Professor Hershel Layton was quietly sitting at his desk when he heard footsteps. He put down his mechanical pencil and turned to face the door as Rosa walked into his office.
"Sorry to disturb you, Professor, but you have received a letter from-er-Clive Dove. " she told him as she squinted to read the return address in the upper left hand corner of the envelope.
"Clive..? Er-thank you very much Rosa." The professor said before he rose from his chair, taking the letter from Rosa's hands.
"Would you like some hot tea Professor? I can go prepare some if you like," Rosa offered.
"No, not now. Thank you anyway." Rosa smiled and headed to the door. Professor wondered, ''Why could Clive be writing to me? Perhaps something's terribly wrong? Does he just want to tell me something? Shall I head to the jail? What could the matter be?'' He decided to quit mumbling on about it to himself and opened the envelope.
"Dearest Hershel, I suppose you remember me, I need help. I know that I am writing to you on short notice, but here at the jail, we are going through a major predicament. One of the cell guards took a short break three days ago. He took the cell keys with him. I've not the slightest idea how, but he came back without the keys. He wouldn't tell anyone how he lost them, almost like he was forced into not telling anyone. To make matters even worse, a bomb has been placed in the center of the jailhouse. The mysterious man who did this goes by the name Ascot. I do not suppose you know him, but the bomb is going to blow up this entire place in less than eight days. Please forgive me for what I have done before, Hershel, and come to save us all! Accept my apologies, Clive"
The professor was very surprised. He looked up from the letter in shock. Was the man Randall Ascot? He didn't know why Randall would do this. He decided to take a trip to the jailhouse and talk to Clive in person.
The next day:
Him, Luke, who is now fifteen years old, and Flora, who is 14, leave at eight o'clock.
"Ohh, Professor, it's so early. *Yawn* why couldn't we have left just a bit later?" complained Flora.
"Flora, this is a very serious matter and we need to get there as soon as we can!" Luke answered for the professor.
"I didn't ask you, Luke..." Flora said.
"Well I knew the answer so I told you!"
"But I wanted an answer from the professor not an irresponsible kid!" Flora told him. Luke, still acting like a child even though he is a teenager now, says
"Huh? Hmph. Professah! Flora is-"
"That's enough, Luke. Calm down," Professor Layton explained that gentleman do not complain about young ladies.
"Wha-? But-ugh." He slumped down in the backseat of the Laytonmobile with a pouty look on his face.
"Yes, Flora, we must arrive as soon as possible to stop the jail from exploding and save all of the prisoners. " the professor re-explained.
"Told ya..." Luke mumbled to Flora. The Professor did not hear this, however, for he had been in deep thought for the past couple minutes thinking about Randall. SCREEECH! "Professor, what on earth was that?!" Luke exclaimed. A car was winding the road and heading straight for them! "AAAAHHHHHH PROFESSAHHH!" Luke ad Flora screamed in unison. The professor swung the wheel way to the right and they slid off of the street and into a small ditch. Luke and Flora unbuckled their seat belts and hopped out of the car while the professor straightened his hat on his head, then got out. There were skid marks all over the road, and behind them, stopped in the middle of the street, was a small blue car. Professor Layton ran to the car while Flora and Luke stayed by the Laytonmobile. Out of the blue car stepped Angela Ascot, Randall's wife.
"Hershel! Or should I say Professor Layton!"
"An-Angela?" the professor stuttered.
"I am so sorry, Hershel! I was so worried about Randall, he ran off, and I have been trying to find him!" She face showed that she was highly worried. "I don't want to lose him again Hershel! Please help!" She begged. Professor Layton decided to show her the letter he received the day before. "I-I don't believe it..Hershel...how could he do something like this? Are you sure that it is him? Why would he place a bomb in a jailhouse? Maybe this Clive is trying to trick you..." Angela went on.
"No, I do not believe he is trying to fool us. Clive has done some terrible things in the past...but trust me, he has changed since then and would not write this as some kind of joke." The professor assured Angela. "Tag along with us if you insist, but first I need some help getting my automobile out of this muddy ditch...Luke...?" Luke answered him,
"Er-yes Professor. To the Laytonmobile!" *silence* "*clears throat* ok, let's get to it then..." Him and Professor Layton head over to the ditch. The both of them put their hands on the back of the automobile, getting ready to push forward.
"Alright, Luke, on three." Hershel said to him with a determined voice. "One, two, three!" They both start pushing as hard as they can, and the car barely moves. "Just-a bit-harder-Luke my boy-" Professor Layton says, almost out of breath. Both of their feet are digging into the mud as they push the car with all their might.
"Professah, this is not working. " Luke says as he takes a break.
"Hm. No it doesn't look like it is. " Layton agrees.
"Step aside , gentlemen, let the ladies show you how its done. " Angela smiled and walked over to them. Flora followed her and agreed to help.
"Oh no, Angela, you might hurt yourself. " Professor Layton tells her. Angela gestures him away and he cannot argue anymore with her.
"Ready Flora? One, two, three!" They close their eyes as the push, push, push. The Laytonmobile starts to slowly move. Professor and Luke stand there, mouths wide open, in complete shock. A few moments later, the Laytonmobile is half way out. Angela stops and turns to the professor. "Whew! There we go! Hershel, why don't you try to drive it out from here?" Professor Layton, still in shock, slowly nods his head "yes" and walks to the front seat. He sits down, starts the car, and smoothly drives it out of the mud.
"You're welcome. " Flora and Angela said together. Luke thanks them, and so does the professor. They all get in the automobile, and start driving to the jail.
"Ok, Clive included the address to the prison in this envelope. " Layton told the bunch as he handed it to Luke, keeping his eyes on the road. Luke opened it and led Professor in the right direction. About twenty five minutes later, they arrived at the jail where Clive is trapped. They stepped out of the car, and all of their heads angled up at the broken sign on the top of the building.
"Ok. Lets go!" Luke marched up to the door and knocked. Flora, Layton, and Angela follow him in silence. Nobody answers the door. "Er-heh heh...lemme just...open the door..." Luke said unsurely. He pushes the door open with his foot, unaware what might happen. As soon as the door fully opens, Luke and the professor spot rows and rows full of prisoners. Finally, after a while of looking around, they hear a familiar voice over all the screaming prisoners.
"Professor! PROFESSOR! Over here! LUKE! Flora! Come and help me! Over here!"
"Professor! That sounds like Clive! Let's go!" Luke ran in the direction of his voice. The three others followed him. They finally reached him as Clive jumped up from the wooden bed hanging from the ceiling. He looked as hot as ever with the cutest 6 pack you have ever seen and a tattoo of three doves on his side, which he got recently from his friend in the cell next to his. Then Flora blushed at the sight of him.
"You have to get me out of here, and help all the prisoners before that thing blows us all into bits! All the guards and police men have left us all because of the bomb, so we need not worry about them at the time." He said to all of them.
"Clive! I know! We can break through!" Luke tried to sound determined as he attempted to break through the bars.
"Luke, stop, it is no use. I have tried it, some of the strongest men here have tried it! It's impossible." Clive said to him.
"We'll-er-can I try picking the lock?" Luke empties his pockets only to find a piece of string, a nickel, and a candy wrapper.
"Luke, your pocket isn't a trash can..." Flora teased.
"Now isn't the time to make fun of me Flora! And sorry Clive, I do not have anything that could possibly pick the lock." Luke stated.
"Luke, you have to find the keys. It is our only hope! I believe that Mr. Ascot has them, as my theory is that he stole them from that guard and bribed him into not telling anyone. Our lives are in your hands, Luke, Professor, Flora, and-er-I am sorry, I don't believe we have met. " Clive said, staring at Angela.
"Angela. I have heard much about you. " Angela said, extending her hand through the bars.
"I am Clive. I'm sorry I can't say the same about you," Clive shook her hand and smiled.
"Clive, this is Randall's wife, Angela Ascot." Professor filled him in.
"Oh. I see. " Clive said.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go find Randall!" Luke exclaimed.
At that moment the entire jailhouse screamed "HOORAY"! Professor Layton, Luke, and Angela went out to search for Randall. Flora stayed with Clive to keep him "company". (Honestly, he is like 20 and she's like 14 so she better like leave him alone; they have no chance together) On their way to the Laytonmobile, they started exchanging theories on where Randall might be.
"Well, he probably won't be somewhere obvious, so not in Monte d'Or, and he can't be far from here, since this happened just recently. Where could he be?" Angela explained.
Luke and Layton agreed and when they reached the car, Luke saw a shadow on the side of the building. He didn't say anything, and started walking toward it. Then a black hooded figure appeared to be running to a high window with the bars broken on the side of the jail. Luke's eyes widened as he started toward the figure, first a jog into a sprint.
"Luke! What on earth are you doing?" Professor Layton calls after him.
"He is chasing that man!" Angela answered for Luke and pointed to the black hooded figure. Layton ran to him and Angela follows. Now the three of them are all chasing the man. "Could that be Randall, Hershel?" Angela asked.
"It is very possible. But we need to catch him in order to find out." Professor told her. Just then, the man jumped through the window, not knowing that he was being pursued. Luke reached the window first, but does not do anything. When Layton caught up, Luke instructed him to head to the main entrance of the jail, and Angela to the emergency exit in the back.
"I will stay here, and this way, we can cover all exits so that we can corner this man. Got it?" Luke told them. Angela and Professor Layton nod in unison. They head off and when the two reach their spots, Luke umps through the window and screams
"YOU!" He points to the man trying to act like the professor. "You are Ascot, are you not? I suppose you remember me, Luke Triton, the great Professor Layton's apprentice #1! We have met in Monte d'Or, a long while ago. You are the one who set the bomb...correct?" Luke had his hands on his hips.
"Heh. Heh heh heh. I am. But I presume you came alone?" Randall tool his hood off which released his brick red afro. He stared at Luke.
"Er-of course I come alone!" Luke lied to him. Randall smiled an evil smile.
"Then I guess...you have been outsmarted." Luke does not do anything but cough as Randall released a thick cloud of smoke, leaving no one able to see where he went. He did not manage to escape, for when he reached the back emergency exit he ran right into Angela.
"Randall?" She said.
"A-Angela?" He answered.
"Oh, Randall! You don't know how much I was worried! Do not ever scare me like that ever again! Let us go home Randall!" Angela threw her arms around him.
"No. Angela, you do not understand. " he tried to remove her arms from around him. "I do not want to go back to Monte d'Or. I am not the man you used to know. People change. Haven't you realized that yet?" He put his hands on her face and pulled her close for one last kiss. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going." He said as he pushed her out of the way. Luckily, Layton and Luke have gained enough time to run to the back exit and pull a rope across the door, so when Randall tried to escape, he tripped over the wire. Luke tied his hands together while Layton tied his feet. "What the-?!" Randall struggled. The Luke spotted the keys dangling from his belt.
"Professah! The keys!" The professor then grabbed the keys and ran inside to Clive. Angela called the police and Luke followed Layton into the jail.
"Professor, the bomb will go off inn exactly 15 minutes. You must hurry!" Clive explained. After he was out, he took the keys from the professor because he knew his way around the jail better than Layton. He ran up and down the rows, unlocking as many doors as he could. As soon as the prisoners were set free, Luke instructed them to get as far away from the building as possible. The obeyed, and Clive went on unlocking the cells. Everyone was out, with about 4 minutes to spare. Everyone was fleeing the area, and Clive, Layton, Angela, and Luke were at the Laytonmobile when suddenly, Clive said "wait, where's Flora?!" He sprinted back to the jail with only 30 seconds until the bomb went off.
"Clive stop! Come back! You will get hurt!" Angela screamed. Clive didn't stop. He was about 20 feet from the jail and he heard a crackle. He knew what was coming.
"Uh-oh no!" He screamed in a manly voice and turned as he started running back.
BOOOOOM! A fiery red and orange mixture of colours burst up as a loud boom is heard. Clive leaps forward, struggling to get out of the danger zone, but still worrying about Flora.
"Clive!" The professor runs to him as he lays unconscious on the ground Layton calls for Angela for assistance bringing him back to the car. The archaeology professor and Angela bring Clive back to the Laytonmobile, as Luke gets a cloth out of his bag, placing it on Clive's forehead.
Later:
Clive's eyes finally open, and he looks around with curiosity.
"Where-where am I?" Professor Layton was sitting in a chair next to the bed Clive is lying on. He had one leg crossed over the other with a book on archaeology in his hand. When he heard Clive speak, he looked up from his book and closed it.
"I see you're awake. " he said to the injured man.
"Where are we? Where's Luke and Angela?" Clive repeated.
"We are in the hospital, you ran back to the jail to save Flora and the bomb went off, leaving you unconscious. Do you not remember? And Luke and Angela are downstairs in the lobby. They didn't want to disturb you up here." Hershel tried to help him regain memory of the events that happened about and hour ago.
"I do, in a way. " Clive answered him.
"Good." Layton picked up his textbook once more. "You'd best get some rest, you are still injured." The young man was going to ask where he was injured, but decided not to and obeyed Layton.
Clive's dream:
BOOM.
"I need to go back! My parents are still inside!" Clive cries as Hershel holds him back.
"Pull yourself together, boy! There's nothing to be done. Jump back in there , and you'll die too!" Layton tried to keep him calm.
"No!" Clive cried into the professor's arms.
(Suddenly, a flash of Bill hawks angry face came up in his dream. Clive started tossing and turning in his bed, when suddenly he woke up and screamed "NO!" )
Back to reality:
"Clive what is it?!" Professor Layton stood up from his chair and went by Clive.
"I-It's Bill! It's all his fault! I need to get him! Let me out of here, Professor! Let me out!" Clive was huffing and puffing while he said this, for he was nervous for what that dream meant.
"Clive, I know what happened to your parents was because of Bill. But we need to forgive and forget that." Layton understood his pain.
"I can't! If it wasn't for him, my parents would be here! They would be next to me. I wouldn't have gone to jail, I wouldn't have been injured, and I wouldn't have had that terrible flashback dream!" Clive explained.
"I see. Hm. Well I forgave you, did I not? Claire forgave you. Dimitri forgave you. London forgave you for the terrible things you have done. So why can't you forgive Bill?" Professor tried talking sense into him.
"Because I didn't kill anyone who was dear to him. He did that to me and I cannot forgive him for that." Clive responded. Hershel sighed and decided to turn on the television to get his mind off of this.
"Here, Clive, why don't you try and find something you like?" Professor handed Clive the remote control and Clive flipped through the channels. He came across the news channel and turned it on.
'Prime minister arrested for robbery' was the headline. ("Prime minister? Does he mean Bill?" Clive wondered.)
'Bill Hawks broke into bank in London; arrested for 6 years'
"YES!" Clive sat up and stared at the television screen. Professor Layton smiled to see Clive so happy. A knock was suddenly heard at the door. Hershel got up and walked over to it, opening the door to Angela and Luke.
"Is he awake, Professor?" Angela whispered.
"He's awake alright," Layton said gesturing to Clive and how happy he seemed. They walked in, greeted Clive, and they all talked for more than a half an hour.
The next day:
Clive is out of the hospital, but has a left ankle brace and a left broken arm.
"Glad that you're better, Clive," Luke told him with a smile on his face.
"Thank you, Luke. But I just wish I could have saved Flora sooner. It's all my fault." He blamed himself.
"Well, actually it kind of is her fault for two reasons. 1, she couldn't just accept the fact that this adventure was too dangerous for her to come along, and 2, she insisted on staying with you while we headed off to find Randall. Then she didn't even stay near you and wandered off, getting lost. So don't blame yourself, Clive, you couldn't have done anything and we can't change anything now." Luke said with sympathy.
"I guess." Then Clive was silent.
Angela returned to Monte d'Or to live with Henry, Randall and Bill were both arrested, Clive was better, Flora was dead, and the professor and Luke waited for another adventure to come along.
THE END.