Phoenix wished that he hadn't of woken up. When his eyes eventually opened, he wanted to close them, to get out of this nightmare. This nightmare was a reality. Apollo had already woken up, and looked sadly at Phoenix. Athena was still leaning her head on his shoulder. Trucy had also woken up, and was holding her daddy's hand tight.
Phoenix heard breath come from Maya.
"Morning, Nick..." She mumbled out. Phoenix looked sadly at her.
"What's wrong, Nick?"
Phoenix sighed.
Maya remembered.
"It's been a week... I've got to go to the safe place?" Maya asked. Phoenix nodded.
"Will I still see you, Nick?"
Phoenix breathed in, sharply.
"We'll see... I hope so, Maya."
Maya kissed Phoenix's chin.
"I hope so, too."
Athena finally woke up, and Widget immediately glowed blue. Athena took off Widget and placed it in her pocket. She didn't need everyone else to see her sadness. Phoenix slowly got up and moved to the drivers seat. He joined some wires together under the steering wheel, and the van started. Phoenix gripped the wheel, and sighed heavily.
Tims place was about forty minutes away. Phoenix slowly stood on the accelerator. The van made its way down the street, taking sharp turns. Maya sat in the passengers seat, and looked out the front window.
Nobody said a single thing.
"Nick, can you please smile?" Maya asked. Phoenix looked at her, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even force a smile.
"I'm sorry, Maya..."
Maya rubbed Phoenix's arm slowly, comforting him.
"I'll be fine!" Maya tried to cheer him up. Phoenix just felt worse.
She didn't know what was to come.
(O)
Phoenix pulled in front of a multi-storied car park. He used a payphone nearby, and called Tim.
"Hello?" Tim answered.
"It's Wright... I have the girl.. I'm outside the entrance." Phoenix whispered into the phone.
"Good work, Wright." Tim complimented before hanging up. The five stepped inside the car park. It went up about four stories, and had a large roof. About three cars were in sight, probably not in use.
"He'll probably ask for the weapons too." Apollo whispered to Phoenix. Phoenix walked to the van. He grabbed the M4, two Silverballer's, an AK-47 and a .22 Pistol. He handed the guns to the assigned person, and they all stood there, waiting for Tim.
The elevator door closed. The four stared at the elevator door. Phoenix wanted it to break, to not open. A ding rung out, and the doors opened. A man with curly brown hair stood inside. He stepped out, smiling. Tim looked extremely muscular, and was tall. Tim held a briefcase in his hand. The briefcase contained $1,000,000
"The girl, please." Tim asked politely. Phoenix looked at Maya.
"Nick? What's going on?"
Phoenix didn't reply. Phoenix grabbed her arm, and escorted her over to Tim. Maya looked at Phoenix, and she had a terrified look in her eyes.
"Good work, Phoenix. She'll make a good agent for my business." Tim commented. Maya looked at Phoenix.
"Phoenix? Who's Phoenix?" Maya asked.
Then she knew.
Maya slowly backed away. Maya's breathe quickened. She backed away, and her back hit Tim. She looked up at Tim, before looking at Phoenix again.
"Phoenix... Wright...? The... The criminal?!" Maya sputtered out in horror. Phoenix looked down at the floor.
"You told her a fake name?" Tim laughed.
"Nick...?" Maya almost whispered out. 'She still calls me that?' Phoenix thought.
"You... You lied to me?!" Maya felt tears forming in her eyes.
Tim held out the briefcase.
"A fine job deserves a good pay. If I could have the guns?" Tim asked. The four threw down their guns in front of Tim.
Tim chucked the briefcase, and Phoenix caught the it in his hand. Phoenix looked at Maya. She had tears in her eyes, and looked broken.
"You... You all... You're liars... You're monsters!" Maya shouted at them. Phoenix felt like he'd been stabbed in the stomach. The rest felt a wave of guilt flow through them.
"Now's the time you shut up and do as I stay, understand?" Tim commanded Maya. Tim turned to Phoenix.
"You did good. What're you gonna do with that $1,000,000?"
Maya broke even more.
"You... I was just money to you?! That's it?! Nick... How could you... You promised me!" Maya yelled at Phoenix. Phoenix turned around.
"Goodbye, Mr. Wright!" Tim called out as Phoenix walked away. Phoenix was at the door of the car park. The four looked down at the floor, sadness flowing through them. They could hear Maya's sobs. Tim started to shove Maya towards the elevator. Before she entered, she turned around. Phoenix went to open the door out of the car park when he heard one last call from Maya.
"Nick."
Phoenix stood at the door, back facing to her. Phoenix looked at his hand on the door handle. He stood silent.
"You've lied to me so many times... I... But... There's one thing I need to know.. Before you go." Maya said to him. Phoenix stood there. Trucy, Apollo and Athena looked at him, concern looked on their faces. Maya breathed in, slightly sobbing, and choked out.
"Nick... When you said you loved me..." Maya closed her eyes. She held them close. She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes, before asking Phoenix one last question.
"Was that another lie?"
Phoenix stood at the door. He felt all eyes of the room fall on him. Not a single muscle in Phoenix's body had moved.
Tim tried to answer for him.
"Of course it was another lie! Now let's go befor-"
"I want to hear Nick's answer." Maya stiffly said. Tim snorted, then glared at the back of Phoenix's head.
"Well, Mr. Wright?
Do you actually care for this girl?"
Phoenix felt his heart pumping in his chest, it felt as if it were about to explode out his chest. Everything had gone slow. He had a choice. The choice that would shape his entire future.
Do I take the money, and forget this?
Or do I save Maya, and risk my life?
Phoenix stood at the door. The outcomes of both choices were flowing through his mind. He felt his grip tighten on the door handle. Maya looked at Phoenix, nervous at what he would say. Phoenix thought, and thought.
Then, eventually reached an answer. This answer would change everything.
"I..." Phoenix stuttered.
What he was about to say would change not only his life, but the life of everyone in that parking lot.
"Actually..." Phoenix breathed in. An extremely deep breath. Phoenix tensed up, before loosening and finally, answering.
"I do."
The room fell silent. Phoenix could feel Apollo and Athena's shock. Maya started to smile. Tim's face went red, and he felt sweat dripping off his curly hair. No one spoke a word for a full minute. Tim eventually broke the ice.
"W...W-what did you just say?!" Tim yelled.
Phoenix turned to face Tim. He threw the briefcase in front of him. It landed with a loud bang. Tim looked down at briefcase at his feet. He looked up Phoenix, enraged.
"I'll be taking her with me. You can keep the money." Phoenix explained, as he walked over to Maya.
"N-no! You c-can't!" Tim stuttered out. Tim tried to grab Maya's shoulder, but Maya ran away from Tim, and stood next to Phoenix.
"Mr. Wright, you cannot do thi-" Tim was cut off.
"I'm sick of this life, Tim. Killing people, doing whatever someone tells me. Trucy, Apollo, Athena and I need something better, before we get ourselves killed." Phoenix said. Phoenix looked sadly at Maya.
"I've taken away so much from Maya..." Phoenix stared at Tim, a serious look in his eyes. "...I need to give it back." Phoenix stiffly said to Tim. Maya held Phoenix's right arm.
"Wright, you are playing a dangerous game." Tim intimidated Phoenix.
"Is this a game to you?! I'm saving her from you, you bastard! I'll be leaving with her!" Phoenix shouted. Tim sighed, looking at the floor.
"You've gotten attached to her, Mr. Wright.. You plan to leave with her?" Tim shot Phoenix an evil grin.
"That won't be possible." Tim said.
Tim snapped his fingers, and thugs started to pour into the car park.
"I knew this would happen. I had a plan, and it seemed it worked."
The thugs started to surround the five. There was about ten.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright. My ride awaits me on the top of this building, and I'll be the one taking her." Tim said, grabbing Maya's hair and forcefully tugging her back.
"AHH!" Maya cried out. Phoenix charged towards Tim, but was hit with a fist to the stomach. Phoenix doubled over. Maya tried to knee Tim in the stomach, but Tim put an elbow around Maya's neck, and held the side of her head.
"I don't need your struggling!" Tim grunted out, as he tightened his elbow around Maya's throat. Maya was gasping for air, groping at Tim's face. Phoenix looked at Tim, madness in his eyes. Phoenix couldn't move an inch, and neither could the others.
Maya eventually stopped struggling. Her eyes rolled back, and she slumped over.
"She's not dead. I simply put her in a sleeper hold" Tim explained.
"Now then... Kill the others." Tim ordered.
Phoenix felt a boot hit his stomach, causing him to fall over. Apollo, Athena and Trucy all backed away into each other. The thugs closed in on them.
Apollo heard a sound of something hitting the ground. He looked.
It was a flashbang. Apollo grabbed Athena and Trucy, and fell to the floor. The flashbang went off. Apollo looked up. His ears rang, but his eyesight was fine. Gumshoe was knocking out the thugs, as a police squad charged into the car park, tasering and knocking out the thugs. Gumshoe looked at the four on the ground.
"Look out, pal!" Gumshoe cried out. Apollo saw a thug holding a knife in the air. Apollo rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the knife. Apollo got up, and the thug held the knife in both his hands. He swung at Apollo, and Apollo grabbed the arms the thug held the knife in. Apollo moved the thugs arms and thrust the knife into the thugs lower stomach. The thug fell over, blood spilling on the ground. The rest of the group got up.
"Maya!" Phoenix cried out.
"They've kidnapped Maya! We've got to save her!" Athena explained to Gumshoe's squad. A gunshot exploded into the room, and hit one of the officers in the shoulder.
"Don't come near me!" Tim yelled at them, holding a revolver in his hand. Maya was flung over Tims shoulder. Tim started moving up the stairs to the top of the car park.
"There's more gang members coming, sir!" An officer called out as he bursted into the parking lot.
"Detective, get your squad on them. Apollo, Athena, you help them. Trucy and I are going after Maya." Phoenix told the group.
"You can't go after him! He'll kill you!" Gumshoe told Phoenix.
"I have a promise to keep, detective!" Phoenix told Gumshoe as he and Trucy started running towards Tim. Apollo and Athena grabbed an M4 and an AK-47, and took cover behind a small concrete barrier. Cars pulled up outside the parking lot, and doors open as thugs stepped out, opening fire on the squad.
"Time to finish this job!" Apollo yelled out, as he leaned out of cover, returning fire.
(O)
Phoenix and Trucy ran up a spiral staircase. Phoenix heard Tim's footsteps as he ran up. Tim aimed his revolver down at the two. Phoenix dragged Trucy out of fire, and two gunshots rang out from the revolver. Tim continued running.
"You're not getting away!" Phoenix yelled at Tim.
Phoenix heard Tim burst through a door. Phoenix eventually saw the top floor entrance door. Phoenix and Trucy ran through, and saw a helicopter. The blades on top were spinning, and a pilot sat at the cockpit. Tim turned around to see Phoenix. Maya eventually woke up, and noticed Tim holding her. She struggled, and wriggled free of Tim. Phoenix charged at Tim, and swung a punch at his jaw. Tim staggered over, and looked up at Phoenix. Tim tackled Phoenix into the ground. The men rolled around in the ground, until Tim eventually kicked Phoenix in the chest, causing him to fly back. Phoenix stood up, and saw Tim point the gun at him. Tim was knocked off aim when Trucy shoved him. Trucy went for her switchblade, and swung at Tim. Tim grabbed Trucy's wrist, and twisted it, emitting a loud cracking noise from Trucy's wrist.
"A-AGHHH!" Trucy cried. Tim finished the job by swinging his fist, knocking Trucy in the side of the head. Trucy fell to the floor, her vision blurry. She was barely conscious. Phoenix's sight went red. He charged at Tim, and grabbed his jacket. Tim put his arms around Phoenix, and lifted him in the air. Tim smashed Phoenix into the ground. Phoenix started coughing, winded. Phoenix felt Tim grab him from behind. Tim put both hands on Phoenix's collar, and dragged him over to the edge of the roof.
Maya started running towards Tim, but saw a gunshot in her tracks. She looked left, and saw the pilot of the helicopter with a pistol in his hand.
"Don't you move, bitch!" The pilot screamed. Maya tried to think of someway out, but there was none.
Tim held Phoenix over a large, four story drop. Phoenix looked down at the drop, before looking at Tim.
"Just let her go, Mr. Wright!" Tim told Phoenix.
"Never." Phoenix growled at Tim.
Tim grinned at Phoenix. Tim held Phoenix's collar in both hands.
"Goodbye, Mr. Wright."
Tim let go.
Phoenix plummeted towards to the ground.
"NICK!" Maya cried out.
"DAAAAAADDDY!" Trucy screamed. Tim looked over at Trucy. Tim stormed over to her. Tim felt a bullet burst through his shoulder. He grabbed it, and looked at whoever just shot him.
It was Athena.
Apollo and Athena stood side by side, Athena holding an AK-47.
"You have nowhere to go!" Athena told him. Tim smiled, and slowly reached for his pocket.
"Don't fucking move!" Athena commanded. Tim pulled out a revolver.
Athena pulled the trigger.
The bullet zoomed towards Tim.
The pilot ran in front of Tim, as the bullet burst through the pilots chest. Athena aimed at Tim to shoot, then felt the gun click.
It was out of ammo.
Tim aimed his revolver at Athena, and shot.
Apollo pushed Athena, and felt a bullet crash through his left upper leg.
"GARGH!" Apollo screamed, and fell over, grabbing his thigh.
"Apollo!" Athena yelled, as she ran over to him. Another gunshot rang out, and she felt a bullet enter her shoulder. Athena flew back, gripping her bleeding shoulder.
The cops were still busy with downstairs thugs, and Tim had crippled every member of the group. Maya ran towards Tim, and shoved him into the ground. Tim's revolver fell to ground. Tim hit the ground hard on his injured shoulder.
"ARGH! You BITCH!" Tim cursed Maya. Maya noticed Tim's revolver on the ground, and stood up, running towards it. Tim saw her get up, and he grabbed her ankle, tripping her over. Tim started to crawl over to the gun. Maya pushed Tim away, and they both crawled towards the gun, shoving one another. Maya placed her hands on the gun, and aimed it at Tim. Tim grabbed the snub of the revolver and pointed it away. The two held the gun in their hands, trying to snatch it away from each other. Tim got on top of Maya, and started to push the gun towards her chin. Maya tried to push it away, but felt the cold metal hit the bottom of her head.
A gunshot echoed out.
Maya felt Tim fly off her. Tim fell to the floor, gripping his other shoulder. A bullet went through Tim's kneecap, and he screamed out. Maya turned around to see who had shot Tim.
It was Phoenix.
He held a silverballer in his hand. Phoenix stood on Tim's chest, and pointed the gun at Tim.
"You really think you can just live a normal life with her? She'll die with you!" Tim growled out. Phoenix held the gun at Tim's head, finger on the trigger.
"It's better than going to hell with you." Phoenix told him. Phoenix aimed the gun away from Tim's head, and drove his knee into Tim's head, knocking him out.
"Nick!" Maya cried out, and ran toward him. Maya wrapped her arms around Phoenix and held him tight. Apollo and Athena slowly stood up. Apollo and Athena put their arms around each other, and limped over to them. Trucy slowly walked over to Phoenix. Maya eventually let go of Phoenix, only for Phoenix to be hugged once again by Trucy. Trucy sobbed into Phoenix's clothes.
"Daddy..! Don't... I thought you were gone , daddy... I thought I was alone!" Trucy sobbed. Phoenix held Trucy close.
"How the hell did you survive?!" Apollo asked.
"That would be because of me, pal!"
The five of them stared at Gumshoe.
"I saw he was about to fall, so when he did, I just barely grabbed his hand. He barely made it!" Gumshoe said.
"Thank you so much, detective." Maya thanked Gumshoe. Gumshoe walked over to Tim, and started to cuff him.
The five started to walk away from Gumshoe.
"Hey, I still gotta take you in!" Gumshoe roared out. The five continued walking. Gumshoe sighed.
"I'll take you in instead, pal..." Gumshoe told Tim, lifting him up.
"I'll get them later."
(O)
The five walked out the front the door, and saw police investigating the thugs cars. They looked the other way, and saw the black van. The five stepped in. Apollo and Athena leaned against a wall.
"Lucky the bullet went clean through for both of us.." Apollo said softly. Athena looked at Apollo.
"We nearly didn't make it out.." Athena said. Apollo grabbed Athena's cheek.
"I was scared too..." Apollo said sadly. Athena slowly leaned towards Apollo, and softly planted her lips on his. Phoenix looked at the two of them kissing, and smiled.
"Nick."
Phoenix looked at Maya.
"You know you don't have to call me that." Phoenix told her.
"I still will. Seriously though... Thank you, Nick. I knew you would keep your promise... Thank you so much..." Maya thanked Phoenix. Phoenix put his arms around Maya.
"I love you, Maya..." Phoenix told her.
"I love you too, Nick..." Maya sobbed out. Trucy held Phoenix tight, the tightest she had held anyone.
"Daddy..." Trucy sobbed.
"It's okay, Truce..." Phoenix soothingly said.
"Maya... You can go to the police now. You're safe. You need a better life, and you'll get one with them." Phoenix told Maya. She looked at the police cars, and thought for a second. Then she looked back to Phoenix.
"I think I'll stay."
Phoenix smiled, and held Maya's back, pulling her in for a kiss. Maya returned the kiss immediately. She put her hands on Phoenix's cheek.
"What do we do now?" Apollo asked. Phoenix sighed.
"Start a new life... A better one. I need to give back what I've taken from Maya." Phoenix said, getting in the drivers seat.
"We're still being hunted down." Athena told him.
"I know. We're gonna disappear. Start new careers. Stop with the murdering. I promise." Phoenix told the other four. The van started up, and Phoenix started driving out the back alley, and made their way down the street, heading towards Phoenix's hidden apartment.
Athena held her bloodied arm as she leaned on Apollo's shoulder. He had one hand on his leg wound, the other around her. Trucy sat behind Phoenix. Maya sat in the passengers seat.
"So... Job review, Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked Phoenix.
"I'd say..." Phoenix thought. He looked at Maya, and she smiled at Phoenix.
"I'd say it's a complete success."
Phoenix Wright: Ace Criminal
The End