"Wait I'm coming with you," Harriet said getting up. "This news will devastate them and someone needs to be there incase they snap. I need to know a couple of other things for my own conscience. How long do 'Mimics' last?"
"Only an hour or two," Judas said.
"Then it wouldn't clear Amy," Harriet said looking down. "The semen tests were done a few days later."
"Mr. Steele had planned this for some time," Judas said sighing. "Criminals can easily stumble across 'Mimics' if they're looking in the darkest parts of the Black Market but it takes a few days at least. He made sure that he ejaculated before he injected himself. That way he would be producing semen that would be identical to Mike Harrison. That semen wouldn't change no matter how long it had been since he injected himself."
"Could this get the conviction overturned?" Harriet asked trying to find some sort of silver lining in this.
"It could but there would have to be another trial to introduce the new evidence," Judas said with a scowl. "I doubt there would be another trial though since no one will want the information that 'Mimics' exist made public. Every criminal would know about it then and more innocent people would be wrongly convicted."
Harriet fought back the swell of anger she suddenly felt at the injustice of it. A rapist was getting away with a crime while an innocent was stuck as an eight year old girl until she died and it wouldn't be of old age. "We have to be able to do something," she said her hands balling into fists. "Because of the conviction Amy will have a hard time getting into college or a job when she graduates from high school. The teachers now have to accompany her to the restroom to make sure she doesn't molest the other girls. I don't want to imagine what it will be like for her once she graduates."
"All we can do right now is explore options," Judas said shaking his head. "We might be able to say that there was a mixup at the lab and the sample was contaminated. That should be enough to satisfy the public though behind the scenes the true reason will be the 'Mimics'. Yes I think that might work. Well let's go tell them the news."
As they left Harriet had to wonder just what Allison and Amy's reactions would be.
------
You were sitting on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV looking for something to watch. Finally you settled on Gen- Tech Heroes. It has become your favorite program though it made you a little sad. They were able to use the Gen-Tech suits that you were forbidden from using. Not that you couldn't use the temporary ones if the law allowed you to. The temporary suits were the only ones that were compatible with a permanent suit.
"What do you want for lunch Amy?" your mom asked as she came into the living room.
"A club sandwich sounds good Mommy," you said with a little shrug.
"Alright club sandwiches it is then," your mom said in a tone that was almost happy. Even though she tried not to show it around you she was still mourning your "death". You just hoped that she would find the will to date someone again. Well at least she isn't crying herself to sleep every night like she did the first week. The second week was better with her crying herself to sleep on four nights. Last week it was down to two and this week it was only one night. The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. After a moment you heard her say, "Judas, Harriet, this is a surprise. Come in. Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you," Harriet said in a dull voice as she came into the living room.
"No thanks Allison," Judas said sighing. He sat down and said, "I've come to give you some news."
"What news?" your mom asked sitting down next to you and putting an arm around you hugging you to her.
"Well I don't know how to say this delicately," Judas said frowning. "I've been able to uncover some evidence that Mike didn't rape the woman."
"What evidence?" your mom asked her breathing becoming a bit more rapid.
"There's a chemical called 'Mimics' that allow someone to physically become someone else for a short time by adding a sample of DNA to it," Judas said setting a syringe down. "For an hour or two there were two Mikes and one committed the rape."
"Why wasn't this introduced at my trial?" you demanded feeling a little angry.
"Because not many in law enforcement know about it yet," Judas said looking down. "You have to go to the darkest parts of the Black Market to get it which fortunately most criminals don't do. If they knew about this we would see more cases like yours."
"How do you know there's not more cases like mine?" you asked. "If this chemical can fool the genetic testing then there may be others who are innocent but were convicted on the basis of the genetic testing."
"It may be necessary for some cases to be retried," Judas said rubbing his chin.
"I'm so sorry for ruining your relationship and your lives," Harriet suddenly blurted out tears streaming down her face.
"We've never blamed you for that," your mom said in a soft voice getting up and moving over to Harriet. "You were only doing your job."
"I should have said something though," Harriet said almost sobbing. "I had this gut feeling that he was innocent."
You went over to Harriet and putting you hand on her's you said, "Gut feelings aren't admissible in court. I know you feel terrible about this but none of it is your fault so don't blame yourself. Blame whoever raped that women since this is their fault."
"You truly don't blame me and you don't hate me knowing this new information?" Harriet asked looking hopeful.
"Of course not," your mom said and the sincerity in her voice caused Harriet to hug you both.
"I'm just sorry that it's taken me this long to track this down," Judas said looking glum. "I let you down Allison."
"You did your best Judas," your mom said with a smile. "What do we do now though?"