Disclaimer: Ace Attorney and all characters are copyright by CAPCOM; World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, all incidences and characters were created by Max Brooks. I'm just a fan, imitating. The stories presented are influenced by the multiple games as well as the comic (Manga written by Kenji Kuroda), and the book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.
This story is set two years following Bridge to the Turnabout (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations) during the height of the Zombie War.
Part 2
Chapter 2
None But the Brave
May 16, 2053
Stand Up! SoCal
Southern California Greater Metropolis, California
[Is that what finally changed your mind?]
I mean that certainly was a motivation for it. But what really got me was the news about them crawling up out of the ocean.
There was a scientist… I think he was in the Navy or something like that, but he'd been an oceanographer—whatever that is—anyway, people were starting to doubt it was going to happen in California.
We counted the ships lost in the panic. And we studied the ways, speed, and trajectory of their arrival in places like Japan, Korea, Alaska… Even Washington state…. But it was obvious when they didn't come by the end of 2021 that there was something else that we needed to factor into our planning.
Well this scientist—the oceanographer—he started talking about the trench… um… the Marianas Trench. You know, in the Pacific? Supposedly it's so deep that you can put Mount Everest in it and it would still be submerged by more than a mile of water…
[He chuckles wistfully.]
I learned that from Trucy before the panic…. Maybe that's why it stood out to me…
So anyway, this oceanographer had this theory that the trench was slowing them down and that's why we didn't see them in Southern California and Mexico. But instead of brushing it off he was adamant about taking the opportunity of a delay to better prepare.
I guess the prevailing consensus was that the trench was deep enough to make a permanent barrier, that their zombie bodies would fall into the trench and condense into nothing. People like to think like that—with hope… Optimism… This scientist was pissing a lot of people off…
You see, he believed the swarm would be inevitable. The delay wasn't a reason to relax and let our guard down. He insisted it was only a matter of time before the bodies and detritus would create a bridge and they would move forward.
That meant arming the beachheads and training more troops.
Ultimately we were luckier than a lot of places further up or down the beach—not just because of the shape of the coastline, but because we had leaders like Shi-Long Lang, that always seemed to err on the side of caution. Guys that took advantage of the delay.
[So what made you join the Army?]
Actually, I didn't join the Army, I signed on with the State Militia—down in LA that was the 79th Infantry Brigade—part of the California National Guard. The Army—the federal Army, was struggling in those days—I'm sure you heard about New York?
[DC?]
Yeah, all up and down the eastern seaboard, Zack was already storming their beaches. So by the time our turn came around—a few years later, there wasn't much of an Army to speak of.
Of course, those guys in the regular Army had the experience and knowledge about the surges and swarms—the ones that came out of the water. Obviously, they couldn't spare a lot soldiers to cover the West Coast, there were other hot spots across the country, so they sent us officers, and senior enlisted to help train and lead our Militias.
That's probably why a lot of folks give the Army so much credit—California made them look good too. But most of the troops were local guys. Just trying to keep our families and homes safe.
February 23, 2022
Ivy University Compound
Los Angeles, California
"Phoenix Wright!" Phoenix looked up startled from where he was sitting with twenty or so other people filling out application packets in the local reserve station. Lang was wearing his uniform—well uniform was a relatively broad term in the 79th—and he cut a sharp figure in his fatigues, faded as they were.
"Lang," Phoenix smiled at him and then glanced over at Apollo and Simon, the two younger guys he'd brought with him.
"They finally convinced you to get your head out of the sand and fight the good fight?"
Lang joined the three of them at the table they shared, still grinning at Phoenix, "How's the baby?"
"He eats well," Phoenix chuckled and turned his attention back to the packet in front of him.
"Yours?"
"Oh you heard? Another girl," Lang said, "Franziska is inconsolable…"
"She wanted a boy?"
"Well… She does her best,"Lang's smile faltered momentarily and he glanced away, absently smoothing the blouse of his fatigues, "Is Maya really okay with this?"
Phoenix met his eye directly, "I can't even look at them knowing that there's more I can do."
Lang replied with a knowing, tight-lipped smile, "I think that's what bothers her the most… I'm pretty sure she's still upset with me about the first one…"
"A lot of people died," Phoenix frowned somberly, "It's not really a bad thing."
He flipped the page in the packet, "I just hope I'm not too old for this…"
Lang laughed, "It's not something we worry about here—as long as you're fit enough to march and shoot and kill zombies…"
Phoenix laughed, "Tell me they won't send me home for having a bad back."
Lang shook his head, "Wright, you shouldn't tell me that shit…. But honestly, a willing hand is worth his—or her—weight in gold…"
Phoenix smiled and went back to answering the questions.
"What are you, thirty now?" Lang was eyeing him sidelong.
"Something like that," Phoenix met his eye and smirked, "If you went by how I look—most people guess twenty-five…. If I had to estimate based on my back—sixty-five…"
Lang laughed aloud, "Stop saying this, you realize I'm in charge of new accessions during this recruiting drive? If you've been injured—"
"I'm fine, man," Phoenix flipped the packet over, "A little apprehensive…. I never figured I'd be starting something new this far along…"
"So I heard you used to be a lawyer…"
Phoenix looked up from the packet and met Lang's eye with a frown, "In another life… yeah…"
"I heard you were pretty good," Lang rubbed his chin contemplatively.
Phoenix smirked, "Did Franziska tell you that?"
Lang chuckled and glanced over at Simon and Apollo who were pretending to be very engrossed in filling out their application packets, "I'm pretty sure she's repressed all memories of you in the courtroom…. But Miles talks about you like you were some kind of hero…"
Phoenix bit his lip, "I didn't know he was back."
Lang shrugged, oblivious, "Nah, he transferred to a unit over in Glendale—so he's closer, but not back. He comes by for dinner once in a while—it's nice having someone else for Franziska to whip besides me…"
Phoenix laughed at that and then scratched his eyebrow, "Anyway, as far as the lawyer piece, I was disbarred—before the panic even… So I wasn't that good…"
Lang was serious again, rubbing his chin, "But if you were a lawyer, that means you have a college degree…"
"That is a reasonable deduction…"
"Because I need guys to lead…"
May 16, 2053
Stand Up! SoCal
Southern California Greater Metropolis, California
[Apollo's mustache is even more powerful than I remembered. He smiles before ushering me inside. His home is tidy, spartan, and utilitarian, but it looks lived in.]
[Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.]
Oh, it's not a problem, I didn't have a lot going on tonight—not a lot to do after dark, right?
[I relay to him my purpose—the Battle of Santa Monica for one. As well as the upcoming dedication ceremony.]
[Did you serve under Phoenix Wright?]
Not directly—Colonel Lang tried to avoid that—you know having us in the same squads. Mister Wright was field commissioned right after basic—we were all in basic together—me, Simon, Athena… Clay…
But Lang was very careful to split us up, especially in the field.
[Was that like The Sullivans? His reasoning, I mean?]
Who knows? Probably. But that's American history—Lang was from Zeng Fa… But it made sense you know. In a citizen militia the guys you fight with are neighbors… Friends… Family….
It changed the dynamic…
Being soldiers together—it makes you close…
So being soldiers with your neighbors, friends… Your brothers… It took it to another level.
[So you weren't at Santa Monica?]
Oh no, I was… By that time, the Army had brought in their planners—so we got Colonel Edgeworth as the regional commander… So that means Southern California all the way to the Mexican border and the entire Central Corridor outside of the Bay Area. The 79th had Los Angeles, and our unit incorporated into the Brigade…
Delta Company had the beaches—so even though he was in a different squad, we were both on the beach that day.
[Was Miles Edgeworth at Santa Monica too?]
Knowing him, I don't doubt that he was…. But I didn't see him…. You have to remember, I was an infantry grunt. My ass was in the sand…
Colonel Edgeworth was the acting Field Marshall—he would've been somewhere planning and directing—rumor was he used to go out with the tanks when we were in the thick of it… I believe it… Because I watched him dispatch a half dozen of the monsters with a rusty replica sword…
That guy really hated zombies…
March 18, 2022
California National Guard Regional Reserve Center
Long Beach, California
"Hey, Mister Wright?"
Phoenix winced, before turning toward him. That voice, that timber… It could only be Apollo Justice.
"What are you doing here? You'll get another demerit…"
"I promised Trucy I'd keep an eye on you Mister Wright," the young man's stare was determined and hard.
"Well, it's not worth it if you're going to be reprimanded…" Phoenix lay back in his assigned cot and covered his face with a forearm, "You better get out of here…"
"I'm fine—I'm not worried, sir," Apollo had sidled up to his cot so that he was hidden inside the makeshift partition Phoenix had put up for a bit of privacy, "Plus everybody wants to know if there's any news."
Phoenix made an exasperated noise—he was tired and he was hoping for some quiet rest. Lang had been good as his word, and he'd been field commissioned almost immediately after the abbreviated and strangely focused basic training provided locally to the region. So he wore Captain's bars now and he was in charge of some sixty soldiers—none of whom were Apollo Justice…
"Apollo…"
"Corporal Justice…Sir…"
Phoenix pulled his arm away from his face and glared at him, "So you're just going to pick and choose which orders you want to follow?"
Apollo was standing at parade rest, even though Phoenix was lying down—and it drove him crazy. Slowly, Phoenix pulled himself upright and glowered at him, "Look, Corporal… Every time you pull shit like this you're ignoring a lawful order—you can get an Article Fifteen for this…"
Apollo wasn't meeting his eye, throwing his thousand yard stare directly ahead. Phoenix grimaced, "Apollo…"
"She wrote me, sir," Apollo said stoically and Phoenix shook his head—she still hadn't written to him.
"Do you know how they're doing?"
"There's rationing on flour again… So Maya's been cooking a lot of rice… But she didn't have anything else to complain about. I guess Pearl is planning to sign up with the Guard too—medical though…"
Phoenix swallowed—it all felt like it was unraveling around them…
"But what about Trucy?"
"She doesn't want to leave Maya and the baby…. She said somebody's got to take responsibility…"
"Okay," Phoenix muttered—he didn't trust himself to say anything more just then.
"I don't know if you've heard anything new, Sir?"
Phoenix shook his head, "You better get out of here before we both get in trouble…"
Apollo popped to attention and saluted before dashing out of the tent he shared with thirty other officers. Phoenix stared at the space he just vacated grinding his teeth.
His neighbors on either side were out—there was another bonfire on the beach tonight—so they were out with the troops. Building rapport… Comraderie…
There was a lot of talk about the danger at the coast. You couldn't go very far without getting an earful or seeing the signs of a ramped up and desperate recruitment. But that didn't mean everyone agreed with it.
Phoenix choked, sitting alone in the dimly lit tent, the sound of the generators buzzing in the periphery, and seeing those blue eyes angry, accusing…
Daddy… Why do you have to do this?
He turned over onto his stomach and buried his face in the tiny foam pillow the Army had given him. It felt like playing soldier. The intervening weeks had been a blur of activity. Small arms drills. Trenches in the sand. Field rations with several thousand of your neighbors and friends…
When you left for Kurain everyone thought you'd died…
People had a lot to say about courage these days. Maya had tried to console the both of them before he 'shipped out'. But then, he'd rescued Maya—and she hadn't known he was coming. Despite those horror filled memories of being alone with the moaning and the derelict feel of a dying city—he wanted to be a part of it. He wanted to help.
You don't have to prove you're bravery, Daddy… Nobody doubts it…
After the argument that night, she refused to look at him. Then it was time to go.
Because I don't know how I can deal with you dying again… Daddy…
They weren't far… The unit was grouped in Long Beach. There was talk of his unit joining the flank in Santa Monica… But these places were all in the neighborhood…
Don't leave me again, Daddy…
Phoenix sobbed into his pillow until fatigue dragged him into the respite of sleep.
A/N: Thanks for reading...