Morix: Web of Mistrust

Turnabout Live, Part 2

August 6

Lady Bird Studios

12:15 PM

Chrysalis Starr

The next few hours passed in a timeless blur, and I was barely aware of everything that was happening around me. Investigators arrived on the scene, but I couldn't bring myself to completely focus on what everyone was doing. Instead, I just stared at the ground, trying to block out the chaos surrounding me on every side. It was too loud, and if anyone spoke to me wrong, I knew that I was going to snap. 

A hand came down on my shoulder, and I instinctively tensed in preparation to whirl around and see who it was. I had been far more jittery than I would have liked in the aftermath of the previous case where I was arrested for the murder of Saya. Everything had left me feeling nervous, and while I was getting better, this noise wasn't helping in the slightest. I just wanted it all to be over already. 

However, I realized soon after turning around that I didn't need to worry. I was met with the gentle smile of Felicity, and a sigh pushed through my lips out of relief. "Ah... Felicity," I murmured. "Hey. Sorry for getting all nervous there. What are you doing here?"

"We got a call saying that somebody here was going to need defending," Felicity replied with a small shrug. "Judging by the fact that you're standing outside of the studios and there are more police cars than I can count, I would say that the tip that sent us here is beyond correct."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah... The director of the show was found dead in James Devine's dressing room," I said, not bothering to elaborate further. Felicity knew why I had come to the studios in the first place, so I figured that she would be able to put the rest of the pieces together. 

Sure enough, Felicity let out a gasp, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. "That's awful!" she cried out. "Do you know who was arrested for the crime? Maybe we'll be able to defend them!"

"I can tell you that much."

Mukuro appeared off to my left, and I turned to face her with a frown. We had been separated when the investigators arrived and decided to press us all for testimony. I didn't have anything notable to say that was different from the rest of the group, so they were more than happy to let me go. I had been sitting outside for quite some time, though I wasn't able to see the other five teens I had been spending my time with. Seeing Mukuro was far more relieving than I would have openly admitted, I must say. 

"Mukuro," I breathed, taking a step closer to her. "What happened? Who was arrested for the crime?"

"James Devine," Mukuro replied. "The body was found in his dressing room, and everyone agreed that such was incredibly suspicious. He's supposedly being taken to the detention center right now. Niamh was let go around the time that he was arrested, and she said that she called your agency."

"That explains everything," I sighed. Of course Niamh would want to call and ask for help. She didn't know where I was, and the same likely applied to Yuri. She definitely believed in James' innocence just as much as the rest of us, and the agency would be the best way for her to find someone to look after him. 

"There was a huge debate about who was going to be coming down here to defend the suspect, but I managed to get the upper hand in the end. Mr. Morix said that I could use some extra experience working with someone in the agency," Felicity told me. "I guess that means we're going to be a team for this case! How does that sound, Chrissy?"

I stared up at Felicity, my jaw slack in my silence. I managed to shake it off and correct my expression rather quickly, but I felt like Felicity had already seen more than enough. "Yeah... I suppose that's alright," I murmured.