Arthur looked at the vault with disgust. It was perfectly clean, no dirt, no dust, no money, no jewels, no documents, and no fingerprints. The only thing in the vault was a small white business card with two words printed on it. The North. Arthur glared at the card and shoved it into the little plastic bag with the other seven, identical cards. This card had been found in the center of the floor of the perfectly clean, locked bank vault. Empty, locked, bank vault. The bank wasn't even sure how long the vault had been empty. This was infuriating.

"Mr. Kiku?" Arthur said, careful to keep his voice level, "When was the last time we got a case were the culprit was so nice as to leave their signature?"

"Quite a while, sir." Kiku said politely, though he clearly could hear the frustration in Arthur's tone, "The North have been rather active lately."

"We wouldn't know, though would we?" Arthur said, venom dripping from his word, "Maybe this vault was empty for a month! Maybe last week's million dollar vacation home was looted last winter! Maybe that art museum was the only job the lovely North have done in weeks!"

"Maybe." Kiku agreed and offered Arthur a folder, he seemed unfazed by his superior's temper, "Alfred just got the police report, this case has been added to all of the other North crimes. So, it's ours now."

Arthur took the folder and flipped it open. He scanned through it, though he already knew what it said. It was all the same. Every single case of these North guys was the same. Everything whipped clean, everything left immaculate, a single white card with their name on it, and never a clue as to when the actuate break in occurred. The North were never caught on camera, never seen, and with no pattern to their targets. They were amazing. Arthur had to give them that, they were truly amazing. Arthur might even admire a criminal group that could be so efficient, if they weren't making a laughing stock of him and his team.

Arthur had wanted this case group ever since the second card was found. It was too perfect of a set up, too beautiful an execution, too much of a mystery for Arthur to pass by, but now he was wishing he had let Francis or Ivan's team take the case. This case was the main cause of a lot of sleep loss and a lot of stress that Arthur didn't think he deserved. His team was doing everything they could think of, and they had come up with nothing. The North continued to steal and Arthur was taking the heat for it. He was sure that the ringleader of The North was watching the news right now, chuckling quietly to himself and sipping some expensive champagne in a darkly lit room that smelled like cigars. Arthur hated the guy. Arthur was sure that The North enjoyed making him and his team fail.

"Arthur?"

Arthur couldn't help but wince as a new, chipper voice came from behind him. "Yes, Francis?" Arthur and Kiku turned to look at the man leaning on the door frame of the vault. "Can I help you?"

"I was wondering it I could help you," Francis's silky voice matched his ridiculous, long, silky hair and seemed to screech crossed Arthur's nerves, "You know my team is more experienced with actual detective work, maybe we could help you out?"

Arthur winced at the implication his team didn't do detective work. They were a detective agency, what did Francis think his team did? Kiku remained quiet and simply watched the two unit leaders. Arthur had to keep himself from grinding his teeth and forced his tone to be polite, "Oh no thank you, I think that my team will do fine with this one."

"You sure? I could lend you a hand you know." Francis said with an airy smile, "You know little drug busts are not bank robberies just like domestic violence is not a murder case. Plus, your team is always fighting. We are much better equipped for this sort of-"

"NO THANK YOU!" Arthur checked himself and took a deep breath before looking back at Francis who was still smiling evilly in the doorway, "We've got this."

"You haven't turned anything up for the last few months. Tell you what, I could just-"

"No."

"One of my team is all restless right now, he could hang out with you guys and help ou-"

"No."

"He'll be a great help, besides he's bored with-"

"No."

"Awe, com-on!" Francis whined, entering the vault for the first time, "I want to help! Let me put one of my guys with you, just for this case!"

"Will you stop bothering me and go do your job is I say yes?" Arthur snapped, turning back to look at the perfectly empty vault. Why was Francis even here?

"Well, I'd still have to check up on him and make sure he is working with your team, but I can promise to stop bothering you about taking this case." Francis spoke slowly, as is thinking this over. He didn't seem to be as thrilled with this now that he had said it out loud, as if this created a delima for him.

"Really?" Arthur asked doubtfully, looking back at Francis. Kiku raised an eyebrow and the two exchanged a look, Francis seemed to have made it a hobby of bothering Arthur and the other people on his team.

"Really. I promise I will stop trying to take this case if you let one of my team in with yours for a while." Francis said with an apparent resolution to his own personal delima.

"Are you just trying to spy on my team?"

"At least I'm doing it professionally."

Arthur thought about this. Francis bothering his would be a plus. Getting one of Francis's team really might be helpful, but then again all of the team that he had met were pricks. Still, his team was so new that even a simple assignment would have been hard without getting this sort of chain crimes work. Maybe this would be good, even if the team member would just be there to spy for Francis. It would be better than Francis himself hanging around all the time.

"Fine," Arthur said offhandedly as he could, "Who are you going to-"

"I don't know yet," Francis said with a grin, "I'll send them over this afternoon, I've got to talk to them and see who wants the job. My team is a team after all."

"Okay," Arthur winced again, Francis didn't think his team was a team? Sure there were some personality differences, but they worked it out usually. Francis suddenly turned on heel and left.

"See you!" He said over his shoulder and was gone.

"Bloody wanker." Arthur muttered under his breath and looked at Kiku with a sigh. "Do you think that was a mistake?"

"I don't know, but will let you know when we see who he sends over." Kiku said levelly, his face never breaking or showing any emotion.

"Right, fine." Arthur took a deep breath and forced the frustration of the day down, "It's fine, Francis does have a good team."

Kiku just nodded, "I'll head back and enter this new data."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle darkly, "What new data? It's all the same stuff, just a different location."

Kiku nodded again, "I noticed."

"Arthur?" Alfred said from behind them, "Check this out."

Arthur and Kiku turned and Arther took the paper Alfred offered to him. He looked at it and smiled. A small glimmer of hope filled him, that cigar smoking, champagne drinking prick of The North was going down, "Where did you get this?"

"There was a camera on the inside of the shop crossed the street that looks out of their front window." Alfred said, "That is a picture from that camera three weeks ago. It's pretty blurry, since the focus is the area in front of the shop, but I'm pretty sure that those are our guys."

Arthur grinned at the photo, it was dark and blurry and showed one black van parked in front of the bank and a hooded figure being let into the bank by another person. They were both wearing all black and their faces were covered by black ski masks. This was perfect. This was too perfect. "Can you get me the rest of this night's footage?"

"Yep."

"Good, get it as soon as you can." Arthur said and turned to Kiku, handing him the photo, "Find all the information for what was happening around town on this night and get some information on that van."

They both nodded and started off. Arthur looked at the business card again and then glanced at the vault. This picture was the first step forward, the first progress, since he had gotten this case. Was it an accident? Did The North leave that camera untouched for a reason? The mental image of The North's ringleader came to him, the cigar scent and the champagne, and Arthur smiled. He was going to find The North, and he was going to stop them. He was going to weave a web and devise a plan even better than that imaged criminal in the dark room, Arthur Kirkland was going to win this.

Emil walked off of the school grounds as quickly as he could without drawing attention, but it was too late. He had been spotted.

"Hey! Wait up!" The voice came from behind Emil, but he didn't slow down or show that he had heard, "Emil! Wait!"

Emil turned the corner and walked up to his brother's car, only now did he turn around and look at the blonde boy running after him. Emil tried to open the car door. It was locked. Emeil looked through the window at Lukas and pointed urgently at the handle. Lukas pointed at the boy who was now a few steps away. Emil sighed inwardly and turned to face his classmate.

"Emil! I had to run all this way!" the boy complained panting, "You sure do walk fast!"

"What do you want Peter?" Emil asked, his tone wasn't rude, but nor was it polite. He was careful to talk with a bored tone and fixed his classmate with an equally bored expression. He had been expecting this conversation and hadn't been looking forward to it.

"Hey, do you want to come over to my house this weekend? We could finish that science project ahead of time!" Peter said in his usual chipper, hopefully naive tone.

"I'm kind of busy this weekend, sorry." Emil said and glanced back into the car were Lukas was watching, "Maybe we can finish it after school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, okay! I will bring all the supplies! Meet me in the library, okay?" Peter said, if he was disappointed, he didn't show it. He smiled as if everything was going his way. He reminded Emil vaguely of a puppy and vaguely of one of those stupid cartoon characters that were always dropping pianos on each other.

"Thats' fine, I will be there. Can you text Lili and tell her?"

"Sure!" Peter suddenly laughed, "Hey! We are sure to get an A since you are on our team! You are at the top of the class, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess." Emil looked back at Lukas again, "Listen, I've got to go, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay!" Peter waved as Emil got into the car and drove away. Emil watched the blonde shrink into the distance in his rear view mirror.

"Why did you lock me out?" Emil asked once the school was out of sight.

"Having friends is good for you." Lukas said, his voice monotone.

"He's not my friend." Emil said and glared out the window, "He's annoying, immature, and an idiot."

"I think he would make a good friend."

"Like Mathias?"

"Mathias isn't my friend.

"Well, Peter Kirkland isn't my friend, and I have no intentions of changing that."

The two lapsed into silence. The car pulled up into their house moments later and they both went inside. The house was identical to all of the others on the block, but it was theirs. It was totally still inside, except Emil's puffin who flew up to his shoulder the moment they got inside.

Just before Emil retreated upstairs to his room, Lukas stopped him, "Peter Kirkland is the younger brother of Arthur Kirkland."

"What of it?" Emil snapped, unable to keep his temper in check. It was unlike Lukas to interfere in his personal life and it wasn't something Emil appreciated.

"Arthur Kirkland is assigned to our case. His team has been overseeing it." Lukas spoke softer now, violet eyes met blue and for a moment they were silent.

"I don't see how that is my problem." Emil said coldly, and tried to push past his older brother.

"Emil, I want you to go over to his house this weekend." Lukas's tone implied it wasn't a request.

"No. He's so stupid, I wouldn't be concerned if his brother is anything like him." Emil snapped, "You have nothing to worry about, they will never catch you guys if Mr. Kirkland is in charge. Besides, it's not like anything has changed, they haven't come any where close to touching you yet."

"I'm taking you off the plan for this weekend." Lukas said, his voice monotone once again, "You will go to the Kirkland's house instead, I'll drop you off before I meet up with Tino and Berwald."

"No. I'm going to help this weekend, I'm not finishing a stupid science project with that kid." Emil glared at his brother, he could feel his anger starting to simmer.

"Tino will cover for you."

"No need, I'll go."

"You'd better call Peter and let him know that you can't make it tomorrow after school, so this weekend is fine."

Emil glared at Lukas, but Lukas's gazed was unwavering. Emil was finally forced to look away, "Fine." He said softly and started up the stairs.

"Thank you." Lukas said from behind him.

Emil didn't look back.

"Hello! This is Peter Kirkland's cell phone! Sorry I didn't answer, but please leave a message and I'll call you back! Thanks so much!"

The phone beeped, ending the recorded messaged. Emil sighed inwardly, Peter even sounded like an idot in recordings.

"Hi Peter, it's Emil." Emil said, "I can't make it tomorrow after all, is this weekend still good for you? Can Lili and I still go over to your house on Saturday to finish the project? Don't bother calling back, just tell me tomorrow at school. Thanks."

Emile hung up and flopped back onto his bed. He was missing a robbery to do a science project. What was the justice in that? Tino would cover for him? Who would cover for Tino? This was stupid. The team needed him. If Lukas was so concerned about Arthur Kirkland all the sudden, maybe something did change. Maybe they had messed up somehow? Nah, Emil doubted it.

The phone rang.

Emil looked at the caller ID, it was Peter. Didn't he say not to call back?

"Hello?"

"Hi Emil! This is Peter! It's okay if you guys come over this weekend! Is ten good for you? Lili won't be able to come until noon, but I thought we could get a head start anyway!"

"Tens' fine."

"Oh good! We could make lunch too! Do you like grilled cheese sandwiches? Oh! My brother might be home Saturday, then he could cook for us! ARTHUR!"

Emil winced and held the phone away from his ear, but he could still hear Peter.

"ARTHUR ARE YOU HOME SATURDAY? YES? CAN YOU MAKE LUNCH FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS? WHAT? MY FRIENDS AND I? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? COULD YOU MAKE US LUNCH? He said yes, this is going to be so much fun!"

"Yes."

"Yeah! And we could play board games if we finish early! Do you like Monopoly?"

"Sure, I've got to go."

"Okay! See you tomorrow! Don't forget that the history report is due tomorrow and-"

Emil hung up. This was going to be interesting. No, probably not. Playing Monopoly and finishing a science project with Peter was not going to be interesting. At least Lili was going to be there. At least he would get to meet the new detective on the North case. That promised to be interesting at the very least.

Yay! New story! I've been thinking about this one for a few weeks now, I want to make these chapters shorter than Restack the Deck's chapters and I wanted to focus on a different set of charecters. So, here you have it, I hope you like it. Please reveiw! Pretty Please!