The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown is a case featured in Criminal Case, appearing as the one-hundred fifteenth case of the game. As the final case of Pacific Bay, this case also happens to be the final case of its Wastelands (also called The Wastes).

Plot
Previously on Criminal Case, Albert Tesla made a couple things clear: he's the founder of both Meteor Systems and Pacific Bay. Disappointed with the city's direction, Tesla planned to destroy the city once and for all. Anyone who wishes not to bow to Tesla will have to be destroyed eternally, but those who wish to bow to the mad scientist will live forever in a virtual reality. Frank Knight carelessly charged at the super computer, only to be shot dead point-blank at the look-out point.

Roxie Sparks was mad at the player for sending Frank's body to her autopsy table, but made one thing clear--Frank was cleanly executed, but the player had to find a .22 caliber pistol to clinch the murder investigation. Problem is, Tesla stated that Frank wanted to shut him down since Alden Greene obeyed Tesla's request to kill Karen Knight previously, and as a result, he released five convicted killers to teach Frank the consequences per Tesla. These convicts were Derek Stone, Bobby Prince, Veronica Blade, Greta Meduse, and Erikah Mabayo.

Tesla stopped the bombing to allow Amy Young and the player to play Tesla's game--even going far to send both of them into his virtual reality--a place where no murders can occur digitally. Amy was sickened by Tesla's decision, and with Tesla eventually putting a time limit on the team before he continues his sick plan to destroy Pacific Bay, the player found Bobby committing a second murder in spite of the lies the escaped killers threw on the team. Moments before Bobby was found guilty of manslaughter, Amy and the player found Tesla's body in an abandoned computer lab where the mad scientist laid in a comatose state since 1961 with his consciousness downloaded into the super computer he created.

Bobby felt that Frank stood in the way of Amy and it was no surprise that Tesla made a promise to the disgraced hitch-hiker. Bobby obeyed Tesla's orders, and he handled the manslaughter with ease. Amy's anger erupted into hate, as she stated that Russell Crane was the one who gave her light in the hardest times of her life since White Peaks, a feat in which Bobby refused to accept. Amy made it clear she has her dating rights set straight, but Bobby still refused to accept change. As the player started to arrest Bobby, the double-killer pointed the gun at Amy in hopes of killing her to send her consciousness to Tesla's virtual reality. Bobby felt that he had more rights to love Amy than any other man, but Amy had to point her gun at Bobby in self-defense, promising him what she would do won't be nice. Bobby refused to have a life without Amy, but before Bobby fired, Amy had no choice but to gun Bobby down to death in an act of self-defense.

Amy was shocked to know what she did, but the player told Amy she had to do so in self-defense, as they trusted Amy's instincts. Amy had to call Russell to confess to the profiler that she had no choice but to shoot Bobby, not to mention Bobby's reasons to kill Frank. Russell felt bad for what Amy had to do, but felt that Amy's decision to fire the gun was an act of self-defense, something the player said earlier on. Not wanting his newfound love for Amy to head to the dark side, Russell wanted Amy to start being optimistic, and gave out the reason as to why he fell in love with her: Amy did a ton of good since White Peaks. Russell's words motivated Amy to stop Tesla, so she pledged to continue her quest to do the ultimate good by stopping Tesla before Pacific Bay fell to the wrong hands of the law.

Tesla hated the player's unmatched investigative skills, and revealed to Amy and the player that he lied to them all along so that he can continue his destructive agenda once Frank's killer is caught. The only way to shut Tesla down was to actually attack the mad scientist in the virtual world, but hoping to make closure in a positive note, Erikah had to help Amy and the player as she feared that there's no way out of the virtual utopia. Hannah Choi was extremely busy since she had to throw all of her skills to allow Amy and the player to shut Tesla down once and for all. Tesla perished in spite of the tricks he threw, and Amy and the player arrived back in the physical world safely.

Yann Toussaint won't let Amy and the player go back to the station without a cure. Greta had to spill out the cure she used to keep her sustained in the Wastes. The player found anti-radiation pills in Tesla's lab. Yann was able to synthesize an expired pack of anti-radiation medicine to a more powerful version, and thanks to Yann, Amy and the player were cured and healed from the radiation of the Wastes.

The Pacific Bay Police Department held a funeral for Frank, even though there were some bad on him, but Andrea Marquez felt that there was still good on him in spite of the bad things he did since Paradise City. Amy made it clear that she would ensure Frank didn't die for nothing before she wrapped up the ultimate investigation of her life, and she did prior to the funeral. Yann only remembered Frank for insubordination, authoritative disrespect, and on-the-job drinking, in which Hannah added that he recklessly ended his career by betraying their trust. Roxie felt that after Frank was found guilty of manslaughter in Paradise City, the disgraced cop had to do something to atone himself for such, and by giving his life to save Pacific Bay by simply subduing Tesla, he did. Andrea agreed with Roxie in spite of her and Frank butting heads at times. Hence Roxie's thoughts about Frank redeeming himself was true, so Andrea made it clear that Frank can finally rest in peace, and handled the burial. Russell wanted to thank Frank for teaching him that dumb jokes is what he required (in addition to brains and smarts) to uphold the law as Andrea commenced the burial. Amy added that Frank never worked by the book, but was willing to get to the truth, even though it meant breaking rules here and then. And so Amy stated that Frank can rest in peace, wherever he is.

Russell told Amy and the player that Erikah has one final thing to say before she returned to jail, so she told the player to accompany her. All Erikah said on behalf of Frank was plain an simple: who needs whiskey when he has Karen and his two children, Laura and Daisy. And so Erikah returned to prison on a positive note.

In spite of the hardships the team had to put up, Andrea had a new task for the player: Jack Archer wanted the player to join the world's top police force, The Bureau, so that they can continue play. Amy didn't want the player to go, but the player had to accept Jack's offer given that Pacific Bay's crime rates are now going to drop drastically not to mention Amy finally becoming a full-fledged detective. Russell admitted that he was rejected, but Andrea felt that this fitting for the player since it's time for Pacific Bay to start afresh. So Jack told the player to say his final goodbyes to the Pacific Bay Police Department.

Hannah was sad to see the player leave, and Roxie was also sad to see the player leave. Roxie felt that it would not be the same without the player. Amy told Russell that she would work on his humility as her relationship with Russell blossoms, but at the same time wanted to thank the player for transforming Amy into the cop she wanted to become--to prove that she would be better than Duncan Young today, and tomorrow. Amy was very sad that the player had to leave her, in which Yann added that the player was like a part of his family, remembering the good they did to help him out in his most difficult time in Jazz Town. With all goodbyes said, Andrea informed that the player that she will miss them too, thanking the player for what they've brought throughout the 59 cases of Pacific Bay. And so Jack went ahead to start the player's new life in The Bureau.

Victim

 * Frank Knight (found shot point blank in the head)

Murder Weapon

 * .22-Caliber Pistol

Killer

 * Bobby Prince

Killer's Profile

 * The killer eats canned meat.
 * The killer takes energy pills.
 * The killer wears an anti-pollution mask.
 * The killer wears a raincoat.
 * The killer has grease stains.

Chapter 1

 * Investigate Look-out Point. (Clues: Locked Camcorder, Fridge, Victim's Body)
 * Examine Locked Camcorder. (Result: Frank's Footage; New Crime Scene: Control Room)
 * Investigate Control Room. (Clues: Torn Card, Muddy Towel, Fabric)
 * Examine Torn Card. (Result: Business Card; New Suspect: Erikah Mabayo)
 * Interrogate Erikah Mabayo about her presence in the Wastes.
 * Examine Muddy Towel. (New Suspect: Greta Meduse)
 * Interrogate Greta Meduse about her presence in the Wastes.
 * Examine Fabric. (Result: Prisoner's Name; New Suspect: Derek Stone)
 * Interrogate Derek Stone about his presence in the Wastes.
 * Examine Fridge. (Result: Frank Knight's Police Badge)
 * Analyze Police Badge. (09:00:00; Attribute: The killer takes energy pills)
 * Autopsy Victim's Body. (18:00:00; Attribute: The killer eats canned meat)
 * Go to Chapter 2. (2 stars)

Trivia

 * All Additional Investigation legs of The Wastes, this case included, are named differently to ensure continuity with the district's plot. Hence, The End: Part 3.
 * Per the case's canon, all suspects are escaped killers--convicts previously indicted for manslaughter, but escaped due to the help of Albert Tesla.
 * Moreso, one of the previously indicted killers make a second murder as stated in the plot.
 * Due to the story's canon, Judge Dante doesn't make an appearance in this case.