Balin and Thorin stand outside on the balcony, Thorin smoking from his old, wooden pipe. Thorin is nervous tonight, he doesn't know why. Sweat runs down his face.
"Are you alright laddie?" asks Balin.
"I'm fine," replies Thorin. "Something just doesn't feel right."
Suddenly he hears the click of a door opening. Nobody was coming back from anywhere tonight, and nobody was invited over.
"Did you hear that Balin?" asks Thorin quietly. Balin nods his head. Thorin moves slowly across the floorboards, trying not to make any noise. He makes his way to an old, handcarved desk. He pulls out a secret drawer, and takes out a small pistol. Balin grabs a metal curtain rod. They move across the wooden floor cautiously, and once they hit the marble they pick up the pace. Thorin walks down the stairs. The door to the basement is open. It is normally locked, becuase the safe is down their. Thorin nods his head to the door, and Balin nods back in recognition. Thorin plasters himself against one side of the door, Balin against the other. Thorin looks across. He mouths the words.
"Three, two-," BOOM! Thorin is cut off. Fire races down the hallway towards them. Thorin grabs Balin and runs to the front door, which is still open. BOOM! BOOM! More explosions, more bombs. A decoy to cover up the break in.
April 9th, 2014, 12:44 A.M. - Oakenshield Estate, Scotland
The police arrived but they were too late. Unnaturally late. Thorin sits on the edge of a police cruiser's trunk. Balin has been taken away to the hospital due to burns. A lady in a uniform walks up, maybe in her mid twenties.
"I'm going to need to ask you some questions," she says. Thorin doesn't answer. He just sits their looking at her with an icy cold stare.
"I need your first and last name," she says.
"Thorin. Thorin Oakenshield," Thorin growls.
"And your middle name?" she asks.
"Is this really necessary?" asks Thorin.
"Uh-," the lady is cut off.
"That is enough Tauriel. We already know what we need to know," a slick voice interupts.
"Greenleaf," Thorin spits the name.
"I'm pleased to see you to," Thranduil Greenleaf says, a fake smile plastered on his face. "I regret to inform you that your father, mother, and grandfather all perished in the explosion."
"I already surmised," growls Thorin. "And the break in? What was stolen from the safe?"
"There was no break in," Thranduil says smoothly. "The contents were destroyed in the fire."
"Balin and I both heard something," Thorin says.
"You are mistaken," hisses Thranduil.
"Bullcrap," says Thorin. "The explosions were a decoy."
Thranduil wavers, and Thorin sees it. Thranduil knows.
"Who do think they'll believe. An old man who can barely hear and his friend who suffers from post war trauma, or the commisioner and his men?" Thranduil says icily.
"You're the only one who can help," Thorin is almost pleading.
"No Oakenshield, no," Thranduil growls. "He said he'd kill my men. That is more imprtant to me than your fortune."
Thorin shakes his head in frustration.
April 10th, 2014, 1:02 P.M. - Wishaw General Hospital
Thorin and Balin walk through the halls of the hospital. Thorin stays silent until they reach the safety of his car.
"Greenleaf claims nobody broke into the safe," Thorin vents.
"Why would he do that," Balin asks, suprised.
"The criminal threatened to kill his men," Thorin says. "Or atleast that's the excuse Greenleaf offered me."
"We'll have to arrange the funerals," Balin says quietly. Thorin doesn't answer. His brow is furrowed. He bites his lower lip, a habbit of his when deep in thought.
"I know of a man who could help us find the man who did this," says Thorin.
"Thorin. You're honestly going to after him because the police won't?" asks Balin. "I can't let ya do it laddie."
"No Balin. There is no choice for me. I have to go after him," Thorin replies.
Balin sighs, "Then I'm with ya laddie."
"This man, who is he?"
"His name is G. He's what you might call an agent. He works for the Istari 5A program. He may be able to give us a lead."
"And you think he will?"
"We can only try."
Unknown Time, 2:43 - Unknown Place
Oakenshield, T (2:43): I am in need of your assistance.
Tharkun, G (2:44): The break in incident that was cleverly covered up by three explosions?
Oakenshield, T (2:44 - Deleted): How did you know about the break in?
Oakenshield, T (2:44): Precisely.
Tharkun, G (2:44): Elaborate, I am intrigued.
Oakenshield, T (2:44): I need to find the man who did it. I think you can help me.
Tharkun, G (2:48): The man you are looking for is called Smaug.