Chapter 5: Waiting for a Dreaded Call.

Disclaimer: Apollo Justice, Ace Attorney, and all related characters, situations, logos, ect, belong to Capcom. The Original Characters who are portrayed in this fiction are technically intellectual property of Spadework2 and Kongu123.

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"We just sat there...waiting. Waiting for your fathers return. Waiting for the news of your mothers whereabouts and any potential demands.
However, we never knew the price would inevitably take your fathers life away..."

Freedom Bar.
Phil and Jerimiah sat in complete silence at the bar like they had done for the past few hours. There was nothing they could say to each over that could ease the worries that both of them harboured for their brother. 'Would he return?' 'Would he be safe?' and 'What's going to happen next?' were thoughts that both shot through the troubled men's mind almost consistently.
No. It was better to sit here at the bar in darkness then both share worries of what might and might not happen.

Neither of them barely moved until the door of the entrance opened. Both men spun round to see dishevelled shadow of a man standing before them. Both Phil and Jerimiah gave each other a worried look saying more to each other than words could ever explain. They then nodded and walked towards the Damion slowly.

"Apollo?" asked Phil gently. "what's going on?"

Damion lifted his head out of the shadows. His face, especially around the eyes were blotchy and red showing that the man had been heavily crying in the last few hours. "Gant." was all his weak voice could say.

"Fuck." Was all Jerimiah said as he shook his head in disgust and walked back towards the bar. Phil closed his eyes in sadness for a few seconds, contemplating what to say. He then opened them along with his mouth.

"What about Thalassa? She safe?"

Damion sniffed and then looked away. "A-alive."

Phil nodded. "And what about the kid?"

Damion placed his hand over his eyes. "B-born..."

Phil gritted his teeth in anger.
'How can a man do this to another. Especially his own bloody family.'
Phil then shook his head and calmed himself. Anger wouldn't help anyone at the moment, especially his self destructing brother at the moment. If anyone needed to remain calm, it was him. "Okay. That's good. The next obvious question is what are his demands?"

Damion gave an exhausted and upset sigh. He then slowly made his way towards the bar. "H-He told me to wait for a call. Also told me to get tooled up."

"Tooled up?" repeated Jerimiah spinning on his bar stool towards Damion. "What the hell for?"

Damion paused. He debated whether he should tell them the full story of what his... father... wants him to do. "He wants... me to do some jobs." said Damion only telling half the truth. This didn't fool Jerimiah though.

"Ah hell no!" he exclaimed, "There is no way on Earth that you are going on your own to do jobs for that fucked up shit."

Damion shook his head. "I've been told I have to do this alone."

Phil ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. "I don't think doing this alone is such a great idea Damion..."

Damion did nothing for a few seconds before he tilted his head ever so slightly towards Phil and glared at him. "I think you've been enough help today Phil." he said coldly.

Phil shot back in pain then stared at his shoes. He knew what his brother was getting at. It was his responsibility to protect Thal on the way to the hospital. And on that front he screwed up big time.

After realising the reaction he got from Phil, Damion lessened his glare. "Look, I'm sorry guys but these are the demands. If I don't follow them..." an image of Thalassa flashed in his mind, "I don't even want to think what might happen." He then looked into a worried looking Jerimiah's eyes. "Please...can you just get me the equipment."

It didn't take long for Jerimiah to buckle. "Fuck! Okay man, but I'm doing this because you asked me to not because I think it's the best move."

Damion nodded. "Thank you brother."

"What so you need?" asked Jerimiah.

"The usual ammo. I'll also need a bullet proof vest." Damion then looked down at his tatty looking suit. It had been through a lot today. "And some new digs would be welcomed as well. Can you get me that as soon as possible?"

Jerimiah smiled a little. "Does a bear shit in the woods?" Damion nodded then sat down at the bar near the phone staring intently at it. Jerimiah took that as his queue to leave. As he got up, he gave Phil another worried look who just shrugged in response. Phil then sat down next to his younger friend.

They said nothing to each for long time. Phil had to say something to get something off of his chest, however he was worried where it might be headed if he did. Phil took a deep breath then cleared his throat. "I'm...sorry Damion..."

Damion just closed his eyes for a second. "You don't need to-"

"Yes I bloody do Apollo!" shouted Phil while curling his fists in anger. "She was under my protection and I buggered it up. I couldn't protect her."

"Neither could I." said Damion in a monotone voice. "I...should have been there yet I let panic take hold of me and cause me to act stupid." Damion stared intently at the phone again. "There is nothing we can do now but wait."

Phil slumped further downwards and nodded. He then smiled as he turned to Damion. "Vlad's sorry he can't be here by the way."

Damion raised an eyebrow. "Is he all right?"

Phil stroked his chin. "Well, when I left him in the hospital, he was trying to drink the alcohol hand wash, so I think he's fine."

For the first time in what seemed ages, Damion genuinely smiled.

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The next day...
The bedside alarm shrilled like a banshee at 5:25 in the morning. An annoyed grunt came from under the duvet followed by a large arm slamming into the top of the infernal machine, with a force that was nearly sufficient to break it. The large man then swung his legs to the side of the bed and yawned.
'This routine...is gonna kill me...' The half tired befuddled detective thought. He got up and stretched working all the kinks out of his bones. His mind then did it's routine morning status report of his body. He was still tired, he needed food, he needed coffee and that seemingly constant dull ache for the need of nicotine was present. Tenma smiled as he looked at the open packet of cigarettes near the bedside table. At least he was able to satisfy one of those needs right now. He grabbed one of the addictive sticks and placed it between his lips. Now if he could only find his light-

"What do you think you are doing?" said a stern voice from behind him causing him to freeze up. Tenma turned around and looked down at his brown haired, slender beauty of a wife while scratching the back of his head. Her beautiful blue eyes now could burn holes through solid steel with the glare she was producing.

"Well...y'know?" said Tenma pathetically.

"You was going to smoke in this house..."
"Well..."
"Even though you promised not to do it here in the house..."
"I did?"
"And not in front of the kids..."
"Well they're not in here are they..."
"I won't have them pick up your bad habits..."

Tenma rubbed his hands against his face in exasperation. He could never win an argument against her. She was always feisty and full of energy. He wondered if that was what attracted him to her. He removed the cigarette, sliding it back into the pack. "All right Mileena! Fine! It's gone."

His wife smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Tenma sighed. "Yeah, yeah it's fine."

His wife yawned. "Do you really have to go to work?"

The detective nodded. "Yep. Got a new... 'boss' today. Freaking stuck up pansy ass prosecutors really..." He stopped talking when he heard a barely audible snore behind him. He turned around and saw his love had fallen asleep again. "So you woke up just to moan at me?" grumbled Tenma under his breath while stumbling towards the bathroom.

After getting washed and changed, Tenma lazily walked out into the landing. He was about to walk down the stairs when he paused outside of a room. The door to the room where his daughters slept.
He placed his hand over the door handle debating whether or not to go in, then deciding against it when the image of an over excitable four year old and a slightly tired and moody teenager being up at the early hours stopped him. Instead, he pressed his ear against the door. The sound of quiet snoring met his ears. He smiled. Times like this he knew he was a lucky man...
It was at this moment that he spotted his watch.
'5:40! Shit! Need to get a move on. Can't be late again.'

Tenma bounded down the stairs and grabbed the keys, badge and gun that were slung lazily on the table the night before. He then checked all his pockets and walked out of the door. He inhaled a deep breath of the cool morning air. "Finally." he said in an almost bliss like state as popped one of his cancer sticks in his mouth and lit it. He stood there taking many deep drags until nothing remained but the butt. He flicked it away and sighed in content.
'That will tie me down... well until I reach work...'

Realising he was supposed to be in a rush, he then jogged to his car and sat in the drivers seat. He looked at the clock on that dashboard. It was going be close...

"Good morning dad!"

"JESUS WEPT!" Shouted Tenma as he almost jumped out of his skin. He then spun in his seat and saw his eldest smiling like an angel. After calming his heart rate, Tenma scowled. "What the hell are you doing in here Lana?"

Lana scratched the back of her head. "Going to work with you of course."

Tenma shook his head. "Nope. Nah-uh. Your mother would kill me."

"Oh? Well that's a shame," replied Lana. She then leaned forward and went face to face with her father, her smile never faltering. "I wouldn't want to have to say to Mom that I saw you smoking in front of me."

Tenma flinched a little, a momentary tic entering his right eye. "You wouldn't dare..."

Lana tilted her head to the side. "Wouldn't I?"

Tenma's head fell before he spun back around glaring at his steering wheel in deep thought while saying something like 'Just like her damn mother...' under his breath. It took him a while to reply. "How did you find out about that?"

Lana shrugged. "You always said that a good detective should always be aware of their surroundings."

Tenma raised an eyebrow. "I did? I mean... yeah... of course I did." Tenma then smiled to himself. "You may think you can blackmail me, but I wonder how your mother will feel if I take you in now and mention what's been going on hmm?"

Lana smile disappeared as she stroked her chin in deep thought. She then raised a large cup. "I bought you a coffee while waiting."

Tenma spun round again. He looked at his daughter, then the cup, then his daughter again. He smiled a broad smile. "Okay. You win." he said taking the drink while watching his daughters face beam up. "But if your mother asks, you followed me to the station. Deal?"

"Deal." said Lana while nodding. She watched as her father gulped down the satisfying beverage as an evil thought rose into her mind. She smiled. "By the way, as much as I like the fact that you and Mom are still in love with each over after all of these years, can you not express it so loudly at night?"

Tenma began to choke violently on his drink as his daughter rolled around laughing in the back of the car.

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'Ach...tung...'
Konrad stared up at the building in awe. Now, he knew this city was filled with some pretty big sky scrapers, but this one took the biscuit. The prosecutors office almost seemed to pierce the clouds. Konrad gulped and re-steadied his reading glasses. "Well... no time like the present." he muttered to himself before walking in. He walked up to the pretty reception lady and flashed a toothy grin. "Guten Morgen."He said to her.

The woman seemed to look up from her work with an annoyed look until she saw the man properly. She then blushed a little. "E-er... hello."

Konrad's smile widened a little more. "I've just been transferred here and I believe I need an office."

The woman seemed flustered. "O-oh right. Let me just..." she flicked through some papers on her desk, "What's your name again?"

"Mr Gavin!" screeched an annoying voice interrupting them.

Konrad turned to face where the voice emanated from to see a short old man in a green suit, with the strangest hair Konrad had ever seen. "Yes, that's me."

The man walked up to him and shook his hand. "Prosecutor Payne. Welcome. I've been told to show you your new office."

Konrad smiled and nodded while discreetly wiping his hand on his suit. "Ah, thank you Herr Payne. Er... lead the way."

Payne nodded as they made their way to the lift. As they entered, he pressed one of the seemingly infinite amount of buttons. "So, how are you finding the city?"

Konrad raised his head in though a little. "Different." was his answer. Payne nodded.

"I bet. I remember when I moved here. But I think our circumstances are a little different." Payne's glasses shimmered. "To uproot and move from your home country... must have been hard hmm?" asked Payne in a questioning tone.

Konrad didn't even face him. He knew he was trying to dig for information. "I moved here because I have family here. Someone to look after the kids while I work."

"A logical move I suppose?"

Konrad nodded. "Yes."

Payne smiled. "Well I'm glad we have another prosecutor that has experience with the instant trial system."

Konrad raised his eyebrows at this. "Instant trial?"

Payne nodded. "Yes. We're going to have a vote whether to change to it soon. You haven't heard?" Konrad shook his head. "Well it might pass," continued Payne "Tell me, Germany has had it for awhile now, what is your opinion of it?"

Konrad smirked. "Well I think..."

"I think it's a great idea," interrupted Payne causing Konrad to sigh. This guy liked the sound of his own voice... well somebody had to. "It would help clear the backlog of cases and put away more of the scum..."

Konrad at this point zoned out for his own sanity's sake instead choosing to watch the lights on the floor display slowly go up. It was at some point that he realised that Payne was asking him something. "Hmm...Sorry?"

"I was asking if you knew what detective you've been assigned."

"Oh?" said Konrad while scratching the back of his head nervously. "I think it was a... Detektiv Skye."

Payne froze up. "D-Detective Skye you say?"

Konrad noticed his sudden his sudden change. "You ok-"

"I'm fine!" shouted Payne a little to loudly. Just then the lift doors opened. Payne then pointed down the hall and literally pushed Konrad out. "Your office is down the hall," he said quickly. "Last one, can't miss it. Any questions?"

Konrad looked confused. "Well... yes... er."

Payne didn't notice. "No? Good. Well see ya!" he said as the lift doors closed. Konrad blinked in confusion.

"Well... that was weird..." he mumbled to himself. He then proceeded down to his new office. Konrad opened it and was blown away. It was large and well decorated. Better then anything he had in Germany. He threw his briefcase down near the door and sat down on the large chair. He checked the drawers then drummed his fingers on the table. Several minutes passed in complete silence. "Well, this is exciting." said Konrad to himself sarcastically.

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The chief did not look happy. "Tenma!" he shouted when he saw the detective trying to sneak in. "You're late. Again." He then looked at the girl with him. "And you brought your daughter. Again."

Tenma ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry sir but..."

The chief waved his hand silencing the detective. "If it was up to me, I would be cutting your pay and reprimanding you."

Tenma scratched the back of his neck. "I know sir but..." then Tenma and Lana raised their eyebrows at the same time. "Up to you sir? What do..." Tenma's eyes narrowed. "Oh no." he said while the chief smiled.

Lana looked up to her distressed father. "What's up dad?"

Tenma ignored her and looked up at the chief. "He's here isn't he." He nodded. "Where?" The chief thumbed the direction towards Tenma's office. Tenma walked towards it with his confused daughter in toe. What he saw annoyed him even more. A group of female officers was gathered around a certain blonde figure near his office door causing Tenma's blood pressure to rise.

"And I was like 'Einspruch!' and I raised my finger out as far as possible." said Konrad while imitating said action.

The girls gasped. "What happened then?" asked one.

"Well," started Konrad until he saw the detective above the group. "Ah, Detektiv Skye. So glad you made it." He then turned to the girls and winked at them. "I see you later ladies, I have work to do." The group nodded then walked away chatting to each other.

Tenma glared at the going group.
'And I thought my coworkers were professional...',
He then followed up with a glare at the prosecutor. "What are you doing here?"

Konrad looked confused. "We are partners, are we not?"

Tenma's eye twitched. "True, but don't you have a fancy office in the prosecutors office?"

Konrad shrugged. "Well yes. But that place is how you say... boring. Here is where the heart of all the operations is at."

Konrad then noticed the blushing young girl near Tenma. He got on one knee so he was face to face with her. "Hi Fräulein. What's your name?"

Lana blushed even more. "L-Lana Skye."

Tenma looked down in confusion as one word filled his mind.
'No!'

Konrad grabbed her hand and gently kissed it. He then smiled. "Prosecutor Konrad Gavin." He then stood up and met the death glare of Tenma. "Your daughter is very nice."

"If your lips touch her again, I'll rip your face off." Said Tenma in a serious tone.

Konrad just smiled and shrugged it off, confusing Tenma even further. "How lovely. Should we enter then?" motioned Konrad towards the office. Tenma stormed after him.

The chief who with the other officers watched the exchange in interest turned to his work colleagues. "Plug you ears." he warned.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY OFFICE!" Shouted Tenma.

Back in the office, Lana looked up to her dumbstruck father. "I think he cleaned up."

The office was indeed cleaner than how he left it. So was the desk which was as shiny as it could have possibly been.

Tenma glared at the German sitting behind the desk, his fingers curling with the desire to strangle his new partner. "I'm going to gut you..."

"As you can see I have cleared out some things. Sorted some things into appropriate files."

"...hang your intestines out of the window."

Konrad smiled. "I also did all of your paperwork."

Tenma was taken aback and shook out of his violent ramblings. "Er...y'did? Thanks I guess..."

Konrad leaned on the desk and rested his chin on his hand. "Well you were..." he checked his watch, "twenty minutes late so I had to do something. Oh, I'll have to deduct that from your pay by the way."

Tenma was shocked into silence again as Lana spoke up. "Wow, you can do that?"

Konrad leant back. "Article 26 of Police/Prosecutor Partner Act - A leading prosecutor has control over the wage of their Detective subordinates."

"Subordinates..." Tenma spat out. "You still haven't explained why you are here."

Konrad just grinned again. ""Article 10- Prosecutors have the same amount of rights to investigate a crime scene as an on scene detective."

"Woah. Prosecutors sure have a lot of power." said Lana with a twinkle in her eye.

Tenma shook his head. "What kind of prosecutor actually likes investigating crime scenes." He looked up at Konrad who only chuckled. Tenma groaned. "I need a cigarette." He searched his jacket but only found an empty packet. He then looked on top of the desk. "Where the packet I left there?"

Konrad looked confused for a moment. "Oh, that. I threw it out. Smoking is a disgusting habit." Konrad then looked up at the detective who had a vein throbbing out of his head. Konrad sweated slightly. "You're going to hit me now, aren't you?"

The chief was helping a colleague on his computer when it happened. The officers all poked their heads up when they saw Prosecutor Gavin running out giggling like a school boy. The chief still didn't turn around when he heard Tenma bounding after him, "Get back here Gavin! I'm going shove my foot so far up your ass it'll come out your mouth..."

"Chief Sapphire?"

He sighed. "What is it Ms Skye?"

Lana folded her arms. "Will... those two be okay."

"Hn." He said while a small smirk appeared on his face. "I'm sure those two will get on just fine."

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Damion woke up with a jolt when the phone rang. He looked to his left and saw a completely comatose Phil snoring. To his right was the equipment that he asked Jerimiah to get. He looked at the phone, worried about picking it up. Then, slowly and gingerly, he picked it up and held it to his ear.
"H-Hello..."
"Damion my son, my boy. Ready to save the lives of your loved ones?"

Damion tightened his grip on the phone. "What do you need me to do?"

"First, let's lay some ground rules." The cheerful voice disappeared. "You screw me, you contact the police, you try and look for them, your family dies. You do anything other than what I say, your family dies. If you bring any friends or contact any friends, your family dies. Make myself clear?"

Damion closed his eyes and said nothing for a few seconds. "Crystal."

"Good" Came the returning upbeat voice. "Here's what I want you to do..."

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Kristoph Short: No man is truly innocent.
Phoenix: *Walks out of sex shop with bag under arm*
Kristoph: *Walks out of alley near shop wiping blood off his hands. bumps into Phoenix.*
Phoenix: *Drops bag full of 'questionable' magazines*
*Both stare at each other and blink*
Both: "I didn't see nothing!"

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Author's Notes.

Ah, right. I'm supposed to write something. Some words of wisdom... Don't shoot the messenger? Anyway, hope you're enjoying this exciting story which has been dominated by OC's. Hope you're enjoying the fine work by my man (a.k.a. Platonic friend), spadework2.

Howling in anguish at the s's that are supposed to be z's,
~ Kongu123

It's good to be writing again. Had a lot on my plate though this week though. My grandad was put into hospital for the weekend. He's fine now but... I guess y'know what it's like.
In other news, check out 'Operation Objection.' It's a group trying to get Gyakuten Kenji 2 localised.
(See, localised not localized, it's supposed to be a bloody s and it's staying that way. :D)

Glad to be writing again,
~ Spadework2