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Miles Edgeworth dialed the number and waited. It went straight to voicemail, of course.
"This is Manfred von Karma. Leave a message."
He had no need for politeness--no use for apologies or the words "please" or "thank you." He did not need to explain who he was, where he worked, or what he did. Everyone knew the name Manfred von Karma. And everyone feared it. He knew this better than anyone. Why waste his breath with such needless formalities?
Miles leaned back in his chair and cleared his throat.
"...Sir, this is Miles Edgeworth." He said. "Please, call me when you get a chance so that I can explain myself."
He tried to think of something else to say. But taking a cue from his mentor, he decided to keep his message short. He hung up and set the phone down on his desk.
"Why...?" Miles muttered, his head in his hands. "How could this happen...?"
He hadn't heard from his mentor in weeks--not since the conclusion of that awful trial. And it wasn't because Manfred von Karma was on vacation or otherwise pre-occupied. No, Miles knew precisely why he wasn't returning his calls. It was simply that he had no more use for Miles Edgeworth now that he could no longer be perfect. The long, illustrious career he imagined for his star pupil was over, only three years after it began. Miles' perfect record was dead. And, in Manfred von Karma's view, so too was Miles himself. He didn't even give his adopted son the catharsis of scolding or yelling at him for messing up. No...it was nothing but cold, unbroken silence on his end, despite all the messages Miles left him and all the letters he sent, begging his mentor not to abandon him. He would get revenge on the man who besmirched his record and he would be perfect once more. He just needed a little time...
He was certain Manfred von Karma knew of his defeat. Everyone had heard about the downfall of the great Miles Edgeworth, at the hands of a rookie lawyer no less. It was all over the papers. And it was all anyone in the legal sphere of the greater Los Angeles area could talk about. The more articles Miles saw written about him, the more he overheard coworkers gossiping and whispering behind his back...the more eager he was to enact his grand revenge plot. He would take on Phoenix Wright in the courtroom once again and prove that his initial victory was a fluke.
There was just one problem. Phoenix Wright wasn't cooperating.
Despite earning much renown for defeating a notorious local legend in the courtroom, Wright seemed to be in no rush to take on another case. Miles didn't understand it one bit. After establishing a reputation of excellence, Miles was flooded with offers to prosecute various high profile cases. Almost every time a murder occurred within the jurisdiction, he was immediately offered the case. And Miles took each and every one of these requests, juggling multiple complex trials at once. His sleep schedule (and overall health) suffered greatly, but he supposed this was the price he had to pay in order to achieve his legacy as a ruthless, prolific prosecutor. To turn down a case would be tantamount to surrender. And a von Karma never surrendered! ...So why has Wright held off on taking on a new case? Did he not fight for fame and fortune...? No, what a ridiculous thing to even consider. Of course he did. That's what every lawyer fought for. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even before his first trial, Miles had been bribing the various members of the Prosecutor's Office's recordkeeping staff to bring him any and all cases that mentioned an individual named "Phoenix Wright." He had, of course, been keeping a covert eye on Wright's movements ever since they parted ways in childhood. When he learned that Wright had enrolled in law school and was planning to become a defense attorney...Miles was quite interested, to say the least. The thought of facing off against him in the courtroom appealed to him greatly. The way he justified this morbid curiosity to himself was by construing Wright to be a symbol of Miles' past--back when he was a weak, cowardly boy. That boy...he had perished in the courthouse elevator long ago, yet refused to stay dead. Facing off against Phoenix Wright and crushing him...that would allow Miles to prove to himself and everyone who ever knew him back then--before he was a von Karma--that the prototypical Miles Edgeworth they knew was well and truly gone; replaced by a better, more perfect, updated model. But...deep down, he knew that wasn't really true. The real reason he wished to face off against Wright in court was because he wanted nothing more than to see him again--his first love, the person he once called his best friend, the one he shared snacks and held hands with underneath the bleachers in the schoolyard. Battling him in court would give him an excuse to meet him, to see how Wright had changed. Part of him had hoped that he had become just as corrupt and irredeemable as Miles himself. But when they finally did reunite in court--it was clear that Phoenix hadn't changed a bit. He was still so selfless, so kind-hearted, so childish, so naive...
"You were supposed to show me that I made the right decision." Miles said. "You were supposed to show me that my fall was inevitable..."
A knock came at his office door.
"...Come in." Miles said.
And as if on cue, his visitor turned out to be one of the recordkeepers he was bribing. The woman set a file down on his desk.
"As per our agreement..." She said. "...I've brought you a record we received just a half hour ago, with the name 'Phoenix Wright' listed on it."
"...So it does." Miles said, spotting Wright's name as he perused the form. It was another murder. An actor found dead at Global Studios. "And no prosecutor has taken on the case?"
"No, sir." The woman said. "It's like we agreed. You are the first person in the entire Prosecutor's Office to know."
"Excellent." Miles said, tucking the file underneath his arm as he stood up. "Please excuse me."
__
"...Mr. Edgeworth?" Lana said as he barged into her office unannounced. "I'm in the middle of--"
"I am taking on this case." Miles said, placing the file down on her desk.
"...I hadn't even heard about this." Lana said, flipping through the report.
"Give me this case, Miss Skye." Miles said. "Please."
"Mr. Edgeworth, I..." Lana sighed. "...Listen, remember what we discussed a few days ago? My offer still stands. If you'd like some time off, you've earned it."
"I am not taking time off." Miles said. "Why do you think I need time off?"
"Ever since the Redd White trial, you...you've been acting erratically." Lana said. "Everyone in the office has noticed it. We all think that you need a vacation."
"Nonsense." Miles said. "Utter nonsense! I do not take vacations."
"...You really are von Karma's pupil." Lana said. "Listen, Mr. Edgeworth--"
"Give. Me. The. Case." Miles said. "Please. I will win this time. I promise."
"If you think you can handle it, then..." Lana said. "...I suppose I am in no position to deny your request."
Miles couldn't help but grin. This was just one of the many benefits of being a von Karma. You had more power in the Prosecutor's Office than even the Chief--the one ostensibly "in charge." Von Karma had a network of powerful allies--both within the LA legal system, and outside of it. No one wanted to make an enemy of a von Karma...for if you did, then you'd certainly find yourself out of a job quite quickly. Of course, at that precise moment, Miles found himself disowned--and thus, outside of the purview of the protection that the von Karma legacy provided. But Lana Skye didn't know that. And Miles Edgeworth would make that sure she, along with everybody else, would never find out.
"...Thank you, Chief Prosecutor." Miles said, bowing to her before exiting the office.
"...Take care, Edgeworth." Lana called after him. "And think about what we've discussed, alright?"
Miles did not respond.
__
"...Reporting for duty, sir!" Gumshoe said. Miles had called him on his drive to Global Studios and found the loyal detective waiting for him in the parking lot.
"Detective Gumshoe..." Miles said as he stepped out of his car. He grabbed his jacket from the passenger seat and put it on. It was a chilly, gusty fall day. Multicolored, autumnal leaves blanketed the pavement around them. "...We have no time to waste. Lead me to the crime scene. Fill me in on all the details of the case on the way.."
"Yes, sir!" Gumshoe said, following Miles as they walked past the unoccupied front gate and headed for Studio One. "Seems like a pretty cut and dried murder case to me, pal. Victim's name is Jack Hammer. Defendant's name is Will Powers. They're both actors, sir. They starred in some kid's TV show called The Steel Samurai. Powers played the hero. Hammer played the villain."
Miles didn't need Gumshoe to explain any of this. He knew the names Will Powers and Jack Hammer, well. He was (even though he'd never, ever admit this to anyone) something of a fan of the show. He had to stop himself from scoffing at Gumshoe's assertion that it was a "kid's show." Plenty of adults watched it too! Various iterations and spin-offs of The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo had been running for decades. Edgeworth remembered watching it as a kid with his father--his real father. It was a real comfort food kind of show for him, and though he tried to kick what he saw as a stupid habit...he couldn't help himself from tuning in for new episodes every Saturday morning. Beyond the fact that he had watched it with his late father, Miles also genuinely appreciated the show's characters and its plot lines. It was, after all, a show with a heavy emphasis on redemption arcs for villains, and a message that there's at least a shred of goodness in everyone. It was a hokey message, and Edgeworth wasn't even sure if he agreed with it...still, he resonated with it to some degree. In fact, there were rumors on the fan forums that the Evil Magistrate himself was due to be redeemed in the season finale. But Miles supposed that was never going to happen now. The show would likely be cancelled due to the murder, he thought. But now was hardly the time to be thinking about such things...
"Oh, by the way, I met the lawyer who'll be representing Mr. Powers in court." Gumshoe said. "I don't know how to tell you this, sir, but...the guy you'll be facing off against is--"
"Wright." Miles said. "I'm aware."
"...Sir, I've been meaning to ask you something." Gumshoe said.
"If it's not relevant to the case, I don't want to hear it." Miles said.
"Well, it's not irrelevant, I suppose." Gumshoe said. "About that Wright guy. I get this feeling that you...know him. Like, that you two have met somewhere before. Is that true?"
"It's none of your concern." Miles said. "And it's not something I'd like to dwell on."
"Sir, please, I'm just a bit worried about you--" Gumshoe said.
"I'm fine, Detective." Miles said. "I'm perfectly fine, I assure you. Drop this topic of conversation before I drop you from this case."
"Alright, alright, fine!" Gumshoe said. "...Sorry. Didn't mean to touch a nerve, sir. But...if you need to talk...just let me know, alright?"
"You're a detective, not a therapist." Miles said. "You're being paid to help me investigate. So why don't you quiet down and do what you came here to do!?"
"...Yes, sir." Gumshoe said. "Got it. I...I won't bring it up anymore."
__
After several hours of investigating around Global Studios--gathering evidence and talking to potential witnesses--Miles was about to call it quits for the night. The sun was setting and he would prefer to have a good night's sleep before the trial (though he knew that the odds of him sleeping at all were slim). Bidding farewell to Gumshoe, who was going to stay behind in Studio One and investigate for a couple more hours, Miles went to the parking lot and was about. He was about to get in his car, when he happened to look over and see a woman in the vehicle parked next to his--a luxurious, expensive-looking, black sports car. The woman in the driver's seat had the window rolled down and was smoking. She made eye contact with Miles. He hadn't run into her earlier while running around Global Studios with Gumshoe, and on the off chance that her testimony might prove relevant, he decided to speak with her.
"Pardon me, miss." Miles said, walking over to her car.
"Yes?" She said, blowing a ring of smoke into the air as she turned to face him. "May I help you?"
"My name is Miles Edgeworth." He said, presenting her with his badge. "I am the prosecutor who has been assigned to the Will Powers case. If you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you about the case."
"...I suppose I can spare a minute or two." She said.
"Excellent." Miles said, grabbing his notepad. "What is your name and occupation?"
"Dee Vasquez." She said. "I am a producer here at Global Studios."
"I see." Miles said. "What can you tell me about the case? Any piece of information would be helpful."
"...I can't tell you much, I'm afraid." Vasquez said. "I wasn't anywhere near the crime scene when the murder occurred. I was wrapped up in a meeting at Studio Two all day. I only heard about what happened long after Hammer was found dead."
"Can you tell me anything about the victim or the defendant?" Miles said.
"...Again, there's not much to say." Vasquez said. "I barely knew Hammer. And Powers...he looks scary, but he's really just a big old teddy bear. Or, that's what he seemed like on the outside. I never would have thought he'd be arrested for murder. But...oftentimes, people are not what they seem. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"I...suppose." Miles said.
"...I've heard of you." Vasquez said. "From the papers. Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth...the von Karma prodigy with a perfect, one hundred percent conviction rate. Even the most powerful criminals--mafioso types and corrupt politicians and the like--they're all said to fear him. But if the rumors are to be believed, he may be a criminal himself."
"...I don't know what you mean, Miss Vasquez." Miles said, trying to remain calm.
"Oh, you know perfectly well what I'm referring to." Vasquez said. "Forged evidence, bribery, and the like. You know...if this whole murder case doesn't kill Global Studios, maybe we'll end up making a movie based on your life. A prosecutor who fights crime with crime. It's an idea with some potential. But of course...if we did end up making such a film, we'd have to put a disclaimer in the credits that it's a work of fiction, all similarities to real people and real events are purely coincidental, yadda yadda yadda. Otherwise, you'd sue us for defamation. Then we'd really be in trouble!"
Vasquez laughed. Miles put his notepad away in his jacket.
"...Thank you for your information, Miss Vasquez." Miles said. "Have a good evening."
"You too." Vasquez said. "And best of luck at the trial. ...Not that you'll be needing it."
Miles got in his car and drove away.
Dee Vasquez's dry, sardonic laugh echoed in his mind all night long...