ACE ATTORNEY AU

[enigmaster]

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[agoodname]

[the next room, they have to go out into the hall for. The break room and the kitchen are connected, but from there it's back into the main hall. There's a couple doors further down.] The labs he was trying to get to are the next two doors on the right and left. He did manage to steal something from there, but he didn't get far. He tripped the silent alarm, which brought the GCPD in fairly quickly. [there's a slight twinge somewhere under his sternum at the mention of the precinct--but he shoves it aside] He was caught in one of the labs, pouring over their notes.

[enigmaster]

Should've just grabbed the notes and ran, really. Sticking around was a mistake. [Honestly... Not very bright.]

[agoodname]

You'd think that's what he would've done. It doesn't makes sense for him to have lingered the way he did. But he did, and hence why he's been caught. [Oswald hums a that, moving for one of the labs.] This is the one that he was caught in.

[enigmaster]

As he should've been.

[Getting caught so easily. Geez. But Edward's just going to look around idly. Still no ghost?]

[agoodname]

[Not immediately noticeable. Oswald motions to an open notebook] That's what he was looking at when he was caught. It's mostly formulas, but apparently it meant something to him. [If Edward goes and takes a look at it, after a moment, he'll realize he hears a soft tapping noise. It's almost unnoticeable, and only becomes so when the tap of Oswald's cane stops its own rhythm.]

[enigmaster]

[Yeah, he is taking a look and... Oh. He does notice that. And carefully, he starts looking around. Where's that coming from...?]

[agoodname]

[It's coming from a waist-high cabinet in the corner. Oswald notices Edward's lack of interest in the notebook and glances over, blinking] ...what is it?

[enigmaster]

[Edward's... a little distracted. So he's not so much ignoring Oswald as not really hearing him. Walking over to the cabinet. ...He'll just? Open that?]

[agoodname]

[just as his hand reaches for the doors, they fly open, revealing....a bunch of cleaning supplies.] Edward? [Oswald's coming over then. The tapping still seems to be coming from inside this cabinet, though.]

[enigmaster]

Ah... [He stares a little. Cleaning supplies... That's normal. But he can still... hear the tapping. Hm.] ...Hello?

[agoodname]

[at the sound of his voice, the tapping gets more frantic. It sounds like it might be coming from the very back of the cabinet, behind the cleaning supplies. Maybe even behind the cabinet itself?? Oswald has come close enough now, but clearly Edward's on to something, so he's simply watching]

[enigmaster]

... [Yeah, okay, first he'll move the cleaning supplies out of the way, but. If that doesn't lead to anything, he'll straight up just. Push the cabinet out of the way.]

[agoodname]

[once he moves the cleaning supplies out of the way, he'll find a small latch at the very bottom back of the cabinet. It seems to be rusted shut, however. Oswald is just...peering over Edward's shoulder, trying to figure out what he's up to]

[enigmaster]

Hm...

[Well, alright. He's... gonna see if there's anything around he can use to deal with a rusted latch. It's a lab, there must be something.]

[agoodname]

[Oswald blinks as Edward moves] What--what is it? What are you looking for? [he's going to try and peer into the cabinet to see what he's got an interest in]

[enigmaster]

Ah...

[Oh, right, Oswald. He got a little caught up in the whole thing...]

I need something to open a rusty latch...

[agoodname]

Ah, then we'll need vinegar--[Oswald straightens, starting to look through the chemicals in the lab.

The frantic tapping has now turned into a full-on pounding of a fist against a wall]

[enigmaster]

[Yeah, Edward's looking too. Pausing now and then to glance over at the cabinet, because boy, that's a worry...]

Find anything...?

[agoodname]

I'm not seeing any vinegar. But...is it held in by screws? [he's digging through one of the other cabinets] Because I think I found a screwdriver and a set of heads for it. [listen, he is not handy at all but in lieu of vinegar, this will have to do.]

[enigmaster]

It's worth a shot. Um, let me just... [He'll take that, Oswald, don't worry. And, if necessary, maybe some of the cleaning supplies can at least lubricate the latch a little... if it becomes necessary. Time to try to get this latch open. Is it gonna work?]

[agoodname]

[with some elbow grease, he will eventually manage to get those screws out. He doesn't open the latch so much as take the entire thing off. And once he does, the door will jerk open, flipping up the entire back of the cabinet to reveal an opening just big enough to venture into if one crawls. Oswald jumps a bit in surprise at the sudden movement.] What the-- [Edward could go crawling in there if he wants to...but considering the smell of rotting that's coming from inside, he might want to hold off. Oswald himself is grabbing for his handkerchief to press it to his nose]

[enigmaster]

Oh... That's not great. [Yep, okay, he's just pressing his sleeve to his nose, trying to block that out.] ... [Yep, okay, he's... gonna pull out his phone first, turning the flashlight on. Just. Taking a look. Anything visible without having to like... go in?]

[agoodname]

I'd say not. [muffled, behind the handkerchief. And no, there isn't anything immediately visible. But then, it's a good thing Edward already has the flashlight on his phone on, because the lights sputter and flicker out. Oswald can't help but suck in a breath, going a bit rigid.] What on Earth-- [it also might be getting a bit colder in there.]

[enigmaster]

... [Ah. It's one of the dramatic ones.] Mhm. [He'll just keep the flashlight on, then. And he'll stand over by Oswald for a moment, patting him on the arm.] It's alright.

[agoodname]

[.....] Is it? Because this feels rather u-unusual. [his breath stutters in his throat as a shiver goes through him as the temperature dramatically drops--before he jumps, hand reaching out and instinctively latching onto Edward's as a beaker shatters]