A/N: Ooh, hey guys... I updated this again. For some reason I really don't have any inspiration for other fics... I'll try my best though. I promise. I got some days before school starting too so that's a plus. Okay? :)

Chapter 3. Lull in the up-coming storm

Year 19Y1, February, the Dove Residence

It was late. Olivia collapsed on her bed. She had made it home. She was safe now. She could relax now. Only Clive knew where she'd been off to that day and no one else. Not even Constance did. But then, the older lady had been attending a charity event that day.

There was a knock on the door and Clive stepped into the room. He was dressed in his pajamas and a blue bathrobe.

"Everything alright?" The boy asked, closing the door behind and kicking his slippers off his feet. The socked feet padded across the carpeted floor, to the boy's sister.

"Yeah. I'm back now." Olivia scooted over to let the boy sit next to her on the bed. Clive sat down and promptly draped himself over the girl. Thankfully he hadn't hit a growth spurt yet but it didn't stop the boy giving the girl hugs whenever it was deemed suitable and/or necessary. Right now it was both and Olivia was only happy to hold the boy.

"I was worried." He muttered against Olivia's shoulder. He had thrown his legs across her lap and was hugging her around her waist. It was like Clive was trying to make himself smaller than he actually was. Olivia knew this behavior. She had been the person to soothe the boy's night terrors full of flames and loss. Clive was afraid he'd lose her like he lost his parents. It made him feel powerless and instead of trying to become bigger to overcome them, he tried to hide and seek reassurance.

"I know. But I'm back now. I'm safe now, not going anywhere." Olivia whispered, rubbing the boy's back. Tomorrow maybe they'd go through her findings but right now she'd rather enjoy her brother's company.

"Can I…" Clive began but stopped himself. The question was too embarrassing for him to ask. He was almost thirteen after all! But Olivia knew what he was asking. To stay with her for the night just like when they were younger.

"Of course you can stay. I'll just go to wash myself and change into my nightie. You wait here, okay?"

"Okay."

Olivia moved Clive to the wall-side of her bed and picked herself up. She untied her hair and grabbed her bathrobe and nightie from the chair Maud had put them ready for her. Before leaving the room from another door to her ensuite bathroom, she glanced at Clive who was already burrowed underneath covers. He looked so young like that. And sometimes it was easy to forget both his age and the time he'd actually spent at the house. The boy was so wrapped up in his studies and revenge and helping Olivia that…

"He is only twelve now. It has been only two and half years since he became my brother. And he has grown too much during this time."

The siblings slept peacefully through the night. No one disturbed them. Not even Maud who brought tea to them in the morning hours, or Marcela who for some reason was immensely curious about Olivia's comings and goings.

Next day the information Oliva brought was spread on the floor again and the duo went through it. Much was discovered about the Azran's now. Well, much considering that Olivia had known next to nothing about them.

"Apparently the Azran were really into puzzles. That explains why the locks were like that at the Coop." Olivia told Clive while organizing the papers into relatively neat stacks. "And with these runes I might be able to decipher what Norwell Wall says…"

"How did the… mission go overall?" Clive asked behind the file he was flipping through.

"I… I got in just fine. And found a map to the offices. I managed to fool the agents…" The girl trailed off. Her brother looked up and arched his eye brows at her, giving her a look.

"But?"

"I was caught at the office. Apparently no one is allowed in whilst the boss isn't using it."

"I see… How did you get away then?"

"I fought and knocked that agent unconscious. But it was just luck though." Olivia sighed dejectedly. "I need to start training both stamina and combat if I want to keep going like this."

"People will ask questions." Clive pointed out. He put the file down and reached for the tea tray on the nearby table. The water wasn't quite lukewarm yet so it was probably drinkable.

"It's true but I've been thinking… What if we changed from foil to epee?"

"The fencing style between them is different and epee is heavier. Not to mention that women are not allowed to-…"

"I'm not training for any competitions! I just want to learn. And epee's style is… I think it'd be more suitable for me. More target area and with heavier sword I'd be automatically forced to build muscle mass."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Clive shrugged. "I'll help you."

Year 19Y1, June, Stansbury

"Mrs. Darling? Are you in here?" Olivia knocked on the open front door of a small cozy-looking house. In no time a cheery woman emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spoon. She had wheat colored hair and bright blue eyes and despite being obviously pregnant, is was seen she was in good fit.

"Ah, Miss Dove! Glad to have you here!" Teresa Darling nee Byrde greeted the girl. "Come in, come in. I'd shake hands but they are all flour-y."

"It's alright Mrs. Darling."

"Oh, please! Call me Teresa. I'm only twenty-eight!" The woman chirped, leading the way back to the kitchen where she gestured Olivia to take and seat and herself she grabbed a bowl of dough she continued mixing. "Your call came quite suddenly I apologize the mess and the fact I don't have much to offer here. Would you like some tea though?"

"Tea would be lovely." Olivia smiled. "I can make it if you are tied up with the baking."

"Thank you dear. We can then feast with freshly baked biscuits and some finely brewed tea. It's not often that we get visitors from the great London."

"I noticed it was quite quiet here…"

"Yes… It's been like that for years already. Ever since…" Teresa quietened down. Silence reigned and then the woman dumped the dough on the floured kitchen table and began working it with a rolling pin, making it gradually flatter and wider. Olivia was afraid to break the silence so she just filled the tea pot and put it on the stove.

"Do you know why I am a tour guide for Norwell Wall despite the lack of tourism here?" The woman spoke suddenly.

"I… don't. But it is indeed quite strange when one starts thinking about it…" Olivia frowned.

"It's been… many years already. Thirteen or something. The ruins claimed a life of teenage boy. The popularity of them had been in decrease for years already, ever since the hype of their discovery died down, but when he disappeared and was never found…" Teresa trailed off but Olivia could pick up the thought from there.

"It scared the rest of interested parties away."

"Your class was the first one in ages to come and see the ruins." The blonde snorted gently and pulled some loose strands behind her ear.

"Did you… Did you know the boy who… disappeared?" Olivia asked carefully.

"Oh, yes! Randall Ascot. The heir of second richest family here, right after Dalstons." The woman picked up speed in the rolling. "He was a year older than I, we knew since we were little. I was such a shy little thing back then but he became my best friend. Randall was a real social butterfly though and had many friends but he was my only friend. Naturally I was jealous whenever he spent time with his other friends because I was too shy to approach them…"

"How did you get to know each other?"

"Randall was an explorer at heart ever since he was a kid. Always seemed to have a project or other in his mind, a backpack and a shovel with him and more often than not his valet, Henry, with him. I in the other hand liked to watch birds and mimic their voices. I was the first kid in town to have their own binoculars… And that got Randall's attention." Teresa laughed. "His boisterous attitude intimidated me so much at first but somehow he managed to gain me as a sidekick too. The three of us… Randall, Henry and I, would easily investigate and dig at the backyards of the houses, trying to find treasures, all day long."

Teresa picked a round biscuit mold and began pressing circular marks on the dough. Meanwhile Olivia moved the teapot from the stove and added some tea leaves in.

"I didn't like the new kid, Hershel Layton at first. I guess I never learnt to like him. But he attracted Randall's attention. They had similar interests I think. At least after Randall was through him. Anyways, that afro-head became the new side kick. With Henry having new responsibilities at the Ascot manor and me being a year younger than the two… We sort of drifted apart. I still did see Randall. He remembered my birthday every year and would bring a present to me personally. I was the person he confided in first about his crush on Angela Ledore… It was I that…" Teresa cute herself off. "I was quite possessive over him back then… Because he was so suddenly taken away from all of us I didn't really have a chance to get over him."

"You loved him very much, didn't you?" Olivia confirmed.

"Yes. I envied Angela when she began dating Randall. I didn't like Hershel because he had the status of being Randall's best friend. I began resenting even Henry whom Randall saw as a brother. I didn't know what I was to him anymore. And before I could ask… He was gone. Down the ruins of Akbadain.

"It broke all of us apart. Layton left to London I think… The guilt and Angela's blaming words weighing him down. Angela sank into despair and almost gave into her nagging parents who told her to marry Alphonse Dalston. Henry… He began looking for Randall. He seemed to have a firm belief that Randall was not dead. I joined him. Reunion Inn became our headquarters, Ascot family promised to pay a lot of money to anyone who found their son, I learnt the ruins almost by heart by the time Henry and I found the treasure within. Eventually Henry proposed Angela, I found a love in one Hector Darling who was part of one rescue team, and Monte d'Or began to grow around Reunion Inn." The cookies were now in the oven and Teresa took off her apron.

"Are the searches still going on?"

"Yes. My husband and Henry both are the main figures in organizing them. I help when I can but right now…" The woman patted her swollen belly. "I've been taking easy." She smiled, practically glowing. It was amazing how freely she showed her emotions and quickly they could change depending on the topic of conversation. Olivia herself was more used in masking her own emotions so she'd be underestimated and left alone. The few social functions the girl had attended were also places where all you could see was masks after masks.

The two females drank tea and ate cookies while discussing. Teresa had a lot of stories to tell of Stansbury when she was younger and Olivia shared some gossip from school.

"To think Layton became a professor of archeology… He always seemed so disinterested of the subject and tagged along with Randall because he had nothing better to do…" Teresa scoffed and blew gently in her tea.

"It seems like Randall had a lot of influence in all of you." Olivia smiled.

"Oh, that he did." There was a sigh. "When the exploring teams were being formed I forced myself to interact with the team members. All my emotions were so raw back then. Meeting Hector… Rescuing him from one of the traps and later him rescuing me... I learnt not to hide behind others anymore. There was no one to hide behind after all. And now Henry and Angela are both at their house in Monte d'Or with Mrs. Ascot. Layton is in London. I… I am here, waiting for news." The woman paused and gave a searching look to Olivia.

"Teresa?" The girl asked with the frown.

"There is an expedition in September. We could use some archeological knowledge there. I'm sure you'd enjoy it too."

"M-Me? But I'm just a smart set girl from London. I do study history and I've considered continuing into archeology but there is no way I could… I mean, it's not suitable for a girl to go exploring some ancient ruins. Especially not of my position."

"Oh, dear Olivia…" Teresa laughed. "You can explain all you want but you can't lie to me! I can see it in your eyes. A spark of adventure! The same one I used to see in Randall's eyes. No one will care of your position once there as long as you can contribute. And I'm sure you can. Fresh blood and all that. You are the same age now than Randall was back when he entered the ruins. And if nothing else, consider this as a thanks for listening me ramble."

"If you really think I could…"

"I'll talk to Henry. I'm sure he'll let you join. Same with Hector. He'll be leading once again. And of course there is a lot of time for you to think about this. I just remember… That you were one of the few people in a long time to be actually excited about the Wall of Norwell." Teresa smiled wistfully and sipped her tea. Olivia drank some from her cup too.

"I'll think about it."

Year 19Y1, September, Reunion Inn of Monte d'Or

"This girl? Ya sure, Hector?" A gruff voice belonging to one of the rescue team members asked from Mr. Darling. "I know tha' yer wife's havin' a kid soon but this girl 'as barely graduated."

"My wife personally recommended her." Hector replied smoothly while adjusting the straps of his backpack. "And Mr. Ledore had no objections. I hope you don't have either Patrick."

"Nah… But the girl better watch after 'erself. I'm no babysitter and this is no fancy picnic."

"The girl is right here." Olivia pointed out with gritted teeth. "I can take care of myself thank you very much." She glared at Patrick for a moment before turning to speak with Hector. "Thank you very much for taking me with you, I promise not to be a burden."

"It's alright. We men need someone to keep us in order, don't we, mates?" There was some laughter among the men while Patrick just huffed and glared. "Anyways… If my wife vouches for you, I trust you to know what you are doing. Whatever it is that she saw on you… I won't question it. She knows people very well."

"I understand."

"She did tell me that you have interest in the archeology. So if you happen to see something of interest there that you want to study more closely, tell one of us. No one will stay behind alone. The ruins are dangerous place."

"Yes, sir!" Olivia nodded enthusiastically. She still could barely believe that she'd gathered enough courage to go and also gotten a permission from Constance to go.

"I have business meeting on the next day here. Someone coming to ask funding. You just go an enjoy yourself. Have a chance to be young before you have to take over this estate." The old lady had told her. "And… use your previous family name. It should allow you more space and less controversy."

"Olivia Brandt is ready to work." It was her first appearance with that name publicly. But surely not the last.

"That's the spirit! Now we only need to wait for Mr. Ledore and we can leave. He said he'd be joining us this time."

The ruins were… great. They were creepy and dark but also exciting and interesting. Olivia was in stitches. She kept close to the other team members but occasionally asked to stop so she could copy the marks on the walls.

"What do you have in there?" One of the explorers, Marcus, asked the girl, tapping the tube strapped on her back. It was almost a meter long and 15 centimeters by diameter. It was indeed quite strange item to have along with her backpack. Olivia turned to look at him. The young man was quite good-looking. Messy brown hair, eyes of similar color and a good built torso.

"It's for papers. Artists use them for bigger papers that can't be folded and don't fit into folders. I roll them up and put them into the tube so they don't get damaged." Olivia explained and gestured then at the walls. "I need some big papers in order to copy the large patterns."

"Quite… Quite a lot of paper then." Marcus mused.

"It's… It's not all paper."

"It isn't?"

"No. The tube is double one. The papers are between the two tubes and can be accessed from the toplid. But from the bottom lid I can access the item inside the inner compartment."

"And… What is inside that compartment then?" Oh, the young man was obviously curious now.

"That's…" Olivia paused for a moment before winking. "…a secret."

"Oh, really?" Marcus sounded like he was ready to answer the challenge. Whatever the challenge may be.

"Well…Let's just say that I heard there is still a lot of traps everywhere here. Falling floors, rolling stones, self-moving mummies… I simply have something to defend myself with."

As a response she got a skeptical eyebrow raise. Well, let them belittle her because of her age and gender. She'd show them when a trap was sprang. Olivia hadn't trained like mad during the past months for nothing.

And right on her words, the next room contained mummies. This far the puzzles had been making the stones roll and clear the path. Not a challenge really when there were muscular men around to make things roll and some logical team members telling which stone to push and when. Even Olivia had had her chance to shine with one room.

But there was mummies. Spinning around with nasty looking curvy swords in their hands. Olivia had to admit that the Azran definitely knew what they were doing. She could see what in that ancient civilization had fascinated Targent. It still didn't excuse their actions though…

"Marcus, you wanted to know what I have in the inner compartment of the paper tube, right?" Olivia asked while backing towards the other members of the expedition team. They were surrounded by the spinning mummies. Hector and Patrick were aiming their rifles at the mummies while Marcus and Mr. Ledore both had metal staffs in their hands. Other men also readied what weapons they happened to have.

"Yeah, now would be the most opportune time to find out."

"Quit yapping, ya two an' fight!" Patrick barked right then and shot at one of the mummies. The bullet sank into the wrapped body but didn't deter the spinning at all. And now they were approaching. Olivia opened the bottom of the tube and let her sword fall into her hand. It had been her seventeenth birthday present from Constance. The woman had terrifying intuition. The sword was a real old fashioned one with real, sharp narrow blade, decorative hand guard and steady grip. Not those flimsy fencing ones that Olivia was honestly fed up with.

With the sword in her hand, Olivia cut upwards at one of the 'hands' of the closest spinning mummy, half-incapacitating it.

"You were saying?" She asked without removing her gaze from her opponent. This was a real fight now. No rules. No room for mistakes either.

"Everyone, aim to the hands. And keep an eye on the floor too." Mr. Ledore instructed. "Last time these mummies were encountered was over a year ago but the same methods still apply."

"The floor puzzle again then?" Marcus mused. "I guess I'll handle it then. You guys keep the mummies busy."

"Is that your specialty?" Olivia asked, cutting the other hand of her mummy and moving on the next one.

"You could say so. My father is a plumber. Seeing patterns like this is something I've learnt since I was a kid."

"Do it." Hector ordered, whacking a mummy in the head with his rifle. "I had forgotten bullets won't work on these buggers."

With team work, luck and some amount of logic the mummies were lead into a hole at the edge of the room in various states of 'injuries'. The group was catching their breath when Olivia spoke up.

"Well, that was funny." She grinned, much to the surprise and astonishment of many.

Year 19Y1, September, the Dove Residence

On the next day Olivia made her way back to London and to the manor. While the group hadn't discovered more riches this time, the archeological information gathered was more than enough for the girl. What's more, she had apparently impressed some of the team members had been allowed to join on the next quest if she happened to have time. Olivia couldn't wait for it. She also couldn't wait for sharing her experiences with Clive and Constance. And maybe with Maud and Marcela, too.

The girl opened the back door and made her way silently to upstairs where Maud took her jacket and boots. The both females remembered that Constance had a business meeting today so the front door, foyer and the sitting room in the ground floor were all out of use by her orders.

Olivia left her backpack and the tube in her room and decided to look for Clive. After minutes of searching and a helpful tip from Spring, she found him by the stairs, looking down at foyer and the open door of the sitting room.

"They've been there for an hour." Clive stated once Olivia stepped up next to him. "Civil enough but it isn't like I actually hear anything from here unless they…" He got cut off when Constance raised voice drifted out of the sitting room.

"I'm may be old but well past my prime but I'm not neither blind nor naïve."

"Ma'am… I did not mean to insult…"

"I asked you to remove your glasses before these discussions for a reason. I don't like when people hide things from me. Eyes are to be seen by conversation partners to convey trust. To be read and met during the course of clashing verbal blades."

"I don't know what you are aiming at with this, Mrs. Dove."

"I know those eyes of yours Leon Bronev. They belonged to a man passionate of his studies. A man who despite this put his family before everything. Not to a man working and leading this shady cult named Targent."

At those words the siblings gasped silently and looked at each other. This was something neither of them had anticipated.

A/N: Cliffhanger! Dun dun dun duuun! But what did you think? I decided to introduce some canon characters, revisit OCs, dump references... Build Olivia's character too. Is it weird that she resembles Randall by the way? I sort of think it's sweet. She has similar passion for old historical/archeological things, good fencer... Total nerd in some aspects. Teresa and Henry can both see the resemblance between the two at least. :D

Man... Teresa just became my new favourite OC. I wanna write of ehr childhood. I won't though. That's why I made her monologue so much in this chapter.

But I hope you liked this chapter. Despite the cliffhanger. And I also hope you review. It'd like to hear your thoughs of what will happen next. And of what will Olivia's role be during the actual game-events. ;)

Stey tuned guys and gals!