"PROF WAIT!" Lucy yelled after the red-haired inspector as he ran down the street. "You are supposed to head for dinner with your father now!" she tried to remind him.
She had tried, really tried to keep Alfendi updated with his schedule, and keep her promise to that nice old man, Hershel Layton, that he would see his son soon.
She had finally found a hole in Alfendi schedule, which Alfendi had agreed on, then made the agreement with his father.
But now he was busy running down the street, towards a newly found crime-scene. And he wasn't even on duty! They had been off duty for almost an hour now.
Alfendi gritted his teethes impatiently as he turned around and looked annoyed at Lucy. "If we don't go now the trail will just get cold!"
"But prof!" Lucy tried to object.
"Won't you just call him for me and tell him I am busy?" Al finally asked impatiently. "You got his number in your wallet right?" he asked.
"Well yeah I.." Lucy blinked.
"Then get to it man!" Alfendi exclaimed before he turned around and he was gone⦠dashing down the corner.
Lucy stopped as she looked after him, then groaned.. She didn't have the address for the scene of crime! Alfendi hadn't given it to her!
Why would he have to be such a rush-head when he was being the Potty Prof? Honestly! When Alfendi was placid it was nearly impossible to get him out of the door and Lucy had to push him out-side, but Potty?! Of course he would have to be each when it was the most inconvenient! Lucy sighed deeply as she reached down in her pocket and finally found Hershel Laytons visit card, only to realise, his home were only a few streets away from her current position...
"Really?" Lucy asked herself as she looked at the card. Then sighed deeply, well, it was closer to Hershel Laytons home than the office, so it would actually be quicker just to go there in person and apologies for Alfendi than go to the office to make a call, only to go home from there, she was after-all, technically off duty right now.
As Lucy started to walk down the streets, rain started to drizzle over her, sighing she pulled her jacket over her head and picked up space, until she was almost running towards the given address, and then she actually was running, before at last she found herself in front of a.. tall apartment building?
Lucy didn't really know what she had expected, some-how that elder gentleman just looked like a person whom would have a house.
Oh well, when the children move out, houses become so big, wasn't that the thing?
The professor apartment was on the first floor it seemed, and finally she found the door with the bronze nameplate on it, spelling quite clearly. "Professor Hershel Layton."
Sighing deeply Lucy finally knocked the door, and then waited, it only took a few moments, before the door opened, and there on the other side was he, the professor, with top hat and every-thing looking surprised at her. "Lucy?" he questioned.
"Hallo Professor Layton." Lucy smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around her wet frame. "I'm sorry to intrude, but well. I was closer to here and than the office when the Prof asked me, well to tell you that he was busy."
"A case I presume?" Layton asked.
And Lucy nodded. "Yes." She admitted.
"Ah well, he'll probably come later he usually does." Layton told opening up the door. "My dear you look frozen to the bone, please come in and get some warmth. Can I perhaps offer you some tea?" he asked.
"That's very kind of you professor, But I." Lucy began, when suddenly the rain out-side started to become extra heavy and almost made thunder sounds as it hit the roof. "Tea sounds lovely!" she finally stated.
Stepping into Laytons home was a little bit weird, Lucy didn't really know what she had expected, like the man himself, this home seemed simple and comfortable, then she gained a glimpse into what she could only assume was Laytons work study, and was at ones reminded of the mystery room! The only other person whom could work with so many papers laying every-where was the Prof!
"Please make yourself at home." Layton finally gestured at a living room, that looked very comfortable, with a soft green couch in it, a couch table, a book shelf filled with books on both archaeology and puzzles.. More mess around on the different tables.
Warm deep colours that didn't spring too much in the eye, but just left you feeling a little drowsy and comfortable.
And then of course, on one of the wall hung a number of pictures, immediately Lucys eyes searched through them until she found what she was looking for.
A picture of a younger Alfendi, standing together with his father the professor. On the picture, Alfendi looked to be in his teens, his hair was flaming red like the Potty Profs, but didn't fall into his eyes, his face was left fully visible, behind him stood Layton, looking younger with brown hair though still the same top-hat, he seemed very happy and proud as the two of them held up a banner that said. "Winner of the mystery challenge of Ludwig University, Alfendi Layton."
"Ah, I see you found the picture wall." Layton commented as he entered with a tray that contained the promised tea.
Lucy blushed deeply as she looked down. "Well, I.." she blushed deeply.
"If you are cold, there is a blanket right next to you." Layton helpfully told, and Lucy blushed a little bit more, before she took the blanket and wrapped it around herself.
For a moment there was silence, before Lucy managed to look up. "So he was red-haired originally?" she asked.
Layton smiled amused. "Yes, we were all quite stunned when Als hair changed doing his coma." Then he sighed deeply as he sat down with the tray, placing it between them on the couch table, as he sat opposite Lucy, gently pouring up the tea. "You have no idea how relieved I actually were when I saw him, at my visit to the office." He told.
Lucy blinked as she looked up. "Oh?" she asked.
"I had heard that Alfendi was getting better, but I hadn't seen it." Layton told in a deep sigh, pouring for himself. "I was abroad when you started to work for Alfendi, one day he called me and expressed his worry, that some-thing odd was happening. I of cause asked if he wanted me to come home, but he said it wasn't needed, he needed to ease his own mind. Then the commissioner called me, and told me that Alfendi had showed up in his office, acting differently and having red hair." Layton smiled amused as he sat up. "You probably don't know, but the commissioner has only worked in that department for two years, so he wouldn't know how Alfendi used to be, and I got very hopeful, then at last I was the one calling Hilda, and she told me, that I would not believe what had happened, that Alfendi was back to himself again.. Sort of." He frowned. "The first thing I did when I came back to London was to go to your office, that's when we met." He told, looking amused at Lucy as he lifted his cup to his mouth.
"Oh I see." Lucy nodded.
"I cannot thank you enough Lucy." Layton told. "To see him like that again." He exhaled deeply as he shook his head.
"I suppose these last four years have been kind of hard huh?" Lucy asked.
Layton exhaled deeply as he opened his eyes and looked up. "It is difficult to explain." He told. "To see Alfendi there, but yet him not being the Alfendi you remember. That has been.." he frowned. "Worrisome." He at last settled on.
"It felt off putting." Lucy at last helped.
"I suppose that is a pretty accurate description." Layton finally admitted with closed eyes.
Oh he remembered, remembered those four years ago.
His son, his only son, had been shot! And not just shot, he was mortally wounded, on the brink of death itself. He was in a coma, Alfendis body had simply gone into shock due to the trauma of the shooting, and he was dead to the world. Every-day Layton would rush from the university and straight to the hospital, only to be faced with the pall face of Alfendi, laying unresponsive there in the bed, while a machine biped away beside him.
This really was the worst part.. the part of not knowing!
Would Alfendi ever come out of it? And if he did, what would the consequences be?
Apparently he had shot some-one to death.
One thing was the trials Alfendi now would have to go through, but Hershel knew, in spite of Alfendis harsh attitude and fascination with murder mysterious, he would never kill any-one, and such a thing was bound to weigh heavy on his conscious.
"Professor.."
Hershel turned his head to be faced with another young man, a man wearing his blue jacket and hat. "Ah, Luke, good of you to come." Hershel nodded at him.
"How is he?" Luke finally asked looking at the pall un-moving Alfendi in the hospital bed.
"Same as always I am afraid." Hershel sighed deeply. "Neither worse or better." Then he bit together, he all-ready knew, that the longer Alfendi stayed in this coma, the more likely it was he would never wake up at all.
Gritting his teethes Hershel drew a hand to his forehead and rubbed it annoyed as he tried to keep back his feeling of powerlessness.
Luke as well looked a little sadly at the man he in many ways had come to consider as a un-official younger brother, then he frowned. "Professor.." he then hesitated.
"Yes Luke." Hershel frowned, rubbing his forehead.
"I know this sounds a little odd, but.. Is it just me or is Als hair looking a little weird?" Luke finally asked.
At that Hershel looked up and turned his head to look at Luke. "I had noticed that as well." He finally admitted.
"It looks darker, not as red." Luke frowned as he crossed his arms. "Is that normal?" he asked. "For coma patients to change hair colour?"
"I honestly don't know." Hershel replied honestly. "I thought perhaps my mind was playing a trick on me. I have never heard of any such thing." He told.
Then one day, as Hershel held a lecture on the university, one of the other teachers burst into his class-room making Hershel turn surprised at the new-comer.
"Hershel!" The teacher in the door gasped. "We just got a call from the hospital!"
At ones Hershel dropped the papers he had in his hands, simply dropped them, so they fell down on the floor and spread all over the room, to the surprise of the gaping students.
"Alfendi!" The teacher gasped.
"Is he okay?" Hershel asked at ones, deeply worried.
"He's awake!"
At ones Hershel had rushed to the hospital, as fast as he could! He was awake! Alfendi was awake! Haven be praised he was awake!
He was ready to rush all the way up the stairs, hug Alfendi, and get beaten over the head for it because Alfendi was a grown man, and a well respected police inspector at that.
All though, just as Hershel had entered, a blond woman managed to grab him and hold him back. "Professor Layton, wait."
"Hilda?" Hershel blinked as he looked at the blond woman with a sharp nose, one of Alfendis very closest friends, whom also had been there nearly every-day, when she had not been searching for proof that Alfendi did not shoot that man. "What's wrong, I heard Alfendi was awake, is that not magnificent news?" he asked in a smile.
"Well, of cause it is." Hilda told, though she still held Hershel back, by holding his shoulders. "But, before you go in, there is some-thing you should probably know."
Hershel silenced, Hilda.. she looked so serious, and her eyes. "What is it?" Hershel asked confused.
And Hilda exhaled deeply as she let go of Hershel. "You know how some-times.. when coma patients wake up, they just aren't there same any-more."
At that Hershels eyes widened. "What?" he asked.
"Maybe it'll become better. He just woke after-all, I don't know." Hilda sighed. "But he is not exactly acting like himself and.. well." She swallowed as she bit her lip.
"Hilda, please. What is it?" Hershel asked desperately.
"He confessed to the murder." Hilda at last whispered.
Hershels eyes widened as he stood up. "What?" he asked, he couldn't quite believe it yet, it was like an icing went down his spine, and a knot had formed in his throat.
"It's the first thing he said when he woke up." Hilda now sniffed, holding a hand up to her eye, as she washed away a tear. "I did it, I shot MakePeace, those were his exact words, and he repeated them to the commissioner." She sniffed.
Stunned Hershel stood back, but soon realised there was a crying woman in front of him, and a gentleman, would never let a woman suffer.
"There, there." Hershel at last whispered as he pulled forward a handkerchief from his pocket and reached it to Hilda. "Things are not as bad as they seem, you see." He told. "You said it yourself, he'll probably wont get any punishment on the claim that it was self-defence." He told.
"I just can't believe it." Hilda sniffed as she took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "He wouldn't! He would never." She tried to keep back her tears.
Sadly Hershel looked at the woman, as he gently padded her on the back. "Please excuse me, I am so sorry." He told. "But I am worried about Alfendi, I really want to go see him quick as possible." He told.
"Oh, of cause." Hilda sniffed as she stood back. "You know where he is, just.. erh.."
Hershel looked patiently at Hilda for her to finish.
"Don't be to upset." Hilda then whispered. "He also scared me.." she whispered.
Hershel blinked surprised, what could Alfendi possible do to scare the people whom all-ready knew and cared for him? He was a sharp-tongued sarcastic young man, whom did put a lot of people off by his mere presence, due to his wild energy and deep fascination for murders. His words could be harsh, but weren't to be taken seriously, which was why it would be very difficult for him to put any-one off whom all-ready knew him.
What could he possible do that was worse than what he all-ready did do?
Finally Hershel entered the sick-room and stepped in, to suddenly stop, there were a few people in there, a few of Alfendis work colleagues in the police force.
But Alfendi himself didn't seem to notice at all, he was sitting upright, but his posture was tired and slung forward, not like that energetic posture he usually had, his head hung a bit forward as well as his arms fell loosely down his side, then there were his eyes, that looked out in front of him.
It didn't really look like he was seeing any-thing, he eyes looked weirdly distant, weirdly dead, almost.. placid.
As did his un-responsive face, which indeed was off putting for any-one whom knew him.
Alfendi would his and complain, he would mutter annoyed, he would swear even though Hershel had told him not to, he was a whirlwind of energy. So what was this now.
"Alfendi?" Hershel asked a little confused.
Alfendi didn't react at all, just kept sitting there looking in front of himself.
Then one of the other people lightly touched Alfendis shoulder. "Al, your father is asking for you." He whispered.
Then Alfendi blinked and looked to his side, looking confused at the people in the room, as if he was deeply surprised to find any-one there at all, as if he hadn't noticed at all.
"Alfendi?" Hershel asked again, and finally Alfendis confused eyes found Laytons face. Then only to look very confused at him, as if Alfendi couldn't quite figure out what he was supposed to do now. His eyes that normally looked so sharp, and cut through any situation like a pair of eagle eyes, were just so glazed and confused.
"How are you feeling my boy?" Hershel finally asked moving closer, then took a seat just released for him, beside the bed. "You had us quite worried there you know." He told, trying to offer Alfendi a gentle assuring smile.
Alfendi though, didn't respond, as he looked just as confused at Hershel.
Hershelf frowned, starting to wish for a response, any kind of response. "You were shot, remember?" he then tried. "You've been in here for nearly a month."
That made Alfendi frown as he moved his head and his eyes, to look back in front of himself. "I was shot?" he questioned confused.
"Yes my boy." Hershel told. "You were lucky to come out alive."
"But.. I was the one who shot some-one." Alfendi frowned confused. "Were we both shot?.. odd." He then commented looking back out into the air.
"Alfendi." Hershel frowned, suddenly growing just a little annoyed and impatient. "We don't know exactly what happened. It's your own testament that'll be the final factor. And you are clearly in no condition to think of that yet."
"But I shot him." Alfendi blinked as he looked out in the air. "I shot him. Shot MakePeace."
Hershel bit his lip. "Listen, Alfendi, you are in shock." He told seriously. "You need rest, you just woke up from a coma."
"I am one hundred percent certain.. I shot him. That is the only explanation." Alfendi murmured looking stiffly out into the air.
"Alfendi!" Hershel exclaimed, grabbing Alfendis shoulder, forcing the young man to look at him. "Snap out of it! You are in shock!"
Alfendi though, merely looked at Hershelf, with those placid, dull, none-seeing eyes, that didn't quite seem to understand. "Shock?" he asked, in a dull confused voice. "Maybe." He mumbled, his eye-lids almost falling over his eyes as his head slightly tipped over.
Slowly, Hershel fingers that held Alfendis shoulder grew limp, and then, sighing, Hershel let the half-sleeping Alfendi, back unto his back, on the pillow, then gently laid the blanket over his body, before he gave in, and brushed Alfendis hair aside and out of Alfendis face, his former red hair, that now had taken on this odd darker colour.
What had happened to him? This indeed, was a great mystery, it wasn't normal. It just wasn't, a person like Alfendi, did not wake up from a gun-drama to behave like this.
"There is a 97,34 percent probability that you're wrong. Are people working in the force really that stupid!?"
Those were the first words Hershel had ever heard coming out of Alfendis mouth, he hadn't seen the boy yet, because he had to search the old department store room with his eyes, before he finally saw him, a young boy sitting high above, under the ceiling, on a large wooden beam, his legs dangling under him, back and ford.
He was wearing a striped blouse, and his flaming red hair fell over his sharp green eyes.
"OI COME DOWN FROM THERE!" Inspector Chelmey yelled loudly pointing up at the boy.
The boy up there, merely blew a raspberry at the all-ready short tempered inspector, making Chelmey annoyed jump up and down in the air.
"Now now, calm down." Hershel intervened as he stepped forward. "We wont get much further by just arguing." He pointed out.
"What is that lad doing on our crime-scene any-way?" Chelmey asked. "Bartok! Wasn't this place closed down?" he asked.
"It was sir, it was!" Bartok exclaimed.
Layton how-ever, dismissed the two as he looked up and looked at the boy, whom was being as rude as ever, sitting up there with dangling legs as if he couldn't even care less about the police people down there. "So how is that then?" Hershelf finally asked.
"Huh?" The boy blinked as he looked down in a frown. "How is what?" he asked.
"Why is there a 97,34 probability that inspector Chelmeys theory is indeed false?" Hershel asked. "You must have a theory of your own to make such a statement." He pointed out. "Down to the last decimal even."
"You are not even interested in that are you?" The boy asked as he laid down on his stomach up there. "You are just trying to make me come down."
"Oh but I am most interested in your theory!" Hershel argued back. "Of cause I would prefer it if you would come down, so we could speak face to face. But clearly, that is not an option." He pointed out. "So." By that, Hershel pulled out a box, and set on top of it, crossing his leg as he looked up at the boy. "I guess we'll just have to do it like this."
"What, are you seriously going to waste valuable time on that little trouble maker?" Chelmey asked Layton, whom in turn didn't break a sweat, didn't even flinch.
"We are quite busy sir." Bartok pointed out.
"You sound so stupid down there." The red-haired boy snorted as he laid down on his back with his hands under his head. "You must both have been dropped on the floor as children if you think you can catch this guy." he smirked looking lazedly up in the ceiling as he laid nonchalant like that up there. "This killers technics are exsquisit! How brilliant was he? To put out falls trails like that while the real ones grew cold as you were on a wild goose chase! HAH! beautifully planned and funny to! Really exsposed you for the idiots you are wont you say?" he asked in a grin. "I should cut out your tounges to spare you for the humiliation of your next words."
That at ones made Chelmey angry. "Why I never!" he tried.
"Calm down." Hershel asked Chelmey. "No one is getting their tongues cut out." He told a little sternly. Though he didn't move from his sitting position on the box. "We must keep our minds on what is important!" he told holding up a finger.
"And that is?" Chelmey asked.
"There is a murderer at large, and we must find him before he claims another victim." Hershel stated. "Now I do not really care how we get our information, as long as we get our murdere before it's to late. And if this young man, has information, I think it would be rather wise to listen." He told pointing up at where the red-haired young boy was sitting.
"Well I be." The red-haired grinned. "So there are brains under that top-hat! How refreshing." He told, in almost devilish grin.
Hershel shrugged. "Thank you." He exhaled. "Now about that theory of yours." He questioned.
"Well I am not entirely sure." The red-haired boy finally muttered. "Only 89,87 percent and that last 10,13 percent chance is really bugging me!" he told.
"Then perhaps, we should look at your theory first, and then try to eliminate that off chance from there?" Hershel offered.
"I am almost liking you Top hat." The red-haired boy blinked from up above.
"The name is Layton actually." Layton presented himself. "Professor, Hershel Layton. And you are?" he asked.
"Alfendi." Alfendi told. "No titles or any-thing, just Alfendi. Pff, if you got the brains you shouldn't need a title, titles are stupid." he commented dryly.
"I suppose in certain areas, titles are indeed meaningless." Layton admitted in a slight nod. "For example right now, this conversation is distracting from the main point." he told in a slight smile almost challenging the little boy as he looked up at him with a glint in his eyes. "Perhaps you would be kind enough to offer us your theory, then we can go from there." he told.
"Oh this interesting." Alfendi grinned from his spot laying on his stomach looking down at Layton. "Very interesting indeed."
