Date-December 12, 11:47 AM

Location- Hickfield Clinic

Athena skipped ahead of Phoenix and Trucy down the hospital corridor, her long ponytail swinging excitedly.

"Aww man, I can't wait to see him!" She enthused, hopping up and down.

"Didn't you visit him last week?" asked Phoenix. Apollo had been resting at the Hickfield clinic for a week now, while Phoenix and Athena had taken up his legal case. After days of stressful investigating and compiling of evidence, they had both decided that paying Apollo a visit would be great relaxer for everyone. Not that Athena hadn't been periodically slipping out to see him.

"Yeah, but he slept the whole time. Booring." Athena chirped over her shoulder. She was a good 10 feet ahead of them now, and gaining. Athena tended to take bigger steps the more excited she got. As it was now, she was practically lunging her way down the hall.

"Did you bring the deck Athena?" Piped Trucy from Phoenix's side. Part of the reason that Athena was so far ahead was because of Trucy's tiny legs. She had Nick's hand in a vice grip so he had to measure his steps to hers. "I taught Athena a new card game, and she's going to play it with Polly!" Trucy smiled up at him as she walked.

"I'm gonna kick his butt!" Athena shouted from halfway down the hall.

"Athena, you're too loud." Phoenix called to her. He had noticed a growing number of nurses and orderlies glaring at them as they passed. He couldn't help but redden as they passed a large poster reading, "A quiet hospital is a happy hospital!"

By the time Nick and Trucy reached the nurses station, Athena was waiting impatiently.

"Took you long enough." She teased.

Nick ignored her, and stepped past to face the nurse behind the desk. He flashed the woman a smile and said pleasantly, "Hello, we're here to see Apollo Justice?"

The woman, who had a short, bluntly cut bob and a pair of red glasses, smiled back before flipping through a clipboard of paperwork. She stopped abruptly and made an odd face.

Nick frowned "Is everything alright?" Trucy stood on her tippy toes in an attempt to peek over the counter. Athena made a groaning sound, and Nick shot her an annoyed look. She was a whiz as a lawyer, but also an enormous pain in his butt.

The nurse looked up from her papers and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but it says here he's not allowed visitors."

"Whaaaaaat?" Trucy whined up at the ceiling. Athena made a sound like a car starting.

Phoenix frowned at the woman, noting that her nametag read "Julie". "There must be something wrong. We've visited him before, and I don't think he would have said- Athena will you stop that!" Athena shut her mouth and quit the droning noise she'd been making. While Nick and "Julie" argued about visitors and paperwork, Trucy and Athena exchanged bored looks. After around 2 minutes of standing around, Athena finally let out yet another groan.

"UGH! I can't take this waiting anymore!" She slapped her hand across the desk top before sweeping it up into a salute. "See ya boss, I'm going to go see Apollo!" With that, she took off down the corridor at a sprint.

Julie leaned out over the counter in shock. "Please don't run ma'am!" She shouted, then almost as an afterthought she called, "Please come back, you're not allowed over there!"

Phoenix stared after Athena, unsure whether to be angry or amused. He certainly didn't want to deal with this confused nurse either, but he knew just how worried Athena had been about Apollo. The first week he'd caught her sneaking off to call and check up on him at least once every two hours. This was the first time they were all coming together to visit him, and the first time Nick had seen him at all. He had half a mind to run down the hall with her and blow off this panicking woman, but that wasn't really his disposition.
"Sir, I'm really sorry but it says no visitors!" Julie flapped a medical sheet at him. She had turned a bright shade of red, and was chewing the inside of her cheek in embarrassment.
Phoenix didn't recognize her, which was odd. He was good friends with the owner of the clinic, and thought he knew everyone who worked there. Her name tag was crisp and new looking. "That would explain a lot", thought Nick.
"Look," he said to Julie, "I know Mr. Hickfield, so why don't I just call him and we can figure this all out."
Julie blanched. "Y-you know Mr. Hickfield?" She stammered. Phoenix did a mental face palm. He hadn't realized how much his previous statement had sounded like a threat.
"Yeah, my name is Phoenix Wright. I helped him out with a legal case a while back. Can we please just -"
"BOSS!"
Phoenix started, turning to see Athena screaming down the hallway towards them.
"Good lord Athena! Keep your voice d-"
Athena interrupted him again. "He's gone! He's not there!"
Phoenix's stomach twisted. "Who's gone Athena?" He asked, though deep down he knew the answer.
"Apollo! Apollo's missing!"

•. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •.

When Apollo had checked in, Phoenix had pulled some strings with Mr. Hickfield to get him a good room. It was the last in the hallway, and on a corner of the building. Its position meant that instead of having one small window, it actually had two enormous ones. The hospital bed was set up alongside the north window, facing the east one. In the other corner was a chair and small end table.
When they entered, instead of being greeted by a smiling Apollo, they faced an empty bed. The sheets were twisted, the majority of them had fallen on the floor. Apollo's red vest, pants and blue tie were folded neatly on a chair. Clay's jacket hung over the back.
Phoenix felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. The room had so obviously been ransacked it was impossible to argue anything else.
"What do we do? I mean, I just..." Athena trailed off, looking up at him with an expression of mixed horror and despair.
Phoenix didn't say anything. He stared ahead, unable to tear his eyes from the empty bed.
"Maybe he went for a walk?" piped Trucy.
Athena put her hands on her head. "I thought about that. But look at this," she said, stepping forward and gesturing to the bed. "His IV's been pulled out."
Sure enough, the small needle was laying atop the sheets, gauze still stuck to it. A minuscule drop of blood had fallen and stained the cloth.
"Could he have run away?" Said Trucy again.
Athena sucked in a sharp breath at her words. A tear rolled down her cheek, and her expression was as if she'd been slapped.
"No that's not it. Clay's jacket is still here. He wouldn't leave without that." Said Phoenix. As much as he wanted to debate the likely hood of Apollo running away, he knew what the boy was going through. He could hardly fault him for wanting to get away. "Trucy? Could you go check with Julie? Just make sure we're not overreacting." He smiled lovingly at his adopted daughter. She gave him a pained look but went away. Trucy had a knack for catching his lies, which made it difficult to protect her sometimes.
Phoenix plowed a hand through his hair in contemplation. What happened here? The room had obviously been searched, but there didn't seem to be anything missing. Could Apollo have run away? It seemed extremely unlikely. He hadn't parted with that jacket since it was released from evidence. Phoenix doubted he would leave it now. Cupping his hand over his mouth, Phoenix stared out the window in contemplation. He hoped that to God that Trucy would traipse back in with Apollo anytime now.
Then from just behind him came a noise so full of despair it sent Nick's heart rocketing to the bottom of his stomach. He turned to see Athena holding her phone, one hand clamped over her mouth, Tears streaming down her face.
Phoenix felt sick. "What? What is it?" He almost didn't want to know.
Athena held out her phone. "I know what happened to Apollo" she choked.
The anonymous message read, "IF YOU WANT TO SEE APOLLO JUSTICE ALIVE YOU WILL DROP THE STARBUCK CASE".