Adele arose and addressed the jury to make her opening statement.

"At least twenty-five percent of women serving in the U.S. military have been sexually assaulted, and up to eighty percent have been sexually harassed. Women in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by fellow soldiers than they are to be killed in combat," she began.

"Now this is not a court martial, the defendant is not a member of the military but he is a Defense contractor and Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer was on duty when she was attacked in the offices of Dynamic Aerospace Solutions where she had been seconded to work on the acquisition of Defense apparatus, which for the sake of security will not be articulated, nor is it relevant to the case."

"What is relevant, and that the plaintiff's counsel will prove, is that Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer made a sexual assault report to military officials who directed a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination or SAFE Report be rendered. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prescribes that the victim of a sex-related offense that occurs in the United States must be consulted on their preference regarding whether the offense should be prosecuted by court-martial or in a civilian court with jurisdiction over the offense. We will explore the contents of Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer's SAFE report which has been tendered to the court, released by her in the cause of justice."

"In summary, I will prove to this court that Oliver Randal sexually assaulted Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer in his office after he had sexually harassed over a considerable period of time and that the attack was unprovoked and premeditated. We will be asking for a guilty verdict and an award of damages that recompenses Amanda for her pain and suffering and sends a strong message not only to the military but also to their contractors and civilian employees that this behaviour will not be tolerated," Adele completed her address and sat down at the plaintiff's table.

Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer sitting at the plaintiff's table in full uniform dabbed at the tears running down her cheeks and Adele put a comforting arm around her.

It was all part of the performance to make the jury sympathetic.

Weldon Jennings arose from the defendant's table, straightened his tie and cleared his throat. He was wearing a dark Armani suit and brilliant white shirt. He was tall, dark and handsome but not officious or presumptuous; juries loved him.

"My adversary has made a remarkable and arresting opening statement. She's quoted some facts and figures regarding the military and its abysmal record regarding sexual assault. She's tossed around words like Uniform Code of Military Justice and SAFE reports," Weldon began his own opening remarks.

"The reality is none of those words have any relevance here. We are not, as the plaintiff's counsel has articulated, sitting in a court martial or for that matter a criminal court. We are sitting in a civilian court room undertaking a civil trial. The plaintiff bypassed the option of bringing criminal charges against my client."

"The plaintiff went straight for the money."

"Why?"

"Because Dynamic Aerospace Solutions or DAS as it is known informally, has won a billion dollar Defense contract to provide guidance systems to the latest long-range air-to-air missile. As one of Dynamic Aerospace Solutions' three CEOs, Oliver Randal is a cash-cow as far as Amanda Palmer is concerned and she knows that any settlement offer made by DAS would be substantial."

"But the plaintiff has outfoxed herself. There will be no settlement in this case. We will prove that my client is innocent."

"Thank you," Weldon wrapped up his opening statement quickly.

He had been careful not to besmirch Amanda Palmer's character. Victim-bashing was never a good tactic, especially where sexual misconduct was involved. Better to show Amanda as a moneygrubber who had foregone criminal proceedings and instead went straight to civil litigation in order to make a substantial amount of money. There were always jurors who hated gold-diggers and he counted on there being one or two on jury. He only needed four of them to cast their vote in the defence's favour for his client to win the case.

Judge James Duncan Payton Chatsworth III sat at the bench wearing his black robe looking distinguished and knowledgeable. He took an inordinate amount of time giving the jury directions, even though they had been explained meticulously after the voir dire. The jury's attention began to wane and some were close to nodding off by the time he finished his speech. The jury wanted to hear the dirty details of the crime not the judge prattling on in legalese.

Weldon Jennings didn't mind the judge antagonising the jury, it worked in his favour. Also Judge Chatsworth was known to be a defendant's judge when it came to he-said, she-said cases of sexual misconduct. He was no fan of the #metoo movement and believed there was far too much bias afforded to anyone bringing an unsubstantiated complaint.

Adele Edwards had made a name for herself winning civil litigation cases where consent was in question. Most of the cases were uncountable, in other words they were he-said she-said, without witnesses to the act, but accompanied by forensic evidence which was often not conclusive. The presence of semen and even bruising and flesh wounds could be explained away by the defence as vigorous consensual sex. Adele's forte was winning over the jury and making them sympathetic to the plaintiff. In one notable case she had taken the stand herself and told of her own sexual assault by a gang of fellow students at college and explained that compliance under coercion and intimidation did not signify consent, neither did the victim becoming sexually aroused during the attack.

Adele Edwards called her first witness after a short break.

Janet Pennyworth was a fifty-something woman of pleasant disposition who was attractive although she carried a few extra pounds. She had a kind, open face and was the perfect plaintiff's witness. They got the deposition out of the way quickly and Adele began the questioning in earnest.

"So you are a senior clerical assistant at Dynamic Aerospace Solutions, Los Angeles California and you were at your desk on the day of the alleged incident," Adele was leading the witness but this was a civil case and these facts had been established during the preliminary questioning of the deposition.

"Yes," Janet smiled sweetly at the jury, as she had been instructed to do during witness preparation.

"Please tell the court what you saw on the day in question," Adele liked her witnesses to extrapolate rather than to ask a series of direct questions.

"I saw Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer go into Oliver Randal's office. She stayed in the office for about thirty minutes or so and then suddenly the door was flung open and Amanda staggered over to me and told me she had been raped," Janet's smile had vanished and she looked angry.

"What exactly did Amanda Palmer say?" Adele asked.

"She said 'Rape! Rape! Rape! I've been raped. Mister Randal has raped me!' Amanda was crying," Janet gave Oliver Randal a scathing look.

"So she was distressed. How did she look?" Adele continued.

"Her uniform was dishevelled. She was missing a shoe, her skirt was hitched up and her nylons were full of runners and her panties were torn and hung around one ankle, her blouse had been torn open and her makeup and hair were ruined," Janet said solemnly.

The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, leaned forward, listening intently. They were getting to the juicy bits of the trial.

"What did you do?" Adele asked.

"I told Julie Westwood to call 911 and helped Amanda Palmer to the break room where I made an attempt to comfort her while we waited for the police and the ambulance," Janet explained.

"And did Amanda say anything to you while you were waiting?" Adele was ready to wrap it up.

"She just kept repeating over and over again that Oliver Randal had raped her," Janet gave Oliver another withering look.

Adele handed the witness over to the defence.

"How long have you worked at DAS Miz Pennyworth?" Weldon Jennings asked, smiling at the witness and giving her an easy question to start with.

"Over twenty years. I started working for Mister Randal way back when we were in our old offices when the company was just starting out," Janet was proud of her service to the company.

"And you are now part of the managerial administration of the company, even though you described yourself as a senior clerical assistant, a better title might be Executive Assistant would it not?" Weldon asked.

"Objection, leading," Adele interjected.

"Withdrawn," Weldon said dismissively.

He could tell that Janet Pennyworth was flattered at being referred to as an Executive Assistant. Weldon had achieved what he wanted.

"And how long have you known Oliver Randal?" he continued his line of questioning.

"I've known Mister Randal all the time that I've been with the company," Janet replied.

"And during the time you've known Oliver Randal have you ever experienced any form of harassment or witnessed him harassing other female members of the staff or women generally?" Weldon asked.

Weldon knew he was sailing close to the wind here but he was taking his chances.

"Well, like a lot of gentlemen of his generation he is sometimes condescending and has a wondering eye but I've never seen him actually harass any women, no."

"And have you heard any complaints or rumours that he has used his position to obtain sexual favours?" Weldon asked.

"I've not heard any complaints per se; but I think he might have gotten a little closer to one of the legal secretaries in the Compliance section than decorum would dictate," Janet Pennyworth seemed pleased with her answer.

"But you never heard the secretary in the Compliance section complain or look distressed or request a transfer or resign?" Weldon knew all about Oliver's brief affair with the little vixen from Compliance.

"Well you know young people these days. Their moral compass tends to swing as the mood takes them," Janet tsked.

"I'll take that as a no. And did you actually witness Lieutenant Commander Palmer being attacked or did you see anything that occurred in Mister Randal's office?" Weldon was nearly done.

"No. The blinds in his office were closed and the door was closed; in fact I heard it lock when Lieutenant Commander Palmer went inside the office," Janet folder her arms, she was getting annoyed.

"You didn't hear any screams, cries for help, or sounds of a scuffle or fight?" Weldon asked.

"No... well not really. I did hear muffled voices but nothing I could decipher. The walls are insulated and as I said the door was locked and the blinds were drawn," Janet seemed pleased with her answer.

And so was Weldon Jennings.

"And is it unusual for Oliver Randal to have his blinds drawn and door locked?"

"Well no. A lot of his work is classified and he has access to the secure Defense network so he is obliged to keep his office locked down when he's working on sensitive material," Janet replied.

"After Amanda Palmer staggered, as you put it, from Mister Randal's office; did he make any attempt to leave? To run away? Any attempt to restrain Lieutenant Commander Palmer or to contradict her, to shout her down so to speak?" Weldon asked.

"He just sat in his office until the police arrived. He looked stunned," Janet sighed.

"Thank you Miz Pennyworth. Nothing more your honour," Weldon had done the best he could.

Adele bought in Julie Westwood who had seen exactly the same series of events that Janet Pennyworth had seen and heard. Weldon Jennings elicited the same responses to his questions: no Julie Westwood had not witnessed any sexual assault and spoke favourably to Oliver Randal's character.

"You honour, the defence is prepared to stipulate that the next three witnesses will provide the same testimony as provided by Miz Janet Pennyworth and Miz Julie Westwood and that they will respond in kind to questions submitted by the plaintiff and the defence. In the interests of a speedy trial and to unburden the court I request my stipulation be upheld and spare the court hours of repetition," Weldon said to Judge Chatsworth.

"So stipulated. Move along Miz Edwards," the judge was obviously bored.

Adele looked at the jury and decided that objecting and calling another three witnesses to say the same thing would only irk them. They had heard Janet Pennyworth's testimony and heard it corroborated by Julie Westwood; it was enough that the jury knew that she had three more witnesses that could substantiate the evidence; they didn't need to hear it.

Both Oliver Randal and Adele Edwards knew that keeping the jury onside was the only way to win this trial.

The judge recessed for lunch and Adele was torn between her loyalty to her client, who seemed to need constant reassurance, and to her kidnapped daughter Kimberly. She compromised and spent half an hour with Amanda Palmer, assuring her that the trial was going their way and then handed her over to her co-counsel, Sandra Cochran, while she slipped away to make some calls.

"Anything?" Celia asked.

"I've heard nothing at all. I received a text from Cassandra Rivers on my burner but I haven't read it yet; I'm too busy trying my case," Adele replied.

"I'm going crazy Adele; Michelle DeLong is holding my case together. All I can think about is Kimberly and Alisha," Celia was stoic under pressure but Adele could sense the intense strain she was under.

"The kidnappers will have to make their demands soon otherwise it's pointless. Let's talk hard facts: if the girls had been kidnapped by traffickers we'd never hear from them, they would have just disappeared. If they were sexual psychopaths, they would have done what they were going to do to them by now and moved on. The kidnappers told me they would be making demands soon so we just have to wait it out," Adele fought back tears.

"Are sure we shouldn't go to the FBI Adele? The kidnappers seem to only want to talk to you and you seem to be making decisions for both of us," Celia said coldly.

"Look... they told me that we need to make it worthwhile for them to keep the girls unharmed and alive. That if we do what they ask they will not touch them and keep them well cared for. They said if we go to the authorities they will kill them. They said they will know if we do," Adele whispered harshly into her phone.

"They know what we're doing; they're monitoring us. They hacked my computer, they have our phone numbers. Steven Baker hasn't been able to trace them and fuck knows what Cassandra has been doing. Until we know what they want we have to carry on like nothing has happened," Adele sighed.

"That's easier said than done," Celia was crying now.

"Look honey... Kimberly is made of stern stuff. I never told you about this, I promised I never would, but she and I have been in a similar situation before and we survived. I can't tell you about it over the phone; I'll tell you about it when you get home. I have to get back to court," Adele looked at her watch.

Celia said nothing for a beat and then her voice was so quiet that Adele could hardly hear her.

"You better tell me Adele. You better assure me our daughter is going to be ok," Celia broke the connection.

She pulled the burner phone from her handbag. It had vibrated whilst she was in court but the judge would have had a fit if she had pulled the phone from her bag. The only other person beside Celia with the number was Cassie so the message had to have come from her.

'I have something. Don't try to contact me, I'll contact you' the message read

Adele went to the ladies room to fix her face and when she came out she was all business. She re-entered the court and took her seat. During the break a large video screen had been positioned so it could be seen by the judge, the jury and the defence team.

"You honour the plaintiff calls Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Long," Adele called her first witness after lunch.

After Jessica Long was sworn in Adele began her questioning.

"Can you identify yourself and your current position please?"

"I am Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Long and I'm currently the sexual assault response coordinator and uniformed victim's advocate stationed at the Sixty-First Medical Squadron at the US Air Force base Los Angeles," Jessica looked pretty and prim in her uniform but she gave off an attitude that she was not to be messed with.

The jury were getting excited. There would be more juicy evidence for them to digest. Weldon Jennings made a point of appearing calm and Oliver Randal remained stoic.

The screen was suddenly filled with an official looking document.

"Master Sergeant Long, can you tell us what we are looking at on the screen please?" Adele asked in a deferential tone.

"That is a Department of Defense Form 2911, Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Report, usually referred to as a SAFE report. Its principal purpose is to document the medical and forensic examination of a sexual assault victim. Form 2911 also documents the victim's reporting preference, that is either Restricted or Unrestricted, which is an intrinsic part of the sexual assault prevention and response program," Master Sergeant Long said by rote.

"In Part C of the report, Lieutenant Commander Palmer elected the reporting option Restricted, is that correct," Adele pointed to the appropriate part of the form with her laser pointer.

"Correct Ma'am, just as you see there on the screen," Jessica Long asserted.

"What is the difference between a Restricted and an Unrestricted report?" Adele made a point of looking at a document in her hand.

"If the victim elects to file a Restricted Report, the sexual assault can only be disclosed to the uniformed victim advocate, sexual assault response coordinator, the victim advocate, sexual assault response coordinator and healthcare personnel."

"Restricted Reporting is confidential and does not trigger an investigation or command involvement, and allows the victim to access to
Advocacy services, medical and counselling services, and victims' legal counsel," Master Sergeant Long explained.

"So this form is used solely by the Department of Defense?" Adele looked up from her notes.

"Yes. It was introduced by the DoD in response to the ending of violence against women campaign after the US military's abysmal record of dealing with sexual assault victims was made public," Senior Master Sergeant Long said bitingly.

"Objection, the witness is testifying to facts not in evidence," Weldon Jennings rose to his feet.

"Overruled. Too late now anyway counsellor the plaintiff's counsel has made her point," the judge waived his hand dismissively.

"Are there any exceptions to these rules Master Sergeant Long?" Adele asked.

"In some states, including California, healthcare providers are required to report sexual assaults to law enforcement, and cannot offer a Restricted Report," Jessica Long answered.

"So what happened in the case of Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer? You would know of course, having been appointed her Victim's Advocate, is that correct?" Adele was getting to the point.

"Commander Palmer's incident was reported to the civilian first responders via a 911 call made from the offices of Dynamic Aerospace Solutions. When the police arrived Lieutenant Commander Palmer refused to answer any questions and when the emergency medical team arrived she allowed them to provide her with first aid but insisted on being taken to the nearest military hospital for treatment," Master Sergeant Long replied.

"Because she refused to identify her assailant or even admit that an assault had taken place, the police just lodged an incident report in their system and left the scene. The EMTs drove Commander Palmer to the Los Angeles Air Force base and handed her over to us at 61 Medical Squadron," Jessica articulated.

"And it was here that Lieutenant Commander Palmer was forensically examined and the aforementioned Form 2911 was completed?" Adele was leading the witness again but she made the most of the latitude afforded her.

"What condition was she in when she arrived?"

Now the jury were very alert again.

"Her uniform was dishevelled and her blouse had been torn open. Her skirt appeared to be spattered with semen and her pantyhose and undergarments were torn. I stayed with her while the medical officer examined her and completed the SAFE report. Her clothes were sealed in evidence bags for further forensic examination," Master Sergeant Jessica Long explained.

"She changed into in a hospital gown. While she was undressed I observed bruises on her hips, thighs and buttocks but you have the full SAFE report provided to you by the JAG," Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Long sat with her back straight, confident that she had done her duty.

Adele handed her witness over to Weldon Jennings.

"Master Sergeant Long, is it true that had Amanda Palmer undertaken her SAFE examination at a civilian hospital, her alleged assault would have had to be reported to civilian authorities who could investigate the offence regardless of her wish not lodge a complaint with the police?" Weldon went for the jugular.

"Objection your honour, the witness is not a legal practitioner," Adele sprang to her feet.

"No she's not your honour but in her role as a military sexual assault response coordinator and uniformed victim's advocate she would know that if the Form 2911 was completed at a civilian hospital, the plaintiff would not have the option to make a Restricted report," Weldon countered.

"Overruled, the witness may answer," the judge grunted.

"Yes sir, you are correct," it was obvious that Jessica Long disliked Weldon Jennings.

"But this Restricted report, with its very limited distribution, was provided to the plaintiff's counsel." Weldon continued.

"Is there a question there your honour?" Adele called from her seat.

"The question was implied counsel; you are not auditioning for The Good Wife here," the judge snapped at Adele.

"Lieutenant Commander Palmer requested that the DoD provide the SAFE report to her civilian attorney, which is her right," Jessica replied smugly.

"So Amanda Parker did not want the JAG to investigate the alleged offence, nor did she want the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate the offence but was happy to provide all of her private information to her civil attorney for the purpose of a civil lawsuit in order for her to make money," Weldon snapped back.

"Objection!" Adele flew to her feet.

"Sustained! The jury will disregard the defence counsel's question and you will be careful Mister Jennings," the judge growled at Weldon Jennings but Weldon had made his point regardless.

"During the SAFE examination, did anyone search Amanda Palmer's handbag or was it taken into evidence?" Weldon continued as if nothing had happened.

"No. Only exhibits deemed relevant to the attack were taken into evidence," Jessica replied, looking a little confused at the question.

"No further questions for this witness your honour," Weldon sat down, satisfied that he had damaged the plaintiff a little.

Adele was about to call her next witness, Doctor John Littlewood a forensic expert, when Judge James Duncan Payton Chatsworth III called it a day and adjourned the court.

Adele spent precious moments with Amanda Palmer telling her that today had been a victory for the plaintiff, something she wasn't entirely confident of. Then she and Sandra Cochran had a quick strategy meeting and talked about how they would present their witnesses the next day.

*****

The thought of going back to the empty apartment she shared with Celia and where they had nurtured Kimberly through adolescence after she and Celia had adopted her depressed Adele. She decided to get a drink and eat out. If she went to their favourite restaurant it would only remind her of Celia so instead she went to O'Malley's, an Irish pub close to home that served traditional Irish dishes, she was suddenly ravenous.

It was early so Adele was able to get a booth in back away from the crowded bar; she was not in the mood for people. She carried her pint of Guinness to the booth having placed her dinner order with bartender. She set up her laptop and arranged a legal pad and a pen on the table, effectively claiming the booth as her own and then she used the conveniences.

When she returned she found Cassie Rivers sitting in the booth across from where Adele had nested. Cassie also had a pint of Guinness in front of her. A waitress came over carrying two plates.

"One Irish stew and one colcannon," the girl said with a broad Irish accent.

"I'm the colcannon," Cassie raised her hand.

Cassie moved Adele's laptop and legal pad out of the way so the waitress could set down Adele's dish. Adele was still standing watching the waitress arrange cutlery and napkins.

"Do you mind if I join you for dinner?" Cassie looked up at Adele.

"Looks like you're settled in," Adele replied scooting across the bench.

Adele took a long pull on her Guinness and then began to tuck into her stew. It was only when she began to bolt down her food that she realised that she hadn't eaten all day.

Cassie chinked her glass against Adele's and tucked into her colcannon. Neither spoke until they had finished eating.

"Sorry; I was ravenous," Adele burped discreetly into her napkin.

"Me too, but I'll have to put in an extra five miles tomorrow to burn up all these carbs," Cassie smiled at Adele.

"You're a runner? You look like a runner,' Adele replied.

"My partner got me into it when we first met and it just stuck. It's addictive I suppose," Cassie smiled.

"You didn't join me for dinner to talk about your exercise regime," Adele wished she still smoked; a cigarette would be the perfect ending to her meal.

"May I?" Cassie pointed to the bench seat beside Adele and Adele nodded.

Cassie slipped into the seat beside Adele. Cassie was wearing a suit similar to what she had worn yesterday: black pencil skirt with a side kick-pleat, a pristine white satin blouse, nearly-nude fifteen denier hosiery and patent-leather black high heels. Adele was acutely aware of the proximity of Cassie's body and the Fracas eau de parfum she wore smelled exotic. The side pleat of Cassie's skirt had opened exposing her leg and because Adele insisted on wearing short skirts, their thighs were touching, their nylons rubbing sensuously together when they moved.

"Two Jack Daniel's on the rocks," Cassie smiled at the pretty waitress who was clearing their table.

"How do you know I drink Jack Daniel's?" Adele asked.

She didn't know why but she resented that Cassie knew where she was and had just invited herself to dinner.

"I know all about you Adele. You're my client so I need to know everything there is to know about you so that I can best serve you," Cassie smiled sweetly but her eyes were cold.

"But I know nothing about you," Adele countered.

"A search of the web produced nothing; it's like you don't exist. Now if you were some schmuck housewife or secretary I'd expect that. But even housewives and secretaries exist on social media, most likely on Facebook or LinkedIn. But there is nothing anywhere on Cassandra Rivers; unless of course this is you?" Adele spun her laptop around and clicked on a jpeg image.

Cassie looked amused at the picture on the screen.

A tall attractive young woman with long thick black hair wearing heavy makeup, clad in tight black denim, a leather jacket and a pair of Falco Ayda calf-high leather boots sat astride a Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide motorcycle. Over the leather jacket the young woman wore a denim vest embroidered with a 1% badge high on the right breast and below in gold on black embroidery was a patch that read 'Original' and above that another that read 'Men Of Mayhem'. On the left beast was a stylised emblem of a woman riding a motor cycle with the words 'Biker Bitch' above and 'Don't Fuck With Me' below.

"Where did you find this?" Cassie looked intently at the picture.

"I just typed Cassie Styles into the search engine but this is the only thing that came up that even resembles you. That isn't you is it?" Adele asked.

"Not anymore," Cassie said wistfully.

"Look Adele I didn't join you for dinner for social intercourse, I have an update for you. I'm going to show you something and I want you to keep calm; we're in a public place and what you are about to see might be disturbing," Cassie put her hand over Adele's to comfort her.

The closeness of Cassie's body, her hand touching hers and their thighs pressing together was disconcerting to Adele. Her wife had only just left for Missionville that morning and her daughter was being held hostage, the intimacy she was feeling seemed inappropriate.

Adele nodded almost imperceptibly.

Cassie reached across to put a thumb drive into a USB port on Adele's laptop and her hair brushed Adele's face. Cassie smelled wonderful.

"Ok here we go," Cassie bought up a video file and played it.

The imagery was grainy but still sharp enough to perceive everything. It appeared to be taken from overhead, likely a surveillance or security camera.

Adele gasped and then held her breath.

A white woman and black woman were walking down a pathway near a park. Even from the distance that the video was taken you could see that they were young and pretty, they were wearing spandex workout clothes, carrying gym bags with suit carriers slung over their shoulders, they appeared to be engrossed in conversation.

A white van pulled up beside them and a door was flung open and two masked men wearing dark clothing leapt out and grabbed the girls, pressing something over their faces. The girls dropped their suit carriers and gym bags and struggled briefly but they became unconscious almost immediately.

The men manhandled the girls into the Econoline and quickly drove away.

"Breathe Adele," Cassie squeezed Adele's hand.

Adele gasped.

"It's them," Adele whispered.

"I know. This video was taken from a security camera covering Bruin Walk at UCLA but something's not quite right," Cassie closed the program and unplugged the flash drive.

Adele looked at Cassie questioningly, faintly aware that Cassie still held her hand.

"As you would expect on a university campus there are security cameras everywhere. We have our ways, as I've made you aware, of accessing almost any data stored on any platform. Both the UCLA PD and LAPD have cameras covering that area and all footage taken during the time of the abduction except for this has been wiped clean," Cassie held up the flash drive.

"The kidnappers infiltrated the systems and deleted the video but left this there for us to find I'm sure of it. As soon as we found the video and downloaded it, it was automatically deleted from the police servers. These guys are really good Adele. They wanted us to find the video but they don't want the authorities to see it," Cassie explained.

"More proof that they really have my daughter and Alisha," Adele whispered.

Cassie nodded.

The women sat in silence for a while then Adele gulped down her drink and slammed the glass back down on the table. She waved at the waitress for two more.

"What now?" Adele asked.

"We have somewhere to start. We know where the abduction took place and we accessed every security camera in the area and were able to follow the Ford Econoline van the kidnappers were using. The trail ended at Central City North, the warehouse district in downtown Los Angeles. There are literally hundreds of security cameras in that area but stored video footage for the time in question has been deleted," Cassie said.

"The kidnappers," Adele muttered unnecessarily.

"At least we know they are still in the city. The BNSF and Union Pacific Railroad lines run through that area but we doubt the kidnappers would risk transporting the girls by train," Cassie smiled at the waitress who bought their drinks.

Adele was aware that Cassie was still holding her hand and she disengaged and reached for her drink.

"You have to be strong Adele. You have to believe that the kidnappers are keeping the girls safe; it's in their interests to do so," Cassie said.

"That's easy for you to say. It's not your daughter," Adele hissed.

"Adele. I know that you're strong. I told you that I know all about you. I know what you went through in college, your transition and coming out to the world as a transgender woman. You are proudly transgender but you don't push it in people's faces," Cassie reached for Adele's hand again and squeezed it.

Adele snatched back her hand.

"You don't know what I went through in college. You could never know what happened to me. How it affected me. What it's like to be me," Adele snapped.

Cassie reached for Adele's laptop and brought up the picture of the woman on the motorcycle and tapped the screen.

"When I was twenty-one I spent four days chained to a billiard table in the Beasts of Burden Motorcycle Club clubhouse. I was continually gang raped over those four days and when they'd finished with me they took me out into the desert and threw me in a hole and left me for dead," Cassie said wistfully.

"I was rescued... well sort of... it's a long story, but I returned to the Club and claimed what was rightfully mine: a full-patch membership, the respect of the other members and revenge on those who had wronged me. That was a long time ago. The woman seated on that motorcycle has long gone, but that was me," Cassie took a sip of her drink.

"It's not the same," Adele whispered.

Cassie leaned into Adele and whispered in her ear.

"They chained me to that billiard table because I used to be the son of the founding father of the MC. They found me dressed as a girl, dragged me to the clubhouse and abused me because they hated what I had become. It made me stronger. I wouldn't be the woman I am today if those terrible things hadn't happened."

Cassie picked up her pocket book.

"It's the same," Cassie said and eased herself out of the booth.

*****

The court reconvened for the second day of trial and Judge James Duncan Payton Chatsworth III quickly bought matters to order; the judge was a staunch supporter of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution which asserts the right to a speedy trial. He was not one to allow his docket to become congested.

Adele called her first witness, Doctor John Littlewood, a forensic science examiner.

Adele spent some time establishing Doctor Littlewood as an expert witness to the satisfaction of the court. While this was going on exhibits were arranged on a table and the large screen was once again positioned so it could be seen by the judge, the jury and the defence team.

Adele couldn't help thinking that it would most likely be Kimberly assisting her co-counsel with the exhibits and preparing the evidence for her. It was one of the duties Adele allowed Kimberly to perform as a paralegal so she could get exposure to court proceedings. She put her daughter out of her mind and addressed the witness.

John Littlewood was an expert in his field and Adele had used him many times before in sexual assault cases but he had a tendency to become pompous and wonder off point, labouring in minutiae that sometimes tested the jury's patience. Adele had briefed him to keep his testimony short, sharp and simple unless she directed specific questions to him.

Once again Lieutenant Commander Palmer's SAFE report was projected on the screen.

"Doctor Littlewood, are you familiar with the Department of Defense Form 2911?" Adele asked.

"I am very familiar. Its title is in fact DoD Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Report and forensics is my field of expertise," the doctor sounded a little self-congratulatory so Adele moved him along.

"We will move on from the general information and consent parts of the form and examine the patient history and activity," Adele nodded to the court clerk who gave copies of the form to the judge, the defence and the members of the jury so they could follow.

"I object again your honour. This is a Defense Department document and this is a civil trial not a military court," Weldon Jennings was quick to his feet.

"We had this out in pre-trial motions Mister Jennings and once again your objection is overruled," the judge didn't even look up from the form he was studying.

Weldon Jennings knew the contents of the form were inflammatory and had tried to get it excluded from the trial without success but he made the objection to once again to remind the jury that Amanda Palmer had foregone a criminal investigation and gone straight to civil litigation.

"The defendant has stipulated on the form that prior to the alleged attack that she had not participated in any sexual activity for five days and had not cleaned herself prior to the forensic examination," the doctor began to give his evidence.

"It is then recorded that the defendant's vulva was swollen and she had bruising on her buttocks, thighs and hips. I examined the forensics photographs taken by the examiner. The swelling to the vulva and perineum in my opinion are consistent with violent sexual penetration. The examiner used toluidine blue dye in the area which gave a positive indication for semen which concludes that at some stage of the attack she was penetrated by a penis," Doctor Littlewood said as the forensic photographs were passed around the jury.

Amanda Palmer looked humiliated as the members of the court examined pictures of her intimate body parts.

"And the bruising?" Adele raised her eyebrows indicating for her witness to continue.

"The bruising on the hips is consistent with someone being held forcefully, the bruising on the buttocks and thighs are consistent with someone undertaking vigorously physical activity. They are common on women who have been sexually assaulted."

Weldon Jennings was tempted to object but he kept his powder dry. He would have his chance to rebut the evidence during cross.

"What other parts of the form are relevant to your specific field?" Adele asked.

"As you can see on the form, there were toxicology examples taken, a vaginal speculum exam was conducted and samples taken, and her clothing was taken into evidence," the doctor said while Adele followed him down the form on the screen with her laser pointer.

"Did you have access to all evidence and specimens taken during the exam and if so what did you find?" Adele was now prepared to allow John Littlewood to prattle on because what he was about to say was damning to the defence.

"Amanda Palmer's toxicology report proved negative for alcohol and drugs. There was semen found in and around her vagina and on her thighs. There was saliva around her mouth, neck and breasts and her uniform skirt returned a positive result for semen," the reports were passed around the jury but they had little interest in the paperwork.

They were however very interested when Amanda Palmer's navy blue uniform skirt was passed around; the numerous chalky semen stains on the front of the skirt were obvious.

"Did you conduct a DNA test on the semen and saliva samples Doctor Littlewood?" Adele held her breath for the answer.

"The samples were all determined to belong to the defendant, Mister Oliver Randal," the jury murmured at the witness's response.

"And how accurate are current DNA testing techniques?" the cherry was about to be placed on the cake.

"My tests are 99.9 percent accurate," Doctor John Littlewood couldn't help a smug grin.

"Finally, is it your belief that from your examination of the evidence and the findings of your forensic analysis that Lieutenant Commander Amanda Palmer was sexually assaulted?" Adele had coached the doctor to pause for dramatic effect and he did.

Then...

"Yes," he answered simply.

Adele did not want to bore the jury to death with scientific jargon so left the questioning there.

Weldon Jennings got to his feet and made a point of turning off the screen and moving it out of the way and waited patiently for the exhibits to be returned to the evidence table so he had the jury's full attention.

"You did not actually conduct the forensic examination on Amanda Palmer did you Doctor Littlewood?" he began.

"No I did not. Just the exhibits and evidence collected from her," John Littlewood replied.

"You've given testimony at numerous trials Doctor Littlewood, you know you should limit your response to the question being asked," Weldon had scored a point when the doctor blushed.

"Do you know who did conduct the forensic examination?" he continued.

"Captain Joseph Morales US Air Force oversaw the exam. He signed and dated the SAFE report," John Littlewood squirmed a little in his seat.

"And do you know why Captain Joseph Morales US Air Force is not here to provide testimony?" Weldon smiled waiting for the objection.

Adele flew to her feet but the judge motioned for her to sit.

The judge turned to jury.

"The plaintiff's counsel was about to object on the grounds that the expert witness' response would only be hearsay. Now if this was a criminal trial, I would sustain the objection but once again I stress that this is a civil proceeding and the plaintiff and the defence are allowed some laxity," he explained.

"Answer the question to the best of your knowledge Mister, sorry, Doctor Littlewood," the judge turned back to the witness.

"Captain Joseph Morales refused our request to participate in the trial and the JAG had the subpoena issued by the plaintiff's counsel quashed," John Littlewood shook his head.

"So you had no opportunity to confer with the man who conducted the medical exam immediately after the event?" Weldon was on a roll.

"No," John Littlewood would not be drawn further.

"But my client attended your laboratory and freely gave you hair, blood and saliva samples. He even surrendered the clothes he was wearing on the day of the incident, all without the need of a subpoena, is that right?" Weldon put out his hand to indicate Oliver Randal who was sitting up straight at the defendant's table.

Weldon didn't wait for an answer.

"To summarise your testimony, you claim the bruising and swelling and secretions found on the plaintiff are consistent with sexual assault. Is that correct?" Weldon asked.

"Violent sexual assault!" John Littlewood said angrily.

Weldon let the overemphasis go.

"Could they not also be consistent with vigorous consensual sexual activity?" Weldon asked.

"Yes, but not in my opinion," the doctor answered, but Weldon had scored another point.

"One final matter before we conclude doctor. The list of exhibits includes the plaintiffs torn pantyhose and panties. Did you find any semen or bodily fluids on either of those garments?" Weldon asked.

Adele looked confused. Why was he asking that question?

"I found nothing on those garments. But that's not to say they were not torn off during the attack," John Littlewood appeared smug again.

"If it please the court, I'd like to read an excerpt of the transcript of Miz Janet Pennyworths testimony?" Weldon looked at the judge who nodded.

Adele knew there was no point objecting, the transcript was already in evidence and on the record.

"'Her uniform was dishevelled. She was missing a shoe, her skirt was hitched up and her nylons were full of runners and her panties were torn and hung around one ankle' is what Miz Pennyworth testified."

"If this was the violent attack you eluded to and Amanda Palmer came out of Oliver Randal's office still wearing her pantyhose, wouldn't they too be stained by semen given it was found on her genitals, around her vagina, on her thighs and on her skirt?" Weldon said forcefully.

"They could have been removed during the attack," John Littlewood was still smug.

"So you hypothesise that Amanda Palmer, who you allege had just been violently sexually assaulted, stopped to put on her torn and runnered pantyhose before she left Oliver Randal's office?" Weldon grinned sarcastically at the doctor.

"Objection!" Adele almost screamed at the judge.

"Don't bother to answer Doctor," Weldon turned his back on the witness and went back to the defence table.

*****

The next witness that Adele put on the stand was Steven Baker; he had conducted a forensic examination of Amanda Palmer's cellular phone and found a series of messages and emails from Oliver Randal. Adele took a deep breath to steady herself. Steven Baker had worked closely with Kimberly in her role as a paralegal when he examined the phone; Kimberly had put the evidentiary presentation together as part of the legal brief. Adele had to clear the images from her head of Steven Baker and Kimberly working in the office, stooped over the phone extracting and recording the data.

"Please identify yourself, your current employer and your area of expertise to the court," Adele began once she composed herself.

"I am Steven Baker and I am the Information Technology Specialist for Edwards and Bettany Attorneys at Law. I manage the firm's IT requisites and I am also a computer and digital forensic investigator," Steven Baker said.

"So you work for me?" Adele ensured the jury knew that he was her employee in case Weldon tried to make a deal of it.

"Yes, in the capacities that I have stated," Steven Baker was now ready to give evidence.

"You conducted a forensic examination of Commander Palmer's phone did you not?"

"Yes. Lieutenant Commander Palmer provided her phone to the law firm at your request," Steven Baker turned to the large screen where a series of text messages appeared.

"I first examined the text messages she had received on her personal phone. Some were still stored on her phone and some had been deleted but I was able to recover them. Some were very explicit and had images attached."

A series of 'dick pics' appeared on the screen.

Adele had Steven Baker read out some of the more explicit text messages and emails that Amanda had received. They were mainly complementary but contained provocative comments about her body and requests for sexual favours. There were enquiries as to what underwear she was wearing and descriptors of the type of lingerie the sender liked women to wear.

"And were you able to ascertain where the texts, emails and messages originated?" Adele was smiling.

"They were all traced to devices owned by Oliver Randal and the emails were traced to his account," Steven Baker said smugly.

Weldon Jennings knew this testimony was coming and had instructed Oliver Randal not to show any emotion or to turn away from the jury, he had been directed to remain impassive which he did.

Adele had Steven Baker explain how he had ascertained this information but kept it brief; she didn't want to bore the jury with technical jargon. She handed her witness to the defence.

"While you were examining the texts and email that you have read out to the court, did you also examine Amanda Palmer's responses?" Weldon asked.

"Yes I did," Steven Baker was not going to embellish his answers.

The screen changed and a series responses to the texts appeared.

"Can you read the text messages displayed on the screen?" Weldon asked.

Steven Baker read out a few responses such as: 'that's naughty', 'you're very dirty', 'I am not doing that'; all very vanilla.

"Would you describe these responses as rather banal and innocuous?" Weldon asked.

"I found nothing explicit or encouraging from Commander Palmer if that's what you mean?" Steven Baker sounded self-satisfied.

"But did you find any responses from her telling the sender to stop sending the messages?" Weldon asked.

"No, but like I said there were no responses that I saw that encouraged the sender either," Steven Baker countered.

"But to clarify; there were no messages that implicitly told the sender to cease or desist?" Weldon wanted to make his point.

"None that I found," Steven Baker responded.

"Nothing further," Weldon Jennings turned his back on the witness dismissively.

*****

After lunch, Adele put the witness on the stand that the jury really wanted to hear from: Amanda Palmer. Adele and Sandra had spent hours with Amanda going over her testimony and grooming her. It was imperative that the jury believe her and become sympathetic to her. They had warned Amanda that the defence would be rough on her but she responded that eleven years military service had made her tough. Adele warned her not to appear too tough; she needed to appear to be vulnerable.

"Lieutenant Commander Palmer where were you stationed and what were your duties around the time assault took place?" Adele began.

"I was assigned to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station and seconded on TDY to the AIM-260 project Trials and Evaluation Team. Because of the distance involved I worked remotely at the Los Angeles offices of Dynamic Aerospace Solutions."

"I have a small condo close to the offices of DAS," Amanda explained.

"So you work in the offices of DAS. And how long have you known Oliver Randal?" Adele went on, drawing the story out.

"Ever since I was posted to China Lake; so about a year or so. We work closely together," Amanda answered.

"And what was your relationship with Oliver Randal?"

"At first it was just professional but I could tell he liked me. He told me so. Then Oliver started making inappropriate comments and sending me texts. At first I just played along until it became too personal and then I told him to stop which he did."

"What do you mean too personal?" Adele asked.

"He would single me out at meetings and social functions, he'd stand too close, he'd whisper lewd comments and touch me inappropriately. Then he started turning up at restaurants, bars, nightclubs, that sort of thing. He was sort of stalking me."

"He even sent me lingerie through the mail."

"But you never reported him to the company or to your naval superiors?" Adele knew the defence would ask this very question.

"Like I said; he stopped. He became cordial, civil, courteous, you know what I mean. He treated me with respect. That was until he attacked me of course."

"Lieutenant Commander Palmer can you tell the court why you were in the Oliver Randal's office on the day of the attack," Adele asked the question that jury desperately wanted to hear.

"I was there to review some expense reports and to get his signature on them," Amanda replied.

"And you were wearing your uniform; identical to the uniform you are wearing today in court?" Adele asked.

"Yes."

"The office blinds were closed and the door was locked. Why was that?"

"Mister Randal often kept the blinds drawn and asked me lock the door when I entered."

"Is that usual? For the door to be locked while you were in his office?"

"Not always, no. Only if he was working on something classified."

"And were you working on anything classified that day?"

"No. As I said, we were just reviewing expense reports."

"When you were in his office were you sitting and where was Mister Randal sitting?"

"His office is very big. There is a lounge area for informal conferences; I was sitting on the couch there. Mister Randal sat across from me on the other side of the office at his desk reading the expense reports."

"I know this is difficult but please take your time and tell the court about the attack," Adele stood near her client to offer her support.

"Mister Randal asked me to come over to his desk so he could show me an anomaly in one of the reports. When I leaned over to look at the report he put his hand under my skirt and began to touch me. I asked him to stop."

"He didn't, so I tried to pull his hand away but that made him angry. He called me a prick teaser and said that I needed a good fucking and he was the man to do it." Amanda remained impassive, although she was blushing and her eyes were watering.

"He got out of his chair and grabbed me. He pulled me into his arms and tried to kiss me but I struggled and fought him. During the struggle he pulled off my jacket, which I had already unbuttoned to sit. He ripped open my blouse and mauled my breasts with one hand while he squeezed my buttocks with the other. I was pinned against the desk and couldn't get away."

"Then he turned me around and pulled my skirt up, he pulled down my panties and tore my pantyhose. I was trying to kick him and he wailed on my buttocks until I stopped. I was nearly exhausted; the struggle had sapped my strength. He bent me over the desk and entered me. I used my remaining strength to resist but he dug his fingers into my hips and held me while he... he... he copulated with me."

"He did that to me for a while; I lost track of time. Then he pulled himself out of me and dragged me over to the couch and threw me down and then he opened my legs and lay on top of me. I fought him again but he forced my thighs open, it hurt so I stopped resisting. He entered me again and tried to kiss me; he licked my neck and sucked my breasts. I could tell he was nearly done so I used the last of my energy to try to get him out of me. I didn't want him to ejaculate inside me."

"He climaxed and I managed to get him out of me while he was doing so and most of his ejaculate spurted on my body and my skirt."

Adele let Amanda compose herself, she had been sobbing during her description of the assault and the court was deadly silent.

"Then what happened?" Adele's voice was almost a whisper.

"Mister Randal got off me. He went to the ensuite bathroom; to clean up I guess. I ran to the door and unlocked it and came out into the main office. I don't remember clearly, but I know that Janet Pennyworth took me to the break room and that Julie Westwood called the emergency services," Amanda composed herself and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I was in shock but the one thing I knew was that if word of the assault became public my career would be over. Women in the military who make complaints end up on the scrapheap."

Weldon Jennings contemplated objecting but it would only make the jury more sympathetic so he decided against it.

"He was the CEO of a huge corporation with a contract with the Navy worth millions if not billions of dollars. He knew Admirals and Generals, congressmen and senators and I was a lowly ranked naval officer. I knew that I had to get myself to a military establishment."

"That's part of our basic training. Always get back to base. You will be safe back on base."

"I didn't talk the police and I asked the EMTs to take me to the nearest military establishment that had healthcare facilities."

"You were taken to the Sixty-First Medical Squadron at the US Air Force base Los Angeles where you underwent a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination and elected to have the report classified Restricted. Why was that?" Adele asked.

"For all the reasons I just said. Plus I was ashamed. I didn't want my fellow officers to know what had happened to me. I've heard the male officers and sailors talk about women like me; they say we get what we deserve it or that we're just suffering post coital regret. They slut-shame us and say we make allegations out of spite. I didn't want to be one of those women," Amanda was crying again.

"But later you came to me and asked me take your case and file it in civil court. Why?" Adele offered Amanda a fresh handkerchief.

"After a while I couldn't stand myself. I felt worthless. I knew that if I changed my mind and requested that the SAFE report be made Unrestricted and given to the authorities that I would be accused of making the complaint for spite. I wouldn't be a reliable witness. But I didn't want him to get away with it."

"The criminal justice system and the military justice system chew up complainants like me; women who come forward after the event. So I elected to take my case to the civil course to seek retribution," Amanda stopped crying and sat up defiantly in the chair.

"That you very much; you have been very brave," Adele relinquished her witness.

Weldon Jennings knew that how he cross-examined Amanda Palmer was crucial to the defence. He had two aims: to prove the sex was consensual and convince the jury that Amanda Palmer was a gold-digger. He had to be careful not to attack her moral character, in the #metoo age that was judicial suicide. Any woman who alleged that she was sexually assaulted or harassed in a he-said, she-said situation with no other witnesses to the incident was invariable believed.

"Lieutenant Commander Palmer, first of all thank you for your service, how long have you served in the United States Navy?" Weldon asked cordially.

"Eleven years," Amanda had been instructed to answer any questions forthrightly, not to elaborate and not to become argumentative on the stand.

"So you made rank in minimum time, congratulations," Weldon smiled at the witness.

"Objection! Relevance?" Adele called out without even bothering to stand.

"I'm trying to put into context how Lieutenant Commander Palmer was selected for the very important position she occupied at the time of the alleged offence," Weldon countered.

"Overruled," Judge Chatsworth waved his hand dismissively.

Adele knew that if she kept objecting she would antagonise the jury. They wanted to hear the witness testify without interruptions and also it would appear that Adele was deliberately defending her witness from something she had to hide.

"I also notice that the stack of ribbons on your chest is not really that impressive for a person of your rank and time in service. Most officers of your rank and seniority strut around like Spanish Admirals with a huge stack of medals and devices pinned to their chests," Weldon got the jury to chuckle.

"Is there a question in there somewhere counsellor?" the judge asked.

"I'll move on. What I'm getting at is that you have only the most innocuous service ribbons with no combat or achievement awards, yet you made rank in minimal time. How did you achieve that?" Weldon asked.

Amanda Palmer blushed.

"I started out as a Line Officer but decided that the warfare speciality was not for me so I transferred to the Naval Supply Corps. Our assignments are limited so, as you pointed out, I don't have any combat or warlike service ribbons but my job is as essential as those who serve on the front line," Amanda replied.

"So your career has not just been a series of 'pogue' transfers from one cushy posting to another?" Weldon asked and metaphorically ducked for cover.

"Move along counsellor," the judge admonished him which saved Adele having to object to the question.

"What I'm getting at is this. You have insinuated to the court that you hold an important position on the AIM-260 project Trials and Evaluation Team. What exactly is your position on the Trials and Evaluation Team?" Weldon asked.

"I'm the comptroller," Amanda responded proudly.

"So in layman's terms you are an accountant, an administrator, a financial officer?" Weldon extrapolated.

"Are you mansplaining my job Mister Jennings? I have a vital role to play in the project!" Amanda burst out angrily.

Adele sighed and tried to make eye contact with her client and when she did she shook her head, indicting for Amanda to cool down.

"And what is your security clearance?" Weldon asked, unfazed by Amanda's outburst.

"Objection! My clients security clearance is classified information," Adele was on her feet again.

"On the contrary judge; the witnesses security clearance is in itself not classified, it's the information she has access to that is classified," Weldon countered.

Adele had inadvertently assisted Weldon, helping him make his point.

"The witness may answer," the judge replied.

"I have a Confidential security clearance," Amanda answered.

Weldon picked up a sheet off his desk.

"A Confidential clearance is hierarchically the first security clearance a military member gets, typically requiring a few weeks to a few months of investigation and must be renewed every 15 years. Is that correct?" Weldon read from the paper he was holding.

"That is correct, but I fail to see the relevance of it," Amanda snapped back.

Adele shook her head. She wished Amanda would remain on script.

"I'll get to that now. What is the overall classification of the AIM-260 project?" Weldon asked.

"The project is classified Top Secret and a Compartmented clearance is required for access to most of the classified material. But as you pointed out counsellor, my job as comptroller does not require me to have access to classified material," Amanda said with a self-satisfied grin.

"But you told the court that Mister Randal often kept the blinds closed and the door locked when you were in his office because he was working on Top Secret material. Wouldn't he be breaching security?" Weldon asked.

The grin left Amanda's face.

"He probably turned off his computer screen or put the classified files away when I entered. I don't know; you will have to ask him," Amanda's reply was gritty.

"Oh I'm going to ask him Commander; but you told the court that Mister Randal asked you to lock the door. Wouldn't you be suspicious of him asking you to do that?" Weldon asked.

Amanda didn't answer straight away so Weldon continued.

"Are you suggesting that the CEO of a company with a billion dollar Defense contract would risk throwing all that way by committing a security breach? I know for a fact that every log-in and log-out of the Defense security network is recorded, as is access to the Dynamic Aerospace Solutions computer system. Why would he risk his job just to review some expense reports?" Weldon asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he got lazy?" Amanda snapped back.

"Ok. So moving along. You said in your testimony that you and Mister Randal worked closely together and implied that you met often. Is it not a fact that you had only one scheduled weekly appointment to review the administrative operating accounts, that the millions of dollars in research and development funds were handled by the company and that as the naval representative you only handled the administrative expenses?" Weldon asked.

Adele once again considered objecting but remained seated.

"I had a scheduled weekly meeting with him. What I meant by working closely was that we worked closely together during those meetings. As I said, he did seem to turn up at the same social gatherings as I did and he did harass me," Amanda replied.

"I'm going to move onto the alleged assault and I'll try to be as delicate as possible but I will have to ask you some personal questions. First off, can you please examine these exhibits?" Weldon nodded to one of clerks who handed Amanda the sealed evidence bags containing her underwear and skirt.

Amanda handled the exhibits like they carried a virus, reluctant to touch them. She handed them back to the clerk.

"These are the pantyhose and panties you were wearing when the alleged assault took place; is that correct?" Weldon pointed to the items now located on the evidence table.

"Yes," Amanda nodded.

"And you were wearing them before, during and after incident?" Weldon pointed to the table.

"Yes, of course," Amanda was becoming riled.

"You didn't wear some other lingerie to the office and then change into the pantyhose and regulation uniform panties after the alleged assault?" Weldon asked.

"Objection," Adele drawled.

"Withdrawn. Can you explain then how semen was found on your skirt, in and around your sex parts, and on your thighs but not on the pantyhose or panties you were wearing?"

"Objection. The witness is not a crime scene investigator or forensics expert," Adele was quick to respond.

"Sustained," the judge said gruffly.

"Ok moving on. How much do you currently earn Commander Palmer?" Once again Weldon had a sheaf of reference material in his hands.

"I earn around seventy thousand dollars a year plus some allowances," Amanda seemed relieved that they had moved on from questions about the assault.

"Allowances such as rent for the condo in which you lived at the time, paid for by DAS?" Weldon looked up from his notes.

"With allowances and per diem I was earning around one hundred thousand dollars year when I worked at DAS, if that's what you are asking Mister Jennings," Amanda was becoming anxious again.

"And you are currently on administrative leave pending acceptance of your resignation from the United States Navy?" Weldon consulted his notes.

"Yes. My career has been effectively ruined and I'm no longer comfortable serving in the military," Amanda began to tear up.

"And have you applied for civilian employment? Your degree from Annapolis and your distinguished military career would surely make you a prime candidate for a highly paid position," Weldon said sarcastically but didn't look up from his notes.

"Objection," Adele grumbled, fully expecting it to be sustained, as did Weldon.

"I'll allow the question," the judge said.

Amanda looked shocked. She had not been prepared for the question. Adele looked equally shocked.

"I err... I've been too busy with my lawyers and too traumatised to look for outside employment," Amanda stuttered.

Weldon frantically flipped through his notes.

"But your discharge is effective at the end of this month and you will have no military pension. How do you intend to support yourself?" Weldon asked.

Amanda Palmer was speechless and looked to Adele for help.

Weldon seized the moment.

"Isn't it true Miz Palmer that you expect the lucrative damages to be awarded to you from this lawsuit to finance your lifestyle? Is it not also true that you recently purchased the latest model BMW Hommage and have lodged an application with a prominent Los Angeles realtor to find you a condominium with a price cap of two million dollars?" Weldon said angrily.

The judge rapped his gavel repeatedly through the question, banging in faster and louder until Weldon stopped speaking.

"No further questions your honour," Weldon stalked back to his seat.

Amanda Palmer stormed out of the witness chair and made her way back to where Adele Edwards and Sandra Cochran were standing at the plaintiff's table screaming objections at the judge.

"Counsel! Chambers! Now!!" Judge James Duncan Payton Chatsworth III was ropeable.

*****

Judge Chatsworth took off his robes and indicated two chairs in front of his large oak desk. Adele had left Sandra Cochran to try to calm down Amanda Palmer; she took the proffered chair and glared at Weldon Jennings who sat down in the other chair as and smiled at her innocently.

The judge poured three large tumblers of scotch and handed them out without asking who wanted one. He sat behind his desk and took a long pull on his drink.

"I knew this case was going to get messy but you crossed the line in there Weldon," the judge glared at Weldon Jennings.

"Crossed the line! The jury needs to be instructed to ignore any implication that my client is here solely for the money," Adele snapped.

"Really Adele? Isn't that why she's here?" Weldon studied the golden liquor in the crystal glass.

"Judge, you don't have to be a Rhodes Scholar to see that our defence is based on the plaintiff being a self-aggrandising gold-digger who seduced my client with the intent to milk his company of millions in a settlement after she made her false claims. She has now been caught with the consequences of her actions," Weldon Jennings stated.

Judge Chatsworth put out his hand to stop the two counsellors talking.

"We are not here to try this case in chambers. I wanted this case settled before it got anywhere near my court and I still don't understand why you don't just settle Mister Jennings. The recompense that the plaintiff is asking for is a rounding error in your client's capital worth," the judge took a long pull on his drink and then topped it up.

"Judge, my client can't settle at any price. The United States Department of Defense has suffered from bad publicity and been vilified in congress and in the press regarding its record regarding their handling of sexual assault. The Military is working hard to clean up its act and now has strict policies that are punitive to those found guilty of sexually related offences. These policies also apply to Defense contractors," Weldon explained.

"If my client settles, the settlement will be construed as an admission of guilt and his company will lose their Defense contracts, in particular the AIM-260 project. The only recourse would be for my client to resign his position as CEO and leave the company he built from the ground up. That ain't happening judge," Weldon drained his drink and slammed his glass down on the desk with some finality.

"Well it looks like we are going back in the courtroom; how many witnesses do you have left Adele?" Judge Chatsworth asked.

"I'm about done Judge; I'll likely rest my case when we return to the court," Adele had had time to cool down.

"And you are ready to proceed Mister Jennings?" the judge was still angry at Weldon who nodded the affirmative.

"Then we will go back in there for the plaintiff to rest and then reconvene tomorrow to hear from the defence and hopefully have a verdict before the weekend," the judge stood and started to put his robe back on.

*****

When Adele went into her office it was late. She, Sandra Cochran and Amanda Palmer had spent hours in the firm's conference room reviewing Amanda's testimony, trying to evaluate the damage that Weldon Jennings had done to their case when he cross-examined Amanda. They reviewed the defence's witness list and pointedly asked Amanda if she knew what each of the witnesses would say. Adele saw the case slipping away and they needed to crush the defence witnesses during their testimony, particularly Oliver Randal.

She was worried about Kimberly and Alisha, but as instructed by the abductors, she had tried to remain focussed on the case. She continually speculated as to how the Palmer case could possibly be tied to her daughter's abduction. She couldn't see a connection.

She poured herself a drink and then suddenly the computer screen on her desk burst into life. On the screen Kimberly and Alisha were once again chained against a wall. They were wearing clean clothes and makeup. They had obviously been allowed to change out of their sports attire and into the clothes that were going to wear to work on the day of the kidnapping. Adele took cold comfort in the fact that the kidnappers seemed to be looking after the two girls.

But Adele was angry. She'd had a bad day in court and stupidly took out her acrimony on the kidnappers.

The two abductors were once again wearing their nondescript tracksuits and ski masks.

'Hello Adele. Good day in court?' the man typed.

'How do I know what I'm seeing here is real? It could all be staged or pre-recorded,' Adele typed into the text box.

The man walked over to the laptop and fiddled with it a little and suddenly the speakers on Adele's computer burst into life.

"There we go; I've turned on the audio function. You can hear me now, right?" the man said.

"Yes I can hear you," Adele replied.

The man's voice coming from her computer speakers had been altered electronically but she could understand him plainly.

"You think this is smoke and mirrors? Electronic mumbo jumbo? Maybe we should send you something organic to prove we are real?" the man turned to the camera and gave an evil grin.

"It's ok. I believe you." Adele gasped feverously, she realised she'd made a huge tactical blunder.

"No you're right. You need tangible proof... something you can hold in your hand," the man mused, stroking his chin.

"A finger?"

"I can cut off Kimberly's ring finger and you can see that the emerald ring on it is the one you bought her for her eighteenth birthday and of course you could check the fingerprint without alerting the police. We know you have friends in the LAPD and in the Prosecutors office."

"No! No! No! That's not necessary I believe you." Adele was crying.

It was Adele's insistence that had brought about this situation and now she was regretting it.

On the screen the man was wielding a knife, waving it under Kimberly's eyes but her daughter remained unmoved. In that instant she loved her daughter more than ever.

"Ok you don't want me to chop-chop so how about this..."

"Do not turn off your computer Adele. I'll know if you do and worse will happen. Part of your punishment for not believing us is to watch what happens."

"We promised not to sexually assault your daughter and we won't...yet! But I'm going to give you something from her and something from me to prove this is real. Watch, you're going to enjoy this. Well you won't but I will," the man chuckled.

The other man took the camera off the tripod and closed in on Kimberly, first focussing on her pretty face as the other man caressed her cheek and then following the man's hand as it strayed down her body. The man stopped at the hem of her skirt and then lifted the hem up and tucked it the waistband and Kimberly began to struggle and cry out.

"Stop it bitch!" the man put the knife to Kimberly's neck and she stopped struggling.

"Good," the man dropped the knife and his accomplice trained the camera on him as he lowered his tracksuit pants.

The man was fully erect and had an impressive penis.

"No! No! No! Don't" Adele screamed

"Shut up and watch!" the man replied.

The camera focussed on Kimberly's pink nylon panties. They were full-cut and had a cute red bow at the front.

"Ok here we go," the man grunted and his accomplice had to move away to find a better camera angle.

When the camera focussed again Adele was horrified to see that the man was rubbing his erect penis on her daughter's panties, pressing it into her pubic mound.

"Stay silent and watch, otherwise things will get worse for Kimberly," the man grunted as he thrust his cock against her daughter.

It was torture for Adele to watch the man rutting up against her daughter, made all the worse by the man with the camera constantly changing the field of view to show the man pressing his body against Kimberly and alternately showing a close up of the man's cock pressed into the folds of her daughter's labia shrouded in the flimsy pick nylon panties.

The man was obviously close to extremis as he pushed harder and faster against Kimberly's panty-clad pubis she could hear him grunting. The camera remained locked on his cock and on Kimberly's mound.

Then the unthinkable happened. At first Adele thought it was her imagination but then she saw an almost imperceptible movement as her daughter pressed back against the man as he ground himself against her. Kimberly gyrated her groin almost indiscernibly but she was definitely doing it.

During a court case Adele had convinced the jury that a person could be coerced, manipulated and downright compelled to experience pleasure during a sexual assault. She had gone as far as to put an expert witness on the stand to prove it. She herself had orgasmed during her college rape and again multiple times when she was abused in the shotgun shack in the woods.

The man abusing her daughter pressed himself hard against Kimberly, holding her daughter by the shoulders. The cameraman shifted the camera's field of view and focussed on Alisha chained to the wall beside her best friend, watching Kimberly being sexually maltreated by one of their captors. Alisha looked to be in a state of shock but she was unable to look away.

The camera moved back to Kimberly's face which appeared to be both alarmed and confused. Adele understood that her daughter didn't understand why her body was betraying her. Kimberly suddenly gasped and bit her lip and then she closed her eyes. Adele guessed that Kimberly had probably just orgasmed and she felt pity for her.

The camera scanned down Kimberly's body, past her heaving chest pressed against her abductor, down past her skirt which was hiked up and tucked into the waistband and down to her groin where the man was rutting against her sex. There was no mistaking that Kimberly was thrusting back against him, pressing her panty-clad mound against the man's pulsing cock which suddenly erupted, spattering the front of Kimberly's pretty pink nylon panties with glutinous gobbets of hot semen.

Adele whimpered and sobbed; her sorrow almost inconsolable. She wiped away the tears and snot from her face with a tissue and stifled her sobs. She was determined not to break down.

The man in the tracksuit stepped away from Kimberly and hitched up his pants.

"Whooee! That was good!" the man faced the camera.

"We'll have your daughter's pretty pink panties express delivered to you and just to prove we aren't pulling a switcheroo watch this," the man grinned into the camera.

He took a sharpie from his pocket and grunted with exertion as he turned Kimberly around, which was difficult with her wrists chained to the wall and the spreader bar between her feet.

"Here we go," the camera zoomed in for a close-up as the man removed the cap from the sharpie and began to write on the back of Kimberly's panties.

'I'm a spoiled little slut' he wrote across the back panel of her panties.

"There you go. You're welcome to my DNA by the way; I've never been arrested and it's not on file anywhere but I'm sure you'll find that out if you get it tested. Just remember, if you tell any of your law enforcement buddies about us holding the girls for ransom we'll spend some time having fun with them and then get rid of them. Be careful Adele. See you soon," the man grinned into the camera and then the screen went blank.

Once again her computer shut down of its own accord and began to reboot.

To be continued