July 1st, 8:31 AM
Hakari Inc. Headquarters
Main Lobby
Edgeworth continued to question himself on how he always got talked into this. He was in the middle of doing some important paperwork, when he receives a phone call from Gumshoe, letting him know that a murder had been reported in the area not ten minutes ago. His partner wanted him inside Hakari headquarters before the victim was taken out the building. Not ten seconds later, the Chief had him assigned to the case with the detective.
"Normally, I wouldn't dare turn away from something like this," Edgeworth said to himself, "but why did it have to happen now?" It was vital he filed all his forms on time.
The PIC was far from done with him. Ever since the turbulent events of the past April, they'd been breathing down his neck nonstop, convinced he was secretly a mass murderer or somesuch.
Besides, this sounded like a very standard affair. A man was hacking into a staff member's computer when he was caught by company security. When the guard gave chase, he was killed. Or so Edgeworth heard.
"Well, no sense waiting around," he said, about to seek out a staff member. Not that many people were around. Hakari had gone into lockdown the second the body was discovered, so very few people could be found on the premises.
"Mr. Edgeworth, sir!"
Edgeworth turned around to see Gumshoe running towards him, a panicked look on his face. As usual. Next to him was a mature-looking man in a security uniform.
"Ah, Detective. I was wondering when you would arrive. Is the body still at the crime scene?"
"Far as I know, pal." Gumshoe groaned. "Urgh… I hate dead bodies..."
Then why exactly are you a homicide detective?
"Best I know, the victim was found dead by a guard on patrol, with the suspect still hovering over his body. The suspect is at the crime scene with an officer."
"Good to know," Edgeworth said. "Is there any identification on the victim?"
"Yes, sir," Gumshoe replied. "The victim is senior security manager Owen Perry Atrol. He was finishing up the night shift with his junior partners when the murder happened."
"And the suspect in question? Who is he?"
"Uh…"
"I need a name, Detective."
"Emil Ployei, sir."
Edgeworth turned to the other man. "And you are…"
The man in uniform gave a haughty salute. "My name is Stan Gardems. I've been instructed by company higher ups to assist the police in any way I can."
Edgeworth crossed his arms and tapped his finger. "I see. And were you the one who first discovered the crime scene?"
Excessive nodding. "I'd been watching the security camera the whole time."
"Hmm… so, I take it you witnessed the incident through the camera feed?" Edgeworth asked.
Gardems nodded his head. "The feed got cut during the struggle, but I know what I saw. Mr. Ployei was cornered by my boss and killed him trying to escape!"
Edgeworth thought about this for a moment. "So the camera feed was cut off before the murder occurred. I see..."
-Camera Feed added to Logic-
That could make court slightly more difficult. Hopefully, I can find more concrete evidence at the crime scene.
"Thank you, Mr. Gardems. Could you please escort me and the detective to the crime scene?"
"Of course," Gardems said. He guided the two down a hallway to where the murder occurred.
As they were leaving, a muscular man waiting in the lobby shouted to them. "'Bout time someone caught onto that Ployei dude. He's been suspicious since the day he started workin' here!"
"Thank you, sir." Edgeworth nodded to the person who called out. "But perhaps you should wait for the investigation to conclude before raising allegations."
"Excuse me, Mr. Prosecutor? It's this way."
July 1st, 8:35am
Hakari Inc. Headquarters
Hallway A: Finance Sector
Edgeworth and Gumshoe were guided by Gardems to the crime scene. As expected, the body of the victim remained. Standing a few feet away from the body was the alleged murderer.
"No, wait! Please, you've got it all wrong!"
He was a small man, with wild black hair and thick glasses. His slacks were wrinkled, like they hadn't been ironed in weeks. He wore tennis shoes with his outfit, laces untied. All in all, he looked like a university student.
Behind him, he struggled with a police officer, who was trying to handcuff him. "Shut it, perp! You're under arrest for the murder of Owen P. Atrol!"
"No, you're wrong!"
Edgeworth walked towards the two. "Forgive my interruption, but would someone be so kind as to explain the situation?"
The suspect looked up, wild eyes meeting Edgeworth's calm ones. "There's been a huge mistake! I didn't kill anyone."
"Well, I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this. My name is Miles Edgeworth. I'm the prosecutor assigned to this case. And you are…?"
The suspect adjusted his glasses nervously, stepping away from the officer trying to restrain him. "Emil Ployei, sir. I'm... a new employee here. I graduated Ivy University just last spring."
He graduated last spring and got a job here this fast? He must have quite the resume.
"Mr. Ployei, were you here during the incident last night?" Edgeworth asked.
Emil shook his head right away. "No, sir! I arrived a few minutes ago! I'm the one who called for a lockdown in the first place!"
"Mr. Prosecutor! He was the only person found in this entire wing of the building when we searched. He has to be the killer!" Gardems exclaimed.
"That has yet to be determined, Mr. Gardems," Edgeworth refuted calmly. "Until we get the facts straight, we cannot say for certain if Mr. Ployei was the murderer. For now, we should take a look around. Detective, I require your services."
"Right away, sir!" Gumshoe gave his salute. And with that, the investigation began.
-Begin Investigation-
First, Edgeworth bent over the body. The man had collapsed to the ground face first, arms splayed out around him. He was a large man, with thick arms and a large waist. Edgeworth was sure a struggle with him would have been very intimidating.
"Hmm… from this angle, I can't tell how the victim died," Edgeworth said. "I suppose we'll leave it to forensics. When can we get a mortician out here?"
"I'll get the precinct on the line right away, sir," Gumshoe said, running off to use his cell phone.
In the meantime, Edgeworth inspected the state of the victim's clothing. The man's shirt had a single brown stain, right in the middle of his back. How had that gotten there?
-"Mysterious Stain" added to Organizer-
Next, he took note of the direction from which the man fell. Aside from a few scrapes and a bump on his head, he appeared to be unharmed. Very little blood had spilled onto the floor.
"Hmm… I suspect this man's death was quick, and without much struggle. He appears to have been attacked from behind with an unknown weapon."
-"State of the Body" added to Organizer-
-Events of the Struggle added to Logic-
"That brings up the question: how was this man murdered?"
Gardems shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Mr. Prosecutor."
"What? You don't even know how this man was murdered, and you already want to arrest a suspect?"
"He was the only one in the area," Gardems explained. "My shift partner and I made sure of that. Besides, we found him leaning over the body."
That's a pretty suspicious image. I'll give them that much.
-"Search Report" added to Organizer-
Edgeworth considered it for a moment, then turned to the suspect.
"And what were you doing hovering over the body, Mr. Ployei?"
"Nothing, I swear!" Ployei insisted, flapping his arms around. "When I first saw the body, I just… I was speechless. I didn't know he was dead, so I leaned over, looking for a pulse."
"I see. And do you have any evidence to back up your claim?"
"Huh?"
"Can you prove Mr. Atrol was already dead when you came across the crime scene?"
"Well, no. But-"
"Then you have nothing more to say on the matter. Allow me to to continue my investigation."
Well, that wasn't overly helpful. Edgeworth hoped the police learned more about the incident soon. So far, this wasn't as simple as he'd imagined.
Hm… I won't rest until I've investigated every suspicious-looking nook and cranny.
Edgeworth gave the scene a thorough inspection. Apart from the lifeless body, there was
something else that caught his interest. Specifically, a small, almost rectangular object with three buttons off to the side. It had fallen roughly a foot away from the victim.
"What is this?" He was about to pick it up when-
"Whoa! Be careful with that!"
Gardems smacked his hand away, eyes going wide. It was though he'd tried to grab a poisonous snake.
"What was that for?"
"That's the boss's taser! Our company just got them in last month. They can deliver more than six hundred thousand volts of electricity through a person's body from up to ten feet away. We've been instructed to only use them when absolutely necessary."
"Wha- six hundred thousand volts?" Gumshoe exclaimed. "That could kill a man, pal!"
"Not necessarily, Detective. I myself know a few people who survived such an ordeal. And besides, tasers aren't built to be lethal."
"Well, they aren't intended to be, but… the boss has been having some trouble with it lately. It can be really touchy. The recorded voltage isn't matching the programmed settings."
"Really," Edgeworth said. "I'll have to make a note of that."
-"Victim's Taser" added to Organizer-
"Well, I doubt the body itself has anything else to tell us. At least, not until forensics gets here. They better be on their way."
"I called the precinct a few minutes ago, sir! A team had just departed, first people they could get their hands on this morning."
"Good. Now, for the rest of the crime scene."
First, Edgeworth sought out the camera in the area, wishing to know which vantage point the footage was captured from. He'd ask for the footage at a later time.
Eventually, he saw it, hidden off in a corner of the hallway. "Ah, here's the camera. It doesn't appear broken in any way."
Or at least, that's what he thought initially. An eye following the wires that went into the ceiling revealed a severe break in the cord. The wall behind it appeared to be slightly singed from the event, though a fire had not broken out.
"Officer!"
The man who had been restraining Mr. Ployei came over at Edgeworth's call. "Yes, sir?"
"Please investigate the wires connected to this security footage. Does the severance appear intentional to you?"
The man got up to inspect the wires in closer detail. "Hm… they appear to have been disconnected with a single, straight cut. Had they worn out because of age, it wouldn't be this precise." He turned back to Edgeworth. "I'd declare this an intentional act of vandalism."
"Thank you, Officer."
-"Security Cameras" added to Organizer-
-Cut Wires added to Logic-
Hm… The security camera feed mysteriously stopped before the murder, and the wires were cut intentionally. There's a clear connection here!
"Aha! So that's what happened here!" the prosecutor exclaimed.
"Huh? What is it, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"Someone cut the camera feed to prevent us from seeing the moment of the murder." Edgeworth declared. "That's the only possible explanation."
"No way, pal!"
"But… how?" Gardems looked really confused. "When the tape cut off, the boss was hovering over his killer. How did he cut the wires from where he was?"
"Hm… could he have, perhaps, thrown something?"
"I didn't see it, but I guess it's possible."
Possibilities aren't enough. Edgeworth grumbled in the back of his mind. Still, I best remember this.
-Camera Sabotage added to Logic-
Edgeworth's eyes wandered the stretch of hallway, not coming across anything that could have been used to cut the wires, much less commit murder. Eventually he had to conclude the weapon used wasn't there at the crime scene.
Well, there isn't anything else. I guess I'll have to wait for forensics in order to continue.
-Investigation Complete-
"Well, I suspect that's all I'll be getting out of the crime scene for a good while." Edgeworth mused to the detective. "Gumshoe, please go to the entrance and alert me when the forensic investigators show up. I'd like you to bring them here as soon as you see them."
"Yes, sir!" He took off before Edgeworth could get another word in.
Next, he turned to Gardems and Ployei. "In the meantime, I'd like to ask both of you a few questions about the incident. Mr. Ployei, may I start with you?"
"Wait, you're not arresting him?"
"Not yet," Edgeworth replied. "It is my belief we're too early into the investigation to decide on a suspect. I'd prefer to gather more information before making an arrest."
"I thought prosecutors just arrested the first suspicious guy they came across," Ployei commented, pushing his glasses up as he spoke. "I was really scared for a moment there."
"Well, this one does not." Edgeworth grit his teeth slightly at the comment. Despite his distaste for the generalization, he couldn't say it was completely untrue.
That's what made it so awful.
But back to the issue at hand. "Mr. Ployei, you aren't off the hook yet. If I find decisive evidence that you killed the victim, you will arrested without a second thought."
"Eep!" The man recoiled, glasses bouncing off his face, then falling back onto his nose.
"Now please, testify to the truth of this incident. What were you doing in his hallway and why?"
"Uh… okay," he still looked awfully nervous. Could the suspect be hiding something? "Well, here we go."
-Witness Testimony-
What I Witnessed
"I arrived to work at my usual time, roughly eight in the morning.
"I had just checked into my station when I remembered: I was supposed to meet with Ms. Washington over in this wing of the building.
"On my way over, I heard loud noises. It startled me.
"When I got here, Mr. Atrol was laying down on the floor, alone. I didn't know what to make of it at first, but…
"I couldn't believe it! He was dead! I called it in to management, and they're the ones who put the building on lockdown.
"Then Mr. Gardems showed up, and well… I think you know the rest."
Edgeworth had been silent during the testimony, listening with a trained ear to the various explanations offered.
Hm… He seems to be leaving out key pieces of information, but I don't know why. At this juncture, I ought to press him as much as possible.
"He's lying, Mr. Prosecutor!" Gardems protested, pointing his finger and jumping up and down so eagerly, his guard hat fell off. "I came running as soon as I saw the struggle happening. There's no way Ployei wasn't at the scene when it happened."
Edgeworth ignored the guard's claims for the time being. "Thank you, Mr. Ployei. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"
"...Is that really a request?"
"No, not really." Edgeworth offered a casual smile, shrugging his shoulders. "Repeat your testimony, if you will."
"If I have to…"
-Cross-Examination-
What I Witnessed
"I arrived to work at my usual time, roughly eight in the morning."
"HOLD IT! Mr. Ployei, why do you show up at work so early?"
"I love my job! All the studies I've had done on myself say I work best in the early hours of the morning, so that's when I show up! I used to arrive at six, but Mr. Atrol got irritated with me because I had to ask for special permission to get my card to let me in the building. Besides, it's really hard to get stuff done when the rest of your team doesn't show up for three hours, and-"
"Thank you, Mr. Ployei," Edgeworth cut him off. "I understand your enthusiasm quite well. I myself am generally one of the first to arrive at the Prosecutor's Office. Though this morning, my motive was far more related to paperwork than passion."
"Oh yeah, I get that too. Actually, there was another reason I showed up early this morning," Ployei became fidgety again, shoving his glasses up to the very top of his nose.
"And what was that, Mr. Ployei?"
"I had just checked into my station when I remembered: I was supposed to meet with Ms. Washington over in this wing of the building."
"HOLD IT! So the other reason was to meet with Ms. Washington? Why?"
"She wanted me to report on the cost of the new program the company is developing. Unfortunately, the details are top-secret, so I'm afraid I can't disclose any information about it."
"Hm… Well, it's not relevant to the investigation at the moment. Can you at least tell me who Ms. Washington is?"
"Sure! Ms. Cassandra Washington is the head financial advisor here at Hakari. Everything money related in this corporation passes through her at some point in the process. Game profits, software expenses, distribution and marketing deals…"
"Wait just a second, Mr. Ployei. Did you say game profits?"
Both men stared at him for a second. "Prosecutor Edgeworth, do you know what our company does, exactly?" Gardems asked.
No, but I get the feeling you're about to tell me. "My initial report says Hakari is a technology firm. What of it?"
"Not just any technology, sir!" Ployei interrupted, eyes sparkling with admiration. "Hakari is the best gaming company the world has to offer! Our net worth is greater than our three trailing competitors combined! We've been producing the games and consoles for the past twenty years, and ranked number one eight years in a row! I grew up playing Hakari games. This job is a dream come true! I-"
"Oh, one more thing about Ms. Washington," Gardems said, ignoring Ployei's continued gushing. "You know how there was an attempted hacking right before the murder?"
"Yes, that was mentioned. How does it relate?"
"Her computer was the one they went after."
"Wha-?" Edgeworth recoiled. "Why was this not brought up earlier?"
-"Hacking Attempt" added to Organizer-
-Mystery Hackers added to Logic-
"Mr. Ployei. What transpired during your meeting with Ms. Washington?"
Ployei began to sweat, furiously cleaning his glasses with his shirt. "Thing is… I never actually made it to Ms. Washington's office."
Oh, right. "Would you please tell me what transpired on your way to meet Ms. Washington?"
"On my way over, I heard loud noises. It startled me."
"HOLD IT! What noises did you hear?"
"Shouting, mostly. It sounded like some people were having an argument."
"Were you able to recognize any of the voices?"
Ployei shook his head, wiping his glasses on his shirt. "I was too far away to hear them clearly. But they were definitely male voices. It sounded like one person did most the yelling."
"The boss liked to yell a lot. Especially at intruders," Gardems contributed. "I'm sure his murderer would have gotten some of that too."
Hm… is this information of any greater importance to the investigation?
-Yes, add it to the testimony
-No, I'm wasting time
"Mr. Ployei, please add your description of the voices to your testimony!"
"Oh, okay… 'The voices I heard were male, and one person did most of the talking. I guess it could have been Mr. Atrol.'"
Hm… I don't know what I could ask that wouldn't repeat what's already been said. I'll leave it alone for now.
"When I got here, Mr. Atrol was alone. I didn't know what to make of it at first, but…"
"HOLD IT!"
"Are you gonna yell at him for every statement?"
"Mr. Ployei, I'm afraid you've lost me. When you were on your way over, you claim you heard the victim yelling at someone, but when you arrived at the scene, he was alone. Is that correct?"
"Yes, it is!"
"But if that were true… where did the second person go?"
"Ah!" The young man flinched, glasses jumping on his face. "I- I…"
And with that, Gardems attacked. "You see? I told you this man was lying! The reason the boss was alone with him is because he was the second person! There was never anyone else."
"No, wait!" Ployei begged, eyes wide. He looked like he was about to cry. "I didn't show up right after I heard the shouting. That's just what made me hurry to the scene. The other person could have escaped before I stumbled on the body."
"To where?" Gardems wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. "Don't forget, my partner and I searched the area. The only person we found in this wing of the building, aside from you, was Ms. Washington." The guard crossed his arms, smiling triumphantly. "Wasn't it you who insisted both the voices were male?"
"Urk!"
"Admit it! You hacked Ms. Washington, got caught, and killed the boss to silence him!"
"OBJECTION!"
Both men turned to face Edgeworth. "You two can argue all you like, but the fact is that both your claims are impossible."
"What?"
"Let us start with Mr. Ployei's. Mr. Ployei, you claim someone else struggled with the victim when you were on your way to Ms. Washington's office, but that they disappeared before you arrived. That isn't possible because of this."
Edgeworth flipped open his Organizer, turning the page to where he wrote down "Search for the Murderer". "TAKE THAT!"
"See? That's what I'm saying!" Gardems pointed to the evidence in Edgeworth's Organizer. "And that's why you're the ki-"
"HOLD IT!" Edgeworth gave the guard his best point. "I'm not finished. Mr. Gardems, your claim is equally impossible, and this is why!"
Pulling his Organizer back, he changed the page to the notes he'd taken about the hacking attempt. "Please remember the sequence of events, here. The victim caught a hacker in the middle of his attempt to hack Ms. Washington, gave chase, and was killed for his efforts. Now recall what Mr. Ployei testified to: he approached the scene from the opposite direction."
"So? He could be lying."
"Well, that's extremely easy to verify. All we have to do is use the evidence captured in this building."
"What evidence?"
Well, that's obvious. To prove Mr. Ployei was somewhere else at the time of the hacking, all we have to do is…
-dust the building for fingerprints
-check the security cameras
-rewind the passage of time
"The security cameras, of course. The hacking took place directly before the murder at 8:15, no? And Mr. Ployei should be recorded as having entered the building at 8:00. Check the fifteen minutes of footage and see if he came near the crime scene before the time he testified. Mr. Gardems, has such a check been performed?"
"Agh!" Gardems flew back, causing his taser to fall out his pocket and turn on for a brief second. "I… I saw the struggle, and I didn't pay attention to anything else. Then, when the camera went out…"
"I understand, Mr. Gardems. You were otherwise occupied. But as I've just proved, this information is vital to our understanding of this case. Please escort this officer to the security room and allow him to verify the evidence. Mr. Ployei's freedom hangs in the balance."
"Yes, sir!" He gave a stiff salute, motioning to the police officer on the scene to follow him. The man appeared hesitant.
"Prosecutor Edgeworth, are you certain you're willing to be left in the company of Mr. Ployei?"
"Certainly," Edgeworth shrugged his shoulders, offering the policeman a smile. "Mr. Ployei is, at the time, not suspected of any criminal activity. I see no danger in remaining at the scene with him."
"Mr. Edgeworth…" Ployei looked as if he were about to cry. Edgeworth may be all too familiar with being accused of murder, but this man seemed awfully emotional.
"Please, Mr. Ployei. I suggest you compose yourself. After all-"
"You're not off the hook just yet... Mr. Emil Ployei."
It wasn't hard for him to recognize it. It's been a few months, but what is she doing in this country?
"Franziska. What brings you here?"
Organizer
Profiles:
Miles Edgeworth
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Description: Me. What else can I say? Currently High Prosecutor for my local district.
Detective Gumshoe
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Description: A homicide detective, one of the many assigned to this district. How I nearly always end up working with him, I cannot say.
Franziska Von Karma
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Description: ...Franziska. How else can I describe her? Last I heard, she was an international prosecutor, overseas on a case with Interpol.
Stan Gardems
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Description: A security guard, one of the three assigned to guarding Hakari Headquarters at the time of the murder. Was watching from the Control Room when the murder occurred.
Owen P. Atrol
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Description: Senior security guard at Hakari, was in charge at the time of the murder. Died trying to apprehend an intruder to the building.
Emil Ployei
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Description: Relatively new employee to Hakari Inc., working as a junior software developer. Was suspected of the murder by company security because they found him hunched over the body.
Cassandra Washington
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Description: Head financial advisor for Hakari Inc. Had her computer hacked directly before the murder.
Evidence:
Prosecutor's Badge
Type: Other
Description: My badge. It allows me to do my job, and is to be kept in my pocket at all times.
Mysterious Stain
Type: Evidence
Description: Brown stain found on the back of the victim's shirt. But what could it be from?
State of the Body
Type: Evidence
Description: Body was found face down on the floor with minimal injuries. Appears to have been attacked from behind.
Search Report
Type: Evidence
Description: After company security discovered the body, they conducted a search of the entire wing, finding no one but Washington. Check
Victim's Taser
Type: Evidence
Description: Taser issued to Owen Atrol as a defensive weapon. Was known by the security staff to be defective at the time of the murder.
Security Cameras
Type: Evidence
Description: Capture surveillance footage from various places in Hakari Headquarters. All footage can be viewed live from the Control Room.
Hacking Attempt
Type: Evidence
Description: Directly before the murder, an unknown hacker was attempting to forcibly enter Washington's computer. Was pursued by the victim, and is believed to have killed them in the struggle to escape.
A/N's: All three authors share the credit for writing this chapter, but KnightSpark didn't want to leave notes this time around.
PTV: Sorry to make you wait so long, guys! I got distracted by school… then inspired and dissuaded by the awesomeness that is Spirit of Justice. (Sniffles) Our finale will never be as good as Turnabout Revolution!
Okay, okay, I guess that's an unrealistic expectation. I hope you all are enjoying the story, regardless. We might be able to sneak in some vague references to the game, now that it's out and both AA and I have played it. Not sure if Knight has or not.
But, as a way to make up for our hiatus, I have the second part of the Beginning with The Scollard right now, to be posted in a few days. Think of it as a Christmas/Hanukkah present, from us to you. Not that it makes up for genuine procrastination and neglect, but hey. I hope to get some serious writing in over break. We've got lots of characters to introduce, returning and OCs alike! I'm excited for this "game's" main rival… okay, enough typing or I might spoil something. Hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to review!
AA: Hey guys. Yeah, speaking of unrealistic expectations, maybe thinking that we'd get the first chapter done so quickly was one. Terribly sorry about that. But, we'll be making up for it. After all, the Holidays are upon us, which of course means more time to write.
That being said, I want to thank everyone who's been sticking by. In my eyes, you guys are the real champs. Thanks for sticking by us and continuing to support us!