08: Objection! (Sheila Okabe)

The doors of the Fourth Precinct opened up, and a small parade came in—six police officers, a mariachi band in handcuffs, and Beacon City's own villain-turned-hero, Punchline.

“Morning, Sergeant Hamed!” Punchline called out, and waved at the desk sergeant.

“We're not friends,” William Hamed replied. “You personally knocked me out four times.”

“Don't be that way, Sarge. I brought you a present!” Punchline pointed at the freshly-arrested Murderachi.

“You brought me more paperwork, you mean.” Sergeant Hamed poked at the keyboard on his desk, bringing up the proper forms.

“Caught these goofs trying to shoot up a benefit breakfast. Good news, only one injury, and it's not life-threatening.”

Anna started shouting at Punchline in extremely broken Spanish. The hero responded by tearing off her fake mustache.

“You three aren't even Mexican. C'mon, guys. Cultural appropration is wrong.”

Without looking up, the desk sergeant added, “Also, murder.”

“Also murder. Good news is, with all the practice time you're about to get, you won't be committing any more crimes against music.”

“I don't think so!” a new voice shouted. All heads turned to see the face of Sheila Okabe, the famous defense lawyer. “This is a gross violation of my clients' rights as defined by the Ostrander Act!”

A collective groan went through the station. Only Punchline seemed glad to see her; after all, she'd kept him out of prison a few times with her legal prowess.

“Article 4, Section 12, Paragraph 3: law enforcement officials are not allowed to remove a suspect's mask at any time during their arrest, incarceration period, or in a court of law.” Sheila held up an accusatory finger at the strip of felt in Punchline's hand.

“But it's not a mask! It's a mustache!”

Okabe gave a grin—the same grin that saved Punchline's bacon many times, when he was on the other side of the law. “HA! United States vs. Yarborough clearly states that a mask is considered any and all clothing or costume items worn specifically during the perpetration or prevention of a super-crime.”

“You've got to be kidding me. Look, Sheila, can't you help me out for old time's sake?”

Sheila leaned in closer. “Sorry, doll,” she said. “You don't pay the bills anymore. I expect my clients to be released immediately.”

All three members of the Murderachi held out their cuffed hands expectantly. Punchline felt the glare of every cop in the room...in fact, he could have sworn more cops had rushed in, just to glare at him.

“Whoops.”