Me: (hiding)
GS: Be glad I'm not chasing you.
Me: I know… eek!
Pearl: Hello!
Me: Is this your hiding spot?
Pearl: No… me and Mystic Maya were playing Hide and Sneak!
Me: Uh… you're kinda in my work space… not even at the Wright & Co. Office.
Pearl: … I don't understand all the rules yet.
Me: Ah… well… disclaimer someone?
GS: Fine… since you're too lazy to type one. She doesn't own Trauma Center or Phoenix
Wright because Altus and Capcom own them.
Me: (sighs)
oOoOoOo
Trauma Center: Treacherous Meetings
Chapter 11: Criminals Play Mind Games
oOoOoOo
Derek didn't believe it; he didn't WANT to believe it.
"Y-You guys… I just woke up…." he stuttered. They didn't say anything or laugh and
say Angie was alright and just out. He clenched the white sheets, "How…?" "'How'?"
Phoenix looked at Derek peculiarly. "Yes! How? Where? And why didn't anyone stop
him?!" he yelled, startling everyone. It strained his stitches to yell so he flopped back on
his pillow. Phoenix was nervous now; Derek had never gotten so furious during high
school.
Maya was silent, frowning and messing with the magatama (Yea, I finally remembered
the name) on her necklace. Pearl clung to Maya, slightly scared. Larry was just as
nervous as Phoenix, if not more. "… Ambush…" Phoenix squeaked, "In the middle of
the night." "Nick!" everyone groaned. Phoenix smacked his head, "I know!" Derek
remained silent.
"No struggle at all?" he asked after a while. Phoenix nodded, "Nothing… just a picked
lock. We were all sleeping..." Derek took a deep breath and looked out the window. The
phone by his bedside started to ring off the hook. Everyone stared while Chase answered
the phone.
"Hello?" he asked into the receiver. After a second, his eyes widened and form became tense. He
held the phone to Derek, "Its… for you. Derek looked up at Chase and then at the phone, sitting
up once more and taking the phone, "Hello?" "Finally awake Stiles?" a deep and venomous
voice asked, a deep throated laugh following. Derek's eyes snapped open, demanding, "Who
is this?!" "Temper, Dr. Stiles…" they said, "I haven't had fun yet…" Derek's hold on the
phone tightened and the man laughed again. "I can sense your anger…" he jeered, "… I know.
We'll play a small game…" "A game…?" Derek asked, biting back his disdain.
"Yes… a small game," the man assured, "I give you a clue… and you find me… Find me,
and all of this is a bad dream but… take too long and you'll never get her back… well,
she'll never be the same… a fiery spirit, just waiting to be broken… and, you can't have
any help." "Fine!" Derek snapped. "Ah... just a clue Stiles…" the voice sneered, "All I'll
give you is… slavish devotion…" The voice disappeared, replaced with a long buzz. The
connection had ceased.
Placing the phone on the bed, Derek clenched his hand till they started turning ghostly
white. 'Slavish devotion? What the hell does that mean?!' he thought angrily. Chase
picked up the phone and hung it up. "What did he want?" he asked, making Derek look
up. Derek shook his head, "I can't…" "Come on…" Larry said, "Tell us…" Derek shook
his head, "He's listening right now. You can't help." "Let us. It's our faults she's gone
now…" Phoenix said, "You're gonna need all the help you can get. Derek, you're
messing with a kidnapper who could be a murderer or a rapist…"
"I don't want you guys getting hurt," Derek muttered. Maya waved a hand, "Been
there… we're involved now anyway!" "… Slavish Devotion," Derek replied, gritting his
teeth. Everyone looked perplexed. "What?" Larry asked. Derek sighed, "Slavish
Devotion… that's all I'll say." Phoenix heard something and felt his hair stand on end.
Something seemed to freeze in time and the color in the room changed. He finally
remembered the feeling as chains appeared, covering Derek and two familiar red lock
appearing.
'Uh oh…' Phoenix thought with groan, 'Psyche Locks… Derek's hiding something about
this man…' He stood up, "We'll be back later Derek…" The surgeon, now patient,
wasn't paying attention anymore and instead was gazing out the window, a solemn look
in his eyes. Phoenix nodded at Maya, Larry, and Pearl. "It was nice seeing you again
Tyler…" he said and Chase nodded, stepping aside.
"What's the plan Nick?" Larry inquired as the group marched down the hall.
"My plan…" Phoenix stated, "… Is to pay Edgeworth a visit…"
oOoOoOo
Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was actually harder to find then Phoenix thought. They
decided to split up after finding his office to be empty. Maya reported him not to be
lurking inside or near the Court House. Larry buzzed down to his apartment but no avail
after knocking fifty times. Pearl, being braver than the others, went to Franziska's
apartment and was able to pry a location as to where Edgeworth would be at 2 PM on a
Saturday.
It was a small, family run café, but from a side glance, nobody taking a quick look would
realize it was a café. There was no big sign and no flashing lights, just a few small tables
spaced about with umbrellas for the upcoming summer weather, easily mistakable for
being owned by the ice cream shop next door. Edgeworth was sitting at one of the said
tables, legs crossed, a newspaper in his hands and a cup before him on a small plate.
"Nick," Maya whispered, tapping on his shoulder. Phoenix glanced back, "What?"
"Won't he be upset if we just… you know, interrupt him suddenly?" she asked, tapping
her temple, "He seems like the type who might…" "Well, we'll just have to make our
presence known," Phoenix answered. Maya looked at him incredulously, Pearl looking
between them. Phoenix nodded to Larry, who nodded back, grinning slightly.
Almost in an instant, they were seated at the table, staring at Edgeworth. "…." Edgeworth
lowered his paper as a pickling sensation raced up his spine. First, he glimpsed at
Phoenix then turned his gaze on Larry. "What do you two want?" he hissed slightly. His
temple throbbed as Maya and Pearl walked over. "Oh great… it's the whole gang…"
"Edgey… don't be that way…" Larry sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Well... tell me why I shouldn't be upset," Edgeworth growled, grasping his paper tightly
and lowering it more. "It's my day off… I'm trying to relax for once…" "We just need
your help with something," Phoenix said, grinning. Edgeworth lifted the paper, "If it's
about the trial coming up, forget it…" "No! Wait… what are you talking about? No,
never mind. It's about something else," Phoenix was tripping over his words. Edgeworth
closed the paper, "You won't let me finish enjoying my day until I help huh?" The four
nodded in a heartbeat.
Folding the paper precisely, he set it on the table, taking a sip from the cup. "Ok, spit it
out…" he ordered, frowning. Phoenix looked nervous, "R-Right… uh, where to start?"
"Edgeworth, there's a man named Derek Stiles currently in the hospital," Maya
intervened, "And all he'll tell us is 'slavish devotion'. What does that mean?!"
Edgeworth looked momentarily confused, "What? You have to explain the entire
situation…"
With what little they knew the explanation took about thirty minutes, by which, in the
end, Edgeworth had closed his eyes, deep in thought. "So… after the phone call, he was
rather… unresponsive except for that one… statement…" Edgeworth noted, earning
round the table nods. His brow furrowed, "Slavish devotion… ah. I remember now…"
"Remember what?!" Phoenix and Maya exclaimed in unison. Edgeworth took another sip
from his cup, "Slavish devotion… its part of the language of flowers." "Woah, flowers
have a language?" Pearl asked, biting her thumb, confused. Maya laughed nervously,
"Not literally Pearly…"
Edgeworth sighed, "The language of flowers is just what they mean by physical
appearance. Slavish devotion, in your case, is a rare black rose. It earned the meaning
only by how difficult it is to raise…" "A black rose? …GAH!" Phoenix yelped and Larry
was shocked. Maya and Pearl gasped. Edgeworth looked around, moving back slightly.
"We should tell him!" Maya squeaked. Phoenix was on his feet, "I know! Let's go!" It
was back to a cab and back to Caduceus. Edgeworth just humphed, opening his
newspaper again.
oOoOoOo
Phoenix lead the charge into Derek's room only to find…
It was empty.
"What?!" he yelled, stopping at the frame. Larry dashed off, "Tyler! Where'd Derek
go?!" Chase shook his head, "While you guys were gone… he figured it out and left. We
can't keep him here…" "Why the hell not?" Phoenix demanded, "He's playing into that
criminal's trap!" "Don't raise your voice Nick!" Chase yelled harshly, "Remember we're
in a hospital." Phoenix and Larry buttoned their lips. "Now," Chase continued, "We are
not allowed to keep patients here when they are discharged. They can stay if they want
but if they want to leave, they can!"
"At least tell us where Mr. Derek has gone!" Pearl exclaimed, "There's nothing keeping
you from telling us that right?" Chase looked surprised, "Wow… a kid's yelling at me,
but you're right. He left to Sela's house…" He turned towards the office counter, pulling
out a pen and writing on a small piece of paper. "Here…" he said, holding the paper out
to Phoenix, "It's the address… you can't miss it."
….
….
In another location…
A tall, foreboding manor stood before Derek. It looked unlived for years with vines
climbing the walls and the windows black against the fading afternoon sun. The
intimidating height kept Derek out, but by placing a hand on the gate, he went in.
oOoOoOo
Me: Chapter 11 for you guys! The next chapter won't be up until that picture I posted on
my dA account is completely colored. Sorry, it's because of a slight writer's block and
because I have a lot to do once more.
GS: You piled work again.
Me: I know… expect to find out Angie's condition at least in the next chapter.
GS: … Condition? (pulls out a knife)
Me: N-Nothing bad! Eep!
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