"But how do we get into the castle now?!" Flora cried, gesturing wildly at the guards around the corner.
"We need to find a way to distract the two at the gate," Hershel stated.
"What if two of us go to investigate?" Clive asked, eyes meeting Flora's.
"They are quite evenly spread out," Dimitri pointed out, observing the guards from his spot at the wall. "If the noise we make is relatively low, we should be able to do this!"
"Who will be the distraction then?" Hershel inquired, eyeing Clive sternly. "We shall only need one, not two."
"I will." Clive relented, a smirk forming as he sprung into a running position, shooting past them, straight towards the gate.
"NO WAIT!" Hershel cried, but it was too late. The guards saw him approaching and they raised their guns. Hershel covered his face in shock as gunfire sounded. When he looked back, Clive lay on the floor. Still.
Immediately the group went to run after him, but stopped as they saw the guards approaching his body. Hershel glanced left as he saw Dimitri bow his head. He didn't look at Flora. Couldn't look at her. She wept greatly, and he knew he would do the same. There was no time.
Was it not enough that I lost Claire and Luke, but now I must lose Clive?! He screamed in his head. That little boy who lost his parents and let madness take root in his heart. After all, Luke reminded me so much of that little boy... That gentle-natured boy with the messy hair, bright eyes and heart filled to bursting.
As the guards drew closer, Hershel frowned as they stopped over his body. They seemed uncertain, drawn to something. Suddenly, Clive leapt up and hit the guard on the right with a blow to the chin. The other was too startled and didn't raise his gun in time. Clive used that to his advantage and spun around, the gun and kicked the guard in the stomach. Clutching at his stomach in pain, the guard raised his gun and fired randomly hoping to somehow hit Clive, but he easily dodged the spray. He ran to the guards left and struck him in the back of his neck with a karate blow. Hershel watched in captivation and then turned as he heard Flora cheering beside him. Dimitri was smiling and silently willing the young man on.
The guard was still fighting strong and had thrown the gun on the ground in favour of his fists. The fight was short-lived as Clive blocked each blow and then delivered a final smash to the man's jaw. The guard went soaring in the air and landed with a thud. The guard twitched, but then lay still. Flora ran over and gave Clive a massive hug.
"THAT WAS AMAZING!" she exclaimed gleefully, looking at Clive with a new awe. Hershel and Dimitri shortly joined Flora and congratulated the young man.
"I must say, " Dimitri smiled. "I did think you had been shot, but obviously that wasn't true. Tell me, how did you survive that?"
"Well..." Clive chuckled. "I knew they would raise their guns. Through a bit of good timing -and luck- I pretended to be hit and fell to the floor. Believing me fallen, I knew they would come to investigate and then when they were close enough, that was when I struck!"
"Well, it was very impressive."
"And very reckless!" Hershel snapped. Clive gasped and the others looked on fearfully.
"I had it all under control." Clive smiled weakly.
"No, you could have died. We could have figured out another way in, and one that is not so utterly dangerous and reckless!"
"Professor... I-I don't understand... What's gotten into you? You aren't usually this... pedantic!"
"I shall tell you what has gotten into me, I have suffered enough loss and to lose even more I care about is..." Tears tainted his eyes, and he cried aloud, lost in his emotions. "more than I can handle!"
The group descended in silence and then Clive frowned.
"Y-you care about me? Even after all I have done?" Hershel said nothing for a few seconds as he heavily panted, and then he turned and nodded.
"Of course I do! I did not save that young boy for him to almost waste the life that was given him. You were... all I could save from that night... All I could save..."
The Professor's voice cracked further, splintering into the sky of twilight. Navy hues lay just atop the surface, night threatening its way in.
"Professor..." Flora whispered. " I..."
Flora rubbed her eyes and ran over to the Professor, throwing her arms around him. "I love you, Professor. I never want to see you like this..." she muttered softly.
"Thank you, Flora." Hershel smiled, wiping away the tears. "You truly bring comfort to a lost soul." He turned to Clive and then adjusted his hat. "I hope you can forgive me for that... I only acted that way because I care about you too much... A true gentleman should never break down like that... It was unforgivable..."
"No, Professor." Clive smiled, patting the Professor's arm. "I thank you for that. I...I never thought anyone cared about me. Not until tonight that is... You don't realise how much this means to me..."
Silence fell over the small clearing behind the tower. Hershel and Clive smiled at each other warmly and Flora buried her head into the Professor's stomach. The moment felt like it could have lasted an eternity, yet that could not be and sure enough, Dimitri broke up the tender moment.
"Well, as nice as this has been, this did happen for a reason. We need to get in before other guards discover what happened."
"Right you are," Hershel agreed. "Though I do find it odd that no one came to investigate with all that gunfire going on. The noise should have alerted them all."
"Curious indeed..." Dimitri agreed. "Still, best not to ponder over that now. We can worry about that later."
"Of course. Let's go!"
The group immediately sprinted out of the clearing and through the gate. They were almost at the lake when they glanced up at the castle. It looked very calm from here and they could only hope that nothing had happened yet, but they did not know how long the Legentis had been there.
They stopped at the lake and as they caught their breath, they frowned as they realised they did not have a way across.
"Perhaps..." Clive panted. "Perhaps we shall just have to swim."
"Most likely..." Dimitri agreed. "But I don't like that idea too much. I wouldn't want to get my suit wet."
"Really? That's a big concern compared to what could be going on in there?!"
"Alright you two!" Hershel said, taking off his shoes. "It would appear as if swimming is our only course."
Clive and Flora immediately took their shoes off, but Dimitri was still unsure.
"I shall just wait here..."
"Don't be silly!" Flora smiled, running over and standing next to him. "You just need a little... push!"
Laughing, she gave Dimitri a push and he screamed as he toppled into the water.
The others went to dive in when Hershel stopped them. As they frowned at him, he pointed solemnly to the doorway of the castle. A group of Legentis men were leaving the castle, something large wrapped up in their arms.
"We're too late..." Flora murmured.
"NO!" Clive stated furiously, kicking at the ground.
"So... you pushed... me in ....the... water for nothing?!" Dimitri said indignantly, grasping onto the edge and pulling himself out of the water. As he climbed up, Flora gasped.
"What is it?" he asked, pulling strands of his grey hair out of his eyes.
"What's wrong with your skin?"
"What do you mean?"
He glanced down in the reflection of the water and exclaimed himself. His face was all wrinkly. He quickly grabbed his face and pulled it back, smoothing out the crinkles. He looked greatly concerned, and Flora wondered if he felt insecure about his age.
"What was that?" Clive cried.
"Oh... Don't mind that. I just get extremely wrinkly in the water. Blame my old age," he chuckled nervously, flashing them a cheesy grin.
"You're not old!" Flora grinned, deciding the best course of action was to reassure him. After all, this wasn't all about the Professor only. She knew she would do her best to help the both of them, in whatever way she could.
"Well, a lot older than I would like to be," he smiled back at her.
"Yes..." Hershel said, furrowing his brow. "Well, we should leave now before we are seen."
"Aren't we going to fight them?" Clive exclaimed. "Try and stop them! It doesn't just end here. There are only four of them from what I can see."
"Yeah!" Flora agreed. "Clive can take them all out. They don't stand a chance!"
"Four of them..." Hershel echoed. "With guns! You were lucky the first time, however, this time I do not believe you shall have the same fortune."
"We can wait in the bushes and-"
"Enough!" he stated plainly. "We shall have to get them another time."
"Are you sure, Hershel?" Dimitri asked. "This might be our only chance. They have no reason to stay here any longer."
"We shall leave and that is final."
"Hershel! I have tolerated it this far, but I can no longer stand it! You are letting your emotions cloud all else. You have toppled whole organisations for Pete's sake!" Dimitri threw his arms out wide. "You are a remarkable man - the best I've ever met. Are you really gonna let these tosspots slip away when they're right beneath your fingers?!"
Hershel swallowed, and tipped his hat forward.
"Yes, my emotions might be in the way, yet reason dictates that assaulting four armed men is ludicrous! Even more so the fact that we can't even get to them because an entire body of water stands between us and them!"
Clive raised a finger.
"Perhaps if only I swim across and-"
"No! I understand your eagerness and impatience, however, another solution will present itself. It always does."
"Oh really? When is that? Before or after the evil men in suits slip away with our only lead!"
Dimitri sighed.
"The boy is right."
"Then," Hershel said, suppressing a sigh. "by all means, swim across, however, if you will look behind you, you shall see how futile that effort really is."
Stunned, Clive spun around, groaning as the four Legentis agents kicked a speedboat into action, a loud rum echoing across the still lake. They watched with empty eyes and hollow hearts as it sped to the other side, and if any further acts of rebellion or defiance were born, they were quickly extinguished as several more Legentis agents emerged from the woods not ten metres to their right.
They quickly darted over, hiding behind trees as the speedboat drew to a halt. The 'cargo' was lifted off, and together, the collection of Legentis men carried their target away.
"Perhaps one of us can tail them and-"
"That's enough," Hershel hissed. "Let us check on the people inside. They might be hurt."
Clive opened his mouth to protest, but Hershel silenced it with a fierce gaze.
"I understand, Clive. I trust you. But I see now how dangerous these men truly are. It is best to check on any injured parties and assess what intel we know. Then we can make our next move. Agreed?"
Clive grumbled, but finally relented, bowing his head.
"Good."
Hershel placed an arm on his shoulder, they he found no words of comfort. They would come, when he had found some of his own. Until then, he had to be sure those inside were safe and well. That was at least one good deed that could come of this night.
******
"And you are sure you are alright?"
"Yes, Professor!" Katia laughed, pushing the Professor's arms away from her. "I'm fine. Stop worrying about me. The only thing you should be worrying about is my grandfather's pride!"
"I am fine, Katia!" Anton called from down the hallway, wincing as Flora attended to his wounds. He was cut along the head trying to defend the Legulus. "I have Miss Flora here to heal these scratches. The real worry is Dorothea and you know that!"
Dorothea had gone upstairs to look after Mr Anderson before the invasion and hadn't been seen since. The police were on their way, which in this case meant the newly established force, led by a bold and no-nonsense taking woman who had been blunt and to the point on the phone. Reporters from the train, looking for a juicy story had found one, though sadly not the Legulus mystery Hershel and his team were on the trail of. Instead they directed their incessant attacks on the house of a family shaken by violence.
Dimitri suddenly burst in from a door to the right, a big grin etched on his face. Following closely behind him -shaken- but looking unharmed on the outside was Dorothea.
"DOROTHEA!' Katia cried, sprinting towards her friend. "I'm so happy that you're okay!"
The two reached each other and they held each other in a warm embrace. Both women had tears in their eyes. Hershel felt a little better knowing that the two could always look out for each other. Maybe he did worry too much...
There was a loud explosion of noise as yapping reporters seemed to be coming in from the front doors. The noise suddenly stopped and then the door to the living room was thrown open and Oliver ran in, slamming the door behind him.
"Katia!" he cried, seeing her all in one piece. Dorothea pushed Katia away with a tearful grin and Katia smiled back at her and ran over to Oliver. They hugged for a few minutes, but to them, it felt like they had been standing there for days. Katia never wanted this moment to end. Oliver was the only thing on her mind right then.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner," he breathed, stroking her hair. "There was a sudden leak and we had to get our masks on quickly. I got the news as we were fixing it and I rushed over straight away. Suffice to say, I have lost my job."
"You didn't need to come. I have the Professor looking out for me."
"That's true, but it's just as much my job than Hershel's to look out for you. I love you, and I'm here. I'll be here when the Professor's not around, through all the hard times. I promise you that." He smiled, kissing her forehead, and then turned to Hershel, eyes of someone far older meeting Hershel's. He certainly seemed disheveled and aged since Hershel had last seen him. "Thank you for saving her."
"I-"
"There's no need to be so humble. I don't know what these Legentis monsters would have done had you not been there."
Hershel sighed in his head and then nodded. It was no use trying to convince him that his group had done nothing to save her.
Katia noticed the Professor's expression and grinned.
"Oh, but you did save me, Professor. If not in the way you realise."
Hershel didn't quite understand, but he nodded knowing that perhaps one day he would. Safe to say, he had a feeling he already had most of the puzzle before his eyes, yet the sweet joy always came from the discovery, the process, and never being told the answer.
At least there was that constant in his life, and he could share that with friends. Yes, the right course of action was coming here, in more ways than one.
*****
The police had arrived five minutes later and Clive had to duck behind a curtain as a town newcomer, yet familiar Inspector led the fray. Inspector Chelmey muttered beneath his breath as he saw the Professor, and immediately began searching the room for Clive.
"I know you have him in here somewhere, Layton!"
"I assure you, Inspector Chelmey, we have not seen Clive since that night in London."
'A likely story!"
"Inspector!" Barton coughed, stepping in front of Chelmey. "Perhaps he is telling the truth. The Professor knows the best place for Clive to be in now is where he can think over what he has done, don't you, Professor?"
Chelmey looked affronted.
"Why don't you-"
"No, he is quite right, Inspector," Hershel smiled, interrupting before the Inspector could yell at the Constable. "It serves no purpose if young Clive does not serve the time needed for him to be a fully-functioning member in society."
"Well..." Chelmey grumbled. "Alright then. I'll believe you. If only because I know you know better. And not because Barton opened his trap!" he exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Barton. The constable's cheeks flushed scarlet, but he knew beneath the harsh words, Chelmey was really thanking him. "Needless to say, Layton, if I find out that he is with you, I'll... I don't know what I'll do, but I can tell you it won't be pretty!"
"Well, I shall not wish to see that side of you, Inspector."
"Good... Because it won't be pretty!"
"I understand completely." Hershel grinned at the Inspector in his somewhat impressive attempt to be menacing, eyes staring daggers, mustache fuming. Turning on his foot, the Inspector departed, shortly followed by Barton and then Katia joined the Professor at his side, arms folded, watching the Inspector as he disappeared into the night.
"What a jerk!"
*****
The large group found themselves sitting around the living room table an hour later, tea in their hands, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate for Flora. It was almost seven and Anton had insisted they stay for dinner. The group was only too happy to accept as they had not eaten at all that day. Despite being in a restaurant, Dimitri had not stayed for food, and Hershel only had the tea given to him from Puzzlette. Even Flora had not touched her bag of sweets, despite her stomach's protest. The excitement of everything had gotten to her.
The meal had been magnificent, but Hershel had barely tasted it. He couldn't get the strange feeling off of his stomach. It was a new feeling, and one he had to sit on, considering its sharp edges as well as its softer ones.
Looking around at the bright, smiling faces, he realised that he did not want this to end.
"It's fine, Hershel," Anton beamed. "Really, I trust you will get it back. If anyone can, it's you."
"Perhaps..."
"Not perhaps! Yes!"
"As much as I would like to say you can have complete faith in me, I doubt that I even have faith in myself. I am not stable. I worry too much over everyone, I become less focused as I stay too far buried in the past... It is not something that I wish to ever go through again..."
"No one does..." Anton sighed after a while. "I understand what you're going through. Truly I do! Sophia meant everything to me... I can only tell you that these feelings that cloud your mind... They will pass! You will move on and be back to the usual puzzle genius I know you are. You've already proven it these last few days!"
Hershel felt like saying that he was wrong, but he couldn't find the words. Also, he didn't want to shatter the mood any more than he already had. They had enough problems to deal with as it was. His problems seemed pale in comparison.
There was no time for sorrow when some of those he cared about could be hurt further. It was just never-ending, and he felt heavy-hearted, knowing full well what would happen if he just left them all. I only bring danger to those around me. If I left... they would be safe.
No harm would come to anyone he loved ever again.
The best help they could get from Hershel Layton was if I just told them to go home. To be safe. Guts and determination are one thing, bur a life is precious. Oh so precious...