Maya darted outside the office. Her head twisted frantically left and right, trying to find Phoenix. She sped off down the street, shoes stomping against the pavement. The night was breezier, not a single soul in sight. Tears formed in her eyes, partly of deceit, but composed mostly of worry. Her travel came to a halt, the scenery teemed with dread and sorrow as the only glimmer of hope beamed from the streetlights.
"NICK!" She shouted, hoping for a response. The atmosphere answered with silence. The venture continued as she sprinted around the corner. Her arms waved forward and backward rhythmically at her sides, quickening her speed. The emotionally driven girl continued pursuing until she saw a dark puddle. She leaped over it, avoiding contact with the shallow body. Maya stopped, turning her view to the dark stain on the pavement. It was flowing from a shadowed corner. The strange substance trickled forward, expanding its surface area in its amorphous shape. It had a strange metallic smell.
Maya jumped, her hands flailed widely. A strange laughter echoed faintly from the dark space. Maya stepped backward slowly, fear creeping on her shoulders. She kept her focus on the dark space, squinting her eyes tightly.
"I need you, Maya." A whisper escaped the darkness.
Maya fell over, almost landing on the crimson puddle. Her body stiff in utter terror. Her lips quivered and hands trembled.
"I need you tonight." The whisper became a huskier and more savage.
Maya's eyes were transfixed on the darkness. She began frantically crawling backward, scraping her palms, struggling to get back on her feet.
"I need you now!" The bestial voice roared.
Maya began whimpering and screaming, almost tripping on herself to escape. She fell forward, the wind kicked out of her lungs, banging her torso flat on the tarmac. She was dragged back and lifted into the air by her ankles. She was writhing upside down, her dress fell downward on her face, revealing herself. Her breathing was erratic as she saw a silhouette of a person, holding something in the arm. No. Holding someone in their arm.
Their body was limp, as whoever's head bobbed down. The weird black tendril-like ropes held her suspended in the air, practically bare. Behind the silhouette came forth a massive beast. The silhouette of a person merged in front of the giant creature with their head down, gazing at the person in their grasp. Red eyes piercing a suspenseful glaring at her.
The large jaws of the creature opened its mouth, revealing enormous blades of teeth. A serpent escaped its mouth, elongating its way towards Maya. Maya saw the red stained tongue vibrate in front of her terrified eyes. The silhouette raised their hand towards the fear stricken spirit medium. "We need you, tonight."
"Detective Gumshoe, have you had any leads on the whereabouts of your wife?"
Gumshoe stepped out of his car. His head was down with his lower lip protruding. The prosecutor saw that the detective was in pain. It's been hours since their search. The chief prosecutor had every available personnel on the force to search for Maggey Byrde, but still to no avail. Gumshoe was cursing himself, 'I should've arrested him...'
The scruffy detective had wet eyes. His weight was held against his car door, grip tightening against the window frame. The detective's heart was heavy with grief. The prosecutor kept his head high, though he did have his deepest sympathies for the glum detective. Edgeworth was cursing under his breath. "I can't believe it. Again! Dammit."
Edgeworth hated how his phobia triggered by the mere laugh of a dubious man with a freakshow bird mask. He grimaced the entire time, almost leaving a permanent frown on his face. He crossed his arms before sucking up his embarrassment. "We will find your wife, I assure you, detective Gumshoe."
"Thanks sir…" Gumshoe mumbled.
Edgeworth felt his phone ring within the confines of his pocket. Gumshoe lightly jerked his head up, in hopes of getting a lead on Maggey.
"Edgeworth speaking." Edgeworth answered his phone.
"Edgeworth. We rummaged through the files of the lab…" The voice stopped.
"Is there anything left to salvage?" Edgeworth asked tentatively.
"No… sorry, sir. All specimens were taken." The voice replied lowly.
"Detective Ema Skye! I do not understand why you did not approach me or Detective Gumshoe when you were threatened by this man!" Edgeworth was aggravated. He lost his solid evidence on a lead and was back to square one.
"I'm sorry…" Ema's voice was slowly retreating. "He got me when I was alone in the labs."
The prosecutor sighed, holding the bridge of his nose, "How are the scientists?"
"The lab geeks all suffered amnesia. The ventilation system was full of a substance that pumped into the southern labs." Ema replied.
"All of them?" The prosecutor tried to keep himself collected.
"Yeah…" Ema squeaked.
"Very well." The prosecutor replied, hiding his aggravation. He ended the call before placing his phone back in his magenta pants. Edgeworth pondered outside the police station, his finger tapping lightly against his arm. 'What was important about those documents? And the substance in the vial itself?'
Edgeworth was beginning to get an idea. 'Wright was the only victim who hasn't disappeared. Those samples were stolen for a reason. Perhaps-'
Edgeworth's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a screech of a woman break the silence of the night. The screech continued until was then muffled abruptly. Gumshoe quickly turned his head to the direction of the noise. He began to sweat. 'Was that Maggey?'
"Detective, hurry! In the car!" Edgeworth pushed the scruffy detective inside the car before eagerly rushing to the passenger seat. Maybe he might get a break or even a view of the perpetrators of these attacks.
Gumshoe mashed his foot against the gas pedal, tires screeching and lifting gravel as the undercover car sped down the direction where the origin of the noise was emitted. Edgeworth didn't have time to put on his seatbelt and was gripping hard against armrests to prevent himself from colliding with the window or Gumshoe. The detective gripped the steering wheel hard, almost scraping the rest of the peeling rubber from the worn wheel. The detective burnt rubber on the pavement as he ran three lights, two stop signs, a work zone and a mailbox. His siren wasn't even on. Edgeworth was holding on for dear life, thinking that his life might end before they even arrived by the hectic emotionally driven detective treading on all kinds of terrain on the way there.
The car stopped abruptly by the presence of a familiar figure on the sidewalk. It was him! The birdman had his back turned as he handed a limp person to another in the dark space. The detective almost broke the car door open, rage practically flowing from the scruffy man's demeanor. "Where is she?! You promised you'd let her go!" The detective was pointing his index finger fiercely at the birdman. "WHERE'S MAGGEY!?"
The birdman playfully covered his ears with his dark gloves, "Why, detective. No need to be so rowdy."
The prosecutor finally climbed out of the car intact before glaring towards the birdman. Gumshoe didn't take the sarcasm of the birdman well. He was approaching the dark figure fast, about to unleash all his pent up fury and beat the feathers out of him. The detective came in close proximity and threw a punch. The birdman merely dodged the blow and gripped onto the detective's arm. He angled the detective where his arm was bent back, while grappling onto the other. The birdman had Gumshoe completely restrained, while his beak rested on Gumshoe's shoulder. Edgeworth flinched angrily, seeing how the lumpy detective somehow managed to get himself into trouble.
"Well, Prosecutor… we seem to be in a stalemate…" The birdman laughed as Gumshoe struggled to break free. Edgeworth kept his stern demeanor, however was actually worried if the birdman would have the audacity to attempt anything on the detective.
"I have your wife…" The birdman whispered before pushing the detective several feet forward, landing roughly onto the ground. Gumshoe stumbled to his feet, turning his view from Edgeworth to the prosecutor.
"Then… where is she…?"
