Songs
Investigation Begins: Detention Center Cold-Glass Elegy (Spirit of Justice OST)
Ethan is the Suspect: Investigation Core 2016 (Spirit of Justice OST)
Iris' Decision: Reminiscence- The Feelings of Each of Them (Spirit of Justice OST)
Prison Investigation: Solitary Confinement (Apollo Justice OST)
Hawthorne Residence Investigation: Court Begins Abroad [Khurain] (Spirit of Justice OST)
Ethan's Interrogation: Robot Laboratory Unerasable Past (Dual Destiniest OST)
Police Headquarters, April 10th, 10 AM
"I have no idea where to start." Phoenix sighed.
"Well, let's review everything we know so far." Iris said, standing around an evidence table with Athena. Trucy had opted to stay with Apollo in the hospital. Iris began reading off of the incident reports she requested.
"There've been three murders within the past month. The first was on the evening of March 18th, around 6:30 PM, where Morgan Fey was killed inside of her cell. She was in solitary confinement, and as such was watched by two police guards at all times, who would rotate shifts every 4 hours. The guards were knocked out simultaneously by having rags sprayed with various sedatives that were inhaled. Following this, the culprit borrowed the cell key from one of the downed guards, unlocked and entered Ms. Fey's cell, and killed her with a single large cut stemming from her left shoulder down to the right side of her waist. The body fell forward facing the ground, and bled out. The body wasn't moved from its position, the cell was once again closed and locked, and the key returned to the guard's belt. No fingerprints were found on the key, and no murder weapon was found. That means that our suspect was strong enough to take out two guards with one hand each, likely being male. It means that the murder weapon likely belongs to the culprit, and due to the size and angle of the cut, it was likely performed by a sword of some kind."
"Right. The second one?" Athena asked.
"The second happened on March 27th, time of death estimated at 7:30 PM. The suspect was the former International Spy known as The Phantom. Killed in the same way, sedated guards, unlocked cell, sword slice, no fingerprints."
"And the third?" Phoenix asked. Iris shuffled through the last report.
"Yesterday, April 9th, at 1 PM, Kirstoph Gavin was killed the same way as the previous two cases. Due to the similarity of the crime scenes, we can assume that this was one culprit responsible for all three murders."
"You know, you're very good at this." Phoenix told Iris, making her blush.
"Thanks, Feenie~"
"Now's not the time to flirt and make out, you two! Save it for later!" Athena comically yelled, embarrassing the other two.
"I suppose that the best place to start asking questions would be the Prosecutor's Office, since Edgeworth was the one who assigned your brother to the cases as chief investigator." Phoenix mused.
"Yes, that sounds right. Let's be off then."
Chief Prosecutor's Office, 10:15 AM
"Edgeworth." He looked up from his desk as the trio walked into his office.
"Wright. Something I can help you with?"
"Yeah, could you give us the investigation reports on the inmate cases?"
"Of course not. As a Lawyer, I can't give you anything unless you're defending a suspect in the case."
"He's not the one asking. I am." Iris stepped forward, Edgeworth now focusing his attention on her.
"The answer isn't changing. You're not prosecuting this case, your brother is."
"No, he's doing an internal investigation. There's no suspect and therefore no prosecutor. You were the one who processed the crime scenes as well. Mr. Edgeworth, I want you to assign me as Prosecutor on this case. I don't care who the suspect ends up being."
"And you're going to help her? You're going to have to renounce any intent to defend the suspect, so there's no conflict of interest." Edgeworth looked at Phoenix and Athena, who nodded.
"...Very well then." He went through the drawers in his desk and pulled out a folder, handing it to Iris.
"Thank you."
"Good luck." He told them as they walked out.
Opening the folder up, Iris began to shuffle through the papers, her eyes scanning the contents, her look becoming more and more puzzled as she went through them.
"So? What's it say? Clearly, there's something off about it or you wouldn't be confused." Athena asked.
"It's too...normal. Think about the crime scenes again: they were in a prison. If a random person just came in holding a sword and carrying chemical-induced rags, they would be apprehended immediately."
"Right. It's why there was an internal investigation into the staff, since the culprit would likely be someone with access to the facility on a regular basis so as not to arouse suspicion and know the obstacles to get past." Phoenix replied.
"But...there's nothing to work with here. Every staff member was interviewed in depth about their positions, routines, and alibis, and nothing is out of the ordinary. There's nothing suspicious about a single one of these people!"
"One of them has to be lying then."
"Feenie, these interviews were performed with a lie detector. None of these answers will change." She looked at him with concerned eyes.
"Hmm…..Ah! Um...Iris, there's someone that wasn't interviewed." She looked over at him interested, and he gave her a somewhat guilty look in response.
"Wright!" Before he could say anything, their attention turned to Edgeworth who called out to them from his office.
"Yes?" Edgeworth waved them back into his office, and they found a police officer standing to the side of the desk this time.
"Tell them. She's the prosecutor." He ordered.
"Yes, sir. A body was recently recovered and identified. It was Jake Thompson."
"What?!" Phoenix exclaimed.
"Someone you know, Feenie?" Iris asked.
"Yeah, he was the culprit to a case I was on just before you got here. He was found guilty of murder. Where was he found?"
"Strangely, he was found in a ditch off of a mountainside outside the city, considerably discolored and deteriorated. There were numerous complaints of a horrible smell that wasn't there before, we looked into it wondering if it was the smell of a decomposing body. We were right."
"So then I guess he was killed during the transfer…" Phoenix mumbled.
"Transfer? What transfer?" Edgeworth asked.
"You didn't know, sir? Mr. Thompson was scheduled for a prison transfer."
"Come to think of it, when the verdict was handed down, Trucy and I saw him in the lobby, being handed off to Prosecutor Hawthorne. He gave them a note, and they gave him Jake."
"Yes, sir. Prosecutor Hawthorne gave us a note signed by you that ordered a prison transfer to San Diego."
"I never approved that! I never even got a request for that! Did you analyze the handwriting on the note?"
"N-No, sir."
"Go analyze it right now!" The officer nodded and ran off.
"It must have been a forgery…" Edgeworth sighed. Phoenix thought for a moment.
"...Edgeworth. Iris. If that note was forged, and Ethan took Jake Thompson to a prison in San Diego, but he was found dead on the way there...then he's the prime suspect."
Iris and Edgewoth's eyes widened, connecting the dots as Phoenix did.
"Do you think he could be the prime suspect in the prison killing case as well?" Edgeworth asked.
"I don't think we have enough evidence for that yet. It's possible, though. At the very least, he could be brought in for Jake Thompson's murder."
"Phoenix." Iris looked at him seriously. "Remember what I just said? That my brother was put in charge of the investigation for the prison killing case?"
"Yeah. I was about to tell you before we were called back in here. That would be the perfect cover, conducting the investigations without having to divulge any information about himself."
"And since there was no evidence against any of the officers stationed there, it would be considered a cold case and with time, the statute of limitations would run out on it."
There was silence for a few moments before Edgeworth picked up his phone and called the police department.
"Yes, it's Edgeworth. I want you to issue a warrant for Ethan Hawthorne's arrest for the murder of Jake Thompson. It's also possible that he could be the prison killer we've been looking for."
"I can't believe this…" Iris mumbled.
"Iris." Edgeworth addressed her after hanging up. "This is your last chance. Are you sure you want to prosecute this case? If not, I will, as the suspect is another prosecutor. But you can't change your mind afterwards."
"...No. I'm going to stay on it."
"You're sure?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes. I've been worried about the culprit coming after you all this time because of your connection to these murders. And if I can put that culprit behind bars, even if it's Ethan, then I'm going to do so, for your sake."
"Then I'll stick with you, for your sake." Phoenix responded.
"Thank you." She smiled and held his hand.
"Very well. Then while we try to bring him in, I want you to investigate his connection to these prison murders. His Means, His Motive, and His Opportunity. I would start at the prison and review the crime scenes. I'll let them know you're both on this case." Edgeworth ordered.
"Understood." Iris nodded.
"Boss, I think I'm going to go to the hospital and check on Trucy and Apollo." Athena said.
"Good. Hopefully this won't take long…"
Detention Center, 11 AM
Looking at the three different crime scenes again, their layouts were all the same. The cell was watched by two guards, and the culprit would have to have routine access to the prison to forego any usual body searches and security regarding weapons.
"How often are guarding shifts again?" Iris asked.
"Every hour. Since only two guards watch each solitary confinement cell, it's fairly easy to rotate, and it gets boring quickly as well. They don't usually talk to the incarcerated." The Warden explained.
"You said the cameras were out during each of these murders as well?"
"Yes, Ma'am. The guards here go to the camera room for their rotation, so the guard already stationed there would leave as well for his next station."
"Were they found unconscious too?"
"No. They had already made it to their next post without any problems, as indicated on the investigation reports."
"I think I figured out the means, then. The culprit is someone who had high level access to this facility, considering that they could carry a sword in without issue. They knew when the security guard would leave, and that the watchmen would be going in there within a few minutes. They waited until the security guard left, then went in themselves, turned the cameras off, went back out and knocked out the watchmen at the same time, took the key, opened the cell and committed the crime, then locked it again and returned the key before turning the cameras back on and leaving. They wouldn't be found until the next shift, because for a whole hour, there wasn't anyone watching the cameras. The last guy would have assumed that they had made it to their station as usual." Iris explained.
"So, who has complete access to the Detention Center besides the staff?"
"A Prosecutor would." The Warden said in response.
"Iris."
"We still don't know yet, Feenie. It's plausible, but we have to establish a motive and an opportunity. And where would he get a sword?"
"In that case, why don't we look around your house for that sword? We'll confirm his innocence or guilt."
"...Alright. Thank you, Warden." She nodded to him and the two left the prison.
Hawthorne Residence, 1 PM
Arriving at her house, there were a few police cars in the driveway. Parking and getting out, they went up to the front door and opened it, where Ema was inside.
"Oh! Iris! Sorry to intrude like this but it's an investigation scene now…"
"We...actually came to investigate it ourselves. Is my brother…?"
"He was already taken in for questioning."
"I see...we'll be upstairs if you need us." She said, as the two went up the stairs and into Ethan's bedroom.
"There's nothing here. It's a regular bedroom." Phoenix sighed, beginning to search his closet for a weapon, but there was nothing. Iris did the same looking underneath the bed, again with no luck.
"It's not in here, Feenie." She sighed, shaking her head and going out to his office, leaning against the desk.
"Damn it, we're back at square one with no leads again!" She cursed, gripping the side of the desk frustratedly.
"What the-?" She stumbled when her finger underneath the desk unknowingly tapped on a button and a small drawer from the desk slid out with a key in it, and the bookshelf opposite them at the far end of the wall opened like a door, revealing an actual door behind it.
"Well now. Perhaps our lead isn't gone just yet." Phoenix pointed out, as Iris grabbed the key, her hands shaking a little. Going over to the door, she inserted it and turned it, clicking the lock and pushing the door open.
Entering Ethan's hidden room, Iris immediately noticed the weapons hanging on the left wall, including a katana. Another desk was there, with an open black envelope lying on top with a letter inside of it.
"What did you guys find- whoa!" Ema exclaimed, coming up to check on the noise.
"Do you think you could use Luminol Spray on that katana, Ema?" Iris asked quietly, picking up the letter.
"Y-Yeah, sure thing." She complied, Phoenix helping her take it down from the weapon rack.
"Ethan (Tiger),
A member has found themselves in some trouble. He was accused of murder, and I'm sure he'll be found guilty. I know it's a huge thing to ask, but I need to have you relocated to Los Angeles in order to keep watch over our operations there. A house has already been arranged for you, and I'll purchase your London home as soon as you put it on the market. The shipment of your cars will also be handled by associates of mine, so don't worry about that. Drop them off at the location disclosed at the bottom of this letter.
His name is Jake Thompson, and he's a street supervisor. Should he be found innocent, bring him back to one of our warehouses, have him tell you the location, and he'll inform you of our current standings. Should he be found guilty, kill him somewhere where he won't be found, at least not for a long time. He made a serious blunder, and I'm not willing to wait for jail time to be served just to have him back. He'll be replaced.
A shofeur will pick you up from the airport, bring you to your house, and give you your new house keys. Your cars should be there by then.
Call if you need any further details.
-Yasutora (Dragon)."
Iris finished reading the letter aloud and sat down at the desk, rubbing her eyes.
"There's some definitive proof for the first one. Premeditated." Phoenix said, as Ema sprayed the blade.
"Everything listed out happened too. Our house was bought immediately, and Ethan suddenly sprung on me the fact that we had to move. That shofeur picked us up as well, and our cars were shipped really fast."
"Yasutora...Iris, that's the leader of the Yakuza. He's the one who gave Jake Thompson orders."
"...Ema, is there blood residue on that sword?"
"Yes, a lot of it. There's also another large stain over here, at the back wall." She pointed out a large blue stain from the luminol reacting to old blood.
"What do you think that's from?" Phoenix asked, bewildered.
"I don't know. But it's safe to say some kind of confrontation happened here not too long ago. It was cleaned up thoroughly to make it look as if nothing happened, but Luminol doesn't lie." Ema took a picture of both the sword and the floor and sheathed the sword.
"I'll have to bring this sword in, it's evidence, likely the murder weapon we've been searching for."
"Here. Take this too." Iris put the letter back and handed Ema the envelope.
"What now?"
"...I think it's about time we have a talk with my brother…" Iris growled, and the three left the house.
"Oh, his house keys are here. I almost forgot, I left mine at your office. I'll borrow these for now." Iris said on the way out, locking the front door.
Detention Center, Interrogation Room, 2:30 PM
Iris and Phoenix sat across the table from Ethan, who was in handcuffs, in silence.
"How did I never see it?" Iris asked, Ethan looking into her eyes, understanding exactly what she said.
"Because I did my very best to hide it from you. Though I suppose I didn't do well enough because you found out…"
"Ethan...tell me about what happened. Please."
"What do you mean?"
"The letter. The katana. The blood. The hidden room. Explain it all."
Their expressions didn't change. Iris thought that maybe he would be surprised that she knew so much, but he wasn't. His eyes changed to red as he started to perceive them, giving her a menacing look, but she wasn't fazed either.
"When I was 24 or so, shortly after I settled in London permanently, I was a witness to someone trying to rob Yasutora Takahashi, the godfather of the Yakuza and my superior. He just looked like a rich businessman to me, and so I fought the guy off before anything could happen. He thanked me, and I later gave the police a description for a police sketch. They found the guy, and I prosecuted him, my first case. He was declared guilty and Yasutora made me an offer to become his protege, for him to train me in martial arts, to become a prosecutor in service to them, and to receive top benefits that he gets."
"Benefits like…?"
"You read the letter, benefits like having a mansion prepared for you, having our cars speedily flown over on a cargo carrier, first class service types of things, anything I need. As a matter of fact, London was a strategic place for us to live, because Yakuza activity is largely in Asia and the pacific islands, not in the UK. But after Jake, I had to move here."
"Yes, Jake...so what happened with that?"
Ethan switched his eyes over to Phoenix, raising his eyebrows as if to tell him to continue the story.
"What happened goes back a few months." Phoenix sighed. "A man named Louis Stinpott was approached by a few Yakuza thugs who were attempting to rob him. He fought them off, and they reported to Jake Thompson. The same thugs attempted to rob him a second time, and once again they were fought off, but this time, were followed back to a warehouse, where Jake Thompson was. He fought Stinpott back and threatened him. Stinpott left, but gave up the location of the warehouse to the police, who swarmed the place and arrested a bunch of members as well as stashes of weapons. Jake got away. Only to find out that Stinpott's new girlfriend, Anna Lyman, was the younger sister of his good friend Fred. He was safe as long as he was dating her, but he became clingy, and everytime she tried to break up, he wouldn't let her. Fred told Jake about it, and Jake killed Louis, predicting that either Lyman sibling would be blamed. I got Anna declared not guilty, and upon further investigation of Jake's house, we found letters addressed to him from Yasutora Takahashi as well as the murder weapon."
"He used his phone call to contact Yasutora's private line, who then wrote me that letter with the instructions."
"So that's what that phone call was...and I assume you're the protege he mentioned?"
"He mentioned me? Hehe...yeah. Yasutora's known as the Dragon, and I'm known as the Tiger."
"So then you killed Jake?" Iris asked.
"Yes, I did. The gun I used is in the hidden room in the house. You won't find any fingerprints on it, but the police can feel free to go back and get it."
Iris carefully eyed the security cameras in the corners of the ceiling in the room.
"I'm well aware that this conversation is being recorded, Iri. I'm telling you these things because I'm not in any real trouble."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I'm an accessory taking orders from a higher up. That higher up happens to be the boss of the most powerful crime syndicate in the world. He's too powerful to be prosecuted by regular means, and he can get me out as soon as I get in. I'd be on a flight to Japan in a week. This time, I won't be taking you with me." He looked at Iris with a cold stare, making her shiver.
The kind, loving older brother she had known had done a complete 180, almost as if he had a split personality.
"It's the same with the others too. Orders." He said.
"Others…? Ethan, are you behind the prison killings too?" Phoenix asked.
"That, I cannot confirm nor deny. Not in front of the camera. And you're going to have to do some work in the trial if you want to get that information out of me."
"Orders, huh? I don't believe you."
"Hm? Why not?" His smirk disappeared.
"Your orders were about Jake Thompson. I find it too much of a coincidence that the three victims all had connections to me."
"I told you before that I keep track of all the descendants of Ryuunosuke Naruhodou. News of what you did in Khura'in reached international renown."
"Yet you had no intention of leaving London until you got word of Jake Thompson's blunder. You knew moving to Los Angeles with Iris in tow would inevitably lead you to meeting me, and then three inmates, all of whom I have a connection to, are found dead. The way things are looking, I don't have to think too hard to see that you're the culprit. So tell me...if you were really the one who killed those three, what was your motive?"
A pin drop could be heard, the tension was so high between the three of them, before Ethan moved back against his chair again, as Phoenix's magatama reacted.
Five Black Psyche-Locks appeared, giving off an even more ominous aura than the ones from Athena or Kristoph, startling Phoenix.
'Not again…!'
"We're done here. Leave me." He said as Phoenix and Iris slowly stood up, and a policeman came through the door.
"Mr. Hawthorne, have you decided on an attorney to represent you in the trial tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'll be defending myself." He said confidently, surprising the other two.
"Think of this as your final test. Don't disappoint me." He looked right at Iris, who gulped.
End.