Author's note: A big, big, big apology for not updating! It's been so busy lately I just haven't had time! So here's the eigth chapter.
Apollo jogged down the stairs.
"Wait up, Apollo!" Trucy called. Apollo was hoping to get some more information on the evidence. However, he mistimed his step and fell to the floor. He heard a yelp and knocked someone else over along the way.
"I'm sorry." apologised Apollo, until he realised who he had knocked over. "Dani!"
"Not you again." she groaned. Apollo noticed she looked much worse, her hair tangled and messed, her mascara smeared and mixed with her face make up. Her teeth were clenched. Alright, here's my best chance to ask her some questions.
Trucy skidded next to Apollo.
"A friend of yours?" she asked.
"Hardly." Dani snorted, waving her gloved hand in dismissal. "I was a reliable witness until he screwed it all up."
"You're really not one with the ladies, are you, Apollo?" Trucy laughed. "Say something nice. They say flattery will get you everywhere!"
"Not with me, honey." Dani growled.
"Dani, I need to ask you some questions." Apollo began.
"I'm not answering them. You can't make me." Dani spat. She tried to walk through but Apollo impeded her progress.
"I need to ask you about the blackmail. Why?" Apollo asked. Dani looked at the floor and, as expected, the world turned dark. Chains steadily wrapped around Dani and three locks attached to her. I expected as much...
"I can't say..." she grumbled. Apollo sighed as the darkness faded.
"I need more information..." he sighed. He left the block of flats and began to walk to the Forensics Lab.
"Why do we need to go there, Apollo?" Trucy enquired. Apollo cleared his throat.
"Considering the amount of evidence found at the crime scene, especially that message, we're going to need to get the forensics to work this out."
"Wow, this is sure one tough nut of a case." Trucy smiled. Apollo cocked his head to one side. How can she be so happy, especially when Mr Wright is so close to death?
They arrived at a giant building, covered with banners of chemicals. In gold plated letters, it said "DISTRICT FORENSICS LAB". Apollo nodded.
"This is defiantly the place." he told Trucy, who repeated the nod.
"This is all so chilling!" she exclaimed. Apollo raised an eyebrow? Why on earth was he so happy? They entered the building and were instantly shocked at what they saw. The lab was massive but that was not what caught their eye. The machines were out of this world. They were three times taller than Apollo, with many surrounded my scientists testing many substances. A giant power generator at the end was as tall as the ceiling, with electrical surges visible.
"Wow..." Apollo mumbled.
"Impressive, isn't it?" a voice said.
"Yes. Who are you?" Apollo asked. The woman standing in front of him was very tall, her back bending over. Her hair was cut short at her shoulders and was jet black. She had designer glasses on and was holding a big file. Like everyone else, she was wearing a large lab coat.
"Lion Simpson. Head of Forensics." she bowed. "How may we help you, Apollo Justice? Details pertaining the case at hand, I presume?"
"Actually, we were wondering if you could run some tests on some evidence we found at the crime scene." Apollo asked. Although slightly taken aback about how...perfect the woman was, he didn't complain.
"Although, as a forensics lab, we're not to examine evidence from outsiders just in case it has been tampered with, we could take a look."
Lion led them to a massive machine, over powering even her.
"What kind of evidence do you want us to check?" Lion asked. Apollo grinned.
Presented Dying message to Lion.
"Wow. NK-3. That case, huh?" Lion smiled.
"What's so funny?" Trucy questioned. Lion just shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. It's just that was my first case as head of forensics. Good memories, alright." she admitted.
"So you're involved too, eh?" Apollo rubbed his chin. There are a lot of people popping up from that case...
Lion slid the message into the machine as it whirred around, making clanking and robotic noises that confused Apollo.
"This is a very recent make. We're the first lab to receive it in the country." Lion smiled. "We're very lucky."
"It looks quite hard to work." Trucy commented.
"Not really. If you attach the generator wire to the power plug, turn it up to about 3, 500 volts and allow it to register with the foundations, it's quite simple."
"I didn't get much of that..." Apollo smiled weakly as the machine finished it whirring. Lion led them to the other side of the machine and checked an electronic screen.
"This message was almost defiantly written by Larry Butz. From the angle, I can say for certain he had difficulty writing it..." Lion rubbed her forehead. "Possibly because his arm was broken but it could be he was tied down. For some reason, the killer couldn't get rid of the trace."
"Apollo! Trucy!" a voice called out to them. The partners whirled around to see Ema angrily glaring at them.
"Ema..." Apollo whispered. Ema strolled up to them.
"You aren't supposed to be here. You could just have asked me to help analyze it for you." Ema growled. Lion laughed out aloud.
"Maybe because you're a measly detective but I have the feeling these kids wanted professional help." Lion assured her. Ema growled, her eyes turning fierce.
"Damn you, Lion." Ema clenched her fist.
"Is there something between you two?" Apollo enquired.
"Just because we've been rivals since high school and I've defeated her in every single test we've taken, she feels the need to be hostile." Lion shrugged.
"Not every test. I beat you on that fractions test when I was sixteen." Ema pointed out. Lion laughed.
"By a percent. Face it, Skye. You were never good enough to be a forensic investigator." Lion laughed loudly and turned to Apollo and Trucy. "Is that all the help you needed?"
"Yes, thank you." Trucy bowed.
"Don't bow to her!" snapped Ema. "One day, Lion, I'll show you. I'll get evidence that I deserve to be a forensic investigator more than you ever were."
Apollo and Trucy left with Ema as the detective was fuming.
"Seriously, Ema. I thought you were going to strangle her." Apollo said. Ema grunted.
"I could easily have killed her in a more painful way. Maybe a spray of carbon dioxide through a tube down her throat could do the trick!" Ema yelled. She stormed off. Trucy shrugged.
"Teenage girls." she chuckled. Apollo raised an eyebrow. Isn't Ema twenty-five?