2×03 “When You Put God on Trial”
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode contains strong language
Sam Cooke- A Change Gonna Come
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4

ATLAS FALLS COURTHOUSE

Walking into this courtroom was almost a blur. After the flashes of camera lights blinding them they made it into the Atlas Falls Courthouse. It was beautiful that today would be the final day he had to defend his legacy against Kendrick. Looking over at Mason and Braden he felt his stomach knot up. Dinah Watkins was Kendrick mother and the way the woman looked at him. The things she said in interviews well let’s just say Dinah better not be caught in a dark alley with is mother or sister. June Harrison could handle herself with a rolling pin she beat off rioters. His mother was a tough lady and he was grateful his family were all here. Hell his brothers in blue were sitting there supporting him. It didn’t matter if they were black or white they were here. That made him feel good because honestly he wasn’t sure if people truly believed how innocent he was. Kendrick didn’t put down his weapon and he did shoot to kill. He had to or else Kendrick wouldn’t have stopped. Some call this suicide by police but he saw it as a coward who couldn’t face all the people he was going to disappoint. If Yasmine honestly told the truth on the stand today then they’d see him for what he was. He knew Dani was going to tell her truth and that’s all he asked for. He asked for them to speak their truth because everyone in the town knew he wasn’t a killer.

Sitting down he didn’t see Elliot Duval the man was a showboat lawyer if ever seen one. He’d gotten two African-American NFL players off with slaps on the wrist for a drunk driving accident. He was a celebrity lawyer until a rapper name Lil Hitta was brutally beaten by the police while nobody knew he was a celebrity. That was when Elliot Duval persecuted and destroyed a entire county in California for there racist behavior. After that Elliot slowly drifted out of the mainstream media minds and started to take on cases that affected African-American culture. He was one of the first attorney’s to sue a police station and win after an unarmed black kid was killed by an officer. This made him known throughout the African-American community and he was becoming something of a new Johnnie Cochran. He also was a flagrant media whore and no matter what he said this was because of the riots. If nobody rioted in this city then Elliot wouldn’t be here.

“I hate to ask this but if they don’t show up and by some stroke of God they’re not here is it over? Does she somehow lose the case. I know I’m a cop but civil suits aren’t my thing you know that. I just want this over and everyone to leave me and Cassie alone. We’ve moved out of my house because they found me Mason. I’m not a bad guy and we both know that. Why is this still happening for something that happened months ago. It’s over he’s been proven at fault and my shot was clean. Isn’t that enough to stop this?”

Mason had made his way inside the courtroom with Jon making sure his response was the same as it always was to the media no comment. Jon had been cleared of any wrong doing in the shooting of Kendrick at both a Federal and State level but that would never stop lawyers like Elliot Duvall in his mind from going after Jon for money for Kendrick’s mother. He supposed that was one of the differences in their take on clients. He always interviewed them making sure he was taking on the clients that he felt needed the most help. Jon’s trial was one of those things he knew of badly it could all be taken out of context and one of the reason he had Braden consult with him on it to prepare just in case it went to a criminal one. He’d never done a criminal trial luckily they had avoided that and a civil trial was what was left. As DA Braden wasn’t allowed to act as Jon’s lawyer and he looked back at him sitting in the row behind them and then around the courtroom Elliot wasn’t here yet.

“Technically if he doesn’t show the judge can dismiss the case. They would then have to refile another motion for another preliminary hearing and we’d continue on. This will be over today Jon I swear it you everyone will publically know what happened that day.” Mason said looking at the bailiff enter with still no sign of Elliot or Dinah he almost bragged a sign of relief only for him to see them enter the courtroom a circus of reporters following them watching them both speaking to the press without a care in the world. He turned to Jon and looked at him. “Remain calm you outburst it looks bad it paints the picture they’ve been wanting. It’s up to the judge if this goes any further today or if she awards them anything.”

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Episode 2:02: Speaking With No Sound
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Viewer discretion is advised episode may contain language and sexual situations.

(A Great Big World Ft Christina Aguilera- Say Something)

OLYMPUS BAR

Merci stirred her drink with her straw. It had been a rough three months to be honest. She didn’t believe Jon had killed Kendrick. She honestly was still bitter about his death. Hell she was bitter about how Kendrick just wrote her out of his life. They weren’t in love but they were friends and she wished he would have just communicated he was in trouble. She’d ran away from more foster homes than she could count. She could have helped him vanish and never been seen again. Ronan Madden was alive but the black boy who had dreams for his community was gone. Another black face stolen away. At least she had amazing highlights from her depression. Her mind often drifted to the persistent Devin Thompson. He was one of those guys who didn’t give up at all. She had some nerve because she pursued him for months while he was in a relationship. Merci thought back to the first week after the shooting and riot she didn’t leave her home. Devin brought her food from La Callie and even brought Skye to help her get cleaned up. She was in a slump and now she was still lost. Would she be betraying Kendrick memory by being with Devin? Hell did he even care about her like, she cared about him? Would he be in mourning like this for her? Those questions echoed through her mind.

Olympus Bar was the new remodeled bar that Hotel LaGordia created after the riots. It was stunning and a great place to think. They had redone the entire bar and made it something special. They’d turned it into her favorite drinking hole. After a long day of listening to vapid rich people she always needed a drink. She played a role like she was this perky ass party planner when all she wanted to do was tell them to shut the hell up. Taking a sip of her rum and coke she looked up and saw Devin. God had he found Olympus Bar? One thing about talking to someone who was poor, they normally didn’t come to high level establishments. She knew she should have went to La Callie. Slowly flipping her long hair she’d gotten a banging ass weave also. She gulped down her drink. He was here to once again try to shake her mind out of that slump. He looked so damn good it pissed her off. God she wanted that man on top of her and that was the truth. He smelled good too it annoyed her even more because she did want him. Rolling her eyes at Devin she sucked her teeth showing attitude. “Good evening and I’m kicking Skye ass.” She knew her sister sent him here.

Devin had been at the station finishing up a case downtown and when he punched out he thought about going for a drive to the Scottswood neighborhood to check on things. Kendrick was gone but his presence was still there in the basketball courts, the youth program stronger than ever which was a good thing thanks to Khalil Watkins and Elliot Duvall. Men that took up the right side of Kendrick cause and he was proud of that he was also torn between doing what needed to be done for that part of himself, the black community and the other part of him, his brothers in blue. The fine line that he had to walk he couldn’t be too black in Scottswood and then he couldn’t be too much cop either, when he was at work he couldn’t be the opposite not to mention he had a choice to have Jon’s back or not. He had chosen to have Jon’s back that night and even now with his civil trial coming up that was the choice he was going to stick by Jon had done the right thing that night. That didn’t mean that he didn’t think sometimes bad cops did bad things they did, he worked for a dirty one in Gideon when everything came out but that didn’t mean all cops were bad either. The shooting had changed him and put him at the forefront of the police force on trying to heal those relations getting people in his community to see the good in cops and getting the cops to listen and act on those concerns. It had helped a little but he had backed off when he got the summons as a witness for the trial instead tonight he had gotten a call from Skye instead.

She was worried about Merci again especially with the trial coming up and in truth so was he, he still remembered that week after Kendrick was shot how desolate and broken she was. He had comforted her the best he could brought her food when she needed it made sure that a police patrol was stationed outside her place just in case someone decided to take revenge on her too. He and Skye had been polite to each other for the most part and this was the latest example of that the call that Merci was at the bar probably looking for some meaningless one night with some random stranger. So instead of going home to his bachelor pad here he was, in the words of Miranda chasing someone that could give him what she couldn’t. It was still nice that he and Miranda had been able to remain friends after their breakup, he had worried it would cause more drama to an already tough situation. He saw her at the bar in that beautiful dress that she had on and noticed her hair in the light he approved of the coloring and he took a seat next to her motioning to the bartender to pour him whatever she was having.

“You can’t blame her, she’s worried about you. So she asked me to come check on you. You shouldn’t be out here drinking by yourself and looking for what, some warm body that doesn’t even care about you to fill the void?” Devin asked looking at her and seeing her face it may of been harsh but it was something he wanted her to hear, her self worth should be something that a man would cherish not take advantage of. He didn’t know if she had that with Kendrick or if it was something else deeper they shared but he knew that losing Kendrick had changed her for a darker version of herself that he didn’t like seeing. He took a sip of his drink twirling the glass in his hand. “Since Skye has told me you are stubborn and I know that from experience that strong independent and feisty women don’t like to be bossed around or watched I have a new plan. I’ll scan all the suitors for you think of me as your wing man that way I know you’re with someone that deserves you and isn’t out to just use you for the hell of it.”

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2×01 “Pain, Passion, Pressure”
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Them Song: Jhene Aiko- The Pressure

*4 MONTHS FROM NOW*
DEVONSHIRE MANSION

Selina held a leg as she looked over at Tamara, Bliss, and Jackie. Each woman carried a arm or a leg. It made her feel so lost how did the four of them get here? She looked at Tamara and the sympathy waved over her. He’d just beat her but this son a bitch had taken something much more precious from Tamara. Her eyes drifted to Bliss dragging his body and she felt an urge to scream. How did four smart and talented women get to this place? Dropping the leg all the women tumbled to the ground. She looked at them and started to cry. Before she knew it Jackie grabbed her shoulders shaking her out of her stupor. Chauncey saved her a few months ago after he beat her ass. Now she was carrying her fiance body. If she would have stayed and fought for Braden this wouldn’t happened. She was hearing Bliss and Tamara yelling at each other.

“Stop it!” Selina said looking at the other three women. They were once beautiful earlier today, a wedding that brought two rival families together. “We have to get this body into Lake Everest and find a rock to sink this fucker. Bliss you brought the rope and I need us all to stop fighting. Dimitri is dead and if we don’t get rid of this body we are dead so please. Please stop fighting and let’s get this bastard in the lake. Let’s make sure he’s forever is gone because I don’t want to remember him anymore. Tamara you shouldn’t be fighting with Bliss when us three have a connection beyond anything I’ve ever felt. You are my sisters because I know the pain of a man hitting you.” She said grabbing Bliss hand. “A man attacking you.” She grabbed Tamara hand. “And a mother protecting her family fiercely.” She looked at Jackie. “Let’s get rid of a man who doesn’t deserve to take us away from our families.”

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1×26 “The Great Divide”
Written by: Chris Coleman/Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode contains language, strong sexual situations and content

SCOTTSWOOD APARTMENTS

Ronan made his way through the streets of Atlas Falls he had men watching Yasmine and once he had been called that she was at her old place in the Scottswood area he made his move. There was no security that his men could see and he wondered how careless Rory could actually be but that was not his business. She stepped out of his car and one of his men accompanied him inside, people still moved out of his way as the walked up the steps. There may of been a riot happening on but he still commanded the respect he was owned on the streets. He walked up the stairs seeing a young girl about maybe seventeen throw herself at them. He let his man indulge as he came to Yasmine’s door on her apartment knocking. He waited a few moments until she opened the door and he looked at her moving his coat to the side to show her he wasn’t armed.

“We need to talk Yasmine please let me inside. I’m not armed.” Ronan said watching her eyes carefully study him as he looked at the packed boxes inside the apartment. She was smart to finally get out, she’d always been smart and he admired that about her. She was also gorgeous and pretty when naked on a pole and he shook his head he had no right to remember that or think about it. “There will be people asking questions now that Kendrick is gone, people that will and can do my business harm. You have my word Yasmine I’m not here to hurt you.” When she reluctantly let him in he stepped inside seeing how the other half lived. Paint was peeling on the walls, he was pretty sure some of the place was unsanitary. “I want you to know I never gave authority for Kendrick’s power spree he went on that includes what he almost let those men do to you at the club.”

Yasmine had come to her apartment to get a few things left here. Gina’s blanket and a box of childhood memories. After talking do Ms. Dinah she thought she could just get her shit and move on. Somehow the hood always has a grip on you no matter how far you get. When she opened the door her instincts was run to the kitchen and grab a butcher knife. He wasn’t armed though but shit could go left real quick. Ronan temper was legendary and he was coming calm but with anyone there was a calm before the storm. She’d shed enough tears to fill a ocean and no more tears. She was coming hard because she wasn’t a bitch. She wasn’t a stripper anymore and she wasn’t his employee. Most of all she wasn’t dumb. This was her goodbye to Scottswood in many ways. She’s from the hood but not of the hood.

“Those men were employed by you prior to Kendrick power spree. Whatever you here to spook me and make me say I don’t know shit about you. I already did that in my victim statement. I implemented Kendrick and I know Jamal did the same. I’m not rocking the boat I know my head is still on my shoulders because of your generosity and I’m not snitching so what else? What you want Ronan? I’m silent because it isn’t complicated to live I need to be silent. So what I know about Ronan nothing is that what you need to hear?” Yasmine with fire in her eyes. “I heard that bougie girl and you broke up. Rory said he’s going to see her today and that she is fucked up. You cold in and out of business huh Ronan.” She said moving her hair as she sat down. Sitting down at the kitchen small island and barstool. “So I’m sure we done here right?” She asked staring at that box. A box full of Gina and memories why was she so lost in her thoughts of her sister lately. Licking her lips she thought about Gina and Kendrick together finally. They weren’t right without each other but God let in Kendrick to be with her. Hell he was fight right now to get to her if they weren’t together. Before she knew it her eyes teared up. Wiping the corners she looked up at the handsome mobster. “Is that all?”

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