She wrapped a black fabric scarf around her mouth and nose to hide her features. A Midnight black dress flowed down her body cascading down to her ankles giving her leg space. Underneath the hem of her dress were combat boots. As she pulled on the black leather gloves she turned to find her comrade dressed in the same fashion as her but with sunglasses.
"Are you going to explain to me exactly who our target is this time? And while you're at it how about an explanation about why the rest of the gang isn't joining us?" The girl in shades asked. "You know I'm sure if I shouted loud enough Aro would wake up. She would be very disappointed to find out we were going out without her."
"This is exactly why we are supposed to be quiet." The first girl scolded beckoning the other outside onto the dim lit street. The street lights shone a golden haze on the mist hovering over the abandoned street. The silence created an unspoken rule of whispering instead of speaking regularly. When the plan had been explained, both teenagers strode forward lurking in the shadows of buildings and trees opposite of each other. Both with the same intention and purpose, winding their way towards lively and bright houses shining bright in the mysterious black silence
Alek was greeting elegantly fashioned men and woman at a party he had been forced to go to. When the Leviathan arrived in London it had stopped to pick up a colleague of Dr. Barlow. Unfortunately the boffin seemed to be one for parties and wanted to show off the future emperor of Austria-Hungary along with the crew of the Leviathan. Fortunately Deryn Sharp accompanied him.
"Why do you think this boffin is so barking important that we need to attend a party?" Deryn asked Alek.
"I suppose to help with the Lorises, or some other experiment that Barlow is concocting." Alek suggested.
"I don't see why, the boffin seems to have a grip on Bovril and the other Loris." Deryn commented. She stood out along with the other airmen. Something about their swagger didn't integrate well with rich and mighty of London.
"Alek, Dylan, I have someone very special you need to meet. Come with me." Dr. Barlow exclaimed beaming as she approached them in a hurry. The Doctor must be an amazing person if Dr. Barlow was acting as giddy as a schoolgirl.
Twisting through the crowd of party goers they followed Dr. Barlow's swift maneuvering towards the back of the room where a woman and two men stood conversing. The woman was tall and seemed to glow with a sense of pride and laughter. She had a purple dress on that combined perfectly with the woman's black hair. She seemed to be in her mid 20's but her vibrant blue eyes glowed with youth. The younger man seemed about Alek's own age, dark hair and sharp features made this boy particularly handsome. He turned to Deryn who was staring at the boy intently which sent a flurry of jealousy in him for the first time. "What was he thinking this boy would believe that Deryn was Dylan… just like he had." a voice commented in the back of his head. He shook it off as the elder gray haired man noted their presence. The other two flicked their heads toward the trio.
"Nora! I was meaning to come find you. It's nice to finally see you again." The woman greeted with a certain happiness that seemed too unsophisticated for a boffin. After a second it hit him that she had an American accent. He was getting slow, or he was just distracted. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the old man approach him.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you your majesty though I'm afraid I have other places to be. I just had to wait for the young prince to come." The man smiled. Alek thought the man had a Grandfatherly feel to him, a feeling of safety and kindness.
"It is nice to meet you to sir. This is my friend Dylan Sharp," Alek motioned to Deryn he didn't want to exclude Deryn and make her feel awkward. She had been examining the gleaming marble walls and diamond chandeliers to appear occupied, though she was truly mystified by this whole place.
"Hello sir," Deryn greeted not so pleasantly with a cold nod turning her head away from the ceiling. She seemed suspicious of this man.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Sharp," the man replied glancing at her for a moment and then turning back towards Alek. He noticed the man had drips of sweat clinging to his forehead.
"My names George Barnaby and it was very nice to meet you. Good bye Nora, I'm sorry I don't have a chance to talk, I'm in a rush to depart."
"Leaving so soon Mr. Barnaby? Wherever do you need to go that's better than this gathering?" the woman asked nonchalantly. She stared questioningly into what seemed his very soul. Coldness passed though the room in that glare. The glare could make anyone squirm with the tension if they were on the other side of it.
"It was a most excellent party, I'm sorry but I truly must leave good bye." George Barnaby exclaimed a mile per word as he shuffled to grab his coat off the hook and pushed open the door. Barely making it past a group of young woman without tripping over his feet, the woman bounded over towards Alek.
"Ahhh, of course, the future Emperor of Austria-Hungary, it's wonderful to meet you finally." The woman announced.
"As to you," Alek replied formally shaking her extended gloved hand.
"I am Dr. Claira Anderson, and this is my younger brother Aaron. He will be Nora's assistant for practice." Dr. Anderson commented gesturing towards Aaron. Who nodded towards Alek and Deryn. He didn't seem like a talkative person, more of an observer. Know he could see how their features blended together, their hair was the same raven black, but Aaron had dark blue eyes while Claira had light sky blue eyes. The resemblance was uncanny; they seemed to be twins if it wasn't for their age difference.
"Well Dr. Anderson…" Alek started but was cut off by the woman.
"Please call me Claira and this is your acquaintance Mr. Dylan Sharp, I read of you in the newspaper that took some creativity, what you did." Claira commented now facing Deryn.
"It was nothing really." Deryn replied modestly.
"I wouldn't say nothing, it takes guts to go all out and stop those men, along with a quick wit." Aaron interjected.
"Speaking of wit what did your brilliant mind tell you about Mr. Barnaby, Aaron?" Claira questioned.
"Well, for starters he never did mention a slight hint of where he was going. Though what caught my attention was Mr. Barnaby's attitude change when he saw Nora, Alek, and Dylan. Of course we should note his sprint out of the room." Aaron noted.
"What I your conclusion on Mr. Barnaby?" Claira asked downing the rest of her drink.
"He knew something was going to happen which caused his palms to seat. He tried to act natural and calm himself by conversing but he was jumpy when Ms. Peterson dropped her glass. When he saw Alek his edginess increased completely, which is a clue that tells us something went amiss concerning his majesty's arrival. He knew he had to get out to to converse with someone, to run away from something that could harm or kill him, or to fix the problem. If he took transportation away from here he is concerned for his welfare. If he's here he is talking to someone." Aaron described fluently.
"He truly is a sharp boy Claira." Dr. Barlow remarked as Aaron quickly flicked open a red velvet curtain to the right.
"His scarab is still in the same spot."Aaron informed still holding his gaze on the window.
"The man has a barking scarab?"Deryn exclaimed, her shout echoing through the air. Everyone near them stared at the ruckus. Eventually they lost interest in the scene, while Deryn moved over to Aaron who shifted the curtain open more so she could see.
"Wait, your saying this man is going to do something potentially dangerous?" Alek asked outraged.
"If he was why would he stay in this house?" Aaron pointed out.
"Yes, he has the money to get it shipped all the way from Istanbul." Aaron notified lifting his fixing his eyes on Deryn.
"Who exactly is Mr. Barnaby, and why are you making a big deal about his exit?" Deryn interrogated turning on her heels to observe their expressions.
Everyone seemed to know something Deryn and Alek didn't. It was infuriating Deryn. "Are all boffins so sneaky? Even this Aaron boy seems to know more than Alek and I. Aaron seemed to be a genuinely kind person so far. He was unique from the other boffins." Deryn thought crossly.
"Mr. Barnaby is a very rich man who owns almost every company imaginable. Recently he decided he will purchase the Zoological Society of London to help the war. He also has made trips to Germany and other Clanker countries along with his grandchildren in the past month." Barlow explained.
"Why would he be working with the Clankers?" Deryn inquired.
"More importantly will the Zoological Society allow him to buy it? He would have control over the Darwinist creations."Alek imposed.
"Churchill believes the Zoological Society would do better with the money and won't listen to a single word Claira or I say." Barlow responded boiling over with rage. Then her expression softened.
"Alek where is Count Volger?" Barlow inquired. Like cold water splashing in Alek's face it hit him that Volger hadn't checked up with Alek since he had arrived at this place.
"Look out!" the count cried tackling Alek to the ground as a silver dagger struck the air where his chest had been hitting the marble floor with an echoing thump. Aaron rushed up the stairs were the knife had come from. A dark figure stood on the overhang staring down at Alek. Claira raced towards the dagger with a knowing expression on her face. She picked it up and her eyes narrowed and she swiveled around opening her mouth to say something, then the figure jumped off the overhang landing a foot away from Claira in a crouch. A startled Alek picked himself up and approached Claira and the intruder. Volger ran in front of Alek taking out a sword. The intruder slowly came up to their full height. Alek realized that the intruder was a teenage girl with dark black hair.
"Lilit?" Alek asked astonished. The figure turned to him and bright piercing blue eyes glared at him revealing that it was not Lilit. He stepped back as Volger approached with sword in hand.
"If you have come to assassinate the young prince you will fail. This is a very pathetic attempt, have you noticed it's you against this whole room?" The count snarled. The girl sized the count up and something that looked like a smile was creeping on her mouth behind the the scarf. Suddenly she started laughing, a secure laugh as if nothing could harm her. Still smiling the girl turned and nodded to someone by the window. They all turned to find another girl with brown hair holding a knife up to Deryn and a hand over Deryn's mouth. Deryn's eyes were wide struggling to find a way to get out of the position she was in. Deryn squirmed in the other girl's grip but she pressed the knife harder to her neck. The girl's next move was unpredictable; her eyes were covered by sunglasses preventing any emotion to be seen.
"No, Deryn!" Alek cried running towards the open window. Without hesitation the second girl backed up to the window and did a sort of backwards roll out the window still holding Deryn. The first girl put her hand on the sill and kicked both legs over the window landing the two story jump like a cat. Deryn and the other girl had landed in a horse pulled wagon carrying some food in bags. Everyone looked out the window to see Deryn attempting to scream in the wagon with the girls hand still plastered to her mouth. Just as the horses began to stop the girl with the blue eyes raced towards the driver and shoved him to the street with a cry. Without a moment's hesitation the horses started a sprint forward out of their view.
Alek turned to face everyone the guests who had stayed in the room looked appalled, Claira and Aaron seemed completely calm. Barlow looked calm as always trying to make sense of the situation talking with Claira.
"Count, how did you know someone was going to throw a dagger at Alek?" Dr. Barlow asked.
"I went to check every inch of this house when I thought I saw someone wearing black come in here through a window. I went back to Alek when I saw the girl on the balcony staring at me. She wanted me to save Alek. She just wanted a distraction and we fell for it like fools. Mr. Sharp was the one they wanted." Volger explained.
"Yes, but why would they take Mr. Sharp when they could take Alek?" Barlow questioned looking at Claira.
"Aaron you know where to go." Claira ordered Aaron who nodded in response."I'm sorry Nora but I can't give an explanation for this, but I can tell you it has to do with more than you would think."