James sat quietly in his cell with his palms joined together and his elbows resting on his knees, staring at nothing in particular. He was lost in his own thoughts and the heavy noise from the other inmates seemed so distant to him.
His mind wasn't in prison anymore. It was back in Los Angeles.
Recalling how it all began from him hunting down Bryan to been hunted by the Iron Teeth Cartel. Then like a flash he remembered the drive he buried below the trash container few minutes before he went blank.
Bryan's words were resounding in his head.
"This one proves everything. The first one they got was fake, it was doctored that Chinese girl didn't know and actually acted out of fear."
It was from Malik's laptop. Backed it up when he wasn't looking by some of his secret Mexican associates and somehow got into Bryan's camp.
James couldn't wait for Jazmin to come around. Now the key to turn the judgment around was lying buried behind Oasis Hotel.
His mood lightened.
"This changes everything." he thought to himself.
Jazmin's Visit
That evening, during visiting hours, the guards escorted Jazmin into the glass booth.
She looked exhausted and a bit unkept, not like the Jazmin he secretly admired the first day he saw her in at the Devil's Club.
She sat down slowly, brushed her braids back, and picked up the phone.
James picked his up too, eyes meeting hers through the thick plastic.
"I'm glad you came," he said.
Jazmin smiled softly. "I never thought I'd miss talking to a man behind glass, but here we are."
James chuckled and asked her about Drake and Dean
"Your absence has affected them but they are focused and I saw more fire in them when they got words from you, especially Drake."
"Good. He'll need it." James said with a smile.
Jazmin tilted her head. "So what's up... what's going on?"
James adjusted his body closer to the glass as if he was going to fall off from his chair and anyone observing can tell he did not want to be heard by anyone else aside Jazmin.
"Look Jaz," He began
"I was never going to tell you about this before because I felt you could not be trusted but you've earned my trust, please do not break it."
"Behind Oasis Hotel," he said. "Back in L.A."
She nodded, listening.
"There's a bush with trees and thick tall grasses just behind the car garage, there's a small metal trash container with a single iron stand, beneath it was where I buried a flash drive that could turn the judgment around to my favour."
"Bryan gave it to me. It proves the first one Xin Yi gave the cops was doctored. You bring that to court, we shift the entire case."
Jazmin sat up straight, eyes wide. "Wait… for real?"
"Yeah, I'm dead serious," James said.
"So Malik's whole narrative? The transactions, the wire transfers, the port schedule with your name on it? All of that was fabricated?"
"Yes!" James answered firmly, "The truth is I have hustlers who sold drugs for me but I never smuggled from Mexico, the Devils work with intermediaries and in my case that's the Colombian's that you know, that's smarter and safer, no paper works, no money trails, everything was paid in cash, no bribing of councilmen or the cops, But Malik got greedy and was doing direct dealerships with the Mexicans behind our backs he smuggled just like El-Chapo's Iron Teeth Cartel, so this drive like Bryan said has the raw data."
Jazmin stared at him. "Why now, this call could be recorded and the officials can listen to it."
"I don't care because the final court session's coming. And that judge still has doubt in his eyes. This drive removes it."
She nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll get it to Drake and Dean. We'll handle it."
James gave her a half-smile, voice low. "Tell them... don't get caught."
Two Days Later in Olive Street L.A.
It was 12:00 on the dot, Drake parked the car two blocks from Oasis Hotel. Dean was in the passenger seat with his hoodie pulled tight and eyes looking around the dark surrounding.
Remembering how he was hit with the butt of a rifle by the Iron teeth cartel, James shot and him been taken away,. "This place still smells like broken mission," Dean muttered.
Drake grinned. "You all failed the first time here don't fail again." he said chuckling.
They moved fast, No torch lights, no talking.
They found the trash container, it wasn't hard because Dean already knew the exact spot James was laid half dead close to the tall grasses.
Dean squat down in front of the trashcan and started digging all around it.
Drake and Jazmin was scanning around in the dark while Dean digging
After three minutes
Dean exhaled. "Got it."
Drake looked up toward the street. "Let's go before someone gets curious."
Courtroom Four Days Later
James was back in his suit, hands was cuffed as usual but his eyes were harper than they'd been in months.
The courtroom was packed. News men and women waiting outside, this was the final pre-sentencing hearing. The one that would decide how the final judgment day would play out.
Thomas Marshall stood tall beside him, looking ten years younger since Jazmin delivered the drive.
"Today," Marshall told him earlier, "we take back control."
The judge entered. Everyone rose.
The prosecutor looked confident and ready still believing they had this locked.
Then Marshall walked to the middle of the courtroom and dropped the banger
"Your Honor, the defense would like to submit a new digital evidence discovered four nights ago. A flash drive containing original financial records and communications from Malik Robson Stark's personal laptop.
These files contradict the doctored evidence presented to this court and first submitted to LAPD by Ms. Xin Yi a grocery store keeper in Midtown Sacramento and from my investigations she was forced to do so by one Mr Ricky a Cuban who is currently at large.
"Your Honor Ms Xin Yi will be available to testify if need be and had acted out of fear" Marshall said, bidding to solidify his claim.
Gasps rippled through the courtroom.
The prosecutor stood up very fast. "Objection! This is last minute, unvetted..."
The judge raised a hand. "Objection overruled, I'll allow a review."
Marshall plugged in the drive. The courtroom projector came to life, and all eyes was on the screen:
Real, untouched bank logs.
Original messages from Malik, clearly coordinating drug shipments under James's name.
Timestamps showing that Xin Yi's drive had been doctored removing key dates and added falsified transfers.
A recorded voice memo, with Malik saying:
"If they ever come knocking, say it was James. He's the face, They'll believe it."
Even the court clerk pulled back in surprise.
The judge clearing his throat said, "This evidence changes things."
The prosecutor looked lost.
James sat back in his chair.
For the first time in a long time he felt like the untouchable Devil he was always known for.
After Court
Marshall turned to James and said "You still might do time, But with this We just took Malik's power and crushed it under our shoe."
James nodded slowly.
"And Xin Yi?"
"She's under investigation now. That girl's about to lose her passport and her business, unfortunately."
James smiled.
"She a good lady but she fucked up, she chose a side. Let her sleep in it."
"If you look at it closely you can't really blame her much, but it is what it is. The law is the law."
Outside the courthouse, Jazmin stood beside Drake and Dean. None of them said much.
Jazmin was happy Bryan's name hasn't been mentioned so far.
Dean finally broke the silence. "I believe this will gets him out early, right?"
Drake shrugged. "I believe so too but even if it doesn't, it clears his name before the people but we all know how it goes."
Jazmin looked at them both. "You think Malik's watching this from inside?"
Drake nodded. "Oh yeah. And he's shaking, he stepped way too much outta line"
Back inside, James walked the hallway to his cell.
No crowds, just him and the guards
He reached the door, turned and looked back down the hall like a man sensing the end of a long road.
Then he smiled,
"The real Devil don't just bark like toothless bulldogs do they?" he murmured to himself.
"They steal, they kill and they destroy... Malik is buried forever."