Ace Attorney: Secrets beneath Secrets

Turnabout Betrayal, Part 1

"So, you've been looking for me... Strange. I didn't realize anybody was trying to track little old me down. You must have some serious guts."

"I know who you are... You're an agent of the Emsthorpes. You're responsible for killing countless people because of a wrong from long ago."

"Oh, I'm not like the Emsthorpes. I'm here because of the pay. Being a hitman gives you a lot of money. It's not like I need it or anything. I guess it just makes life that little bit sweeter."

"You don't have to do this. It doesn't have to end this way. It's not necessary to go this far, to do all this. There's still something out there for people like you. There's always a second chance for you, if you'll just change your ways and try to reach out for the future you need in order to be a good person."

"When you're in my shoes, you'll understand... Ah, wait. You'll never be in my shoes. It all ends here and now for you. In fact, you'll never be able to do anything ever again. Goodbye."

"Wait--"

"And just like that, all is as it should be. I'll be taking these... Now, enjoy your eternal sleep, sir. I'll be off reading through whatever nasty things you've written about me... You knew what you were getting into. You only have yourself to blame. Now, it's time for you to get out of here. I'll be seeing you at the crime scene of your murder."

April 21

Morix Law Offices

2:10 PM

Chrysalis Starr

Some time had passed since our incident with the Emsthorpe killer during the prison murder. Nobody had been in the agency aside from me and Cotoli since then. We couldn't take that risk. It was just too dangerous to let others come inside with us.

We didn't know what to do with the rumors of a traitor floating around. For all we knew, it was a lie composed by the Emsthorpes meant to throw us off. However, there wasn't anything concrete to disprove it either. He didn't seem to be lying during the trial. We didn't have a clue as to where we should go next. There had been a lot of uncertainty in the weeks since the accusation on Augustus Emsthorpe. Everything had been a blur after the trial.

I didn't know who I could trust. I believed my brother knew what he was doing when he hired Victoria and Cormous, but I also couldn't imagine that our older employees who had been around through the whole Oracle and Occisor incident were the culprits either. I was scared, to say the least. I had told half of them my secret regarding Oracle, which I did not want to fall into the hands of the Emsthorpes. It would be a one-step process to getting me and my coworkers assassinated.

I managed to drag myself out of my room at the agency for the first time in a while. Cotoli and I had been planning on moving in with Polly and Anton for a while, but our plans on mobilization had been brought to a screeching halt by the rumors of treachery. My room was on the empty side since everything was packed up in a box somewhere, and if it wasn't, it was hiding behind said boxes. I couldn't bring myself to leave very often, but it was refreshing to get away from all that cardboard.

The TV remote was sitting blankly on the main table in the hangout area of the agency. I picked it up and flipped the TV on. I needed a break from sitting around and moping while thinking of our next step. It had been lonely lately with everyone out of the agency for this thinking period. I did like the quiet, but it felt somewhat barren. In other words, it did nothing to help my worsening depression.

I found myself sitting on the couch and leaning back. I shut my eyes and let the mindless chatter of the TV enter my head. I didn't know what was happening or even what was on, but I didn't care. Anything to fill the quiet was enough for me.