"Why the hell didn't you do that to start with?" Tom asked as they drove away from Morgana and McRealy. Merlin turned back to face the back of his head.
"I said I don't like having to do things like that unless I have to" he stated.
"Look, I know what your saying kid, I really do, but for Christ sake if something like this happens again don't try to be the better person, because we might all end up dead" Tom said.
"If you don't like the way I do things then I can get out here" Merlin said hotly. Tom glanced into the rear view mirror at him, then sighed. Beside Merlin Tawny gently touched his shoulder.
"Tom doesn't mean it like that" she said. Merlin glanced at her and shrugged settling back into the seat. They drove in silence for nearly a minute before Tom sighed again.
"Look kid, I'm sorry I'm just not used to all this magic and stuff" he said.
"Its okay, I could be more understanding, I mean when you woke up yesterday I don't think you expected to be meeting two dragons, dealing with two sorcerers and be on the run from your boss" Merlin said.
"Look, don't muck up my apology okay" Tom said with a grin, one Merlin found himself returning. Beside them Tawny shook her head.
"Men" she muttered, causing Merlin and Tom to laugh.
"So this sceptre, any idea what it looks like?" asked Tawny. Merlin shook his head.
"No, I don't remember any sceptre's in my time at Camelot" he admitted.
"How do you know what to look for?" Tom asked as they rounded a corner.
"The Dragon said Morgana would know one when she saw it, I guess I would as well" Merlin admitted.
"That's a hell of an assumption to base a treasure hunt on" Tom said.
"I know, but it's all we've got" Merlin told him. Tom nodded and continued to drive.
"I want him dead" McRealy snarled as his car was hoisted up onto the back of a recovery truck. Beside him Morgana had become silent, her gaze still lingering in the direction the other car had gone. Slowly she turned her gaze on him.
"No one but I will have the pleasure of killing Emrys" she stated.
"We'll see about that" he muttered. A moment later Morgana's hand was at his throat. The bodyguard took a step forwards, but a quick gesture with her free hand knocked him to his knees.
"You will find it is very unwise to try my patents" she hissed, turning her attention back to McRealy. Slowly McRealy nodded and she let go of him.
"Much better" she stated turning away and releasing the bodyguard. McRealy watched her, rubbing his throat as he did so.
"So what's the plan?" he called to her. Slowly she turned back to face him.
"Follow me and you might just learn something" she stated. McRealy stepped forwards, as did the Bodyguard, he stopped a moment later when she glanced at him.
"Go back to the plant" she told him. The Bodyguard frowned and looked at McRealy who nodded. The Bodyguard turned and began to walk away, McRealy following Morgana in the other direction.
They walked for perhaps half a mile until they stood once again in front of the house, Morgana looking at it.
"So we're going to wait for them?" McRealy asked as he stood beside her. Morgana looked at him.
"No, Mr. McRealy. We're going to teach Merlin's would be allies a lesson. If they're so intent on aiding him then they can pay the price with him" she snarled. Slowly she raised her hands which began to glow.
"Conflagurie!" she shouted, a fireball hurled from her hands, smashing through the window of the small home. Immediately the interior of it caught alight. Satisfied with her handiwork Morgana turned away and began to walk. McRealy watching the blazing fire as it engulfed the house.
Tom pulled the car to a stop by the plant, and slowly got out, Merlin and Tawny following him. He led them around to the opening in the chain link fence again and crept inside. Unlike last time however they needed to head up.
"Up there" Tom said pointing to the top of a flight of metal stairs. He led them forwards and up the stairs to the door at the top. He reached out and tried the handle, locked as he expected. To his left Merlin held his hand over the door his eyes glowed briefly and there was a click. He nodded at Tom who tried the handle again, this time the door obediently opened. The interior of the office was, not surprisingly, dark.
"Liot" Merlin whispered, a small glowing ball appearing in his hand.
"I bet your handy in a blackout" Tawny said.
"What's a blackout?" Merlin asked.
"Bad times, when we were at War with Germany, I was eighteen at the time, Tawny was fifteen" Tom said as he looked around the office.
"You still have wars in this century?" Merlin asked.
"there's always a war going on somewhere" Tawny said softly. "So Sceptre" she added quickly, changing the subject. Merlin frowned at her as she walked past him, but didn't press the subject. Behind McRealy's desk Tom was opening several drawers looking through them, but eventually the three came to the conclusion that Tom's initial assessment had been right, if the sceptre was here, it wasn't in the office.
"Audience chamber" Merlin said. Tom and Tawny both looked at him frowning. "You remember you pointed it out on the map" he said.
"You mean boardroom?" asked Tawny.
"Boardroom, Audience chamber, same thing isn't it?" Merlin asked. Tom shrugged and nodded as he turned towards a door set into the opposite wall.
The boardroom, unlike McRealy's office was a lot larger. A large table with several chairs took centre stage, while the floor was covered in a velvety carpet. Pictures hung on the walls depicting various scenes, some of waterfalls, or little cottages in meadows. Generic feel good stuff, however, apart from the pictures the boardroom was devoid of any other decoration.
"Anything standing out?" asked Tawny. Merlin looked around and slowly shook his head.
"Nothing"
"Well the only other place it could be would be his home then" Tom said.
"Where's that?" asked Merlin.
"Other side of the city" Tom said.
"So what we waiting for?" Merlin asked.
"You want to go rambling up to his front gate? Knowing Morgana will be there and that he'd be utterly pissed about what you did to his motor?" Tawny asked.
"So when?" Merlin countered.
"Tomorrow" Tom said. "When he's at work" he added. Merlin sighed, then slowly nodded. All three of them turned towards the door and entered McRealy's office, stepping forwards when they heard a loud clank clank clank from outside. They quickly backed into the boardroom, Merlin locking the office door with a gesture, before they swung the door just shut enough to allow them to look through.
There was the sound of a key being inserted into the lock in the office door, and a moment later it swung open and the Bodyguard stepped into the office. He left the door open behind him as he moved to the corner of the room and poured himself some whisky from the decanter there. Silently, whisky in hand he moved to the chair McRealy usually occupied and sat down. The group watching him, all aware that one little look to his side would show him the door to the boardroom was ajar. In the boardroom Merlin shot a glance at Tom, who shrugged. Rolling his eyes he peered back out into the office, watching the bodyguard. Slowly he held up his hand, then stopped as a shadow fell across the desk. A frail, old man with white hair and deep blue eyes slowly entered the office. The Bodyguard stood, pulling his gun from its holster.
"You don't need that" the old man sneered at him. He gestured with his hand and the gun flew from the bodyguards grasp to land with a thud on the desk.
"Not another one" the Bodyguard moaned.
"Oh there are more us than you realise, all of us waiting for this day to arrive" the man said, approaching the bodyguard.
"Waiting? For what?" the bodyguard demanded.
"For the arrival of Merlin and Morgana of course" the old man said. "those of us with magic, we knew they weren't dead, and I have waited so very long to see her once again" he explained. "All through the centuries I have cheated death, waiting for the chance to take my rightful place at her side once again. Using my magic to prolong my life, to take the life of others so I might live another century" he explained.
"What do you want from me?" the bodyguard demanded. The old man chuckled at him.
"You, Mister Peters, are going to give Morgana a message, tell her I will be waiting for her at the docks, noon tomorrow" he said.
"And if she asks who the message is from?" the bodyguard asked. The old man grinned toothlessly.
"Tell her Mordred is waiting" he said, then turned and hobbled out of the office. He got to the edge of the metal staircase, then grinning at Peters stepped off into thin air, his body glowing as he floated out of sight. The bodyguard watched him go, then downed the rest of his drink, before standing and rushing out, closing and locking the door.
In the Boardroom Merlin sank back, Tawny and Tom both supporting him.
"Merlin?" asked Tom concerned.
"Still alive? He can't be. It's a lie it has to be" Merlin muttered.
"Merlin, come on kid, snap out of it" Tom said.
"Morgana and Mordred united in evil… It can't be him" Merlin said to himself. A moment later he blinked as Tawny slapped him across the face.
"Snap outta it!" she snarled at him. Merlin brought his hand up to his cheek, blinking a couple of times.
"Okay, that hurt" he said.
"Sorry, but you were somewhere else just then, who was that?" asked Tawny.
"Trouble, we need to find that sceptre, and now" he said.
"But-" Tom began.
"Tom, it's bad enough having Morgana to deal with, now Mordred's in the picture there will be hell to pay if they get those sceptres first" Merlin said. "If you need to just point me in the direction of the house, I'll go alone but I need to find that sceptre tonight" Merlin stated. Tom sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He shook his head and then gestured towards the door.
"Let's go" he said, though he did not sound happy.
The three of them got into the car, and began to drive, keeping an eye out for both the bodyguard and Mordred, seeing neither of them, however they did pass several fire trucks as they drove.
"Wonder what's going on?" Tom said.
"Maybe McRealy's car blew up" Tawny suggested.
"Chance would be a fine th…" his voice slowly trailed off as they turned the corner onto their home street, seeing the fire trucks assembled outside their blazing home. Tom slowly stopped the car, and got out, Tawny and Merlin with him. Tom slowly looked at Tawny who was crying.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry" Merlin said softly, he hadn't wanted this, and he could feel the guilt pressing down onto him like a heavy blanket.
"The letters Tom" Tawny said softly. Tom pulled her into a hug, as Merlin looked at them quizzically. Tom regarded him over his sisters shoulder.
"Our parents were killed in the war. I've been looking after Tawny ever since" Tom said. "All we had left of them…" his voice caught for a moment, and he took a deep breath. "All we had left were the letters they wrote us" he stated. Merlin looked away then, unable to meet Tom's face. He'd caused this, he had. These people had brought him into their lives and helped him without being asked because it was the right thing to do. Now they had already paid a huge price. Homes could be rebuilt, but a parents last words… those were something that could never be retrieved. Suddenly it also hit him, how must his own mother, how would Hunith have reacted when she been told her son had died? Had she been filled with remorse or anger? Had she blamed Arthur? Or comforted him, telling him over and over it wasn't his fault? And Gaius, the man had been old but had loved Merlin like his own son, what had this done to him?
"I never wanted this" Merlin said as he looked at the blazing building. Slowly Tawny pulled away from her brother and turned to him, her eyes red and her cheeks streaked with tears.
"I wish you'd never come here" she said with anger. Merlin looked down at the ground.
"Tawny" Tom said softly.
"No Tom, ever since he's got here all we've had is trouble!" she yelled. "It's his fault this happened!" she yelled, pointing at him. Merlin felt tears sting his own eyes, then without a word slowly turned and walked away.
"Merlin!" Tom called.
"She's right Tom, It doesn't matter where I go I just hurt people, I don't want it to but it happens, I didn't want you involved in this" he said looking back at them. "All I wanted was to go home, instead I…" he suddenly burst into tears. "I'm sorry okay! I don't know what to do here!" he yelled. Then turning he began to run up the road. Tom rolled his eyes, and looked at Tawny.
"Tawny" he said softly. She nodded at him, and together they ran after Merlin.
"I told you to go back to the plant" Morgana said as the bodyguard stepped into the room.
"and I did" he replied, he was still a little shaken from his encounter, something McRealy picked up on as soon as the other man had entered the lavishly decorated receiving room of his mansion.
"What happened?" McRealy asked. The bodyguard looked at him, then back at Morgana.
"I was told to give you a message, and after seeing the old goat float to the ground from outside the office I wasn't about to argue" the bodyguard replied.
"A message? Who else knows you're here except Merlin?" asked McRealy, looking at her accusingly. Morgana frowned and turned to watch the bodyguard.
"Well?" she asked after a short pause.
"He said he'd meet you at the docks at noon tomorrow" The Bodyguard said.
"Who said?" McRealy demanded.
"Said his name was…" he thought for a moment, then nodded. "Mordred". As soon as the name was uttered Morgana sucked in a shocked breath.
"Old friend of yours?" asked McRealy.
"Very old friend" she replied, turning away from the Bodyguard.
"And you trust this old man?" asked McRealy.
"Oh he was a boy when I first met him" she said. Slowly she turned back, grinning. "and trust him? With my life" she said. McRealy however, looked less than pleased with the news. "Still the less people know about his presence the better" she added.
"I won't tell a soul" the bodyguard said. Morgana nodded, then her eyes glowed gold and he incinerated in the middle of the room, McRealy grimacing at the sight.
"You're right, you won't" she said as she looked at the charred corpse. Slowly she turned back to McRealy.
"I won't say anything" he vowed.
"Oh don't worry Mr McRealy, I still have uses for you, but I think it's time you admitted who is really in charge here" she said.
"Now wait one damned minute, I built my empire, I'm not about to hand it over to you, no matter how powerful you are!" he snapped. Morgana laughed at him and turned away.
"Oh I have no interest in your little empire, believe me" she said crossing the room. McRealy watching her, his eyes narrowed as she picked up the large golden ornament that was on display next to the window. She hefted it and traced her fingers down its long delicate length, feeling the words inscribed there.
"That is what interests you?" McRealy asked with a bark of a laugh. She looked over at him and smiled.
"Oh yes, I was drawn to this when I first entered this house. You have no idea of what it is do you?" she asked him.
"Just a display piece my Grandfather gave me" McRealy said.
"Oh it's much more than that" she said as she turned her view back to it. "The Sceptre of Uther Pendragon" she whispered.
"Who's that?" he asked.
"No one of import, not anymore that is. But I have a feeling this will come in very useful indeed" she laughed. The Irony was not lost on her. The man she had so despised, now unwittingly aiding her.
"Merlin, come on kid" Tom called out as he and Tawny found Merlin sitting alone on a bench in the park.
"Leave me alone Tom" he replied, his voice a whisper.
"And do what? Merlin like it or not, we're involved now, besides the Dragon told you that" he said.
"Then it was wrong! It wouldn't be the first time" he yelled.
"Merlin" Tawny said softly, stepping forwards. Merlin looked at her as she sat next to him. "I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean what I said" she told him. Merlin shrugged, and she put her arm around his shoulder.
"I can be dense at times, I really can, but I know what's important, and its not some old letters" she said.
"They were important to you" Merlin replied.
"They are, but they're gone, our home is gone, but I can't blame you. You warned us, and we ignored you, we wanted to help you, we still want to help you. Besides, its what our parents would want" she said. Merlin looked at her, taking a deep breath.
"I just… I don't want either of you getting hurt again" he said.
"Merlin, what will be will be" Tom said. Merlin looked at him, smiling slightly.
"Gaius used to tell me that" he said.
"Then he was very wise" Tom said. Merlin slowly nodded at him.
"He is" he replied. They fell into silence for a moment before Merlin suddenly stood up. He looked at Tawny then at Tom.
"You're sure you want to go through with this? It could take years" he stated.
"We're here right?" asked Tom. Tawny smiled and stood, nodding her head in agreement.
"Not like we've anything better to do, like jobs" she said. Merlin laughed for the first time in what felt like years, overwhelming gratitude replacing the sorrow he had been feeling only moments earlier.
"Time for a little breaking and entering?" asked Tom.
"Isn't that illegal?" asked Tawny in mock horror.
"Only when you're caught" Merlin said. The group all looked at each other, then left the park, together.
Standing on the balcony of the room she had been provided Morgana held the Sceptre tightly and looked out across the city. Two magic users awaited her, one an ally one an enemy. Grinning she turned and entered her room.
"Come then Emrys" she whispered. She was feeling more alive than ever at the moment. For she could feel the true battle was only now about to begin.