Chapter 10: Reconciliation, and a Sacrifice

"Hello?" The deep voice called out again. While the voice was mostly calm, it had a hint of desperation in it. A hint of loneliness. Clive refused to answer it. He wouldn't give Layton the comfort of another voice. No. Clive had endured far too much silence to be merciful.

And yet…the professor had saved him…perhaps he ought to be compassionate towards him in return.

"No," Clive was speaking in his head now. "No. I won't give him the satisfaction. I won't give him the opportunity to apologize. If I could endure two whole years of silence, he can endure a few days of it."

Clive's mind was divided. One side of him wanted to call out to the professor; to reassure him. The other side wanted to strangle him while he was helpless.

"Oh, god, no." Being behind bars again was rekindling that crazy spark he used to feel. The madness was returning.

"I know someone is there." Clive flinched at Layton's deduction. The professor continued. "I just want you to know…don't be afraid. We'll find a way out of this, I'm sure of it."

Clive sighed loudly at Layton's words. Whether it was from contempt or admiration he couldn't tell. "The professor is so willing to trust others and reassure them, even when his own life is in danger," said one side. "No," said the other, "he's just a gullible fool." Clive grasped at his head with his hands, trying to shut the voices out. He didn't want to go mad again. But the relentless torrent of conversation inside his head continued, louder and louder, drowning everything out.

"You can't hurt the man who saved your life…"

"He didn't save it, he RUINED it, you idiot!"

"Forgive him."

"Strangle him."

"At least SPEAK to him!"

"He doesn't deserve that!"

"STOP!" He shrieked. For a second, the voices ceased.

"Clive…is that you?"

Clive stiffened. The professor's deductive skills certainly were incredible. He hesitated, unsure if he should speak.

"Hello…Layton." Clive could hear his voice cracking. He only hoped the professor couldn't detect the weakness in his voice.

"I thought you were in prison. How in the world did you…end up here?"

Clive struggled to speak. His leg was hurting again, and it still couldn't be moved. "It's a long, long story. I…escaped."

"Quiet in there!" The nearby guard was clearly annoyed at their talking. He banged on the cell bars, and they rattled in place. "Either of you says one more word and I'll gag you."

Clive tried to stay quiet, but there was a burning question on his mind. "W-who kidnapped you? Do you know who's behind it?"

"I SAID QUIET IN THERE!" The guard yelled. He grabbed Clive's shirt and yanked him towards the edge of the cell, slamming him against the bars. Clive fell to the ground again, feeling weaker than before.

"I'm going to go get some gags," the guard muttered. Making sure the cell was locked, he hurried out of the room.

Clive was tempted to try and escape, but he knew it was pointless. The cell was locked. He couldn't even stand. But he knew now was his opportunity to find out the truth from Layton.

"Who kidnapped you?"

"I…I don't know."

Clive sighed. It was too good a lead to hope for. He groaned again at the pain in his leg. His head hurt, and he felt weak.

"Clive…when did you get out of prison?"

Clive hesitated again. He thought about not answering. But every added second of silence made the voices in his head grow louder. Talking was the only way to stay sane.

"Only recently." He shuddered.

"Was it…a life sentence?"

"Yes." Clive couldn't hide the coldness in his voice. "You sent me to a life in prison."

"Clive, if I had known it was such a long sentence…I would have-"

"Don't lie to me! You knew full well I would never escape. You didn't care. You wanted me locked up forever!"

"Clive, you know I-"

"Do you know how painful it is? To live in silence for two years? Where the only voices you hear are the ones in your head?" Clive felt tears in his eyes. He choked on a sob. "I tried to endure it. Oh, how I tried. I told myself I deserved it. I deserved it after what I put those scientists through. But still." A tear fell. "I didn't want to go mad again! I didn't want to go back to that vengeful place." He looked at the professor. It was good that Layton had a blindfold on, so he couldn't see the tearful look of contempt on Clive's face.

"I grew to hate you for what you put me through. I didn't want to see you ever again. And…thanks to what you did to me…I'd never get the chance." He sighed. "And then…Luke showed up. Made me an offer. He could get me out of prison, and even get rid of my status as a convict…if I helped him find you. At first, I refused. But it was the only way out. The only way to escape." He sighed again. "And I tried really hard to help. I discovered clues as to the kidnappers' identity. I turned down an offer of a million pounds, and didn't betray Luke and Emmy. I saved their lives, and risked my own. And what do I get for it all? I get locked back in a cell, with a bullet in my leg, on the brink of madness again. Trapped."

Layton's eyes were blindfolded, and he was clearly weak from days in a cell. But that didn't stop him. He managed to inch along until he found Clive's shaking figure. He placed his arms around Clive, hugging him.

This startled Clive. "No," he whispered to himself. "I won't let my guard down. I don't want his compassion. I don't want his sympathy. I don't want…"

In spite of himself, Clive began to sob. Layton hugged him closer.

"It's alright. We'll find a way out of here. You'll find a way out of prison. I'll help. But we need to keep our wits about us if we intend to escape."

"He must think I'm so weak," Clive thought to himself. "A sniveling madman who can't survive even two years in prison. And he's right. I'm not a clever criminal…just a decrepit fool." He wanted to hit himself. "Stop crying. The longer you act like a weakling, the more he'll think you've forgiven him. You can't give him that luxury."

The tears stopped. Clive dried his eyes, managing to pull away from Layton's grasp. He turned to face the wall.

"You don't need to forgive me. I understand what I've put you through."

"You don't understand. You don't understand what it's like to lose everything."

"You think I don't?" Clive flinched. Layton's voice was always polite and understanding…but all of a sudden he could detect a chill in it.

"I lost my parents to Targent. I lost my brother when I was adopted. I lost my best friend, Randall, for eighteen years. I lost my assistant, Emmy, and my apprentice, Luke, when they left. I lost Claire. Twice. Don't accuse me of not knowing what it's like."

There was a moment of silence.

"The guard who left still hasn't returned."

"He must have found out about Luke and Emmy. He may be helping the other guards to find them. The three of us managed to infiltrate the area. But…I got caught." Clive winced at the pain in his leg.

"I greatly appreciate the effort you would go to to restore my safety. Even if you only did it to escape prison." Layton sighed. "I'm merely sorry things didn't go according to plan. You've already endured two years in a cell. You don't deserve to be locked up again at your first chance of freedom."

Clive shrugged. "I really am worthless. I deserve it. But…as much as I hate to admit it…you don't deserve this. You saved me from a fate worse than prison…madness. You saved me from becoming a murderer. You deserve a way out of this."

All of a sudden, Clive noticed something he hadn't before; the feeling of something cold under his shirt. The feeling of something metal. A look of disbelief showed on his face. Earlier, he hadn't been able to find his gun. Now here it was, tucked away under his shirt. He must have unknowingly hidden it there.

Just then, the guard returned. He had a look of urgency on his face.

"The place has been infiltrated. You're to be moved."

"No." Clive began to reach into his shirt, pulling out the gun.

But Clive's movements were slow. The blow to his leg had weakened him. The guard, realizing what Clive was doing, reached for a gun and fired a shot.

It pierced Clive's arm. Clive felt the fresh wave of pain engulf him, but he had to keep steady. He couldn't falter now.

He pointed the gun directly at the guard, right at his head. A bullet was already clicked into place, ready to fire.

"You wouldn't." The guard turned pale, his gun pointed directly at Clive. "Not with a gun pointed at your own head."

Clive laughed. He knew he was crazy, but the only alternative would be fear. And then he wouldn't be able to get the professor out.

"If you shoot, I shoot. And I guarantee you, I won't miss. Unlock the door. Now."

The guard nodded. Keeping his gun pointed at Clive, he unlocked the cell.

"Now get that blindfold off of him." Clive gestured to Layton.

The guard removed the blindfold. Layton blinked, bewildered.

"Give him your gun."

The guard hesitated, but the look on Clive's face was dead serious. He handed the gun to Layton.

"Now you're free. Find Luke and Emmy. Get out."

Layton couldn't help but hesitate. "But…what about you?"

"I can't even stand on my own. You can't possibly carry me out; not with guards everywhere. If you can manage to defeat them all, then come back for me. But we all know the likelihood of that." Clive laughed. "If you can't…get out."

Layton still hesitated. "I can't just leave you here!"

"As long as they believe you're still being held captive, Luke and Emmy will keep looking for you. They could get shot. They could die. Get them out!"

"We'll defeat whoever is behind this. We'll get you out!"

Clive nodded. With the new bullet wound, it was becoming hard to stay conscious.

"The best of luck…Professor."

Layton nodded, and raced off.

"Get out." Clive spoke to the guard. As if relieved, he raced out of the room. Clive was alone.

Clive knew he was going unconscious again. He struggled to stay awake, but he couldn't. The pain was too great.

Clive never prayed. He didn't believe in such things. But for once, he prayed. But not for himself.

"Please," he murmured, to no one in particular. "Let Layton, Luke, and Emmy escape. Don't let them get hurt." With that, his vision went black again, and he lost consciousness. His fate, his future, whether he would live or not...it all rested in their hands.