Conviction – Days of Future Past – 1.01

            “Everyone in the conference room!”  Steele bellowed from the door of his new office.  “Let’s go, Potter, Fin, Rossi…  You too Peluso!”  Desmond looked up from the board, wondering why he hadn’t been called into this impromptu meeting.  He wondered why he was suddenly out of the loop.  Desmond instantly began to worry.

            Jessica moved from her office, giving Brian an ‘asking’ look.  Brian shrugged, straightening his tie.  They all herded into the small hardly used conference room.  Odd looks from everyone, and Steele seemed on edge.  Pacing the front of the room, with Alexandra Cabot sitting quietly at the other end of the table.

            “Please, everyone sit.”  Alex said, once they were all seated, Alex stood.  Commanding the room with ease, and a grace that most of them might never possess, “We are going to be prosecuting the man who shot, and killed Mike Randolph.”

            The hush in the room was overwhelming.  Alex let the information sink in, Christina’s eyes swelled with tears, and Jessica cleared her throat.  Causing Jim Steele to cast an eye towards her, Alex raised an eyebrow at the gesture.  Brian fiddled with the copy of the case file that was in front of him, and Potter said nothing.  He’d hardly known Mike.

            “I am trying this case myself.  We are going to use every single resource available to us, to put this man in jail.  We are not, however, going after the man who hired the gunman.”

            “What?”  Jim almost yelled, anger brimming over.  Mike had been his mentor.  Mike had been his rock.  “We have to go after him.” 

            “No.  We have a solid case against this man, Clark Dutch.  He pulled the trigger.”  Alex stated.  Jim stormed out of the room, not wanting to hear any more.  As he let the door swing open, he turned, pointing a finger at Alex.  “This from the woman who told me to go after the bad guys, right?  Don’t go after the easy cases; go after the ones that count!  Stop playing it safe!”  Alex didn’t blow up, she held her ground at the head of the table.  She understood why Jim was angry, but it didn’t have a place in this office.