Sorry this isn't a very exciting chapter but still I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2: The Note

Luke was gasping for air by the time he had reached the professors house. It had been nearly a week since the letter that had unnerved the professor had arrived, but earlier that morning Luke had received a message from the professor telling him to pack for a few days away and to meet at his home at 11:00 sharp. It had taken Luke about an hour to convince his dad to let him go, with the move coming up and all, so by the time he had left the house it was already 11:05, apart from one bus he had run the rest of the way, luckily they were just finishing packing the Layton-mobile.

"Oh, Luke! You're here!" said Flora, waving as he arrived,

"Yeah, *huff huff* sorry I'm *huff* late." Luke gasped, bent double with exhaustion. "Parents *huff* were reluctant *huff* to let me come."

"Oh, why was that?" Flora asked, Luke had now caught his breath and was standing upright.

"I think they just don't want anything to happen to me just as we're about to move, which is daft really since nothing ever has, well…" He went a bit red. "At least, I've always come back in one piece!"

Flora could only giggle at this comment, she had been told the stories of the adventures Luke and the professor had before they met her, including the one where they gave their lives to save humanity but then somehow came back to life, this tale she doubted was a hundred percent true.

"They shouldn't have worried, I don't think we're doing anything dangerous in this case" Flora reassured him.

"Oh, has the professor told you what it is yet?" Luke asked, he was really desperate to know way he had run all that way, but Flora only frowned.

"No, he hasn't, I worked it out really" Luke looked interested.

"How did you do that?" Flora checked no one was there, as if she was about to let him into some huge secret. She almost whispered as she spoke.

"You know in the Pandora's box and 10 years in the future investigations the professor wanted me to stay behind just in case there was any danger, well he had no objection to me coming this time so.."

"Ah" said Luke finally catching on, just then the professor came out of the house with two suitcases. He looked much perkier than he had in the last few days, but he always had this excited energy when he was given a new case.

"Ah, Luke, it's good to see you." He helped Luke with his bag, but just as they were going to leave he turned to Flora. "It's going to be a long drive, perhaps you should bring that book that your teacher gave you to read on the way over."

"Oh, yes, I'll go and get it now." and with that she rushed back inside. As soon as she left the professor handed a note to Luke.

"Hu?" he looked up at the professor who just indicated the note, so he read it.

When we arrive at our destination we are going to meet up with an old friend. He wants to keep the identity we know him by a secret, I know you are going to disapprove, but we have no choice, I do not want Flora to know about his identity as it will distress her, I am sorry about this, but all your questions will be answered when we get there.

"Wha..." Luke just couldn't make sense of it, who was it? Why can't Flora know? Why did the professor think he would disapprove? Luke sighed, since questions were obviously unanswerable, he would just have to go along with it for now. Flora came out of the house with her book, Luke quickly shoved the note in his pocket.

"Are we ready then" said Flora, looking as happy Luke had ever seen her.

"Of course" said the professor holding the door of the Layton-mobile open for her, then he and Luke got in the front seats and set off, out of London to solve a new case, which, Luke realized, would be his last as professor Layton's apprentice.