Many people in the crowd nodded when they heard the Major’s request. It was proper and expected. But, a light of anger flickered in Mox’s eyes.

He stood up, startling the deputies assigned to guard them. Their hands immediately touched their guns.

“Judge, I request permission to talk. At least, we should have the chance to protect ourselves, right?”

“Hmpf! The facts are clear. You’ll hang.” a mocking voice was heard from the crowd.

“Silence!” The judge looked angry toward the spot where the voice was heard. “Mox, you have a good point there. This is a neutral court and you all have the chance to defend yourselves. You may speak.”

The deputies took Mox from the bench and brought him in the middle of the court, in front of the judge and jury. They didn’t take the cuffs off though. Mox gave them a strange look because of this, but he regained his composure. He needed all his charisma to convince the jury.

He stood there in the middle on the court with his eyes closed, not saying a word. He was breathing slowly, his chest was moving slowly, barely visible. The crowd stood there silent, waiting for his words. For a few seconds, that felt like hours, nobody moved. You could hear a pin drop in the city hall in that moment.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Your Honor, esteemed guests” Mox’s voice broke the silence. “Many of you may know me as mister Mox, the funny looking guys, always happy and smiling, traveling around town with Rosa, my dear horse. Many of you might know me as the painter that painted their portraits. With many of you in the crowd, I shared a drink at Mike’s bar.”

“I am all that. Happy, funny, a man that could give you a good talk after a few drinks. But today I don’t stand here as that man. Today I stand here as the Black Fox, the leader of the Black Fox's gang.”

Gasps and murmur in the crowd were heard. Even though they knew this fact, they didn’t expect it to hear it from his mouth. The judge was needed again to intervene in making order in his courtroom.

“I don’t deny that. I was expecting to be hanged way sooner that this day. But, I feel the need to bring some light over what the virtuous Major of the Silver Guard said. First of all, Monero doesn’t care about the people. They care only for the profits. If they would care about the people, they wouldn’t send their lackeys to steal the lands from the people they are supposed to help. You, my dear Major, are part of a vicious organization that robs people of their belonging, only to sell them at a higher price later.”

The Major stood up to protest, but Mox didn’t let him to refute his idea.

“This is why I started this group. Because they wanted revenge. It was my idea. All the people from the Black Fox's gang, suffered because of Monero’s activities in way or another. Was it legal? Probably not. Was it just and moral? For us, yes it was.”

“And to respond to another point that the Major said. Mike and Alan, two of my best friends, died in that train attack. I was the one that gave them the order to protect the front. They died protecting their friends, they were not executed. How could I do that?”

“Maybe, it was you who killed them. After all, you guys enjoyed to torture us after you captured us. If it wasn’t for the good sheriff, we would have died by your hands.”

Mox lifted his shirt up, showing the remaining scars from the torture the Silver Guard inflicted upon him.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. I am guilty. I robbed and killed people. I deserve to hang, I don’t deny that. But, I would like you to ask mercy for the people that followed me. They trusted in a foolish young man, that lead them into peril. Please spare them. They have suffered enough.”

Saying this, Mox fell onto his knees, looking toward the jury members. A tear fell from his right eye.

Because Steemit can be a little bit chaotic and many posts can be lost in the big pile, I had an idea. What do you think about setting up a mailing list. Would like to receive a weekly mail from me with those week chapters? Let me know you opinion in the comments.

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The Adventures of Mister Mox - Part 44

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