"I received your message yesterday, Mr McCoy, regarding the woman that visited the Xavier Mansion. I invited you here today because I received a correspondence from Raphael Darkholme's solicitor, Kurt Wagner and I would like to read the contents of the missive to you. I sent him an inquiry asking about this woman you mentioned-"
Henry McCoy sat before Solicitor Darwin. They are in his office. It was the first time Henry had entered such a place, a room full of law books and plaques and marble statues. Henry had worn his best suit, seeming to feel slightly uncomfortable in it as he had been used to wearing his uniform at all times.
"Yes Sir?"
Darwin unfolded a thick sheet of paper that was sitting on the ink blotter before him. He began:
"Dear Sir, in response to your inquiry regarding the lady that has been an acquaintance of Sir Raphael Raven Darkholme, she is in fact a former duchess of York, her name is Emma Frost. It does not bode me well to tell you the circumstances of their relationship, but as you mentioned in your letter that doing so might help in the swift deliverance of Sir Charles Xavier, I will only tell you what I have knowledge of and nothing less. When Raphael was younger, he and Lady Emma Frost knew each other intimately, although she was far too young for him. They had loved each other deeply until Emma left him to marry the Duke of York. Raphael's heart was broken and he did not have any relations thereafter. Lady Frost's marriage was not a happy one, from what I have heard. She only married the duke for his title; for his power. She began to visit Raphael again, frequently, but their reunion was tepid and not entirely joyous because Emma refused to divorce the duke. She still wanted to keep her title and wanted the privileges that only one of royalty could have, at the same time, she wanted to keep on seeing Raphael. The years passed and Emma Frost grew tired of Raphael and left him again, eventually the duke discovered of her affair with Raphael and divorced her. Raphael told me of all of these things, before he passed away. Lady Frost then came running back to him, but it was too late. Raphael did not want to have anything to do with her because he was ill and he understood that Emma Frost was a selfish woman, who cared for no one but herself and the fulfillment of her own desires. Raphael felt he could give her nothing more. And so, when she came to him one last time, Raphael turned her away. That was the last I heard of Emma Frost from Raphael's lips and he spoke not of this incident again. I pray that whatever you have garnered from my letter, will be of use to you and that it may help save the life of our dear mutual friend, Charles Xavier."
Darwin looked up at Henry's face, tapping the letter against his palm.
"We can only assume at this point that it may have been Emma Frost's machinations that had brought forth the events that have caused the abduction of Charles and the mastermind behind the plot to murder him."
"It's rather absurd though, why she would do such a thing. Sir Charles did not even know Sir Darkholme before he became the lord of the house."
"That is true, but I happen to think she is a mad woman. She could not avenge herself against Raphael Darkholme as he had passed away and so let us suppose at this point that she had wanted to kill Charles for the sake of fulfilling her own crazed concept of revenge-"
"Did I not tell you she had a young girl with her? A daughter, although I was not sure if she is that woman's child. If the daughter was the legitimate heir, they can simply present proof of it and there would have been no need for bloodshed!"
"Yes you did, and you mentioned she had been rough with the young one. However, Mr Wagner did not mention anything of this girl you spoke of so, all of this is in theory,"
Henry nodded, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at the thickly carpeted floor, his arms crossed over his chest.
Then he looked up at Sir Darwin's face, his expression brightening.
"Would it be possible for us to know her address? Perhaps that will lead us to Sir Charles's whereabouts!"
Darwin smiled, setting the paper back into one of his drawers.
"Indeed, I have made arrangements with the police force already. I have found her address and they are watching her activities furtively,"
Henry felt his heart beat faster, he was ecstatic to know that with the information he and Logan had shared they may be able to save Sir Charles. Darwin was watching his face closely.
"We cannot directly accuse her though, Henry. All of this is, again, speculation at this point. We can only wait and watch until she makes her move and confirm our suspicions-"
"I understand, Sir."
"Very well," Darwin stood up, went around his desk to shake Henry's hand as the other stood up and prepared to take his leave."Mayhap you will be hearing from me again, Mr McCoy-"
Henry nodded. He was beside himself with excitement at the progress they are making. Henry was about to ask for the address of Lady Emma Frost so he himself might be of use, but Darwin knew what he was about to say.
"Leave it to the authorities to do what they must, Mr McCoy. I know you only want to help, but do understand-"
Henry's shoulders drooped. Then, he immediately collected himself, his expression becoming determined and hopeful.
"Yes, of course, Sir Darwin and I thank you for informing me of the matter. It serves to lighten my heart that we may yet have a chance to rescue Sir Charles,"
Lady Frost's eyes are narrowed like that of a basilisk as she watched from a slit of her curtained window at the suspicious looking men who are loitering close to the grounds of her house. Even though they are dressed plainly, she could tell that these men are constables. She twitched the curtain back in distaste, her face a mask of hate as she sat upon a couch. Shaw was, of course right. She should not have come a calling at the Xavier mansion. She knew that bespectacled gent had something wily about him. She looked about the darkened room; only the light from the guttering fire in the fireplace threw jumping shadows within. The furniture within the room was expensive and sparkling white yet she considered this place a hovel. She had missed the bright and courtly palatial home she used to reside in when she had been a duchess. This house was actually but one of the last gifts her previous husband had bestowed upon her. It was opulent and spacious but to her, it was ugly, as everything in her life have been, unfit for her and her beauty. She still received an allowance from that revolting, spineless husk of a man she had married and she found that the mere pittance was a slap in the face, an insult to her. She was through with men using her. She sat there, silently fuming and wallowing in her bitterness yet again and then there was a knock at her door. It was Shaw. She did not turn to look at him, yet he nodded his head towards her.
"We have found them. They are in Yorkshire-"
Her eyes widened. Imagine that? The enemy was so close to where she once had her duchy. She inclined her head towards the window.
"What of the pigs puttering aimlessly at my doorstep?"
"We can evade them easily, My Lady-"Shaw said in a knowing leer and she smiled back at him brightly.
"Good. Let us make haste. I want this to be over and done with!"
By happenstance, it was Officers Robert Louis Drake and Saint-John Allerdyce who had been assigned to conduct surveillance over the residence of Lady Emma Frost. It had been a day and a half that they have been on their guard. Officer Drake posed as a peddler and Officer Allerdyce was dressed as a beggar. There had been not much activity since they had begun. On occasion, a servant would be off on an errand, for which another plain-clothed policeman had been dispatched to follow and then the servant would return.
"To think there would have been a bit of excitement in this for us, Bobby-"John said as he yawned and stretched his arms out and settled on the bench where he was pretending to be a drunken beggar.
"But no! No Sir! We are here to fester in boredom house-sitting for God knows how long!"
"John-"Officer Drake began.
"We could have been out at Trudi's sipping a pint and enjoying a well-deserved reprieve instead my arse is burning a mark upon this bench surely as if I had branded it!"
"Don't be all uptight now! Our replacements will come soon enough. Let us just go through the motions, eh?"
John snorted at that and then he lifted the lip of a bottle wrapped in brown paper to meet his own lips. He is not really drinking cheap wine. He was drinking cold coffee to keep himself roused. Bobby suddenly looked at the house again, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. Something did not feel right to him. There was not much activity from the house after four hours had passed. What made him think that something was odd, was that smoke did not issue forth from the chimney, not even a faint one.
"John? Are you up for some excitement?"
John eyed him lazily. "What have you in mind?"
Bobby nodded towards the house. "There has not been any servant about and there is no smoke coming from the chimney-"
"Well, what of it?"
"I have a bad feeling about this. We should make our move-"
John's eyes widened and he rubbed his hands together in delight.
"Finally! Something to do at last!"
They both looked surreptitiously about and then they both crossed the street and began to stealthily circle the outer premises. John felt his stomach tighten and grow cold. He dreaded the fact that they would find no one in the house. He almost hoped that they are still here, the people they have been watching because he did not want their vigilance to be all for nothing. Bobby signaled with his fingers that he will make the first move to enter. John nodded grimly. Bobby tested the doorknob of the back entry and the knob yielded to the twist of his grip. The door was open. He peered inside, darting a quick look about. He slid quietly in and he lifted his truncheon out in front of him defensively. John stayed behind to watch out for him and for anyone who might enter. Bobby felt it the moment he entered. There is a feeling of utter absence of life in the house. He made a quick survey of each room, his dread growing along with the leaden feeling in his heart. He had checked all rooms and there was no one here. No one at all. He saw wrappings hastily thrown about in the kitchen, the main bedroom had clothes carelessly lying on the floor and the fireplace in some of the rooms out cold, the ashes long cooled. Bobby rushed out of the house cursing silently to himself and then he grabbed John by the shoulder.
"John, we've been had! No one is here! They already left! Christ almighty!"
"Damn it! We have to report this in!"Bobby took out a whistle and blew it immediately. A carriage that was hidden somewhere came forth, bearing two officers. Bobby and John jumped into the carriage. John slapped at the door of the carriage and shouted up to one of the officers.
"Hurry! The subject has escaped!"Officer Drake shouted. The officer did not need to be told again. He tugged at the reins and let out a commanding yell for the horses to dash forth, post-haste.
Both Logan and Henry McCoy met with a distraught Solicitor Darwin at the gates of the Xavier Mansion. Darwin did not want to share the bad news with the rest of the staff. He kept walking restlessly back and forth as he wrung his hands in frustration.
"I did not think that they would slip past the officers, but they did Henry and I feel utterly powerless!"
"How could they have done it?"Henry asked, visibly shaken that their chance to rescue Charles was gone.
"We have no clue yet as to how they had accomplished this evasion, but I tell you the authorities have sent forth instructions that all ports, stations and city entryways be set up to inspect any carriages that will pass through. We may yet find a means to waylay them. I've sent word to every authority that will hear me out. If not for Warren Worthington, I would not have had this privilege-"
"I have also notified the Duke of York of what has transpired at the Frost residence and of Lady Frost's possible association with the crime. He had been most gracious and offered whatever assistance he could provide,"
Darwin released a sigh of vexation. It was rather a sight to see the staid and upstanding solicitor agitated. Henry recalled that Warren Worthington was one of Master Charles's long-time acquaintances, a man of noble bearing, with royal connections. The Duke of York would also have his own. He understood that this manhunt would not have been done so thoroughly for a common gentleman such as Charles Xavier if not for that.
"Is there anything we can do to help, Sir?"Henry asked quietly.
"Yes there is. I came here to request that you both come with me to help identify Emma Frost and her young charge. We did not find any portraits or photographs at the residence of the former duchess. They may have removed these items to prevent their identification. I need you to come with me to give a description at the Station so that we may circulate this,"
Logan quietly made a gesture of assent and Henry nodded in agreement as well."Please, Sir Darwin. Anything we can do for Sir Charles, you need not implore us so,"
"The last of the traps are set in. Now, all we can do is wait and watch-"Sean said as they all stood at the main entryway to the barricades.
"You all seem sure that they would find us. Is it that easy for them to do so?"Charles queried as he looked at the men about him. The day had waned yet again to bring forth the quickening dusk. They all stood in meditative silence; the only noise seemed to come from the teeming wild creatures amongst the gorse and the brush.
"I have prepared for that possibility, Charles. Always, when you deal with the brotherhood, you must be prepared; you must think one step ahead if you can-"
"It would have worked better if you left the country-"Sean replied sheepishly. Azazel lifted an eyebrow his way, frowning.
"Well it's true! We may have this showdown with Shaw and his minions, but the brotherhood would still be after you. If you left the country, using aliases, it would be harder for the brotherhood to find you,"Sean continued,
"I can't just wrest Charles from the very place he calls home. I cannot just part him from his friends and colleagues. I have to deal with Shaw first and after that, perhaps-"Erik stopped himself and regarded Charles tenderly. "You can bid your farewell to them and we can leave the country after,"
Charles just held his gaze, perfectly understanding that there was no turning back. They would really have to leave England. This was very difficult for Charles but to keep on living, he must make this choice. Erik knew Charles accepted this decision without having to voice it out loud.
They all started to walk back towards the stone house. Up to now, Charles still found it difficult to pinpoint its exact location, some trick of optical illusion seemed to blend the house into the rather sparse terrain, making it hard to find.
"How did you come by this place, Erik? Our temporary residence appears to play some sort of magic trick over my sight-"
Erik grinned as Charles kept in step with him, walking towards the odd structure.
"This used to be a battle fortress, Charles. What you actually see before you is a remnant of the top of a tower,"
Charles looked up at him with wide eyes, astounded by this obscure history Erik shared with him and then he looked back at the tower again. "You mean to tell me-"
"Yes, this is a forgotten historical site and this is why this place was given the name 'barricades',"
"Let me tell you something else. Beyond the barricades, less than a hundred feet from that structure, there is actually a chasm and it seamlessly merges with the mountains in the distance that if you did not watch your step, well-"Erik pointed out to this odd sight that Charles had not noticed before.
"Oh my!" Charles suddenly clutched at Erik's arm, recalling that if he had run that way before when he tried to escape from Erik, he would have fallen over the edge.
"Are there any more surprises that I should know about?"Charles looked up at Erik uneasily. Erik's regarded him gravely.
"I think it would better that some things are left unsaid, lest it disturbs you even more-"
Charles slept fitfully that night. Whatever tension seemed to settle over the other men about him affected him as well. He could see it in their faces, feel it rising from them and it is now surrounding the fortress. Charles knew that Erik grew even more vigilant than before. Erik's body was still lying next to him. Erik may actually be feigning sleep for Charles's benefit.
"Erik,"Charles said softly. Erik opened his eyes immediately.
"You have to get some rest, otherwise you might not be able to think clearly tomorrow," Charles begged him.
Erik sighed as he settled closer to Charles, caressing one of his shoulders to comfort him.
"Worry not about me. I am trained for this; my body can go on for days without rest-"
"But-"
"Hush now! It is you who needs to rest. We may or may not have our fight with the brotherhood on the morrow but do not let this wear you down. Trust in me,"
Charles closed his eyes, letting out a breath. "I have to admit, I am afraid of what may happen, Erik. But the only certainty in me right now is that you and I are together at least. So whatever tomorrow may bring-"
Erik drew him closer and held him. "Charles,"He whispered throatily against his lover's cheek and then he suddenly gave Charles's ear a hard nibble, surprising him.
"Ow!"
Erik pushed him to lie back down on the bed, moving on top of him and grinning wickedly, showing Charles his toothsome smile.
"I know what will put you to sleep and shut you up!"Charles's eyes were comically wide for a moment and then he giggled in delight as Erik kissed his face and neck over and over. Erik pulled back to say something more.
"I will ravage you until your legs are shaking and you are reduced to moans. You will be begging for me to stop until you fall unconscious again like before,"Erik said in a husky voice in between the licks and kisses.
"Stop it! Ah, you are so cruel!"Charles cried out in mock petulance as he tried to push Erik away from him, but the brute was evermore, stronger than him. Erik hurriedly undressed him and followed suit on what he had said, to the letter.
Charles did fall asleep, sexually sated and thoroughly exhausted after Erik was through with him. Erik fondly caressed the back of his neck and watched him slumber until exhaustion had finally driven him to sleep as well.
In one of the other rooms, Sean had been tossing and turning in his bed in an exaggerated manner, grumbling as he did so. He had heard the two making love noisily. They had been at it for hours on end until they eventually grew silent.
"At last! Those two have stopped baying like animals in heat!"He roughly brought the edge of his blanket up to his chin and closed his weary eyes. In the next room adjoining his, Azazel slept most peacefully, for the cork earplugs he brought with him came in most handy.
