Limits of Perfection

Chapter 12:

Perfect Sacrifice

Author's note: Okay…you know the drill. I don't own Phoenix Wright games or characters…and if I did, I'd be swimming in my own pool of money (which would be shaped like a dollar bill!) However! I DO own Marty Cruss, Guido and Herr Volker. No touchie!

To my readers and reviewers:

LazyCatfish27: Hahah, I know...but it keeps you wanting more, though! Don't worry, this one is long!

Jade: It's spelled right! I used spell check! LOL! And yes, the clothing box was inspired by case two JFA!

AND NOW...TO THE STORY!!

Cost him something?

Miles swallowed hard while looking from Gumshoe to Phoenix in an unsure manner. He opened his mouth to say something but found himself to be at a loss for his voice. Phoenix saw this, and spoke up quickly. "What do you want? How much money?" Sinister laughter filled the room. "Money? No, no, no. I'm not in it for the money. I want Mr. Edgeworth to come alone to an address that he alone will know...and then he shall get his lady. It just depends on the time he takes to get here...on whether he find her alive or dead." The unsettling words sent chills up Miles' spine. He took the caller off of speakerphone and pressed the phone up to his ear. "What is the address?" he asked, his voice cold and unforgiving. "E street, apartment complex F, 6th floor, apartment 23." the man stated back. "How long do I have?" "Your time has been ticking away for quite some time now. You have exactly 35 minutes...and that's rather generous considering if you leave now you won't hit the early morning traffic." Miles' upper lip curled in a snarl at the sick and twisted mind of this man. "...She'd better be alive!" he warned before hanging up the phone. He turned to Phoenix and Gumshoe, only now realizing how heavily he was breathing. "...I've got to leave." he stated, pulling his car keys out of his pocket. "Alone." "But Miles..." Phoenix protested, placing a hand on Edgeworth's shoulder, which the prosecutor quickly brushed off.

"I need to leave."

And with Miles' words, Phoenix stepped back and nodded hesitantly. He hated to see his friend have to do this. When he moved out of the way, Miles broke out into a full fledged run, out of the office and down into the street. Gumshoe and Phoenix watched from the window, as Miles entered his car, started it, and floored the gas. The car peeled away from the curb where it was parked, and the tires squeeled as it hit the road.

"...Well...there he goes..." Phoenix murmured, placing his hands in his pockets and turning away from the window. "Yeah...now all we can do, pal, is hope that he comes back with Franziska...alive and well..." Gumshoe added, still looking out the window until the car was out of sight at last.

The bright lights of the street lights flashed in Miles' eyes as the car raced down the freeway. He knew that the request of this madman was insane. E street was all the way across town...and to make it in 35 minutes...was that even possible? No, he probably had less than that now. The thought of Franziska's life being on the line made Miles press harder on the gas. His knuckles were turning white from gripping the wheel so hard, and every turn was sharp and precise. The sound of the car's tires squeeling on the road filled his ears...but all he could think of was Franziska...
She breathed slowly and softly in the clothing box, glad that Marty hadn't put the clothes over her entire face to try and suffocate her. She wasn't sure how much time had passed...maybe minutes...hours? Had it maybe been only 30 seconds since he had stopped kicking the box? Her sense of time was starting to go...she felt her chest tighten in panic. Franziska closed her eyes and took a deep breath in.

Just take it easy, Franziska...panic will only be futile to your situation...

She continued this slow pace of breathing to calm herself down, until it was the only sound that filled her ears, instead of the silence that she would have much rather preferred. The sound of her breathing was making herself nervous. She would have rather been able to tune herself out and hear nothing but the silence that prevailed...it made her mind wander...would she have enough air by the time that she was rescued...or by the time she managed to make it out by herself? The tiny box felt as though it closed in on her at times, making her feel nauseatingly claustrophobic...like she was feeling now. She closed her eyes to try and calm herself down again, but as she did, she heard something that sounded like...banging...like...something hitting something. No...someone was pounding something...someone was...knocking on the door? The box jostled as Marty kicked it, eliciting a groan from Franziska at the sudden movement. This seemed to please him, Franziska noticed, as he began laughing like a mad man, his footsteps moving away and towards the continuous knocking noise.

Miles had made it...with five minutes to spare...he had made it! His legs seemed to be able to carry him so fast...now that he was moving up so many flights of stairs. If it had been faster, he would have taken the elevator...yes, just for Franziska, he would have braved his fear and taken it. But he knew from experience that just when you needed elevators to work, they always went the slowest. And so he climbed up those stairs until he reached the sixth floor...apartment 23. Normally, Miles would have pushed back his sleaves slightly, smoothed his hair back, and then knocked on the door lightly. Now, he stormed up to the door of the apartment, and banged on it like there was no tomorrow. He knew that his knuckles and fists would be black and blue later on...maybe even bloody...but he didn't care. It must have been about a whole entire minute before the door was opened and a man with thinning brown hair stood in front of him...a sadistic grin on his face.

"Welcome, Mr. Edgeworth. So nice to finally get to meet you face to face."

Miles didn't even hesitate as he lunged towards Marty, ramming him up against a wall in the apartment as the door slammed shut behind them. He had never been this brutal to another human being, and quickly prayed silently that he would never have to be. "Where is she?" he asked, holding Marty by the shirt collar. The man just laughed maniacally. "Now, now, now...do you really think that I would just tell you where she is? What sort of fun is that? It takes away the whole point of the game!" he exclaimed with a twisted smile. This only infuriated the prosecutor even more though, and he pushed Marty harder up against the wall. "This isn't a game, you sick bastard! This is a person's life we're talking about, here! What sort of sick, twisted mind do you have, to do this to a woman?! A woman of all people! If you wanted to do something to someone, you should have just taken me!" Miles shouted, slamming Marty's head up against the wall several times for emphasis. The man just continued to laugh, though, that crazy look in his eyes, and the insane smile on his face. "Heehee! You're...heheh...running out of time!" Edgeworth dropped Marty after slamming him against the wall one last time, and began looking for Franziska.

Franziska heard it all. She was surprised, to say the least, at how defensive, worried and protective Miles sounded. It sounded...as though he genuinely cared for her...it was...touching. She heard the sound of footsteps, moving right by her...or moving very close to her. Either she was in a room where her "cage" was well hidden, or it wasn't Miles who was walking by her. So desperately, she wished to call out to him, to try and get him to either come into the room and find her, or stay away from it if those footsteps really did belong to Marty. And then, her ears pricked up. The footsteps moved away from her and then there was a scuffle. She could hear both men grunting to disable the other by natural force...and then the worst sound in the world filled her ears. It was a gun shot. There was the sound of a groan...it was rather far off, so she couldn't tell who had elicited the sound. Then, another shot..and then silence for several minutes before footsteps became the only sound once more. She hated this sound...dear God how she wished that whoever it was, walking around, would have the courage and the guts to open this clothing box and reveal who was the victor. She didn't have to wait for long, as the footsteps drew nearer and the box lid was opened. Franziska opened her eyes to look right back into Miles' eyes. He let a sliver of a smile cross his face...yet something seemed very wrong to Franziska. Miles said nothing as he, with the German woman's cooperation, turned her on her side and removed the ropes that held her hands behind her back. "...Are you okay?" Miles asked as Franziska sat up in the box and rubbed her wrists gingerly. "...I...I'm fine. Thank you." she replied, before standing up and stepping out of the box. She now stood right in front of Miles, and an uncomfortable silence filled the air. "Miles...I..." Franziska stopped when she noticed that Edgeworth was shifting from one foot to the other...almost like he was trying to catch his balance... "Miles?" the blue-haired woman questioned, stepping a little closer. Edgeworth placed a hand on Franziska's shoulder, and his face contorted as he did so, making it look like it took every ounce of strength for him to do so. Franziska realized why this was when Miles removed his hand and she took a look at her dress...which was stained a deep rusty red...

"M-Miles?"

Her voice carried one of the most worried tones he had ever heard from her lips. Miles staggered slightly, pressing his hand to the white wall to keep himself from falling over. "F-Franz...Franzis..." He tried desperately to get her name out before he threw himself against the wall and slumped down, leaving a trail of blood that smeared down the wall when he fell to the floor.

"Miles?!"

Franziska began to panic. In all of her time kidnapped, never did anything raise such a fear in her...now that Miles was bleeding profusely, her worst fears seemed to have been realized...she was dependent...she depended on him...her world could not exist without him in it. It was just...impossible.

"MILES! MILES!"

He had come down the stairs a little later...probably after he had finished sulking up in his room. But he wore a look of guilt on his face...no...not guilt...more like shame. She wouldn't take pity on him though...she wouldn't forgive him, no matter how hard he pleaded. Miles had hurt her...mentally. The punch was nothing. She didn't care...she had worse punches thrown at her before. But...it was Miles for crying out loud...she had never expected him to have been just as sadistic as her father. So...she supposed that when he entered back to where she was studying, there must have been quite a shocked look on her face, as Miles felt the need to explain himself to her. "Franziska...I know you'll probably never forgive me. I'm sorry." he whispered. "I shouldn't have done that...you...you were right. You are right. I don't study hard enough, and I don't deserve the title of being your father's apprentice. But...but I'm going to earn that title. I mean it!" Franziska looked at him with a blank stare, and then Miles asked one of the most unexpected questions she had ever encountered.

"Are you okay?"

He...he wanted to know this? He...he cared...? But why? Why care for her?

"I'm fine...you fool." Franziska stated, turning back to her books.

"You stupid fool..."