Suspended in a cold existence, the professor felt nothing. His vision was blurred and his limbs were as heavy as concrete. Where was he? What had happened?. Questions danced before him, mocking his futile efforts to raise alarm. His hearing was filled with a sharp piercing noise, everything else was rushing around him in a hazy blur. Closing his eyes briefly, the professor saw everything at once. Tea and Yorkshire pudding. Knife. Luke. Pain. Darkness.
Nothing made sense, and yet it all melted together into one terrifying conclusion; Luke was in danger and the professor couldn't help him alone. Layton breathed deeply, inhaling his surroundings. He could see that he was still in the alleyway, rubbish bins stood around him, preventing those who passed by from seeing him. He sat up with a groan, fresh blood dripping down his neck. Touching the area where he had been struck, Hershel was not surprised to find a small, sensitive lump.
He hissed as he stood up, swaying and holding the wall for balance as his world jolted and spun. When he stumbled forward, his legs seemed to forget their purpose and buckled beneath him. The impact of hitting the floor knocked the air from his burning lungs. The professor gritted his teeth, spluttering and forcing himself to clamber down the alleyway and across the street. Some people stopped and looked at him, one young boy asked him if he was alright. Too drained to reply, Layton nodded and more or less fell into his car. Driving in this state was probably not his best plan but, he reasoned, it was the only plan he had right now and getting to Scotland Yard would take too long by foot. The professor sat for a moment, holding his throbbing head in his hands and controlling his breathing.
Yet nothing could control his concern for Luke. It was overpowering as he drove. Why had he failed to stop those thugs? He should have pushed them away, or shouted for help, at least Luke could've made a run for it. If anything was to happen to the boy...the professor couldn't bear to think about it. No matter what the young boy said, he was only a child. Those thugs had the potential to break every bone in his body.
" Luke is going to be fine." The professor said aloud, trying to reassure himself . Although, the more he thought about it, replaying the event over and over again, the less certain he became. Those... savages knew about the jar and for some reason, they were adamant that he and Luke would cease all lines of enquiry. Perhaps, the professor wondered, this isn't just about a rare atrefact. Somewhere along the line someone had lied. Find them...find Luke.
Rusted metal pipes hung from above, groaning against the weight of the steel beams that they had held up for years on end. Slime and mildew coated the brick walls in a thick, insect riddled paste and water gathered in puddles on the concrete. The first thing Luke felt was the splash of cold water against his red, stinging cheek. Opening his eyes, he winced at the pain he felt. Such a pain that Luke could hardly think. It was everywhere, pinning him to the ground, pouring into his veins like molten lava. Luke tried to say something but his voice cracked and lodged in his throat, unwilling to venture out into the unknown. For a moment there was silence, accompanied only by the dripping of liquid. The boy waited, his only company the beating of his heart. Then he heard it. So faint that he thought he'd imagined it. Someone else was there in the shadows. Oh god, someone else was there. Luke pulled desperately against his restraints. He needed to get to the professor. Panic flooded through him, numbing his limbs to rock, freezing his brain to ice. Wait. That wasn't a sinister sound. The boy stopped, listening between his breaths. There it was again. Crying. Soft, frightened...crying.
Someone else was there. Someone else was alive. Luke forced his voice to come out, managing an almost shout, desperate to make contact. For his efforts a reply came. "H-hello?..." A sweet voice, kind and comforting in the dark prison that engulfed them, yet laced with sadness. Luke finally uttered a word, although it was not the one he was expecting to tumble from his dry lips "Professor"
"No...I'm Evelyn. Evelyn Clay."
His memories attacked him. Evelyn Clay. The missing child of the missing Clay family. Luke gasped "Evelyn!...Are your parents with you?"
"I...I...I don't know.I can't remember"
"...That's alright. Don't worry Evelyn, my name is Luke Triton.I am professor Layton's apprentice and I'm here to help."
"Thank you Luke. Although, how will you help if you are bound in rope?"
"Like I said.I'm professor Layton's apprentice, which means that every puzzle has an answer"
With that, the boy mustered all the courage he could find and began twisting and pulling on the rope.
Truth be told, it felt strange without his shadow following him around, throwing puzzles his way every five minutes and smiling when he worked them out. The memories were painful, like walking on crushed glass. In his minds eye, the professor saw the disappointed, tearful faces of Clark and Brenda Triton. What was he to tell them? Should he yet?. He had let them down, they had trusted him with their son's life, their life. To think that Luke would be destroyed in such a vicious manner, snuffed out like a candle flame...he had no doubt that it would end him. Hitting the brakes with much more force than required, Layton told himself to take control. He slammed the door shut and walked into Scotland Yard, heading straight for Inspector Chelmeys office. Upon entering, the inspector seemed shocked to see the professor, "Layton? What the blazes happened?!"
The professor caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His jacket was covered in dirt, as was his face. The hat he donned was torn slightly at the brim and his orange jumper was spotted with blood stains. No wonder people had stared. Gathering his confidence, the professor told Chelmey everything that he and Luke had done, their encounter with Doctor Fitz to the attack in the alleyway. The inspector listened intently, his frown growing deeper until he held a hand up "Pardon me from interrupting you Layton but, there is a D.I in the branch upstairs...I think she might be interested to hear this."
The professor tilted his head, "Of course, I will go there now but Luke-"
"I'll put my finest onto it. We will find the boy professsor."
Hershel nodded "hm...thank you, inspector"
The professor left the office, aware of Chelmey following behind as they made their way upstairs. The inspector had said that they would find Luke, yet he didn't feel totally at ease, nothing like this had ever happened before. This was a whole new kind of puzzle.
