Sonic the Hedgehog: Attorney of Law

by thedraconicwerewolf

Sonic is a defense attorney with a law degree fresh out of high school thanks to his advanced studies in the ways of the judicial system. He's now able to defend others from various allegations. Will his training be enough to help him prove his clients' innocence? And what will happen when a ghost of his past that made him walk the path of law comes around once again?

34. The LK-9 Case Turnabout Pt 7

Hello everybody! Here's a new chapter to this wonderful story that's now almost finished. I can't believe that it's almost done after having worked on this for almost two-and-a-half years. It's amazing, isn't it? This will honestly be the first ever full-blown story that I posted on this site to have ever been fully completed. It's almost a surreal feeling that this will be all over in just a matter of months.

But yeah, I know I promised in the last update that I would have this chapter up in the two weeks of summer break I had. Apparently, I was badly wrong about that and totally underestimated what this chapter was going to bring to the table. This particular chapter morphed into something completely ugly for me to write in terms of all the details and emotion I had to put in. Needless to say, I really made it apparent in this chapter that this case just got harder on a magnitude that I never thought possible to ever write down. And it makes perfect sense for it to be so as since all final cases in the Phoenix Wright series tend to be hard and more emotionally driven.

I'll just shut up now and let you all read for yourself just how hard it was for me to write this particular chapter. Then again, anything that concerns Mephiles is always hard for me to write since he's a total bad-ass, and I don't mean that in a good way.

Please don't forget to leave a review before you move onto the next story you want to read on here. They always motivate me to getting the next chapter out and getting this wonderful story done as quickly as I possibly can. And please try and refrain from leaving reviews that just say, "Oh, that was interesting." Personally, that makes me feel dejected as in you took the time to review yet only felt it necessary to say so little and completely ambiguous. Interesting can either be a good or bad thing; please elaborate on what makes it interesting for you so I know if there's those tiny little things that I don't notice but you do that I have to change. You'd be amazed how even the smallest of changes that you notice can make the difference in how I write the next chapter. So please do leave a review that goes beyond the standard "that's interesting" one-liner.

Now that I'm finally done with my rant about what I feel reviews should be, I'll leave you all alone to read this chapter. Until the next update to this or any one of my other stories on this ever so wonderful site!

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Evidence:

Attorney's Badge: Sonic's badge proving that he's a genuine defense attorney. Ever since getting tied into a murder because of him losing it, he's since taken precautions to make sure that it stays secured within the inside of his gloves.

Pistol: The weapon that was recovered at the Mobius Dock. The ballistic markings on the bullet extracted from Ms. Mae's body matches to the gun. Signs show that it was fired twice, the second happening during Shadow's case. It also bears Shadow's fingerprints. It also appears that this also used in the LK-9 Incident as the weapon to have murdered Maria Robotnik.

Picture: a photograph given to Sonic by Knuckles who had received it from Salemand Eres. It shows a picture of a white-furred lion with occasional blue spots on all fours like a wild animal and looking at the camera and smiling. Amazingly, his face looks almost child-like despite his rather strong-looking body. It's clear that he has the rare genetic disorder Feralisis Syndrome.

LK-9 Case File: A case file summarizing all the information gathered by police and detectives at the height of the LK-9 Incident. A copy of the file was given to Sonic and Tails by Vector in hopes that it would help them obtain the answers they seek about the case. Just before the trial began, it was discovered that both the paper and digital forms were destroyed. Vector's and Silver's official copies are the only two left to exist.

Vector's Account: Testimony recorded by Tails and detailing what Vector saw in the courthouse lounge on the day of Knuckles' acquittal. He said he saw Mephiles entering the lounge for the first time in his entire career and watching over Sonic's case. He then said the old prosecutor left the room after hearing Shadow exclaim that Ace be held in protective custody.

Notes: Notes taken by Tails depicting what he, Sonic, and Silver had discussed regarding possible connections with Sonic's cases and the LK-9 Incident. It's speculated that all the murderers in the previous cases were orchestrated by one mastermind who seems to be in some kind of smuggling ring.

Case Summary File: A file found in the LK-9 Case File that summarizes the scene of the crime. The crime took place that the Mobius Dock's lighthouse that was then a business called "Prycey Seafood". It was owned by three people; two of them were Lois and Maxwell Pryce who owned a lesser percentage of the business. An unnamed third person had owned a majority of the business before it closed upon being a spotlight of a murder.

Witness List: A list of witness found in the LK-9 Case File. According to the list, there were four potential witnesses to the murder. Two of them were Max and Lois Pryce and have been recorded as supplying witness statements to the police. The third person was Salemand Eres who appears to have been working at the Prycey Seafood at the time, although Shadow states that he was merely working undercover then. A fourth person, the third owner of the business, was kept anonymous for some reason and had his wish to refuse to testify be granted.

Victims' Report: A report that supplies basic details of the victims of the LK-9 case. One of them was a senior detective by the name of Charles Hedgehog, Sonic's uncle. The second victim was a defense attorney called Maria Robotnik, Shadow's good friend and apparently a relative of Dr. Robotnik.

Charles' Autopsy Report: Charles was found dead with a single strike to the head with a blunt object. The bruises covering his body and on his fists show that he was in a fight prior to dying. The murder weapon has never been recovered.

Maria's Autopsy Report: Maria was found dead with a single gunshot wound to her head. The bullet was shot at a distance and went straight through her skull. The entry wound was from the back and exited the front. There were no signs of any struggle.

Bullet: The bullet that was found lodged in a wall after killing Maria Robotnik. It was proven five years ago through ballistic testing that it was fired from the Pistol that was used once again on Prosecutor Flora Mae. According to the trajectory report, it was fired from a position directly parallel to the hallway.

Diagram: Floor plans that show the interior of the lighthouse five years ago when it was still known as "Prycey Seafood". Vector has written in a red sharpie on it the path Maria took upon entering the lighthouse. She first went to the bookshelf on the other side of the foyer before making her way to the office and then back where she was ultimately killed.

Statements: Statements made by Sonic and friends five years ago about their kidnapping ordeal. All four said the same thing and that they were blindfolded when they entered the lighthouse. They felt themselves going downstairs and were then left in a pitch black and windowless room. However, detectives failed to find said room. That and they were ultimately discovered on the lighthouse second floor, so the statements were thus considered useless and shuffled away.

Leon's Statement: Testimony regarding the moments leading up to Leon's kidnapping. He entered the old Prycey Seafood Warehouse and went to the office in an attempt to collect more information with regards to either the smuggling ring or their person of interest. Before he could perform a thorough search, he was soon attacked and imprisoned in the office before the Chaotix Detective Agency found and rescued him. He mentioned that the room looked as though it had been rifled through when he came to.

Warehouse Keypad: A sophisticated password system for the door to the Prycey Seafood Warehouse. According to Salem, the security company in charge of the password is still supplying service to the building. However, the bi-annual password change is sent to only one person. It's suspected that Mephiles is the one with access to the new passwords.

Salem's Testimony: Testimony recorded during Salem's court appearance. He testified to working overtime at the warehouse from midnight until one. He made it clear that nobody left the lighthouse the moment he went out to take a look after hearing gunshots. All four employees, including himself, were scattered about the Prycey Seafood Business grounds when the police had arrived. Charles was still alive when he first approached him. He also mentioned that Maria and Charles had knowledge of the smuggling ring and believed through their last case's client that the company had ties to the ring.

Profiles:

Sonic Hedgehog: He's a seventeen-year-old cobalt hedgehog who has taken upon himself to act as the defense for the LK-9 Incident despite the clear lack of a defendant. He wishes to obtain more information on the case in its last day of legal life and to try solving it.

Miles Prower: A twelve-year-old two tailed fox who likes to go by his nickname "Tails" and is now working at the Robotnik Law Firm as their local detective. He's now working alongside Sonic in an attempt to find answers that lie hidden within the LK-9 Incident.

Knuckles Echidna: An eighteen-year-old red echidna who is a detective at the local Precinct and now watching the proceedings of the LK-9 trial. He delivered the evidence from the LK-9 Incident to Vector after learning of someone destroying both the electronic and paper versions of the case file.

Salemand Eres: An Interpol Agent who has decided to reveal his true identity in court in order to be granted immunity from the charges of tampering with the scene of a crime and removal of evidence. He was working undercover in the Prycey Seafood Company at the time the double-murders happened. His real name is actually "Salem".

Shadow Hedgehog: An eighteen-year-old ebon furred hedgehog who became a prosecutor at sixteen in a country that allowed bar exams at younger ages. He has been cleared of murder and is now overlooking the case from the gallery to see what new details will surface during the trial regarding the LK-9 Incident.

Silver Hedgehog: A nineteen-year-old silver furred hedgehog who is the country's youngest Senior Detective. He has taken it upon himself to testify to the courts as if he were one of the detectives from the initial investigation of the LK-9 Incident despite only reciting what it was he read from the case file.

Mephiles: A sixty-five year old veteran prosecutor whose ruthlessness is well known both inside and out of the courtroom. If not trying to leave a strong impression in all his cases, he expects nothing but obedience and cooperation from the officers and detectives overlooking the collection of evidence in the cases he's working on. He's known to get any officer or detective who dared to defy his direct orders in trouble with the Precinct. For unknown reasons, he has chosen to refuse to preside over the LK-9 trial.

Vector Crocodile: A twenty-three-year old local prosecutor who is friends with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as well as Shadow's coworker. He has decided to continue with his work as a freelance detective along with Charmy Bee despite the conviction of his friend and partner Espio that caused shadows about the integrity of his work that soon quickly dissipated. He has also taken it upon himself to oversee the LK-9 Incident as a prosecutor and help as much as he can to keep the trial going.

Leukis Kruger: Salem's younger brother who's afflicted with the rare genetic disorder, Feralisis Syndrome. He also happens to be with Interpol. According to Salem, they were reunited after Leukis had managed to successfully shake off members of the smuggling ring who figured out his true identity and wanted him dead. His real name is "Leon".

Charles Hedgehog: Sonic's uncle with greyish blue fur who was once a resourceful and reliable senior detective down at the local precinct. Because of the events from five years ago, he became an unfortunate victim of what is now known as the LK-9 Incident. Was the key reason why Sonic decided to pursue a career as a defense attorney.

Maria Robotnik: Shadow's good friend with beautifully long blond hair who was once a defense attorney. She apparently has some relations to Dr. Robotnik. Because of the events from five years ago, she became an unfortunate victim of what is now known as the LK-9 Incident. Was the key reason why Shadow decided to pursue a career as a prosecutor.

Ace Sleuth: A former Senior Detective who was jailed for the murder of his fiancee. He was then sent to a secluded safe house courtesy of Shadow upon discovering he had some connections with the LK-9 Incident. However, some unknown person discovered where he was hiding and killed him. An anonymous note sent to the Precinct telling officers about the murder seems to have been written by the mysterious fourth witness.

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Chapter 34: The LK-9 Case Turnabout Pt. 7

For the past minute after Sonic and Tails managed to indirectly connect Mephiles with the murders five years ago; the people of the gallery were talking loudly amongst themselves. It was clear this was something they were not expecting to have happen, especially when the two were honestly already running out of plausible ideas to work with. Even Vector was shocked at the results, although he hid it rather well by keeping a stoic look and keeping his arms crossed as though he could care less. The two took advantage of this chaos in order to relax and gather their thoughts after having been on an immense offensive for a long while.

"Order in the court!" the Judge announced once he finally recovered from his own stupor and noted that the audience refused to quiet down. He had to repeat the command quite a few times as in order to get everybody to hear him, but the courtroom soon regained its orderly demeanor. "I will not have this trial be further postponed because of the gallery's ineptness to quell their conversations! I will not hesitate to punish you all for contempt of court if you refuse to quiet down this instant!

"Mr. Sonic, could you please explain to me what it was that you and your assistant had just conducted?" the old man asked immediately after calming the courtroom. "You were the direct cause of the uproar just now, so I better hear a good explanation as to what the purpose behind your many questions were. If not, then I will have your case thrown out for having caused needless chaos!"

Unfortunately for the cobalt hedgehog, he was not prepared to explain himself to the Judge as to what had already happened. He was still busy trying to recover from the enormous amount of effort it took for him and the fox to get this far. Put that on top that he seemed to have suddenly become the Judge's new target for a verbal lashing and he definitely was not prepared to adequately defend himself.

"I believe I would be faster if I were to explain on the defense's behalf, Your Honor," Vector quickly suggested as he took note of the other's struggle. The old man merely nodded his head in acknowledgement before shifting his attention to the prosecutor. "In lieu of the witness having refused to testify earlier about the night in question, Mr. Sonic and his assistant saw it fit to employ another method of information gathering. As you've no doubt noticed, they had saw fit to ask him questions where Prosecutor Mephiles had the choice on whether or not he wanted to answer. Needless to say, he answered a majority of them and thus proven through his own words that he had at the least an indirect tie to the scene of the crime!

"As such, I'm inclined to believe that this is more than enough to back the defense's request that we should have the witness testify about that day," the crocodile continued on while effectively cutting off the witness just as he was about to say something. "After all, to not do so at this point would probably cause the people to openly express their reservations at the court's overall concern for the situation. That and it would serve to add more suspicion to his character if he were to leave now without first providing an explanation in favor of his defense. I'm sure that's something he would prefer to avoid the best he can if he truly valued his position as a high-ranking prosecutor of the state."

"…To be a prosecutor with any level of doubt hanging over your head is damaging to your credibility with the people," Mephiles growled out, obviously still sore from having just been proven to be his own downfall against his claim that he was unrelated to the case. "I suppose I've no choice now but to testify if only to satisfy the defense's unhealthy obsession with this case. And as a man who has a superior work record and only has the people's best interests at heart, I can ill afford such shadows looming over me. After all, it's for the trust of the people that I always strive for in this business."

"Does that mean you'll speak with us about your movements on the night of the double murders?" Sonic asked once he finally recovered from his offensive high. He was also fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the old hedgehog's comments about being a prosecutor simply as a way to voice the people's concerns.

"If it's the only way to adequately sate your curiosity and prove that I've nothing to do with this, then I shall," the old hedgehog agreed. "Of course, I already know that this is going to be a waste of time. I know you haven't even a single piece of evidence that indulges into your fantasy that I'm the one responsible for the crime. The fact you decided to ask me a bunch of baseless questions earlier is proof that you're simply struggling to find a nonexistent reason to pin me as the culprit!"

"And yet it was those 'baseless' questions that led us to the discovery of an indirect connection between you and the lighthouse where the crime occurred," Tails reminded with hardly a flinch at the harsh glare he received. "If that alone was enough to allow us to further proceed into this trial, then I can only imagine what an 'unrelated' piece of testimony can do for our journey to the truth."

"But what exactly do you want him to testify about?" the Judge inquired, his tone clearly indicating he was still somewhat confused. "Prosecutor Mephiles is right on the fact that there isn't any evidence that puts him under suspicion."

"Actually, there is one piece of evidence that seems to cast a small shadow in regards to his movements that evening," the cobalt hedgehog corrected as he took the Witness List and put it on the overhead projector. "According to this document, there were three witnesses who were questioned by the police and had their statements recorded. However, it also mentions on here a fourth potential witness who refused to make any kind of statement whatsoever and was never heard from. The person who drafted this also went so far to say that this person happened to be the third owner of the Prycey Seafood Company. Since we now know Mephiles was one of the three owners, I believe it's safe to say this report was mentioning him!

"With that said, I would like for him to testify as to why he refused to supply the police with his statement at the time. I'm pretty sure that there was a good reason behind his refusal to cooperate; I would like to hear it along with his justification for it!"

For a few moments, the entire room was quiet. The Judge silently considered the request while glancing about the room. Vector continued acting as if everything was normal, but his nervousness showed through him fidgeting with his headphones. Both Sonic and Tails felt the same way; they both stole a glance at the gallery and saw Shadow, Silver, and Salem intently staring at the old prosecutor who had since regained his stoic demeanor.

"…The defense does pose a valid concern with regards to everything that's been covered up to this point," the Judge admitted after coming to a decision as to what his next move would be. "And judging at how the prosecution was eager to explain things in your stead, I doubt they have any objections to this. I will allow Prosecutor Mephiles to testify about his reasons for refusing to cooperate with the police. I'm still somewhat skeptical as to how he could possibly have any relations to this case, but I must admit that the current circumstances deem this course of action necessary."

"And who am I to stand in the way of Your Honor's coveted decision?" the old hedgehog merely responded without breaking away from his indifferent attitude. "If it's testimony that you require of me at this point in time, then who am I to refuse? And what with how the defense has managed to push some amount of suspicion on me, refusing to defend myself against their claims might as well serve as allowing them to push their delusions unto you all."

"What a way to back up your reasoning for keeping quiet earlier," Sonic grumbled with an annoyed sigh. "At least we got you to testify now. I just hope that this isn't going to be as painful as it was when we were questioning him."

Lack of a Witness Statement

I still don't see the merit in having me testify, but listen carefully as I'll only explain myself once. As the police began their investigation into the double murders, I chose to withhold my statement from them. I'm more than certain that what I had to say was of no importance. In fact, I'm sure they were more interested in hearing personal accounts from the people who were actually at the scene when it all unfolded. Since I had no idea what happened, whatever I had to say would've amounted to nothing more than conjecture. Conversing with them about this would've been a waste of time much like what the defense is doing right now. Regardless, I'll claim once more that I have nothing to do with this incident. The only connection you have is that the perpetrator chose to commit this crime at my place of business!

End Witness Testimony

"Now do you see why I felt my statement didn't need to be recorded?" Mephiles asked once he finished giving his testimony. "I was never at the scene of the crime when the murders took place. Therefore, I have nothing to do with this case."

"If that's true, then why were you so intent on hiding from us the fact that you held ownership over the Prycey Seafood Company?" Sonic inquired, clearly not satisfied with the response he had just been given.

"Because proclaiming that would've been nothing more than a waste of time," the old hedgehog simply explained. "I know how you have a penchant for asking redundant questions and forcing the court to go along with your stalling methods. Even if I'm merely acting on the mercy for the people in this courtroom; I don't want to be subjected to your baseless conjecture and provide you with an opening to slander my good name."

"Then how about we see whether or not Mr. Sonic is indeed guilty of slander by getting on with the cross-examination?" Vector suggested, his arms loosely crossed as if everything were normal. "If everything you said is true and holds no fault, then we'll be forced to say that you're as innocent as you've been claiming. Of course, you can't continue pulling the slander card if fault does happen to exist in your testimony."

"I've never had any faults when prosecuting my cases; I highly doubt directly testifying to the courts would be any different. I only provide clear, precise, and truthful testimonies to be scrutinized by intellectual minds."

"If that's really what you think, then you better hope the testimony you gave us is as good as good can be!" Tails exclaimed as he stared right at the witness. "Even the most perfect of testimonies has their faults. I believe I proved that to be true a couple of days ago when you summoned Amy Rose to testify."

"That was only because you managed to anger her, boy. Anyone who's been brought to a point where their emotions have become compromised would mindlessly speak of things they would otherwise rather not mention. Don't think for a moment that you'll be able to pull that same underhanded trick on me; I promise you that my composure is much better than that of a hormonally challenged teenage high school girl!"

"…I think I better get on with the cross-examination," the cobalt hedgehog murmured more to himself as he noted they were starting to drift off-topic. That and he did not want the court to face the wrath of Amy should she be watching the proceedings and heard what the old prosecutor just said. "I don't need to deal with anymore drama, but I have a bad feeling that it's just going to keep coming no matter what I do."

Begin Cross-Examination

"I understand that you're not pleased with what's going on, but allow me the opportunity to scrutinize your testimony for any inconsistencies," Sonic said after loudly clearing his throat in order to get everyone's attention. "I'm sure then you'll understand the importance of having you here testifying as a witness."

"That's some tough words coming out of a rookie who has let his wins get the better of him," Mephiles replied stoically. "If you're that sure of yourself, then prove it through your actions rather than trying to bore me to tears with pointless rhetoric."

"As a person who works to uphold the law, I'm sure you'll agree with me in that the first few minutes detectives arrive on the scene are the most critical to any investigation," the cobalt hedgehog began. "Performing an initial assessment of the crime scene as well as locating and interviewing potential witnesses is a top priority. It's clear by this point that the police did their job by gathering both the evidence and the statements from those who were there. Why is it then that you are the only one who isn't mentioned in the preliminary reports?"

"Because what I had to say had nothing to do with the incident," the old prosecutor merely replied with a cocky half-smirk. "The statements the police have gathered were from those who either heard or saw something in regards to that. And let's not go forgetting that I wasn't there when the tragedy took place. Just by that logic alone, I can't possibly provide the police with a beneficial statement."

"And that's your basis for having felt your words would've amounted to nothing more than pointless banter?" Tails asked, his eyes shining with doubt at the explanation. "What right do you have as a potential witness to dictate whether or not what you had to say wouldn't be of interest to the police? Prosecutor or not, you can't just spontaneously decide that your words do not hold any worth to them! Unless you personally had a hand in the initial investigation, you don't know what they uncovered."

"It's true that I never partook in the initial investigation. However, that can't possibly change the fact that I have no knowledge whatsoever about what took place on that evening. I'm sure they found plenty pieces of paperwork which bore my name. It doesn't automatically say that I am in some way related to the case!"

"Important or not, it was still your duty to at the least report to the police after having heard that your place of business was the scene of an incident!" the fox exclaimed. "You could've testified about how the scene was when you last saw it."

"Objection!" Vector suddenly cut the other off. "I suggest that you move onto another topic of interest. You can beat a dead horse with a stick all you want; it's not going to change the fact that it's never going to get up again!"

"I think what Prosecutor Vector's trying to say is that you're currently pursuing a dead-end question," the Judge explained while nodding his head in agreement. "And I'm inclined to side with him on this. Mr. Sonic, I ask that you either move on to your next question or put an end to the cross-examination."

"If we're not getting anywhere with the sincerity of your claim to refuse to testify, then how about we look at this from a different perspective?" Sonic suggested while trying to seem unfazed at the witness's well-built defenses. "I don't think you've explained yet why it was you felt whatever you had to say about that day would be worth nothing."

"How about you try tracking my movements that day," Mephiles merely suggested while crossing his arms in a defiant manner. "I'm sure you'll find the answer you're looking for if you do that. It's not too hard of a feat to pull if you consider using that head of yours for something other than the creation of fantastical claims."

"Well, it's clear that you were here in the courthouse prosecuting a case that afternoon," the cobalt hedgehog explained as he tried to remember all the details. "Once Maria Robotnik and Charles Hedgehog caught wind of a kidnapping, the trial was put on hold. They then made their way to the lighthouse. At the same time, you said that you caught wind of a problem with your business and had to make your way there. You already admitted to that during our earlier questioning, but that's when the details start to get a little fuzzy. Would I be right in assuming that where you were supposed to go next was the lighthouse?"

"So you do have the capabilities to put two together," the old prosecutor replied in faux praise. "I suppose even a third-rate attorney can have their shining moments. Now if only you'd spend more time coming up with facts based on the evidence instead of leading the court on one wild goose chase after another…"

"However, don't delude yourself into thinking that this will allow you the leverage to pull more information out of me," he continued on despite receiving a venomous glare from the defense attorney for his earlier comment. "Just because my next destination was the lighthouse doesn't mean that's where I ultimately went. If I had, then I doubt we would've had such a long and arduous conversation earlier about why I didn't provide the police with a statement. Now that I think about it, I guess I should be thankful that something else managed to get ahold of my attention and keep me from going there."

"You just provided us with a new statement," the crocodile observed after having listened carefully to the exchange of words. "Looks like you've already proven yourself wrong in saying that the defense's explanation wouldn't garner them new information. Do you mind adding this to your official testimony?"

"Little victories never amount to a bigger win, Prosecutor Vector. I don't know what it is you aim to do, but it is clear enough you'll help the defense whenever possible to achieve their delusory outcome. However, I'll add that statement in only because you did admittedly catch me making an unintended addendum."

New Statement

While I was originally supposed to have gone to the lighthouse, something of greater importance caught my attention and kept me from going.

End New Statement

"And it was because of that you say you ultimately avoided having personally witnessed the entire incident," Sonic surmised after having calmed down somewhat from his earlier anger. "Forgive me on this when I say that this sounds way too coincidental for me in that you just happened to receive a call that led you astray from the lighthouse."

"Think of it what you will, but this is the statement I made and will stand by," Mephiles merely replied with an annoyed sigh. "Unless you're able to prove with solid evidence that what I said can't possibly be the truth, I can't see how you can justify wanting to grant it so much scrutiny. Needless to say, the fact that I never made it there means that my ability to provide a statement had been greatly diminished."

"I think it fair to assume then that you refused to give a statement because you knew in the scope of things that what you had to say would amount to nothing but hearsay," Tails responded as he tried to piece all the information together. "I suppose that it does make some amount of sense if you think about it in that way. You couldn't possibly provide adequate information on something that you had no chance of bearing witness to. As such, your real reason for that was not because you felt you held no useful information but rather because of your lack of presence at the scene of the crime."

"Well, it's about time you came up with that conclusion," the old prosecutor chided with a smug smile on his face. "Any person with even the smallest amounts of intelligence in their head would be able to tell that I wasn't at the lighthouse by now. I've been insisting that my words held no weight in the investigation because of that basis alone. That would be the only reason why I've been so adamantly fighting this whole time on the point about my lack of importance as a witness! I find it hard to believe how something so obvious managed to simply elude you all this time."

"I think it's clear by now that you were the one who wasn't being obvious!" the cobalt hedgehog groaned while resisting the urge to slam his forehead on the desk. "You should've just mentioned it to us the first time around so we wouldn't have to waste all this time trying to drag it out of you. This case can't be opened again once this trial comes to a close; we can't afford to be taking our time trying to guess all the possible reasons on why you refused to give the police your statement then! Do you really think we're all here so that we can play a convoluted game of Twenty Q with you?"

"Funny, you managed to put me under the impression that you liked partaking in such childish games," the witness sarcastically countered. "How you've been conducting yourself while you were battling against me in the previous case seemed to be as much indication of it. Should I now be assuming I was wrong and start taking as seriously as I would a veteran of the law? Believe me when I say that you've yet to reach the level where you can even claim to be able to garner such respect."

"Witness, I must insist that you stop trying to goad the defense into bouts of anger," Vector passively requested in defense of the attorney across from him. He had noticed that the hedgehog was quickly losing his cool due to the constant insults and was covertly trying to tell him to keep his temper in check. "As amusing as it can be at times, I'm afraid that the act's starting to become rather stale. That and I'm beginning to wonder whether or not you're trying to lead this investigation astray with this."

"You claim to find it all to be in your amusement, yet you prefer that I put a stop to it. I find it funny how you seemed intent on getting a point across yet only managing to contradict yourself in the end. You best be careful if you insist on wanting to play like that. If you were the one here on this podium testifying about a crime, I would've immediately jumped on you for making such a contradictory remark."

"Prosecutor Mephiles, I must also ask that you desist with your harsh demeanor," the Judge responded despite his tone not really having much of a chiding effect. "If nothing else, it seems to serve as a hindrance to the progression of this trial."

"Then I apologize for having done so, Your Honor. Regardless, I stand by my actions of not providing the police with my statement simply because I never on that day once entered or even went to that lighthouse! They already had the testimony of the other workers who were there at the time; mine had already been rendered unnecessary."

End Cross-Examination

"…I'll admit that you not being there would've rendered the need to have your statement be heard and recorded unnecessary," Sonic agreed after collecting himself enough to notice something strange with the statement. "It would've rendered the need for detectives to hear you completely irrelevant. However, what you just testified has provided me with a contradiction that says otherwise!"

"Well, that's quite the interesting claim you make," Mephiles haughtily chuckled as if he had just heard the worst joke ever. "I do hope that you have some strong evidence that backs up what you say. You do have the uncanny habit of saying whatever comes to mind without even bothering to see if you have anything concrete. As far as I'm concerned, there was nothing in my testimony that you could possibly construe as contradictory."

"Then let me explain to you the things that were discussed when the court listened to Salem's Testimony," the cobalt hedgehog said as he picked up the trial transcript and skimmed through it. "He was working in the warehouse tallying up the stock when he heard the shots. Once he was outside, he saw nobody either running away or arriving onto the scene. He also knew that there were three other employees working in the lighthouse, and I'm inclined to say that you were one of the other three people!"

"Are you sure that's even the truth?" the old hedgehog merely said despite the gallery beginning to murmur amongst themselves. "The only thing you have to back up that claim is the statement of a witness's recollection of what happened five years ago. If you have something that's less of a subjective nature to back it up, then I'll be more than happy to hear it. Otherwise, what you've just said can be nothing more than a baseless theory."

"If you want more evidence, then just relax while I show it to you," the defense attorney replied confidently. "I have with me the Witness List that was drafted by one of the detectives who worked on that case. Recorded on it are the number of people who were potential witnesses to the murders. All but one of the people have been accounted for. However, it does make mention that the person left unaccounted happened to be the third owner of the then Prycey Seafood Company."

Instead of coming up with a retort, the other merely kept his arms crossed as if he were goading the other into continuing. However, his lips appeared thinner than usual. It was almost as if he were trying very hard to conceal his frustration at the matter.

"Judging by your silence, I can see you know where I'm going with this. Being that we already know you had a hand in running the business along with the Pryce siblings; it is proof positive that you are the fourth witness from that day who refused to provide the detectives with a witness statement! Therefore, you were at the scene of the crime and knowingly decided to withhold potentially important information!"

Upon hearing this, the gallery began whispering amongst one another. However, the Judge was clearly not going to condone it and repeatedly banged his gavel. Apparently, his threats from earlier about holding any interrupters in contempt of court were still fresh in their minds as they immediately quieted down.

"…I wonder how eager you are to make this entire courtroom believe that what you said is the absolute truth," Mephiles chuckled with amusement while shaking his head. "You still have yet to provide me with concrete evidence that proves I was at the lighthouse at moment the crime was being committed."

"Didn't you pay attention to the things that were just presented?" Tails asked, disbelief clear in his tone as he tried to figure out what the other was up to. "Sonic has already explained about how you lied about not being at the scene when the murders happened!"

"Oh, I heard every last word your delusional friend spewed out," the old hedgehog quickly interrupted. "However, I believe the key word in the context of things is that I am merely a potential witness. That's how I heard myself being described as in the evidence that has been presented. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there wasn't any mention whatsoever about me physically being at the lighthouse on the night in question. The only reason the police probably made any mention of me in the paperwork is because I was, in fact, a co-owner of the business.

"With that in mind, allow me go ahead and voice the true question you should really be asking yourselves," he continued on while making clear the smugness in his tone. "Do you have any definitive proof that suggests I was actually at the lighthouse when the murders occurred? I can assure you that even with the correct pieces of evidence preserved correctly, the passage of time can easily change its overall importance. It's up to you to determine whether whatever conclusive evidence you have holds any real meaning at this exact moment.

"And even if all the evidence managed to retain its original value, I'm sure you would've presented something damning against me by now. The fact that you're not saying anything indicates to me that you don't have the definitive piece of evidence to back up your story. So unless you can show me something that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was at the lighthouse when the murders took place, you can't continue on with your argument! Damning evidence is the only thing that matters in here. Trying to delude the courts into placing me there for your convenience won't solve anything!"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say the defense is trying to place you there for the sake of convenience," Vector quickly objected in aid of the defense. "While I do admit the defense has yet to present anything concrete that says you were at the lighthouse at that exact moment, the evidence they have already presented seems to paint a picture that says otherwise. That and Interpol Agent Salem has proven to the court the reliability of his testimony by providing truthful and provable responses to his actions. He has also provided us with a key piece of evidence that he kept hidden along with a more than sound reasoning for having done so. All that combined makes him into a reliable witness.

"However, I'm afraid that your reliability has yet to reach the same level as his," he continued despite the daggers he was getting from the old hedgehog. "I'm sure you're already aware of this, but you're currently nothing more than a witness for this trial. As such, you need to build your level of reliability from the ground up and through it prove to us that your words can be trusted indefinitely. Until that happens, we can't possibly feel comfortable enough to just abandon Salem's Testimony and accept yours as the real truth."

"Do you mind hastening yourself to the reasoning behind your sudden want to seemingly abandon your predestined role in this, Prosecutor Vector?" Mephiles asked without bothering to mask his annoyance. "The way you've been conducting yourself throughout this trial is very unbecoming for one in your position. I would love to hear why you feel it necessary to be siding with the defense in opposition against me."

"Believe me when I say it was never my intent to side against you," the young prosecutor confidently stated without letting the old hedgehog's tone falter his momentum. "I'll admit it looks that way right now, but that's because you are as of now an obstacle I must work through if I intend on arriving at the truth. While it is highly unusual for a prosecutor such as myself to ever be siding with the defense, I will happily do so if it'll lead me to the heart of the issue! And if the current situation dictates that I must ultimately fight alongside the defense in opposition against you, then that's what I'll do!

"With that said, I believe your main concern as of now is to prove to the court why you believe Salem's Testimony is incorrect. That happens to be the only thing right now keeping your words from becoming a truth. Since you have yet to adequately prove to us your overall reliability as a witness, we can't just suddenly discredit his words and place priority over yours. To put it simply, I believe you should be trying to clear the air in regards to this contradiction and explain to us why you are the one who's correct in regards to where you were that day. If you think about it in that respect, then I'm sure you would find the need for us to hear more testimony from you to be more than reasonable."

Instead of providing a quick and satisfying answer, the old hedgehog remained quiet against the younger prosecutor's passionate explanation. He had since changed the look on his face to appear impassive, but his eyes seemed to be reflecting anger. It was hard to tell exactly how he was feeling about how things just turned out, but the ever minute flash of teeth seemed to indicate an inaudible growl of frustration.

"…I can't say whether or not I agree with the whole of Prosecutor Vector's explanation," the Judge stated as he broke the silence. "However, I must side with him in terms of the level of reliability a witness must put forth when testifying. You are probably one of the most respected prosecutor the state has ever seen in many years, Prosecutor Mephiles. But now that you're here as a witness, I'm afraid that I can't put your work ethics into the equation of witness reliability. Interpol Agent Salem has managed to earn himself the trust of this courtroom, so I'm inclined to believe that his testimony is correct."

"So you're saying that I've yet to earn my place as a trustworthy witness for this case?" the witness asked. "I don't know whether I should be honored in being told to try harder or be insulted for being considered an unreliable witness. Still, it is ultimately your call as the judge in how you wish for things to proceed. I only wish I had more say as to what nonsense I want to expose myself to. What do you suggest I do if you want to see whether or not I'm truly a reliable enough to have my words be considered the truth?"

"For starters, you can try explaining to us just why it is that Salem was mistaken about you being at the lighthouse," Tails suggested as he tried to make the best of the opening Vector had created. "When Sonic pointed out the contradiction against you, you were rather quick to refute the claims. How about you testify as to why you believe the Interpol agent's statements were incorrect in comparison to yours? I don't know about everybody else, but I'm honestly curious about your reasoning."

"In other words, you just want an extension to my current alibi. I now see why a witness absolutely hates coming to court. Very well, I'll prove to you all myself that I'm not some kind of murderer that the defense is painting me out to be!"

Oh, that remains to be seen, Sonic thought as he prepared for another round of testimony. He then said out loud, "If you don't like what you're seeing, then tell me what I need to change in order to make the picture look better. If you don't want me wasting time randomly shooting in the dark, then give me more to work with."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll have a lot more to work with than you bargained for by the time this mockery of a trial is put to an end!"

"Can we please stop with the analogies to pictures?" the old man requested in annoyance. "I would like to get this long day over with as quickly as possible with little to no confusion. We really don't need further provocation to be brought onto another tangent. I'd like for the witness to simply testify about where he was on the night of the murder."

Why I Didn't Go to the Lighthouse

After the trial had been suspended, it was my original intent to go to the lighthouse. I had some important business that needed to be taken care of before the week was over. Unfortunately, I had received a call just as I was about to leave the courthouse. Needless to say, the caller had informed me of something that proved to be of more importance. Thankfully for me, the new issue happened to take place away from the lighthouse. As such, I never once set foot within the vicinity of the company that night!

End Witness Testimony

"Is that really the explanation you plan on giving us?" Sonic asked, his patience starting to wear thin at how the witness was managing to dodge the main topic of interest. "You didn't even answer what we originally asked of you! We don't want to know why you couldn't have gone to the lighthouse; we want to know where it was you ultimately ended going to! You telling us the reason why you avoided going to the crime scene doesn't really help to set the tone for your claim of no relations with the murders."

"Are you sure that's the case?" Mephiles countered with a cocky half-smile. "The last I heard, you only wanted to hear the reasoning behind me having not gone to the lighthouse. As far as that's concerned, I've satisfactorily complied with your demands. Telling you where I ultimately went doesn't appear to be a part of the requirements, so I'm not obligated to divulge upon you that much information."

"But that's still something you would normally make mention of if you're so intent on wanting us to not be so suspicious of you!" the cobalt hedgehog groaned as he begrudgingly admitted to himself the validity of the counterargument. "Couldn't you at least give us a bit of common courtesy and tell us?"

"I believe that extends beyond the requirements that have been set as per my reason for supplying testimony," the old prosecutor merely responded. "Apart from having no importance in my explanation, it has nothing to do with any of this. Might I suggest you start desperately trying to pick away at my words in search for your precious contradictions? Staying fixated on one meaningless point will do you no good."

"Even though he's just trying to anger you, Mephiles did bring up a good point," Tails admitted. "Don't concentrate on what you think he should've said. Just deconstruct the things he spoke of and see what you can use from it. If you're still set on wanting to know where it was he went, then that might be the only way for you to pull it off!"

"…He's clearly trying to be careful with what he says. That's the only reason I can think of as to why he won't tell us where he really went. And if he really is the murderer, then I can only assume that he's lying about having gone somewhere else! I just need to figure out how to expose him to everybody else in here."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," the fox comforted as he began looking through the evidence. "And don't forget that you have me helping you out. As long as things don't get too crazy, I'll help you out as much as I can."

"If the defense is done consulting with each other, could you please get on with the cross-examination?" Vector asked, his tone sounding indifferent to the situation. "If you're really on the search for the truth, then it's best to not stall the process any longer than is necessary. That and I doubt the witness is going to be any more patient with us."

"Even I'm starting to become somewhat impatient with the entire process, Mr. Sonic," the Judge stated, not bothering to mask the annoyance in his tone. "The day has already gone on long enough as it is. I'd love to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Y-Yes, Your Honor," the defense attorney stuttered out.

"Hmm, how about we make things more interesting for the defense?" Mephiles suddenly asked as a condescending smirk appeared on his face. "I'm already sure that the coming cross-examination is going to be a long and arduous process. As such, I would prefer it if they refrain from continually wasting time by bombarding me with questions. It's clear that they are dead set on making it out that I was at the lighthouse, so they must have some rather concrete evidence that says as much."

"I agree with that," the old man quickly agreed without hesitation. "The defense will refrain from needlessly passing the time with questions during the cross-examination. If you do indeed have evidence that substantiates your claim that the witness was at the lighthouse the moment the double-murders took place, then I'd rather you present it sooner than later. And if you really must ask something, then you best make sure it's of clear relevance. This'll be my only warning. Fail to comply and I will hold you in contempt of court!"

"Objection!" Vector quickly exclaimed. "Your Honor, how can you expect this trial to be properly conducted if such strict restrictions are placed during the cross-examination? I'm all for making sure things move at a steady pace, but I think that's going overboard!"

"Overruled, Prosecutor Vector. I'm sure you've noticed already, but I've been extremely patient and generous throughout this entire trial as the defense has brought before me a myriad of possibilities. I believe that some have also been brought about by your own hand. I don't think I need to remind you that a good portion of them have yet to be adequately proven. And out of the ones that have been properly backed up by the evidence, they seem rather negligible when placed into the bigger picture that is this trial.

"I'm starting to view all this as nothing more than a desperate attempt to keep this case open," the Judge continued on without bothering to mask his disappointment at how things were turning out. "Allow me to remind you that all this will be over with once the day comes to an end. Unless I see hard proof that one of the crucial possibilities can be a truth, I'm inclined to agree with Prosecutor Mephiles. Not only will I close this case for the final time the moment I notice that time is being wasted; I'll also hold either you or the defense in contempt of court depending on who chooses to further waste the court's time."

"Well, it's nice to see that the Judge has finally decided to crack down on all of this nonsense," the old hedgehog chuckled with a grin akin to that of a child who had just gotten his way. "I was beginning to wonder whether or not my concerns raised while being a witness were to be noticed. I really would like to see what it is the defense has up their sleeve with which they think they can place me at the lighthouse during the time the murders occurred. I'm willing to bet that they have nothing, but I'm more than happy to play along now that I know time isn't going to be needlessly wasted over petty questions."

"You arrogant little creep!" Sonic growled as he stared harsh daggers at Mephiles, both hands clenched into tight fists. Even Vector was doing the same thing, but the witness seemed completely unfazed by the dual barrage of anger and continued to sport his annoyingly conceited grin. "You really won't stop at nothing to make sure I'm not able to get any further with this trial. And you even managed to make it so that Vector will get into the same trouble as me if he continues to try and help me keep this case going. It's clear to me now that there's something you're intent on keeping hidden from us. I'm going to drag it out of you right here and now if it's the last thing I do!"

"Calm down, Sonic!" Tails harshly whispered while struggling to keep a calm demeanor himself. "Getting yourself angry over this isn't going to get you anywhere. You're just going to end up losing your concentration. You can't afford to let something like that happen right now, and that's what Mephiles is trying to pull over you. The moment you let him suck you into his psychological attacks, that's when you'll be playing his game and allow him to escape. You need to keep your head clear and think about what's the next thing you have to do. That's the only way you can beat him at his own game!"

Instead of answering, the cobalt hedgehog continued to stare at the bane of his life for a few more seconds before finally starting to relax. He took a few deep breaths and pinched the bridge of his nose in order to stymy a headache he felt coming along because of all this. At the same time, he was silently praying that he would be able to stick the proverbial axe into the old hedgehog's back during the upcoming cross-examination.

"I know you'll be able to pull through this!" the young fox encouraged the other while motioning towards Vector's direction. "Believe me when I say Vector is in the same boat as you. Both of you have been placed under tight restrictions because of Mephiles. You just need to figure out what the right question to ask is in order to get around this obstacle. I'll admit that there wasn't really anything worthwhile in the testimony for you to go all-out on, but you got to work with what you have if you want to get to the truth of things!"

"If that was supposed to be a pep talk, then you kind of did a bad job at it," the defense attorney stated with annoyed but thankful glance. "You weren't supposed to mention that his testimony sounded concrete enough that it can withstand scrutiny!"

"I only said that so as to remind you about the kind of man we're dealing with here. He wants us to think that there's no way to crack his supposedly concrete testimony. If we can find even the smallest crack in it, then we'll be able to send him falling so hard he won't have much of a chance to pick up the pieces!"

"If only it could be so easy to find said crack and successfully exploit it. I'm definitely going to have to think real hard about this while making sure I don't dig myself into an already deep hole. Here's to hoping that I manage to make it through this restriction and avoid letting it affect both my job and performance."

Begin Cross-Examination

"How about we start off the cross-examination by trying to clear us some confusion?" Sonic began once he had composed himself enough to come up with the only question he felt was safe enough circumvent the tight restrictions. "You mentioned earlier during your testimony that it was your original intent to go to the lighthouse once the trial had been suspended. Instead, you decided to go somewhere else as per another's suggestion and ultimately managing to avoid the ensuing incident. Is that the claim you choose to stand by?"

"I do hope for your sake that this is an undoubtedly relevant question," Mephiles said while smoothly dodging the main question. "You'd best be prepared to explain yourself unless you want to put an end to your commendable yet idiotically tenacious efforts. And let's not forget about the fact that your career may be put into question thanks to a contemptuous mark that will become a permanent stain on your record. I'm sure that's the last thing you'd want to have against you at this moment of your budding career."

"If we're to go by what you've said, you never once made your presence in the area known that entire evening," the cobalt hedgehog explained as he tried to ignore the goading remarks. "You even went so far as to say that you had received a call which directed you to a different location. Being that this is the crux of your argument, do you have something that proves what you said to be the truth?"

"…As much as I hate to admit the fact that your question does hold some relevancy, I'm afraid the answer it'll provide isn't going to be of much help for you," the old hedgehog merely replied. "The cell phone that I received the call on has since been disconnected and disposed of. However, I will say that I remember it having come from a blocked number. While I have no idea who the caller was, it was clear that they had some knowledge about me and my personal business. As such, I felt it prudent to temporarily abandon my work at the lighthouse and check the validity of their words. You can feel free to take a look through my phone records from then if you'd like. I guarantee you that it'll only serve to back up my claim."

"Was the phone you were called from your personal one or another that was meant for company business?" Tails asked as he tried to help Sonic keep the question going as long as possible. In essence, they both felt that it was the only safe question they could ask and prove further into without running the risk of the Judge placing them in contempt of court. "I would assume that you had two on you at the time so as to keep both your professional and business calls organized. If I'm right on my assumption, then the phone you disposed of would've been your company cell phone."

"It's true that I had two phones on me at the time. The one I got the call on then was the one assigned for company use. However, I fail to see just how this is has any relations to the trial. I believe that both sides of the courtroom has been put under a restriction that prevented the asking of any baseless question. You happen to be working with the defense as his assistant, so you are also under the same restrictions. It appears to me that you have no regards for being labeled a contemptuous party in this case."

"If you'll listen to my explanation, then I'm sure you'll see just how good of a reason I have to continue on with this question," the young fox stated in a confident tone. "You see, you claimed to have received the call from a cell phone that was registered under the Prycey Seafood Company. I believe it only fair to assume that the business would then have records of all calls made and received from any phones under its name. With that in mind, I find it safe to say that there must be phone records under the company's name that are available to for us to look over. And I'll even go so far as to say that those records were kept somewhere on company property and are probably still there at this very moment!

"If that's the case, then we can have one of the detectives go and retrieve the documents and see if what you've been claiming is the truth. And while we're waiting, we'll have someone else get ahold of the transcripts from the trial five years ago. Once we have both of them in our possession, we'll then compare the ending time of that trial with the time you allegedly received the call. If they end up correlating with each other, then we'll concede that it was highly possible for you to have been somewhere other than the lighthouse that night."

Clearly surprised at how things were turning out, Mephiles looked at the defensive team with confusion clear in his eyes. It was as though he was trying to figure out how it was the young attorney managed to continually avoid contemptuous actions while coming up with rather interesting and case-worthy questions. It was clear by his stoically confused look that he was not liking how the trial was being allowed to continue on.

"I'm ready to admit that the defense's question does have good relations to the case and is based on details we're able to easily verify," Vector admitted as he finally recovered from having been played a fool by the old hedgehog's earlier psychological attack. "I think even you would find it hard to place any kind of flaw with it, witness. So how about it? Are there any phone records in one of the company's old buildings?"

"…The records are in fact being housed in the company's old warehouse," the witness admitted. "Like I mentioned earlier, the company's name is still being used in the shipment of seafood. As such, the building is currently left abandoned but still kept on the roster in case it can be used for storing surplus goods. It's yet to have been able to play that role, but the current owners love to plan ahead for all possible scenarios. However, I'm afraid knowing the records exist isn't going to serve much help for you."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" the crocodile asked as he tried to help keep the old hedgehog from further evading the question. "Any information we can procure for a case is always useful. Do you mind explaining to us how you can you be so sure that such important information doesn't really hold much importance?"

"…I find it interesting how the two of you have somehow managed to find some way to temporarily circumvent the restrictions placed upon this cross-examination. I must admit that I'm quite impressed you managed to get this far while being restricted to asking only pertinent questions. Unfortunately, your circumvention techniques will only get you so far before the consequences catch up with you."

"That's something we could currently care less about, Prosecutor Mephiles!" Sonic exclaimed before slamming his hands on his desk in frustration. "As far as I'm concerned, both my partner and I along with Prosecutor Vector have brought to you a question that's well within clear relative relations to this case. Trying to hide behind the restriction you managed to enact won't work this time around!

"You used a phone that has on record a time you claimed to have been called away from the lighthouse," he quickly addressed the matter before anyone could interrupt him. "This is the only defense you presented to us as to why you have no relations with this case. If you are going to continue saying you were never at the scene of the murders, then the best thing you can do for yourself is answer Prosecutor Vector's question. Saying at this point that it won't help us in any way will only serve to hurt you in the long run. I suggest then that you cooperate if you want to keep your claim of innocence in good standing."

"…I must admit that the defense has raised a good point," the Judge agreed after having weighed the validity of the passionate argument. "The question asked does fall well within the restriction's boundaries. As such, I would like for you to explain yourself as to why you made the comment regarding the phone records."

For a moment, Mephiles merely looked at both the defense and prosecution. As of now, his plan to get either one tagged with contempt of court failed. Regardless, he did not look in any way worried about it. In fact, he slowly began sporting his trademark smug smile as though he had something else in mind. This immediately caught Sonic's attention and caused him to worry about what was in store for them next.

"I suppose there isn't any harm in providing you all some clarification in regards to what I said," he merely replied. "At least I'm happy to know all this wasn't a product of an unrelated question the defense wanted to attack me with. Just make sure you're all paying attention as I'm only going to explain this to you all once."

"As if we weren't already planning on paying attention," Sonic grumbled to himself as he prepared himself for the cunning prosecutor's new statement. "Just make sure you're not saying something so confusing that we have to play another guessing game. I have no idea how much more I can take of that kind of torture."

New Statement

With the company now defunct, I don't even have access to the only warehouse that's been left abandoned after the shutdown!

End New Statement

"So despite the fact that the company is still in existence even if only through its name, you don't have any control over the logistics and business aspects of it?" Tails asked after listening to the explanation that seemed acceptable yet still failed to appear conclusive. "You don't even have a say as to what kind of products will be shipped and advertised under the company name? I figured that you'd still have some level of control after having been forced to assimilate the business while in a high position."

"Unfortunately for me, one of the conditions discussed during the closing hearing was that I relinquish my current role to another of their choosing," Mephiles stated with a sigh that sounded like it was merely for show. "Apart from whatever minute tasks the new owners chose to impart onto me, I no longer had any kind of influence with the company. As such, I was forced to allow them full reign with all the decisions. Even as of now in the ruling company's eyes, I'm nothing more than a dispensable employee who's been forced to assimilate into their business. I find it embarrassing that I've been brought down to a mere subordinate role, but that's the reality I must face."

"It's surprising to be hearing a man such as you actually continue to work in a condition that managed to make you feel embarrassed," Vector stoically replied after silently observing the new statement and response. "I had thought that you would immediately quit once you realized that the new owners saw it fit to knock you down from the chain of command. After all, you are a man who prides himself in being the one with the most access to power regardless of the situation. At the least, I figured you would've tried to discuss some new terms in order to land yourself a higher position with the new business."

"Do you really think I didn't try to negotiate with them?" the old hedgehog asked with a huff. "Once I bargained with them, they were gracious enough to grant me a position in their management team. However, it was provided that I work with them as a record keeper for a minimum of five years. It definitely was a step up from being told to start as a mere cargo manager whose position doesn't grant much audience with the higher-ups.

"The opportunity was too good for me to pass up, so I accepted their terms," he merely added. "As of now, I'm still waiting to become a part of their managerial staff. I'll admit that I prefer to be the one in power, but running a company has too many variables that need to be accounted for. A good portion of them are simply impossible to predict or control.

"Regardless, the murders that took place at the lighthouse five years ago was one such unpredictable variable. With such a heavy cloud over the business because of it, the only thing that I could do to bring it out from there was to shut it down and give it new life by selling it to a potential buyer. And because of that, I no longer have access to any of the buildings that were once under my ownership. Whatever records are held in them must be brought up to the current owners if you truly wish to look them over."

"But all of them should still be placed under your name!" Sonic countered as he tried to find some way to quickly get those phone records before the day was over. "The records were drafted five years ago; they must've been billed under the company name which then listed you as its owner. Wouldn't that then mean you have the right to those papers regardless of who owns the space it currently inhabits?"

"It may be true that I can claim ownership over those papers, but the same can't be said with the abandoned warehouse it's currently housed in. I need permission in order to access the building before I can enter and start taking whatever it is I claim to be rightfully mines. I don't think anything short of a search warrant will allow you to enter the old warehouse and go rifling around for those records."

"Unfortunately, it takes a while for a search warrant to be drafted and delivered to the police," the crocodile said with a frown. "I doubt we'd be able to have an official order ready until tomorrow at the earliest. And being that today is the last for this case, those phone records can only be considered useless at this time. As such…, the defense can no longer pursue this line of questioning as it has now been deemed irrelevant by this fact."

"That does appear to be the case," the Judge merely agreed after listening to all of the facts. "Mr. Sonic, I'll grant you some leeway and withhold the penalty on irrelevancies since you had no way of knowing the witness no longer had access to his old company's warehouse. However, that also goes to say that you appear to have run out of any more relevant questions that can be asked. Without being able to access those records today, I can't see how you'll be able to prove or disprove Prosecutor Mephiles's claim of having not been at the lighthouse. As such, you can't possibly continue on with the trial."

End Cross-Examination

"But what if I can prove to you that we actually have the ability to view those records today?" Sonic asked in a tone that indicated he already had the answer. "If that's the only thing that's keeping us from further advancing into this trial, then all that needs to be done is show that we do have the ability to see those reports as early as today!"

"Ha, that's a pretty strong bluff coming from somebody who hardly has anything to be dragging me into this with!" Mephiles scoffed without as much as bothering to conceal the bit of laughter that had escaped. "Don't forget that evidence is the sole ultimate power in a court of law. Nothing short of that will lend credence to your words."

"Thankfully for us, Interpol Agent Salem mentioned something interesting to me during the recess some time ago," the cobalt hedgehog stated as he pulled out the recorded information regarding the Prycey Seafood Company's Warehouse Keypad. "He said that he and his fellow agents have been keeping tabs on the lighthouse and anything affiliated with it for the past five years. This would also naturally include the abandoned warehouse. As such, he noticed that it requires a password before entrance is allowed. The company responsible for supplying building with such security still continues to provide service."

"That would be expected considering how the business controlling the Prycey Seafood Business would like to protect its assets despite whether or not in use," Vector replied, his eyes reflecting his intrigue and confusion as to what was being brought up. "I'm sure they would prefer that the building not be made available to people who might wish to use it for illegal purposes. However, how does this revelation have anything to do with allowing us to retrieve the phone records today?"

"Well, it's clear by Prosecutor Mephiles's testimony that the records are most likely in that warehouse. The only thing keeping us from going in there to check it out is that we don't have any means for immediate access. However, Salem mentioned that the people at Interpol ran a check on who was being supplied the new passwords. Oddly enough, the only name they could come up with was the person standing before us testifying!"

"Are you saying that the witness lied about the overall level of authority he has over the warehouse?" the crocodile asked, his eyes widening in shock at the potentially blatant lie that had just been unearthed. "Did Interpol Agent Salem really say something like that to you during the recess earlier?"

"I promise you that what we're claiming is the truth," Tails confirmed with a firm nod. "And if you still don't believe us, then you can simply call on Salem to testify about that specific detail. I'm sure you'll only hear what we just claimed.

"With that said, we have adequately proven that Mephiles lied about the amount of power he actually asserts with regards to the warehouse," the young fox concluded. "As such, he has total access with the building and can thus provide us with the means to enter and search the place for those phone records!"

"…Are you sure that I made falsehoods in regards to the warehouse?" the old hedgehog simply asked as the gallery began to talk amongst themselves. "I'm afraid that I honestly don't have any true access to that building. I'm currently nothing more than a record keeper who hardly has any right to be so randomly approaching unauthorized territory."

"Then how do you explain the fact that your name was the only one Interpol came up with when they did a search on the passwords?" Sonic asked in an attempt to keep the revelation from being shot down. "That makes it seem like you have more right than any to be randomly going there."

"Like Prosecutor Vector had already explained, the current company decided to keep the system running for the sake of their convenience. There have been few instances where they had to use the warehouse to hold extra products, and I was to make sure that the correct monetary amount of goods were stored there. It would be bad if the amount going in were different than the amount that actually made it in.

"As such, I find it only natural that I would have access to the passwords. It was already like that when it was still just the Prycey Seafood Company; the current owners felt it best to keep it at the same arrangement once they had me working as the records keeper. So unless there were surplus goods, I have no reason nor reasonable access lest I wanted to be fired for being where I shouldn't have been."

"Regardless, the fact still stands that you currently have the passwords that allow you free access to the warehouse," the cobalt hedgehog said. "As such, we don't need to give the current owners a subpoena in order to search the building. We can simply ask you for the codes and still be allowed lawful access as you are currently considered connected to this case. Now how about you give us the password so we can search the place today? I'm sure the last thing you want is to be arrested for obstruction of justice simply because you refused."

"But if we were to go along with your plan, then we'll have to call in another recess," the Judge spoke up after carefully listening to the exchange. "To be perfectly honest, I'm rather apprehensive at the idea of further prolonging this trial. This has gone on much longer than anybody ever anticipated, and I'm not envious of having this continue on into the evening until midnight comes around."

"I hardly see any merit in wanting to search a building that doesn't even present a single connection in relations to the double-murders," Mephiles added as he nodded in agreement to the old man's words. "All the defense wants is proof as to whether or not I'm telling the truth about having received a call from a blocked number five years ago. Not only is it completely trivial; it also has nothing to do with me of possibly being the murderer!"

"I object to that!" Vector exclaimed while gripping at his gold chain. "It may seem like nothing more than a triviality to you, but I assure you that this phone call is of great importance. If you truly want us to believe that you are being truthful about the actions you made that day, then the phone records that have been kept inside the warehouse serve as your only means of obtaining it. And since you were so clear earlier that those papers could only be there, I don't see why you suddenly want to discredit the need to go there and obtain the only thing that can validate your actions five years ago."

"My only reason for being against this is because this doesn't have any bearing on the defense's ultimate goal of trying to prove me being a potential suspect," the old hedgehog simply responded. "If they wanted to do that, then they should be busying themselves looking for evidence saying that I really was at the lighthouse that night. All they're chasing after is proof that shows I was never there! For all intents and purposes, that seems rather counter-intuitive for what they're trying to accomplish."

"Even so, I feel that it's worth the time to call a recess and allow the police adequate time to search the building," the crocodile countered as he tried his best to convince the Judge to see things his way. "It may seem like another attempt to stall for time, but I can assure you that this is merely a chance to garner some much needed information regarding the witness. And just to add my two cents into this situation, I also have some concerns about the warehouse apart from the phone records that I would love to have cleared up through the recess."

For a few moments, the entire courtroom was quiet. The Judge looked like he was actually contemplating the thought of calling another recess; both the defense and prosecution looked at each other with supportiveness masked behind stoic glances; and the witness merely stood and waited for what was to happen next. Even the members of the gallery were sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation for what was to come.

"… … …I suppose I don't have much of a choice in the matter," the old man finally replied with a sigh. "I'll go ahead and call for a one-hour recess. I'm sure the police are currently wrapping up their investigation on the Mobius Harbor, so it shouldn't take them too long to get to the warehouse and search it.

"However, I will say that this is the last recess I'll be calling," he quickly warned. "As I mentioned earlier, I don't want this trial to be moving onto the evening hours. So if there's any pieces of evidence or other important things you need to take care of, you best do so in the next hour. When we reconvene, I will not have the trial be further postponed for anything regardless of how relevant it might be. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, Your Honor," the young prosecutor acknowledged with a nod.

"We understand, Your Honor," Sonic said with a sigh while Tails merely gave a curt nod in acknowledgement.

"Then I'll allow the final recess to be called! I do hope for both the defense and prosecution's sake that they have everything in order when we reconvene in an hour. And Prosecutor Mephiles, please don't leave the courtroom as we might still have need for you to testify about the case."

"As you wish, Your Honor," Mephiles stated just as the gavel echoed throughout the courtroom. Almost immediately, the old hedgehog turned around and made his way out to wherever it was he wanted to go in the courthouse.

"I really hope we find something of use in that warehouse," the cobalt hedgehog murmured as he collected his evidence and prepared to take a break. "Even if those phone records do exist and prove Mephiles's claim about receiving an anonymous call to be true; we might be able to see something else that we can use against him!"

"Let's just hope the police will be able to uncover anything from that abandoned warehouse," the young fox merely replied with a sigh. "It was owned by the Prycey Seafood Company five years ago, and it's the only place that's of reasonable suspicion. If we find nothing there, then I honestly can't see any other way for us to continue on."

"Then let's hope that Vector knows what he's doing with whatever it is he's curious about with the place."

No sooner had the defense attorney said those words, Vector had made his way out of the courtroom with his cell phone in hand. He was clearly not wasting any time going after what it was he was searching for and was intent on using every single minute the hour had. The two quickly followed him out and made their way into the defendant lobby in order to take the last break they were ever going to have during this trial.

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... ... ...Yep, Prosecutor Mephiles is quite possibly the worst person ever on the planet to ask to testify about anything as a witness. He's way too careful with what he says and manages to find those ever small loopholes in logic to escape from being cornered. You probably have no idea how hard it was for me to write this particular chapter. And now I'm personally worried about how the next chapter is going to be written out.

With every word I write in the story, I actually fear that I've made him too careful of a person that there's going to be no flaw. Still, I'm not going to change that. What good is writing if you can't deliver yourself personal challenges every now and then? For me, trying to find a way to crack through this carefully crafted barrier and strike Mephiles down with something completely damning will be a rewarding feeling. That and I truly hate Mephiles right now for the way he became portrayed in my mind for this case. He's definitely going down hard next chance I get!

But yeah, I think I subconsciously made him this way after having watched the final case of Ace Attorney Investigations 2, courtesy of dowolf. The final suspect in the game was also a rather smart and careful man and could easily psych Edgeworth out in an attempt to steer him down the wrong path. Without knowing it, I modeled this particular cross-examination scene along the same guidelines. It wasn't until I was starting to write down the second piece of testimony did I realize what I done. I decided to keep it in since it made the whole chapter just that much more epic. Hope you all agree with that!

Please don't forget to leave a review before moving onto the next story that you want to read. For those of you who read my rant about what I feel reviews should be at the beginning of this chapter, then you know how I feel. If not, then I suggest you read it. As a budding fiction writer, I feel that reviews should be more than just simple and meaningless one-liners that honestly serve as nothing more than a waste of space.

With that said, until the next update to this or any of my other stories on here! And let me say that the possibility of this entire case and story being wrapped up in the next chapter is pretty high. If not, then be prepared for another wild ride with crazily dodgy Mephiles as your guide to everlasting insanity.