Dawn breaks over the city the following day. News vans already surround the courthouse on all sides. Word has somehow leaked that the U.S. Attorney General is making an unscheduled personal visit. Inside his private chambers, Judge Harmon paces nervously, phone pressed tightly to his ear. Senator, you promised me protection if anything like this ever happened. Yes, I’ve always ruled in favor of your interests when it mattered. I understand politics as well as anyone, but this is my entire career on the line. He finally slams the phone down in frustration. His clerk enters looking pale. Sir, there are FBI agents already waiting in the main lobby. FBI? Taylor isn’t wasting any time at all. Judge Harmon straightens his robes with shaking hands, attempting to reclaim some dignity.
Meanwhile, Devon and his father arrive together through a private side entrance reserved for high-level officials. Robert Taylor is tall and distinguished, carrying the same calm, measured demeanor as his son. Several FBI agents flank them discreetly. You okay? Robert asks quietly as they walk. Better now that you’re here, Devon replies. I never meant for any of this to escalate so far. You stood your ground with complete respect and dignity. I’m proud of you for that. Robert squeezes his son’s shoulder firmly. But this situation is no longer just about your science project. They enter a large conference room where Laura Chen is already waiting along with several senior Justice Department officials. Detailed maps of the city cover one entire wall, with specific neighborhoods highlighted in bright red.
Ms. Chen has been invaluable to our preliminary work, an aide tells Robert. She’s already compiled substantial evidence of Judge Harmon’s long-standing pattern of discriminatory rulings. Laura nods in confirmation. It correlates directly and precisely with the air quality data Devon collected. The neighborhoods with the poorest environmental protections match exactly with the areas where Judge Harmon’s sentences against minority defendants have been consistently most severe. Robert studies the maps in silence for a long moment. And these same neighborhoods correlate perfectly with Senator Whitfield’s private development investments. Another aide confirms the finding. The senator’s network of shell companies has been systematically buying property in these exact areas for years, always after environmental regulations were selectively left unenforced.
Devon examines his recovered project once more. That explains why Judge Harmon was so determined to destroy my research completely. The data proves the direct connection between environmental neglect and judicial bias. Robert turns to face his son fully. You stumbled onto something far larger than either of us initially realized. Your environmental justice project has exposed actual, systemic injustice. A soft knock sounds at the door. Judge Harmon enters the room flanked by his own attorney. The temperature seems to drop several degrees. Attorney General Taylor, Judge Harmon begins stiffly. This theatrical display is hardly necessary for what amounts to a simple misunderstanding about a high school science project.
