Chapter 3: Legal Dilemmas
Sophia's law firm is located in an old office building in the city center.
I arrived on time. She was already waiting for me in her office, her desk piled high with documents.
"What did you find?"
"Sit down." She gestured to the chair opposite her. "I was checking all night last night."
I sat down.
"result?"
"This is terrible." Sophia picked up a document. "Alan's claim appears perfectly legal. Loan agreement, transfer agreement, notarized documents—everything is there."
"On the surface?"
"Yes." She pointed to several clauses in the contract, "Here, here, and here—these are all trap clauses. But legally, they're all valid."
I looked at those densely packed legal terms.
"What's the meaning?"
"That means Tommy signed a performance-based agreement three months ago," Sophia said. "If his company's profits fall below $500,000 within three months, his debts will double, and creditors will have the right to demand immediate repayment."
"500,000? His company only makes 100,000 in profit a month."
"That's right," Sophia gritted her teeth. "It's a setup. Allen deliberately set impossible conditions so that once Tommy defaults, he'll have a legitimate reason to collect the debt."
"So what do we do now?"
"We could sue, arguing that the agreement is unfair," Sofia said, "but the lawsuit would take more than six months, and the chances of winning are slim."
"It's too late."
"I know." She put down the file. "So let's look at it another way. Tommy's arm was broken; that's intentional assault. We can call the police and get them involved."
"Give it a try."
East Precinct Police Department, Los Angeles.
We waited at the front desk for twenty minutes before a middle-aged policeman came out.
"Mr. Carter?"
"It's me."
"Come with me."
He led us into the interrogation room.
"You said your brother's arm was broken?"
"Yes. At 3 a.m. last night, four masked men broke into my house."
"Is there any evidence?"
"The scene was chaotic; chairs were overturned, and coffee tables were overturned."
"What about the surveillance footage?"
"The apartment building's security cameras are broken."
The police are taking notes.
"eyewitness?"
"No."
"Can your brother identify the murderer?"
"They were wearing masks."
The policeman put down his pen.
"Mr. Carter, without evidence, witnesses, or surveillance footage, it's very difficult for us to open a case."
But my brother's hand—
"He can go to the hospital to get a forensic medical examination," the police officer said. "But even if the examination shows it was intentional assault, without a suspect, we can't arrest him."
"The suspect is Alan Cross."
The police officer was taken aback.
Do you have any evidence?
"He bought my brother's debt and sent people to collect the debt last night."
"Buying bonds isn't illegal," the police officer said, "unless you can prove he instructed him to do it."
"He left a note."
"Let me take a look."
I took out the note.
The policeman glanced at it and shook his head.
"There is no signature, no fingerprints, and no handwriting analysis. This cannot be used as evidence."
"So what should we do?"
"Come back for a statement after your brother has recovered," the police officer said, standing up. "Contact us immediately if you have any new leads."
He escorted us out of the police station.
Sophia stopped at the door.
"He's just giving us the runaround."
"I know."
"Alan is right," she gritted her teeth. "In East Los Angeles, the police are all his men."
The next day.
Sophia took me to the court to apply for property preservation.
"If the court freezes Allen's assets, he won't be able to continue collecting debts."
What conditions are required?
"You need to prove that Allen's claim is illegal," the judge said. "Do you have any evidence?"
Sophia produced an investigation report.
"Alan Cross has used similar methods to control more than a dozen small businesses over the past three years. He first provides loans, then sets trap clauses, and then demands exorbitant repayments after the borrowers default."
"This is a business transaction," the judge said. "It's not illegal."
"But his debt collection methods involved violence," Sophia said. "We found three victims who are willing to testify in court."
"Then let them come to court to give statements."
Two days later.
We contacted three victims.
The first one was a restaurant owner whose leg was broken.
"Are you willing to testify?" Sophia asked.
"I'm willing." He gritted his teeth. "That beast Allen, I'm going to sue him!"
The next day, he changed his mind.
"I'm sorry, I...I remembered wrong." He lowered his head. "I broke my leg myself."
"What?"
"I fell down after drinking and broke a bone." He avoided looking at us. "It has nothing to do with Allen."
"You're lying."
"I'm sorry... I can't testify..." He turned and left.
The second victim has gone missing.
The third victim asked to meet us at a coffee shop.
But he didn't come.
Sophia called, but the phone was off.
"They've all been threatened," I said.
"Damn it." Sophia slammed her hand on the table. "Alan has secured the entire chain of evidence."
On the fifth night.
I sat at home, my spine aching slightly.
Two days left.
Tommy is resting in his bedroom. He had surgery on his wrist, and the doctor said it would take at least three months to recover.
The doorbell rang.
I opened the door.
Allen stood at the door, followed by four bodyguards.
"May I come in?"
I made way for them.
He walked into the living room, sat on the sofa, and crossed his legs.
"How's the legal process going?" He smiled. "Have you called the police? Have you filed a lawsuit?"
How did you know?
"Because I knew you would do it." Allen pulled out a cigar, lit it, and said, "Jace, you think the law can save you?"
He pulled a stack of documents from his pocket and threw them on the coffee table.
"Take a look at this."
I picked it up.
photo.
Judges, police officers, prosecutors... these are all photos of them with Allen.
"In East Los Angeles, I know all the key figures," Allen said, exhaling smoke. "Judges owe me favors, police officers take my money, and prosecutors are my golf buddies."
He stood up and walked to Tommy's bedroom door.
How is your brother's hand recovering?
"Don't touch him."
"I won't touch him." Allen turned to look at me, "as long as you agree to help me transport the goods."
"I refuse."
"Then you can wait to collect his corpse." Allen walked towards the door. " One day left. Either escort the goods, return the money, or... I'll make sure he loses another hand."
He left.
The bodyguard closed the door.
Sophia came out of the kitchen. She had been hiding there.
"The proper channels are blocked," she said, looking at me. "He controls all the key aspects."
I sat on the sofa and pressed on my spine.
Damn limiter.
"Is there any other way?" Tommy came out of the bedroom.
Sophia remained silent.
I also fell silent.
The law can't save us.
The police can't save us.
There is only one way.
Use ability.
But that would mean an endless hunt by the military.
