Turnabout Gatsby
Disclaimer I do not own any of the characters shown in this story. They all belong to their respective owners.
"Are you ready Maya?" I asked my assistant. Maya and I had come to Blue Screens, Inc. to test out the training program they had designed for lawyers fresh out of law school, but I'm getting ahead of myself. My name is Phoenix Wright, attorney at law. My assistant is Maya Fey, spirt medium in training, and in her own words an, "Ace Assistant." We were chosen to test out the new training program by the CEO of Blue Screens, Inc. herself. She said that the trial is based off of a character from some book from the 1920's. She also mentioned that it was designed to be unwinnable.
"Of course Nick," Maya replied to me as we rode to the building where the simulation would be, "I've always wanted to help defend a rich guy." I sighed. Of course Maya was more interested in his fake money than his personality. Knowing her, the moment she sees him, she'll be in love. I rolled my eyes and decided to read the case report. According to it, my client was someone named Jay Gatsby.
"The name doesn't strike me as a rich man," I thought to myself. "But then again, considering the names of the people I've defended, having someone with a relatively normal name would be a change." As I kept reading I took in the details of the case. He is on trial for the murder of a woman named Myrtle Wilson. He had always been a suspect, but what really submitted the case was when the husband of the victim tried to kill him. He was lucky to survive the bullet. After he recovered, police took him, and the husband, into custody. I was chosen to be his lawyer by a friend of his named Daisy. We would have to discover the evidence and other witnesses during the trial.
"Alright pal," came the voice of our driver, an old friend of mine named Detective Dick Gumshoe, "this is your stop."
"Thanks Detective," Maya said as the detective opened the door for her, "we owe you a decent lunch for this." The detective's eyes glimmered with happiness that he would get an actual meal that wasn't instant noodles. I thanked the detective as Maya and I walked into the building.
We walked into the building to see it as chrome as the last time we were there. The programmers that worked at the company didn't even look up at us. The CEO walked up to us.
'Welcome to Blue Screens Inc." she said as she walked up to us, "It is good to see the two of you again."
"Good to see you as well Ms. Basil." I said to her. Her blue hair matched her blue suit. "Can you tell me more about this court simulation?" The CEO nodded.
"Of course, walk with me," She said as she turned to lead us down a hallway. "The simulation was commissioned by a Mr. Godot who wanted to test whether or not new defense attorneys could match you in defense skill. It is actually a rather simple process. We have designed an entire room based off of our Augmented Reality technology that we can program to simulate almost any environment. Once the product is fully operational, we plan to take our designs to the government to see if we can open training halls all over the country. Ah, here we are." We stopped at a wall.
"But this isn't a room, it's a wall." Maya said in a pouting way.
"Not to worry Ms. Fey," our guide reached out with her hand and touched the wall. A panel opened up. She typed something into the panel and a pair of doors opened into what looked like a waiting lobby.
"Cool! Nick, can we get this for the office?" Maya asked me.
"Maya, I doubt we could even afford the door, let alone the disappearing panel.
"I have loaded up the program. You may enter when you are ready. We will be recording your progress Mr. Wright. Good Luck."
"Are you ready Maya?" I asked her as we stood before the open doors.
"You bet Nick," She turned to me and smiled. "Let's do this!" With that we walked into the simulation room.
Waiting Room 1
We stepped into the room. It looked like a standard waiting lobby. We turned to see the doors close behind us and disappear. We looked around. I saw a man in a black suit. He was sitting down with his hands folded together. He held is head up with his thumbs while his arms were supported by his legs. I recognized him from the case report I read in the car. That was my client. I walked toward him.
"Greetings Mr. Gatsby," I said as I held out my hand, "I am your lawyer, Phoenix Wright." Mr. Gatsby looked up. He took my hand and shook it.
"Hello old' sport," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice, "I won't waste much of your time. I plan to plead guilty."
"WHAT?!" I yelled in surprise. "Why would you confess if you're innocent?" Gatsby looked at me.
"Who said I was innocent?" He asked me with inquisition in his eyes. I was about to respond with the court record, but then I remembered that this was a simulation, so I said something else.
"I do," I said sitting next to him, "Innocent until proven guilty remember?" Jay smiled.
"Well good luck with winning," Jay was going to continue, but the bailiff interrupted.
"Defense, report to the courtroom," the bailiff said. Gatsby got up.
"Well then Old' Sport, shall we?" He walked into the courtroom. I turned to Maya.
"Do you think we can do this Maya?" I asked her.
"I don't know Nick. I mean, if he's going to confess, we really can't do much." I turned to the door and looked at Maya.
"Well Maya, let's go try and get a confessing client free." With that, the two of us walked through the doors into the courtroom.
Courtroom One
"The trial of Mr. Jay Gatsby will now commence," the judge said as he banged his gavel, "the honorable Judge Danforth presiding. Prosecutor, are you ready?"
"The Prosecution has been ready your honor," the prosecutor stated in a nasally voice. He reminded me a lot of Winston Payne. He wore a dark suit and his hair was in the shape of an afro. Granted, not entirely accurate given the time that this scene was supposed to be set in, but it did make for a funny picture. The judge nodded.
"Defense, are you ready?" The judge asked me.
"Yes your honor." I said nodding. I saw not Winston smile.
"I know this is your first time in this court Mr. Wright, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Johnny Blame. I am known as the rookie stomper. Who are you?" I smiled.
"I am Phoenix Wright, attorney-at-law." I said. The judge banged his gavel.
"Well, now that we all know each other, let us get on with the trial. Now, the defendant Jay Gatsby is accused of killing Myrtle Wilson with his car. He not only ran her over, but did not stop, thus adding hit-and-run to his list of crimes. Prosecutor, please call your first witness. "
"Thank you your honor. The prosecutor calls the woman who was in the car with Mr. Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan." A woman of about 25 walked toward the witness stand. She wore a cream colored dress, and walked with her head up high. She sat behind the stand "Please state your name witness."
"My name is Daisy Buchanan," The witness said. She spoke with a hint of something in her voice I couldn't quite recognize, "I am the wife of Tom Buchanan."
"Witness, do you know who killed Myrtle Wilson?" The witness looked ahead into the audience.
"Yes, I do."
"Then tell us please. Give us your testimony." She began to speak.
"Jay was taking me home. We were driving through the valley of ashes. Suddenly, a woman ran out in front of the car. Jay slammed on the breaks, but it was too late. Afterwards, he floored it so he could get away from the scene."
"As you can see," Mr. Blame said, "the defendant clearly hit the victim with his vehicle, and then fled the scene. There should be no reason to continue."
"I concur, however the law requires a cross-examination of the witness. Defense, you may begin." I nodded.
"Thank you, your honor," I said. I turned to the stand. "Mrs. Buchanan, will you please repeat your testimony." I asked her.
"It's like I said, Jay was taking me home. We were driving through the Valley of Ashes just outside of the city. That's when the victim ran out in front of the car," She sniffled.
"Nick, look at this," Maya said showing me something.
"Please wait a moment Mrs. Daisy." I looked at the piece of paper Maya showed me. It was part of the autopsy report of Mrs. Wilson. According to it, her body was nearly destroyed by an impact of around eighty miles an hour. I thought I could see what Maya as getting at. "Thank you for pausing witness. You may continue.
"Well, Jay tried to stop, but there wasn't enough time. He hit her." That's when I saw an opening.
"HOLD IT!" I yelled pointing at the witness. "Mrs. Buchanan, can I ask you a question about that day?"
"That's what I'm here for isn't it?"
"Do you recall how fast you were going before Mr. Gatsby tried to slow down?" She thought for a moment.
"I don't recall exactly," She said trying to remember. "If I had to say, maybe about eighty miles per hour?"
"Is there a point to this questioning Mr. Wright?" Flame asked. I nodded.
"It is indeed. Witness, please amend your testimony to address your speed."
"The prosecution has no objections."
"You may resume your testimony," Judge Danforth told the witness.
"We were going at about eighty miles an hour when Mrs. Wilson ran out in front of the car. Jay then tried to stop." There was the contradiction.
"OBJECTION!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry but that can't be Mrs. Buchanan."
"What do you mean Mr. Wright?" Daisy asked me.
"I have here the autopsy report of the victim."
"What about it? We know the cause of death. She was hit by the defense's car causing instant death." Blame said in his nasally voice.
"Well then Mr. Blame, please read to the court the cause of death in full detail." Blame smiled thinking he had me.
"Of course Mr. Wright," he cleared his throat. "The cause of death was an impact from a motor vehicle that was traveling around eighty miles an hour." He smiled then he realized what he just said. "WHAT?!" The crowd began to murmur. The judge banged his gavel thrice.
"There will be order in the court! Defense, explain this."
"The witness just stated that the car that killed the victim was traveling at around eighty miles when Mr. Gatsby applied the brakes. Now, that would have slowed the car down would it not?"
"That is what brakes are supposed to do." Blame replied.
"So if that's the case, then why does the autopsy report claim the opposite?"
"That is a good question. Mr. Blame, any ideas?" The judge asked my opponent. He thought for a moment. Then he produced a comb from his suit and flicked through his afro.
"I think the real question, is why Mr. Wright would produce evidence that further incriminates his client?"
"Actually, I haven't done anything except through Mrs. Buchanan's testimony into question. Mrs. Buchanan has just stated she was sure that she and my client were traveling at around eighty miles an hour. After which, the victim ran out in front of the car. However, she states that Gatsby tried to slow down, but the evidence states otherwise. So what is wrong here, the evidence or the testimony? Clearly both can't be right." The crowd began to murmur again; however, the judge silenced them again with his gavel. Blame then spoke.
"You know Wright that was a good play. However, did you not think I would have a counter?"
"No. He can't." I thought to myself. "He can't have anything else."
"I have another witness, who can confirm the evidence, and the witness as truth. I call forth the man who was there when the accident occurred, a Mr. Michaelis." A young man of about twenty-five stepped up. Mrs. Buchanan vacated the stand for him to take it.
"Witness, your name and occupation please." Blame told him. The witness flipped his hair.
"My name is Michaelis Katsopolis. I run the coffee shop across the street from Wilson's garage. It's actually a really good deal. People get their cars fixed, and then come over to me to drink."
"I see. Now tell us, did you see the incident occur?"
"I did." He said with no emotion.
"Then please testify." The witness nodded.
"I was working in the shop when the incident occurred. I saw the woman run out into the road where she was struck. I could see the defendant driving. He seemed to be gunning it until he braked."
"So you see the defendant was going much faster than the eighty miles per hour than the previous witness stated. So, when Mr. Gatsby applied the break, he slowed down to the eighty miles stated in the autopsy."
"OBJECTION!" I yelled with the energy of a stampeding group of buffalo. "That just further proves my point. Mrs. Buchanan's testimony is in question.
"OBJECTION!" My opponent replied with that annoying voice of his. "The witness was clearly under stress during the incident. Any minor discrepancy, such as a variation in the speed of the car, can be explained that way."
"Damn! He wiggled his way out of it," I thought to myself. "I'll have to try and find something in Mr. Michaelis' testimony." The judge banged his gavel.
"You may begin your cross examination." He said in his deep voice.
"Witness, please repeat your testimony." I asked him. He nodded.
"It's like I said, I was in the shop working'. I saw the victim run out into the street."
"Wait there a moment. Can you tell us why she ran out?" He thought for a moment.
"I can't tell you my friend. I don't know. I would guess that she wanted to talk to Mr. Gatsby." He replied. He then continued his testimony.
"I saw Mr. Gatsby their driving."
"Hold it witness. Are you sure that you saw Mr. Gatsby driving?"
"Yes sir. I would recognize anyone who was driving on the wrong side of the road."
"The wrong side of the road, should I press further on this?" I looked at Maya. She realized what I saw and nodded.
"Witness, what do you mean that they were driving on the wrong side of the road?" His eyes lit up.
"Uh… I mean…" He said as he tried to avoid the question. I slammed my hands on my desk.
"Witness, stop avoiding the question and answer it!"
"I'm sorry; I'm simply used to living in London. I lived there for five years before I moved here to America. I simply got confused." He smiled as he said this.
"Witness, will you please add this information to your testimony?"
"Of course. As I was saying, I recognized the driver because he was driving on the wrong side of the road."
"Wait another moment witness. I was wondering, how did you know that my client was driving?" He though again.
"Well, when the car braked, I saw the drivers head snap forward. I recognized the hair."
"I see, well then, please describe the hair." I asked him. I looked at Maya, and she smiled. She knew where I was going.
"Well, it was the same color as the defendants, and was a bit shorter; I guess he never had time to get a haircut before today." He smiled again thinking that he had got out of it.
"I have one more question witness."
"What is it Mr. Wright?" I slammed my hands on the desk.
"How is it that Daisy Buchanan had short black hair?" I asked pointing at him.
"What do you," He tried to say but I cut him off.
"If Daisy's testimony is to be trusted, then you should have seen long blond hair, not the hair of my client!"
"But I swear on my life I did!" He replied back. He started to look nervous.
"Mr. Wright! Explain this now!" The judge said.
"There's only one way this can go." I thought to myself. The judge banged his gavel and called for order.
"Mr. Wright, can you explain this?" I nodded.
"Yes your honor, I can."
"Then tell us, is the witness wrong? Did he see the hair of your client?" I thought for a moment. That's when it hit me. I shook my head.
"No your honor, the witness is correct. He did see my client's head jerk forward. However, what he didn't see was the driver's head."
"The," The judge started.
"Drivers," Mr. Blame continued.
"Head?" The witness finished. There was silence in the courtroom. It wasn't until the realization of what I just said sunk in.
"WHAT!" Yelled the three men who just spoke, the audience began to talk franticly between themselves. The judge banged his gavel to silence everyone.
"THERE WILL BE ORDER IN MY COURT!" HE yelled in his voice. "MR. WRIGHT, I HOPE YOU HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS!"
"There can only be one explanation your honor," I thought to myself. "Whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"Your honor, I can explain everything." I said.
"Then do it, if Mr. Gatsby wasn't the driver who was?" The judge asked me. I looked him straight in the eye.
"Your honor, there can be only one person who was driving the car." I slammed my hands on the desk. "The person driving the car was Daisy Buchanan!" I yelled pointing at her in the audience. Everyone started talking again. "She was the only other person in the car. Also, considering that the car was driving on the right-hand side of the road, based on the position of the coffee shop, Mr. Michaelis would have only seen the passenger side of the car. He has just testified to seeing the hair of my client in the window when the car braked to a near stop. We know that Mr. Gatsby wasn't driving an English car. Therefore, the only other person in the car must have been driving. That person is Daisy Buchanan. Whatever remains must be the truth your honor!" The crowd began to murmur again. The judge tried to silence them, but someone got up and tried to run for the door. It was Daisy!
"Stop that woman!" I yelled. The guards tried to grab her, but someone beat them to it. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a bear hug. He wore a black suit and had matching hair.
"Tom! Let me go!" Daisy yelled to her captor.
"You killed her Daisy." The man said in a sad voice. "You killed Myrtle. I ALMOST CAUSE THE DEATH OF AN INNOCENT MAN BECAUSE OF YOU!" He threw her down toward the judge. She fell.
"Tom, it was an accident I swear, she just ran out in front of me. There was no time to stop."
"You should have tried! You should have told me what you did!"
"Tom," The man turned to the judge.
"Do what you want to her." He stormed out of the courtroom.
A few minutes later
"Well, this has been a strange turn around." The judge said. "We started with one person that we were sure killed our victim in cold blood, and we changed to someone who killed her accidently. However, this was the trial of Jay Gatsby. I see no reason to continue. Do you agree Prosecutor Blame?" My counterpart sighed.
"Yes your honor, I do."
"Well then, I hereby declare the defendant Jay Gatsby, not guilty." The judge banged his gavel. "Court dismissed."
Waiting Room One
"Congratulations Mr. Gatsby," Maya said to our client with a smile. "How does it feel to be a free man?"
"Terrible" Jay said.
"What? Why?" I asked him. He looked me in the eyes.
"Mr. Wright, you just did the exact opposite of what I wanted to happen in that courtroom!" He exclaimed at me.
"What do you mean?" I asked him. I thought that he would have wanted to be free.
"I wanted Daisy to be free. Now, she is going to be tried as a criminal." He said pointing at me with anger in his eyes.
"But she was the guilty party, and at least she won't be charged in murder, just hit-and-run." I tried to explain, but he grabbed me. I was pushed to the wall.
"SHE WASN"T SUPPOSED TO BE CAUGHT! I WAS GOING TO TAKE THE FALL!" He let me go. "She was supposed to be free." He broke down.
"I'm sorry Mr. Gatsby. We didn't know you wanted to save her." Maya said kneeling to him. "But you have to look at the bright side. She can't be given the death sentence, so she will live." A single tear fell from his face.
"Leave me," He managed to whisper. We respected his wishes and left.
We met him on the steps of the courthouse an hour later. He walked toward us. Just as he met us, a car pulled up. We looked and saw two men leaning out of the passenger windows.
"Jay," the one next to the drive said, "Wolfsheim sends his regards." They then pulled out two Thompson machine guns. Gatsby's eyes widened and pushed me and Maya down just before they opened fire. The next thing we knew, Jay was dead, and the car was gone. Then, everything disappeared. We then saw the head of Blue Screens in front of us.
"Thank you Mr. Wright," She said looking down at us, "You have completed your scenario." Maya and I got up.
"But that's not fair, we saved that man's life, and we get rewarded with his death? That is so not cool." Maya exclaimed. I then realize what they meant by unwinnable.
"That was supposed to happen." I said. She smiled.
"That was the intention. Mr. Godot wanted to design an unwinnable scenario that would test lawyers on their resolve. He wanted to recreate the feeling of his old friend when her client committed suicide just before winning. The trial can go two ways. You lose, in which case Jay is executed, or you win, and he dies on the steps of the courthouse."
"Just like that one case…" I said my voice trailing off.
"Well, I think we can call this simulation a success. Thank you for your cooperation. I will show you to the exit." With that, Maya and I left the building, and returned to our car. We then left with one question in mind, "Why did Tom stand up and stop his wife from running?"
AN Thank you for reading. Now please note that this was for a school project, so I decided to just post it here. Please review and read my other stuff. Or not, it's up to you.