Emmy's hands shook as she hung up the phone. Her uncle, her boss, had Layton? How? How did he manage to -?

"Emmy?" She was brought out of her thoughts by Luke. The boy was staring at her with a frown. "Who was it?" Emmy shook her head, giving a shaky smile.

"No one important, Luke." He wrung his hands together.

"Was it about the professor?" Her heart leapt into her throat. Luke continued when he got no answer. "Who is 'Uncle Leon'? Emmy, what's going on?" Emmy sighed, kneeling to Luke's level as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Luke, you should go home to your parents until I get the professor back." The boy shook his head.

"If you're going to the professor, I'll come too!"

"No." Luke frowned at Emmy's objection.

"It's dangerous, Luke."

"If it's somewhere dangerous, I need to be there with the professor!"

"Luke." Emmy's voice had turned shaky, and Luke's eyes widened slightly. "I need you to stay. Please." Who knew what Leon would have her do. Luke, at the very least, needed to be safe for sure.

"Emmy. I'll be fine." Luke gave a smile, seeming to reassure both her and himself. "Please. Let me come."

Emmy couldn't let herself allow this. If she cared for Luke at all, she would have him stay. She couldn't let him come with her to Targent. To Leon. Emmy blinked rapidly as tears threatened to spill. She had seen what happened to Leon after Rachel passed. She was one of the only children allowed in the organization, she had seen Rachel Bronev's decline in health; her death impacted her deeply, and she could only watch as Bronev rose through the ranks, using any method needed to further his research. She couldn't fathom why killing was alright, she had helped take care of the people who had lost everything…. Really, she was the only one who truly did so.

"You won't, Luke." Luke crossed his arms, frustration slowly growing in his expression.

"I don't care, Emmy!" Emmy could feel her own frustration growing.

"Luke, you're acting like a child!" The boy huffed.

"I need to help the professor!"

"You can help him by staying home!"

"I need to be there if there's a puzzle he can't solve!"

"Luke, this is a life or death situation!" Emmy didn't realize what she said until Luke's expression grew into shock. She sighed, clenching her hands into fists. She could feel the warmth of tears trailing down her face as she ground her teeth together. "I can't… I can't let you come with me. You could get hurt. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." Luke looked at her with his own set of misty eyes.

"Emmy. Please."

"No. I can't. If I let you come with me, Uncle Bronev -" She shook her head. "I…."

"Where is the professor?"

"I… I can't say…." Emmy looked down at the floorboards. Luke looked at her for a long moment before looking down as well.

"Alright…. Just bring back the professor. Please?"

"I'll… I'll try my best." There was a lengthy pause.

"...Emmy?" She looked at Luke, and the boy was still staring at the floor.

"What is it, Luke?"

"Come back safe, too." Emmy felt a pang as the words were spoken. She couldn't promise him that she would come back at all. If she went against her uncle in any way…. She had already witnessed what happened when someone went against his wishes. She was terrified of what he would do to her. She had heard the story of what he had done to his own son, how he had been beaten for all he had, taking his wife and daughter as payment for his refusal.

"Emmy?" She smiled, the motion feeling forced.

"I'll try my best to come back as well."

"Professor." Layton watched as the man paced the cell for what seemed to be the millionth time, his eyes searching. Layton still hadn't moved from his spot on the ground near the hospital bed. "You need to rest, you've been walking around for a long time." The man whirled on him.

"Layton, I don't think you quite understand the gravity of the situation we are in." The younger professor gave a soft huff.

"Well, I don't exactly see a way out of the situation we are in currently." Which wasn't a lie. He had had a lot of time to look around the cell. The only thing that could serve as some sort of escape route was the air vent, but it was far too small for either men to fit in. "It appears we won't be let out for a while yet, Professor. It would be best to save your energy."

"Layton." Des was in front of him, his eyes sharp. Layton looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "You are not proving to be a formidable opponent to Targent."

"There are no escape routes. The only escape is through the door, which is heavily guarded."

"Desmond." Both men looked up at the speakers in the room. Layton could see Des's hands curl into fists.

"What do you want?!"

"I only want answers, Desmond. If you give me answers, I will leave you alone."

"Like hell I'll do that!"

"Professor." Layton stood. "It would be unwise to refuse him."

"Listen to Layton, Desmond." Bronev's voice carried a noticeable sneer. Desmond cast an irritated glance at the professor.

"Whose side are you on, Layton?"

"Now listen to me carefully, Desmond. What have you uncovered about the Azran?"

"I know just about as much as you do. Now leave me alone."

"Your ability to figure out the locations of the legacies before us suggests that you know something we do not. Now, my suggestion for you is that you tell the truth." The doors opened with a hiss, and Layton felt the guns trained on him before he saw them. His blood turned cold as Des cast a worried glance in his direction.

"You wouldn't kill your own son, Bronev." Layton's mind was whirling as he processed this information. The guns that were pointing at him didn't move.

"I… I beg your pardon?" The professor whispered.

"Answer the question, Desmond." Desmond looked from Layton to the speakers to the men with the guns.

"Bronev, please. Lower the guns."

"Not until you answer the question."

"Leave Theodore out of this."

"Now, now, this was your fault for letting it get to this point. The people you cared about would still be alive if you just cooperated."

"Bronev, please!" The speakers were silent. Des looked at Layton, the fear written plainly on his features. The younger professor wanted to comfort him, but he was terrified as well. The guns were still trained on him. Bronev's voice came on the speakers again.

"Grab Layton. Go ahead with the procedure I went over with you."

Desmond immediately stepped in between the now advancing men and Layton.

"You've gone mad!" The red-eyed man shouted to the speakers. The men easily pushed Des out of the way, and the man stumbled before attempting to lunge himself at the men. Two men broke away from the small group and gripped Des's arms. The man kicked and struggled, looking on in panic as the men surrounded Layton, easily overpowering him. The younger professor didn't even fight as they grabbed him and started to lead him to the exit. He looked over at Des, the man panicking and struggling even more.

"I'm only doing what I have to, Desmond," Bronev said. "I won't kill him, but he certainly won't be… unscathed, if you don't cooperate."