When the gallery's murmurs were quieted, the Judge resumed control of the trial and addressed the defense. "Is the defense ready to proceed?"
Mercury took a deep breath. "Yes, Your Honor. The defense would like to call Lunix Metsys to the stand."
"Little gerbil, calling Lunix Metsys to the stand would mean that you are standing by your theory that he was there that evening," said Prosecutor Angelique. "I hope you are ready to face the consequences should your theory be proved wrong."
"C-Consequences?"
The Judge outlined those for Mercury. "Your witness will go free, and the defendant will be found guilty."
Prosecutor Angelique folded her arms. "Are you ready to bear this burden, green gerbil?"
Mercury took another deep breath. ("The belief of my client's innocence is my greatest weapon. The love I have for my father strengthens this. Chastain could have set up the circumstances for the murder. But she couldn't have done the killing blow.") When he finished his thinking, he stood up straight. "I am ready to bear it."
Athena looked troubled. "I hope you have something there to back it up."
The Judge nodded. "A subpoena will be issued for the new witness. Meanwhile, we will take a recess until the witness has been summoned." He struck down his gavel and the spectators in the gallery started to file out from the courtroom.
September 20
District Court; Defendant Lobby No. 2
When Mercury and Athena arrived at the defendant lobby, they were surprised to see Phoenix Wright. He was talking with someone over the phone, but immediately asked to be excused when he spotted them. Xeus was already seated in one of the lobby chairs.
"Talk about a close call," started Phoenix. "It looks like you're taking the case to a different direction."
Mercury frowned. "I… I don't want to believe it. But that's where the evidence and the logic brought me."
Xeus looked equally troubled. "My boy, you're seriously implicating Lunix of murder?"
Mercury took a deep breath. "Dad. Again, I don't want to believe it. But… it's the only way." He could imagine how devastating it would be for Xeus to have his good friend implicated for murder – all the more so if Xeus would know, through Mercury's courtroom skill, that Lunix indeed killed the victim.
"Is there anything we should know about Lunix?" Athena asked for advice.
"Well… Lunix and I have been working partners for as long as I can remember," he started.
"Can you tell me more about the robot project?" Mercury asked.
"Does it seem important?"
Mercury remembered that the blue book was still being tested for fingerprints. "The unidentified fingerprints in the blue book could give a clue to the killer's movements. I have a hunch… but I just want to be sure."
Since there was no time limit to the recess, Xeus took it easy in explaining the details of the robot project. He said in forethought that Mercury needed to know. "The robot project, dubbed Project Jupiter, was started by myself and Lunix a little over a year ago. We were just fresh from the AidLaw project." He narrated that the idea came to Lunix during a recent trip to the Cosmos Space Center where robots were already a thing and imagined a future where society would stand together with robots. "The idea went back-and-forth. At first, I opposed it. Eventually, I conceded. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all."
They went months into the robot project and put their ideas and source codes in their blue books. However, the floor head had been transferred to another unit in the higher floors. A meeting was held in the conference hall to appoint a new floor head. In Xeus's recommendation, Lunix Metsys became the new floor head. "And that's where things suddenly went downhill," Xeus narrated. "Lunix has been distant. The great ideas that bore from his intellectual genius were never shared. Cold, hard looks were usually exchanged. Something changed him."
"What could that have been?" Athena asked.
"The responsibilities of the floor head are tedious," he answered. "The floor head has connections with the higher ups. Lunix and I wanted to keep the robot project a secret."
"Where does the victim fit in all this?" Mercury asked.
Xeus smiled sadly. "I would never witness the technological genius of the recruit. So young, only to be taken away from the world too soon." He said that Marco Shaft filled in for Lunix's old office and kept the blue book to continue with the project. "I fear that this case sprung because of my eagerness for my friend to succeed in greater heights."
("Could this case really be a product of a simple misunderstanding?")
"Just curious, but were you a floor head?" Athena asked.
Xeus chuckled. "It was years ago, but my position didn't last long."
When asked about the privileges of the floor head, Xeus answered that the floor head was given an ID card so that they could access empty offices, although it would leave a record. The ID card would not read if someone was inside the room or if the person occupying the space was still within the building's premises.
Floor Head ID Card added to the Court Record.
Phoenix spoke when Xeus finished his story. "Well Mercury, can you prove that it was Lunix Metsys who killed the victim?"
Mercury thought about the story. ("Unfortunately, I don't see a connection between Uncle Loonie and the victim.") He voiced out his opinion. "I'm going to listen to his testimony clearly."
"By the way, that was a very impressive bit of analytical psychology," complimented Xeus.
Athena looked pleased. "Oh? You really think so?"
Xeus smiled. "It might be useful when you take on Lunix."
"How so?" Mercury asked.
"Lunix has been – how should I say it – acting loony lately," answered Xeus. "He hasn't been the same anymore ever since he got to the position as floor head."
"It means that you're going to have to draw out what he really feels about being the floor head," said Phoenix.
("That's quite the nice battle plan we have. Hopefully, my analysis of the situation doesn't end up in syntax error.")
The defendant lobby doors opened as a bailiff stepped inside. "The trial will resume shortly. We request the defendant and his lawyer to return to the courtroom." He saluted once and exited the lobby.
Mercury and Athena exchanged worried looks.
"So Lunix has come to the courthouse," Xeus said rather gloomily. "I believe he won't be happy." He turned to Mercury. "I hope you're ready, my boy."
Mercury took a deep breath and smiled. "I'm fine, dad. Let's finish this."
September 20
District Court; Courtroom No. 3
Once the spectators settled down and the Judge called for order, the trial resumed.
"Before we get to the next part, we have some news," announced the Judge. On cue, Detective Gumshoe returned to the witness stand.
("Oh. I almost forgot about Detective Gumshoe.")
"Detective, what do you have for the court?"
Detective Gumshoe took out a pocket notebook from inside his coat and read his notes. "Well, pal. The results are in. The unidentified set of fingerprints belonged to Lunix Metsys, the 12th floor head. We were able to get his fingerprint data when he was subpoenaed."
Mercury held back a smile. ("Score one for the defense.")
Blue Book updated in the Court Record.
"Unfortunately, we have a new problem," Detective Gumshoe continued. "In one last investigation of the area, we have discovered a new set of unidentified fingerprints."
"A-Another set? Where?"
"On the victim's door sensor," he answered. "It seemed someone also tried to access the victim's door recently."
Mercury held his breath. "Did… did they come from Lunix Metsys?"
"Negative, pal," answered Detective Gumshoe. "We have to get more fingerprint data from the people involved."
("And another score zero for the defense.")
Door Sensor updated in the Court Record.
"That's all, sir."
The Judge nodded. "Thank you for the update, Detective Gumshoe. You may step down."
Once Detective Gumshoe stepped down from the witness stand and joined the gallery, the Judge turned to Mercury. "Bring in your new witness, Mr. Thinker."
Mercury nodded. "The defense will call Mr. Lunix Metsys to the stand."
Lunix Metsys entered the courtroom escorted by two bailiffs. He did not look comfortable being in the room, almost as if his presence invited some level of hostility.
"Now why have I been called here?" Lunix started, irritated.
"I'm afraid the defense attorney has some questions for you," answered the Judge.
Lunix turned to Mercury. "Oh? Just some questions then? If I answer them all, will I be free to go?"
Mercury knew what he was up against. "It depends."
Lunix became even more irritated. "Listen up. I don't have enough time for idle chatter."
("That didn't stop you from having a nice conversation with us.")
"Let me do the honor," Prosecutor Angelique stepped in. "The defense believes that you were there on the evening of the crime."
Lunix grumbled something about "crime." He grunted. "Well? I was the first one to discover the body."
Objection! Mercury pounded on the desk. "While you can contend to being the first to discover the body, it doesn't absolve you of another thing you've done."
Lunix raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And that is?"
Mercury had the security video played on the courtroom television. "The defense believes that this person strolling around the hallway at the time of the murder is the killer. And we also had eyewitness testimony of someone approaching them before they passed out." He pounded on his desk again. "That person is you!"
Lunix fell silent for a moment. "What's your point, sonny?"
"You could have killed Marco Shaft that evening," answered Mercury.
On this accusation, Lunix laughed, a booming crazed laugh. "That's absurd, my feeble friend."
Prosecutor Angelique clawed on her table, diverting the court's attention to her. "Well witness. You're on the stand now. Quash his allegations with your testimony."
Lunix smirked. "Ah… Prosecutor Angelique, we meet again."
That took Mercury by surprise. ("Th-They know each other?")
The Judge slapped his gavel. "Save the pleasantries for later, witness. We need your testimony, now."
Lunix grunted. "Right. But before I do, I hope you're ready to bear the brunt of doing such a grave act, my feeble friend."
("Bring it on.")
WITNESS TESTIMONY: THE EVENING OF THE CRIME
I was the first person to discover the body. But that was 3 AM, well hours away.
There's no record of me ever being in the building. You can ask the receptionist.
When I checked my records, only Xeus and Marco were in the floor that evening.
Aside from the security camera and the hologram, nothing else was disturbed.
That should be proof enough for you, is it not?
When Lunix finished his testimony, the Judge had a question. "Do you also keep records of those who were in the floor that evening?"
"Yes, sir," Lunix answered proudly. "Only Xeus and Marco were in the floor, as I just have said. That should be sufficient proof."
("So his proof was the records. Unfortunately for him, his testimony contains something seriously wrong.")
Lunix observed Mercury. "Oh? That look tells me you want to blow my testimony apart."
Mercury folded his arms. "And blow it apart, I must."
The Judge slapped down his gavel. "Proceed with your cross-examination."
CROSS EXAMINATION: THE EVENING OF THE CRIME
I was the first person to discover the body. But that was 3 AM, well hours away.
Hold it! "Do the records show you entering the building during that time?" Mercury asked.
"Yes, my feeble friend. Any better questions?"
Mercury felt lambasted. "How did you come upon the victim?"
"Simple, my feeble friend," said Lunix haughtily. "I simply tried to access their office using my ID card."
When asked about the ID card, Lunix said that the ID card was issued to the floor head. The ID card could be used in case of an emergency such as a defective door sensor. However, that would leave a record whenever the ID card was used.
"And there should be a record of the ID card when you tried to access the victim's room," said Mercury suggestively.
"Of course," he answered. "But then again, that's how I discovered Mr. Shaft."
("Should I have him add that statement to his testimony?") Mercury inferred the witness's answer as an important part of the testimony, so he requested him to add it to the testimony.
I simply used my ID card to try and access Mr. Shaft's room.
Mercury found his opening. Objection! "Mr. Metsys, I'm afraid that isn't possible."
Lunix raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why not, my feeble friend?"
Mercury referred to his notes. "If Mr. Shaft were still inside the room, then wouldn't your ID card not have worked?"
Lunix frowned. "Hmm… But I could swear the ID card worked that time."
("Could it really not have worked? Was the door sensor defective? I don't think so…")
"Does the defense have an explanation for this discrepancy?" the Judge asked.
Mercury analyzed the statement. ("It's not possible for the ID card to have worked if the victim was inside his office. However, the witness claims that the ID card worked that time. Which means…") In picking apart his analysis, Mercury made a conclusion that made him gasp. "Y-Your Honor, the defense believes that the witness was able to access the victim's room."
Lunix grunted. "So what was wrong with my testimony?"
Mercury folded his arms and smirked this time. "That was because the victim… was not in his room."
The statement brought everyone in the courtroom into confusion.
Objection! Prosecutor Angelique outburst, silencing the murmurs of confusion from the gallery. "That's claptrap, little gerbil. Remember, the victim died instantly for the gunshot wound."
Mercury had the answer to that. "Of course. After the killer shot Mr. Shaft, they simply carried his body away from the office. Then when it was his time to report, he simply returned the victim's body to his office using their ID card."
Prosecutor Angelique did not look impressed. "So you're saying the witness had the opportunity to do that?"
"Of course, that's what I'm saying."
Lunix interrupted. "Now that's absolute claptrap, if I have to say so myself. Why would I have the trouble to do all that?"
Mercury reviewed his evidence and found something in one of them in which an issue needed to be addressed. "Mr. Metsys, if you left the victim in his room, it would absolutely lead the detective to thinking that the victim was killed somewhere else. But we shouldn't overthink ourselves here." He pointed out the crime scene photo submitted by Detective Gumshoe early in the trial. "This part of the photo proves that the victim was carried off from his room after he was killed." Take that! He had the courtroom focus on the blood below the victim's body. "The victim died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest. If he were slumped like this, there should be more blood dripping from his wound down to the floor, don't you think?"
When Lunix realized this, he let out a small outburst as he recoiled and clutched his chest. "Y-You imbecile!"
Mercury pounded on the desk. "The lack of blood here would mean that the victim was carried from his room and then placed somewhere. And you had the opportunity to do it!"
Lunix did not respond.
Objection! Prosecutor Angelique took her turn. "Little gerbil, let's play along with your turn of events. If the victim was carried from his room, then where could the killer have put it?"
"That's simple," answered Mercury. "He was placed in–"
Objection! Prosecutor Angelique cut him off. "It's not that simple, little gerbil."
Mercury jerked slightly. "It isn't?"
Athena frowned as she analyzed the evidence based on Mercury's theory of events using her Widget. "If the victim was carried from his room to some other place in the floor, then two problems will arise."
"Hmph. At least the yellow gerbil caught on," said Prosecutor Angelique.
("Just get to the point.")
"Fine, I'll get to the point," continued Prosecutor Angelique, surprising Mercury. "Point number one: the conference hall camera would automatically rule out the conference hall. Point number two: anywhere else outside the victim's office would be captured by the hallway security camera." She clawed at the table. "Little gerbil, where do you suppose the killer brought the body to, hmm?"
When Mercury realized these two problematic scenarios, he yelped. ("I forgot about the conference hall camera!") He put himself back in deep though. ("Think Mercury, think! If the killer couldn't bring the victim's body out of the office because of those two problematic elements, then…") He looked at the damaged security video footage, which was looping the entire time in the courtroom television. At the end of the thirty-second video, it showed a man emerging from a room. If that were the killer… and around that time… something else happened.
("That's it! That's what happened!")
Mercury pounded on his desk, alerting Prosecutor Angelique. "The killer didn't need to bring the victim's body out from their office. He simply left it there."
Objection! Prosecutor Angelique countered again. "Take a look again at the crime scene photo. You even pointed out that there are only a few bloodstains below the victim!"
Mercury nodded. "True. But that's only because the victim wasn't that way when he was discovered."
Upon this, Prosecutor Angelique jerked. "W-What do you mean, gerbil?"
"I'm saying that the victim indeed opened the door," answered Mercury. "That's when the killer shot him and just left the door ajar." He pounded yet again on his desk. "That was what Ms. Thymes saw!" Mercury pointed at the witness. "She saw you coming out from the room!"
Lunix flinched. "Y-You! You dare make a mockery out of me?"
"Is this true, witness?" the Judge asked.
Lunix did not respond.
Mercury felt confident that he hit the mark. ("And another score one. No doubt he was the killer.")
When Lunix found the courage to respond, he took a deep breath. "So you're really bent on implicating me as Marco Shaft's killer, I see that. And all I did that morning was discover the body." He closed his left eye and reached for something inside his lab pocket. "You may call me Uncle Loonie, young man. But then again…" He withdrew his hand from his pocket and slapped his hand over his left eye. When he lowered his hand, the courtroom almost let out an audible gasp. "… When Loonie gets angry, there's no turning back."
"W-W-What is that thing?" Athena asked fearfully.
The object Lunix put over his left eye looked to be light a bright-blue eyeball in which its pupil was moving around yet not in coordination with his normal eye. "It's a bionic eye, and this is where I keep my records."
"A bionic eye?" Mercury asked.
"And that's not all, my feeble friend," Lunix continued, his voice almost cracking. "Here's the other reason why they sometimes call me 'Lunix the Loonie.'" With that, he unbuttoned his lab coat and tossed it aside. The audible gasp a few seconds ago became louder and more collective.
"W-WHAT IS THAT?" Mercury shouted.
Lunix's left arm was not a human arm. It was completely metallic with the metal plates, screws, gears, wires, and even a computer-like screen attached to where the forearm would be. He could move the metallic arm freely like it were a human arm. Yet, what unnerved the members of the gallery was his torso, which also contained a similar metallic build protruding from the upper left chest all the way down to where the belly would be. The revelation stunned the entire courtroom.
"Be surprised," Lunix cackled. "For this is the embodiment of the future!"
The members of the gallery were in murmurs full of confusion and fear.
The Judge quickly returned control of the trial. "Order! Order in the Court!"
Lunix swung his robotic arm. "Hmm, it looks like this arm will need to have a few more adjustments to the source code."
"If I may ask," said the Judge, his voice wavering a little, "are you… one of those android things they use to show in movies?"
Mercury cringed. ("Really now, Your Honor?")
"Hmph, so you think I'm one of those Terminator-esque things, eh?" Lunix taunted. "No worries. I'm still as human as can be. These upgrades can get rather uncomfortable, but I've lived through them for many years now."
("So this was how the robot program would work out like. A fascinating experiment in theory. A catastrophic result in implementation.")
Lunix controlled the computer monitor on his left forearm. "WHERE DID WE LEAVE OFF BEFORE I GOT CARRIED AWAY?" It wasn't Lunix saying it, but the robot that came attached to his unworldly appendage. The voice was definitely robotic.
Mercury took a deep breath. When he regained his courage and his confidence, he pounded a fist on the desk. "You killed the victim when he opened his office door. That was then you saw Ms. Thymes down the hall as you left the victim's office!"
Lunix the human remained unmoved while his robotic arm did the talking. "SO YOU SAY I KILLED HIM. DO YOU HAVE PROOF OF THAT?"
"Remember, no record of the witness exists," Prosecutor Angelique reminded Mercury.
("Because Chastain deleted it. But I can't prove it.")
Mercury took another deep breath. "Right now, there is no proof yet. But you had the opportunity!"
OBJECTION! The robotic voice from Lunix's objection was alarming and unnerving. This time, it was the human Lunix who did the talking. "You could give me all the opportunities to do anything, but without proof, your accusation is meaningless, baseless! And definitely full of bugs that I must troubleshoot!"
Mercury had to approach the attack from another angle. "Then prove to the Court that you were not at the office on the time of the crime."
"If you insist," said the human Lunix.
WITNESS TESTIMONY: THE TIME OF THE CRIME
The record will show THAT I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE PREMISES THAT MORNING
And I will say it again and again: I WAS THE FIRST TO DISCOVER THE BODY
YOUR THEORY THAT I KILLED THE VICTIM is completely riddled with bugs!
For what reason could I even do so? I DID NOT EVEN KNOW THE MAN THAT MUCH
SO YOU SEE. There is nothing that could link me and the victim.
Having the statements in the testimony alter between human Lunix and robot Lunix was unnerving for the courtroom.
("Goodness. I feel like I need to put my mind on override.")
Prosecutor Angelique folded her arms. "Well, defense? Can you disprove your witness's claim?"
Mercury took a deep breath. ("Well… there's no evidence right now to link the both of them.") He had an idea. "Athena, does your Mood Matrix say anything?"
Athena smiled. "This isn't the first time I've dealt with unusual scenarios," she told him. "I've had a witness who could control their emotions at will. I've had another who displayed dissociative identity disorder. And this witness…" Athena showed the Mood Matrix to Mercury, "is exactly what constitutes a complete one-eighty, if I say so myself."
("What the heck? How do I tackle this statement?")
"Your Honor," said Athena. "Ever since the witness… er, transformed, he's consciously altered his personality. What we're seeing right now are two personalities: one of the human Lunix, and one of the robotic part of the witness."
The Judge blinked. "W-What? A robot with personalities?"
Lunix raised his robotic arm into a fist. "The robot project will also produce sentient beings capable of feeling emotions. This is the first step for a more progressive future of the world!"
Athena ignored him and turned to Mercury. "Mercury, you have to look at the statements carefully. What exactly is the robot Lunix feeling right now?"
Mercury gulped. ("So this is what dad meant when he said that Uncle Loonie hasn't been the same. All right, let's pick his statement apart with some analytical psychology!")
"Your feeble toy will not work on me," Lunix taunted Athena.
Athena shook her head. "Well, it's time to see what analytical psychology can do against a robot. If this is the first step for a more progressive future, so should the field of analytical psychology."
"By all means," said the Judge.
Athena nodded and activated her Widget. She allowed Mercury to peer into the holographic screen that showed the witness's emotions.
MOOD MATRIX
I was not in the premises that early morning.
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: ERROR; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
I was the first one to discover the body!
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: ERROR; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
Your theory that I killed the victim is ridiculous!
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: ERROR; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
I did not even know the victim much!
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: ERROR; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
There's nothing linking me to the victim!
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: 10%; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
"Every error is alternating between showing an emotion and not showing it at all," Athena told Mercury. "It's just like that trial two years ago when I had to face a similar witness who could control their emotions at will."
"But we're up against a robot whose emotions built into the system are flawed," said Mercury.
"If there's something in the matrix that would somehow isolate the robot Lunix and the human Lunix, then you have to point it out," said Athena.
"Let me have another go…"
Mercury consulted the statements once more. In the first four statements, all of the emotions were alternating between blinking and not blinking their respective color schemes. However, the fifth one showed something different.
There's nothing linking me to the victim!
(Happy: ERROR; Sad: 10%; Angry: ERROR; Surprise: ERROR)
Got it! Mercury pounded on the desk. "Your robot is not perfect," he told Lunix. "While it is impressive to manifest human emotions as a technological breakthrough, it is still with its flaws."
Lunix snorted. "Oh? You dare challenge the perfection of the future?"
"All your statements alternated between you saying it and having your robot say it," said Mercury. "However, to let a robot speak on your behalf would need a great modification to your nervous system."
"Your point being?"
Mercury pounded again. "When you said about nothing linking yourself to the victim, you felt even the tiniest bit of fear. And robots can't feel fear. But your human self did."
Lunix's robotic arm revolved in its place. "Human self, eh?"
"You know something right? Something that proves a connection between you and the victim! And here's the piece of evidence that proves it!" Take that! Mercury presented the blue book.
Lunix looked neither impressed nor surprised. "What does a blue book have to do with anything, my feeble friend?"
Athena whispered to Mercury. "His level of fear is rising. You're on the mark."
Mercury explained that the blue book found in the victim's room contained his fingerprints after some extensive fingerprinting analysis. He also added that the victim's blood was in the book, solidifying the evidence that connected the witness and the victim. "Well, my robot friend, got something to say about that?"
Lunix grit his teeth while his robotic arm began to emit sparks. "Grrrr!"
Athena looked impressed. "Looks like you isolated his robot self and his human self. However, that's still a lot of noise to deal with."
Mercury peered at the statements once more. "And now that his robot self has been blown, his emotions are now in full view. Let's see what we can find in the statements."
Lunix quickly patched his robotic arm. "Hmph. You do know how to cut a wire in my delicate self, my feeble friend." Another soft patch on the computer on his left arm. "BUT IT STILL DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING."
"Really now? I think it changes everything. And I'll go over your statements one more time."
Sad: ! Angry: !
I was not in the premises that early morning.
(Lunix)
I was the first one to discover the body!
(Lunix, open office door, victim, drawer)
Your theory that I killed the victim is ridiculous!
(Lunix, victim)
I did not even know the victim much!
(Lunix, victim)
(UPDATE INFO) And even if I did, that blue book wouldn't mean a thing.
(Lunix, blue book)
Athena analyzed the statement. "Hmm, something in the crime scene triggered his fear and anger. Find out what it is, Mercury."
"All right. I'll give it another go."
I was not in the premises that early morning.
(Lunix)
He could be lying, Mercury thought. But he had no proof.
I was the first one to discover the body!
(Lunix, open office door, victim, drawer)
Wait, Mercury thought. If Lunix was the killer, wouldn't he act less angry or fearful? Did something in the crime scene bother him? Mercury probed on the statements and found something unusual. Got it! "Mr. Metsys, I think I know why you felt terrified."
"TERRIFIED? ROBOTS CANNOT FEEL TERROR."
Objection! Mercury shook his head. "It's your human self who discovered the victim after all. And if you really claim not to be the killer, you should act more surprised."
Lunix fell silent.
"Unfortunately, your overwhelming level of fear and anger are clouding your emotions and they are in response to what you saw in the drawer in the victim's room."
"What I saw, eh?" Lunix tittered. "WHAT REASON COULD I HAVE TO BE SO… TERRIFIED AND ANGRY… AS YOU PUT IT?"
Take that! Mercury had the crime scene photo displayed on the courtroom television and pointed out the specific part of the photo. "Inside the drawer is a folder. And that folder contains something… very important."
"A folder? What is it about?" the Judge asked.
Mercury glanced at Prosecutor Angelique, who refused to look him in the eye. ("I'm sure the prosecutor knows. And it's something that's not going to be pretty.") He took a deep breath and began explaining the content of the folder. "It's a case in which Prosecutor Angelique and I were involved almost a year ago in a European country. Everyone in this case, sans Ms. Thymes and the victim, are somehow involved." He mentioned that the case mentioned in the folder had little relationship to the current case, "for now anyway." However, Mercury believed – and he voiced out – that somewhere in the folder was the very thing that could have triggered the witness's fear and anger.
"A CASE FROM A YEAR AGO? I FAIL TO SEE HOW IT AFFECTS ME."
("You're not going to hide from this one.") Mercury pounded on his desk. "Well, witness. How would you respond if I say that cyber-terrorists are on the large, hmm?"
That brought a significant reaction from Lunix. "C-Cyber-terrorists?"
Athena contributed to the discussion. "The plane landing in the international airport a couple of weeks ago was also attributed to these cyber-terrorists."
The gallery was up in murmurs. Exchange of words and looks of disbelief flooded among the people. However, the Judge had to regain control of the trial.
Hold it! Lunix was grinning. "Hmph. You don't have proof that this piece of worthless paper is the source of my fear and anger, don't you?"
That was when Mercury remembered.
*FLASHBACK – PART 5, INVESTIGATION*
"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 END*
Mercury recoiled. ("S-Someone took the case file!") He quickly regained composure and analyzed the scenario. ("Could Lunix have stolen it and destroyed it? If so, why is he still exhibiting that level of fear. Maybe…")
That was when he realized something. ("The offices were swapped. This folder was found in the victim's office. The folder was supposed to belong to my father's. This blue book with the trace of bloodstains was found in my dad's office. The other blue book with the witness's fingerprints and more traces of bloodstains was found in the victim's office. Which means…") When he made the connection, Mercury let out an earsplitting scream of realization.
"W-What is it?" the Judge inquired, confused.
Mercury pounded on the desk. "Your Honor, I… I think I might have figured out the trick behind the murder."
Prosecutor Angelique raised her head. "Oh? Let's see how well it holds up, little gerbil. The stage is yours."
Before Mercury started, he whispered to Athena, "Please stop me if I say something out of place, okay?"
When Athena responded with a nod, Mercury took a deep breath. "Before the victim worked in the place, the office used to be Lunix's. Basically, the victim's office now was actually Lunix's office before." The waft of Khura'inese tea could only be an indicator that it was his father's office, meaning that the other office where the victim was discovered was Lunix's old office before he became floor head.
So far, everyone was following. "Now here where it gets slightly confusing." He explained that sometime when the defendant and the witness were working on the project, it was inevitable that they would get their fingerprints on both books. One of the blue books belonged to Xeus. And the other one belonged to Lunix, those facts were clear. "However, the previous case regarding the international airport in which cyber-terrorists were responsible brought about a major threat for the witness."
Was it possible that Xeus made another copy of the case file? When asked that question from Prosecutor Angelique, Mercury answered negatively. "Which is why the witness was enraged and furious on how the victim could have acquired some very sensitive information." Mercury was unsure when Lunix could have known about this, but he said that Lunix could have used his position as floor head to try to get into the victim's room when he wasn't there. "But that would leave a record. Perhaps he knew something about the victim? Maybe. Maybe not."
He continued with his train of thought, and not once did Athena interrupt him – maybe because she was too enthralled in confusion to interrupt, or Mercury's version of events was starting to make sense. "On the evening of the crime, Lunix was definitely in the 12th floor. He simply accessed the victim's room one way or another and proceeded to shoot him. Maybe they had a short conversation. However, the deed was ultimately done."
The court took time to digest the version of events presented by Mercury. Half of the court felt as if the story sounded too farfetched. The rest of the court seemed uninterested.
"You have to put some more effort into your first trial, little gerbil," said Prosecutor Angelique. "Your story, unfortunately, has a lot of holes."
Mercury sighed. ("I know the reviews will say that the motive for murder is so farfetched it makes Plan 9 from Outer Space sound great.")
Prosecutor Angelique clawed at the table. "Well, little gerbil? If you stand by the version of events, then you have yet to prove one thing."
"And that is?"
The prosecutor folded her arms. "Well, little gerbil. How could the witness have opened the victim's office door?"
"It's simple, really."
Objection! Prosecutor Angelique outstretched her arm, a clawed hand pointed toward her adversary. "Again, it's not that simple, little gerbil."
"W-Why?"
"Remember, the floor head's ID card will not respond if the occupant of the room is inside, which seems to be the case," Prosecutor Angelique reminded him.
Mercury remembered this, which he reacted with a profuse sweating and a facepalm. ("R-Right. That.")
"And that's not all," continued Prosecutor Angelique, much to Mercury's dismay. "Only the defendant's and the victim's fingerprint together with an unidentified set of fingerprints were found on the victim's door sensor."
Objection! Mercury pointed at her. "That could be the witness's for all we know!"
Lunix flexed his robotic arm while its computer did the talking. "WHY BOTHER GOING THROUGH ALL THAT TROUBLE? THAT WOULD JUST LEAVE A RECORD AND I WOULD BE IMPLICATED FOR IT."
"Therefore the set of unidentified fingerprints could not belong to the witness," finished Prosecutor Angelique. She clawed at the table. "Well, little gerbil? Unless you think this robotic witness is a ghost that can walk through doors, I bet your farfetched gerbil brain could be the future for your career!"
Mercury could not hold it anymore. He let out another scream of desperation now that his adversary highlighted very good points. He had to prove that the witness could have done it. ("Is there really no way the witness could have opened the door?") Mercury took another deep breath.
Lunix's bionic eye swiveled in its place as he laughed maniacally. "Well, well, well, my feeble friend. I see you have nothing else to show." He then tapped on the computer on his robotic arm. "SUCH A SHAME. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW."
Mercury almost lost control. "Never!"
Athena grabbed his hand. "Calm yourself, Mercury. Give yourself time to breathe and think this over from the beginning, okay?"
Mercury looked around the courtroom. A prayer. A desperate action. Anything that would give him an idea. His eyes rested on his father, who could offer little but place his undying faith. He turned to Prosecutor Angelique, the same stoic face that horribly reminded him of the disastrous trial. Mercury looked down. The evidence wasn't very helpful anymore. They all pointed to Lunix as the possible culprit, but unless he could produce something decisive, the evidence couldn't work wonders for him. Mercury's eyes shifted around the courtroom – from the Judge, to Detective Gumshoe in the gallery, and then beside him… was Phoenix Wright.
Didn't Phoenix tell him something before the trial started?
("Turn my thinking around?")
The Judge struck his gavel. "It seems that the defense is at a loss for words. And therefore, I have no choice but to excuse the witness."
"A WISE CHOICE. NO BUGS. NO ERRORS."
Mercury, in one last attempt of sheer desperation, pounded his hardest on the table. Objection! "You're not getting away, robot freak! You killed the victim, and I will prove it now!"
The Judge turned to Mercury. "You have one chance to explain, defense. How could the witness have accessed the victim's room?"
Mercury took a deep breath. ("Turn my thinking around… I was too focused trying to find ways that the witness could have accessed the victim's room. But if I turned it around, maybe… I should find a way that the witness found a way to bypass the record so that he could not leave a record behind.") Using that new line of thought, Mercury declared, "Well, Your Honor. This is how the witness could have access the victim's room…"
He had to think fast, and he only had one chance. He closed his eyes and recollected all of the information presented during the investigation and the trial, bringing about a thought route that would hopefully lead him straight to the answer.
