"Is there anything here that could be useful?" Mercury wondered, looking around his father's office. Without the watchful eyes of the detective, they could be in the area if they liked. Given the similarities of the room where the victim was discovered – which was his real office – Mercury wanted to find something similar. His search started with the bookshelf. His father's books were about programming, motivational books, mystery novels, and even a manga (which surprised Mercury). However, the last book in the shelf, in strange coincidence, was a book that had a similar look and feel to the blue book Mercury saw earlier.
"Strange," muttered Mercury. "It's another book."
The book was what Mercury expected it to be. It was eerily similar except that the source code used to create the robot program was computerized, contrary to the handwritten one earlier. There were fewer scribbles. The same words that Mercury could understand such as "artificial" and a few more new ones such as "replicating every human system" were present.
Athena stood beside Mercury as he flipped the pages. She was also immersed in the contents.
("There's even blueprints on how the robot would be designed.")
"The robots remind me of those back in the space center," said Athena. "But I think your father was going to bring them to a whole new level."
When they reached the end of the book, Mercury spotted three names labeled as the designers of the program: Xeus Thinker (his father and the lead programmer) and two other rookie programmers, one of them being the victim, Marco Shaft, and the other one whose name was whited out using fluid. Mercury flipped the page, hoping to see a shadow of the name behind it, but the paper was too thick.
"So it seemed that your dad and the victim were working together on this project," said Athena.
"Could this be a motive for murder?" Mercury wondered. He thought that the prosecution would use the blue book as leverage for their argument in their case. He had to think ahead.
At the inside back cover was a quote: "for the future of the world." Not that it meant for Mercury at the meantime, but he knew his father was engaged in a great undertaking. He imagined how a world would be with robots side-by-side with humans.
Blue Book updated in the Court Record.
The Khura'inese tea still lingered in the air. The air conditioning unit had been turned off ever since Xeus was escorted out from his office. But Mercury wondered: did his father notice the change of name on his door when he was led out? Or did the change of name happen after he was arrested, but nobody seemed to notice. And most importantly, who was the killer?
"R-Really pal?" They heard Detective Gumshoe bellow in the next room.
"Looks like something just came up," Athena said to Mercury. "Let's go."
("I guess I can bring the book. This isn't the crime scene after all. Plus, that's another to-do list to be checked.")
Back in the crime scene, Detective Gumshoe was standing there, bewildered.
He was talking with someone, a woman slightly shorter than Mercury but had an air of formality about her. The woman had silky purple hair tied with a white hair tie. She was wearing a navy-blue coat which, Mercury and Athena would see later, had a white snake pattern etched to what looked like a coat-of-arms. She was also wearing black slacks and expensive-looking three-inch stilettos. When she turned around to face the attorneys, her dark green pupils of her fierce gaze met Mercury's gaze just as fierce as if some electrical energy was drawing between them.
"You," started Mercury.
Detective Gumshoe looked startled. "Y-You know her, pal?"
The woman turned her head sharply. "I told you to drop it with that 'pal' attitude," she hissed. "It's sickening."
Detective Gumshoe looked aghast. "B-But it's my endearing character trait."
The woman ignored him and focused her attention on Mercury and Athena. "I see you're the lawyer for your father."
Mercury clenched a fist. "What of it?"
The woman smiled slyly. "I'm not implying anything, yet. But I do have to say… it's been a long time."
"Y-You know this lady?" Athena asked, curious.
Mercury nodded slowly. ("I never thought it would be like this. And I didn't want it to be this way.") He took a deep breath. "This is the prosecutor of the trial where my law professor was poisoned."
The woman's smile faded. "So you do remember me."
Mercury relaxed his clenched fist. He did not harbor a grudge for the prosecutor, but he disliked her. It was almost two years ago but Mercury remembered her stoic face, showing no reaction at the chaos that occurred right there in the courtroom. He didn't even hear anything even as small from her such as taking control of the situation. Back in the office, Mercury could only look away.
"Why are you pursuing this futile quest?"
Mercury looked straight into her eyes. "I have my reasons."
The prosecutor smirked. "And your phone. I know you still have it with you."
"It's none of your business."
One could witness that the verbal showdown between defense and prosecution outside the courtroom looked like a promo for a wrestling match. Even the intensity spewing from them spellbound Athena and Detective Gumshoe.
The woman took a step closer to Mercury. "I suggest you withdraw now, greenhorn… unless you like the receiving end of my bite."
Mercury did not fall into her taunt. In that case a year ago, Mercury also had the opportunity to study the prosecutor's tactics. He knew that the prosecutor was adept in manipulative psychology and had a ruthless tactic of misleading defense attorneys by using their own evidence against them. It was part of her game plan, and Mercury would have to devise a new strategy – now that he knew he was facing against her in his very first trial.
"Snakes aren't my biggest fear," he countered, keeping a courageous face.
The woman said nothing for a moment, but she smiled. "I see now you have your badge," she told him, her voice foreboding yet mesmerizing. "When court comes tomorrow, I'll see what kind of a lawyer you are… if you are worth your salt."
Before she left the room, she turned back towards Detective Gumshoe. "Detective, you better keep that shut or I'll get a bite out of you."
Detective Gumshoe made a snappy salute. "Y-Yes p- I mean, ma'am."
With that, the prosecutor walked out from the crime scene, her heels clicking along the floor.
Mercury exhaled mightily. ("That was intense!")
"Who was that?" Athena asked Mercury, keeping her voice out of earshot from the prosecutor.
He had to catch his breath. The presence of the prosecutor for the case meant for Mercury that she was probably tying up loose ends. The defense attorney who was poisoned in that trial, after all, was his father's friend and was a contributor to the AidLaw system.
"It's been over a year ago," said Mercury. "And I thought that would be the last I would see of her."
"You guys don't know 'the Cobra'?" Detective Gumshoe inquired. When Athena shook her head, the detective took the opportunity to explain. "Prosecutor Seraph Angelique is an international prosecutor. She visits with the district office here once in while whenever there is a case she would like to get involved. But lately, I think she also has a personal agenda."
"She has a reason for coming here?" Athena asked.
Detective Gumshoe adjusted his coat. "Well, pal… Let's just say that she has some loose ends to tie up."
Mercury took a deep breath and processed the encounter. ("Well… I'd say that given her presence in this case, it looks like those demons of the past aren't going to go away anytime soon. Looks like the case might be getting personal.")
A stiff silence filled the room for a few seconds before Detective Gumshoe broke it.
"Listen pal, why don't you just abandon this?"
Mercury stood there, aghast at the detective's suggestion. "B-But, it's my father on trial!"
"I know, pal," said Detective Gumshoe, looking more forlorn. "Personally, I don't want to do this, but the prosecution has solid evidence and a firm witness account for the trial. You're not going to stand a chance tomorrow."
("Gee, pal. Thanks for the pep talk. Not.")
"But we've come all this way," said Athena, determined. "We're not going to back out until the fight is over!"
Detective Gumshoe looked around for a moment and took a deep breath. "You know, pal. You really remind me of Mr. Wright, role model of how to stay positive amidst the strength of the opposition. How I wish I could like you even more."
("You're asking for our sympathy?")
The aged detective walked to the door. "We're already done with our investigation here. Comb it as much as you like… but I doubt you'll find anything useful."
Before Detective Gumshoe walked out from the office, Mercury stopped him. "Detective."
"What is it, pal?"
Mercury wheeled around. At that point, he had a lot of questions to ask about the investigation. He wanted to know why the detective bellowed earlier. He wanted to know if the forensic investigator earlier had something to report. But Mercury knew they these questions would remaining unanswered for the meantime, given the opposition level of the detective. Instead of asking the important one, he asked, "Do you personally think my father is guilty?"
Detective Gumshoe made a soft grunt. "Look, pal. I'm not entitled to give opinions. I'm just here doing my job. You'll know my side of the story tomorrow." With that, he left the office, leaving the bewildered attorneys inside.
("So much for personal thoughts…")
Once Detective Gumshoe was out of earshot, Athena turned to Mercury. "Hey Mercury, wanna hear my take on the matter?"
Mercury seemed interested. "Oh? Oh well, go on…"
Athena activated her Widget and used its hologram to review the case so far. "We're looking for someone who might have the authority to do things on their own without the watchful eyes of the police during the investigation. As you said, the room names were swapped, believing us that the crime scene was your fathers."
"Right… but as we know, it's not true," said Mercury. "The Khura'inese tea and the differences in these books books are proof." ("Speaking of which… I see the tea over there in the corner. I'll try to get some later when dad's scot-free. But for now…")
Khura'inese Tea added to the Court Record.
"But why would the killer do that?" Athena asked.
("Why indeed. What does this case have that would propel the murder to happen?")
Mercury thought back to the instances of the case. He looked around the office trying to focus on the things he remembered back in his first visit. ("Wait… I feel like there should be something.") Immediately, Mercury scrambled around the office to look for a specific object. He knew about his father's secret panel at the back of the room but bore nothing. He searched in between and inside the books hoping to look for it. Not even inside the desks or drawers.
"A-Athena!" Mercury exclaimed, panting. "It's… it's gone!"
Athena looked bewildered. "W-What's gone, Mercury?"
Mercury took a deep breath. "The case file! Remember?"
*FLASHBACK – PART 1, INVESTIGATION*
Xeus smiled. "Well, I'm your client. And I have something to tell."
Mercury gaped. "Y-You?"
"What is it about, Mr. Thinker?" inquired Athena, remaining steadfast.
Xeus reached out to a folder on his work desk and gave it to Mercury. "I hope this doesn't bring back bad memories."
Mercury received the folder and gasped. "This is…"
Athena peered at the folder. "Is it a case file?"
"Yes, it's a case in which I was caught up in," Xeus explained. "Mercury happened to be there, as well… though he was indirectly part of the events."
*FLASHBACK END*
"It's gotta be here somewhere," said Mercury, struggling to find the important document.
Three minutes of searching through every nook and cranny did not lead them anywhere. Mercury had to conclude that the file was stolen.
"Who could've gotten it?" Mercury murmured, his mind racing.
Athena sighed. "Well… no use searching for it any further."
Eventually, Mercury had to give up the search. There was a possibility, however slim if it were discovered, that the file was already taken by the police. Yet, Mercury thought that the police was under the assumption that the crime scene was the suspect's office.
"Yeah, we should reinvestigate the crime scene."
The two of them left Xeus's office and returned to the other room, which was left unopen.
The same forensic investigator was still combing the room using the Luminol spray.
"Excuse me," started Mercury, alerting the investigator.
The investigator stood up and turned to the lawyers. "What is it, sir and ma'am?"
"We'd like to know what you've uncovered so far," requested Mercury. ("Detective Gumshoe after all said that we could go over the crime scene.")
The investigator made a salute. "Yes sir! Uhh… first of all, there's very few traces of blood on the floor where the victim was found. And second, uhh… there's also blood on one of the books there on the shelves."
"B-Blood?" Mercury wondered.
The investigator saluted again, slowly becoming an excess. "It's a minute trace of blood, but it appears to have been wiped off. I will be reporting it to the detective shortly."
"If you don't mind, we'd like to know what book it came from?" Mercury inquired.
The investigator saluted for a third time before he approached the bookshelf and took out the book in question.
("It's… the blue book from before!")
Mercury and Athena were handed gloves. Unknowingly to the investigator, Mercury had unintentionally investigated the blue book, meaning that his fingerprints were already in it. However, he felt as if Detective Gumshoe had seen him holding it while ago, so he could vouch the detective to be a witness in his act.
"Where was the blood found?" Mercury asked.
"A few were found on the front cover and more on the back cover," answered the investigator. "But these blood traces were quite close to each other." He pointed out that the blood flowed out from the wound and onto the book. However, the cold temperature of the office dried the blood quickly such that very few drops ended up on the floor. "Death was instant, after all."
("Hmm… was the victim really seated here?")
Mercury tried to play the events in his mind. If he were holding the book and someone came into the room and shot him at point-blank range, it would raise two crucial questions. ("How did the perpetrator open the door if the victim did not react? And… what could have been the reason for murder?")
"That's a whole lot of information to swallow," remarked Athena. "But thanks anyway."
"It's going to be an uphill battle," muttered Mercury under his breath.
Blue Book updated in the Court Record.
Mercury looked around one last time. When it seemed that there was nothing else interesting, he turned to Athena. "Oh well, I guess this wraps up our investigation."
Athena nodded. "Seems like it." She pat Mercury's shoulder. "Hey, hang in there."
Mercury smiled weakly. "Th-Thanks. I'll get through it somehow."
To boost his confidence, Athena flashed a victory sign. "If ever you need help, I'll be beside you when you need it. You'll be fine!"
While the identity of the prosecutor did not lift Mercury's spirits, the thought alone of trusting people and having people who trusted him put Mercury back in a more focused mood. "Yeah, I know I will. But first… we have to see one more person." He suggested returning to the detention center.
September 19
Detention Center; Visitor's Lobby
The investigation and the combined travel between destinations roughly took a day for Mercury. The lawyers returned to the detention center during sundown. However, the detention center would not be closed until an hour later. And fortunately for them, Xeus was already waiting on the other side of the cubicle. He was smiling.
"Dad, are you alright?" Mercury started.
Xeus raised his head. "My boy, I will be fine under your capable hands."
The words, although soothing coming from his father, injected some fear into Mercury. It seemed like with the last hour of privacy, Mercury wanted to pour out how he really felt.
Athena knew it would happen. Her ultra-sensitive hearing had always heard the discord in Mercury's voice whenever he appeared to be confident as he was talking to witnesses. But she had endured dealing with the discord at such a lengthy interval. On the way to the detention center, Athena bared it all, which Mercury did not deny.
"Dad," said Mercury, his voice wavering, "I have something to say."
"What is it, my boy. I will listen."
Mercury took a deep breath. He had felt naïve for taking the case just because it was his father who was arrested. He could have let Athena or even his boss, Phoenix Wright, take the case. He did remember…
*FLASHBACK – PART 2, INVESTIGATION*
When he finished gathering his thoughts, he looked at Mercury. "It's going to be your first case as a lawyer. Are you fully prepared for the repercussions?"
Athena gripped Mercury's arm. "You're going to put a lot of things at stake, Mercury. I really hope you consider this carefully."
Mercury closed his eyes. ("That's right. It's my first case. If I fail, not only will my father be found guilty, but I'll be shaming myself for failing him and living up to his expectations.")
*FLASHBACK END*
He was ready to speak out his mind. "Dad. I believe you are innocent. But…"
"But…?"
Athena was watching closely. She would have to interfere in case a mental breakdown was about to occur.
"I… I am not confident that I can do this," he said weakly. At that moment, Mercury could not look into his father's eyes. But he still found the courage to continue. "I am still a naïve greenhorn with no experience under my belt, and here I am, trying to defend you with all I got." He pounded on the table softly. "But what if I got you 'guilty'?"
Mercury was breathing heavily. He could feel the tears of fear welling in his eyes, but he also desperately tried to fight from letting them fall.
Xeus watched his son battle his confusion and lack of confidence. He wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, but he was on the other side of the glass. There was little he could do… but speak.
"My son," he said deeply, a fatherly yet commanding voice. "Look at me."
Mercury did not budge. The turmoil of the possibility of a guilty verdict was getting to him.
"Look at me," Xeus repeated to no avail.
Mercury had heard it, but he didn't want to respond. At times, he wanted to accept the fate that his father would be pronounced 'guilty' at any time because he had no confidence.
"LOOK AT ME!" Xeus boomed, causing Mercury to flinch and look up into his father's eyes.
Xeus did not appear angry, to the contrary. He looked… disappointed.
"I'm disappointed in you, son."
Athena sat there, shocked. "W-Why would you say such a thing?"
Xeus ignored her and continued. "I'm disappointed that you would say such a thing."
The gaze Xeus was giving his son was both terrifying and hypnotizing.
"My boy, remember the very reason why you wanted to be a lawyer," Xeus told him reassuringly. "You even went against my wishes that you would make it in the world of technology. And here you are, telling me that you're regretting the path you've taken?"
It was a hard blow for Mercury. Had he already forgotten the reason why he became a lawyer? ("That's right. I remember.") When he shared his side of the story, it had Athena spellbound with admiration and pity for her partner. Mercury's mother was a lawyer, specifically a divorce lawyer. When he was young, he witnessed his parents divorce because their marriage could not keep up with the demands of their workload. For the meantime, Xeus kept custody of his child especially that the biological mother went overseas and never returned. And the fact that Xeus disallowed his son to be a lawyer because of their constrained family relationship only meant for Mercury that he wanted to know once and for all why this happened.
("I've felt it so many times. Do you have people to stand by your side when times are hard? That feeling of despair and loneliness is something I always come by… every day.") He admitted to Athena that he did not want to end up being a computer programmer like his father although he had considered it. He wanted to be a lawyer to find his own destiny.
"We fought many times," admitted Xeus. "Many times, I encouraged him to quit his studies. And yet, many times he defied me. But in that defiance, I saw something special. I saw his passion that transcended even than that of his mother's, a kind of passion to help the people who desperately needed it."
"Sounds like how Mr. Wright would go," commented Athena.
"But what could I do to support my son, too?" Xeus continued. "Our family is already in shambles. I have this dead-end job. And I would face the possibility that my son would end up being distant just like what happened to his mother. That's when I pitched in the idea."
"AidLaw," said Mercury.
Xeus smiled. "AidLaw was something that would keep me busy for many years until my boy could finish his studies."
Athena smiled. "So it was like a two-for-one deal. Despite your differences, you still managed to meet in the middle."
Mercury looked down. He did not feel fully confident, but his level of self-doubt had decreased.
"My boy," continued Xeus. "Just as you faithfully continued to pursue your studies, I have put all my love and effort to design the program meant for your kind." He reminded Mercury of the reason why he pursued law, and this struck deep into his son's heartstrings.
Mercury slowly lifted his head. "Dad…"
"I said it before and I will say it again," Xeus told his son. "I have complete faith in your abilities. And I…" Xeus let a single tear fall down to his cheek as he finished, "I will always be proud to have you as my lawyer… and as my son."
Athena pat Mercury on his shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up. "You'll be fine! As I said, if you need help, I'll be right beside you to guide you on your way."
Mercury took a deep breath. He inhaled whatever positive energy he could get and exhaled all the negativity out from him. "Thanks, dad. Athena, thanks."
("I just need to find that conclusive evidence that points away from dad being the killer. I put my trust in his innocence, and in turn he put his trust in my abilities. If the belief in the innocence of your client is a lawyer's greatest weapon, then I think it's the love I have for my dad that makes it even more powerful. My name is Mercury Thinker, and I'm fine!")
To be continued
Author's Notes: And that's a wrap for the investigation part! The next one is going to be the trial portion. And just like "The Cosmic Turnabout" in DD and "The Magical Turnabout" in SoJ, this will be just one day of trial. I know my OC's gonna face some serious opposition come court, so I wanted to end the investigation with something that would mentally and emotionally prepare him. See you in the trial!
PowerZone
