Nick was escorted into the small waiting cell while the jury deliberated on his fate. After five hours had passed, the jury was dismissed and Nick was being readied to be sent back to the jail. His attorney managed to come into the room to talk to Nick a few minutes before he was led back to the van.
"Nick, I know this doesn't look very good at this point to you, but you have to believe and trust in the system, they will see your innocence."
"I had trusted the system one time, but I really don't think it's gonna come through for me now," Nick whispered quietly.
Nick stared out the window of the van on his trip back to the jail. He silently prayed for an accident, something to happen that would end this misery and the hurt he was feeling. Death seemed more like the answer now, not an option.
Nick spent the entire night in his cell, he didn't go to dinner and passed on the free time that they got a privledged one hour of television on Monday evenings. He opted to lay on his bed, feeling numb, feeling sick to his stomach.
Someone had come to visit him, but Nick refused the visit, turning the person away before he even saw them. He felt unworthy to be seen by anyone. He just wanted to slip quietly away, he was giving up and he didn't care.
Morning came and Nick mechanically got dressed for court, ignoring the guard watching him shower, shave and finally get dressed. The shackles were in place and Nick walked slowly out to the awaiting van towards the court house.
Again, Nick's attorney helped Nick up to his feet as the judge requested if the jury had made their decision.
The jury foreman, a female in her late twenties spoke.
"Yes, your honor, we have reached a decision. We, the jury, find the defandant, Nickolas Gene Carter, on the charges of murder of Mark Livingston, guilty of manslaughter. On the charges of attempted murder of Brian Littrell, guilty."
Hearing the findings, Nick's knees gave out with the first charge, he didn't hear the rest of it after guilty, everything ran together at that point.
Brian screamed out, "NO!"
The judge slammed the gavel down on the bench repeatidly. "ORDER! ORDER!"
Jane Carter leaned against her husband, burying her face in his shoulder as she sobbed.
Almost as if on cue, a lab technician appeared in the courtroom and rushed up to the table where Nick and his attorney were seated.
"Your honor! I just received this from the labs on Brian Littrell's new blood draw, you would be very interested in seeing this!"
The prosecuting attorney scoffed at the defense grasping for a reversal in the jury's decision.
"Your honor, this attorney is trying to make a mockery of your court!"
"Come forward, I would like to see this evidence," the judge requested as he adjusted his glasses.
The attorney handed a copy of the labwork to the judge and another copy to the prosecuting attorney. The judge reviewed the paper for more than three minutes, taking in every aspect of the lab work.
"Based on this new evidence, I declare this case be dismissed and charges against Nickolas Carter, dropped. I also request a bench warrant on Doctor Karen Johnson and on Nathan Roth," the judge said as he slammed the gavel down. "Case dismissed."
Numb, Nick sat in his chair. He was still not hearing anything that was happening. Suddenly, he felt arms lock around him, wrapping him in a tight hug, something he hadn't felt in months.
"You're free Nick!" Brian cried.
Nick looked up and stared at Brian. "Brian, go back, you'll get in trouble!" Nick quietly reprimanded.
"Nick! Snap out of it, buddy! You are free to go! You are innocent!" Brian smiled.
Nick's eyes shifted quickly, trying to soak up what Brian had just said. "I'm free?"
Through his tears, Brian nodded.
"I'm free," Nick softly stated. He looked at his parent's faces, then Kevin's and then again back at Brian's. Taking in a deep breath, Nick shouted, "I'M FREE!"
