The three mystery solvers ran as quick as they could back to the apartment whilst also not trying to look suspicious. Luke was confused as to why they couldn't look suspicious.
"Because, if anyone sees you looking suspicious, they may call the police on you. And the police may mistake you for a member of Targent. But I doubt the police even have any control around here that much any more with them lurking around."
"But, we look the least suspicious. Well, Flora anyway. No one would think she's a member of Targent."
"That's what you think Luke, but you didn't suspect I was a Targent member either. No one did. Not even the Professor and he's good as seeing through disguises and those who act friendly but are actually evil. Like that boy Clive from 10 years ago."
"You know Clive?" Flora asked with a neutral expression.
"Yes. Many members of Targent talked a lot about him. Saying he was a young boy who wanted to get revenge on the scientists who were responsible for his parents' death and how the Professor stopped him from plunging into danger."
"Sounds like the Professor alright!" Luke boasted.
"You wouldn't believe this but Targent actually tried to recruit Clive into their organisation."
"Really?"
"Yes. But enough of that, we'll talk more when we get to the apartment. Where is it exactly? Like the address?"
The three of them continued running down countless streets. They past many stores and restaurants, some of which Flora really wanted to eat at but never got the chance.
"I promise you Flora, after this whole mystery is solved, we'll go out to eat wherever you want. Together."
Flora beamed at Luke and kept his promise close to her as if it were an object like how a baby never lets go of their favourite toy. Luke noticed many suspicious people turning the corners of streets, running, wearing black suits and hats. Though he couldn't tell what they looked like or what they were doing, they were all wearing the same clothes.
"They must be part of Targent. I hope they didn't recognise us." He thought to himself.
They turned a corner and Emmy stopped for a moment. Unaware of the people around them, Luke asked her why she stopped.
"We got Targent thugs on us." She whispered to Luke and Flora. "You two, get to the apartment now! I'll catch up once I deal with these lot."
"Come on Flora!"
"W-wait! We can't leave her there!"
Luke and Flora decided to seek a shortcut to get back to the apartment quickly. They ran through a dark and dirty alleyway. Knowing that Emmy knew the location of the apartment, Luke was unsure whether or not she'd betray him again and lead Targent to the apartment or if she'd actually rendezvous with them there. Either way, Luke was not staying in their way.
Flora did not like the alleyway. It scared her. She had not been down one in almost 7 years and thought something would happen to both of them.
"It's okay Flora. Nothing's going to happen to you as long as I am here. You don't need to worry."
Flora gave a heart-warming smile back to Luke and the two of them continued through the alleyway and ended up two streets away from the apartment.
"We're almost there Flora! Just have to hope Emmy can make it here too."
Suddenly, Luke noticed more Targent thugs approaching the road. It's over! He thought they were busted. He thought Targent was going to take them away. He thought Emmy had betrayed him once again. But no, they went straight past the pair and continued down the street, towards a Tavern near the Thames. The Thames Arms, a place the pair knew very well although it doesn't look anything like the one they knew 7 years ago.
"Let's keep moving!" Luke directed as the two continued for the apartment.
The two continued down the roads of London whilst also watching out for other Targent thugs lurking around the area. They finally managed to get back to the apartment and Luke opened the door and held it open for Flora to go in first.
"You're too kind Luke!" Flora expressed with a blush on her cheeks.
"A gentleman must always let others go first, especially a lady."
Luke followed Flora in but as he was closing the door, he could see some more Targent thugs approaching the road the apartment was on. Luke closed the door quickly and blocked the door with tables and chairs. If Emmy was to arrive after them, she would have no way getting in unless she scaled the apartment building to the 5th floor. Luke quickly ran to the 5th floor with Flora and looked out the window to try and find Emmy. They also made sure they weren't visible from the windows so that the Targent thugs couldn't notice them.
"Look! Down there!" Flora pointed to a yellow figure running towards the apartment building with a crowd of confused Targent thugs running past her. "That's that girl isn't it?"
"Her name's Emmy, Flora. And it does looks like it. But we can't let her through the front door otherwise they'll see her and us. We need to think of something. Maybe we can try the back."
"No need. It looks like she's...climbing...the building?"
"HUH?"
Luke ran to the window and looked down only to notice Emmy was actually scaling the building to the 5th floor, what he thought she wouldn't do. But how? It was impossible for anyone to reach the 5th floor right? Most people who scaled the apartment buildings usually got to the 3rd floors. But then, Luke noticed Emmy climbing with some weird tools and she jumped through a window on the 3rd floor and could hear her heavy breathing as she was running up the stairs. Luke ran to go retrieve her whilst Flora looked out the window to make sure no Targent thugs noticed her climbing the window.
"Emmy! There you are! How on earth did you climb the building like that?"
"Oh you...really want to know?" Emmy asked, out of breath and tired. "Well, it's what almost a life's worth of building scaling can get you. I got these skills from when I worked for Targent. But...now I don't anymore. Their plans disgust me. And I wish to see that it is stopped as soon as possible." Emmy followed Luke back into their apartment. "Luke, uhm...Flora, you'll help me right?"
"What's in it for us?" Luke asked grumpily.
"Look Luke...I know you don't trust me after what I did, even though you forgave me. And I know you don't want to get Flora involved in something so dangerous. But please, Targent must be stopped. They managed to brainwash Bronev and have him doing all sorts of horrible things such as torturing innocent people and stealing off them. They cannot be allowed to do this Luke. Otherwise I'll never see him again. And also they might know where the Professor is. You're probably wondering now, who was that mysterious person who looked like the Professor when the fire broke out? It was a higher ranking Targent member I've been spying on for some time now." Emmy made herself a brew of Bale Leaf Tea. "I don't know much about him as of right now but I know he's not one to be messed with. Targent plans to destroy London and many other cities in the UK with a device that can level most of London and destroy it. But they need someone to activate it. Someone who is an expert at using machines." Emmy walked over to the couch, sat down and sipped her tea.
"Oh dear! I hope not!" Flora muttered with her hands covering her face due to shock from what she had just heard.
"We can stop them Luke, together. You, Flora and me! We can even get some other friends to help us out too. I know some people and I'm sure you do too."
"Yeah. I know some people. But who knows if they'll even join us?"
"We'll have to ask them then won't we? Targent's plan is getting close to complete so we only have a limited amount of time to stop them. We also have to find the Professor too. I'm guessing he's being held by Targent. We don't know for sure yet though and we don't know where their main base of operations is at. That is some scouting and research we'll have to do together. More on that later but for now, we should really find some people who can help us out. You know some people don't you?"
"Yes, I- uhh WE do!" Luke laughed nervously whilst looking at Flora who was no longer taking anything seriously but was distracted by the neighbours cat who she was very fond of and loved a lot. "Flora, please take this seriously! The whole of London and most of the UK is at stake."
"R-right, sorry!" Flora apologised and gently bowed to Luke and Emmy.
"You don't need to do that Flora! But it would help if you know what our plan is." Emmy stood up from the couch and put her tea down on a side table next to the couch. "Look, we just need a minimum of three or four people. At least one of them has to be good with machines unfortunately and the others need to know how to fight."
"I'm quite good at machines!" Flora called out.
"Yes, she actually is quite good at them but didn't you say they were looking for someone who is an expert at them?"
"You just don't want me to have any fun do you Luke?" Flora muttered under her breath angrily.
"No, no Flora. Not at all. Anything you do is helpful, honest! I would never want to leave you behind but sometimes you can be a burden on us Flora. Me and the Professor. He isn't here now I know but we can't have you do something so dangerous!"
Flora began to cry. "But...but...what would you have me do Luke?"
"Anything that doesn't put you in danger. Flora, it would be best if you stayed here when this whole thing goes down. For your own safety. I don't want anything to happen to you. You heard Emmy right? They need someone who is fond of machines. You know some basic Martial Arts which you learnt from those lessons you went to at Gressenheller University when the Professor was busy there but you never actually want to fight. I respect that, I do! But...if you're not going to fight, then we can't count on you to save us when we need it. Especially if they need someone like you."
"But...but what about using machines but being hidden? I can do that, just have faith in me!" Flora cried louder.
"Sorry Flora, but if there's a chance you'll end up in danger, I can't count on it. We can try finding Don Paolo or Dimitri inste-"
Flora ran out of the apartment room, crying and sobbing. She ran down the five sets of stairs and out the back entrance.
"Flora! Wait! Come back!!!"
"You shouldn't have said those things to her Luke. I heard she's sensitive to those kind of words." Emmy said as she stood up and quickly finished off her tea and put the cup down on a side table.
Luke sighed. He realised that Flora could be put into even more danger now than she would've if she was part of the plan. Especially with the Targent thugs still on the hunt for the three of them.
"Emmy, we need to find her now. Before Targent do. Who knows what they'll do if they find her first and find out she can use machines?"
"I agree! But when we find her, let me talk to her. She might not want to look you in the eye for a bit."
"Yes...I know." Luke responded whilst looking gloomy at the floor. "Let's go out and find her then."
"Yes, Master Luke!"
"Please, there's no need to call me that. I'm not that young anymore."
"It's for respect after all. But if you insist, I won't address you by 'Master' anymore. Now, let's not waste anytime. Let's go find Flora!"
The two of them run down the five sets of stairs and out the same way Flora left. It was going to be hard to find her in London. Especially with Targent running around.