After Capri and Lisa Halden had brought Nathan, Christine, and Tracy in, the court session began, with documents showing that Nathan had somehow learned that the singer Brett Halden was his missing nephew...and about Brett and Lisa's having been exposed to toxic waste a year and a half ago, and the results of that exposure. He had not made this information public, only because he was planning to use it in other ways privately. Along with these were copies of notes from Tracy to Nathan about what she planned to do at the Brett Halden show that night.., Brett, Lisa, and Patrice the backup singer were all called forwarded, one after another, to testify.

"*How* did he find out??" Brett demanded. "*How*?? I went to a lot of trouble to make sure it stayed our secret!"

The smug look never left Nathan's face, but it was Christine who answered. "We have ways." she said, smiling coldly.

Here, also, were several letters between Tracy and Nathan describing the progress over months of Tracy's association with Miranda. And Miranda came forward to testify about that.

Christine's correspondences with Nathan were also read out, and they contained among other things, Christine's use of dangerous chemicals to murder a detective who was threatening to get the cases of her husband's murder, and the murder of a woman who had once been Christine's patient, re-opened. The murder of the patient was particularly heinous since Christine had first, tried to make her mentally ill in an attempt to get her husband to leave her for Christine. When that failed, Christine had the pregnant woman killed in a boat fire.

There were many accounts of Nathan's crooked dealings in his company, including unfair firings, and pay-offs, and his freequent takeovers of smaller companies which he managed to snatch out from under their original owners by very crooked and often cruel methods. Many people involved in these, came forward to testify against him.

Then, Capri announced there would be a 15 minute break.

When court reconvened again, Nathan felt the overpowering need to say something. "My father built up the family business from what it was when he inherited it from his father. I merely carried that on. As any other sensible person would've done."

"That ain't all ya done an' ya damn well know it!" Capri shot back, scowling at Nathan, then turned to the spectators. Before Capri could say any more, however, Donna interrupted. "That's telling him!" she cried out.

"Sensible people don't rape and beat people up, moron!" That was NT.

Nathan ignored NT's outburst.

"Nathan, really...,you can't even believe that, how can you expect us to?" Pippi put in.

"You know nothing of what I believe, woman. Do not make the mistake of presuming you do."

Christine put a hand on Nathan's, and coldly smiled, the look in her eyes was "that's telling them."

Pippi only gave Christine a very cold look, then turned to Capri.

"Can it!" Capri raised her voice at Nathan. She was more than a little tired of his arrogance.

Turning her gaze on Nathan, Pippi began. "Oh, but I do. You've made your beliefs quite obvious ever since you showed up in Tampa." Pippi's voice was low, but sharp, and her eyes met Nathan's with just as cold a stare as the one on his face.

Nathan sneered and ignored her.

Pippi didn't so much as return the sneer. She had made herself clear and was not about to let a sneering bully get the satisfaction of seeing a reaction.

Titania and Jesse were sneering at Nathan, Christine, and Tracy the whole time.

Capri read out the events of the kidnappings, the first of Ameh Chase, who had been saved by Pippi and NT one night, and the multiple kidnappings of the Myles's, and Jesse Lein and Titania Ross, and how he had forced Donna to carry out some of the orders during the hostage taking. She read out that the object of the hostage taking was not only to teach them a lesson, but also to draw their friends into a plan he had been sure they could not refuse to comply with if they wanted to see the hostages alive much longer. Each of the victims--first Titania, then Jesse, then Ben Myles, and Rebekah, gave their statement about what happened, then Capri turned to Nathan. "Now, Mr. Tompkins, what was your motive for this scheme?"

"You are well aware of that, woman."

"I did *not* ask ya if I was aware of it, I asked you what was yer motive, an' y'are to address me as 'yer 'onor. now, *answer* the *question*!" Capri demanded.

"Since it amuses you--"

"Wrong answer! I did not ask you about 'amusement, now, try again! What was yer *motive* fer attempting to be turned!"

"I was coming to that, madam!"

"You are not to 'come to that Madam'. You will answer the questions straight away an' speak only when you're told, or else not at all. Now, for the last time... *What* *was* *yer* *Motive*!" Capri struck the gavel down forcefully with the last demand. Was it so hard to answer a simple question? Nathan sure loved to hear himself talk, but he was obviously completely oblivious to the fact that no one else did except for Christine and Tracy.

NT startled. Donna did, also, and she and NT hugged each other.

Titania and Jesse exchanged looks, they, along with many others in the room, did not envy Nathan's position and were glad it wasn't them being grilled by Capri.

"I wished to be reborn, even as she once was." Nathan pointed to Sarah, who hissed, and her eyes flashed red.

"Will you stand up, state yer name an' tell the people what you are, please?" Capri indicated Sarah.

Donna watched as the pale woman she'd seen that night at Nathan's stood up.

"My name is Sarah Lindsay-Tallant," she said in as gentle and nonthreatening a voice as she could. "And I am...a vampire."

Some of those present who didn't know Sarah looked at each other, going pale. Ben Myles was heard muttering under his breath about "abominations."

Capri nodded. "Thank you, Sarah, you may take yer seat now. An' Mr. Myles--can it!"

Sarah resumed her seat. Ben looked like he was going to say something more, but Rebekah put a hand on his arm and he subsided.

"Now, Mr. Tompkins...State yer reasons fer wantin ta become a vampire...Without any more flippant lip from you or else you'll regret it!"

Nathan couldn't resist the temptation to rub everyone's noses in it a bit more, thinking maybe it'd frighten some of this rabble into remembering their proper places. "Immortality, Madam. Nothing less." he replied, his eyes glittering. "So that those who have betrayed me will have eternity to regret their mistakes."

Tracy stared at him white faced, her lips trembling.

Kendra moaned, and Donna had to hug her as well as NT to keep all three of them--including herself--from losing it.

Capri patronized Nathan right back with, "Are you quite finished?"

"But of course, Madam."

Christine smirked.

"You must refer ta me as "Yer 'onor in this court, *not* 'Madam' er 'woman'" Capri stated in a stern but unruffled tone, her expression showed that she was tired of Nathan's childishness but knew there wasn't a hope of him ever growing up.

Nathan gave an icy stare. "As you wish. Your Honor." Though the way he said it made the title an insult.

Capri, giving the most self-satisfied look back "Yes, that's what I wish, an' you will not sneer at me unless ya want yer death ta come very rapidly."

Capri opened her mouth to say something more. But before she got the words out there came a scream from Tracy.

"Ms. Hannah," Capri started to say.

"Holy shit!" Ameh whispered to Pippi. "I thought she'd be thrilled about her 'hero' wanting to be turned."

"You *lied* to me! Bastard--I sold myself for you and this is what I get for it?? You actually wanted to--to end up like *that*?" she pointed at Sarah.

"Evidently not." Pippi whispered back to Ameh.

"Nothin the matter with Sarah, she knows 'ow ta live so she don't 'urt anybody." Capri commented.

"Bull crap! Lousy stinking, murdering bloodsuckers--the world'd be better off without them!" Tracy cried. "Don't tell me about not hurting. I know better!"

Sarah jumped up. "I've never killed anybody!"

"Bull! That's all your kind *does*! If not sooner then later!" Tracy shot back, the anguish showing clearly in her face.

"Hannah, Sarah, cool it both of ya, or ya'll be in contempt!" Capri warned sternly.

Sarah's eyes flashed red, but she struggled to contain herself. "I'm *not* a murderer!" she snapped.

Several of the spectators, mostly the Tompkinsville contingent but also a few of the others, were glancing nervously at her, then at each other.

"No, Sarah, yer *not* a murderer." Capri said in a gentler tone. Addressing the spectators, she said, "Before I met Sarah, I was of the opinion that all vampires were murderers too. Well, some are, but not all, and certainly not Sarah Lindsay Tallant. Vampires can get blood without sucking it from a living human being, but if you want to know more about that, you'll have to ask her about it after court adjourns. I would not allow a dangerous vampire to sit here, unrestrained among you, of that, you can be sure. Now, let's get back to the subjects of this court, please." The sternness had crept back into Capri's voice and manner again.

"That's bull! They're all murderers--*murderers*!!" Tracy screamed. "And you," rounding on Nathan, "wanted to be like that??"

Nathan only stared coldly back at her. "There is so much more to be gained *with* them, than against them, Tracy. Pity you never learned that." he said in a low voice, so only she heard.

But Capri still saw him move his lips and say something. "Mr. Tompkins, keep it shut!" She also had no patience for Tracy's being difficult. "Ms. Hannah, you've been warned! One more word outta ya, an--"