Time to get back to the investigation but what revalations will happen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.

DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 36

Hunter's Nightmare

December 27, Detention Center, Visitor's Room

J and Jaden arrived to the Visitor's room and Hunter was brought out to meet them and he avoided looking at them after they sat down, he was still wearing his mask.

"You look as grim as always." J told him.

"Hmph." Hunter lets out at that.

"Um, Mr. Deamonne?" Jaden said with a small smile "I heard the story about the class trial…"

"Class trial? What do you mean?" Hunter asked looking at him confused.

"You…don't remember?" Jaden asked surprised.

"No, I don't." Hunter said looking away

"Your lunch money was stolen, wasn't it? In 3rd grade…?" Jaden explained to him trying to jog his memory.

"Lunch money…?" Hunter said thinking and then recalls "Oh…Oh, right. Yes, I seem to remember something like that."

"J. I think you're the only one who really remembers." Jaden said sadly.

"Well, it probably only really mattered to me anyway." J said with a shrug.

"Mr. Deamonne, didn't you know?" Jaden asked smiling "That trial was the reason J became a defence attorney!"

Hunter looks at them and says "Ridiculous!"

'Gee…thanks.' J thinks rolling her eyes.

"That said…" Hunter said looking away. "It does sound like the kind of thing you'd do. You haven't changed a bit, have you, J? So…. simple. To a fault, even."

"Well, maybe yeah, but…" J began to say. "I think you changed too much, Hunter."

Hunter thinks on it and said nodding "Perhaps."

"Hey Hunter. Why did you become a prosecutor, anyway?" J asked him. "You used to look up to your adopted dad….You said you wanted to be a defence attorney, right?"

Hunter places a hand on his mask and J could tell he had a pained lookin on his face as he said "I couldn't let myself deny reality like you."

"What do you mean?" J asked.

"The only father I've ever known was taken from me, and you want me to defend criminals?" Hunter asked him and looks at J with no doubt a glaring look "I'm sorry, J, but I'm not that good of a person!"

"One suspect was apprehended in your father's murder, right?" Jaden asked sadly.

"Yes. The man trapped in the elevator with my father." Hunter said nodding. "His name…was Gar Saxon." He looks away "He had to be the shooter, any way you look at it! Yet…he was found innocent. That defence attorney got him off the hook!"

'That would be James Ironwood…' J thinks.

Hunter closes his eyes and began to tell his end of the story.

"On that day, 15 years ago…" Hunter began to tell it as we see a glimpse of Young Hunter, Darius and Gar Saxon in the lift "The three of us were trapped in that elevator for five hours. When we were rescued, we all suffered oxygen deprivation. I had lost all memory of the murder."

"Lost your memory?" J asked him.

"Even now, I can't recall what happened in that elevator." Hunter said sadly. "That was the crux of Saxon's attorney's argument in court. He claimed Gar Saxson had been 'not of sound mind' due to the oxygen deprivation. Saxon was released due to a lack of evidence…Innocent." He looks away "That's when I changed my mind. I started to hate defence attorneys."

"What's your relationship with Belos?" J asked curious.

"He's my teacher, and a man who deserves respect." Hunter told her simply. "I learned everything I know of courtroom techniques from him."

"So, he's like my brother was to you, J." Jaden said thinking.

"He is a perfectionist in all things." Hunter explained "In court…In his personal life…His is obsessed with doing everything perfectly."

"Perfectly, huh?" Jaden said thinking.

"In all the cases he has taken on, none were left unsolved." Hunter explained. "And not one suspect was declared innocent. Ever."

"But….but that's…" Jaden said sadly.

"I know." Hunter said with a position that made it known he had a serious look on his face. "It's possible some of the suspects were indeed innocent. However, it is impossible for us to accurately determine that in every case. All Belos does is his job, to find the suspect guilty, perfectly. In any case…" He looks at the two. "It's nigh well impossible to find a weakness in him. Should a weakness appear, he would do everything in his power to make it go away."

"Um, Hunter?" J said concerned "If what you're saying is true, you're headed for a guilty sentence tomorrow!"

"H-he's right!" Jaden said in realization "Now's no time to praise the enemy, Mr. Deamonne!"

"Mmph…" Hunter lets out at that and said, "It's a strange situation in which I find myself, I'll admit."

'No kidding.' J thinks nodding.

J thinks and figured now was time to find more evidence so after saying goodbyes for now to Hunter, she and Jaden headed to Seadra Lake Park.

December 27, Seadra Lake Park, Entrance

As J and Jaden arrive they see more Police Troopers around and even Detective N who notices them and approaches.

"Hey buddy! Long time no see!" N said smiling.

"Oh! Detective N!" Jaden said smiling.

"Boy, close one today, huh!" N said referring to the trial. "I got so worked up, I snapped my hat in half!"

"Uh…. Sorry about that." J said seeing the had on his head looking fine.

"No problem buddy!" N said patting J's shoulder "Thanks to you, we now know who really did it!"

"You mean, the boat shop caretaker?" Jaden asked.

"Look, I'll make you a promise." N said firmly looking serious. "I'll have that scoundrel in my custody by trial time tomorrow! Come what may! It's my duty to you as a police trooper! Now, I'm off to catch me a criminal!" He then flies off.

Jaden surprised smiled and said "Detective N sure is…active today."

N soon flies back and lands saying "Oh, one other thing!"

"Ah!" Jaden jumps at his sudden return.

"No one can go into the woods today." N states.

"The woods?" Jaden asked.

'Where Todd was camping?' J thinks.

"The woods are off-limits to camping, and apparently the park ranger found out." N explained rubbing his head. "He got pretty mad. No one can go in for a while."

"I guess Todd Snap is in a 'snap' of trouble…" Jaden said thinking.

"Anyway, I'll be seeing you tomorrow!" N said with a smile and flies off.

J nod to Jaden and the two head into the park.

December 27, Sedra Lake, Public Beach

They arrive at the area with the Ranger Dogs sign but they notice that something that was here yesterday was gone.

"Huh? The White Eyesore is missing…" J said looking around as the White Ranger balloon Joey has wasn't up, same for the flag banners.

"'Eyesore'?!" Jaden said glaring.

"Looks like the hotdog stand is closed, too." J notes thinking.

"I guess Joey's too busy worrying about Mr. Deamonne to show up for work…" Jaden said thinking.

J shrugs they head down the path to the Boat Rental Shop.

December 27, Boat Rental Shop

They arrive at the shop and see no one around. Jaden sighs and said "That old caretaker got away…"

"Yep." J said nodding.

"I never imagined he might be the real murderer!" Jaden admits.

All of a sudden while remaining quite they hear a loud clearing of the throat.

J eyes widen at that thinks 'I'd know that clearing-of-the-throat anywhere!' She looks and sees walking up was the last person to see here Ansem.

"Ah hah, hello! What might you be doing here?" Ansem said smiling. "Out for a walk, hmm? 'Ahh…the days of my youth…like the scent of fresh lemon…' you see."

"Mr. Ansem!" Jaden said surprised. "This is no time for idle reminiscing! Mr. Deamonne's trial ends tomorrow!"

"Er…that is true, yes." Ansem said looking down. "But, from what I saw of today's trial, Hunter should be fine, right?"

"Well…I'm not so sure about that." J said sighing.

"Ha ha! What do you mean by that?" Ansem asked her.

"Well…I'm not sure." J admits.

"Hmm…" Ansem looks at her. He then said "If you find anything out, come by my office at once. I may be able to offer you some assistance." He nods and leaves.

"Thanks…" J said and thinks 'Bye…'

"What do you think Mr. Ansem was doing here anyway?" Jaden said thinking.

"Who knows…" J said shrugging. The two head into the Caretaker's Shack.

December 27, Caretaker's Shack

They walk into the shack and look around, it was abandoned.

"Nobody's home." Jaden said sadly.

"Hello! Hello!" A familiar voice squawked and the two see on her perch was Diantha the Chatot.

"Hey! It's Diantha!" Jaden said cheering up but then said concerned "I wonder where your owner's gone, Diantha?"

"Hello! Hello!" Diantha squawks again.

"I can't believe he'd run off and leave his poor Pokemon to fend for herself!" Jaden said at this.

"Hello! Hello!" Diantha squawks a third time.

The two look around the shack, Jaden's eyes go to the safe sitting on the TV and smiles saying "That reminds me, J! Diantha here knows the number to the safe, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." J said with a nod.

"Diantha, what's the number to the safe?" Jaden asked the Chatot.

"1228!" Diantha squawks out.

"Let's open it, J! Come on!" Jaden said excited.

"I'm sure there isn't any money in there." J told him.

"Aww…" Jaden said sadly but thinks. "But hey! He keeps it locked, right? So, there must be something of value in there!"

"I'm not sure…" J said thinking.

"Okay, J, let's see what's in there!" Jaden said nodding.

'I guess there might be a clue or two…' J said and opens up the safe and looks in "The only thing in here is a letter." He pulls it out.

"A letter?" Jaden said surprised. "Aww…boring!"

J looks at it and thinks 'Hmmm…There's no name or signature on this thing. It's handwritten in very precise, clear letters…' She reads a bit of it aloud "'Get your revenge on Hunter Deamonne…'" Her eyes widen at the name "Hunter!"

"J! Why would Mr. Deamonne's name be on here…?" Jaden asked concerned.

"How should I know?! I'm going to read the whole thing…!" J told him.

J reads the Letter "'Get your revenger on Hunter Deamonne…' It also says: 'This is your last chance! Now is the time to get revenge on the two men who ruined your life!'"

J thinks on it as she reads it through 'The rest of the letter goes on to describe the murder plot in detail! How to kill James Ironwood and frame Hunter…Calling Hunter out to the lake, getting on the boar…firing twice! This is exactly what I figured out today in court! It's all here….in perfect detail!' Her thinking that made her pause on how perfect this plot was and what she heard earlier; she doesn't know why it is the case but she has an idea on who the mastermind of this plot might be but that is impossible.

"What do you think it means, J?" Jaden asked.

"I don't know…but it looks like these are instructions for that caretaker." J said to him. "When he killed James Ironwood and called out Hunter, he was following instructions!"

"But who could have written that latter?" Jaden asked. "And…what does it mean, to 'get revenge on Hunter Deamonne'…?"

"Look, I don't know, okay?" J told him. "But one thing's for certain. This letter is an amazing clue!" She adds Letter from the Safe to the Criminal Record as she puts it away.

They needed to show this to Hunter and head back to the Detention Center.

When they got their and met with Hunter, J got to the matter and pulls out the latter and presents it to him.

"Hunter…See this letter?" J asked him.

"Hmm?" Hunter lets out and looks it over.

"This came out of the safe in the shack where that boat rental caretaker lives." J explained.

"I see…" Hunter said nodding looking it over. He then gets a serious look under his mask and said "Revenge…on me?"

"Who is that old guy, anyway?!" Jaden said in anger.

"I…I don't know." Hunter said looking down.

"Could he be an innocent defendant you got declared guilty or something?" J asked him.

"Nice, J. But I don't remember that old man. Not at all." Hunter said firmly.

"So, he was following this letter, then?" Jaden asked.

"Which means there was someone else behind it!" Hunter points out.

J then remembers one part of the letter that said, "Now is the time to get revenge on the two men who ruined your life!" Which Hunter reads as well.

"Two men…meaning myself and James Ironwood?" Hunter said thinking.

"It also says 'This is your last chance!'" Jaden points out.

"Last chance…? Wait, maybe…" Hunter said thinking.

"Maybe he's talking about the statute of limitations on the DL-6 Incident!" J said thinking on it.

Hunter winces as he realizes something and said "Wait…Wait, that old man…!"

"Wh-what is it?! Do you know who he is?!" Jaden said in shock.

"Saxon…Could he be Saxon?!" Hunter said in shock.

"Saxon?" Jaden asked confused.

"The suspect in the DL-6 Incident. The one who was found innocent." Hunter told them. He then explained "Gar Saxon was a court Purge Trooper bailiff at the time. We just happened to be in that elevator together 15 years ago."

We then flashback to see the quake of 15 years ago while in the court as Hunter said "The quat was incredibly strong…Before I knew it, everything was dark. We were there for so long, it felt like forever. The air thinned…and the darkness closed in on us in that little box…We became…unsettled."

We then come to Darius, Hunter and Gar Saxon who had removed his helmet in the lift. Gar Saxon was getting panicked.

"H-help! I can't breathe!" Gar Saxon let's out.

"Quiet! I said quiet! You're not making this any easier!" Darius told him.

"I want to get out!" Gar Saxon yelled and bangs on the lift door "Help! Get us out!"

"Don't shout! You'll just use up more oxygen!" Darius said to the trooper. Hunter looks on scared.

We return to the present.

"That's all I remember…" Hunter told them. "When I came to, I was in a hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling." He then continues "In court, Gar Saxon's mental condition was called into question. They claimed the oxygen deprivation and stress had caused temporary insanity. In the end, the claim passed the court, and Saxon was found innocent."

"Huh…But isn't that strange?" Jaden asked confused. "This letter tells him to…'get revenge on Hunter'…Why would he want to take revenge on you?"

Hunter looks away and said "J."

"Yeah?" J said.

"There's something that's been troubling me these last few days." Hunter admits "I…didn't know whether or not I should tell you."

"You mean the nightmare?" J asked him.

She remembers earlier back at the district court with Hunter said "It's…a nightmare I've had. A memory of a crime…that I committed."

"A crime you committed?" Past J asked.

"A memory…of a murder." Hunter tells her.

We return to the present as Hunter said "I think…I think the time has come to tell all."

Hunter sits straight taking a deep breath and said "For the last 15 years, I've had the same dream almost every night. I wake up in a fearful sweat, every time."

"What kind of dream?" Jaden asked concerned.

"It's a dream about my father's killing…in the dark." Hunter said.

We go back to the past with the events in the elevator 15 years ago again as Hunter recounts the dream.

"H-help! I can't breathe!" Gar Saxon let's out.

"Quiet! I said quiet! You're not making this any easier!" Darius told him.

"I want to get out!" Gar Saxon yelled and bangs on the lift door "Help! Get us out!"

"Don't shout! You'll just use up more oxygen!" Darius said

We skip to a bit later and Gar Saxon was looking more crazed as he glares at Darius saying "I…I can't breathe! You…you're using up my air!"

"Wh-what?!" Darius said in shock.

"Stop breathing my air! I'll…I'll stop you!" Saxon said getting ready to attack and grabs him.

"Aaaah! Wh-what?! What are you….?!" Darius said tring to fight him off.

"Stop breathing my aaaaair!" Saxon yells out.

'No! Father!' Young Hunter thinks worried. 'He's attacking Father!'

"Then I see the pistol lying by my feet." Present Hunter recounted. "I don't know if it was evidence from that day in court, or the Purge Trooper bailiff's…In a daze, I pick up the pistol…"

We then see a glimpse of Hunter chucking the pistol at the two as he thinks 'Get away…! Get away from my father!'

Then there was the sound of a gunshot being fired and the sound of a man screaming loudly in pain. And that was the end.

We return to the present as Hunter finishes saying "And with that scream…I wake. It's a bone-chilling scream. A scream that has rung in my ears for the past 15 years."

Jaden was surprised but say "B-but…That's just a dream, right? Right?"

Hunter thinks and admits "That thought is the only thing that has kept me sane for the last 15 years. But what if I'm wrong? What if it's real? They say that sometimes people shut out memories in self-defense." He then said looking serious "Maybe it was I who killed my father!"

"What?!" Jaden said surprised.

Hunter points to the letter saying "If you think about it that way, this letter makes sense. 'Get your revenge on Hunter Deamonne.' Think about it. Saxon was really innocent. That's why he wanted revenge against me!"

"Wait, Hunter! You…you mean….!" J said worried.

"It was me." Hunter told her. "I was the true criminal of DL-6. I shot my father!"

"This is bad…" J said more worried.

"What are we going to do, J? What can we do?!" Jaden asked her.

"I don't know…" J said thinking. "I don't think there is anything we can do. Like it or not. If there's someone else who knows a lot about the DL-6 Incident, maybe…"

Jaden's eyes widen and she smiles saying "There is, J! There is someone else who knows about DL-6!"

J thinks and nods knowing who it was, Ansem, they get up saying goodbye to Hunter and head to his law offices.

Well this is concerning, Hunter may be innocent of this case but there is a chance he is guilty of the DL-6 killing, hopefully Ansem can shed more light on it.

Please Read, Review and Suggest. Thank you.