Y/n sat on a chair with Skully staring at it, she wore a light blue shirt with white designs and dark blue pants. The door to the kitchen opened and Lockwood walked in wearing his usual attire.
"Hey, you're up early." Lockwood greets and walked to the sink taking a glass.
"Yeah. Tried to get us a head start, but it's playing hard to get." Y/n said frowning, she turned to look at Lockwood who was looking through the fridge. "You okay?" She asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Lockwood asks. "Don't worry about the skull, we've already got a head start on Kipps' crew. We'll be in and out of the cemetery before they even finish their cornflakes." Lockwood said confidently, "juice?" He offered.
Y/n shook her head and stared at Skully.
"What if it meant the mirror?" Y/n asks tucking her hair behind her ear.
"What?" Lockwood asks.
"Skully. Right? It said death is coming. What if the mirror is death?" Y/n explains.
"Skully? That's cute." He chuckles making Y/n blush. "I'd say bring it on. Nothing we can't handle together." Looking at Y/n lovingly.
Y/n smiled at him then turned back to Skully.
"I'll go back to bed then, shall I?" George suggests.
"I meant all of us." Lockwood told him.
George grabbed the jug full of filter coffee and was about to pour it, but Lockwood stopped him.
"There's no time for that. You can grab one en route to the archives." Lockwood orders.
"I thought we were going to the cemetery?" George said confused.
"We are. Come on." he said and gestured for Y/n to get up. "I need you to go down to the archives and find out everything you can about Bickerstaff and the mirror. Today is make or break."
"Only cause you turned this job into a pissing contest." George remarked.
"Not still in a mood about that, are you?" Lockwood asks giving him a look.
"Did you forget what we went through to save this place?" George asked incredulously, "If I have to tell my parents that I lost another job because you and Kipps-"
"We won't lose." Lockwood said sternly.
"Won't we? How do you know? Are you psychic? You're telling me I don't have time to drink coffee. Let alone assess the crime scene." George lectured.
"Okay. Enough." Y/n steps in frustrated. "George, come with us. Check out the crime scene, then go to the archives, and work your magic." Y/n suggests, and Lockwood turned around to leave. "And Lockwood. Make an effort, give him two quid for a coffee."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A DEPRAC van entered the cemetery. No doubt transporting Kipps' crew. While Lockwood, Y/n and George entered the cemetery.
"Oh, shit." Lockwood swore. "There goes our edge."
The three continued walking to the cemetery while Y/n looked at the scenery in awe. In the morning the cemetery wasn't as frightening.
"Afternoon, Tony." Kipps greets sarcastically as Kat joined him.
"Piss off, Kipps. We're busy." Lockwood glared.
"Kat and I were just wondering, when you lose this case and your little mates have to crawl under their rocks, what are you gonna do by yourself in that big, empty house of yours?" Kipps teased as Lockwood bumped shoulders with him.
"Breaks my heart." Kat says sarcastically.
"Just ignore them. We're not going anywhere." Y/n assured.
"We'll show them." George assured.
Joplin and Saunders made their way down from the cemetery. "But we'll get more when we come..." Saunders mumbled to Joplin.
The trio joined them at the staircase. "How's the head today, Ms. Joplin?" Lockwood asked.
"It's fine, just a bump. Nothing compared to this mess. We were on the brink of a major discovery with that mirror. I told you we needed more than one child on that door, and regular checks-" Joplin said.
"Mr. Kipps thinks that this is an inside job." Saunders interrupts annoyed. "It's unusual for relic men to swoop in so fast. The little shit on guard must have tipped them off that this was something special."
"The little shit who got knocked out?" Y/n asks.
Saunders laughed. "This is why we have insurance. And now DEPRAC's suspended all activity in the cemetery, we shall be raking in our compensation."
"It is not about the money. It's a unique artifact." Joplin yells.
"Will you can it, Pam? It's just a stupid relic." Saunders yelled back.
"It's really not." George defends.
"We'll just take a look inside." Lockwood said with a charming smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kipps is wrong." Lockwood said. "Night Watch knows better than to mess with dangerous relics and relic men."
"Given how valuable this is, there had to have been at least two of them." George deducts.
"Agreed." Lockwood approves.
"So, how do we think they got in here without being seen?" George asks.
"Well, the main gates were well guarded, and DEPRAC confirmed the door was locked." Lockwood lists.
George reached under the metal net and pulled out some sort of a coin.
"What's this?" George asked picking it up.
Lockwood took it from him. "It's a Tendy's badge." Lockwood affirms.
"An agent did this?" Y/n asks.
"Agents in league with relic men?" Lockwood asks equally confused.
"Or agents on their own, knowing that everyone will think it's relic men." George suggests.
"Now this is getting interesting." Lockwood approves grinning.
"Glad I came?" George asks sarcastically.
"Ecstatic." Lockwood winked. "We've got our edge back. Now let's make it count." He said looking down at Y/n.
George looked down at his coffee, entranced by the swirling of the liquid inside. It reminded him of something...
"George, we need you back at the archives now." Lockwood instructs. "George?" Lockwood calls. "George."
"Huh?" George asks startled.
"It's time to go. Bobby Vernon will have been on this since dawn." Lockwood stressed.
"You do know that Bobby Vernon can push a button on his database?" George mutters.
"Yeah, but where is the fun in that?" Lockwood calls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is he alright?" Y/n asks concerned.
George walked out of the cemetery entrance, rubbing his nose because of the cold and he took a sip of his coffee. Deciding to take a shortcut.
"He's got the humps cause he'd rather be where the action is." Lockwood assured her. "But he is our researcher, and that's what I need him to do. He'll be fine, don't worry."
"So, what now?" Y/n asks.
"Role play. Let's imagine we are couple of relic men. How are we getting in and out of the cemetery without being seen?" Lockwood asks.
Y/n closed her eyes for a second. "Probably over the wall, by the canal. The water makes it safer, and it's well away from the main gate, so if I had to knock anyone out, no one would hear them scream." Y/n deduced, all those true crime readings paid off apparently.
Lockwood smiled at her proudly. "Alarming how quickly you got into character. Come on, before anyone else gets the same idea." Lockwood said and gestured to the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George walked towards the canal, he turned around to look at one of the fallen gravestones and noticed a bloody handprint of fingers. They were quite small, and fresh...alarmingly fresh.
George looked down at the leaves and dirt near the canal and saw blood stains everywhere. Once again, fresh. He followed the stains slowly until he reached the water. George looked down at the water, expecting to see noting but a pale head turned around because of the current. Giving him a gruesome view of the murder. George yelps and jumped backwards, startled.
"George, what are you doing? You're supposed to be at the archives." Lockwood asked.
"Look. In the water." George said scared.
Y/n and Lockwood looked in the water, seeing the head of a man. Face was covered in blood, no eyes to be seen. Very dirty corpse.
"I know him." Lockwood whispers.
George and Y/n looked at him in shock, waiting for an explanation.
~a few hours later~
A group of DEPRAC officer carried the corpse of the unknown man out of the water on a stretcher. A few other agents stepped forward wearing neon yellow jackets to help carry the man.
"Danny Clough was one of the older agents when I was starting. He helped me out. Got me out of trouble a few times. He was one of those people that had no idea how cool he was." Lockwood explained.
"How did he go from that to..." Y/n trailed off and shuddered as she remembered how the corpse looked.
"A relic?" Lockwood finished.
"I'm sorry." Y/n apologized softly.
"Let's just keep this to ourselves. We need to find out who his partner was." Lockwood instructs.
"We dredged the whole stretch. No mirror." Barnes reports to the teams.
"Any idea who the body is?" Lockwood asked.
"Working on it. Going off the tattoos, definitely a relic man." Barnes said.
"Who do you think did that to him? The eyes, I mean." Kipps asked.
"No one." Barnes said. "We found ocular tissue under his fingernails. And injury suggests it's his own. What he saw in that mirror made him do that to himself. We need to make a breakthrough. If that thing gets in the wrong hands..." Barnes trialed off not wanting to finish the sentence.
"We won't let you down, sir." Kipps promised and left, Kat following him.
Lockwood sniffed a little and walked away, Y/n and George following.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Fittes will go wide. They will round up every relic man until they find something. We need to move faster. Smarter. George." Lockwood instructs.
"Archives, I know. What about you two?" George asks.
"No time to explain, I will fill you in later. Meet you at the house tonight for an epic breakfast." Lockwood said, grabbed Y/n's hand and they walked away.
"Are you sure you're alright? About Danny?" Y/n asks giving his hand a small squeeze.
"I hardly knew him." Lockwood mutters.
"It could still stir stuff up." Y/n said.
"I know someone who can help us. An old friend, works on the river. Come on." Lockwood said and let go of her hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George walked in to the library archives and walked up to the counter.
"One day pass, please?" George requests.
"We're full." The lady on the counter said bored.
"Oh, um...Well, look, I won't take that much room. It's for a case. I'm doing research." George said politely.
"Not today, you're not." The lady said.
"Please. This is important." George frowns.
"Then you should have come earlier." The lady frowned back.
"Oh, forget it." George sighed and rolled his eyes, walking away.
George walked up the steps from the archives. When he walked in to Joplin.
"Mr. Karim." Joplin greets with a small chuckle. "I'd ask what brings you here, but I think I can guess. Bickerstaff?" She guessed.
"Yeah, but I was just leaving. They are full." George smiled.
"Well, you know I'm on a board. I'm not averse to pulling a string or two. Our little secret, come on." Joplin said smiling as she walked towards the library.
"Really? You're a lifesaver. What are you here for?" George asked.
"Comfort. This place calms me down." Joplin answers smiling.
"Me too."
And the two continued conversing silently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the banks of the river. Lockwood and Y/n were walking alongside the river.
"I hope they still work this patch. It's been a while." Lockwood told Y/n.
"Who? The Relic men? Don't you think they'll be hiding, with Fittes all over town?" Y/n asks her hair flowing behind her from the wind making Lockwood stare at her with admiration.
"Probably. This one's a bit different, though." Lockwood said.
"What? Not an evil, corrupt, murdering, greedy person then?" Y/n describes sarcastically.
"Hey, we badly need her help, so just...try and be nice, yeah?" Lockwood asks, grabbing her non injured wrist.
"When am I not nice?" Y/n asks sassily.
Lockwood turned to look at her and gave Y/n a scoff and chuckle as an answer, she was absolutely adorable when she was sassy.
"Wait." Y/n stopped. "Her?"
Lockwood ignored her and continued walking. Y/n was about to follow him when she heard a low groan behind her.
"Did you...did you hear that?" Y/n asks.
Y/n looked around for the source and heard a baby crying. Y/n's eyes widened as she walked towards it, it groaned and kicked its feet in the air adorably. It gurgled happily and Y/n walked towards it a small smile on her face.
"Who left you out here?" Y/n murmurs as she knelt down towards the ghost baby.
The baby babbled happily at her. Suddenly it began screeching and Y/n immediately got up, covering her ears.
"Oh!" Y/n yelps. She looked up and saw the ghost of a woman flying towards her screeching.
Y/n gasps as she ran for her life, gripping her rapier in case of emergency. Lockwood heard the screeching and rushed towards Y/n.
"Run!" Lockwood urged to Y/n.
"Cold Maiden!" Y/n yells back. Y/n almost tripped over a rock, but she stabilized herself and she pulled out her rapier realizing she couldn't run anymore, the woman continued flying and screeching but disappeared once she reached Y/n.
Y/n gasps confused as she put her rapier back into its sheath. Lockwood reached her and grabbed her arm.
"What...what happened?" Y/n asks.
"I did." A woman's voice said behind him and the two turned around.
"Evening, Locky." The woman said smiling and Lockwood smiled at her. "Who's the latest slapper?" She asked, gesturing to Y/n.
Y/n blinked in confusion and shock at her. "I'm sorry?"
"This is my associate, Y/n Carlyle." Lockwood introduced. "Y/n, meet Florence Bonnard, aka, Flo Bones. The best Relic hunter on the Thames."
Flo nodded at Y/n in greeting and Y/n gave her a small smile.
~a few seconds later~
"Cheers for distracting her, Locky. Took me a while to locate her remains." Flo said as she rattled a bag of bones who Y/n assumed belonged to the woman.
"Always happy to help you out, Flo." Lockwood smiled.
"Did you not hear us?" Y/n asked.
"Well, there is no point trying to outrun a Cold Maiden, any idiot knows that." Flo said. "Gotta find the source or else you're screwed."
"Uh, who was she?" Lockwood interrupts.
"Elisabeth Creevey. Victorian baby farmer. Single mums paid her to have their kids get adopted into good homes, but she kept the cash, drowned the kids." Flo explained. "These relics have a bad vibe that I can charge a fortune for." She said and picked an item from a box. "Pay my way for months." Flo said grinning.
"It's quite sick, right? The way these rivers are filled with the ghosts of men who've been murdering since this city was made. Most of the girl ghosts are their victims. The only reason these artifacts are worth anything is 'cause she was so rare." Y/n told Flo passionately.
"Finally, someone gets it." Flo said grinning at Y/n. "The world that made those poor women give their babies away, that's the evil. And it never ends. Where have you been hiding this precious "one, Locky?"
Lockwood laughed at the two girls, happy they were getting along, "hey, Flo. I know a buyer, it's the Foundling Museum. They'll pay more than the black market, and it's a good home. A safe one."
"And get arrested for my troubles? No thanks." Flo denied.
"Not of you're anonymous, and I am the intermediary." Lockwood convinced.
Flo smiled and shook her head at him. "What a nice boy you are, Locky."
Lockwood sighed softly.
"Helps to be born minted, of course." Flo adds.
"And in return, you tell us what you know about Danny Clough." Lockwood bargained.
Flo tilted her head concerned. "What's happened to Danny?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George was sitting inside a dimly lit room, books surrounding him with information on Edmund Bickerstaff. The sound of flies buzzing could be heard. George was using a pen to make a strange round design, the design of the mirror.
"Mr. Karim?" Joplin interrupts, and George looked at her startled. "It's past curfew, we should go." Joplin suggests. "Did you get what you needed?"
"I've made a start, thanks to you." George smiled.
"Glad to be of help." Joplin smiles. "Any fun plans for the evening?"
"Absolutely. I was thinking I could clean the oven. Again." George said cluelessly.
Joplin laughs at his answer. "Well, I live right around the corner if you'd like to get something to?" Joplin suggests. "You must be starving."
George looked at her thoughtfully.
"Unless your friends are expecting you..?" Joplin said a bit disappointed.
"Un- no. I'd...I'd love to." George said.
Joplin smiles and nodded. "Great."
Joplin and George conversed quietly as they walk out of the library archives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile with Lockwood, Flo and Y/n. The three were inside a cafe. With Flo smoking in a corner while Lockwood ate toast, drank tea and Y/n was reading a book on ghosts and drinking coffee.
Flo watched the waiter pour milk into a cup. Flo took the cup and walked back to Lockwood and Y/n.
"Poor Cloughy. He asked me out once. Been drinking, obviously." Flo said.
"It's not 'obviously'," Lockwood scoffed.
"Yes, obviously. He was always drinking. That's how they must have gotten to him." Flo insists.
"Who?"
"Parasites. Scum." Flo scoffed.
"Why didn't Tendy's help him? He must've worked for them for years." Y/n asked.
"Tendy's doesn't give a shit. He was on his way out. Talent fading. Expendable." Flo answers.
"We need to find Danny's partner. Whoever it was left him for the dead." Lockwood said.
"That'll be Jack Carver." Flo answers. "But you do not want to find him. Trust me." Flo said seriously as she looked between the two sternly.
"We have to." Lockwood said leaning back against his chair. "This is important, Flo. Please."
Flo sighed a bit. "Leave a message on that board and he might come and find you."
Lockwood and Y/n turned around to look at the board.
"It'll have to be the right kind of message, though. One he can't ignore." Flo instructs.
Lockwood took out a piece of paper and pen and began writing on it. Y/n looked over at his shoulder, reading his message.
"We know about the mirror...and our address? That's a suicide note!" Y/n quietly shouts.
"We need to make sure he shows up. He's our only hope." Lockwood told Y/n quietly.
With that, Lockwood got up to pin the message up on the board. Flo watched the two quietly. Lockwood pinned the message inside a little envelope with Jack's name on it.
"Tell me about their network. How do they move goods?" Lockwood asks.
"They're in business with Julius Winkman." Flo said. "Antiques dealer in Bermondsey who works with his wife. I'm warning you, do not poke that nest." Flo said strictly.
"What do you mean?" Y/n asks.
"To be more clear, darling. If Carver won't kill you. They will." Flo summarized and Y/n's eyes widened.
"Thanks, Flo. Here." Lockwood said and handed her a blue cloth bundled up. "Something to remember Danny by. The way he was."
Flo smiled and opened the cloth, revealing Danny's pin, she picked it up with a small smile. "I'm always surprised when you turn up to see me, Locky. I thought you'd be dead by now." Flo whispers.
Lockwood sighed through his nose and looked at Y/n.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George stood in the hallway of Joplin's house. Examining the furniture, the dimly lit room. The sound of sizzling vegetables, onions and garlic sounded through the house and a pleasant smell drifted through.
"I see you're a big fan of Thot. He's a god of the dead, right?" George calls.
"You're the first guest I've ever had who knows his name." Joplin calls back.
"It's written on the base." George chuckles shyly.
"Yeah, but you pronounced it correctly." Joplin smiles.
"He's the god of writing, science, wisdom. And the dead." George recites.
"Right. But much less so than, say, Rashnu." Joplin shrugged.
"The Persian righteous judge of the dead." George says impressed. "The angel that stands on the bridge between our world and the next, sending souls to the House of Lies or the House of Song."
"Well, now you're just showing off." Joplin huffed playfully.
"You wouldn't know how nice it feels to have someone to show off to, Ms. Joplin." George said leaning against the sofa.
"Call me Pamela." She invites smiling.
Joplin uncorked the wine and poured herself a glass.
"So what were you studying today?" George asked.
"My specialist subject, the early years of the problem."
"Well, that's my subject too." George smiled.
"Oh!" Joplin says shocked.
"Do you have any theories?" George asked. "Any mistakes? Cover ups?"
"It's not about conspiracy theories or alternate history for me. It's...it's mainly nostalgia."
"But you weren't around before the problem." George said confused.
"The correct response! No I wasn't." Joplin laughed. "But when I was young, it was all still relatively new."
"So you're parents remembered how things were, I mean?" George asked curiously.
"Well, they tried to hang on to that world, which was obviously impossible." Joplin answers sipping on her wine.
"It must've been kind of amazing for them, realizing you had these skills to keep them safe."
"Oh, I never had any talent." Joplin said.
George blinked surprised. "Uh...none at all?"
"Not the slightest bit. I would have loved to experience what you have with your friends. But it spurred me on to learn more." Pamela said.
"Pamela." George starts and she tilted her head. "When we looked in to that mirror, did you see something?"
"Did you?" She asks a weird look on her face.
A faint crackling sound was heard.
"Well, not really, it was so quick. But... I felt like...I can't describe it, but...like I wanted to see more." George explained hesitantly. "Do you feel that to?" George asks with a pleading look on his face.
"Yes, of course." Pamela assured. "But I think I have always felt that."
The clock chimes once.
George gasped and got up.
"Listen, I should probably head home now in case anyone notices I'm not there. Unlikely, but you never know." George chuckled shuffling a bit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lockwood and Y/n walked out of the cafe, the clock chimed once and dogs barked in the corner.
"Shouldn't we get a cab home?" Y/n asks.
"It's such a lovely evening for a stroll." Lockwood said pleasantly.
"Said no one ever." Y/n laughed. "Flo seems like a lovely woman...how did you meet her?"
"Can't remember. Ages ago." Lockwood said.
"She always been like that?" Y/n asks.
"Yeah. Bless her." Lockwood chuckles.
"She cares about you a lot, doesn't she?" Y/n asks a small smile on her face. How she wished she could have someone that could have her back like that.
"Yeah, she is a worrier, that's all." Lockwood smiled. "Forget about it. We don't know how long it will be till Carver gets that message. We need to move fast." Lockwood told her.
"Yeah, I did say we should take a cab home." Y/n mutters.
"We're not headed back yet, though." Lockwood said.
"But, it's almost midnight. George will be waiting." Y/n frowns.
"George will wait up." Lockwood said casually. "And, he will be delighted when we get that mirror."
"Hell no, Lockwood, not the Winkman's." Y/n whisper shouts.
"You herd what Barnes said. That thing is lethal. Who knows whose hands it would end up in tomorrow." Lockwood said. "Plus, it's easier to break in and steal things easier at night."
Y/n stops and frowns a bit, knowing this is a terrible idea, but Lockwood being Lockwood will not listen.
"Flo said they'd kill us, if Carver didn't." Y/n said.
Lockwood turned around to face her, seeing the worry on her face.
"You heard her." She continued.
Lockwood took in a deep breath. "Yeah, but Flo is a worrier. I'm not worried. Are you?"
Y/n stared at Lockwood, a feeling bubbling in her stomach. Anger, frustration, worry, sadness. Mostly anger though. There was so many things she wanted to tell Lockwood right now, especially that he is a complete and utter idiot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile with George, he was inside 35 Portland Row pouring water into a vessel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Y/n and Lockwood walked up to the Winkman's address. Lockwood somehow managed to convince Y/n into doing something as stupid as this.
"We'll never get in there. Let's come here first thing on the morning. You can pretend to be a customer-" Y/n suggests.
"Let's go down the side." Lockwood interrupts.
Y/n watched him walk away uncertainty written all over her face.
Lockwood walked down a small alley with cars, Y/n following. He tried one of the door handles but it was locked. They finally reached a large green door, which was locked but seemed easy to open.
"Ah. Now that's more like it." Lockwood mutters.
Lockwood used one of us his tools as Y/n kept watch, he looked left and right to make sure no one was watching and pushed open the door.
Y/n quietly closed the door as Lockwood looked around.
"I don't like this." Y/n whispers as she heard the sounds of horses neighing, blades clashing and men yelling.
"Can you hear the mirror?" Lockwood asked quietly.
"There's too many sounds. Like-like the airways are jammed with signals." Y/n described.
Y/n's eyes widened as a baby screaming was heard. A woman was wailing and a man making weird noises.
Y/n stopped in front of a wooden box, Lockwood looked at her. She heard the sound of wind blowing which turned into distorted screams, a man cried out. Y/n opened the box and took out the teddy bear she heard laughter and a child's voice.
"They're relics." Y/n said holding the teddy. "Still got psychic charge. Bad history hanging about." Y/n looked at Lockwood who gestured to a part of the warehouse.
"Come on." He ushered. "Let's go further in, see if you can hear it.
Y/n closed the box and they continued walking. A irregular ticking noise was heard.
"Wait a minute. Wait." Lockwood said stopping as he blinked. "Is that it?" He whispered pinting to a box.
"No." Y/n whispers. "No, that's something living. We should go. Or hide." Y/n said.
"You're right." Lockwood murmurs hearing the whirring noise. "Sounds mechanical, there is no footsteps. If anyone comes, hide." Lockwood instructs.
"Lockwood." Y/n whispers scared.
The whirring sound came nearer and Lockwood came face to face with a child. Y/n gasped in shock and hid under a covered table.
"Hello." Lockwood greets.
The machine chimes. "Uh...danger, danger." It whirred.
The child put off the machine and walked closer to Lockwood who breathed in shakily turning around to see if Y/n was gone.
"I'm here because I lost something." Lockwood said reaching into his pocket. "Do you think you can help me find it, please? It's a mirror, a very special mirror." Lockwood said leaning down to speak to the child. "It makes a buzzing sound. Like a bee, have you heard it around here?"
The child nods.
"Do you think you could show me?" Lockwood asks carefully.
"Didn't I tell you not to talk to strangers?" A blond woman asks walking in.
"Ah, you must be-" Lockwood was cut off as she tased him.
Lockwood fell to the ground and Y/n almost gasped.
"Leopold, go get your father." The woman instructs to the child.
The woman sighed as she leaned down, grabbed Lockwood by the arms and dragged him. Y/n could only watch as she saw him get dragged back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George sat down at the table with the thinking cloth, newspapers, clippings and books surrounding him. He looked half-asleep as he moved his pen around lazily in a circular patter, looking hypnotized. The familiar low buzzing sound was heard.
George sighed tiredly as he dropped the pen and fell asleep from exhaustion. He saw a weird image, it was the corpse of Danny, all white and pale, eyes looking the same and the scratches on his face. George gasped as he was startled awake. It didn't feel like a nightmare, or a dream, or a vision, it felt like a threat or warning. He looked around nervously to make sure he was alone in the house and checked the time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lockwood breathed as he shifted around uncomfortably, his skin sweaty. Leather creaked as he shifted and he let out a low groan of tiredness and pain at the pain in his chest. Lockwood's eyes fluttered open and he saw his hands bound together by a leather belt and he gasped in shock.
"Oh..." He breathes out and sighed.
Lockwood looked to his right and saw a taser, he looked to his left and aw a bunch of hazardous chemicals and a sweater. Lockwood heard a faint buzzing sound and saw a man working on something.
"Which agency are you from?" Winkman asks. "I don't recognize the uniform."
"I'm not an agent." Lockwood said, he technically wasn't, he was the boss. "I'm a burglar, you should call the police."
"You had a rapier. And no criminal would be so foolish to try and burglarize my premises." Winkman scoffed.
"Fair enough. I'm undercover, from Fittes. Call DEPRAC and report me." Lockwood lied.
"Fittes have already been by today. During opening hours. Civilized callers. Unlike yourself." He said disapprovingly. "I don't think I need trouble DEPRAC." He said and held up the tool he was using.
"Come on now, Mr. Winkman, there is no need for that." Lockwood said coolly. "I'm sure that we can come to some sort of an agreement. I have access to some very valuable antiques."
Winkman pointed the tool at Lockwood. "I'm guessing that you are after the same item that Fittes was. Am I right? So...tell me, who you are, and who told you to come here." Winkman said, and pointed the tool at Lockwood threateningly. "Or shall I draw some pretty pictures on your pretty face?" He threatened.
"If you do that, you will have to kill me." Lockwood said non-threatened. "You wouldn't get away with killing an agent."
Winkman laughs and patted Lockwood's cheek. "Maybe. Yeah. But then again...a certain type of young man has always been susceptible to a certain type of...end. Introspected. Educated. Burdened by the business of death. If your wrists were slashed with your own knife, would anyone think twice?"
"Yeah, they would." Lockwood said and breathing heavily. "My friends would."
Winkman laughed. "Okay, then." He chuckled. "Let's start with that then. Who else knows that you're here?"
"No one." Lockwood lied, hoping Y/n is well hidden.
"No one?" He asked chuckling, he twirled the knife a bit then suddenly lunged forward pressing the knife against Lockwood's neck.
"Look...it's true. I'm sorry. I swear it's true. I always work alone, go on, ask me another question." Lockwood prods.
Winkman nodded. "Okay."
Winkman walked up to an electric machine, banging against it. He increased the power to several voltages. "Bam, bam, bam, bam! Bam! Dum, dum, dum...Da! Who else knows that you are here!" He yells and increased the power, Lockwood breathes shakily as he shook in his chair.
~meanwhile with Y/n~
Y/n stepped out of her hiding place, looking around carefully. She heard heavy breathing, laughter. Y/n enters a room with a safe, she heard the sound of buzzing and she turned towards carefully putting her hand on it. And sure enough she heard flies buzzing. Y/n turned the knob to the safe, but it was locked.
"Oh, come on." Y/n huffs.
Leopold the child came out, holding the robot. Y/n turned around at the sound and saw Leopold standing there. Y/n walked forward but Leopold stepped backwards in fear.
"Leopold, is it?" Y/n asks softly to not scare him. "I know it's in there. The mirror. Is it keeping you awake?" Leopold nodded in response. "You're talented, I'm a listener too. Is that your toy? Can I listen to it?" Y/n asks politely and softly.
Leopold handed his child to Y/n who placed her hand on it. She heard a child crying, slap, more crying. Y/n's eyes widened.
"You're hurting." She whispers. "My friend is really hurting, do you know where he is?" When Leopold nodded she felt a ray of hope. "Do you think you can help me find him, Leopold, please?"
Leopold smiled at her, feeling safe. Then noticed his mother behind her and let out a gasp of fear.
"What is it?" Y/n turned around and got tased as well.
~a few minutes later~
Y/n's body was dragged in again. Lockwood could only sigh as he watched her smaller form drop to the floor.
"Did she tell you anything?" Winkman asked.
"I didn't giver her a chance. But she's a nosy one. A listener." Adelaide said. "She knows where it is."
Winkman looked at Lockwood. "Your colleague, I presume?"
"Never seen her before in my life." Lockwood lied.
"Leopold, go back to bed and stay there." Winkman ordered.
"Let him watch, if he won't do as he is told, he might as well learn how the world works." Adelaide said tilting her head at her son.
Winkman kneeled down beside Y/n. "Leave her alone." Lockwood said. "She's just a trainee, she doesn't know anything."
"Oh, so she is more than a colleague then." Winkman chuckled. "Is she a friend? A family?"
"She's no one. Let her go." Lockwood demands.
Winkman sighed and placed a hand over his heart. "Well, a suicide pact it is then. It's perfect."
Y/n's eyes fluttered open. And Winkman walked to one of the drawers.
Lockwood's heart filled with pain if he saw Y/n get tortured. "Fine. Fine. I'll tell you everything."
"You're right. No one will be surprised if I turn up dead. They've all been waiting for it. So put me out of my misery, by all means, but just let her go." Lockwood pleads. "She's got everything to live for, and she will not breathe a world of this, I swear. Winkman, listen to me. Look, I'm...I'm serious. I mean it." Lockwood begs. "Do what you want with me, I don't care. No tricks. No lies. Do we have a deal?"
Winkman walked to Adelaide. "I'll kill her last, so you don't have to watch."
Lockwood shifted against the leather in anger.
"You're getting soft, Julius, my love." Adelaide said lovingly.
"You could be right." Julius smirked.
Y/n suddenly sprang to her feet. Lockwood leaned back in shock, she grabbed a bottle full of gasoline.
"Leopold, move!" Y/n shouts. Leopold instantly listened as Y/n threw the substance at Julius and Adelaide. And they groaned, Y/n took out a lighter and lit the flame.
"Take one step, and I throw it." Y/n warns.
Julius rubbed his burning eyes in anger and charged towards Y/n, but she was quicker and moved out of the way.
"Do not test me." Y/n warns.
"No, Julius!" Adelaide shouts.
Y/n walked backwards to Lockwood, her smaller hands landed on his giving him a reassuring squeeze and she undid the leather on his wrists on both arms while keeping her eyes on Julius and Adelaide. Lockwood got up and took Y/n's hand.
"I'm coming for you, boy. I'm gonna gut you, mince you. And I'm gonna tear your skin off." Julius screamed.
Lockwood took the bottle of vodka and poured it all over the floor with a smirk on his face.
"You'd better run, boy!" Julius yelled. "I'm gonna count to 10! On! Two!" He screamed.
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George sat at the kitchen, stirring his cup of coffee. The sound of flies buzzing echoed through his ears. George sighed and turned around to face the window, his reflection turned into the big, black, dark ghost. He gasped and moved back in shock and punched the glass.
Skully sat there in his jar cackling in amusement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lockwood and Y/n ran for their lives down the road. Y/n stopped after a little while and Lockwood groaned clutching his side in pain. Y/n sighed in distress and turned around to face Lockwood.
"What the hell was that?" She asked.
"Flo was right. Total psychos." He said and rand a hand through his hair, making it even messier.
"Not them. You. You were practically begging him to kill you." Y/n said frowning at him.
"I prefer to call it noble sacrifice." Lockwood said.
"Oh, don't give me that shit. If I hadn't come to your aid, you'd be dead." Y/n scolds.
"That's...that's not true. I had a plan." Lockwood lied.
"Oh. Oh, okay. Right. What...what was it then?" Y/n asks tilting her head.
Lockwood blinked. "You know, I would've had a plan, if it had come to it." Lockwood faked. "In the moment I always do."
Y/n just stared at him, trying to figure out what was happening. "What's going on with you?" She asks softly. "You know you can talk to me, Lockwood, I'm not just a colleague, I'm your friend." Y/n said carefully.
"Yeah...yeah." Lockwood sighed. "Yeah, I know."
Y/n waited for him to continue. "So?" She prods.
Lockwood sighed as he looked down, not knowing what to say.
"God's sake. I don't even know why I bother. Come on. Let's just go." Y/n said disappointed as she turned around to walk away. "I'm never going back there, they can keep the mirror if they want." Y/n shuddered.
"You saw where it was?" Lockwood asks shakily.
"Locked up. Probably moved it now that their cover's been blown." Y/n said as she rubbed her arms from the cold.
"We can't let Winkman and Carver get away with this." Lockwood said as he walked in lockstep with Y/n.
"Oh no." Y/n gasped.
"What is it?" Lockwood worries.
"Carver. He'll have gotten your note and George is home alone." Y/n said worried.
"Now we get a cab." Lockwood nods.
And the two rushed off to find one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George was taping up the mirror when he heard the front door open.
Y/n rushed past Lockwood and up to George.
"You said midnight!" George frets.
"You didn't wait up, did you?" Y/n asked worried.
"Of course. Where is the mirror?" George asked. "What the hell have you two been doing?" He asked when he saw their states.
"I'll tell you later." Lockwood said.
A loud knock on the door startled the three. Lockwood and Y/n had an idea on who it should be, but George didn't.
"Who's that?" George asked.
Lockwood and Y/n looked at each other.
Lockwood walked to the door while Y/n pulled out her rapier. Lockwood looked through the peep hole.
"It's Carver." He confirmed.
Y/n pulled out her rapier, pointing it at the door. "Who's Carver?" George questioned.
"Danny's partner." Y/n explained.
Lockwood pulled out his rapier and raised his eyebrow at Y/n who nodded at him. Lockwood opened the door.
Carver walked in, stumbling. George and Y/n moved back immediately in shock. But they were even more shocked when he dropped to the floor. A knife in his back.
"Oh my god." George gasps.
"Y/n, call an ambulance. Now." Lockwood ordered.
Y/n rushed off to the telephone, putting away her rapier.
Lockwood kneeled down to Carver, putting away his rapier too.
"Jesus, who did this to you?" Lockwood breathed.
"Bone glass." Carver rasps out.
"What did he say?" Lockwood asked.
Y/n joined them and knelt down.
"Bone glass? What does that-What does that mean? Is it the mirror?" George asked excitedly.
"Seven. Not one." Carver rasps out.
"Seven what? Did you look into it? What did you see?" George asked, Carver simply wheezed for air.
"Terrible things." He chokes out. "Come with me..."
"What? Where...where to?" Y/n asks.
Lockwood looked at Y/n confused. "Huh, what did you hear?"
"He--he wants us to go with him." Y/n said.
"Y/n. He's dead." Lockwood informed.
Y/n stared at him in shock and leaned back placing her head in her hands.
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~end of chapter~