Hey everyone, Ioniclunch here! Welcom to the new saga of Ace Attorney! It's not official or anything, I'm only a fan, but I really think my Gordon Truth series is good enough to be published on this site. I also try to challange my audience as much as possible, so you may notice that each chapter in trial ends with a cliffhanger. I challange you to find the evidence that is needed to continue the plot at the end of each chapter!

Anyway, please enjoy the story (and if you haven't read the first Gordon Truth trial, you probably should. You can find it on my profile.)

Oh, and I don't own Ace Attorney or anything; although I kind of wish I did. :(

--

I stared at the coffee in my hand, it looked delicious. I took a sip and immediately regretted it when my eyelids drooped and I almost began to snore. I quickly faked it as a sneeze and wiped my eyes with my tie.

"So Gordon, Ken tells me you're an attorney."

I hiccupped, and a bit of coffee dribbled out of my lip. "Yeah, I think so."

The guy nudged Ken. "Your buddy have too much to drink?"

"Something like that." Ken smiled. "Coffee tires him out."

"What? Naw, coffee's supposed to wake you up! C'mon Mr. Attorney, drink you heart out, It'll be good for you!" he slapped me on the shoulder. Probably first thought as a friendly gesture, the man was so overdone his buddy-slap ended with me spilling coffee all over my pants.

"I'll pass." I put down the mug as I tried to listen to another dirty joke Ken's ass of a friend spewed out. For the life of me I just couldn't tolerate the guy, much less remember his damn name. I picked a napkin from the desk and tried without success to soak the drink off my best (and only) brown suit. I stood up, glad for an opportunity to leave the room, and announced my need to use the facilities.

"Yeah, it'd be a shame to waste that nice suit." Ken sipped some more whatever-he-was-drinking and began conversing with the idiot once again.

I shut the door behind me and stared out at the jungle of apricot-painted hallways. The horrible color nauseated me, I might have to find that bathroom sooner than I'd like. Several more drab hallways later, I took a left and continued on my way to the ever-escapable restroom, wondering of the thrilling and intense conversations shared at each water cooler I passed. I grasped the handle of an unmarked door and twisted. Luckily enough, it happened to be a bathroom. I stormed the towel dispenser and wiped my already ruined garb for good measure. I sighed, thinking of the bill I'd have to pay the dry-cleaners tomorrow, or officially, later today. God bless him, but Ken Cline really had no idea how to show a friend a good time. Sure, it looked like a good proposal, the 30th birthday of the city's token rich boy, Sid Herms, who coincidentally was the boss of one of Ken's old friends. We were all treated to some free food at some fancy seafood place. After poking the thing the waiter brought me to see if it moved, I came back with Ken to Sid Herms' office building. Well, I hope Sid is happy; he single-handedly ruined my happy-go-lucky mood. I was ready to tackle the next person that showed his frilly, aristocratic face.

I stumbled out of the bathroom and sat down in the hallway. If only I had a car, I'd drive the hell out of this dump. After wandering the halls begging for something distracting, I heard something behind me. I turned to find a long staircase. A man came down the stairs and stared into my face, dumbstruck and surprised to see me standing there.

"Can I help you sir?" I asked.

"Oh, hello there."

I raised my brow at him. "Are you alright,-" I looked him over; professional-looking, tan suit included. "Mr.-?"

"Herms, Sid Herms." He brushed the back of his red-brown hair and darted his eyes around. "This is floor 17, right?"

I looked at the small plaque next to the staircase and across from the elevator. "Yeah, believe so."

"I'll… just be going now." Before I could say anything else, he slipped away. I let my mouth hang open mildly for a few seconds. What was that all about? He looked like he had seen a ghost. I put it out of my head; he probably just had too much to drink. I sat and lay against the wall. It was snugger than it looked. Maybe if I just rested here for a moment…

I awoke hot and sweaty. I stood and looked around me; I was still in the hallway. Thank God I was a light sleeper. Staggering to stand up, I made my way back to the Ken's room.

I pushed open the slightly ajar door and sat down. "Ken, what time is it?"

"Hey, how's your suit?"

"Ruined. The time, now."

"Um," he checked his watch, "just over three o'clock am, why?"

Why? Did he seriously just ask that?

"I need to get home. I've err… got a case I need to work on."

Ken gave me his best 'I-know-you're-lying' face and grabbed his keys. "Hey Pat, finish your story over the phone tomorrow, I have to see off the ace attorney."

Finally, we were getting out of here. I punched the button on the elevator door, but nothing budged. "Ken, the elevator's out."

"No, the elevator's just powered down for the night." He slipped a card into a slot and the button lit up. "I'll just disturb it for a second."

The elevator bumped its way down and opened. We stepped in and I gleefully pushed the 'Floor 1' button.

"So, how'd you like tonight?" Ken looked over to me, reminding me how pitiful he looked in detention a week ago; black hair laying everywhere and dark shadows in his eyes. Not now, of course, with his hair smartly slicked back and wearing his best striped vest.

"Earth to Gordon." He snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Answer please."

"Uh, fine. It was fine." It was horrible. I was incredibly hungry and tired, my suit was stained and scratchy, and I was in the most irritable of moods.

"Y'know, I owed you for getting me off the hook a week ago. I thought this would be sufficient payback."

Did I really make you suffer this much?

"Yeah, thanks. I had a great time tonight."

"No you didn't, you hated it."

"With all my body, heart, and soul."

He laughed. "Sorry, I thought we'd be treated to decent food at least."

I leaned my head sleepily against the elevator wall. "Ken, when I was out looking for a restroom, I ran into someone."

"A client for tonight's 'big case' I hope."

"It was that guy, uh, Sid Herms."

"Really?" The elevator came to a dead halt. I peeled my face from the wall and followed Ken out to his car.

"He was all nervous or something, he practically sprinted away when he saw me."

Ken ignited the engine and backed out of the enormous parking lot. "Guy probably had too much to drink."

"That's what I said. You bring my coffee mug with you?"

"I thought it put you to sleep."

"Exactly."

He handed me the mug, it still had the brown spill spot on it. I took a sip and laid back the car seat.

"You better be awake when we get back to your place. I'm not carrying you to bed."

I snored in response.

--

I awoke in my bed with a note taped on my forehead bearing the message 'You Owe Me'. I stood up and stretched my arms. I staggered to the living room, grabbed a box of cereal, and poured the pitiful remains into my open mouth. I switched on the television; the news was on in place of my usual morning sitcom. Something big must have happened.

"Multi-billionaire Sid Herms was murdered this morning. The authorities aren't telling us exactly how he died, but it seems apparent that he was thrown out of his office window on the 30th floor, if the camera could just zoom up to the window we could get a good look at it…"

The window was shattered with broken shards of glass sticking out awkwardly in all directions. Just passing through all of that glass could be enough to kill a person.

"We hear the body of the victim has yet to be removed from the pavement of the Herms Co. Building, but the police are persistent in keeping everyone away from the murder scene."

Herms, didn't I just see that guy last night? I turned off my television. The immediate thought that ran through my mind was worry of being a suspect. Before I could officially panic, my cell phone buzzed.

"H-hello, Gordon Truth speaking."

"Gordon! Did you see the news?"

The voice was feminine; unfamiliar at first. "Who is this?"

"You forget about me already? Thanks a lot."

I winced as the realization settled in, little sister alert. "Sorry Clara…"

"I decided to come see you after hearing about your first case. I was staying at the Bayside hotel when I heard the news, how awful! Don't you live, like, a few miles from there?"

"Um, I guess?" I scratched my head and looked down at my t-shirt; I should change.

"So, you gonna defend this guy?"

"What?" I dropped the phone on my bed as I stuffed on a sweater and some decent jeans.

"Are you defending the guy they say killed him?"

"Are you crazy?" I picked the phone back up. "I only won a single case, and it was probably just dumb luck. Besides, this isn't any old murder case; the victim is the richest man in New York City…"

"I was just kidding dummy." Even though I couldn't see her, I knew she was sticking her tongue out at me. "Even I know you're the worst attorney in the world."

"Ha, ha. My sides are splitting."

Suddenly, my phone rumbled again. "Hold on a minute, I'm getting another call." I quickly switched lines. "Hello, you've reached Gordon Truth…"

"Gordon Truth, you are requested to come to the Detention Center to defend the suspect of the Sid Herms case. Please come by today if you can manage it."

The dial-tone began to buzz. I switched lines back to my sister.

"Who was it?"

"Get me some orange coffee on your way; I'll be needing all the sleep I can get."