For Better And For Worse
Chapter 17

Krist’s parents take his wife to the hospital while the officers take him to jail. He was taken to the anti-drug squad while awaiting transfer to prison. Meanwhile at the hospital, Isabelle regains consciousness shortly after with tears in her eyes. Stella and her in-laws were there to console her but in vain. It was so hard for her to imagine that she will now live without her husband for five years. Her in-laws took her out of the hospital on doctor’s permission and many of her friends were outside to encourage and support her. After which she was taken home. Meanwhile, her husband in the cell leans against the wall, his eyes raised to the sky, he wonders why all this is happening to him. He tries to imagine his life in prison, which is certain, it will not resemble life. Soon he will go to a place surrounded by criminals, he who is an innocent, how can he live in such a place? Commander Boris joins him in the cell.

Boris: so you want to fall alone? Why are you protecting them Krist?

He does not say anything.

Boris: I’m giving you a chance to tell me who your supplier is and I’ll ease your pain.

Krist: why would you want to lighten my sentence, did I tell you that it is too heavy for me?

Boris: no, but let me warn you that in this place you are going, you will not survive another week.

Krist: Do you care about me now?

Boris: too bad.

Boris leaves.

Krist: I’m sorry about your commander son, but I’m innocent and you know it deep down, but you refuse to accept it.

The commander returns in force towards him and lifts him by the collars.

Boris: who told you about my son?

Krist: Let go of me Commander!

Boris: tell me who told you about my son?

Krist: Don’t forget that I’m already convicted, Commander.

Boris: are you threatening me?

Krist: I’m making you understand something and for the last time, I ask you to let me go.

He refuses to let go so Krist headbutts him in the nose. He lets go and steps back. He puts his hand to his nose and realizes that it is bleeding. In anger, he rushes at Krist with a blow which he dodges and elbows him in the back of the head. The commander stumbles until he hits his head against the cell wall. He turns.

Boris: ok, you want to play, then we’ll play.

He approaches Krist again and they take positions. They start a real fight between men. No one managed to land a hit on anyone until Inspector Kevin and another came to separate them.

Kevin: what’s wrong with you, Commander?

Boris: it was you who told him about my son, wasn’t it?

Kevin: He wanted to understand why you are so angry with him.

Boris: by what right do you dare to talk to him about my son?

Kevin: I’m sorry Commander.

Kevin takes him outside and closes the door. The commander returns to his office and sits down to think.

On the other side, the members of the jury who convicted Krist each return home and each calls Gauthier to pick up either his wife or his son or daughter. In fact, Gauthier had kidnapped them to force them to condemn Krist. Bernard, one of the jury members calls Gauthier, others do the same.

Gauthier: hello!

Bernard: I did what you wanted, now tell me where is my wife?

Gauthier: you did your job well and I am a man of my word. Go into your shower and you will find your wife.

Bernard rushes to get in the shower and finds his wife tied up and her mouth bandaged. He unties her and hugs her tightly against him.

Bernard: are you okay my love?

Claudine: yes my love, I’m fine. Why did this man do this to me?

Bernard: because of the trial, we had convicted an innocent man.

A FEW HOURS RATHER.

Fountain bar.

Gauthier: Jethro, you are going to attend the trial, I want to know the identity of each member of the jury. Prosper, equip him with a camera that will allow us to identify the members of the jury.

Prosper: at your orders boss.

So Prosper equips Jethro with a camera and he goes to the trial. He succeeds in identifying all six members of the jury and Prosper launches a search on each of them. Three men and three women. They find their address as well as their family.

Gauthier: Alexis, go to school the good shepherd, and you kidnap Madame Clémence’s daughter. Arnaud, you are going to go to the university to kidnap Joseph’s son, Claude, go to the central hospital and kidnap Fidèle’s wife, Paulin, go to the Delicious restaurant and kidnap Jeanne’s daughter, Ghislain, go to Alice and kidnaps her son. I personally take care of Bernard’s wife.

Everyone carries out their mission and does it well. Alexis goes to school the good shepherd with a car. He asks to see Clémence’s daughter who is in CE2.

Alexis: hello Éliane, how are you?

Eliane: I’m fine.

Alexis: I’m a doctor, your mother is seriously ill and she wants to see you, come with me.

Eliane: okay, I’ll notify the master.

Alexis: ok go ahead!

Eliane goes to warn her master and joins Alexis to leave with him. This is how he removes it. The others also use other fraudulent means to kidnap others. Meanwhile, Krist’s trial was already going on until the judge said: the trial is suspended and resumes in an hour. Jethro immediately informs Gauthier. While the jury retires to a room awaiting the resumption of the trial, they each receive pre-recorded video messages from Gauthier. Each member of the jury sees his wife or daughter gagged. And masked Gauthier next to him who says:

Gauthier: if you want to see your wife, your son or your daughter again, be sure to condemn the accused who is being tried at the moment.

Tears were in everyone’s eyes as well as fear. Everyone decided to condemn the accused.

PRESENTLY.

Claudine: you did that to protect me my love, you had no other choice. This man was just a stranger.

Bernard: yes but he was innocent.

Claudine: don’t regret what you did for me my love.

While Claudine tells her husband not to have remorse following his choice, the others instead blame their parents for the act they committed.

*

Ally: what you did was wrong dad, you shouldn’t have condemned this innocent man.

Joseph: I had the choice between losing you and condemning him, I did what I judged best for you and me.

Ally: I would have preferred that you honestly fulfilled your duty and left me dad, I thought your job was to do justice? You disappoint me dad.

*

Faithful: my love, it was for you that I did this.

Céline: you convicted an innocent man, do you think I’m going to applaud you because you did it for me?

Faithful: anyone would have done the same. Do you really think I’m going to sacrifice my wife for a stranger? I feel like you’ve never seen how much I love you and how much you mean to me.

*

Gisèle: I know I’m your only child, mom, but that’s not why you’re going to allow yourself to hurt an innocent person. You failed in your duty, mom.

Jeanne: I know my darling but I couldn’t take the risk of losing you, understand me.

Gisèle: of course I understand you, mom, but doesn’t the life of this innocent person you condemned count?

Jeanne: of course it matters, but I don’t regret what I did and if I had to do it again, well I would do it again without hesitation. One day you will be a mother and you will understand.

She leaves in front of her daughter. Meanwhile, at Krist’s home, Isabelle was still crying.

Stella: please Isabelle, think about the baby, you are hurting him.

Odette: please, my daughter, pull yourself together, you are hurting yourself and you are hurting little Krist.

Isabelle: how do I manage to live without my husband for five years, mom, it’s worse than death.

Odette: I know my daughter, I know it won’t be easy but God will be with you, strengthen yourself!

Isabelle: it’s unbearable for me, mom.

Odette: calm down my darling, you risk even losing your baby if you continue to cry and stress yourself like this. Make an effort on yourself and pull yourself together, please. It’ll be OK.

She hugs her to comfort her.