*WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN*

The shrieking siren sounded at full blast throughout the Criminal Affairs Department. Maya thought that there was a fire alarm going off and was almost scared to go inside. But when Phoenix told her he knew that sound well, she reluctantly followed after. They approached the source of the noise, which was pointed towards the suffering Chief of Police.

"SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR! I BEG OF YOU, PLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASE! PUT ME IN THERE INSTEAD, SIIIIIIIIIR!"

"Keep that up, Officer, and you won't afford her quality of a room! The more you do this, the more I cut your pay!" The chief shouted, hands over ears and trying to remain focused more on his computer.

Phoenix ran up to the shouting officer, grabbing him by the shoulder and spinning him around easily. However, his eyes were tightly shut and he was so focused on shouting through his megaphone that he didn't even notice he had been turned around.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT, SIIIIIIIIIIR! SHE'S INNOCENT! AT LEAST MAKE THIS EASIER FOR HER, SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR!"

"That's what I'm TRYING, Officer Meekins!" Phoenix shouted.

Meekins jumped back in surprise, right hand getting caught in the handcuffs around his neck, choking him as his hands tried to go over his head.

"S-S-Sir?!" Meekins stammered, releasing his cuffed hand and saluting to Phoenix. "I-I-I'm sorry, sir! I was trying to..." Meekins began, then paused, almost as if he had remembered something. "H-...Help...s-someone..."

"Officer Meekins...don't play dumb," Phoenix started, looking stern.

"S-...Sir?"

"I've gone through this song and dance twice before...I already know why you're here...what you're trying to do...you're trying to get Officer Carol Ling set free."

"..." Meekins looked down to his hands, blushing slightly. "Sometimes...bad things happen to good people...but...She's too good, sir! She doesn't deserve this!" Meekins shouted through his megaphone.

"I know, Officer...and you have to help her."

"That's what I'm trying to do, sir...that's all I want to do," Meekins said, looking down sadly.

"Can I ask you something, Officer Meekins?" Maya started, walking around Phoenix.

"A-Anything, sir...I don't mind...I just want her to be cleared of this," Meekins muttered, still looking down.

"If you knew she was innocent, at the restaurant, why did you let the police arrest her?" Maya asked.

Wow...good one, Maya. I didn't even think of that. Phoenix thought.

Meekins paused for a long time. "I...I tried, sir...I tried stopping them...b-but...Miss Ling, sir...she shouted at me. She said that I shouldn't get involved, sir."

"She must have not wanted you to get in trouble too," Maya said, trying to reassure him.

"I...I'M A FAILURE, SIR!" Meekins began to shout, but not through his megaphone. "THE ONE THING I SWORE TO ALWAYS DO IS PROTECT THE INNOCENT AND I CAN'T EVEN DO THAT!"

"Officer," Maya sighed sadly.

"Officer Meekins," Phoenix said. "We've heard from Detective Gumshoe and Officer Ling. We have a good idea on what happened, so you don't have to repeat anything we know."

"Sir!" Meekins saluted. "Know that I am ready to answer any and all questions regarding this case! Even though it's against her wishes," He looked down once again. "If it's to clear her name, I'll do anything, sir..."

"I can tell that, Officer." Phoenix continued. "There's only one thing I need to know from you before this case begins tomorrow."

"Yes, sir?"

"Tomorrow...if you're put on the witness stand...do you swear not to let personal feelings affect your testimony?"

"S-...Sir?!" Meekins' eyes widened.

"I know about how you feel for her. That's why I think you're this desperate to get her out. You care about her a bit too much. Your feelings for her cannot be used tomorrow. She won't be released solely because you're in love with her."

"B-But," Meekins blushed greatly, slamming his fist into his palm. "Sh-She's innocent, sir! I know she is!"

"You know she is because you're a witness...correct?"

"Y-Yes, sir..." Meekins looked down, a tear forming in his eye. He knew he couldn't say anymore than that.

"That's the attitude you need to keep. You have to act as a witness and not as her boyfriend. Otherwise, your statements will be moot."

"Yes...sir," Meekins responded, still looking down. "E-Excuse me, sir...I need to be somewhere, sir."

"Alright, Officer. I'll see you tomorrow at the trial." Phoenix said.

"S-Sir!" Meekins saluted once more before rushing off to the exit.

"Where do you think he's going, Nick?" Maya asked.

"More than likely to the Detention Center...he's gonna try to get his story straight before tomorrow," Phoenix said. "Plus I imagine he wants to see her once more...probably to apologize again."

"Yeah. Now that he is involved that is," Maya said.

As they began out of the Department, Phoenix began to think about the trial tomorrow.

This one's going to be another hard one...He began to think. An officer in training accused of murdering a food critique while on a date with another officer...that one being Officer Meekins...three witness accounts claiming her innocence...but a whole restaurant saying she was the shooter. I'm sure the hostess will be there too...and worse...it's Godot who's prosecuting this one...something tells me I'm not gonna sleep for a long time with this one...