THE NEXT 'CHAPTER' CONTAINS SPOILERS AND IS NOT ACTUALLY A CHAPTER. IF YOU WISH TO KEEP READING AND AVOID THE SPOILERS FOR THE GAME SERIES JUST SKIP STRAIGHT TO CHAPTER 6.
The town hall was nothing short of grand. He hesitated to think about how much the building would have cost when it went up. It seemed the Mayor really did love money and displays of grandeur. The building belonged in more of a fairytale setting than a city in the middle of the woods.
His companions were similarly impressed.
"This is the town hall?"
"It seems to be, yes."
"I can hardly believe it, Professor!" Luke, although well off in his home, hadn't seen anything like this before. Even half of London paled in comparison.
"I suppose we should go in." Hershel led the way.
"Judging by the outside, I am thinking we should have brought sunglasses to view the inside. What do you think, Luke?"
"Gleaming glass and gold! Bright enough to blind!"
He smiled at the sounds of his companions' laughter, but it turned out that they weren't that far off. The inside of the town hall was all made of beautiful, sparkling white marble, staggering floors and pillars, with high arched ceilings and signs emblazoned in brilliant gold lettering. In a posh font, of course.
"Which way do we go?"
"I believe that one says police?" The boy frowned and shook his head at the suggestion.
"I don't think it does."
"This way, boys!" Emmy had found the correct route and was watching them with a smile and a hand on her hip.
"It's a puzzle just to figure out where to go."
"Are you not meant to be the master of solving puzzles, Professor?" She playfully scuffed him round the back of the head and he scrambled to stop his hot from toppling off, drawing much amusement from his attacker.
The Webwood police force was located in an entire wing of the town hall, through grand glass doors with their logo and name elegantly painted on the front. But for all its grandeur, and implied importance, nobody really seemed to be doing anything inside. The police officers themselves were of a variety of shapes and sizes, but not one of them looked as though they were doing anything.
"They're not doing much." Luke whispered and he heard Emmy agree. "Is that man asleep?"
There was a rather large man seated at a table somewhere at the back of the room. And he was indeed dozing. But one glance at the name plate on his desk told Hershel that this man was one of the ones in charge of the whole force. So, with a small sigh, he went over to wake him from his slumber.
"Hmf, wha-"
"Excuse me, Captain, I did not mean to wake you. I was just looking for the man in charge?" He tried to be as polite as possible, although he was slightly miffed that the Captain of the Police was sleeping on the job during the middle of the day. But he wouldn't judge.
"That'd be me!" The man grunted and jumped from his chair, surprising them with his speed. "Captain Aloren Badon, at your service."
But as quickly as Captain Badon had leapt to his feet, he was back in the chair again, almost looking as though he was going to fall asleep again. Emmy rolled her eyes and he fought the urge to laugh, she was a bad influence on him.
"Are you able to help us then, Captain?" He probed.
"Hmm? Oh! Yeah, sure.. Just ask some of the fellas, they'll help ya." He went back to sleep soon after.
Luke rounded the desk and stared long and hard at the man, expecting him to wake up again but there was no sign that the Captain was actually going to help. So, after waving his hat at him a few times, he just shrugged his shoulders and walked back to one of the other men. Maybe they could help?
"Hello?" The boy tapped a young police officer on the shoulder and the young man jumped to his feet. Was this a common trait amongst the police officers in Webwood?
"Good morning Sirs, Madam." He bowed his head. "How can I help you?"
"We need somebody who can help us investigate the earthquakes that are shaking the city. Can you help us?"
"Yes, sir!" The young man chirped.
"First of all, you could tell us your name? Mine is Professor Hershel Layton, this is my assistant Emmy Altava and apprentice Luke Triton."
"My name is Maxwell, sir, Maxwell Vonn. It is a pleasure to meet you all. How can I assist you?"
"Well, first we should find somewhere to sit down. And then we need help to sort out these letters."
XXX
"So, we have a list of people who may have the knowledge and the ability to do such a thing, as well as those in the town with an 'L' starting either their last or first names.."
"That's nearly one hundred names, Professor."
"I know, but we shall find some way to narrow it down, I am sure. These are the only clues we have, at the moment, so we must gather all of the information that we can." He tucked the letters back into his pocket, expecting Luke to complain again but the boy fell silent.
Their trip to the police quarters had not been as useless as was suggested when they first met the Captain. Young officer Vonn had been quite useful, able to pull up records for them and helping them to brainstorm who might be able to create artificial earthquakes. Not many people would have the means to do such a thing but money was rampant in this city, so a shockingly large number of people could afford to have such a plan orchestrated. However, figuring out why somebody would want to do such a thing was a whole different matter.
There seemed to be no logical pattern behind the attacks, no reason for them whatsoever. It was starting to bother him, in fact. Why on earth would anybody try and destroy the city that they were living in? He had plans to map out the earthquake patterns that evening on the map he had managed to dig up, one of the heavily tourist based things he'd noticed around the town.
"Maybe we should go and visit the site of the last earthquake?" Emmy was leading the group back through the streets.
"Haven't we passed at least three of them on the way here?"
"You have a point, Professor. They are all over the place. Cracks in the road, damaged walls."
And it was true. All around them, walls were damaged and there were dips and cracks in the paths. It made for hazardous walking in parts but nothing they couldn't handle. But, on the way back to the hotel, they did stop at the Mayor's house once again. A crack in the pathway led right up to the grand walls that surrounded the grand manor. It seemed to run up the wall and when he touched it, a big chunk of stone fell out.
"Professor!" Luke gasped.
"Well!" He straightened up and cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"We'd better hurry out of here before that evil little munchkin comes out and sees what you've done to his wall!"
He knew that Emmy was teasing him but he took her advice and the trio hurried back to the hotel where they all congregated around the small table in Hershel and Luke's room. As always with their cases, the table was soon covered in pieces of paper. But Hershel's attention was on the list of names that they had all come up with.
There were indeed over one hundred names but only a few had the luxury of being at the top of the list. Topping it all off was one name he hadn't thought to put there until Emmy had suggested it.
Jack Limting.
Just a little one, guys, having some trouble with writer's block! I should be back in the swing of things soon and getting on to some of the decent juicy story ;)
