Chapter 184
Less than an hour later.
"Ehh...I wish I knew what was going on..." Patterson muttered and slumped onto the couch. The door opened and Greg walked in.
"You must be tired.." Greg said.
"Why?" Patterson said standing up quickly.
Greg grinned.
"You rarely relax where someone could see you," Greg said.
"I wasn't relaxing, merely thinking," Patterson said.
"About what?" Greg asked.
"That whole robot thing, it's annoying that's all."
"I could understand that, you couldn't dent it."
"Wonderful observation," Patterson said.
The door opened and Amy walked in covered in various pieces of food. Greg and Patterson both looked at her with concern.
"Don't ask..." Amy said. "I'm fine," she said and hurried up to her room. Greg and Patterson just shrugged. The phone rang seconds later. Greg picked it up.
"Anderson, Patterson, Thomson residence," Greg said. "Yes sir..." he said and held the phone out to D.V. who took it.
"Yes." he asked and listened for a few seconds.
"I understand," Patterson said and hung up the phone."Greg we've got some trouble."
"Really?" Greg asked.
Several Police Cars and a few SDF vehicles were parked around an alley when Maverick, Guardian Saturn, and Sailor Mercury arrived. General Patterson and Chief Ozaki were leaning against a patrol car.
"We can handle this you know.." Ozaki said.
"Perhaps," General Patterson said. "But this is no ordinary case."
"Still...we can investigate it," Ozaki said.
"You can use all the help you can get," General Patterson said.
"What's the situation?" Maverick asked as the three walked up.
"What we have is a body, but it's not dead, only drained completely of energy," General Patterson said.
"He's in a coma," Ozaki said.
"Drained as in negaverse drained?" Saturn asked.
"Apparently," General Patterson said.
Mercury's visor slid across her face and she typed some commands into her computer.
"I don't know how it happened, but his life energy is almost gone," she said.
"We could have told you that..." Ozaki said.
"Is there some reason he hasn't been taken to a hospital?" Mercury asked.
"We were treating this case like a homicide esssentially, I mean he won't recover if you don't get that energy into him right?" Ozaki asked.
"That's not certain," Mercury said. "He could recover on his own."
"Well..he isn't recovering at the moment, besides, this guy's a criminal," Ozaki said.
"That still means he deserves fair treatment," Mercury said.
"What kind of criminal is he?" Maverick asked.
"We suspect he's been related to seven mob killings," Ozaki said.
"He's Yakuza?" Saturn asked.
Ozaki nodded.
"Please don't leave him just lying there," Mercury said.
"All right, all right, we'll call the medics," Ozaki said.
"Thank you," Mercury said.
"Any ideas about who did this?" Maverick asked.
"Well.." Ozaki began.
"No.." General Patterson said. "Would you mind finding us some answers?"
The three scouts looked at each other.
"Looks like business as usual," Mercury said and sighed.
The next few weeks passed, and similar events were occuring. The scouts,
mainly Maverick, Mercury, and Saturn were called to yet more discoveries of
crooks in comas. Guardian Neptune had come along once, but after he casually
flipped out his own police badge as he walked into the crime scene area,
Maverick decided his help was not required.
Fifteen days after the robot attack, and the pie fight, Amy woke up early that morning and walked down the stairs still in her nightgown and slippers. She found Greg and Patterson sitting around the coffee table with scraps of paper all over it.
"D.V. can't you just look into your data base to find something out?" Greg asked.
"My database is looking into it, but it'll take it hours to sort the data, there's a lot of variables," Patterson said.
"And just by looking at these criminal names and their characteristics we're not getting anywhere," Greg muttered.
"It doesn't make a lot of sense," Patterson said.
"Good morning you two," Amy said. The two both turned to see her and they both blushed.
"Oh come now..haven't you seen a girl in a nightgown before?" Amy asked.
"Well..no.." Patterson and Greg said in unison. Amy grinned.
"Any luck?" Amy asked.
"Not much," Greg said.
"It's a whole lot easier when the negaverse just comes out and fights isn't it?" Amy asked.
"Something tells me they figured out that doesn't work," Greg said.
"I wish we knew who they were.." Amy said.
The phone rang. Amy picked it up.
"Anderson, Patterson, Thomson residence? Yes, of course sir..." Amy said and hung up the phone.
"Guess what?" Amy said.
Greg and Patterson glanced at each other.
Later that night on the news.
"Yet another criminal was found with energy drained out of him today. This makes the twenty seventh victim of what seems to be a negaverse assault in a three week period. The police are still baffled and Police Chief Ozaki had this to say..."
"What's the problem? They're criminals aren't they? Heh heh..but seriously we're working on it."
"General in Chief Nagumo of the SDF vows that with the help of the scouts they will track down whose responsible..." the reporter said. "The scout's leader though, Sailor Moon, did not seem optomistic when she arrived on the scene."
"Uh..well..most of the time they don't hide from us so then it's not too much
work to find them, but now they're not playing fair, and the cities so big...you
can't expect me to just go around looking can you?"
"Nice going Serena," Raye muttered. The Guardian scouts and inner Sailor Scouts were all sitting around Amy's living room at the time.
"Well..I..I'm not good on television," Serena said.
"What we're you doing there in the first place?" Mina asked. "I thought we were letting the blue team handle it?"
"I uh..well..I didn't want to seem like I was slacking...blue team?" Serena asked.
"Oh...well..they all wear blue right?" Mina asked.
The group nodded.
"So are you having any luck?" Raye asked.
The "blue team" members all looked at each other.
"None yet," they all said in unison.
The others glanced at them.
"Why?" The others said in unison. "You guys are supposed to know everything."
"But we don't," Amy said.
"There are some possibilities," Patterson said.
"Like what?" Lita asked.
"Well..uh...my computer identified..some..links..between the criminals I mean...but nothing conclusive..it's still running checks..maybe it will lead...." Patterson said.
The doorbell rang.
Amy stood up and walked to the door. She opened it. A police officer stood there.
"Are you Amy Anderson?" he asked.
"Yes sir," Amy said.
"Is D.V. Patterson also present?"
"Yes sir," Amy said.
"I need to speak to both of you," the officer said.
Patterson hearing the coversation moved closer.
"You're Patterson?" the officer asked.
"Yes," Patterson said.
The officer handed folded pieces of paper forward.
"Amy Anderson, D.V. Patterson, these are summons for you to appear in court in four days," the officer said.
"Why?" Amy said in surprised.
"You are being summoned for a hearing relating to the Shaw case," the officer said.
"But I already had a civil trial," Amy said.
"This is different," the officer said. "Good night."
He turned and walked off.
"What have you got to do with this I wonder?" Amy asked. "But what...is going
on now..haven't they had enough..." she said rapidly becoming upset.
A few days later.. Amy and Patterson sat at the defendant's table next to Mr. Leslie.
"I read through their proposal to get the case heard. Apparently the Shaw's are contesting the terms of the settlement," Leslie said.
"How? We gave them the property, and paid the bills, what more do they want?" Amy asked.
"Something to do with the sale of it to Patterson," Leslie said.
"I have no idea what this is about," Patterson said grimly.
"What is your complaint Mister Gadsden," the judge said to the Shaw's lawyer.
"Your honor, the settlement reached between the Anderson family and the Shaw's resulted in the selling of all property belonging to the Anderson family to pay the settlement. We have learned that this has not occured and that indeed the property never left the Anderson family!"
The crowd all looked around in surprise.
"What does this mean?" Amy said. "Can they somehow argue that because I live there it didn't happen?"
"No they can't. That's what worries me," Mister Leslie.
"Your honor to prove all this we first call D.V. Patterson to the stand," Gadsden said.
Patterson stood up slowly and walked to the witness box.
"Your honor we also find it very important that his full name be entered into the record," Gadsden added. Patterson's eyes widened. The crowd gasped.
"Quiet," the judge said. "State your full name, Mister Patterson."
Patterson took in a breath and then sighed.
"My name is Donovan Vincent Patterson," he muttered.
"Donovan Vincent Patterson?" half the crowd echoed.
"The initials were a good move," Mike Leslie said.
"Quiet!" the judge said. "Or I'll clear the room!"
"Now...Donovan," Gadsden began.
"You are not on a first name basis with me, address me as mister," Patterson snapped.
"Fine, Mr. Patterson. You own the house correct?"
"Yes."
"And why is it that while your uncle paid for it, you own it?"
"I needed to own it to have residence, so I could attend school in Tokyo," Patterson said.
"I see...so you own the house?"
"I just said so."
"The defense will corroborate, what's the point of this?" Mr. Leslie asked.
"Mr. Patterson, who were your parents?" Gadsden asked. The crowd began to become restless intrigued by what was occurring. Amy's friends were especially troubled.
Patterson paused controlling himself.
"My parents were..Vincent and Lisa Patterson, they were killed when I was young."
"That's what you think," Gadsden said.
The gallery started looking at each other in surprise. Patterson's eyes widended farther then they had ever widened before.
"Yes...as strange as it may seen, we have uncovered proof that Mr. D.V. Patterson here was not indeed the son of Vincent and Lisa Patterson but that his parents were the same ones as the girl sitting at the defendant's table right now Amy Anderson!" Gadsden shouted. The crowd gasped. Patterson's eyes widened even more. Shock appeared on his face.
"Order!" the judge shouted.
"That's impossible," Patterson stammered.
"No it isn't, no futher questions."
"Mr. Leslie?"
"Uh..I have nothing to ask..right now..." Mister Leslie said shocked. "Reserve right to recall."
"Granted, you may step down Mr. Patterson.." the judge said, even letting some surprise show in his voice.
D.V. paused and slowly moved back to the desk.
"What's happening?" Amy asked unsurely.
"I wish I knew," Mr. Leslie asked.
"We call General William Patterson!" Gadsden said.
William Patterson moved slowly to the witness chair and sat down.
"General Patterson. Who are the real parents of D.V. Patterson?" Mr. Gadsden asked. "Remember you're under oath."
General Patterson stared at the floor for a few seconds.
"There's a difference between D.V. Patterson's real parents and his biological ones. His real parents cared," Patterson said.
"I rephrase the question. Who are D.V. Patterson's biological parents? I want the truth."
"You can't handle the...no never mind...that wouldn't help..D.V.'s biological parents are the Andersons."
The crowd bristled.
"Last warning," the judge said.
"Interesting how D.V. could grow up for so many years believing otherwise isn't it?" Gadsden said.
"Yes it is you slime," Patterson snapped.
"General," the judge snapped.
"Sorry."
"Why don't you just tell us the story of how all this happened?" Gadsden said.
"All right. It began seventeen years ago. You see..both Doctor Andersons were in their final year of medical school and about to begin their gruelling residency. They had been married, and then she discovered she was pregnant. Nine months later she delivered. One of the nurses who helped in delivery was Lisa Patterson. Only thing was the Andersons were planning on having one child, which they thought they might be able to handle. But what they had was twins. They didn't believe they could handle two children and said it openly. They then asked Lisa to take their newly born son, and raise him. To give him a good home, because they didn't believe they could give two children nearly enough attention. Lisa Patterson reluctantly agreed as did her husband, my brother Vincent. D.V. was born as Donovan Anderson and that was his name registered on the birth certificate. He was adopted soon afterwards by the Pattersons and his name was changed to Donovan Vincent Patterson, he was never supposed to know..." General Patterson said.
"But you see the dilemna now don't you judge. D.V. Patterson is Amy Anderson's twin brother. So when she sold the house to him, she was merely selling it within her own family," Gadsden said.
"She had no idea it was her own family and neither did he, and for that matter how could they be considered a family?" Mr. Leslie asked.
"Same biological parents your honor," Gadsden said.
"But hardly a family," Leslie said.
"They both live in the same house now."
"That's only because D.V. was forced to move out of his last home," Leslie said.
"A home provided by Miss Anderson," Gadsden said.
"You two shut up..." the judge said.
"Can I say something?" General Patterson asked.
"Not yet...Mr. Gadsden are you done questioning?" the judge asked
"Yes," Gadsden said.
"Mister Leslie?" the judge asked.
"General why don't you explain to me what you think a family should be considering you to be an expert witness about the whole situation?" Leslie asked.
"Objection, this is an opinion," Gadsden said.
"From the only expert witness on the situation who isn't in jail," Leslie said.
"You may answer the question," the judge said and turned to General Patterson.
"Listen, I know you Shaw's are pretty angry people. But you have to realize something...you're not the only one to have lost someone close to them. You lost a father. These two kids over here, lost both their parents in whatever way you want to describe it. The two people who cared most for Amy are in jail. Rightly so you may argue, but still they are. The two who cared for D.V. are dead. They have their own pain to feel. And now you want to take their house away? Come on...D.V. Patterson and I emphasize Patterson bought the house so Amy Anderson could continue to live a normal life in the house she grew up in. The only person responsible for this is me. I thought I could get away with it, but judge, they didn't violate the settlement. I did."
"Hmm..thank you. Nothing further," Mister Leslie said.
"You may step down," the judge said.
No more witnesses were presented. And the judge retired to his chamber. Amy and Patterson still sat in shock in the defendants' table, saying nothing. The gallery were equally stunned. The judge returned half an hour later.
"This is not an easy decision, the judge said, but in the end I will not make two teenagers pay any more for the what two adults did. Shaw's you have quite enough money already. Case dismissed. General Patterson, you will be fined however," the judge said. Most of the gallery let out a sigh of relief. The Shaws left first, then most of the gallery.
"We'd better wait outside," Serena said and the group headed out.
"We need a minute," Amy said.
Mr. Leslie nodded and turned to the bailiff.
"When's the next case?" he asked.
"An hour, those two need some time alone?"
"Fraid so."
"Okay.." the bailiff said and the two walked out.
The two stared at the wall for a good minute saying nothing.
"I had no idea," Amy said continuing to stare at the wall.
"Me neither," Patterson said also staring a the wall.
"Though it might explain a lot."
"That it would."
"All this time that you were looking out for me. You were just doing what a brother should do."
"I guess I was," Patterson said.
"I'm sorry this is so shocking....I...don't know what do say..." Amy said.
"I've dealt with worse. My parents are dead. Yours were never mine."
"I guess not," Amy said. "Are you all right?"
"Are you?" Patterson asked.
"I'll be fine. My world was only turned to the side. Yours was turned upside down."
"Not really..my life has always been turned upside down."
"But you can still turn it upside down from there...it's all relative," Amy said with a slight grin.
"So it is..." D.V. said.
"But then again...I don't think we could call this being right side up either.." Amy said.
"No.." D.V. said solemnly.
The two stared at the wall again for a good fifteen seconds.
"D.V.?" Amy asked wiping a tear from her eye.
"Yes.."
"Is there a back way out of here? I know there will be press."
"I'm sure we can work something out," D.V. said.
The press were perched on the court house steps waiting for the parties to emerge. The Shaw's walked through followed by Gadsden. The press pounced.
"My clients have asked me to make a statement," Gadsden said. "They are very disappointed with the ruling, morals aside, the property transaction was technically illegal."
"Don't you have any shame?" Serena said pushing through the reporters.
"Trying to exploit to kids who lost their parents like that," She said.
"Young lady, there is more than one hurt party in all of this," Gadsden said.
"Maybe, but you're a sleaze," Serena said.
"I could sue you for slander," Gadsden said.
"Only if they proved it wasn't true," Lita said. "Think about it mister lawyer."
Gadsden grimaced.
"No further comment," he said and the crowd pushed on.
"Is that them!" one of the reporters said. Two figures emerged from the front doors of the courthouse, one with blue hair, the other with darker hair. The crowd rushed towards them only to realize that they were not who they were looking for, instead it was Rick wearing with his pony tail undone, and Greg wearing a blue wig and wearing a dress.
"Suckers," Rick said grinning.
"Uh..Rick...can I have my clothes back?" Greg muttered feeling awkward.
Guardian Maverick and Sailor Mercury meanwhile leapt off the courthouse roof
and away into the afternoon.
Minutes later on the roof of the Anderson, Patterson, Thomson house.
"Donovan Vincent...it's not a bad name..." Amy said. "Sounds regal and mature."
"It sounds pompous.." Patterson said.
"Well..maybe a little," Amy said. "I guess D.V. fits your own image more, short and to the point."
"I like to think so," Patterson said.
The two stared out at the lights of the city.
"Ever since I met you.." Amy said..and then paused. "Ahem...well...I knew there was something between us."
"Uh..yeah..." Patterson stammered.
"I can't explain it...for a while I didn't know..there were times I thought it might be romantic...but...after you helped Greg show up for the prom..I..knew it was something else."
Patterson said nothing.
"Please tell me if you had the same feelings," she said.
"I uh..well..maybe a little..I..uh..don't know what to say.."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of..I don't think...we were both attracted to each other a little...it seems destiny brought us together."
"Destiny.." Patterson said and sighed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
The two stopped and stared some more.
"You see what it was, we loved each other," Amy said.
Patterson's eyes widened.
"Don't you agree...our instincts knew we were brother and sister long before we did," Amy said.
"Guess so," Patterson said.
"You're afraid of that word..love?"
"Maybe.."
"So am I.." Amy said. "Somehow deep down I never want to use it in the wrong way..but I'm not now."
"I think you're right," Patterson said.
"So....."
"Hmm.."
"Amy Anderson and D.V. Patterson sister and brother..that's going to turn some heads."
"It's already turned ours."
"Of course if it we're brother and sister that means we should be more open with each other."
"You think?"
"Yes, D.V. I have some good friends, you...don't trust anyone..but you can trust me, and I can trust you...you know that."
D.V. said nothing.
"Even if you won't admit it," Amy said. "D.V. we've got a lot of catching up to do."
"What do you mean?"
"We've spent fourteen years of life completely out of contact, and the few years after that, well you know...now we have to..uh...you know...be family."
"Oh..I see.." Patterson said. "How do we uh..do that?"
"Hmm...good question," Amy said. "Uh..how about we start with a hug."
D.V. feinted and slid down the roof, Amy grabbed him and pulled him back up quickly.
"D.V....get up.." Amy said slapping his cheek slightly.
"Wha...sorry," D.V. said.
"What a paradox you are...capable of defeating all sorts of enemies in combat, excellent tactician and weapons master, and yet all it takes to drop you is the word hug."
"I..uh...that's how I am," D.V. said.
"Come on, we're siblings we can hug when we please."
"They're watching you know," Patterson said.
"D.V. no one is watching," Amy said.
"I know they are."
"D.V. you're paranoid, and there's nothing wrong with this, we're family."
"Eh..."
"D.V. don't get me angry," Amy said.
"Fine, fine," D.V. said.
"Now let me show you how it's done," Amy said and gave him a hug. Patterson began to sweat.
"Stop sweating!" Amy snapped.
"Sorry.." Patterson said.
"See?" Amy asked.
"No.."
Amy sighed.
There was a large crash. The two whirled. Their friends all lay in a heap at the bottom of a nearby tree.
"Oops..how did we get here?" they all said.
"I KNEW IT!" Patterson said.
"Time to go!" Serena shouted and their friends ran off.
"We didn't even get a picture either," Raye muttered.
"Guess you had a point," Amy said.
"I rarely don't," Patterson said.
Greg popped out of the trap door.
"Uh..D.V..you're uncle..or former uncle..is here...ahem.." he said.
"Oh..right," D.V. said.
The two were soon sitting in the war room.
"I never wanted to tell anyone," William Patterson said.
"It's all right, I don't blame you, there wouldn't have been a point," Patterson said.
"Of course when you caught an eye for Amy, then I worried."
"It was never like that...I think....well..I don't know..I'd like to hope it wasn't."
"I know," William said. "So...you going to keep the name."
"I never changed it away from Donovan Vincent because my parents, the real ones gave me that name. I needed to honor them. But I guess the initials don't serve much purpose anymore."
"Sure they do..of course everyone will still call you Patterson anyway."
"True."
"You still want to keep the last name?"
"I was adopted, my name is D.V. Patterson. Besides I'm a Patterson, not an Anderson."
"For all intensive purposes you are, you may have not been able to get any genes from your mother and father, but trust me..you're a lot like them," William said.
"Thank you," D.V. said. "You know me and Amy, do look lot alike," D.V. said.
"Of course you do. You're both close fraternal twins."
"Yeah..good thing it wasn't identical."
"That would change your outlook wouldn't it?" William said.
And remarkably, D.V. started laughing
CHAPTER 181 CHAPTER 182 CHAPTER 183 CHAPTER 184
CHAPTER 185 CHAPTER 186 CHAPTER 187 CHAPTER 188
CHAPTER 189 CHAPTER 190 CHAPTER 191 CHAPTER 192
CHAPTER 193 CHAPTER 194 CHAPTER 195 CHAPTER 196