Good Enough

(Here's another update, and this story is about to get a lot darker. Here's where the torture warning comes in; I've done the best I can to make Manfred von Karma EVIL! Sorry if some of you don't like that, but hopefully you'll still enjoy the story to some degree. Please review and let me know you're reading and enjoy!)

Chapter 7

Miles lifted his head slowly as he heard the door to the basement open and footsteps coming down the stairs. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he was first brought down here, but his body was very sore from being in the same knelt position for so long. Now it seemed he finally had a 'visitor', a prospect that wasn't all that exciting in the current situation.

He saw the silhouette of a very tall man come into his view, unclear in the dim light. However, the figure held something in his left hand, a long stick-like object that reached the floor. Miles felt as if he had just dropped about ten feet as he recognized what it was and who was holding it, the memories he had already been reliving while waiting down here now coming to him more vividly than ever.

"Guten Abend, Miles Edgeworth."

So, it was around dusk now? He had no way of knowing.

The man took another step forward, and suddenly his face was illuminated in the firelight, putting a dreaded face with that dreaded voice. The face of Manfred von Karma loomed over Miles, a smirk upon its lips as the man took a moment to enjoy the sight before him. Von Karma looked much older than he had the last time Miles had seen him; this was no doubt a result of his time spent in prison. However, it did not make him look any less threatening; in fact, the firelight on his paled complexion succeeded in making him look like a particularly frightening ghost. How appropriate!

"I must thank you for your cooperation," came that sinister, deep voice again. "Although, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I had expected more of a fight from you."

"You were never one to play games, Manfred von Karma," Miles muttered just loud enough for the other man to hear him. "So what it is that I've been dragged here for?"

An evil laugh that Miles knew all too well sent a chill down his spine. "You are correct, Miles Edgeworth; I do not intend to play with you at all. However…" He moved forward again until he stood right in front of his captive. "…I do plan to enjoy myself while you're here."

Due to the lack of light he didn't see it coming, though he wouldn't have been able to stop it even if he had. The sound of wood smashing against bone echoed numerous times throughout the empty chamber as the familiar pain Miles had come to associate with the oaken cane in Manfred's hand surged through his head. His senses reeled and he felt for a moment as if he'd pass out, but the darkness began to clear away as quickly as it had come. He heard that voice from over him again, and at first it sounded very far away, though soon his hearing returned as well.

"Did you think it would be that easy, Miles Edgeworth?" For the first time since he had come into the basement, Manfred now sounded angry. "Did you think that by hiding behind that pathetic defense attorney, you would be rid of me forever?"

Miles gasped in pain as the cane connected with his ribs.

"Or perhaps you did mean to take precautions. Perhaps my daughter reminded you too much of me, even though she could never compare. To ensure your victory, you took control of Franziska and tore away what little strength she might have had. You somehow managed to turn a von Karma into something you could possess and use, thus giving you the false delusion that you had proved yourself superior to me."

Miles coughed as he was hit in the ribs for a second time. He couldn't understand how that weapon could be hard enough to break him like it did, but he was sure a bone had just been cracked.

"Well, what do you have to say, Boy?!"

"You don't even know the half of it…" Keeping his mouth shut was going to help him none this time, so why not defend himself the only way he could in his current position? "Unlike you, I understand that there is more to life than victory and defeat."

There was a moment of silence, and then von Karma spoke again. "What was that, Boy? I don't think I heard you properly." The oak cane seemed to gleam in the firelight.

Miles raised his head despite his pain and spoke as clearly and forcefully as possible. "You're wrong. You've always been wrong."

That sinister laugh came again, but this time, von Karma moved past him. He felt the chains binding him move a bit, and they suddenly fell away. Confused, he turned his head to look back at the other man, seeing that his smirk had returned.

"So, you do have some fight in you after all." Manfred was standing back, as if inviting Miles to rise. "This may yet be interesting."

Well… maybe if he was lucky he could fight his way out, though he was sure this was some kind of trap. Having a bit of trouble, for he was incredibly stiff and sore, Miles pushed himself up off the floor, turning to face his enemy. The man was nearing seventy years old; he couldn't possibly be able to overpower a much younger man in decent physical condition… right?

"Well, Boy, the chains are gone." Von Karma took a step forward. "Speak your mind. What am I so wrong about?"

Miles kept a close watch on him, ready to move if he had to. "You've never understood," he said, still speaking no louder than was necessary. "You don't know a thing about me or why I do what I do; you don't even know your own daughter."

"Is that so?" Manfred laughed a little and began to walk, passing Miles and continuing to pace the room. "Would you care to elaborate on such a bold statement?"

"You've already proved it yourself with your ridiculous assumptions," Miles began. "You seem to think I've always been plotting against you somehow, but you're the only one who spent those fifteen years scheming.. It was you who wished for my demise, not the other way around. You caused your own downfall; it was no fault of mine. And, as for Franziska…" He paused, seeing Manfred stop walking and lean up against the wall right beside one of the sconces that held the room's light source. The old man seemed to be quite interested in this part of Miles' speech. "…You're so convinced that she is like you, it's almost amusing. All those years you spent trying to shape her every thought and belief, trying to lay out a strict path for her to follow… It was all wasted effort. I can confidently say that I know Franziska better than anyone, and she reminds me nothing of you. The only thing I've done is to help her see that. If that is wrong, well then consider me a proud sinner."

"You say you helped her?" He began to walk again moving back toward Miles but still maintaining a distance of a few feet. "Then tell me why she has not prosecuted a case in three months."

Miles felt a pang rise in his chest just thinking about this subject. "That… had nothing to do with me," he replied. "If it had been in my power to stop that from happening I would have prevented it." He was speaking calmly, but inside a fire raged. He didn't want to be talking to this man; he wanted to be back home and at Franziska's side, making sure that she was all right.

"Prevent what from happening?" His smirk was gone now, replaced by an angry sneer.

Now this was something he couldn't bring himself to say, not to this man. "What the hell do you care?" he finally decided on. "You've never given a damn about her. The only reason you didn't put her up for adoption the moment she was born was because you needed an heir. You raised her so that when the day came that you could no longer prosecute, you could live on vicariously through your daughter. So, why should I even bother recounting the story for you? It seems like an utter waste of breath to me."

"Well then…" Von Karma moved forward again. "I suppose our little conversation is over."

Miles started to back away, turning to look toward the staircase that led up to the exit.

"Thinking of running, Boy?"

Miles looked back at him, more nervous than he had expected to be.

"You won't get very far. There is a gentleman waiting outside that door with a 12-gage shotgun. So unless you're looking to get splattered…" Miles had backed into a wall, but von Karma continued to advance on him. "…I suggest you stay where you belong."

"Get away from me," or that's what he would have said had the bottom of von Karma's cane not jabbed him hard in the stomach, cutting off the end of the sentence. This caused Miles to gasp in pain and hunch over with both arms across his middle, barely able to breathe. This action exposed the back of his head and neck, and he was stricken from above, sending him to the floor. In desperation, Miles rolled onto his back and was somehow able to catch the bottom of the cane as it came down on him again. He gripped it with both hands and used all of his upper body strength to wrench it from von Karma's hands, an action which sent it flying across the room.

As he struggled to get up, he noticed that the older man did not even move to retrieve his lost weapon. Instead, he stood waiting, as if the second round was just beginning. "Nice job, Boy. I see your reflexes have quickened a bit in the past few years."

"Or maybe you've just slowed down," Miles retorted as he finally got back up, preparing to go on the defensive again.

Von Karma gave his dark laugh, his smirk fixed once again on his pale, flame-lit visage. "We'll see about that."

By the time Miles saw it coming, it was too late. Von Karma's fingers closed around his throat and he was slammed back against the wall. Miles brought his hands up quickly to try and push him away, but somehow he couldn't manage it. He needed air and he couldn't remove the pressure on his windpipe. He tried aiming a kick at the man's knee to try and knock him off balance, but instead that knee was driven into his stomach. As Miles choked and tried to gasp for air, von Karma lifted him up—with only one arm—and flung him over his shoulder, sending the young man to the floor about five feet away and watching him roll.

Miles gasped and coughed, trying to get his breath and recover from the impact at the same time. This couldn't be done quickly enough and von Karma did not hesitate. He strode over and brought his heel down on Miles' chest, a sickening 'crack' reaching his ears. The young prosecutor retches and blood shot from his mouth, blood which he then choked on as he continued to struggle for air.

"Is that the best you can do, Miles Edgeworth?!" His victory was plain to see, and his voice boomed triumphantly in the darkness. He began to walk toward the place where Miles had originally been bound and pulled one of the chains from the floor.

An involuntary moan of pain sounded in his throat as he felt more warm, coppery-tasting liquid flooding onto his tongue. He couldn't understand it; how was this old man so physically powerful? He hadn't even been able to put up a fight!

"Did you underestimate me somehow?" Miles cringed and gave a hiss as he felt a chain come down around his chest and tighten. "I would have thought you would know better by now, Boy."

Miles cried out as von Karma began to pull on the ends of the chain, putting immense pressure on his damaged ribs and dragging him backward across the floor. For a moment, he considered trying to resist, but that would only cause him more suffering. He was dragged all the way back to the support beam he had been tied to in the first place and Manfred pulled him up against it so that he was in a slumped position halfway between sitting and lying down, resembling a lifeless doll. The heavy chain was secured on the other side of the beam, and then von Karma came to stand over his captive once again.

"Do you see now?" He crouched down slightly and placed a hand under Miles' chin, forcing his head upward so that their eyes met. "This time, there won't be anyone around for you to hide behind. This time I will have my revenge against you. For every day I had to spend in prison, you will spend a day down here and endure the same agony you have caused me. Then, should you survive until that time is up, I will kill you with my bare hands."

The only response Miles was able to give was a choked cough, causing more blood to spill from his mouth and this time onto von Karma's sleeve. Manfred looked down for a moment, and then back up. "Now look what you've done." He removed his hand from underneath Miles' chin and swiftly slapped the young man across the face with such force that his head snapped to the side. With that, he straightened up and turned to leave the room.

"Gute Nacht, Hund."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"You can't possibly be serious!?"

"Look…" The head of the LA branch of the FBI stood and moved around his desk to remove the barrier between himself and Agent Tilea, who looked livid. "I'm sorry, Phoenix, but you and Ares have a personal connection to this incident. It's not my call; it's just basic procedure. We can't risk-"

"Risk?!" If it hadn't been for her enormous amount of self-control, she would have hit him. "You take Ares and I off of this search and you'll be risking the failure of this mission! We are the only ones who have any idea what we're dealing with here and we run the field work!" She had stopped yelling for he was standing right in from of her, but she was speaking in a fierce undertone that might as well have been a shout.

"That's a pretty bold statement," the man replied, frowning slightly. "What makes you two think you know more than the rest of us?"

"The same reason you're trying to take us off of this case. We know those two well enough to have heard things about this man that won't be in the records."

"The reason they want you two out is because you're primary focus will be to save Miles Edgeworth's life, and while we plan to do everything in our power to get him out alive, we will not pass up a chance to recapture Manfred von Karma. I'm sorry, Phoenix, but I need you and Agent Taylor to stand down."

Phoenix just glared at him for a moment, unsure if she would be able to contain her anger for much longer. "Fine," she finally responded, her voice quivering as she tried to keep it in check. "As far as anyone here is concerned, Ares and I will take no further part in this investigation."

"Phoenix!"

She turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her before he could question the way she had worded her reply. She strode through the building toward her partner's office, but he met her along the way.

"So what did Kaider want?"

"He wanted to inform me that you and I are being prevented from any further involvement in the search for von Karma and the rescue of Edgeworth." She was still speaking quietly so that no one else would listen in, but her fury was obvious.

"What?" Ares looked shocked and confused. "But… we're the ones who have the most information on-"

"I know," she cut him off. "But apparently we're too closely connected to this. He's afraid that we'll let a chance to capture von Karma slip away if it means rescuing Miles."

"Well…" Ares hesitated. "I mean… if it came down to it, he might be right."

"But you and I both know that with careful planning, we can save him and get rid of von Karma. They say that they'll try to save Miles, but the way the agency will look at it is, "It's just one life." They are more than willing to sacrifice him if it means stopping von Karma."

Ares lowered his head with a sigh. He knew it was true; though Miles' life would be spared if it was easy, whoever was put on the case would be entirely focused on preventing more damage, not fixing that which had already been done. "So… what do you suggest?"

Phoenix looked back toward the workstation behind them, making sure none of the people sitting at computers there were trying to eavesdrop. "I'm not giving up on him," she stated, her voice just above a whisper now. "After everything we all went through the last time, I'm not about to stand idly by and just hope he makes it out okay, not when we can do something about it."

Ares watched her for a moment, thinking it over. She was suggesting a rogue operation, which would cost them their jobs and get them thrown in prison if they were caught. However, a friend's life was at stake, and this woman was the only person Ares truly trusted. "They really won't be able to do much effectively without us," he said. "You're Head of Field Ops. And I'm in charge of the Tactical Division."

"Exactly!" Her voice had now become nothing more than a loud whisper. "Look, we just have to let Kaider underestimate us like he always does; we have a lot of access to information in our positions, and though he might appoint new people for this one, I don't think they'll go to all the trouble of changing every code just to keep us out. We just can't get caught accessing said information."

Ares nodded. "All we need to do is find von Karma, and then we can work on our own from there." He looked nervous and so did she, but they were both determined as they separated to go back to their individual workstations. Their careers were indeed important to them, but nothing was worth sacrificing the life of a friend.