Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney
Turnabout of the Mobile Tank
by Derald Snyder
Investigation- Day 2
Court Record:
Autopsy Report
SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank
Victim's Vest
Crime Scene Photos
Blaster Rifle
Assassination Orders
Security Camera Footage
April 16, 12:02 PM
Samson & Co. Law Offices
"And that pretty much sums it up," Rei finished her explanation of the day's events to Blanc's face displayed on the holo-screen. Sophia was standing to her right, while Bartholomew was seated at his desk.
"Damn," the CPU muttered, "I tell you to bring your A-game, and not only you rip apart the witness' false testimony, you force the prosecutor to recuse herself..."
"Only because she appears to have a direct connection to the victim," Sophia pointed out.
"Are we sure," Bartholomew cut in, "that Sheriff Linebeck really intended to assassinate Zelda Daphnes?"
"W-well," Rei turned to her boss, "Th-the assassination n-note w-was found in his p-pocket. I'm just g-going where the e-evidence t-takes me, sir..."
"Did it ever occur to you that somebody might've planted that note in his pocket after the fact?" Blanc pointed out.
"Wait a minute... if that's true..." Sophia's eyes went wide as she gasped. "The assassin could still be out there! Miss Daphnes' life may still be in danger!"
"Don't worry, I'm on it," Blanc stated. "Nobody's getting assassinated on MY watch! Also, I need to get a new prosecutor assigned to the case. In the meantime, why don't you haul butt down to the crime scene and try finding some clues to this assassin's identity?!"
"Y-yes ma'am! W-we're on it!" Rei stood at attention.
The flat-chested goddess nodded. "Good. Make sure you keep me in the loop. Sayonara." With that, the transmission cut off.
Bartholomew pondered for a moment, before speaking, "Well, I think that the first thing you should do is try to find the weapon that was used to stab Norris Linebeck before he was run over. It'd go a long way toward proving your case..."
"That is exactly what Detective Pericles- Snooper- should be doing at this moment," Sophia pointed out. "We should probably touch base with him anyway..."
"W-well, n-no point in p-procrastinating..." Rei muttered as she got her things together.
April 16
Outskirts of Iris Field
"Th-thanks for paying again," Rei said to Sophia as they got out of the cab.
"It's no problem," the mechanic shrugged. "Although, I'm more used to riding around in SOPHIA-2... oh, there's Detective Snooper!" As they approached, they saw that the man in question had some sort of long-handled device in his hands.
"Hey Snooper! You find anything yet?" Rei called. "Or are you still an incompetent worm?!"
"Hello, Rei, Miss Sophia," Snooper acknowledged. "Not yet... trying to find a knife or something similar under all this snow is like trying to find a needle in a haystack! So I went back to the precinct and got this!" He held up the device. "This metal detector shouldn't have any trouble finding what we're looking for!"
"Unless the object used to stab Sheriff Linebeck isn't metal," Sophia couldn't help but point out.
The detective just shrugged. "Well, this'll still be worth a try!" He switched the device on-
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
"Whoa! What the heck?!" cried Snooper as he quickly turned it off.
"Sorry, Detective. That was probably me," Sophia lamented.
"What, you carrying metal on you?" Snooper muttered in annoyance.
"...More like I'm made of metal. You see..." Sophia bit her lip. "Actually... I'm a robot."
"Wh-" Rei's eyes went wide.
"Wh-" Snooper did the same.
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!" they both screamed in unison.
"...I anticipated you would react that way. Let me remove any doubt from your minds, then..." With that, Sophia pulled at her cheek, actually peeling a small chunk of skin off, revealing metal underneath. "See? Synthetic flesh."
"N... No way!" Rei gasped. "I... I had n-no idea... Y-you seemed so... so..."
"So human?" the mechanic smiled wryly. "My mother- or rather, my creator, Dr. Janice Grove- really is a genius. Although, I think even she's surprised at how easily I blend in sometimes... Anyway, now you understand why I was the designated pilot for SOPHIA-2... because I was literally constructed for that purpose."
"And yet Jacob Fredrick still outshone you," Snooper muttered.
"I don't begrudge him," the robot shrugged. "It's actually somewhat reassuring to have a partner who has my back..."
"D-does Jacob know a-about your t-true n-nature?" Rei couldn't help but ask.
"Of course he knows," Sophia nodded. "Although, he didn't realize it when we first met..."
"But I don't get something," Snooper interjected. "The district court has metal detectors at all entrances, now come none of those ever went off?"
Sophia smiled again. "Well, because I'm so lifelike, it'd be a hassle to try and explain my true nature to everyone I meet... So, Dr. Grove installed a disruptor field that can temporarily scramble metal detectors so I don't trigger them. But it doesn't work on every kind of metal detector..."
*Sophia's Disruptor Field added to the Court Record.*
"So basically, you're gonna have to keep your distance while we try and use this thing," Snooper concluded.
"I'm afraid so," the robot girl nodded. "I'll just stay here at the tape while you conduct your search."
"Fair enough," Snooper nodded, as he and Rei took a few steps away from Sophia, before he switched the detector on again. "OK, Rei, you sweep, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for anything that triggers it."
"O-Okay," the lawyer agreed as she took hold of the device.
*Metal Detector added to the Court Record.*
And so, the the two began their search, starting at where the SOPHIA-2 had been parked, then sweeping in widening circles around that spot... However, after a few minutes, they hadn't found anything of note.
"Sheesh, how far away could a knife have been thrown?" Snooper groaned in exasperation.
"S-speak for y-yourself, detective," Rei grunted, sweat beading on her forehead. "I'm the one th-that's c-carrying this th-thing around..."
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
"Oh! I found something!" the lawyer gasped.
"About time," Snooper muttered, as he knelt down and began digging... what he found, however, wasn't a knife, but... "A snow shovel? What's this doing out here?"
"W-well, I theorized th-that Sheriff Linebeck had b-been c-covered in snow a-after being s-stabbed, so Jacob a-and Sophia d-didn't see him in t-time to s-stop," Rei explained. "M-maybe... this is the s-shovel th-that was used t-to c-cover him!" She then pointed. "Look, see? There's some b-blood on the c-corner!"
*Bloody Snow Shovel added to the Court Record.*
"Well, I'll be damned," the detective grunted, "Looks like this wasn't a complete waste of time after all..." Taking a picture of the bloody corner of the shovel for documentation, he then hefted it over his shoulder. "I'll take this to Forensics and get the blood tested, to see if it's really Sheriff Linebeck's..."
"Sure," Rei nodded. Just then, her phone rang. "Oh! I wonder who that could be..." She quickly pulled it out of her pocket and answered. "H-hello?"
"Rei," Blanc's voice answered, "Did you find anything at the crime scene?"
"Lady Blanc! Um, n-not exactly wh-what we w-were looking f-for, but we d-did find s-something..."
"...so no clues to the assassin's identity?"
"I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry!" Rei apologized. "W-we went over th-the whole area w-with a f-fine toothed c-comb, I swear!"
"Damn... must be a professional, then," the goddess muttered. "Well, you can tell me more when you come to the Basilicom. I've got a new prosecutor for the trial, and I figured you should meet him... so wrap it up and haul your butts over here, got it?"
"Y-yes ma'am! W-we'll b-be right over!" Rei agreed, before disconnecting. "S-sorry, Snooper, b-but we have t-to get g-going."
"Hey, no problem," Snooper shrugged. "I'll get back to you with the results when forensics is done with this shovel, alright?"
"Th-thank you," the former goddess bowed her head. "Sophia, come on. We have to go see Lady Blanc..."
"Acknowledged," the robotic engineer nodded in assent. "I'll call for a cab..."
April 16
Lowee Basilicom
Blanc's Office
Rei and Sophia walked into the room, the latter rubbing her forehead. "I can't believe Miss Ram threw a book at me like that..."
"I told you to duck..." Rei pointed out. "Hello, Lady Blanc..."
"Hello, Rei. About time you got here," the CPU acknowledged. Standing next to her was a tall decently-built elderly man, with pure white hair that grew just past his shoulders, as well as a white mustache and beard that invoked a vague similarity to Santa Claus... at least, were it not for the stern gaze from his black eyes and small pointed nose. He was dressed in a fancy business suit with a regal red jacket and black slacks, as well as medival-style boots. Out of context, one could almost assume that he was the ruler of this nation, instead of the flat-chested girl standing beside him...
"Watch it, buster," Blanc growled at the fourth wall (gulp), before returning her attention to Rei and Sophia. "I'd like to introduce you to Zelda's father, Rhoam Daphnes. He'll be taking over the case as prosecutor..."
"R-Rhoam Daphnes?!" Rei gasped, as 'Great Revival 2013' began to play in the background. (The legendary prosecutor himself?!) "I-I thought you retired...!"
"Oh, I'm retired, make no mistake about that," The old man replied, his voice one that seemed to command authority. "But this is a personal matter. After all, my daughter's very life may be at stake..."
"She's already been put in protective custody," Blanc pointed out. "After all, just because one assassin might be dead doesn't mean there isn't another one out there..."
"Indeed," Rhoam nodded. "Not to mention, Sheriff Linebeck might not even be the assassin to begin with..."
"So anyway, tell me about what you found," Blanc ordered.
"O-Okay..." Rei nodded. "Blah blah blah blah..."
"Just a snow shovel, you say?" Rhoam muttered, his eyes closed in thought, one hand at his chin. "Whoever this assassin is, they must be a professional..."
"That's what I said," Blanc sighed.
"...What about the assassination orders? Do you have those?" The elderly prosecutor inquired.
"O-oh, right! Here..." Rei nodded as she pulled the note from her pocket.
*Assassination Orders handed over to Rhoam Daphnes.*
"Hmmm..." Rhoam hummed as he scrutinized the note closely. "Curses... it's printed on computer paper, so no handwriting analysis... Seems rather poetic, though."
"Anyone you've put behind bars that tended to wax poetic, sir?" Sophia spoke up.
"Not off the top of my head," Rhoam shook his head. "But of course, I've incarcerated so many criminals, it'd be impossible to remember them all, especially in my old age..."
"B-but, a-are you s-sure it's a g-good idea t-to take over your d-daughter's trial?" Rei couldn't help but ask. "A-after all, whoever h-hired the assassin w-wanted you to s-suffer... wh-what if the assassin c-comes after y-you instead?"
"Hmph! Let them come for me," Rhoam snorted. "I've lived a long, full life already... if the time has come for the reaper to claim his due, then so be it. At the very least, I'll finally be reunited with my dearly departed wife... but my precious Zelda is another matter. She still has her whole life ahead of her, after all... as long as she is safe, that is all that matters to me."
(Wow... absolutely fearless,) Rei thought in awe. (I'm starting to understand why he's such a legend...)
"Anyway, Miss Ryghts..." Rhoam shifted topics, "I understand your mentor is Bartholomew Sampson?"
"Y-yes, sir. H-he gave me a s-second ch-chance when no one else w-would... I'll always b-be grateful t-to him f-for that."
"I see," the regal man nodded with a slight smile. "Bart Sampson gave me fits the few times I faced off with him in court... even managed to score a Not Guilty verdict." His smile widened. "If you're anything like him, I'll expect a good contest in court tomorrow..."
"It's not a contest, Mr. Daphnes," Rei stated firmly. "It's about finding out the truth of what happened."
Rhoam burst into jovial laughter at this. "That's exactly what he said! You're definitely his protege..."
"Honestly, Lowee could use more lawyers like him," Blanc muttered under her breath. "Well, let's just hope you manage to deduce something about the assassin's identity in court tomorrow... I'm counting on you, Rei, Mr. Daphnes."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Of course, Lady Blanc."
To be continued...