Time to finish off the investigation and find out who is really behind this case.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this

DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 37

The True Mastermind

December 27, Ansem Law Offices

J and Jaden walk into Ansem's office and to their surprise Ansem was there in the open sitting on his office couch. But what they learned from Hunter still haunted there heads.

"M-Mr. Ansem!" J said a little concerned.

"Ah, hello there." Ansem said smiling "What's wrong? You look troubled."

"No kidding! I can't believe you're not!" Jaden said to him annoyed.

"M-my, my, my…" Ansem said unnerved at that. "Just calm down and tell me what's happened, hmm?"

"It's M-Mr. Deamonne! He…He…" Jaden said in tears. He and J begin to explain what they learned.

"I see…" Ansem said concerned after hearing it all "So, Hunter dreamt he shot his own father?"

"It's o-only a dream! Only a dream!" Jaden said to him and himself.

Ansem sips some tea as he thinks and said "I wonder…"

"W-what…?" Jaden said surprised.

"If that's the case, then why do you two look so troubled, hmm?" Ansem asked them both.

"W-well…" Jaden said but unable to answer.

"Also, consider this." Ansem added in saying "Saxon quite certainly holds a deep grudge against Hunter Deamonne. So deep, he'd want to frame him for murder. This leads me to surmise...That Mr. Deamonne's dream was NOT a dream. It was real. As you imagined." Ansem then further explained "Hunter Deamonne threw the pistol to save his father…the pistol fired…and the deed was done."

"N…No!" Jaden said tearing up. "I don't believe it!"

"Saxon was suspected of murder, and his career as a Purge Trooper bailiff was irrevocably wrecked." Ansem explained "Thus he sought revenge on Hunter Deamonne. This was his last chance, of course, with the statute of limitations so close."

"What do you know about Hunter's father?" J asked Ansem and sips some oil.

Ansem thinks a moment and says "He was a defence attorney without peer. It sounds trite, but it's true. Well, he may have had one peer now that I think about it. Your mentor Terra Yuki."

"My brother…?" Jaden asked surprised.

"Darius Deamonne was very disapproving of Mr. Belos' techniques." Ansem continued.

'That's no surprise…' J thinks on that nodding.

"Belos is an extreme man." Ansem said sighing "Forged testimonies and evidence are nothing to him. The result: he has a perfect win record in court. To beat him, Darius Deamonne tried to call attention to his methods."

"And…?" Jaden asked wanting to know what happened.

"He lost." Ansem said sadly. "And he died in despair, as it were."

"I see…" Jaden said sadly.

"When Darius Deamonne was killed, the police troopers called on a Keyblade Warrior." Ansem continued to say and holds up Eraqus' photo and looks to Jaden "That was your father, Eraqus Yuki."

We then come to the past of Eraqus channelling Darius' spirit while talking to the Police Troopers.

"I am Darius Deamonne….I have been killed…" Eraqus/Darius speaks "The one who shot me…was the Purge Trooper bailiff…Gar Saxon."

We return to the present as Ansem finishes by saying "Yet Saxon was found innocent."

"That's when my father left us." Jaden said sadly. "Everyone called him a fraud."

"That's right. Everyone thought he was, you see." Ansem said nodding. "Yet…now that I think about it. It seems the one who lied was Darius Deamonne's ghost…" This surprised the two as Ansem explained "Darius Deamonne must have known who shot him."

"I don't believe it…" J said in shock. "So, you're saying he falsified his 'testimony'? That Hunter's dad lied to protect his son…?"

"It's only a possibility, mind you." Ansem told her. "But…a possibility nonetheless." J nods and gets the letter out and hands it to him "I see! So this is the letter?" He looks at it "It does seem that Saxon was following this letter…when he killed Ironwood."

"But, why kill James Ironwood?" Jaden asked confused.

"Ironwood was a skilled defence attorney." Ansem said nodding. "But…he defended clients not for their sake, but for his own."

"Huh? His own sake?" J asked at that.

"He never trusted his clients, that one." Ansem said sighing. "The only thing he trusted was his own ability."

"But he got his client found innocent. So why should it matter?" Jaden asked him.

"Actually, my son, it's quite different." Ansem told him and explained "He won that innocent verdict for no one but himself. Saxon was a free man, but socially, he was ruined.

'Huh…?' J thought confused.

"You'll understand soon enough." Ansem told her seeing J's confused face. He looks at the letter and said "Wait!"

"What is it?" J asked him.

"This letter…I've seen this handwriting somewhere before…a long time ago!" Ansem told them both. "Whose handwriting was this…? Do you have any idea who wrote this?"

J had an idea on who made this letter but it was just an idea, but this will confirm it to her and said "Hmmm…Could it be Belos?"

"Belos? Why would he have something to do with this?" Ansem said thinking.

"Um, well, I'm not sure…" J said shrugging.

"Hmm? Belos….Belos…" Ansem said thinking looking at the letter "W-wait! You're right, my dear! This is Belos' handwriting, I'm sure of it! I used to see it all the time on court reports…"

"Whaaaaat?! But…but that means…!" Jaden said in shock. "Th-the one who told Mr. Saxon to kill was…"

"Correct. Emperor Prosecutor Belos, himself!" Ansem said with a nod.

"What does this mean, then?" J asked concerned. "Why would Belos want to frame Hunter...?"

"If it truly was Belos who wrote this letter, then he would know the truth." Ansem said thinking "He would know that Hunter Deamonne had accidentally killed his own father." J's eyes widen in shock "He'll say as much tomorrow in court, I should think. He'll press the point until the court finds Hunter Deamonne 'guilty.'"

"Oh no!" J said in worry.

"B-but how could Belos know about Mr. Deamonne's past like that?" Jaden asked. "Even Mr. Deamonne thought it was just a nightmare!"

"Hmm…That, I do not know." Ansem said thinking. "Yet I do know that Belos is both persistent…and a perfectionist. He may be seeking to satisfy a grudge against Darius Deamonne by hurting his son."

"What do you mean?" J asked curious.

"It was fifteen years ago…" Ansem began to say "Belos met Darius Deamonne in court, and Belos did win…But he didn't make it through the trial unscarred."

"What happened in the trial between Hunter's dad and Belos?" J asked him.

"Belos got the 'guilty' verdict he wanted. He won the trial." Ansem began to explain "But Darius Deamonne accused Belos of faulty evidence. And though he lost the trial, Mr. Deamonne's accusation stood."

"Faulty evidence?" Jaden asked.

"It was the only penalty Belos has ever received in his career as a prosecutor." Ansem said nodding. "Darius Deamonne dealt a blow to his perfect trial record."

"Wow." Jaden said amazed.

"It must have been quite a shock to Belos." Ansem said thinking "He took a vacation for several months after that, you see."

"A vacation…?" J asked about that.

"Yes, an unusual event for the man." Ansem said with a nod. "That was the first, and the last vacation he's taken in his many years of prosecuting."

"Really?! He doesn't take vacations?" Jaden said in shock. "Like…go to the sea, or, un, to the mountains? Don't tell me he's never been to Europe?!"

"You have strange ideas about vacations, Jaden." J said to him.

"In any case…That was the only time he took a vacation from work." Ansem said nodding. "I believe the penalty upset him quite a lot."

'Odd…If we wanted to keep a perfect record so badly…why would he take such a long vacation?' J thinks on this event.

"What do we do, J?" Jaden asked concerned. "Belos is going to bring up DL-6, you can bet on it! What if Mr. Deamonne pleads guilty to DL-6?!"

"I won't let him!" J said slamming her hand on the table.

"Erm, yes, Miss. J…" Ansem said concerned "I hate to say this…But even accidental murder is murder, you know."

"I know that!" J said to him. She shakes as she adds "I…I just believe in Hunter's innocence! I can't believe he'd kill someone!"

"B-but, J!" Jaden said sadly. "Mr. Deamonne admits it himself! His father must have lied to protect him, from beyond the grave..."

"I don't care!" J lets out. "I know he's not guilty!

Ansem looks at J and said "Miss. J…If you say so, I suppose I could go check again. The police trooper files might hold something of interest."

"Mr. Ansem…thank you!" J said with a smile.

"I can't promise anything. In fact, I think the chances of finding something are slim." Ansem told her.

"I understand." J said with a nod. 'The police trooper materials…hmm.'

J and Jaden say goodbye to Ansem and head for the Police Trooper Criminal Affairs department.

December 27, Police Trooper Department, Criminal Affairs

The two walk in and see very few Police Stormtroopers in the building. The Police Chief Trooper was their excited as he was going to be able to present the Blue Kuriboh to the department to make it the official department mascot

"There's hardly anyone here…" Jaden said looking around.

"Everyone must be out looking for the old guy…Saxon." J guessed thinking.

"Ah, it's you." A Police Scout Trooper said seeing them and approaches them. "I don't think N will be coming back today. He's staying out late looking for someone."

"Sounds like Detective N is pounding the pavement for real!" Jaden said to that, he thinks and asks the Scout trooper "Um, we were wondering if we could check out the Records Room again…"

"Well, now, I can't have just anyone wandering around in there." The Scout Trooper said thinking "But…I guess Mr. Belos is in there now, anyway. You can go in as long as he's there."

"Belos…?" Jaden said concerned.

"Yes. He just arrived actually." The Scout Trooper said nodding.

'Belos' in the Records Room!' J thinks concerned.

"J! Let's hurry!" Jaden said to her.

J nods and the two head for the Records Room.

December 27, Police Trooper Department, Records Room

They walk into the room and don't see any one else around.

"Dusty as always!" Jaden said to that.

"We were only here just yesterday. I'm sure they just haven't had time to clean…" J told him and looks around concerned.

"What's wrong, J?" Jaden asked her.

"Nothing. I was just noticing that he isn't here." J said concerned. "Belos…" She looks and sees one of the cabinet drawers used to hold evidence is open a bit.

"Huh? One of the drawers here is open." Jaden said seeing it too.

"Someone must have been looking in it recently." J said thinking.

"The label says, 'Unsolved Cases: Evidence'" Jaden said reading the label.

"Hmmm…'Unsolved Cases'?" J said thinking

"J!" Jaden said in shock as he looks in the drawer "The file for DL-6…It's completely empty!"

"Wh-what?!" J said in shock

"What are you doing in here!" The voice of Belos is heard.

"Ah!" Jaden jumps as he and J looks to see Belos standing their in his full getup, mask included and holding a staff in his right hand and a lot of files under his left arm. "B-B-Belos!"

"You…!" Belos said looking at Jaden and asked, "How do you know my name?"

"Huh?" Jaden said confused.

"Have we met?" Belos asked him.

"W-w-what are you saying?!" Jaden said in shock "We see each other every day, don't we? We're Hunter Deamonne's defence team!"

"Defence team…?" Belos asked and chuckles as he seems to be smirking under his mask and said "I beg your pardon, you see, I rarely remember defence attorneys. They are like bugs to me. Needless things, to be crushed."

'I can see how this guy was Hunter's mentor.' J thinks with a glare.

"Uh, umm…Mr. Deamonne is your student, right?" Jaden asked Belos.

Belos remains quiet for a moment then said "A romanticist who still can't shed that vaneer of amateurism. Just like his father. Always second rate."

"Mr. Belos…You had an axe to grind with Mr. Darius Deamonne, didn't you?" J asked him.

"Me? A grudge against a mere defence attorney? Why?" Belos asked her.

"Because he dealt a blow to your otherwise perfect trial record?" J said to him.

"Hmph." Belos just said to that.

"So, you did…but what I don't get it…Why did you take his son under your wing afterwards?" J asked him. "The son of your most bitter rival?"

Belos looks at her serious and just said "That, my dear attorney, is none of your business." He then gives a smirking look and said "Tomorrow will be the last day of this trial. It's been a while since I've had a defence attorney last this long. Still, you will lose in the end. Hunter Deamonne will admit his own guilt."

"His guilt of 15 years ago, you mean?" J asked him.

Belos looks at her keeping the smirking looking and said "You're quite the researcher. If you've done your homework so well, then certainly, you must understand. You know what Hunter Deamonne will tell the court tomorrow."

'We were right…So Belos is going to bring up DL-6 in court tomorrow.' J thinks she decides present the letter to Belos and said "Mr. Belos, have a look at this." Belos looks at it "This was you, wasn't it? You instructed Gar Saxon to commit murder."

Belos remains silent a bit then said "Gar Saxon…How many years has it been since I've heard him called by that name." He then gives a smirking look "He's a fool. I told him to burn it after he read it."

Jaden eyes widen and he glares saying "S-so you admit it! You…you wrote Mr. Saxon this letter!"

"Yes, my dear defence attorney." Belos said nodding. "Thank you for taking the trouble to bring it to me. You've save me from a lot of needless hassle." He flips a switch on his staff and it begins to static

"Wh-what?!" J asked shocked

"J! What is that thing?!" Jaden asked nervous.

"My guess a staff with a stun gun feature. For self-defence…. usually." J said with a glare.

"Indeed." Belos said with a sinister smirking look "600,000 volts will course through your body like a dog touching an electic fence. Even a Drone like you who has resistance to EMPs will feel it.

"Six hundred thous…?!" J said in shock, it was true her EMP resistance will not resist all that.

"Oh, don't worry. Normal people don't die from it, usually. And I know this will not short circuit you to deactivate permanently." Belos told them both. "Now, give me the letter."

'No!' J thinks worried

"Noooooooo!" Jaden cries out and tackles Belos

"Whoa! What are you…?!" Belos said in shock.

"J! R-Run!" Jaden called out only for Belos to get him with his Stun staff "Aaaaaaaaaah!" He cried out and collapses onto the floor passing out.

"J-Jaden!" J said in shock.

"Out of my way!" Belos said and gets J with the staff.

"Aaaaaaaah!" J cries out and collapses as well and passes out.

Several moments pass until J begins to reactivate. She thinks 'Ugh…He got us.' She checks her hand and sighs 'The letter's…gone, of course. And he took the DL-6 evidence…all of it. Back to having no clues. Wait…Jaden jumped first. Jaden...! Is he okay?'

J gets up as her visual circuits return to normal and looks to the unconscious Jaden as she stands "Ja…Jaden! Jaden! Open your eyes!" Jaden remains unconscious "Jaden!"

Jaden opens his eyes tears in his eyes and looks to J kneeling over him and asked "The letter! Did he take it?"

"Huh?! Oh…yeah. A-are you okay?" J said helping him to sit up.

Jaden pounds the ground as tear flow and he said "I…I couldn't stop him. I jumped as fast as I could but one shot from that thing knocked me out cold. I'm useless. I'm no good as a lawyer, or a Keyblade Warrior! I can't even call my brother. Not even now, when we need him the most. I wish I hadn't woken up at all." He passes out again.

"Jaden!" J called out. 'Payment report! There has to be some way I can help him! I'd better do something about his self-confidence, first.' She looks and then notices something in Jaden's hand. 'Jaden…He's holding something!' She takes it out of his hand and sees it's a bullet in an evidence bag 'What is that? A bullet?'

J reads the label "'DL-6 Incident, Evidence No. 7 Taken from the heart of Darius Deamonne.' I remember…Belos was holding this when Jaden jumped him." She stands up and adds the DL-6 Bullet into her court record and pockets it.

J then looks at the unconscious Jaden and thinks 'I'll prove it to you, Jaden. You're most definitely not useless! I'll prove it to you in court tomorrow!'

It was now or never she has to expose the truth or watch as Hunter is arrested, but she will expose Belos' scheme.

Well Belos defiantly is prepared and smart, it will take everything J has learned and knows for her to outwit him.

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