Clarith Blake
"After the trial, I went back home to keep on with life as if the incident never happened... I still felt pretty bad for the way that I had to throw Aria under the bus, but Neptune insisted that she didn't blame me. I'm still not entirely sure if that's the case, but I suppose I'll believe her for the time being. It's not like I can really go back to ask her about it to make sure Neptune is being honest, because Aria has mysteriously disappeared since the trial came to a close. I hope that things start to get better soon, because it seems like everything has been so chaotic as of late. Neptune and Buddy have been freaking out over more assassin things... I want that to get resolved as soon as possible, because I don't know how much more involving assassins I can take before I snap completely."
Neptune Mercure
"I think things are finally starting to calm down a little bit. Then again, that is relative after all the chaos that we've seen as of late, and I feel like it will be a pretty long time before things actually go back to how they were before. There are a few loose ends to wrap up still involving the Emsthorpe crime ring, but I get the feeling that they'll be showing up again sometime in the future. Those guys have a knack for getting into trouble, and I don't think they'll be able to risk the temptation of causing even more problems when it would inconvenience us most. When they show up again, we'll just have to take care of them. That's the least we can do for all their victims. For now, I'm going to enjoy this era of peace, because I get the feeling it isn't going to be lasting long..."
Sky Amaya
"I'm sad to say that Blocker Law Offices will no longer be in business. After the death of the first owner and now his successor, the agency is shutting down. All of the lawyers are going to have to find other places of employment. It's been less than a year since Felicity and I were hired, so this truly is a shame, but... I understand. After all that has happened in the past, I would want to back away from it as well. I don't know where our search for jobs is going to take us, but I hope that we're able to figure something out sooner rather than later. Who knows? Maybe Morix Law Offices will open up applications soon. We seem to keep running into the lawyers there, so maybe this is where we're meant to be working..."
Felicity Amaya
"It really sucks that Blocker Law is closing so soon after Sky and I were hired. I thought that maybe we would finally have a chance there now that there was somebody new in charge, but I guess not. That really stinks, but I can't say I blame the higher-ups for it. This place is infamous for its bad luck at this point. As nervous as I am about the future, at least this is a chance to go out there and see what else the world has in store for us. As nice as it was working there, it didn't really feel like a family. That's what I would really like to see in a workplace, but I don't know if there's anywhere that fits that description... Maybe Morix Law Offices would. That place seems rather nice, and I think it would be great to work with the people who have gotten me and Sky out of scrapes before..."
Kraig Erikson
"I'm glad to hear that the culprit for the murder of Amelia Wattson was finally uncovered, but... It's a shame that he was never properly convicted for such. Regardless, that can't happen now anyways since he's dead. I get the feeling the Emsthorpe group is going to be appearing again in the future. They can't seem to stay away from the legal system for long, as much as I hate to say it. They will return again, but for now, there is peace, and that's what I wish to embrace for now. It's important to be prepared for the time ahead, but right now, I'm glad that Toby is finally back from the detention center. He and Mukuro seem closer than ever. I hope we can strengthen our bonds further as well. Plus, he needs to introduce me to this Vera friend of his..."
Nikki Cruz
"I know that life is going to be drastically different from here on out now that Dad is gone... However, even if we lost one family member, we gained another one. Lira is moving in with us from now on, and while it hurts me that Dad isn't around to greet her, one of the girls at Morix Law Offices promised that she would channel him at one point for us to talk to him again... I think her name is Chrysalis. She was the one involved with solving his murder. Speaking of, I don't know how to feel that his killer is dead... It almost feels like he got off too easy, but at least he can't hurt anyone else... The healing process is going to be long and difficult, but I'm sure that things will turn out okay... Dad is always watching out for us, after all."
Lira Giuseppe
"I-I am... Getting better at speaking English. Nikki has been teaching me, but I am still better in Italian. I am moving in with her family, so I will have time to get better. I feel bad for Uncle Luis... He wanted to see us all live together as a family, but... I believe he is watching us from heaven. He would not abandon us, even if death tore us apart. V-Vito told me that the man who killed him is dead now as well, and... Part of me is glad. Is that rude of me? I should not be relieved that someone died, but... He took away part of my family, and he broke many hearts. I just hope that Uncle Luis is happy, wherever he is. We have come together like he would have wanted... Maybe we will be able to see him again one day soon... I hope so."
Elec Daegana
"Life has somewhat gone back to normal at the Prosecutor's Office. I have started to go there with my true face on full display, and... People are actually being rather accepting of me. I didn't expect that, but I'm glad to see it. Plus, I've been adopted! Prosecutor Burke and Mr. Morix are now my mom and dad! The three of us have gotten an apartment with Anton and Chrysalis. We have a dog named Nelson and a cat named Thea too. Overall, this is more perfect than I ever could have asked for. I don't know how I didn't talk about all of this sooner. I didn't know at the time that it would change my life for the better like this, but now that I'm here, I don't think I would ever want to go back to how it was before."
Nevada Wood
"I haven't been running around all that much since the murder. It's not that I don't want to get out and stretch my legs, but... I get the feeling people don't know how to deal with me. I mean, I popped out of the brain of somebody who everyone thought was relatively normal, and then I killed somebody. I guess that would freak some people out. It doesn't matter all that much to me though. If they don't want to hang out with me, then that's their problem... It's not like I care or anything... If they did invite me to something, I guess I would check it out for the sake of my curiosity, but that doesn't mean anything. That's not going to happen anyways, so I should stop thinking about it... I guess it would be nice if it did happen though..."
Celosia Quell
"It's a real shame that Ms. Fence was killed by somebody like that monster. I didn't know her all that well, but my mom got along with her really well before she was killed. I know that she didn't deserve to deal with all of that from an assassin in her last days. I'm going to do what I can to make sure something like that doesn't happen again. I don't have a job in the legal world yet, but maybe that will change in the next few years, and if it does, you can bet that I'm going to track down the people who sent that assassin after her in the first place. It's the least I can do to honor her legacy and prevent this from happening again to somebody else. I'm sure it'll make Mom happy too..."
Ophani Diaphan
"The search for the Emsthorpe crime ring's members continues even now. We may have eliminated one of them, but there are many others that remain at large. Cormous Arme, or rather, Marcus Moore was given orders by someone, and we need to find that person. The general assumption is that it was Augustus Emsthorpe, and if that's the case, we'll certainly have our work cut out for us. He has managed to avoid authorities for well over two decades, and I get the feeling he will do all that he can to stay away from us well into the future. His days are numbered as soon as a clue appears, and when that day does finally come that he is caught, I am sure the legal system will show him no mercy. His crimes must end. It's only a matter of time until he pays for what he has done."
Eriko Frost
"So much has happened as of late. It's almost hard to keep it all straight. I'm glad to hear that everything has been resolved for the time being, even if remaining threads imply that this is not over. Augustus Emsthorpe remains at large, and even if we know more about him than we did before, this is still not a notable advantage. The Emsthorpe crime ring is no stranger to hiding the truth from the rest of the world. They will find a way to hide from us since they have been able to do so for this long. The Emsthorpe crime group is going to descend back into the shadows once again, but this is not permanent. I am sure that there are many who wish to catch them once more, and I am one of them... I wonder if Morix Law Offices will somehow be involved with uncovering the truth..."
Ervan Frost
"I was there to hear the full truth about Cormous Arme, and I must admit that it all came as a shock... Eriko told me that he seemed like a regular man whenever he was the defense attorney in the nature preserve case. She presided over his death too, and I must admit that it came as a shock... Everything that he did was monstrous, and I see that now. Everything was revealed in the trial where he was proven to be a murderer, and that is something important to keep in mind as we look towards the future. The Emsthorpe crime ring has become more relevant now than it has been in many years, and I don't know how to feel about it... I can only hope that it eventually leads to their downfall, though only time will be able to tell what fate awaits the Emsthorpe group and Augustus Emsthorpe himself."
Aidan Hayes
"It's been nice to finally take on a few cases after spending so long in training... Detective Wattson really has been a great teacher, and Mukuro has been helping me to get used to everything too. Detective Erikson is amazing, and I hope to be like him one day when my training is finished. I've found a family of sorts at work, and I think that's exactly what I need after spending so much time feeling lonely there. It's even better since it will help to balance out all the doom and gloom that comes with investigating murder after murder. I wonder what will come next... I'm starting to feel a bit more confident in my skills, and hopefully I'll be able to take on a case or two on my own. I'm sure that I'll be able to be someone others are proud of soon... At least, that's what I hope..."
Mukuro Erikson
"It's been great to finally be able to take on some cases with Dad. I've been spending a lot more time down at the precinct than ever before, and I've really been enjoying it. It's great to see him enjoying himself so much. He seems to really get along with Detective Wattson too. They've been doing a lot of talking as of late, and I have to wonder if there's something more there that he isn't telling me. It wouldn't surprise me, given how hopeless he tends to be where romance is concerned. I hope he isn't holding out on me though. I think they would make for a lovely couple... Her assistant, Aidan, is a lot of fun to hang out around too. We're planning to go and have some tea this weekend. I'm sure that this is going to be a lot of fun. I can't wait!
Vera Wattson
"I feel as if life is finally slowing down to how it was before. A lot has taken place, but everything is going back to normal, and I don't think I could be happier. I've been spending more time with Toby too... We're both very happy that the murder of my sister was resolved as well, even if the culprit never served time for his crime. I'm just happy that this weight has finally been taken off our shoulders. He seems happier than ever before, and I'm glad to see it. I'm hoping that we'll be able to get closer in the future. We've been put on cases together a lot lately, so maybe that trend will continue into the future. I hope that's the case... I think that we make a great team, and no criminals will be able to stand up to us when we're working together."
Toby Erikson
"I don't think I've ever been happier to see a murder solved. Amelia can finally rest in peace after years of being unable to do so. I wish that monster had seen punishment for what he did to her, but... I'm glad that the truth has come to light for the rest of the world. There might not be official proof, but this is all that I could ask for. I wonder if she can be channeled one day. I want to tell her that everything is alright now and show her all that has changed in her absence... Her younger sister has become a fine young woman that I'm sure she would be proud of. Maybe I can ask Mr. Morix for help finding a spirit medium to channel her. I'm sure he knows someone, and... I think Amelia deserves to see the world that she should have been around to witness for herself."
Sora Lin
"It's taken a long time to adjust after what happened with Niamh a while ago... She's still not aware of what happened whenever Nevada took over. Nobody's told her yet. It'll just freak her out, so I've been trying to make sure that nobody finds out if they don't need to. I think she's starting to get suspicious, but I'm hoping that it'll still be a while before she figures everything out. She's been through a lot lately between putting up with her uncle's business as an assassin and taking on cases that freak her out. I'd rather not make that worse, even if that means keeping this a secret from her. I'm sure that she'll figure out whenever the time is right, though I'm not entirely positive as to when that will be... Oh, well. I'll figure out when it's time soon enough, and until then, I'm going to enjoy this peace."
Roberto Shield
"Lily has been doing a lot better mentally since her agency came back together. She really wasn't feeling great after everyone split up, but I'm glad that she's feeling happier again. She told me everything that happened at her agency involving that man... Cormous, I think she said his name was. I don't know how somebody can be that twisted and cruel, though I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised at this point. Humans are disgusting creatures for the most part, and it seems this man is no exception. At least he's dead and buried at this point. It'll keep him from causing trouble again in the future. Part of me dreads who will show up next to stir up problems, but I guess we'll just have to take care of them whenever they show their cowardly faces in full. They won't know who they're dealing with until it's too late."
Vito Cruz
"A lot has changed with Dad's death. Lira has moved in with us, and Nikki has gone back to school. She's taken up her work as a singer once again, and I think it's her way of letting out her emotions in a way that will make other people happy. We've gone through a lot as of late, but she's still trying to put a smile on other people's faces. I appreciate her efforts immensely, and I want to try and return the favor. Since Lira has moved in, the whole dynamic of our family has changed, and that's not even factoring in that Dad is gone now... I'm going to try and do what I can for her until we can get somebody to channel him... It's my job to look after her. That's what older brothers are meant to do, and I'm happy to reach out for her sake."
Anton Burke
"Elec has moved in, and so have Chrysalis and Daddy! I don't think I've ever been so happy... We've been doing a lot of family things together, and I haven't been stammering as much either. I can only make sure that I don't stutter whenever I'm happy, so I guess I'm really excited... Elec has been telling me all about his work as a prosecutor, and I'm determined to follow in his footsteps to become just like our mom! I'll make sure that everybody is proud of me! Though... I-I guess it sort of seems like there's something I'm not being told... I wonder if there's a secret everybody else is keeping from me, but if there is, what could it possibly be...? They wouldn't want to hide something from me... I guess that's just me then. It's mean to think that they would keep a big secret like that..."
Polly Burke
"Cotoli hasn't seemed all that interested in hiring new employees ever since what happened with his previous set of workers. I can't blame him for that. Anybody would be upset after Marcus Moore pulled something like that. Just hearing about it during the trial gave me a headache, and I hope that I never have to deal with him ever again. As long as nobody channels him, we should be in the clear, but you never know when it comes to people. I do know that if I ever see his face again, I might have to punch him for all that he put everybody through... If Cotoli ever does hire somebody new, they're going to have to go through an exclusive interview process by yours truly. I'm not letting somebody like that slip through the cracks like he did even if I have to interrogate them about their intentions myself."
Niamh Wood
"Everyone's been acting sort of weird since the murders at the Prosecutor's Office... I don't know why though. They won't talk about it, but... I heard there was an attempt to blow up the building by an outside person. He wound up dying, but I haven't heard who did it. Nobody seems to want to tell me. I don't get it... He was my uncle, as much as I hate to say it, so don't I have a right to know? Then again, am I really curious in the first place? He doesn't deserve any attention after all that he did. We might only know about his crimes from around the time he joined that law agency, but that's enough for me... I hope that Zach is happy we caught him, wherever he is... He deserves to know that his father was found out for his crimes, even if he's no longer with us..."
Ghastly Bespoke
"It's been a real chore getting everything back to normal at the Prosecutor's Office. It's unusual to see a murder anywhere, but two of them so close to each other is even weirder. It was quite a chore to get everyone to calm down after the death of Marcus Moore. An attempt to plant a bomb unsettles people. Who would have thought? It's a shame that we lost Prosecutor Cruz due to that man's crimes though... Everything was moving faster than we could handle, and we're just now finding the power to catch up. My one hope is that nothing like this happens again for a long time. It's going to take a while for the rest of us to work things out after all of that messiness, and I want to do what I can to help everyone feel better about what happened... They deserve a chance to take a deep breath after all that."
Chrysalis Starr
"Everything has been slowly getting back to normal, but it seems to be taking much longer than I would have liked... Oh, well. I'm sure everything will resolve itself soon enough. Until then, I'm going to try and get back to my work as Oracle. I took a break from it after the prison murder, but... I think I'm finally going to take the important steps needed to get rid of other criminals again. If the Emsthorpe crime ring tries anything again, I'm going to do some snooping to try and have them arrested at long last... I have a lot of updating to do for my prison evidence room too. It's been ages since I went in there... Maybe I can finally define everything that I do as Oracle for the rest of the agency... That will certainly be a lengthy conversation..."
Lily Shield
"Let me tell you, I don't think I have ever breathed a larger sigh of relief than I did when I realized that the case involving Cormous-erm, Marcus Moore's last murder was over. Well, it wasn't his last one when you look at it from a timeline perspective, since it was his second-to-last, but... Oh, you know what I mean. At least we don't have to put up with him and his aggravating flirting anymore, right? ...Speaking of, wasn't he flirting with...? Nope, not going to think about that. I know that he was hiding the truth for the interview, so we're all going to have to look into whoever gets hired next to make sure that they're somebody we can trust... But even if we didn't ever add anybody else to the agency, I think I would be okay with that. I love our little family of six."
Yuri Rinko
"I'm loving our little agency family now that we're back together. I really missed it while we were apart, and I'm happy that we've managed to find common ground to reunite again. If the plan of the Emsthorpe crime ring was to divide us so that it would be easier to find information, they failed spectacularly. If anything, we're even closer than we ever were before, and I think this helped us to become better people at the end of the day. Victoria is certainly enjoying herself more now that we're back together, and she's fitting in just perfectly. If I had to nitpick her for one thing, it would be that she still hasn't introduced us to her boyfriend. For how much she talks about him, you would expect her to show him off more! I want to meet him! Please, universe, have mercy on my soul!
Deirdre Brigit
"We haven't taken on any cases since the incident with Marcus Moore, but if you ask me, that might be for the best. We all need some time to take a step back and enjoy a moment to relax. I don't think we'll be able to take on cases until after we've fully recovered from this emotional trauma... In a way, that's what it is. We haven't fully recognized it as such, but we really should... Either way, I'm glad that life is going back to how it was before. I'm enjoying seeing everything calm down once again after all that stress. I think we deserve to enjoy this time for ourselves. We've grown a lot closer as a group since this recent string of cases, and I can only hope that this trend continues well into the future. It's the least we deserve after all that has taken place."
Victoria von Graye
"I feel oddly accomplished for having survived this recent string of messiness... Is that weird of me to say? I haven't gone through anything like this before, and I think I handled it rather well despite being relatively new to the world of law. At least, that's what I keep telling myself to make sure that I don't freak out... Either way, I'm happy that life is sort of going back to how it was before. My boyfriend is feeling a lot better now that the final case has been resolved. You would not believe how worried he was as everything was happening... Yuri keeps on pestering me about bringing him to the agency so that everybody else can meet him, but I don't know if he'll be up for that... He's always been rather shy, but even so, he'll always be my knight in shining armor... No, my prince! No... Both!"
Cotoli Morix
"I'm not sure as to what the future is going to hold for me and the rest of my agency, but... I know that whatever happens, we'll be ready for it. If we were able to get through all of this, the future has nothing on us. I wouldn't say that it was as flashy or publicized as what happened with Interpol last year, but it's still a large step for our group... I have no plans on expanding the agency after what happened with our little rat, but... I have received a few requests from some standout individuals to join the agency. I've been thinking over it as of late, and there's a chance that maybe they'll wind up as part of our family after all... Only time will be able to tell for sure, but I do know one thing with certainty. Right now, we are happy, and that is all that matters."
Unknown Date
Unknown Location
Unknown Time
Unknown Perspective
I sat down at my desk and rubbed one hand over my forehead. Another day of exhausting work was finished. I pushed my chair back and propped my feet up against the wood of the desk, leaning back and staring at the ceiling as I tucked my hands behind my head. I needed this time to relax after all that I had been getting up to.
The door opened, and I pulled my legs down when I realized it was my brother. He always got picky about me behaving properly in the office even when nobody was watching. I didn't see the point of it, but it was best if I faked caring about it to avoid getting a lengthy lecture from him. "What do you need?" I asked.
He handed me something, and I realized that it was a picture in a frame. I looked up at him and tilted my head to one side. "What is this?" I questioned.
"It's the picture that he promised us. You said that you wanted a picture of the rest of our family, so he got it," my brother answered. "These are the people that we're supposed to be protecting from here on out."
I looked down at the picture and examined it in more detail. There were four people in the picture, three of them young women while the last one was clearly much older. The oldest of the younger girls looked almost exactly like the older woman, so I assumed that this picture was of mother and daughters. The other two daughters looked almost exactly alike, though there was something about them that was strikingly familiar...
Ah, that was it. They looked just like the person that had given me this picture in the first place.
"They should have been able to stay safe on their own, but that all changed the second that Oracle entered the scene," my brother continued. "That's what he seems to think anyways... Two of the people in this picture are no longer alive, and the last one of the daughters is heavily suspected to have gotten wrapped up with the wrong people.'
I frowned and set the picture down on my desk. "So, we need to make sure that nothing happens to that last daughter or her mother for his sake," I murmured, nodding slowly as I continued to stare at the picture, almost as if I thought it would be able to answer the question forming in my head. "Sounds easy enough. I mean, I'm sure that we'll be able to take care of it. Where is this daughter at now?"
He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Morix Law Offices."
SECRETS BENEATH SECRETS
END
There's the end of Secrets beneath Secrets! I'm going to be posting character profiles on Saturday along with a few closing author's notes, and after that, the next book will begin. Until then, I hope you're all ready!
-Digital
