerned about the unknown party on the other side. “What’s wrong?” he demanded as he unlocked it and hauled it open.

A battered and scratched girl was slumped forward on the porch, breathing heavily and trembling in fear and panic as she glanced over her shoulder. Upon hearing the door and the welcome voice, she brightened. “Thank God,” she breathed. “Let me in, quick!”

He complied, stepping out of the way so she could rush inside. When she had gone past him, balancing herself on the doorframe for support, he locked the door after her. “Is someone after you?” He stared in shock at her appearance. All of her clothes were torn. She was both bleeding and bruised. And the footsteps trouping up the walk outside added another grim piece to the unspoken story.

“Queen Florence’s guards!” she exclaimed. “They’re all after me!”

His eyes narrowed. “Why? They don’t chase people down for no reason.”

“They think they have a reason.” She shook, her eyes wide and frightened. “They think I’m a spy.”

“That would do it,” he frowned. “And you’re not a spy?”

“Of course not!” she retorted. “I’m a loyal, peaceable subject. I don’t need to give the Queen a reason to know I exist!”

“Alright. Hide in the kitchen,” he ordered. “I’ll see what I can do.”

The pounding on the door began in the next moment. He waited until she was concealed before he opened it again. “What do you want?” he demanded of the gathered sentries with a frown. “It’s late.”

The guard in the lead stepped forward. “We’re looking for a spy,” he said. “A pretty woman with curly dark hair. Have you seen her?”

He placed his hand on the doorframe. “I haven’t seen any spies,” he said. “I’m trying a case in the morning. Can’t you look somewhere else? I have to get some sleep.”

“We have to check all houses,” the guard replied. He attempted to push his way past.

The attorney held firm. “Well, you’re not checking this one,” he retorted. “Like I said, I was just going to bed.”

His fingers brushed against a cold, wet substance on the doorframe. He stiffened, chilled. This was where the woman had put her own hand when she had leaned forward. But . . . it did not feel like blood. . . .

The sentry continued to glare at him in the darkness. “Why should we believe you?” he snarled.

“Do you have any reason not to?” he retorted. “My business is finding the truth. Why should I hide it from you?”

“Because we know who you are.” The guard narrowed his eyes. “You’re a friend of that big-shot lawyer Perry Mason, aren’t you, David Gideon?”

“I don’t know why that should have anything to do with this,” David shot back.

“We haven’t been able to prove it, but we’re pretty sure he’s leading one of the rebel groups,” was the answer. “And we figure you might be keeping a spy, planning to deliver her to him.”

“I’m not.” David rocked back and tried to shut the door. “And I’m not part of any rebel group. You can believe me or not; I don’t care. As long as you let me get some sleep.”

The guard squinted at him. “When’s the last time you heard from Mason?”

“A long time ago. You can check with the phone company and the post office if you don’t believe me. And I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some way of eavesdropping on people’s private email now too, so go ahead and check that while you’re at it!” David never wavered. If he kept strong, maybe they would go away.

At last the sentry took a step back. “We’ll do that,” he said. “And we’ll be back if things don’t check out. In fact, we’ll post someone out here to keep watch until we get back.”

“Suit yourself.” David shut the door, exhaling deeply. That had been too close. And he had just barely managed to rub off whatever had been on the doorframe without them noticing.

He stared at his palm. This was definitely not blood, as he had already deduced. It really looked like some kind of makeup.

His eyes narrowing, he looked to the kitchen. The woman was not visible. He headed towards the room in angry determination.

She was cowering near the fridge. “Are they gone?” she rasped.

He nodded. “Yeah, but they’re coming back.” As he walked over to her he abruptly shot out, “But that doesn’t surprise you, does it?! This was all a set-up!”

She flinched. “What are you talking about? Nothing was a set-up!”

“Then how do you explain this?!” He held up his hand. “You’re not even hurt, are you? You’re working with them!”

“Why would I do that?!” she cried. Her eyes were wide again.

“You thought I’d be a great patsy on their witch-hunt!” His eyes flashed. “And maybe you really are a spy—for them! You thought you’d get me to take you to whatever hideout Mr. Mason and his so-called rebel group might be using! And then Florence’s guards could catch all of them!”

She clenched a fist and looked away. “I’m sorry,” she said. Now her voice was weak and cracking. “I didn’t want to do it. They came to me . . .” She shook her head. “The old world wasn’t that great. I didn’t have any reason to fight for it anymore, so when Florence took over and her men came, I . . . I said I’d help them.”

“I see.” He frowned. He was still angry, but something about her plaintive and pitiful tone was cooling the edge off his temper.

“They thought you were one of the rebels,” she continued. “They know Perry Mason is a friend of yours.”

“A friend and a mentor. I’ve learned a lot from him.” He crossed his arms. “But I’m not one of the rebels. And I don’t think I’d want to take you to him in any case. They might get some information from you, but your friends would naturally follow you, just like they were planning.”

She looked down. “Yes.”

“So I’m just going to let you go. You tell them what I said.” David walked past her and moved to unlock the kitchen door. As he opened it, she shuffled past him, forlorn and regretful.

He frowned as he watched. What could have happened in her life to have made her decide the old world wasn’t worth fighting for and that Florence’s might be better? Mr. Mason would not let her leave without at least trying to understand.

“. . . What made you decide to side with Florence?” he spoke at last.

She paused in the doorway. “I lost the only person who mattered to me,” she replied, simply and with finality. There was a hollowness in her voice that haunted him even after she went out the door. It banged shut behind her, startling David out of his thoughts and back to the present.

He knew that losing someone could make some people wake up and devote themselves to worthy causes. But it could also have just the opposite effect? He shook his head and turned away.

He had told that woman the truth, about not being part of the rebellion. That did not mean, however, that he had not considered it. And he was still considering it now.

Florence’s rule had certainly angered him. The problem was that it had come at a point when he already had a great deal on his plate. He was just starting to come into his own as a fresh, new lawyer. He was very busy and he still had a lot to learn. But did he really want to practice law under Florence’s system? The innocent still needed help. But Mr. Mason would say that the best long-term help they could get would be to live in a world that was free of oppression and dictatorship.

Maybe, David thought, it was time to move on from the generosity of his grandfather’s friend and go back to Los Angeles.

Maybe it was time to stand against a worldwide evil.