July 1st, 11:37am
Hakari Inc. Headquarters
Hallway A: Finance Sector
"Well, you know what they say: a thief always returns to the scene of the crime," Kay said. "It only makes sense I came back here with you guys."
"Isn't that an arsonist?" Gumshoe asked, looking like he was thinking seriously about it. "I don't remember anyone ever saying that about thieves."
I don't care what sort of criminal they are. If they return to the scene of the crime, they're caught.
"Regardless, we're looking for a hacker and a murderer. We have no idea how the intruder escaped the scene before Ployei's arrival, nor do we know how he switched places with the victim."
"Yeah, that is pretty weird." Kay spoke as she sifted through her bag. "I mean, what sort of criminal can disappear into thin air seconds after killing somebody? A magician, maybe?"
Considering how the last magician case ended, Edgeworth certainly hoped not. He looked around the hallway for signs of Emil Ployei. The man wasn't anywhere to be seen. The only person still at the crime scene aside from them was a lingering forensics assistant, and he was only here because it was police procedure to guard a crime scene.
"Maybe he went back to his work station, pal?" Gumshoe looked around, even opening a nearby supply closet. "I don't think he's here."
"Maybe Prosecutor Von Karma spooked him in her questioning, and he's hiding from her." Kay sounded like she was teasing, but Edgeworth considered it a distinct possibility.
"Regardless, we still have an investigation to conduct. First matter of business: what cut the wires to the camera?"
Kay thought about it. "It looked like a knife in the security footage. Did the police find any sort of knife on the scene?"
"Nothing of the sort," Edgeworth responded. "The hallway was checked over quite thoroughly. He was a careful criminal, to be sure."
"Amazed he made such a clean getaway, considering the time he had." Kay was shuffling through her purse. "If I could pull of that sort of trick, just imagine what I'd be able to accomplish!"
"Kay, you promised you weren't going to become any sort of thief," Edgeworth lectured. "Why do you think I keep trying to get you to look at colleges?"
"Oh, come on, it was just a joke!"
Silence. Kay's eyes widened as Edgeworth's narrowed. Gumshoe stood between them, glancing from one person to the other, waiting for someone to speak.
And with that, Kay completely changed the subject. "Well, I got Little Thief right here. You remember how to use him, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"...I think so, yes."
Kay's device is truly quite special. Little Thief is an ingenious machine crafted by her father, and can be used to recreate any scene at any time, if one only inputs the correct information. To use it, Kay simply has to know the time, place, and relevant details, and she can create a simulation of the crime scene. Lucky for us, she has the security footage to use as a reference.
Kay flipped open the device, hit a few buttons, and holographic screens appeared out of nowhere. "Alright, entering the information! Should I set it for the moment of the murder, or when you got here?"
"The moment the footage stops, please."
"Got it," Kay pressed a couple buttons, inputting the last of the information into Little Thief. "Now to set the projection to maximum output…" She cleared her throat. "Dark skies of evening, when no other bird dares take wing, one alone remains all-seeing! Now, witness the power of a real, modern-day Robin Hood!"
She completed the set-up with a flourish, smiling as the hallway dissolved in a sea of green. Kay turned to Edgeworth, beaming. "Alright, you remember the rules: since this is a recreation, you can examine things the way you always do, even present evidence when you find a contradiction! Just tell me if something's wrong, and I'll fix it in the recreation settings. Just know if I make too many changes the simulation might look a little… odd."
Edgeworth nodded. "Thank you, Kay."
Edgeworth surveyed the scene Kay had created, paying special attention to the figures locked in an altercation, a sharp, blurry object hovering above the killer's hand like it had just been thrown. It looked like a letter opener.
Wait… not a letter opener. A knife! But why throw it at the camera? Had the intruder been trying to get Atrol with it? And where was the knife now?
"Detective, search this area for a knife," Edgeworth ordered. "The killer might have left it somewhere nearby." If they didn't take it with them, that is.
"Yes, sir!"
"But if the killer had a knife, why not kill Atrol with it?" Edgeworth mused to himself. "Why use the man's taser?"
Could it be that the intruder had aimed it at the victim and missed? That they hit the camera on accident, somehow?
Edgeworth shook his head. Dreaming up those types of coincidences was for bluffing defense attorneys. Edgeworth would only accept that answer if it was supported by evidence, or at the very least, testimony.
Still, he walked up to check the broken camera wires. They were cut rather evenly, but at an angle, roughly six inches below the camera itself. Of course, that was assuming Kay's simulation of the wire positions was correct and they hadn't been altered in the investigation.
"Hm… if the knife were thrown at this wall, the blade would have hit with just enough force to damage the wires. But if it didn't go into the wall, the throw couldn't have been that powerful."
-Knife Toss added to Logic-
"Maybe our killer doesn't have much upper body strength?" Kay suggested.
"Or maybe it flew out of his hand on accident, sir." Gumshoe looked up from his search. "Sometimes, when I'm signing paperwork really fast, the pen just flies through my fingers! I've hit more than one detective that way. They always yell at me, but it never seems to hurt anybody."
The Knife Toss wasn't powerful, and the reasons behind the Camera Sabotage are unknown… huh? I see the connection, but-
That was odd. If the killer hadn't cut the wires on purpose, they weren't as meticulous as Edgeworth was giving them credit for. He had a hard time believing the killer was simply weak. If he was, how did he manage to get the upper hand on Atrol?
But if that were so, how had he escaped so effortlessly from the scene? That wasn't something that could be accomplished by accident, was it?
"It seems there's a new possibility in regards to the sabotaging of the security camera. When a suspect is caught, he will have to be questioned on the matter."
Edgeworth returned to studying the positions of the two men while Gumshoe searched for the knife. Using his Organizer as the makeshift murder weapon, the prosecutor tried to figure out exactly how a killer could have gone from lying beneath his victim to electrocuting him in the back. Kay laughed as she watched.
"You look like you're trying to get out of bed in the morning," she giggled out.
"Kay, please." If the killer were positioned the way he is right now, he would have to reach up to steal the taser from the victim. But how would he unstrap it without the victim stopping him?
"Something about this simulation is wrong."
Kay looked up. "Huh? What's wrong, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"If the victim had his taser secure in its holder, it would have been nearly impossible for the killer to get his hands on it."
"You don't think Atrol had his taser secured at the time of the murder?" Kay asked, then thought about it. "That would make a difference. Let me update the simulation."
She pushed a few buttons on the Little Thief interface, then pressed send. When Edgeworth looked back at the figure for the victim, his holder was unclipped with the taser sticking out, likely due to his leaning over. That made more sense than before. Edgeworth wasn't sure if it would matter once he got to court, but he persisted nonetheless.
"Let's see here… if the killer was laying on his back below the victim, and managed to grab onto the murder weapon like so," he put his Organizer where the holographic taser was, "the killer would have to reach around," he did so, "to deliver the killing blow… hm?"
"Something wrong, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"Kay, can you program Mr. Atrol to where his body outline was found, but leave everything else the same?"
She raised her eyebrow in confusion. "You want me to put the victim's body in the state it was found after the murder, but leave everything else as it is in moment of the crime conditions?"
Edgeworth stood up. "Yes."
"...Well, okay then." Kay made another adjustment to the simulation, only to blink in surprise when it finished. "Oh!"
Just like Edgeworth had suspected. When Atrol fell over dead from the blow, he fell on top of his supposed killer. Bit hard to make a quick escape when one was being crushed by two hundred plus pounds of dying weight. Did the killer really have time to free himself?
Unless… had the killer slipped out of this position before killing Atrol? Edgeworth wasn't sure how such a maneuver would be accomplished, and with no evidence to offer him clues, this was getting more confusing by the minute.
"Mr. Edgeworth! The victim fell on top of his killer! How did he get away?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Something was wrong with the killer's position, but Edgeworth wasn't sure how he should alter it.
"Do you want me to play with his position in the simulation?" Kay asked.
"I'm sure there are several positions the killer could slip into that would resolve this contradiction, but we don't have evidence for any of them. For now, I suggest we-"
"Mr. Edgeworth! Mr. Edgeworth, sir! I found it!"
"What?" Edgeworth stood upright, looking for the source of Gumshoe's voice. He was standing in a supply closet.
"Save the simulation, Kay. We need to see what Gumshoe found." But before we do, I better make a note of this.
-Victim Over Killer Contradiction added to Logic-
"Gummy! What's the sitch?" Kay was the first to speak when the simulation disappeared.
"I found the knife, sir!" Gumshoe handed a small army knife over, looking very proud of himself. "It was near the back of this broom closet here, sir!"
"Hm…" Edgeworth studied the tool, looking doubtful. Sure, it could be what they'd seen in the security footage, but so could a lot of things. "Do we have any proof this was used in the murder? DNA evidence of any sort?"
"I dunno, sir," Gumshoe said, deflated. "I just found this near the crime scene and figured it was related to our case." He slumped over, pouting. "It isn't related, is it?"
"We don't know that," Edgeworth replied diplomatically, then called to the police officer guarding the crime scene. "Officer! Analyze this army knife for any traces of the victim's or killer's DNA. We think it might be connected to the murder."
"Yes, sir!" He saluted the prosecutor, them tore off into the distance.
-"Army Knife" added to Organizer-
"You don't really think the evidence is unrelated to the murder, do you?" Kay pouted. "That would be such a buzzkill!"
"I would rather be sure of the situation before jumping to any conclusions. Detective," he turned to Gumshoe," what led you to search this closet?"
He waggled his eyebrows, looking deep in thought. "Well, sir, I was really just searching around the crime scene, seeing what places I could get to quickly, and it was the first thing I saw that could have been our weapon."
"I see…" Edgeworth crossed his arms, mulling it over. Then it struck him. "Hold on a second! If this knife truly belongs to our killer, and it was found here… what was our killer doing in the supply closet?"
Hold on a second… the killer hiding in the supply closet. Is this spot connected to any of the evidence I hold?
Edgeworth flipped through his Organizer, trying to find the page he'd put "Search Report". "EUREKA!"
He smirked. "I know how the killer might have escaped the crime scene."
"Huh?!" Kay's mouth popped open. "How?"
"Simple, really. Think about what Mr. Gardems told us when we first got here:
"'Mr. Prosecutor! He was the only person found in this entire wing of the building when we searched. He has to be the killer!'"
"After the crime occurred, Mr. Ployei called for a lockdown, and then Mr. Gardems saw him over the body. After that, he took Mr. Ployei with him on a search of the area while company higher-ups called the police. Gardems's shift partner assisted him with the search.
"Now tell me: while this was going on, who was watching the crime scene?"
"..."
"..."
"...Ms. Washington?"
"No one!" Edgeworth insisted. "If we can prove our killer dropped his knife in this closet, we can prove he hid in here after the murder, presumably when he heard Ployei coming. Then, after the guards left with Ployei to search, the killer slipped away, and has been avoiding our eyes ever since."
"...I can't believe those security guards would leave the scene unguarded! Even the worst of police officers can at least watch a body."
Edgeworth shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not that surprised. Both Mr. Gardems and his partner were new to the job. I can't say they inspire much confidence in me, either."
"This is great!" Kay piped up. "We know how the killer escaped! Now all we have to do is find him."
"Wait, Mr. Edgeworth!"
"Hm?" Edgeworth turned to see the forensics assistant come running back up to them.
"This knife… We only found one set of prints on it, and they don't match with anyone involved in this case."
"What?!"
"No!"
"Hold on." Edgeworth silenced his companions. "Let him finish his report. Was nothing else found on the knife?"
The assistant smiled. "There were small traces of blood on the blade of the knife. And that blood… was the victim's."
Kay breathed a sigh of relief while Gumshoe got fired up. "Hey, why would you play with us like that, pal?"
"So this knife was used in the murder, then." Edgeworth bowed to the man. "Thank you for your report."
-"Army Knife" updated in Organizer-
The officer saluted, then walked back to his original post. Edgeworth waited for him to return before speaking.
"Well, it seems my deductions may have some basis in fact after all. That's certainly reassuring."
"You don't think the killer could have slipped out before the lockdown was called, do you? He has to still be in the building."
"I believe so, Kay. And with a whole team of police officers searching for him, it's doubtful that the killer can hide from us forever." Unless he's hiding in plain sight, that is…
"Something is still bothering me, sir. Remember when we were in the Control Room, and Mr. Atrol switched places with his killer?"
"Indeed." Edgeworth frowned. "I'm afraid we still don't have a valid explanation for how that happened. If only there were evidence explaining it."
"Hmm…" Kay thought about it, then perked up. "Maybe we could recreate the chase?"
"I don't see how, considering the limited information on hand. Besides, is Little Thief even capable of showing movement?"
"Not with Little Thief, silly! With Gummy and I! The three of us walk back to Ms. Washington's office, I sit by her computer, and Gummy here pretends he caught me hacking into it. And then, the chase scene starts, and I see if I can pass Gummy in a way that-"
"Hold on right there!" Gumshoe protested. "Why am I the hulky victim?"
Kay crossed her arms. "Because I make more sense as a criminal hacker of truth? Why do you wanna be the Toukai operative?"
"Because I don't want to die!"
"Gummy! C'mon, you're no fun!"
Should I tell them they're being ridiculous, or wait for them to realize on their own? Either way, I doubt much is going to come from this.
Without warning, Kay bolted off in the direction of Ms. Washington's office. Gumshoe started to go after her. "Whaa-? Kay, wait for me!"
"HOLD IT!"
The screech from the feedback was awful. Edgeworth covered his ears out of instinct, turning to face the source of the shout.
Standing before him was none other than Franziska Von Karma, accompanied by a police officer, a security guard, and a suspicious struggling person. Edgeworth was fairly sure he'd never seen the man before.
She ripped the megaphone out of the guard's hands, throwing it to the ground before speaking to Edgeworth.
"You aren't going anywhere, Miles Edgeworth. The case is over."
Kay froze, turning back. "What? Who is that guy?"
"The intruder."
"But... sir! How do you know that guy's the killer?"
Franziska wagged her finger. "Simple, really. If he wasn't the killer, why would he have this?"
She presented her evidence with gusto. Edgeworth reached for her gloved hand in order to examine… a flash drive?
"Wait, this isn't-"
"Oh, but it is. Face it, Miles Edgeworth. It's about time I solved a case first, no?" She turned to the officer she'd arrived with. "Take him away!"
To be continued…
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. Was electrocuted with his own taser by 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 by intruders to the building.
Kay Faraday
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Description: My self-styled assistant, best known for her claim of being the second Yatagarasu. Was supposed to be attending a college tour when she appeared on the crime scene.
Toukai
Age: ?
Gender: ?
Description: A vigilante hacking organization, potentially consisting of several individuals. Has publicly taken responsibility for the hacking attempt.
Green Dyman
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Description: Assistant of the Hakari CEO. Quite high strung and difficult to talk to. Is seeking to pursue a civil suit against Hakari's cybersecurity company, and arrived after the murder.
Kristoph Gavin
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Description: A defense attorney, known for staying calm during his trials. Is helping Mr. Dyman with his civil suit. Arrived on the scene after 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.
Taser Marks
Type: Evidence
Description: Area where taser came into contact with the victim's clothing. Left slight burns.
Crime Scene Photo
Type: Evidence
Description: Body was found face down on the floor with minimal injuries. Appears to have been attacked from behind with a taser. Check
Search Report
Type: Evidence
Description: After company security discovered the body, they conducted a search of the entire wing, finding no one but Washington. However, there is a chance it wasn't thorough. Check
Victim's Taser
Type: Evidence
Description: Taser issued to Owen Atrol as a defensive weapon. Killed him when it was used behind his back. No prints found.
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. After hacking occurred, the vigilante group Toukai took public responsibility for the attack.
Preliminary Autopsy
Type: Evidence
Description: Victim died of electrocution from a single taser blast at approximately 8:15am. Check
Washington's Testimony
Type: Evidence
Description: She saw the intruder and the victim run out the office as she approached. The intruder was chasing the victim, and had a hood covering his face. Also describes how finances are handled in the company.
Hacker's Flashdrive
Type: Evidence
Description: Hacker downloaded information from Washington's computer onto it. Found by Franziska Von Karma in the hands of a mysterious person.
Toukai's Calling Card
Type: Evidence
Description: Left at the scene of every victim of Toukai, regardless if they performed the hacking on site. Was found on the floor of Washington's office.
Body Scanner
Type: Evidence
Description: Detects the number of bodies entering the building, regardless of how many signed in. This device isn't known to most employees, and detected several bodies entering with Ployei at the time of the murder.
Security Footage
Type: Evidence
Description: Video of the the chase scene before the murder, ending with the victim standing above the fallen, masked intruder. Cuts off before the actual murder. A second footage taken from outside Washington's office shows the same victim and intruder, but in reversed positions.
Army Knife
Type: Other
Description: Description: A knife found in a broom closet near the crime scene. Could it hold any significance to the case?
Update: Forensic testing reveals small traces of the victim's blood, as well as a set of unknown fingerprints.
A/N's: PTV wrote this chapter while KS and AA were busy with real life engagements. She feels like leaving notes on it.
PTV: And we're back everyone! Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian readers, and Happy (early) Fourth of July to our American ones! I know I'm looking forward to the fireworks.
So I'm happy I got this chapter done relatively quickly (for us, anyway). The trick really is to just write a little bit (say, 200 words) every day, and it adds up quick. I'm going to continue doing this for later parts, as I really want to finish this case before school restarts.
Speaking of the end parts… I want to know. Would you all prefer longer chapters, with one part for each (there's an End, Part 1 and an End, Part 2 just like in the other AAIs), or shorter (maybe 3-5K) chapters where the part is split in two? Content wise, I think both are possible.
In other news, it's now possible to put forth your guesses on who the killer is, as I can guarantee you have encountered all the possible suspects in this case. I asked the Scollard who he thought it was, and he suggested Green Dyman, and I can't ask anyone else involved because they all already know. What's your guess?
Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you on the far side!