"-Meredith calm down!
-You're redundant, Professor."

She didn't put the gun down. Normally, she wouldn't have dared to do that, but panic had set in.

"-Listen to us! Professor Sycamore, he...
-There's nothing to tell." Descole was suddenly cut off.

Luke looked at the masked man, round-eyed. Why didn't he tell him!? Descole continued on his way, sword in hand.

"-There's no use getting your toy out of Descole.
-Oh, Meredith! Your purpose is futile...
-Who are you to dictate what I do? You're no better!
-Why on earth would you do this?! Why didn't you ask me directly for my help?".

Layton was trying to understand. The young woman trembled for a moment at that remark. To tell the truth, she hadn't thought about it. But she pulled herself together and pointed the gun at the tape again while slowly moving backwards.

"-I had my reasons! That's none of your business!
-And you really think I'm going to let you go?" Said Swift gravely.

She closed her eyes for a moment, pulled. Of course she'd leave whether he wanted or not!

Luke prayed for a miracle, that if Descole stopped hiding, maybe...

He shook his head. He'll never stop, it was up to him to do something! Then he took a deep breath and said as loud as he could, so he could be heard:

"-Finally, Miss Meredith, how could you still not understand that Jean Descole IS Desmond Sycamore ?!"

All eyes were on the young boy. Descole's only wish was to kill him in every possible and unimaginable way. Swift laughed in his beard while Layton was equally surprised. He never thought Luke would expose his brother's secret like this!

Meredith stood motionless, as if petrified.

"- Nice try, Luke, but your little plan isn't working."

Her voice was trembling, barely a word out of her mouth.

"-It's the truth! How can you say I'm lying when you've never even seen Descole's face!?
-Enough! Didn't your mentor teach you to hold your tongue!?
-But, my dear, the kid is telling the truth." Swift added.

"-Then I believe him even less since you support what he says!"

Layton watched her for a moment. She was terrified, lost. It was impossible to reason with her while they were still in the Nest. Even if she didn't want his help, he had to act. After all, wasn't it the duty of a gentleman to help a young woman in distress?

"-Meredith, run to the Bostonius, you'll be safe there.
-Here, why are you helping me? I told you I didn't need it!
-Please, trust me! Did I harm you before all this?"

The young woman stared at him, round eyes and lowered her gun. If you take away the fact that Layton had pierced her, he had helped her more than anything else.

"-But of course, listen to this gentleman Meredith and my soldiers will catch you and bring you back here. I doubt that this time your little friends will be there to save you."

Swift was watching her, hilarious. He was the master here after all that was still the Nest. They were the prey and the soldiers of the raptors ready to devour them.

Her mind was brooding. What could be done? Leave? At the risk of being caught? She was thinking about what Luke said. No... She couldn't believe it! She couldn't believe it!

She was startled, like she just had an idea. She approached the professor and took something out of his bag and gave it to him discreetly.

"-Why..." He whispered.

"-You're right... I have to trust you.
-Then get out of here, quick!
-But...What about you?
-Don't worry, we'll catch up with you as soon as we can.
-Are you sure?
-Sure, you can trust me.
-Thank you...Mr Layton."

And so she headed for the exit door, reassured but also confident and determined, with her gun pointed at the boss this time.

"-After careful consideration, I'd rather deal with your colleagues than stay in that damn office!
-You don't realize how stupid you're going to be..."he said.

"-Have you forgotten how much I love risk, Swift ? I know that your guards are waiting patiently for me outside that door.
-How...
-I've come to know you, and then it's easy to guess if you think about it..."

She readjusted her glasses.

"-Mr. Layton? I'm counting on you, you know..."

The professor nodded and the young woman gave him a brief smile before kicking the door open and running away.

Indeed, turning around for a brief moment she saw two guards on the ground. They had to wait behind the door, as planned. She did not stop any longer and started running towards the ground floor of the Obsidian Tower.

Swift sighed and stared at his hostages. Descole always had his sword out in case the situation got out of hand, even though it had been going on for quite some time. Luke didn't move an inch.

Suddenly, a small group of soldiers ran away, much to the surprise of their leader.

"-Boss...the girl!
-Escaped!
-Poof! A real madwoman!
-The others couldn't stop her!"

Descole laughed at the situation, while Swift remained just as calm:

"-Which way did she go?
-We don't know...
-She must have gone into the alleyways to escape from the others..."

He readjusted his dark glasses, sighed and walked to the exit.

"-Decidedly you have to do everything yourself... Please take care of my guests. It would be a shame if they escaped too."

The soldiers nodded and their boss left. The four pointed their weapons at the trio. Descole was losing more and more patience, as his brother noticed.

"-Descole, do you think you can handle them?
-Reassure me, are you at least planning to fool them? The kid could be useful...
-Hey, I'm not your toy!
-Hmmm..."

Layton was thinking and looking at their attackers in the corner. Fool them, fool them... How do you do it? Besides, they had to get out of here as fast as they could. Who knows how long Meredith would last?

He suddenly looked up and turned to his apprentice and Descole, all smiles.

"-I think I have an idea, but I'm going to need your full cooperation...
-In a situation like this, you can count on us, Layton.
-Descole's right, Professor! So what are we supposed to do!?"