Gumshoe awaited for the birdman to answer his question. Black goggled eyes boring holes in the direction of the law. The poor detective and his wife were at the mercy of the birdman. Gumshoe gritted his teeth to the point his gums started bleeding. Edgeworth stared at the birdman, examining the dark stature before him. He shuddered. The very presence of the birdman made Manfred von Karma seem like a spoiled kid crying about his perfect win record being scratched across the surface with a crayon. The breezy night caused the birdman's cape to flow behind him, adding onto his devious aura.
He laughed, "Your wife is in my hands… And as promised, I will relinquish her."
Gumshoe's crinkled face unfolded faintly, still uncertain whether to trust this malignant being. The beamed headlights of the undercover car made the white trim of the birdman's face blinding, completely opposite to the soul-consuming dark bolted eyes staring at them. The birdman exhaled a chuckle before changing his direction to the corner of his vision. The prosecutor and detective kept a watchful eye on the mystery figure, ready to pursue him if he attempted to escape. The birdman knelt down, his coat covering the ground like a slick and bold curtain.
The birdman peered over his shoulder before standing proudly with his arm under his coat. The detective reached slowly, tucking his trench coat back, to his holster, arming himself. His skepticism was getting the better of him. The birdman returned to his original spot, beholding the dark coat before him. Edgeworth held the car door tightly. The wait was weighing down the prosecutor and detective. Edgeworth's face was becoming more aggravated. The birdman basked in their presence, enjoying the emotional stir he was pressuring on his spectators. He was his own show.
Suddenly, a horrific scream echoed from a neighboring block. Edgeworth flinched, trying to figure out where the male bloodcurdling screech came from as it bounced off the walls of the nearby buildings. Gumshoe didn't flinch. His gaze stuck onto the man who took his wife. Edgeworth was ready lunge into the undercover car, about to drive towards the scream, but the birdman beat him to the punch. The coat lifted fiercely, displaying the visage of a woman. Edgeworth internally gasped by the familiar woman.
"MAGGEY!"
Maggey opened her eyes, they were low, without staring at her husband. The detective's heart hummed as he saw his wife again. She looked partly disheveled, but unharmed. The birdman's hand held her chin. His gloved thumb partly stroking her pale cheek with care and precision. His beak brushed against her brown hair innocuously as his head leaned down to her direction. Maggey's other hand was lifted softly and tenderly in the birdman's hand. His thumb stroking her fingers lightly, one at a time. Her face was against the birdman's white vested pec, her shoulder tucked snugly under his arm.
"Maggey?! Are you okay? DID HE HURT YOU?!" Gumshoe begged his wife to answer. She remained quiet. Her gaze still away from him. He noticed how the birdman held his wife. Gumshoe felt sick to his stomach. Bile lightly rose to his throat. The way how she fit neatly against this dark figure made Gumshoe's eyes sting. Her innocence consumed in the darkness of the birdman. The detective was being mocked as the man held his wife closely in dark bliss. Gumshoe could feel the malicious smile behind the mask as the man held his wife's hand, bridal style. The detective walked forward to his wife, both arms in front of him, longing to hold her again.
The birdman let go of Maggey's hand carefully before raising it to a halt. "Go no further, detective." Gumshoe stopped his footing, his hands still forward, trembling. The beaked man finally turned his direction to Edgeworth. "The same conditions rest upon you, prosecutor." Edgeworth glowered at the dark figure. 'This demon...'
"Do not pursue me or what has transpired here tonight, unless…" The birdman pointed with his beak to Maggey, "...you want harm to befall upon your heart." The birdman threatened, but his tone did not match with his statement. The words were sincere. Maggey darted her look to the man holding her tenderly under his arm, concern drawn all over while slack-jawed. He stroked her cheek without removing his view from the two men in front of him. Her head bobbed back down against the dark figure's hand.
Edgeworth felt a glimmer of dread in his chest. There was something sinister behind this whole thing. For some reason, it felt like a trap. 'Why isn't Maggey talking? What did he do to her?'
Gumshoe turned to the prosecutor behind him. "Sir!"
Edgeworth broke his focus and looked at the riled detective. "Gumshoe…"
"Sir, don't! Maggey! Please…?!" The detective's voice broke several times for the prosecutor to stay. Edgeworth saw Gumshoe's pathetic face. Anymore longer, he would think the detective would fall face first on the street from a heart attack. The prosecutor, tightly gripped the door frame, looking to where the scream came from and back at the detective. It was his choice now. He would discover the other culprit behind these attacks, but risk the well-being of Maggey's life or abide to the beaked man's command and have Maggey safely return to the emotional wretched detective, losing his lead directly to the culprits entirely.
"Time is of the essence, prosecutor…" The voice quipped with evil vigor, "Choose the fate of Madam Bryde… or your investigation."
"…" The birdman managed to break part of Edgeworth's cool demeanor. The crinkle at Edgeworth's nose was apparent as his lips pursed tensely. The birdman's head teased the prosecutor as it tilted, intrigued by Edgeworth's reaction. Edgeworth made up his mind. His grip made him lose circulation in his fingers. The prosecutor's head swiped the other direction swiftly, his grey hair ricocheting into his eyes.
"Get your wife, Gumshoe…"
Gumshoe's face relaxed faintly. His gaze containing admiration at the prosecutor as he refocused on Maggey. He couldn't believe how the stern prosecutor finally gave into emotion instead of his logical self. The birdman released Maggey from his holding, relieving her chin and cheek from his warm hands. She hesitated at first, but ran to Gumshoe into his open arms, colliding onto him. He responded holding Maggey tightly to the point she squirmed, unable to breath.
"Dick! I missed you!" Maggey broke, her eyes brimmed with tears.
"I missed you too, Maggey!" The scruffy detective knelt down, bringing Maggey with him. His large rough fingers intermingled in Maggey's brown hair. They held each other, basking in the light of the headlights, finally together on the cold concrete. Her warm tears stained his shoulder as her arms wrapped around his neck.
"I'm so sorry, Dick… I always bring bad luck! And I dragged you and Edgeworth into this. It's all my fault!" Maggey broke down in Gumshoe's grasp. Her face digging into the detective's beige coat. Her voice muffled, "I'm so sorry! I don't understand why you risked yourself for me…" Her voice was becoming less audible. "I'm not worth saving…"
"Maggey!" Gumshoe cupped her face in his giant callous hands, practically holding her entire head, getting a grand view of her tear stained face, shooting a shocked expression at her. "Don't say that!" His shoulders tensed in concern and eyes glassy. "You're my wife. I married you because I love you! And you're my greatest pal! I can never give up on you!"
Maggey pressed Gumshoe's hand tighter against her face, covering herself in his palm. "Thank you… I just…" Her warm tears drenched Gumshoe's hand. "I cause so much trouble…"
The detective held her chin, almost squeezing it in his strong grip, making his eyes meet hers. "You are worth it, Maggey."
Her emotional mixed expression etched on her face as her lips quivered from the intensity of the moment. Her head bobbed down, defeated. Maggey's posture completely slouched and will diminished. Gumshoe cupped her into his large chest, practically blanketing her in his coat.
The birdman eyed the prosecutor. Edgeworth stared back. Eye to eye, tension crushing each other by their glares. Grey eyes against black holes. The birdman held his beak high in delight, sheathing his black coat over and walked into the dark streets ahead until his figure was enveloped in shadow. Gone.
Edgeworth remained silent, utter agitation enveloping him as he let the fiend escape. 'AGAIN!'
