The Underworld
A/N I do not own Ace Attorney.
Gumshoe balanced atop the ladder precariously. "Er... Which file did you want again, sir?"
"The Smith file," Edgeworth replied, crossing his arms.
"Uh... There's a lot of them sir," the detective decided to point out.
"Adam Smith," the prosecutor replied patiently.
"Yes sir..." The detective began searching for the file. "So do you really think these two cases are connected, sir?" He remembered the Adam Smith case- it was a simple breaking and entering case gone wrong. What connection could it have with the death of a prominent business man? Locating the file, he flipped through it, trying to see if he was perhaps mistaken about the case. He froze as he spotted the name on one of the pages. His shock was almost enough to make him fall forward off the stepladder into the large shelf of case files. "Cadaverini! Mr. Edgeworth... You're keeping tabs on the Cadaverinis? Sir... Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
"They are criminals," Miles replied simply. "Criminals deserve to be brought to justice."
"But they have every judge in their pocket! They are the most powerful family in the criminal underworld!"
"Does that make it okay for them to commit crimes, Detective?"
"No, of course not sir! But-but... You need to stop this right now! If they found out that you've been keeping tabs on them..."
"I'm disappointed in you, Detective Gumshoe. I thought you to be a different man than that." Edgeworth sighed. "I thought you of all people would understand..."
"I... I do understand sir!" Gumshoe replied. "I-I'm just worried... If Bruto Cadaverini found out you were investigating him, he'd kill you without hesitation. He'd murder you and get away with it because of his influence over the courts..." He climbed down and handed the prosecutor the file.
Edgeworth took the file and walked over to his desk, sitting down and beginning to make more notes in the file. "You know... They said that about another man. That supposedly untouchable man is now sitting on death row. One man had the courage to stand up to him, and because of this one man, a criminal was brought to justice."
The detective blinked, his face turning grave. "You're talking about Redd White and Phoenix Wright."
Miles nodded, not looking up from the file. Putting the pen down, he looked up at Gumshoe. "If Wright, with no one on his side could take down someone as influential as White, then so can I."
Gumshoe decided not to point out that White was just a raindrop and the Cadaverinis an entire ocean. "Mr. Edgeworth sir... You won't be alone. I'm on your side. I'll help you!"
Edgeworth closed the file and looked up at Gumshoe once again. "I can't ask you to do that, Detective. You know that the precinct has a policy about individual investigations... You would not have the backing or resources of the police. You wouldn't be..." He trailed off, not wanting to continue his sentence.
"Wouldn't be what?" the detective asked. Sudden understanding flashed across his face. "Wouldn't be useful to you? Is that it?"
The prosecutor winced at Gumshoe's depressed looking face. It was true, he wouldn't be very useful. He legally wouldn't have access to any police files, the forensics lab or anything that would be useful to him, and the detective had never been a very bright investigator. He knew that if he asked the detective would get him anything he wanted, legal or not, but... He just couldn't take the risk of having him get fired. After so many pay cuts he gave him, he couldn't just go and get him fired- he owed him that much at least...
"I can help you sir! I promise I won't get in your way!" Gumshoe slammed his palms on the desk, the tremors causing the prosecutor to flinch slightly. His determined gaze met Edgeworth's. "I want- No, I need to help you sir! If they found out what you were doing and came after you, I... I..."
Miles stared at him silently. The detective wanted to protect him from harm? Was that why he was so determined? "Detective Gumshoe..." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "You would really risk your job for me?"
"I would sir."
I was possible that Gumshoe's muscle could become useful... But only if things went terribly wrong. "Are you absolutely certain?"
The detective nodded.
"... You can help me then," Edgeworth decided.
Gumshoe's face lit up. "Thank you sir!"
"You of course know that we can't speak of our investigation to anyone. We don't know how many in the police force are funded by the wallet of Cadaverini."
"You... You really think that there's that many?"
The prosecutor nodded. "Detective... We're facing off against the Cadaverinis. We can trust no one. Not the chief of police, the head prosecutor, or even the average policeman. We're taking down the Underworld, Detective, and we're doing it alone."
A/N This first chapter is basically an introduction. It's going to get better after this, I promise.