10
The twins entered the small local public house after convincing Rayna to show them around Islington a little, promising they wouldn't wander too far.
"You see! I told you Evie...now you owe me a pint" Jacob announced as he walked through the doors and up to the bar
"I never agreed to such terms" Evie replied following him as she looked around at the few people sitting around the tables...they looked so sad and worn out she noticed as Rayna took a seat on a table near the back
"Barkeep! Two glasses of gin and a pint" Jacob announced
"pint of what?" the barman grumbled
"whatever you recommend, in fact, give me two pints of different ales, let's see what this era has to offer"
The barman shrugged and turned to his task
"go steady" Evie warned
"What?" Jacob grinned "it's not like we're doing anything better for the next few days..."
The barman brought the drinks over to the bar
"fifteen quid" he grumbled as Rayna watched from the table suddenly realising the twins didn't have cash as Jacob looked at the barman with raised brows
"Fifteen... POUNDS?" he said with a raised voice
"Yer, that's right. You deaf or summit?" the barman said bored
"No wonder your customers look miserable" Jacob seethed "you're robbing them BLIND!"
"now just a minute..." the barman started as Evie grabbed her brothers arm
"Jacob, you're making a scene!" he pulled his arm away as Rayna suddenly appeared
"here, take my card" she said hastily as she passed it to the barman. He huffed and turned to put it into the reader as Evie grabbed her drink and led her brother away. When Rayna joined them both at the table Jacob shot her a look
"Why on earth did you pay that?"
"Jacob..." she said smiling "it's been 158 years since the average yearly wage was fifty pounds. People can earn that much within a day now"
"...oh" he said suddenly as the women started to laugh easing the tension "well, cheers" he continued as he took a swig of his pint "bloody hell...that's marvellous!" he grinned looking at his glass. Then he starting to take bigger gulps.
"Take it easy" Rayna warned "it's probably much stronger than your regular Victorian ale..."
"That's alright" Jacob answered "whatever helps numb the mind!"
Evie then looked concerned as she took a drink from her glass
"This sudden urge of yours to get drunk is unusual...even for you, what's going on brother?"
Jacob put his glass down and looked at her suddenly sullen
"I just need to get rid of these damnable memories...if only for a few hours" he said quietly
"Memories? What do you mean...?" Evie asked matching his tone
"You know exactly what I'm talking about Evie...these so called "dreams" we are experiencing" he said as he pinched his eyebrows together "they are driving me insane!"
"So" Rayna said "they really are memories after all..."
Evie suddenly looked pale as Jacob continued
"Last night I saw my wife, a women I haven't met yet but love! I saw my children...and now I can't stop seeing them!...I remember fighting for my life in a hospital bed after being betrayed by someone I considered a brother!... I just want it to stop..." he sighed loudly
"That young girl...from my dreams..." Evie whispered
"Lydia Frye..." Rayna added
"my granddaughter..." Jacob piped in taking another mouthful of his drink
Evie looked at her glass and suddenly backed the contents, she pulled a face and stood
"I think I need another" she gasped
"Here..." Rayna said as she passed her card, Evie nodded in thanks and made her way to the bar
"When did you figure out they were memories?" Rayna questioned as she watched Jacob start in on his second pint
"It's pretty obvious now, even to me. But my friend Diane practically confirmed it with her theory. I think Evie knew all along but just refused to accept it...can't say I blame her" he seethed
"I'm sorry the bastards did this to you both" Rayna said
"Like I said, gives us a good excuse to get absolutely pissed out of our minds" Jacob shrugged as he grinned.
Evie approached the bar and ordered another drink when two Albion guards entered. The people sitting nearest the doors suddenly tensed and looked frightened Evie noticed. Rayna also instantly tensed as she watched them walk towards the bar
"You alright?" Jacob asked when he noticed her discomfort and followed her line of site to the guards
"CALM down everyone" the one shouted mockingly "No one's getting dragged out today, we're just ere for a nice drink on our break" he laughed, he then turned and noticed Evie standing next to the bar.
"well, well, well" he said as he stood extremely close next to her left as his colleague stood to her right
"A rose amongst the thorns... what's your name beautiful?"
"none of your business" Evie responded
"now, now...no need to be like that..." the guard grinned
Rayna started to panic and looked back at Jacob who was slouched in his seat continuing to back his drink
"We should go and help her" Rayna said quietly and she went to stand, but then, Jacob placed a gentle hand on her arm to stop her. She looked at him questionably but noticed his eyes were firmly fixed on the encounter at the bar as he finished emptying his glass.
"I believe I've made myself quite clear" Evie continued "now please, excuse me"
Evie went to leave when the guards stood in front of her, blocking her exit. The loud guard then placed his hand on her right shoulder
"you can go, when I say so..." the guard threatened
"remove your hand" Evie growled
"I don't think so baby, you're coming with me back to my place and we're all going to have a good time..."
Evie had heard enough, suddenly, quicker than the guard could anticipate, Evie grabbed him by the wrist and twisted it viciously, causing it to pop loudly. As the guard screamed in pain and was led to the floor by Evie, the other shouted and went to strike her but was suddenly smashed over the back of the head with a pint glass, wild cheering started to erupt around the pub from the onlookers
Jacob looked at his sister as she continued to apply more pressure to the screaming man on the floor
"NOW who's making a SCENE!" he smirked at his twin
Evie just rolled her eyes but smiled as she stood upright. Jacob then noticed the guard he'd hit over the head was reaching for his radio so he drove a heavy boot into it, smashing it to pieces, then he crouched above the guard
"NOT sleepy yet?" Jacob seethed as he pulled his victim into a headlock "here, this should help!"
The loud guard then pulled himself up against the bar with his good hand, Evie noticed and dropped as he tried to strike her, sweeping her leg out and taking him off his feet. She got above him quickly and grabbed him by the collar roughly
"Remember this the next time you feel like harassing anymore women..." Evie seethed, and she punched him roughly across the jaw, knocking him out cold. As she stood back up the people in the bar were cheering wildly then the barman was screaming at them to get out. Rayna then quickly ran over
"We need to go!" she said hastily to the grinning twins "get your hoods up…." She called as they ran from the pub.