The air was thick with anticipation of the final phase now of the trial. Uriel Zander sat at his defense table, fingers from both hands resting lightly upon the arms of his chair, but his mind dog sharp as ever. Across from him, on the other side of the bar sat the formidable prosecutor Ellen Price—a look of quiet determination etched into her features. She had marshaled her argument over days with a confidence that was unwavering, while Uriel was waiting. By all accounts, this was his last card to play.As the final arguments took center stage, the jury sat forward and looked to see the two attorneys. Uriel stood tall, owning the room as he strode confidently towards the bench."Your Honor, the defense would now like to introduce new evidence," said Uriel. "This is an intact and unaltered copy of the video surveillance taken from the crime scene—video which, before it reached the prosecution, was tampered with."A loud hum of whispers washed over the courtroom. Ellen Price shot a sharp glare his way, but Uriel ignored it. He gave the evidence over to the clerk, who in turn handed it to the judge. Price sprang to her feet."Objection, Your Honor," Price yelled. "This is an ambush. We were never told of any changes to this tape, much less this 'complete' version."As was often to be expected, Uriel remained unfazed. "Your Honour, this evidence came into the defence quite recently. We have reason to believe this footage was deliberately tampered with before being handed over to law enforcement. My investigator found the missing segment. This piece of footage is essential toward assessing the truthfulness of—"The judge raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and turned to Price before the bench. "I'll allow it. The jury may view the unedited version."Uriel sat down again as the lights in the room dimmed, and the screen in the courtroom coughed its way to life. The eyes of the jury stayed on the monitor as the footage played on. They had seen what the prosecution had shown earlier—the figure that resembled Miguel Salazar running from the scene. But now, with the missing segment restored, there was a second figure shown in the background, fleeing just seconds before.As the video concluded, Uriel stood again, closer this time to the jury."Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "you've just seen the truth—the full truth. This second figure brings the prosecution's entire case into question. Who is this person? Why was this footage edited before it was given to the police? These are questions the prosecution cannot answer because they've built their case on incomplete evidence."Uriel paused for the weight of his words to sink in. "I am not asking that your honor dismiss the case against my client on any technicality. I'm merely asking that you keep in mind that perhaps—such is the doubt in this case—the man seated before you just may not have committed this crime. There is doubt, real doubt, and that doubt is sufficient."He sat back again, his heart steady. The matter now rested with the jury.Hours later, the jury entered the courtroom again, faces somber and unreadable. Uriel stood beside Miguel Salazar, who seemed to be very nervous, though a little hope was still alive in him."On the indictment for first-degree murder, we, the jury, find the defendant, Miguel Salazar… not guilty."The words echoed around the room like a shot. Miguel fell back in his chair, his face wetting with tears of gratitude. Uriel lent a reassuring hand onto his shoulder and nodded slightly.Ellen Price's jaw clenched, her face a storm of frustration and anger, but Uriel didn't gloat. He knew the feeling well enough, being on the losing side before, and he knew the sting.Outside the courtroom Miguel turned to Uriel, his voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you, man—you saved my life. I really didn't think anyone could win this, but you did. You gave me my future back."Uriel gave a faint smile. "Just take care of yourself, Miguel. You have a second chance now; make it worth the use."As Miguel joined his family and walked away, Uriel found Ellen staring across the hall. She approached him intensely, her eyes flint."You got lucky, Zander," she said, her voice low and clipped. "You caught a break with that footage. But next time, you won't be so fortunate."Uriel returned her gaze equally. "It's never about luck, Ellen. It's about doing the work. But you're right—next time it's going to be different."She stared at him a moment longer before finally turning and walking away, leaving Uriel standing alone in the hall of the courthouse.Later that evening, Uriel sat with Karen and several colleagues in a booth at O'Malley's—a bar two blocks from the courthouse. They were jubilant, drinking freely and receiving congratulations all about.Karen raised her glass and smiled. "To Uriel, the man who wins cases no one else would even touch." The table erupted with laughter amidst the tinkling sound of glasses against glasses, toasts of good cheer. Uriel smiled and joined in, enjoying the camaraderie, but he kept his focus steady. It was a good win, but he never grew too comfortable with the success of any one case."You always make it look so easy," Karen said, sliding into the booth beside him. "Even when the case feels like it is falling apart.""It is never easy," Uriel responded, taking a sip of his drink. "I guess part of the job, right?"Karen gave him a sideways glance. "Yeah, but everybody doesn't react like you do to it."Before he could answer, the television behind the bar caught their attention. It was a local newscast doing a report on the trial of Salazar and on it suddenly appeared Uriel's face.Tonight's top story: Defense attorney Uriel Zander wins again in the highly publicized case of Miguel Salazar. Yet again, there are serious questions about the integrity of the prosecution evidence.The eggshell-delicate tension inside the bar snapped, and a cheer erupted, but Uriel barely twitched. He sat back in his chair and let the milestone wash over him without getting too caught up in its fervor. There was always another case, another fight ahead.Hours later, Uriel returned to his small apartment. Outside, the city was quiet—even the hum of the streets seemed far away. He threw his jacket onto the couch and went straight to bed, exhausted, but satisfied with how the day went.He lay in the dark, staring upward toward the ceiling, his mind drifting, when his phone buzzed on his nightstand. Frowning, he reached over and glanced at the screen. It was an old number—one he hadn't seen in years.Uriel was curious. "Hello?""Uriel? It's… it's me, Daniel Reiss."Uriel sat up at once. Daniel had been a fellow student in his law school days—bright, ambitious, and always just a little too intense. They hadn't spoken in years. "Daniel? What's wrong? It's kinda late—is everything okay?"There was a long, shaky pause on the other end. Uriel's heart was racing, instantly he knew that something was drastically wrong. "I—I messed up, man," Daniel finally muttered, his voice shaking. "I don't know what to do. I… I killed her. My girlfriend. We were arguing, and… and things got out of control. I didn't mean to. I swear, I didn't mean to."Uriel's face went pale as what Daniel was saying began to sink in. He shut his eyes, and the wheels up there began turning furiously."Daniel," Uriel said, his voice calm but firm. "Where are you right now? Tell me exactly where you are.""I'm… I'm at her apartment," Daniel whispered. "Oh God, Uriel… what do I do? Please, man. I need your help."Uriel felt his mind go into overdrive as he took a deep breath. This wasn't just a call from an old friend. It was a nightmare, one of those crises that tests not only the skills but also the moral compass to the limit."I'm on my way," Uriel said, already snatching his jacket. "Don't do anything. Don't touch anything. Just stay right where you are."As he hung up the phone, Uriel's thoughts were racing. One impossible case had just been closed, but it was like the next battle was already on.