W. A. G. E. R.
Chapter Four
File No. 666-4242
(IV)
2011.4.25, 11:38am, London, Baker St.*
When Eric arrived at Baker Street, Viscount Druitt was nowhere to be found.
"Damn, he promised to pick me up right here just a minute ago over the phone. Where did that bastard go?" Just then, he spotted a man wearing a checkered shawl and deerstalker walking out of a store, followed by two young girls.
Is he cosplaying Sherlock Holmes? He really knows how to do the right thing at the right place... This is ridiculous… Then he saw Viscount Druitt going up to Room 221B. "Is he insane? What is he doing taking gals up there…" Suspecting something was wrong, Eric stalked the Viscount into the building.
A few minutes later, Alan showed up and soon recognized a flamboyant sports car painted in gold and silver. It belonged to Viscount Druitt, which indicated that Eric could be somewhere near…
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2011.4.25, 11:41am, London, Baker St., Room 221B.
When Eric reached the doorway, he could already hear screams…
"Oh, dear robins, please don't panic. I'm sure your body would turn into the most breathtaking figure in the hands of the Creator of Beauty, which is me!"
A second round of weeping and begging began.
"Ah, you know I can't capture anything if you don't stop yelling like this…"
The girls only cried harder.
PAAH!
Druitt finally lost control of his temper and took out a whip, "Stop crying! Stop! Stop! Stop! SHUT UP! Even if you want to cry, it should not sound so harsh… How annoying… Annoying! Why can't you acknowledge my efforts in building the road to eternal beauty! I put my heart and soul into finding an elegant bird, but why can I find nothing but such hysteric poultry? How very disappointing…" He whipped the floor again, only to drive the girls to the edge.
Eric couldn't take it anymore so he kicked the door open and…
BANG! BANG!
The crying girls instantly went quiet.
"Eric?" Viscount Druitt rose to find his acquaintance standing in front of him. "Why are you here?"
"We were talking on the phone just 5 minutes ago. Don't you remember?" Eric then lit a cigarette, annoyed.
The Viscount suddenly calmed down to whisper to Eric's ear, "Oh, I remember now. You were asking me to do you a favor, weren't you?"
"Yeah… I just didn't expect you to show up here and…" Eric coughed as he pointed to the nearly naked sleeping angels on the floor.
Druitt let out an astonished gasp, "Oh, you mean them… Wait! If they are shot dead why aren't they bleeding at all?"
"Idiot, just when did I kill them?" Eric took out his gun and put it on a table. "I was only shooting anesthesia needles to keep them quiet for the time being. By the way, I never knew you took up photography…" He turned his face away from the girls.
Viscount Druitt beamed cheerfully, "Oh, what a compliment! I've just discovered a brand new direction on my long road to pursue beauty! Ah, Eric, it's such a shame that you aren't interested in women. It's really your loss not being able to appreciate the most delicate and pure wonder of the world!"
"It's really a loss of the medical world that your brain isn't kept in a jar and being studied by psychologists. Have you been skipping your meds again?"
"Meds? Oh, you mean the poison prescribed by those ignorant jerks? They believed they could understand the extraordinary mastermind of the Martyr of Beauty, which is also me… Oh, how absurd!"
Eric was, as always, speechless at Druitt's speaking skills, "If I'm not mistaken, you were referring to your doctors?"
"Forget about them, Eric… It was nothing but a conspiracy against the Passenger of Beauty, which is still me, in broad daylight! So unfortunate…"
"Well, I don't see any sort of conspiracy between the 13 doctors who diagnosed you with incurable schizophrenia**."
"Eric, it's so sad that you couldn't understand my lofty ideals and untouchable mind…"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Dealing with someone with gender identity disorder was hard enough, and now I have to face this psychopath…" He sighed, "Karma, this is definitely karma."
"By the way, how long do you intend to stay in my palace, Eric?"
"Not very long." Eric glimpsed out of the window, "I know you are leaving for Paris soon. I want to hitchhike out of England." He paused before continuing, "However, before we leave, I have another favor to ask."
"What is it, Eric?"
"Help me get into the jewelry exhibition tomorrow evening."
Druitt burst into laughter, "Hah? This is it? Oh, you worry too much, Eric! No problem!"
"Not just this… Actually, I…I want you to work with me and steal all the jewelry away. We'll split the goods 50/50."
As expected, Druitt's eyes were immediately filled with glittering sparkles, "Ah, this sound so exciting! I know you're good, Eric, but I didn't expect you to ask me to be your partner in crime! The union between beauty and immortality is indeed the most intoxicating!" The only advantage of rambling with Viscount Druitt was that no matter how insane your idea sounded, he would never question its rationality. Instead, the crazier the idea, the sooner he would fall for it. In this case, choosing Viscount Druitt as the escape rope was definitely the best choice.
Just then, they heard quick steps up the stairs. Before Eric could prepare himself for the sudden intruder, Alan was already at the door with his cleaver. "Eric, I've finally found you!" Then he saw the almost naked girls on the floor, "I can't believe it, Eric… Why did you…"
"Hey, I didn't know he was doing this until I got…"
"And you haven't answered the questions I asked you earlier!" That was when a heartbreaking guess struck Alan, "Could it be… Eric, did you do it because of…"
"Never mind, you'll understand when I'm through with this."
"No, Eric! I want you to tell me right now!"
It was the time when Viscount Druitt decided that he had enough, "Eric, this friend of yours is really annoying." He picked up Eric's gun from the table, "Let me just gracefully shut him up…" The psychopath's words were followed by an unexpected gunshot before Alan fell onto the floor, just like the girls did.
"Are you nuts?" shouted Eric. "Why did you…"
"You're overreacting, Eric. Aren't you the one who's desperate to get out of here?"
Sadly, Viscount Druitt was right…
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2011.4.25, 02:17pm, London, Phantomhive Manor, Study.
"Young master, we must attend this exhibition. Didn't you hear what Alan Humphries said? I know he's not fully conscious right now but what he overheard is really important… Things would get sticky if Eric Slingby fled to France."
"I know…" Ciel impatiently drummed on the table, "However, I've already announced long ago that I'd not be attending the event because Madam Red's ruby necklace, Dew of Bloody Spider Lily, would be put on display! Breaking this promise would only give paparazzi more stuff to write about. It would be your fault if I ended up looking exceptionally ridiculous to the public."
Then, a rather provoking, or even flirty idea popped into Sebastian's mind, "Young master, I understand that you are a man of integrity and I do not want to see you bearing an indecent name. However, the exhibition is our last chance to arrest the man. We must attend the event no matter what. The only solution would be to go in disguise."
I've got a bad feeling about this… Ciel stared up at him with a twitched brow and asked, "You mean to dress up?"
"Bingo."
Ciel shivered at the idea, "Wipe that nasty smile off your face, Sebastian! This is not a good idea at all! Avoid seeing that psychotic Viscount is another reason I decided to skip this event! Now you are not only telling me to show up, but also to…"
"It's okay, young master. I'm sure he wouldn't recognize you."
"That's not my concern, you idiot! Why would anyone let that psycho goof around like this at all? Have all the asylums in England closed down? Plus, Sebastian…" Ciel angrily pointed at the door, "Why is this guy still hanging around my house?"
Sebastian turned around to find a certain redhead clinging on the door with a teasing grin on his face, "Ah, Sebby, want me to attend the exhibition with you instead?"
"Eh, Mr. Grell…" Sebastian rushed to the door and shut it behind his back so Grell couldn't enter the room, "I don't care. This is not a homeless shelter. Not to mention you're not even a homeless man so please, get back to where you belong!"
"Uh… How cruel…" Grell lightly pushed Sebastian's shoulder, "Weren't you the one who asked me to give a hand? You're regretting now?"
"There's one thing you should know, Mr. Grell: I don't take any promise seriously other than the ones made to my young master."
"Oh? So what if you screwed up?"
"As you can see, I don't take anything for granted. Therefore I would not agree to any action unless I have the confidence and competence to complete my mission."
"You're sure you can stop both Eric and the Viscount from stealing all the jewelry away?"
"Even if I can't, I wouldn't need your help anymore, Mr. Grell."
"Yeah, right…" Slowly withdrawing himself, Grell leaned onto the window sill, "There's only one alternative left if you've decided to leave me behind."
"Wait, you mean…"
Grell snickered and said, "Oh, silly Sebby, have you forgotten my real occupation? Even if you managed to catch Eric and the Viscount red-handed, you'd still be screwed if you failed to protect the jewelry, right?" There, he jumped down the window.
That was when Sebastian realized what he meant. He hastily reached out his arm hoping to pull Grell back into the house but just like last time, his opponent disappeared like a ghost. The beauty was gone before Sebastian could recall his silhouette. The only thing left was Grell's high-pitched echoes in the air:
"I WANT THE NECKLACE TOO❤!"
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2011.4.25, 05:29pm, London, Grim Reaper Garden Tools Limited.
William sat by his desk while Ronald was getting ready to leave. 12 hours had passed since Grell's last call. Alan didn't call, either. Nothing much was done when they had only two people at the office.
Just when William was uncertain whether he should stay, his mobile rang. It was Grell. He realized something went wrong so he called the blond from his desk, "Ronald Knox, we might have overtime tonight. Stay put till I'm done with this phone call."
"But it's almost time to go home…"
"I'll give you a vacation after this."
Ronald instantly fell back to his seat.
William answered the phone, "So, how's everything?"
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Done with his role as the informant, Grell tentatively asked, "So… will you attend the exhibition tomorrow, Will?"
"We are about to fire an employee, of course I need to show up in person."
"Then, after firing Eric, what else would you do? Hmm, I mean, it's a jewelry show after all…"
"Honestly, what are you implying?"
"Ah, I know Will would get it right away! It's nothing really. I just really, really want that necklace… You know, Dew of Bloody Spider Lily…"
"You mean the ruby necklace that once belonged to Madam Red?"
"Yeah… I've wanted it ever since I first saw it."
"So?"
"Eh?" Grell frowned. Couldn't he tell that I want him to get the necklace for me? "Wait, what do you mean, Will?"
"You should really stop bringing up irrelevant topics… What happened between you and that woman was months ago. I don't see why you must keep something like that in mind after all this time. You can bid for it with any price you like. It's none of my business."
"Hey!"
"Alright, I'll definitely go and you can decide whether to show up or not, as long as you don't get in my way, okay? Bye." He hung up, looking irritated.
Ronald, who had been peeking from behind the computer all this time, asked, "Were you talking about the exhibition at Earl's Court***?"
"Yep. We've got overtime tonight… Preparing for a sneak-in is no easy task."
"Sneak-in?" Ronald blinked, "If we were only to fire Eric-senpai, we could just show up. Why sneak in?"
"Other things would come handier if we were in disguise."
"Other things?" The young man frowned in dismay, "We actually have other things to do?"
William reluctantly shook his head, "Nothing really. I mean, just in case… Anyway, do some research on the exhibition first."
"As you wish, Sir…" Ronald mechanically answered and begun his research. "By the way, does Sutcliff-senpai want to put this Dew of Bloody Spider Lily in his pocket?"
"Forget about him already. Honestly, he's always got crazy ideas in his brain…"
"It's not crazy at all, Spears-senpai. That necklace is the star of the show. I can totally see how it attracts the ladies."
"But he's not even a lady… Plus, I was not talking about the necklace. The future of our company is hanging in the balance but all that thing has in mind is only a necklace… And he want me to steal it for him! Absolutely intolerable…"
Ronald thought for a moment before he giggled, "Oh, so that's why we need to sneak in!"
William glared at him, "It's not what you think."
"I wasn't thinking about anything, senpai!" Ronald explained with a proud smirk on his face, indicating he knew something William didn't. "I've always known that Sutcliff-senpai had been chasing after you and all. No matter how cruel you were to him, he just never gave up. I used to mock him saying that this is just one-sided love and he'd never be requited. But now, I think…" He deliberately lowered his voice, "You want to hear the rest, senpai?"
William didn't speak, only stared, not at Ronald but Grell's empty seat.
Feeling a bit awkward, Ronald decided to continue, "I was just saying, senpai… I believe I was wrong. I've always had the feeling that you were enjoying the freedom of being single, kind of like me… But somehow, I realized that you never wanted to be that way. So I was actually wrong about the one-sided love thingy… Totally wrong."
The office fell into a 30-second long silence afterwards. It was uncertain whether William agreed with Ronald for there was neither a confession nor a denial. At last, he put an end to the conversation by gravely ordering, "Just do your job, kid…"
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*Please forgive me for the excessive Sherlock Holmes reference occurring in this fic. Couldn't help it.
**Sorry if you don't like this setting. I just couldn't stop making him a real psycho. I mean, I like Viscount Druitt a lot and have no intention in offending him in any way. :D
***Again, this is a real place and I used the name to fit my AU only and for no other purposes.