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five

. . .

“Mr. Burton, can you stand for the reading of the verdict?” the judge asked, as Maximus scanned the courtroom. The only people who had shown up for him were Keon and, ironically, his mother. Everyone else he thought he’d have in his corner was missing in action.

He’d been convicted before and had a crowd of people cheering him on.

Now, ninety-five percent of the courtroom were people affected by Wando’s death.

A murder he didn’t commit. Maximus had done a lot of things, but murdering Wando wasn’t one.

At most, he would’ve wrecked his shit behind the disrespect but murder?

Nah. Not behind a woman who was for everyone.

He’d taken his share of lives over gang shit and vowed that he wouldn’t cross that line anymore.

That was the goodness in him. The goodness warring with the darkness he was born and bred in. Maximus stood, shackled, shoulders back and head held high, hoping that the last of his money that he’d given his lawyer was worth it.

The judge gave him a once over. “I thought the last time I saw you, I said make it the last time? And I really hate I’m looking at you like that.”

Judge Tucker has presided over the bulk of Maximus’ cases since a juvenile. He saw more in him and wanted more for him, but Maximus had to choose him and what was best for him.

“In the case of Maximus Burton vs. Waynesville, the people find you guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in commission of a crime with a firearm, and illegally operating a vehicle without a license. In the case of first-degree murder of Wallace Clark, the people find you not guilty .”

Maximus dropped his head slightly with thanks. But the fact still remained, he was out on parole and arrested with a hot gun on his person.

“These charges alone carry a maximum of twenty years, and it truly saddens me that there’s so much in store for you, and you keep ending up here.

I’m going to cut you one last deal, but hear me clearly, Maximus, I will order you to serve your full time for every charge.

I hereby sentence you to ten years with the eligibility for parole, only on good behavior, after four years. ”

The judge offered him one final look that read get your shit together and banged the gavel.

The trial hadn’t been long, the DNA on Wando’s body was similar, but wasn’t a direct match, leaving the prosecution unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Maximus murdered Wando.

However, as a known drug dealer and given his whereabouts on the night in question, his lawyer was unable to skirt past the fact that his client was cutting up drugs.

As Maximus was being ushered to the back to be processed to go to prison hundreds of miles away, he stopped at Keon and his mother.

“Listen, bro,” Keon spoke up. “Keep your head down and serve your time. I’ll look after your mom and get your shit going.”

Maximus nodded. “I appreciate that.”

Maximus’ mother grabbed his shackled hand and muttered. “You got more in you than this. Show them.”

He took those words, nodded his head, and shuffled to the back. The hours seemed like days. The years were going to feel like an eternity. All he had time to do was plot his next move.