"W-W-W… out?!" Payne shrieked again.

"T-That's insane," Capt. Hugo growled. "It's a hundred foot-drop enough to cause certain death!"

Athena shook her head. "But we're missing a part of the picture." She pointed at the windowsill photograph once more. "It's not clear but you can see a ladder at the left side. After all, my co-defense did his investigation while ago and was able to capture the area in broad daylight!" The picture was magnified until everyone could see the ladder just a distance near the opposite wall. "All the killer had to do was take advantage of the darkness, jump some awnings, and make their way to the ladder."

Objection! Payne shrilled. "How could you be so sure that the killer did use the ladder to go down?"

"Recall the statement Ms. Nuncer gave in her testimony," Athena told Prosecutor Payne.

FLASHBACK

I did take a look out the window…

and saw Hans sprawled out on the ground!

There was another person there. They should be the killer!

FLASHBACK END

"This other person is the killer," Athena told the Court. "And the presence of this person clears Ms. Nuncer of all suspicion!"

The courtroom erupted in loud mutters and murmurs, most of the members awed at the direction of the trial.

"Order! Order! Order!" the Judge shouted and the noise died. "Does the defense have anything to present that will lead us to the killer?"

("Hmm, we don't know who the killer really is… because we never met them.")

Hold it! All eyes were now on Capt. Hugo, who was looking at the ceiling windows. "If I may speak," he said gruffly. "There was another reason why I suspected Anna."

("He's saying it now?")

"Now this is getting… interesting," Mercury said rather enthusiastically.

("You're too lackadaisical in shock, you know.")

The captain took a deep breath. "When I apprehended her, she said something that made me uneasy. That's why I have kept silent until the right opportunity presented itself."

"Please give the Court your testimony," the Judge instructed. "And leave nothing out."


WITNESS TESTIMONY: APPREHENDING THE SUSPECT

After I took the picture, I shook Ms. Nuncer as she looked out the window.

She said that he was there on the ground.

Ms. Nuncer was dazed, confused at the outcome of events.

She would never let go of the gun she found.

"Why haven't you told me about this, witness?" Payne asked.

Capt. Hugo shot another death stare at the prosecutor, to which the latter recoiled and bumped his back at the wall, eliciting laughter from the defense. "Sucks to be you, sir," Capt. Hugo remarked nastily. "I said that unless the opportunity presented itself, I would hide a thing or two."

("Is he really that bent on seeing Ms. Nuncer put away in cuffs?")

"He's just as dazed as the time Ms. Nuncer was on the stand," Mercury shared his insight. "The effect on what she told him on that night was rather infectious."

The Judge struck down his gavel. "Commence your cross-examination, defense."

"Yes, Your Honor," replied Athena.

CROSS EXAMINATION: APPREHENDING THE SUSPECT

She would never let go of the gun she found.

Objection! "Witness, please explain to the Court after I have presented the evidence and outline its circumstances." Athena presented the Browning submitted by Prosecutor Payne earlier in the trial. "This Browning was the murder weapon. A similar model was also given to Ms. Nuncer as means of self-defense. Ms. Nuncer testified that she drew out her weapon just in case things would happen."

"So?"

Athena shook her head. "How is it that Ms. Nuncer picked up a gun she found on the ground… when she was already holding one in the first place?"

Capt. Hugo jerked.

"T-That's true," the Judge said, shocked.

Objection! Payne countered. "We established that Ms. Nuncer was not in her right state of mind when she was at the crime scene!"

Objection! Athena retorted angrily. "The photograph captured by the witness shows only one gun held in her left hand!" Then with a wave of realization, she realized that one of the pressing questions was already answered in the contradiction. "What if… both were actually true?"

"Huh? Now I don't get you, rookie."

("Rookie? I'll show you who's boss!")

"Let's go back to the crime scene. She has a gun in her left hand as shown in the photograph. Perhaps, out of impulse, she picked up the gun from the floor with her other hand."

"What's the point?" Payne asked.

Athena was becoming impatient. "This gun… whose gun is this? This will answer our remaining riddles and point out the true killer."

"Ballistics already confirmed the authenticity of the gun," Payne answered as he read the label of the plastic bag. "The gun found at the murder scene belongs to… the victim." His eyebrows scrunched. "Wait… the victim?"

("Huh… the victim?")

"Really interesting…" Mercury repeated.

("What's so interesting at a point where blackbirds are circling our heads?")

Mercury smiled. "If the victim was shot by his own weapon, there are two possibilities. Mr. Semblar might have committed suicide, which is unlikely. Or Mr. Semblar had a scuffle with the killer, which is very likely."

("Oh right. Prosecutor Payne-in-the-behind is also confused because he never had the chance to review the case since it was only given to him today.")

"Does the defense have an explanation?" the Judge asked Athena.

Athena fiddled with her earring. ("Hmm, suicide or scuffle? Looking back, there's only one option.") After considering the evidence, she turned to the Judge for her answer. "The defense believes that the gun is sufficient evidence that Mr. Semblar was in a scuffle with the real killer. The real killer snatched Mr. Semblar's gun and shot him in the heart."

Objection! "Prove it, rookie," Payne taunted. "Prove that the gun was snatched because of the scuffle."

"Hmm, looking at it this way, there must be something else found at the crime scene." Mercury hinted.

Athena nodded. "Your Honor, the defense will present its proof that the gun was snatched in a scuffle between the victim and his killer." Take that! She held up the victim's badge. "During the scuffle, the badge was ripped off from the victim. In the pre-trial, it was established that there were a set of unidentified fingerprints."

Mercury smiled. "If those fingerprints belong to Ms. Nuncer, we're done for."

("So why the smile?")

"Captain Hugo," Athena turned to the witness, "do you have any idea of another person who would harbor some ill will to the victim?"

Capt. Hugo was speechless. He turned to the prosecution, who couldn't give a definite answer. He turned to the defendant, who couldn't look at her superior in the eye. He turned to the Judge, who was directing his own death stare demanding for an answer.

Finally, he gave in. The intimidating captain was overwhelmed at the pairs of eyes piercing their daggers into his thoughts. "Your Honor," he said. "I… plead the fifth."

The words sucked all noise from the Courtroom as if what he said just activated something disastrous.

After a few seconds, Anna stood up. "Captain," she said softly, braving to break the void and ready for any consequence. "I loved Hans," she declared. When she said the magic words, every spectator in the gallery turned to her. Prosecutor Payne was shocked. Mercury and Athena were listening carefully. "He was there for me when my father was jailed. He was also there for me when my father died. He was the only one I could lean onto to share my painful thoughts and all my troubles happening lately. I hope you understood why I was dazed, terrified, confused, anguished, tormented when I saw him dead on the ground." She turned to Athena. "Athena, I also hope you understood why I harbored that anger when I saw the person standing next to his body." Anna looked down. "I… just want justice to prevail… justice to be granted… his final wish." She took a deep breath then continued, her voice rising. "That is why with full certainty and with even fuller confidence, I did not kill him!"

The silence continued to reign in the Courtroom. Everyone tried to digest what she said.

Everyone… except Athena, who was listening to the instant replay in her Mood Matrix.

("She's showing a great deal of sadness. But what was it that made her sad like that? Perhaps it's time to probe deep into her emotions.")

(Sadness: !)

Captain, I loved Hans.
(Anna pleading to Capt. Hugo)

He was there for me when my father was jailed.
(Anna's father in jail; Hans supporting Anna)

He was there for me when my father died.
(Hans supporting Anna; an R.I.P. symbol)

I hope you understood why I was tormented when I saw him on the ground.
(Anna kneeling on the floor and weeping; Hans sprawled on the ground)

I hope you understood why I harbored anger when I saw that person next to his body.
(Hans sprawled on the ground; the killer next to him)

I… just want justice to prevail… justice to be granted… his final wish.
(Anna's father's smiling face; a plane soaring through the sky)

She reviewed the statement one more time and found something in one of the statements.

I… just want justice to prevail… justice to be granted… his final wish.

Got it! "Ms. Nuncer, what you said to the Captain was very endearing. So why talk about your father?"

"Huh?" Anna said, confused.

"Justice to prevail… justice to be granted… his final wish," Athena repeated her words. "At face value, we believed that the final wish referred to the victim's final wish. But what was Mr. Semblar's wish? We couldn't find one. So we shifted our point-of-view to the only other person – your father."

"Why bring that event to this case, rookie?" Payne asked, not amused at the explanation.

"During the recess, there were a few things Ms. Nuncer shared."

FLASHBACK

"Hans and I visited my father in the detention center. They had a talk and made peace with each other. My father said that 'it would be better off for you to continue what you love doing the most – the fault lies in mine alone and mine only.'"

"When I got over the shock of my father's death, Hans told me something… incredible and dangerous. He told me… that he kept something from my father that implicated someone else as the one responsible for the plane crash. But just as he was about to hand it over… The call for mayday… then his death."

"Captain Hugo and my father were very close," Anna said. "They knew each other even when I was still small." She sighed, understanding the situation. "He would come over to our home during Thanksgiving and Christmas – since he did not have a family. We would treat him as a family friend. Other than that, I don't think he would be one to harbor a grudge to kill Hans."

FLASHBACK END

"Captain Hugo, the reason why you're pleading the fifth… is because you know something, someone who would harbor a grudge to kill Mr. Semblar," Athena told the witness. "If you told the details, your life would be in great danger – that person would be after you!"

Capt. Hugo was clutching his chest. "Yes… that's right."

Athena bumped a fist against her palm. "Well, you have nothing to worry about, Captain Hugo. I, Athena Cykes, captain of this courtroom, will catch the killer… right here in this very courtroom!"

"H-Hey, I'm the captain!" the Judge retorted.

"And I'm co-captain," Mercury said proudly. "And the spectators here will be the passengers in the flight for the truth!"

The spectators clapped and cheered.

"So what does make me?" Payne winced once the clapping and cheering quieted. No one however wanted to answer.

("Probably a crew…")

Capt. Hugo stood up straight and turned to the defense. "It looks like in this case… I'll be your air traffic controller for the truth. Captain Cykes, you're cleared for takeoff." He said the last sentence with a hint of a smile.

"Roger!" She nodded and continued, "While you're here in the courtroom, nobody escapes from the truth that will be shed to light. I vow that, or my name is not Athena Cykes."

"That's… some overwhelming confidence you put in the witness," Mercury said, pumped up for the next part of the trial.

"Very well, I'll trust my instincts… and my life on you for that one." Capt. Hugo took off his cap, revealing his shabby gray hair – yet the action was poetic as if Athena's words ignited a fiery attitude inside him to fly once more. "Your Honor, I withdraw my plea. I will testify. I will give my good friend his final wish."

The Judge nodded. "Your testimony, please."

("He's displaying an overwhelming level of confidence, but there's nothing for me to probe into. I'll have to use the traditional cross-examination.")


WITNESS TESTIMONY: HIS FINAL WISH

Many believed that the plane crash years ago was Dennis's fault.

I visited him once in jail. He told me something very interesting.

He was not alone handling the plane. Someone appeared in the cockpit…

and tried to take over the controls – as if in a hijacking.

But Dennis grabbed something from the intruder's personage and kept it.

It was handed over to Hans, who kept it safely with him all the time.

The intruder is most likely Mr. Semblar's killer trying to erase the evidence.

"Captain, if only you stepped forward sooner, you might have been able to set my father free," Anna said.

"I am sorry," he apologized. "I was bound to the demands of threat. Justice should have been given earlier."

"While we are unable to undo the agony from the events," the Judge advised, "we can only move forward and find the truth."

Athena nodded. "And the first step is the cross-examination."

CROSS EXAMINATION: HIS FINAL WISH

But Dennis grabbed something from the intruder's personage and kept it.

Hold it! "What was this item Mr. Nuncer grabbed from the intruder?"

"Something small," Capt. Hugo answered. "Dennis was not very specific in the details but he remembered turning it over to Hans during their meeting at the detention center."

("Something small… could that be…?")

"I think we're already drawing closer to the identity of our killer," Mercury said excitedly. "Just one more push."

"So something small was turned over to the victim at the detention center," Payne said, keeping the testimony on track. Athena's mind was racing.

"That's right," Capt. Hugo said and proceeded with the testimony.

It was handed over to Hans, who kept it safely with him all the time.

Objection! "Capt. Hugo, the defense… knows this piece of incriminating evidence."

"Y-You do?" Capt. Hugo said, startled.

Athena nodded. "Hans kept it safely with him… all the time. Those were your words. What if the scuffle was not meant for us to track the presence of the killer?" She presented the victim's badge. "What if the scuffle was meant for the killer to retrieve the evidence?"

Objection! Payne retorted. "What does the victim's badge have to do with anything?"

Athena smirked. "The victim's badge…" For dramatic effect once more, she outstretched her arm sharply and pointed at the witness, "… is the incriminating evidence!"

"W-W-WHAAAAAAAT?" Payne recoiled.

The gallery almost went into an uproar. Being the passengers in the flight for the truth, the members wanted nothing short of answers. The Judge tolerated the noise for a while before calling for order.

Objection! Payne shrieked, struggling to return the tide in his favor. "B-But there is nothing in that evidence that implicates someone!"

"We'll never know until we examine it from all angles!" Athena handed the victim's badge to Mercury, who received it and began examining the evidence. "You can examine the evidence carefully and spot some useful clues."

Mercury peered in and out until his eyes lit up. "I found something!" When the Court was transfixed on his results, Mercury continued. "There's a name… it says… Hans Semblar."

("Hans Semblar… the victim?") Athena quickly reviewed her other pieces of evidence. When she found one spot in the evidence, she shrieked in realization. "AAAAAAAAHHH! So that's what it is!"

"What is it, defense?" the Judge inquired. "You had me there for a while!"

Athena was overwhelmed by the shock of the answers she found. ("So this is what it means… I have finally unfolded the truth. Now I have to make the pieces of logic come into play!")