Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!
djinn - Thank you so much. I'm kind of experimenting with mixing characters from 'Millionaire's Conspiracy' with the original series with out interfering too much with the timescale. I thought Mr Sloanes was a safe bet since he was an older character while Pipper Lowondia and slightly younger so she might be at university or (possibly) the same age of Edgar in this story. So, to answer your questions: will he meet other characters? Possibly. Will he hit on them? Most definitely. He is Edgar Cipher after all. Thanks for reading.
wellingtonlucas282 - No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed it as well as the omake. Thank you.
Pinkflamingwarriorofjustice - At that particular moment, I think the voice was the embodiment of Edgar's doubt and guilt that he keeps bottled up. Unfortunately, I've never seen Bakugan so it's probably unlikely. Thanks for reading anyway.
Thank you all for reviewing :)
Intermission V: Cape Terror
The Peak of Cape Cornwall
The wind howled fiercely and the sea crashed upon the jagged rocks as the storm grew closer.
He could see the skies begin to get cloudy, feel the first few drops of rain fall upon his face, and sense the bone-chilling start to take its grip on his body. He was tired, injured and his mind start to cloud over as if he was going to fall unconscious at any moment. However, he couldn't pass out now. Not now when there is something much more important to deal with.
He focused on the man looming over him, his body blocking the last bit of sunlight before the storm clouds rolled in. His muddy boots pinned his stomach to the rocky terrain, preventing him from going anywhere. He saw the man's dark, blood-thirsty smile and the wild look in his eyes, but Edgar was more worried about the object that glittered and sparkled dangerously in his right hand. The man slowly raised the knife up to over his head, the point directed right where his heart should be, ready to plunge it into him and end his life with a flick of his blade.
With a roar of pure fury, the man thrusted the dagger down towards him and Edgar could only watch on helplessly.
There was no way out. Not this time. No more plans, no more schemes, no more cleaver tricks.
This was it.
This was how he was going to die.
Two Days Ago
Layton's Residence
"…well, I have to say it is in good condition. Manufactured in Paris in the late 19th century by the Benedict company," a man in his sixties with fair skin, white hair and a pair of glasses perched on nose explained as inspected a collection of antique wine glasses on the podium, "It's quite a find."
"So, is is worth much?" a woman in her late thirties with frizzy red hair eagerly asked.
"Ha! Hardly," Edgar chuckled.
"Unfortunately," the man said, "these types of glassware were mass produced in that time period and so there isn't much of a demand for them."
"You tell her, Andy," Edgar said with a grin.
"I would have to say that at auction these glasses are worth…"
"£10," Edgar guessed.
"£10," the presenter confirmed .
"Yes!" Edgar cried, turning away from the TV screen to grab another biscuit from the tin and dunking it in his tea, "I haven't lost my touch."
It has been a month since they returned from Monte d'Or and Edgar was busy doing nothing but watch re-runs of Antique Roadshow whilst slouched on the living room sofa, enjoying the peaceful afternoon. He got into the programme just after he became a thief. Knowing the value and rarity of antiques was an essential and so so began watching it as a revision tool. But now he watches it for fun…and revision, because you never know.
He had only taken a bite of his biscuit when suddenly the rotary phone rang on the table beside him. He sighed, picked up the receiver and pressed one end against his ear and spoke in the other end.
"Hello, Layton residence?"
"Hello Edgar, how are you?" the voice of Layton asked through the phone.
"Fine," he answered, raising a curious eyebrow, "Just as I was an hour ago when you left. Bit early in your journey to stop for break."
"Actually, we're still at Gressenheller. Our coach has…broken down before we got out of the gate. But our coach driver is fixing it now and we should get there by-"
BANG!
"Oh no, not again!" somebody cried out from the other end of the phone.
Edgar gave the phone an odd look before asking, "Everything alright?"
"Y-yes… one moment..." he said before disappearing for a few seconds. Eventually, he returned, "...everything is fine. Emmy's helping him now. This trip and the accommodation has taken up most of the budget that we have to settle with..." Layton hesitantly said before clearing his throat, "...anyway, perhaps this is a good sign. It's not too late for you to join us. I'm sure you would love Cornwall. We're going to visit Chysauster Farm, Halliggye Fogou, Tintagel Castel and then end the trip at Land's End. It's quite an adventure."
"I'm sure it is, but I don't want to spend my weekend travelling all over the place. I want some peace and quiet for once where I don't have to clean or help you prepare for lectures," Edgar said before he sipped his tea, "Besides, I hardly know any of your students. It'll be awkward."
"Emmy is here and Janice had decided to come with us. I only ask because I don't want to make you feel your missing out on journey," he said, earning an interested hum for Edgar, "But if you really insist then Is suppose I cannot force you."
"Thanks Prof. Make sure to get me a souvenir."
Layton chuckled, "I'll be sure not to forget."
"Professor," he heard Emmy's voice call out from somewhere in the background, "It looks like it's almost fixed, but the driver insists we can't drive over forty miles per hour or the engine will explode again."
Edgar heard Layton hum in concern.
"Wow, 283 miles in a coach with twenty other people going at less than forty miles an hour. Sounds fun," Edgar said with a teasing grin, "I'm already regretting my decision."
"Thank you, Edgar," Layton sighed, "I'll be sure to call you when we get there. Goodbye."
"Bye," Edgar said before he hung up the phone, "Now back to my..."
However, just as he was about to continue to watch his program, he saw the screen had suddenly cut away to show a red background with the words 'News Alert' in white.
"What the-" he uttered out loud.
The screen changed again to now show a professional-looking news presenter at his desk, staring back at him while a picture of Wandsworth Prison was just next to his head.
"Good afternoon," he firmly greeted, "We apologise to interrupt, but we have just received an important news bulletin from Scotland Yard. Two hours ago, an inmate by the name of Rob Cady, held at HMP Wandsworth in south London, has escaped and is on the run in the London area..."
'Rob Cady?' Edgar mused, 'Where have I heard the name before?'
"...Police are warning the public that this man is dangerous and possibly armed and they should take caution until this man is caught. On no accounts should any member of the public approach this individual and Scotland Yard has even mentioned the possibility of a curfew put in place..."
'Rob Cady...Rob Cady...' Edgar thought as he sipped his tea, 'Damn, this is going to annoy me.'
"...An image of Rob Cady should be on your screens right now," the news presenter said as the screen changed once again to show a head shot of man in his forties.
He had shoulder-length blond hair, fair skin and green eyes. He had a thuggish face with small eyes, a twisted lip which showed a couple of crooked teeth and a prominent brow that made him look rather intimidating. As soon as Edgar saw the picture, his face brightened as he remembered who he was.
"Snake Eyes!" he exclaimed with a small laugh, "I almost forgot about him...and the fact that Rob was his real name. I haven't seen him since..." he trailed off as he recalled the last time he met him. His face grew deathly pale and sweat began to pour down his brow, "...oh right. Surely, he's still not upset about that," he said with a nervous chuckle.
The news presenter, once again, appeared on the screen, "This is what Inspector Grosky of Scotland Yard has to say on the incident earlier today."
The screen changed again to show Grosky at a press conference taking earlier. He was stood at a podium on a stage in front of a crowd of journalist, photographers and other news crew, eager to hear what he had to say.
"Ladies and gentleman," he barked confidently, "I know that this is a distressing issue and I assure you that I and every officer on the force will not stop until this criminal is behind bars once again. Our officers are working around the clock and searching every street, every alleyway, every building, every park, every sewer tunnel, every...err...everywhere!"
"Inspector!" a journalist called out from the audience somewhere off camera, "Are you going to enforce a curfew?"
"We have not decided as of yet, but it is unlikely that it will come to that," he answered.
"But didn't you say he was dangerous?" another journalist asked.
"I believe that may have been a misunderstanding," Grosky said puffing out his chest proudly, "While yes, Mr Cady is a dangerous criminal, we, based on the reports by his psychologists and the warden of HMP Wandsworth, have reason to believe that he does not intend to harm any member of the public..."
"Oh thank God," Edgar sighed in relief.
"...except for one person," Grosky finished.
"Bloody hell," Edgar muttered in despair.
"One person?" another journalist questioned.
"Indeed, it would seem that Mr Cady one soul purpose in escaping is to find the person who put him in prison in the first place," Grosky explained, causing Edgar to gulp anxiously, "The walls of his cells are littered with graffiti explaining, in graphic detail, what he is going to do to this person. So graphic that we're not allowed to broadcast it on daytime television...or at anytime to be honest. Several of his psychologist had quit because they felt overwhelmed by his desire for revenge. We have have reports that he has a tattoo somewhere that reads 'Death To The Traitorous Boy'. However, there is no need to panic. Whoever this individual, will do the right thing and make themselves aware to the police and we can offer you protection until Mr Cady is caught. In the meantime, make sure to stay safe out there and report any signs of this criminal to Scotland Yard-"
Edgar turned off the TV and stared at the blacked out screen for a few seconds, trying to process all of this.
...
...
...
...
"...well, bugger," he uttered.
Gressenheller University
"My apologies again for the delay," Layton called out to his students, now seated on the coach. He was stood next to the diver's seat at the front of the bus, feeling relived that they can get going, "Now that's all sorted, let's us now start of venture to-"
Knock! Knock!
The Professor stopped suddenly as he heard a knock at the coach doors and turned to see, through the glass, a rather flustered Edgar. He looked as if he had ran all the way here with his jacket and flat cap slight skewed as if he had hastily put them on. In his left hand he carried his suitcase while he had rapped on the glass with his other hand. He gave Layton a broad, overly-friendly smile.
"Room for one more?" he asked though the door.
Devon
A few hours later and the coach had now escaped London's urban sprawl and were now going down narrow country road after narrow country road. On either side, fields of green pasture surrounded them and occasionally passing by a farmer's house or a small, charming hamlet. Since they had left so late, the afternoon was slowly descending into evening, signifying that it would be night time for when they reached their destination. Most of the students on the coach kept themselves occupied by talking to each other (either about the sites they are going to visit or other general topics) while some had decided to stare at the landscape as it rolled on by.
Janice, who was now wearing hiking gear more appropriate for the countryside, and Emmy, who wore her usual attire, kept themselves occupied by watching what Edgar was doing. His actions for the past few hours have been...strange. They were all sat at the back of the coach where, ever so often, he would sharply look out the back window and study the cars and other vehicles that were trailing behind them. They would hear him mutter the make of vehicle and their license plate as if reciting them. If one vehicle were to parted ways, he would mutter that they were gone. It was like watching the worst motor racing commentator ever. Eventually, Emmy had enough and turned to him with an annoyed look.
"Will you please stop that. You're giving me a headache," she firmly told him
"Sorry," Edgar simply replied, not taking his eyes off the window.
Janice frowned in concern, "Edgar are you feeling alright?"
He glanced at her, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's just that you have not been acting like yourself," Janice continued, "For example, you would have said something sarcastic to Emmy's comment like," she cleared her throat and did her best Edgar impression, "'I'm surprised you can hear me mutter through that thick hair' or something like that."
"Hey!" Emmy angrily cried, causing Janice to flinch.
"S-sorry. That was just an example. I didn't mean it."
Emmy gave her a warning glare before turning to him, "She's right though. You're not acting like yourself. You still haven't told us why you suddenly decided to join us."
Edgar shrugged and gave the women a reassuring smile, "No reason really. Just thought I needed some fresh country air. I mean Cornwall sounded great."
"But you seem very determined to stay in London."
"I wouldn't say determined."
"You couldn't wait to have the whole house to yourself."
"Well, then I felt a little lonely and decided to join. After all, I do like these adventures of ours," he told them as Emmy and Janice shared a concerned look.
Edgar turned back to the window and frowned when he spotted something. He glanced down at Emmy's wristwatch, the only time-keeping device around, before looking through the window at one particular car trailing behind them. It was a small brown two-seater car, it's windscreen was tinted slightly making it hard to see the driver and there was something off about the license plate. It was slightly at an angle, the lower right corner being slightly lower then its counter-part, like it was put on hastily rather then by a proper mechanic.
'That car's been following us for an hour and a half now,' he thought, 'But how would he know I was here? Maybe it's just going to the same place as we are,' he decided to sit in his seat properly, but giving subtle glances just to keep tabs, 'Although, if it is him, then I'm safe here with the others. No way, he'll risk attacking me with witnesses. On the other hand...maybe he wouldn't care and just attack me. The worst thing that could happen to him is get caught and thrown in prison again. Damn!' he cursed in his head, sweat now beginning to pour down his forehead, 'I just need to think. We have some time left before we reach-"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Everyone on the coach was alerted to the soft sound coming from the front. The coach driver, a skinny man in fifties with a mousy grey hair and a bushy moustache, spoke to to Layton who was sat at the front.
"We need petrol. I know a stop not too far away. It shouldn't take too long," he told him.
"Very well," Layton hummed with an understanding nod, "I'm sure all of us need a break from travelling."
Edgar mentally groaned before glancing out the window once more. The car was still there; it's mere presence filled him with dread.
A few minutes later, the coach turned left into a service station on the side of the road and came to a complete stop next to the only fuel pump, next to where a blue car was already parked. The station itself was a flint stone building with a thatched roof about the size of country cottage. Edgar guessed it must have been a farmer's house at one point, but refurbished into a shop that catered to the motorist passing down the country lanes. It had a shop that sold magazines, books and food for long journeys and there were signs in the small windows for events in local villages. Just outside the door there was even a small stand filled with strawberries, apples and other fruits from the local farms. The driver opened the door and allowed the occupants to climb down, allowing them to stretch their legs for the first time in hours.
Edgar was about to get off as well when he noticed the car pull into the driveway before parking a few meters away behind them. The driver didn't get out; the door didn't even open even a little bit. The car and its driver remained motionless as if it was waiting for somebody; like a predator to its prey. Edgar would have stayed at the back the whole time, but unfortunately Layton saw him at the front of the coach.
"Edgar is everything alright?" he asked curiously.
He managed to tear his eyes away from the car and turned to him, "Fine, I'm just going to stay here. I feel a little...unwell," he lied.
"Oh dear," he said in concern, "It's probably motion sickness from all the travelling. The best cure is to step outside for a few minutes and try and get your bearings," he encouraged much to Edgar's annoyance.
He sighed, got out of his seat, walked down the bus aisle and stepped off the bus, feeling the warm late afternoon sun on his face and the breeze whip by him. He turned and looked back at the car and saw that the driver still hadn't got out yet. He glared at the tinted windshield, trying to confirm his suspicions, but all he saw was the glassy darkness staring back at him. He took a deep breath, soothing his nerves before his eyes darted around the area as he looked for escape routes or, if things were desperate, a weapon.
He was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him jump and turn to see a concerned Layton.
"Are you still feeling unwell?" he asked with a small frown.
"A little, but it's going away now."
Layton hummed before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a couple of coins, "You might be a little dehydrated, you did arrive at Gressenheller in a bit of a rush. Why don't you go inside and buy yourself a bottle of water," he suggested, handing him the coins.
"...Thanks, I'll do that," he hesitantly replied. He glanced at the car once more before he headed into the service station.
He gave a friendly wave to the owner of the service station, a little old lady with grey hair and a pair of spectacles on her pointed nose, as she sat behind the counter as he walked in. He made a beeline to the fridge, picked up the cheapest, non-branded bottle of water he can find and took it back to the counter.
The old lady looked up from her knitting and gave him a gentle smile, "Would that be all?"
He was about to reply when something caught his eye. Above the owner's head there was a small mirror that was directed outside to the driveway through the open door to which he assumed she used to keep an eye on vehicles as the park outside her shop. Right now, he could see the car that had been trailing them all this time, but there was something else that made his blood run cold.
The door to the car was wide open...and the driver was gone.
Edgar sprang into action. He scanned the little shop and saw a door with the bathroom sign hanging on it. It was his best escape route he could see at that moment, but before he could run towards it, he looked around and spotted a table with a few small bags of sugar on it.
He picked one up and put it on the counter, "This as well," he said before slamming all the money Layton gave him on the counter, "and keep the change."
Before she could say anything, Edgar picked up his items, shoved them in his pockets and darted to the toilets, slamming the door shut behind him. The bathroom was surprisingly big with five stalls lined up along the left and the sinks and mirror on the right wall. He looked around and cursed when he couldn't find anything to block the door. He pushed open the door of each of the stalls and found them completely empty as well as the doors swung back into place. But then, as he reached the last stall, he found a window with frosted glass that looked out from the rear of the service station.
'I can get out there,' he thought as he got in and locked the stall door behind him. He pulled the handle up on the window to unlock it and pushed it open, but it only opened half-way; barely enough room to slip through, 'Damn it! The hinge must be rusty. I just need to force it open.'
Using all his strength, he pulled the window back slightly before ramming it open to knock some of the rust away. He had made it three quarters of the way before-
Crreeeaakk! Thump!
The door to the bathroom opened and somebody stepped inside.
Quietly and slowly, he stepped on the seat of the toilet and kept his head down as far as possible. He kept on ramming the window as quietly as he possibly can, listening to sound of the other person's footsteps as it echoed on the tiled floor.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Crreeaakk!
The footsteps were getting closer before the first stall door opened.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Crreeaakk!
At the sound of the second stall door opening, he gave up on forcing it open and took his lockpicking kit out of his jacket pocket. He pulled out the screwdriver and began unscrewing the hinge of the window.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Crreeaakk!
That was the third stall door. Edgar wiped away the sweat on his brow with his elbow as he managed to get first the screw out of the hinge. He then immediately went to the next one.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Crreeaakk!
The sound was so close; he could practically hear the person's heavy breathing from the other side of the stall door. Edgar's heart began to race as he was running out of time; the second screw was not coming out as easily as the first one and he was forced to use the end of the screwdriver to pick away the rust from around the edges of the screw.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Thud!
Edgar held his breath as he heard the sound of door of the stall he was in try to open, but held back by the lock. He heard an annoyed grunt on the other side before-
BANG!
The door suddenly shook as the person tried to forcibly kick it open. Edgar had no choice but to push back with his foot against the lock to put up some resistance, but he knew it wasn't going to be long until he broke through.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The screw was starting to budge, but he was no way near close to getting it out. The fact that he had to balance one one leg making it more difficult then it needed to be.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The wooden door was beginning to split and Edgar knew that it would only take one last kick to break it down and there was no way he could stop it. He heard the person take a few steps back to build up power and to deliver one devastating kick-
Crreeaakk!
"Edgar are you in here?" Layton called out as he opened the door to toilets and poked his head inside. He was quite surprised to see another man wearing a tanned overcoat and black fedora in there, standing at the rear wall with his back towards him, "My apologies, I was looking for my assistant. You haven't seen him have you? He's a teenager with dark hair-"
"Haven't seen him," the man gruffly replied, not bothering to look back at him.
Layton raised a curious eyebrow at his tone, "Oh...thank you anyway," he politely said before he closed the door.
The man grumbled something before he turned back to the stall door he was kicking in. He was about to kick it again when he noticed something strange. He reached out and pushed it gently and, to his astonishment, the door swung open to see an empty stall and a window that was hanging off its hinges.
Edgar ran around the service station to the driveway and headed towards the car that was following them. He open the fuel tank, pulled out the bag of sugar in his pocket and dumped the contents inside. He also picked up a handful of pebbles from off the driveway and put them in as well for good measure. Sealing the tank up, he jogged over to the coach where everybody was waiting for him and gave the Professor a reassuring smile.
"Sorry, got distracted by the scenery," he lied.
Layton gave him an odd look, "Very well. Are you feeling any better?"
"Brilliant," he said as he made his way to his seat, "never been better."
Layton hummed thoughtfully before he nodded at the driver to close the door so they can continue their journey. As the coach pulled out of the driveway, Layton called back to him, "Oh, do you have change for the bottle of water."
Edgar shrugged, "Nope, water's expensive these days."
"I-it is?"
He shrugged again before casting a look out of the rear window, smiling in satisfaction when he saw his car lurch suddenly and come to a full stop. There was no way of getting the car to go after what he put in the fuel tank.
'That should slow him down,' he thought as he turned away once more, 'for a while at least.'
Cornish Countryside
Night had fallen and, judging by the smell of salt in the air and the land becoming flatter, the coach was near to its destination. There were hardly any lampposts on the country lanes and so they were dependent on the coach's front lights for any sort of navigation. The passengers, exhausted by the travelling, were now asleep in their seats; their heads either leaning on the window or on the back of chairs. Even Layton was now resting his eyes and, alarming enough, the driver seemed to be having trouble keeping awake.
The only other person not sleeping was Edgar. Emmy had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder with a peaceful smile on her face and so he was taking the opportunity to tease her. He reached for her camera in her bag and took a photo of them before slipping it back in her bag.
'Ha ha,' he chuckled in his head, 'I can't wait to see her face when she sees the negatives.'
He yawned tiredly, made sure that Emmy was comfortable perched on his shoulder and was about take a nap himself when he noticed something in the corner of his eye. He turned to out the window, expecting the see the inky blackness of the Cornish countryside, but there was something following them. Two bright headlights pierced the night, illuminating the area with its eerie light including the familiar looking blue car that it was attached to. Edgar squinted his eyes as he inspected the vehicle when suddenly, his eyes widening in shock, he remembers it.
'Wait, wasn't that the other car from the service station?' he thought in alarm before a feeling of dread gripped him tightly like a vice, 'Surely, it can't be him…right? Maybe the real owner is going this way as well…after being delayed for a few hours…and for all that time not attempting to overtake us…"
Sweat began to build up on his brow as he wondered what he should do. He carefully lifted Emmy's head off him and laid her on the seat next to them before he stood up and made his way towards the front of the coach.
He reached the driver and tapped his shoulder, "Hey, when's the next- huh?" he uttered when he realised that the driver had fallen asleep as well.
Edgar immediately grabbed the steering wheel and made sure to keep the coach steady. The last thing he needed was a fatal accident right now.
He glanced up at the rear view mirror and gritted his teeth in anger when he saw the car still following them. He scoped the darkened countryside, trying to find any sort of side road or anything when he suddenly saw something up ahead; a tunnel cut into a hillside which was wide enough for four cars.
Edgar stepped on the accelerator, making the coach pick up speed, slowly but surely, but making sure not to exceed forty miles per hour. He saw the car behind them pick up speed as well, but he concentrated on what was in front of him; his eyes trained on the tunnel getting closer and closer by the seconds.
The man in the car saw the coach enter the dark tunnel and kept a steady speed as he followed them. His gaze never left the rear lights; the only source of illumination as it flickered and reflected off the tunnel walls. He gritted his teeth together; completely focused on the vehicle 100 meters in front of him as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. When suddenly…
…the lights of the coach flicked off.
The man was caught unaware as the tunnel plunged into sudden darkness; the only light was from his own headlights, but the light didn't reach very far. It was as if it suddenly disappeared and he scoured the view in front of him, trying to find where it could be.
However, the next thing he knew, the tunnel came to abrupt end and he was back driving along the countryside. He looked left and right as he drove by, but there was no sight of the coach or its passengers.
'Damn it,' he growled as he slapped his hand on the steering wheel in frustration.
Meanwhile, back in the tunnel, the coach remained still in the right lanes; it's temporary driver poked his head over the dashboard and waited for a few seconds, making sure it was safe. After a few seconds, he sighed in relief and looked back at the rest of the passengers. He sweat dropped when he noticed that none of them were awoken by what just happened.
"Huh, must be deep sleepers," he mused before he stood to his feet.
He heard a snort and turned around in time to see the driver wake up. The driver frowned in confusion; he looked up at him, then at the tunnel, then at his everything was switched off then back at Edgar again.
Edgar calmly responded by patting the driver's shoulder, "I won't mention you falling asleep at the wheel as long as you don't mention what just happened."
The driver's eyes widened in panic before he nodded, "Deal."
He then started the coach again and continued the journey without a single incident.
Penzance
Not soon after, they had arrived in the harbour town of Penzance where they will be staying during the weekend break. It was the largest settlement in the area with many small antique shops, bookshops and grocers filled with produce from the local farms. While the ports were filled with small fishing vassals that sold everything from cod to lobsters and other crustaceans. The hotel they were staying at it fancy, but not as deluxe as the Camel's Hump or the Reunion Inn back in Monte D'or. It had polished marble floors, purple and gold wallpaper and it some of the rooms overlooked the seaside promenade and, of course, the dark waters of the English Channel which lapped against the sandy beach.
Fair to say, that they were exhausted by the time they walked into the foyer and the hotel staff were not too happy with their late arrival. All of the students were put in pairs who would be sharing a room for two nights. After receiving their keys, they trudged up the stairs to their room leaving only Layton, Emmy, Janice and Edgar left in lobby. While Layton was talking to the receptionist, the other three were sitting one of the sofas.
"I think we should head off to bed as well," Emmy said to Janice who will be sharing a room together, "It's been a long day for all of us."
Janice suppressed a yawn before nodding tiredly, "It's been a few years since I had a room mate. It'll be like a sleepover. I haven't had one since Melina and I were younger."
Edgar leaned over to her and whispered, "Careful though. Emmy likes to hug people in her sleep."
"W-what?"
Emmy pinched his ear and pulled as hard as she can, "No I don't," she crossly hissed through gritted teeth, "And we'll be sleeping in our own beds this time."
"This time?" Layton asked curiously as he walked over to them.
Emmy released Edgar's ear and gulped, "Err..." she stammered with a small blush, "...well you see..."
"So Prof," Edgar interrupted, preventing that conversation, "Where will I be sleeping tonight?"
"Well, in all honesty..."
"Let me guess," he sighed, "You didn't have time to book me a room, so I have to share with somebody. Ah well, I guess if we push Janice's and Emmy's bed together I can sleep in the middle."
Janice's face turned a little red, "Well, I suppose that's alri-"
"He's sleeping on the floor," Emmy firmly said, with a small glare, "And he should count himself lucky that's he getting a pillow."
"What!? No way!" he cried in protest.
"A-are you sure we can't find him a sleeping bag at least," Janice said, trying to keep the peace between them.
"Actually, that won't be necessary," Layton told them with a small smile, "You have your own room to enjoy. I planned accordingly just in case you changed your mind and decided you wanted to come with us."
Edgar blinked in surprise, "My own room? Why am I not sharing with somebody else?"
"You seemed rather excited to have time on your own," Layton explained, "With your work at the university and being put in danger during our investigations, I could understand why would like some time off. So, I thought, in case you decided to come, you would still have some time to yourself," he then gave a small hum as if pondering something, "Not only that, after our conflict back in Monte d'Or, I thought this would be a way of apologising," he said passing him his room key, "thank you so much for your hard work. Here's your reward."
Edgar looked down at the key in his hand, not quite sure what to say, "Right...thanks, Prof. That's...really nice of you."
"You're very welcoming," Layton replied with a happy smile, "Now if you excuse me, I'll be retiring for the evening. Good night."
"G-good night," he stammered as he saw Layton climb up the stairs to his room.
Soon, Emmy and Janice decided to take his lead, but not before wishing Edgar a good night as well. He eventually climbed up the stairs not too long after, found his room and entered. It was quite lovely with a single bed in the corner, a wardrobe, a bathroom, two armchairs by the window overlooking the promenade. He sighed tiredly before sitting in one of the armchairs and looked out the window at the street below.
This is what he wanted, right? Time to himself. Away from the work and the investigations for a while so he can enjoy the peace. However, now he was in this dark room completely alone, he couldn't help but miss everything. The work, talking with the Professor, the bickering and playful arguments with Emmy...he feels like he's been taking them for granted and a little guilty. He thought back on his past: his snide comments, how he mocks other people, the crimes he's committed. He's always thought that it was the world who made him this way and others are to blame, but he was now thing that there was another option...
...maybe he was just an awful person.
A flash of light caught his attention and he instantly ducked out of the way of the window. He peeked outside and sighed when he saw it was only a van and not the man who had a personal vendetta on him. He got back in his armchair and watched the world outside his window, keeping an eye out for any suspicious looking figures in the street below. He couldn't help but think that he was still keeping secrets from people he should be trusting, which made him even more guilty then he already did.
He didn't sleep very much that night.
Coach En Route To Land's End
After two and half days, Emmy and Janice could clearly tell that something was clearly wrong with Edgar.
He seemed to be always looking over his shoulder, staying away from large crowds and, overall, not being his usual self. On the trip to St Michael's Mount, he kept looking over the walls to the grassy land below as if he was searching for something. When Layton gave them a tour of Chysauster Farm, he kept himself pressed up against the large stone walls. Whenever they were in a town, he kept himself close to the group as if he didn't want to be left alone for a second.
That's why they decided to interrogate him.
They were heading to Land's End as their final destination before heading back to London, hoping that the small museums and tourist shops is enough to distract the rest of the group while they talked to Edgar. As soon as the coach was parked and Edgar stepped off it, Emmy grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and pulled him behind a building while Janice quickly followed.
"Hey!" Edgar cried as he was pushed unceremoniously up against the wall.
"Alright, start talking," Emmy demanded, "Something is clearly up and we want to know."
"Emmy, I thought we were going to be gentle about this," Janice reminded, stepping between them in his defense, "Edgar, please tell us what's wrong. I thought you trusted us."
"I do but-" he began to complain before Janice shook her head.
"No buts. You know we wouldn't ask if we otherwise," she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Please Edgar."
He looked from Janice to Emmy. Worry and concern was evident in their eyes, making him feel even more guilty about keeping things a secret. Eventually, he gave a small sigh and looked down at the ground.
"Ok, here's the situation..."
One Minute Later
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME, EDGAR!" Emmy yelled in his face as she shook him violently by the shoulders, "HOW CAN YOU KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM US! ARE YOU INSANE!"
"I'm...sor...ry...I...did...n't...mean...to...wor...ry...you," he uttered as she continued to shake him.
"Emmy, please, people are are watching," Janice urgently said as she tried to pull her off him.
Eventually, Emmy let him go and gave a frustrated sigh, "You better explain why this Snake Eyes is going after you now or I'll-"
"Are you sure you don't want to know why he's called Snake Eyes," he said with a nervous chuckle, "it's a good story."
"I'm a little curious," Janice admitted.
"Well, it all happened one year at the London marathon-"
"Edgar," Emmy warned.
"Alright, alright," he said, "I'll tell you. It all began a year before I met you."
-Flashback Two Years Ago-
Warehouse
In a dingy warehouse in south London, a thirteen year old Edgar and Rob Cady, or Snake Eyes to those who knew him, were sat at table, inspecting the results of Edgar's latest heist. Jewellery, fancy objects and other trinkets were neatly organised in different piles based on value. The jewel of their haul was…well a jewel. Specifically, a diamond that, if sold to the right people, was worth twice the value of the rest of the stolen items combined.
Edgar looked up from his work and rolled his eyes when he saw Snake Eyes making no effort to help him, other then stare hungrily at the diamond while he smiled cigar. He didn't think much of the ugly thug, but then again he never really cared much for any of his clients. He may have worked for the Grey Street Gang, but sometimes they hired him out to work with other criminals on particularly difficult jobs. He always had three rules before he took any partnership:
1) He never works with the same clients twice
2) He gets a third of the total profits which he will give to the Grey Street Gang in exchange for medicine for Agatha.
3) No personal questions or ties - he doesn't ask what they're going to do with the stolen items and they question him about his past. Simple as that.
Snake Eyes gave a puff of his cigar before nodding at him, "You done yet?"
"No," he sighed, "Now, shut up. I'm trying to concentrate."
Snake Eyes grunted before looking at his head, "Why are you wearing that?"
Edgar glanced up at the hair net he was wearing before getting back to work, "To keep my hair out my eyes. Any more stupid questions?"
"Just trying to make conversation," he replied with a shrug.
"The last thing I want from you is a conversation. Remember rule 3?"
"Alright, alright," Snake Eyes said, holding up his hands in defence before standing up from his chair, "Tell you what, why don't we celebrate. I know a good chip shop not too far away," he said turning to the door, "What would you like?"
"Are you sure you want to pay with that," he looked up at him with a smirk, "I only ask because I don't think they would have enough change for 24 carat diamond."
Snake Eyes looked back at him in surprise before he chuckled, "Don't know what you talking about?"
Edgar reached a gloved hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a diamond which looked identical to the one that they stole in both size and cut. Snake Eyes frowned in annoyance before he looked down at the diamond he swiped off the table when he thought he wasn't looking.
"When did you make the switch?" he grumbled putting the fake diamond on the table, "More importantly why do you have another copy? I thought it's still an the museum."
He raised a single finger, "One: a while ago. You think I keep a diamond where you can snatch it," he raised a second finger, "2: always be prepared. I'm surprised you didn't notice. Although, I guess you don't the eye for seeing what's real or fake," he said putting the diamond back in his pocket.
Snake Eyes placed both hands in the table and leaned over him threateningly, "Look boy, our agreement was a third of the total profit. Since that diamond's worth twice as much as the rest; then all I'm doing is taking my share."
Edgar's smirk widened, "Sorry, but I'm afraid there's a secret four rule."
"Forth rule?"
"Yes, anybody who tries to steal anything before the money has been counted, automatically gives up a third of the profit."
Snake Eyes glowered at him, "You little-"
"Ah, ah, ah," Edgar said, mockingly waggling his finger at him, "If you have any grievances or complaints then you can take it up with the gang. It turns out that they don't take kindly to people hurting their finest thieves," he said before standing up and taking his leave, "You can keep the rest of the junk. I've got the real prize here."
Edgar made his way to the door and was about the grip the handle when Snake Eyes said something that made him stop him dead in his tracks.
"So, how's that sister of yours? Is she getting any better?"
Anger boiled inside of Edgar as he sharply turned his head towards Snake Eyes with a dangerous glint in his eyes. He turned sharply on his heel and marched towards him.
"Are you stupid of somthin'. Don't you dare mention her-"
"Ah, ah, ah," Snake Eyes mockingly said, making him stop just in front of him, "Give me that diamond and the rest of the loot and I'll won't rat her out to the police…or anybody more dangerous. How does that sound?"
Edgar glowered up at the grinning man; his fists tightened as if he was about to beat him up right then. However, he eventually gave an annoyed sigh, reached into his pocket and tossed him the diamond. Snake Eyes caught the diamond midair with a victorious chuckle.
"Pleasure doing business with ya," he said.
"Bastard," Edgar muttered as he turned around and walked to the door.
"Oi!" Snake Eyes called out, making him turn around in time to catch something the elder thief tossed at him. Edgar looked down at his hands and saw that it was the replica diamond, "Don't forget your cut of our deal," he reminded with a snort of laughter.
Edgar rolled his eyes and left the warehouse, hearing the man's cackling as he did so. He stepped onto the cold, road and navigated himself around the dockyard warehouses towards the high street. Once he was out and made a beeline towards the nearest telephone box, stepped inside and picked up the phone.
"Sorry Rob," he sighed as he pressed three buttons on the phone, "you really didn't give me a choice. Nobody threatens my sister," he waited a few seconds until somebody on the other end of the line finally picked up, "hello Police. I've got some information about a suspicious looking person."
-Flashback End-
Edgar finished with a sad sigh as Janice and Emmy shared a concerned look. Eventually, Emmy laid a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"I'm really sorry about that. It must have been hard to go through that," she softly said, "I always forget how horrible your life was. I'm sorry for shaking you and shouting at you."
Edgar bowed his head sadly, "It's alright. You can see why I kept this entire thing quiet for all this time," earning a nod from Emmy.
"Um...Edgar," Janice said with a quizzical look, "I'm sure there's a good reason for it, but how did he know about your sister in the first place? You know since one of your rules for working in partnerships is confidentiality."
...
...
...
...
Edgar stared wide-eyed at the ground in silence; a bead of sweat roll downed the side of his head, "Right," he uttered eventually, "I was hoping you wouldn't pick up on that."
He yelped in pain as Emmy's fingers dug into his shoulder painfully. He began to shake in fear as he looked up to see her face filled with fury. Her mouth was pulled back into a snarl, her eyes screwed up and Edgar swathers was smoke coming out of her ears.
"You...absolute...BASTARD!" she screamed as she grabbed him by the collar and began shaking him back and forth again, "YOU"RE LYING TO US AGAIN! HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING!"
"I'm...sor...ry..." he yelped, "I'm...a...path...alog...lical...liar...it's...a...real...psy...cho...log...ical...cond...ition...you...can't...blame...me...for...that."
"THE HELL I CAN!"
"They're actually good friends," Janice sheepishly told a passing couple, who were staring at them weirdly, "This is how they show...affection to each other. Haha."
Emmy stopped shaking him and pulled him towards her so they were face to face, "Who is really!? You've got one last chance!"
"Alright, alright! He's kind of...taught me everything I know about stealing," he admitted, "everything from picking locks to burglary."
"He was your mentor! That's something you should tell beforehand!"
"I didn't want to look bad by saying I've sold out him out," Edgar muttered.
"We're way past that," Emmy grumbled before she began to drag him by his jacket, "We are going to tell the Professor immediately."
Edgar pulled out of her grasp, "No, don't that. He'll be-" he stopped himself before he could remark on how disappointed Layton would be of him for lying this whole time. Instead, he huffed proudly, "I can deal with it myself. Don't get him involved."
"But Edgar-" Janice said but he was already walking away.
"I'm going back to the coach," he called back to them, leaving the two behind.
Edgar stomped down dirt path over to the car park with his hands shoved into his pockets. He felt miserable leaving them behind; he understood that they were worried about him, but he just couldn't bare talking to them. All he wanted to do is wait in the coach, go back to the hotel and...well, he didn't know what he was going to do.
He'll think of something.
He reached the coach and climbed on board, not bothering to look up at the driver sat in his seat.
"You mind if I wait in here?" he asked in a dreary tone.
However, he felt his blood run cold as a voice, that wasn't the elderly driver's, replied to his question.
"Not at all," the man said, making Edgar look up in shock.
He was greeted with the sight of a revolver pointed at his face which gleamed dangerously in the mid-afternoon sun. The gun was held up by a man he knew very well; the last person he wanted to see right then; a man who he had been trying to avoid for the past few days.
Snake Eyes grinned manically as he held the gun to Edgar's forehead. He reached for the lever by his seat with his other hand and closed the coach doors behind him, trapping him in.
"Hello Edgar," he greeted, "Why don't we go for a little drive and catch up, huh?"
Cornish Countryside
Edgar sat miserably in the seat next to the driver's seat as Snake Eyes drove down the narrow country lanes. He glanced over at the handgun the criminal was still pointing at him whilst keeping an eye on him in the rear view mirror.
"So, how you've been?" Snake Eyes asked, "See you've managed to avoid prison. Good for you."
Edgar sneered at him response, "Fine. See you've managed to escape prison. Pity."
"Oh, don't be like that. I thought we could catch up."
"I'll feel a little more relaxed without the gun pointing at me. I'm no expert but I'm fairly sure it goes against the Highway Code," he sighed, "How did you know I was here anyway?"
"Saw your handy work in your papers. 'Master thief vs the V.A.U.L.T 5000'…catchy title," Snake Eyes explained.
"I wasn't named in that article."
"Ah, I knew it was you. You have a certain…flair to your stealing," he glanced at him from the side of his eye, "After all, I did teach you everything I know."
Edgar hummed in annoyance before his eyes glanced at the coach's odometer on the dashboard. He saw the red needle steadily climb as the vehicle picked up speed, slowly climbing up from 30 MPH to 35 MPH. He suddenly got an idea, but he needed to distract him for a little while longer.
"What do you want from me? You want me to apologise for selling you out. Because you had it coming. I remember you doing way worse things that should have put you in the clink ages ago. I needed to survive."
"Oh, I don't doubt that," he said, "And I'm not looking for an apology. I was going to say 'good job'."
Edgar blinked in confusion, "Good job?"
"Yeah, do you know how many people have tried to foil me over the years? Not one single person had ever pulled the wool over my eyes," he said, humour evident in his voice, "Granted, I was absolute furious, but I give credit where credit's due. It just shows you've grown a lot since then."
"I'm sorry, I don't get it."
"Look, in my line of work, you don't get many opportunities to get out of it. Live a normal life, have friends and family, a roof over your head. When I first met you, you were stealing apples from markets and now look at you. You're working for the most famous professor in the whole of Britain. You were able to get out of the criminal world and now you have the opportunity to live your life with people you care about. It's too late for me, but I guess I'm just glad you were able to do it," he looked at him from the corner of his eye, a warm smile replacing his smirk, "Now that you're here, I can finally tell you that I'm proud of you. You were able to find another way."
Edgar was honestly touched by this; he wasn't expecting such praise. Had he really changed so much over the years? A small smile appeared on his face as he scratched his cheek shyly.
"Thanks, I guess. I suppose you're right, I am liking my life now then I did back then," he admitted, "So, this has been the reason you've been tracking me down. To tell me that," he laughed, "And I thought you just want to kill me."
"Oh, I do want to kill you."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I'm still very pissed off by the fact you sold me out," he replied frankly, "I've been planning my revenge for the whole time I've been locked up."
"Then what was the point of praising me for starting a new life?" he asked.
Snake Eyes chuckled and sped the coach up more, "I thought I give you one last good memory before I murder you in cold blood. Aren't I generous?"
"You're a real saint," Edgar muttered sarcastically, before a thought occurred to him, "Before you...throw my lifeless corpse over a cliff or something. I was wondering if you know anything about the Gertnat Antidote. You must have come across the stuff."
To his disappointment, Snake Eyes only gave him a confused look, "Gertnat Antidote? Never heard-"
BOOM!
A loud explosion caught Snake Eyes by surprise, making him lose control of the coach as it swerved left and right all about. Smoke plumed in front of them, coating the front window in and blocking their view of the road. He tried his best to stay on the road, but suddenly they eventually crashed into a grey stone wall, stopping the vehicle in its tracks. As Snake Eyes recovered from the shock of the crash, Edgar, who had gripped the seat he was in as tight as he can to prepare for the impact, saw his opportunity to escape.
You see, what Snake Eyes had failed to realise was that Edgar was keeping an eye on the odometer during the entire ride; watching the red needle grow closer and closer to one particular speed: 40 MPH. Why that particular speed? Because that was the speed Emmy said that they had to drive under or else the engine would explode while he talked to Layton over the phone. All he had to do is wait and prepare for the right moment until he could make his escape. Which was exactly what he did.
He leapt from his seat, kicked open the doors and jumped out of the crashed vehicle. They were on a road not too far from the cliffs and, beyond that, the Atlantic Ocean spread out into the horizon. He grimaced when he saw that they were in pretty much the middle of nowhere; no houses, towns, not even trees to hide behind. Just unclimbable hills on one side of the road and the open ocean on the other side.
'Come on, come on,' he thought to himself before he spotted something.
Down the coast, jutting into the sea, was a rocky cape covered in grass and meadows. The waves crashed on the sturdy rocks, its windswept grass grew wildly and its ancient formations stood proudly despite the elements. But what really caught his attention was the lighthouse perched on the very top of the cape, standing tall like a beacon of hope. Lighthouses meant there was a lighthouse keeper, a lighthouse keeper meant they had equipment for surveying the sea and potential storms, equipment meant telephones.
This was his best bet.
He ran to the other side of the road and leapt over the stone wall in one bound, landing on the soft on the grassy pasture. He sprinted across the meadow, through the rushes and over the lumpy ground towards the rocky outcrop in the distance. He felt his heart pound in his chest and sweat slid down his face as he ran for his life; a chill sea breeze washed over him as dark clouds gathered above alerting him to an oncoming storm. He was almost to the cape when suddenly...
BANG!
Something zoomed past him and landed on the soft ground in front of him, causing him to jump to the ground and cover his head. He peered over his shoulder and his eyes widened at the sight of Snake Eyes limping after him with the revolver in his hand. Even from this distance, he could see a trail of blood on his forehead and face was hardened in mad determination.
He was after his blood.
Edgar looked ahead and spotted another stone wall separating the two meadows and instantly sprinted to it.
BANG! ZIP!
He ducked under a shot that nearly hit his head, but didn't dare stop until he leapt over the other stone wall and crouched behind hit.
BANG! TING!
The next shot hit and rebounded of the stone wall. If he had been a few seconds slowly he didn't doubt that he would've been hit.
'His aim is off. He must be still injured from the crash and I bet the weather is not helping either,' he thought to himself as he felt the first few drops of rain on his face, 'I need to keep going. Surely the lighthouse keeper would've heard the shots."
Edgar took off once again; now going up the rocky outcrop where the winds began to howl and the sound of water crashing on the cliffs became louder. Snake Eyes saw him get up and he raised his gun up at him, but he was too far away. He was only wasting bullets if he continued. With a frustrated growl, he began to limp after him.
Finally, climbing to the top of the cape, Edgar sprinted towards the lighthouse and pounded on the wooden door.
"Hey!" he cried as he hammered the door, "Let me in!"
Silence was the only that greeted him.
He hummed in annoyance before he spotted a window and peered inside. The only thing that he saw was an empty, dark room with no sign of life.
'Damn! They're not in,' he thought in despair as he looked around in panic, 'there's nothing else here. What am I going to do?'
He looked around and saw the edge of the rocky cape just a few meters away that could be a potential hiding spot. He didn't have time to plan as he heard the grunts of Snake Eyes coming up the path towards the lighthouse and ran and jumped over the stony edge and hid behind a boulder jutting out of the side.
He waited...
...and waited...
...and waited until he heard the pained grunts just above him. He kept himself pressed to the boulder; trying his best to not make any sort of sound as he listened to the man search the area, dragging his injured leg on across the mossy stones. He held his breath when he heard Snake Eyes stand on top of the bolder he was hiding behind, seemingly looking over the edge to see if he went down that way.
Little did he know that Edgar was just under his very feet.
He heard an annoyed grunt and Snake Eyes turned and walked away from his position, allowing him to finally breath. He peeked around the boulder and saw him move towards the lighthouse facing away from him. He used this opportunity to reach into his jacket pocket and pulled out his pocket knife, holding it tight in his grasp.
He waited...
...and waited...
...and waited...
...until, once he saw that it was safe, he silently climbed onto the edge, crept up behind him and leapt onto his back. He wrapped one arm around his neck while the other one grabbed the wrist that held the gun, making sure it was pointed away from them.
"Bastard!" Snake Eyes roared as he thrashed around, trying to knock him off him, but Edgar clung on.
He tightened his grip on his wrist, causing him to cry out in pain and drop the revolver. In one swift movement, he kicked the gun off the edge of the cape; hearing it clatter on the rocky outcrop and removing the threat. He would have celebrated if Snake Eyes hadn't suddenly elbowed him in the stomach, making him double over. Using his vulnerability to his advantage, Snake Eyes turned around and delivered a right hook to his face, sending him to the ground. He was about to get up when the older man kicked him in the chin to make sure he stayed down before placing his foot on top of his chest. Edgar tried to slash his leg with his pocket knife, but Snake Eyes reached down and wrestled it out of his grip.
"Remember who told you to fight," Snake Eyes growled as he took his knife in his hand, "You really think you can take me on, you little brat!"
The wind howled fiercely and the sea crashed upon the jagged rocks as the storm grew closer.
Edgar could see the skies begin to get cloudy, feel the first few drops of rain fall upon his face, and sense the bone-chilling start to take its grip on his body. He was tired, injured and his mind start to cloud over as if he was going to fall unconscious at any moment. However, he couldn't pass out now. Not now when there is something much more important to deal with.
He focused on the man looming over him, his body blocking the last bit of sunlight before the storm clouds rolled in. His muddy boots pinned his stomach to the rocky terrain, preventing him from going anywhere. He saw Snake Eyes's dark, blood-thirsty smile and the wild look in his eyes, but Edgar was more worried about the object that glittered and sparkled dangerously in his right hand. The man slowly raised the knife up to over his head, the point directed right where his heart should be, ready to plunge it into him and end his life with a flick of his blade.
With a roar of pure fury, the man thrusted the dagger down towards him and Edgar could only watch on helplessly.
There was no way out. Not this time. No more plans, no more schemes, no more cleaver tricks.
This was it.
This was how he was going to die.
...
...
...
...
...
However, dear reader, if there's one thing you should know about Edgar. Something that you really ought to know by now...
...Edgar lies all the time.
The knife sunk into his chest where his heart should be and Snake Eyes watched on in glee at seeing the look of shock on Edgar's face. However, his glee was soon replaced by a look of confusion when he didn't feel the tip of the blade enter his body. He looked down at the knife in puzzlement and pulled it up slightly; just enough to see the blade slide out of the handle like it was a prop. Snake Eyes blinked in astonishment until he felt something metal pressed against his throat.
"You were never really good at figuring out what was real and what is fake," Edgar said with a smirk as he held his pocket knife up.
Snake Eyes sneered, "You little-"
SMACK!
Unexpectedly, Snake Eyes was hit on the side of the head by something fast and strong, causing him to fall unconscious on his side. Edgar blinked in surprise as he stared up at Emmy standing over him standing on one leg; the other had been the one the struck the decisive blow to Snake Eye's head.
"Edgar are you alright?" she asked in concern as Janice ran up after her.
"That was so violent," she murmured.
Edgar groaned as he sat up and gave them a joyful smile, "Thanks I'm fine now."
A few minutes later, the weather had cleared up and with Snake Eyes sitting on the ground with his hands tied behind his back and Janice helping Edgar recover from his injuries, things were finally over. They saw Emmy run across the grassy outcrop towards them, waving at them to get their attention.
"I found a phone box and called the Professor. The police are on their way," she informed them, earning an annoyed sigh from Snake Eyes, "how are you, Edgar?"
"I'm fine. Just a little bruised."
Janice gave him a small smile, "Next time, please don't do that. We only noticed you were gone when we met the driver in the gift shop. It could have gotten a lot worse."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Janice and Emmy. I honestly don't know what I was doing," he apologised.
"It's alright. We forgive you," Emmy said with a serene smile, "Just promise us you won't lie to our faces again."
Edgar looked up at the bright and beautiful faces of Janice and Emmy, feeling his cheeks grow warm, "I will," he answered sincerely, "I promise."
"Good," Emmy said before glared over at Snake Eyes, "So you must be the escaped inmate. You've got some nerve going after him like that."
Snake Eyes grumbled, "He had it coming. This is justice."
"Justice doesn't involve threatening a young girl. You should be ashamed of yourself," Emmy scolded.
Snake Eyes was about to retort when suddenly he looked confused, "Wait. What? When did I do that?"
"Edgar's sister. You threatened her which caused him to sell you out to the police. How do you not remember?"
Snake Eyes raised his eyebrows in surprise, "I've done a lot of bad stuff, but I never done that. What sort of person do you think I am? I didn't even know he had a sister. He's very private about his personal life."
It was Emmy's time to look surprised, "Wait, but I thought...then...wait...what?" she looked back at Edgar, "I thought you said..." she trailed off when she noticed that he was looking down at the ground, a look of guilt on his face, "...Edgar," she growled.
"Well," he gulped, "I...may have...err...not told the whole truth," he nervously said.
-Flashback Two Years Ago-
Snake Eyes laughed as he held the diamond to his face, hearing the sound of the door close behind Edgar. He was about to put it into his pocket, in order to sort out the rest of the stolen items, when suddenly it slipped out of his fingers. At that moment, he wasn't too concerned since it wasn't as if dropping a diamond on the floor was going to do any damage.
So imagine his surprise when the diamond shatter to tiny pieces on the ground.
Snake Eyes stared at the shards in complete shock, taking a while to process what had just happened. However, it slowly dawned on him.
"That's the fake one," he uttered, "but that means…"
He trailed off when he heard police sirens in the distance, causing him to gulp in fear.
Meanwhile, Edgar stood on the side of the street and watched the police cars zoom by him. He looked up and down the dark streets before he smirked, reached into his pocket and pulled out the real diamond. He flicked it into the air and caught it in the same hand; chuckling to himself before he began to walk away.
"Sorry, Rob. It looks like I've outgrown you," he told himself as he disappeared into the night, listening to the sound of police sirens behind him.
-Flashback End-
Cape Of Cornwall
"Oh I see," Janice mused, "So, you were planning on betraying him way before the heist and left the rest of the stolen items as evidence. That explains why you wearing a hair net and gloves, so you wouldn't leave any evidence behind...oh and why you had a spare replica of the diamond. Now it makes sense," she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
However, neither Edgar nor Emmy were paying attention to her.
The former thief gulped as he backed away from Emmy. The young woman stomped towards him; she seemed to radiate a dark, menacing aura that frightened him more then when he had a gun aimed at his face. He held his hands up before him in defence and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Edgar," she growled at him.
"Ah well, you see," he nervously said, "That diamond would have been the most expensive item I've ever stolen at that time. So, it was kind of like my own...achievement...haha...I didn't want to tell the whole truth, because it made me look...well...bad...and well technically..."
He didn't bother to finish his sentence as he turned and ran as fast as he can with Emmy close on his heels. Emmy would continue to chase after him while Janice and Snake Eyes watched on from the top of the cape with sweat drops. Janice sighed and looked down at the criminal.
"You know, they're actually really good friends," she said.
"I can tell," he simply replied.
Layton's Office
A Few Days Later
"…but it has to be the emerald necklace," Janice said, "It's much prettier then the ring and therefore more valuable."
Emmy shook her head, "But the ring had a diamond. It's much more valuable then a few emeralds. Besides he said it was made from a well known company."
Janice hummed and looked back at the television playing another re-run of Antiques Roadshow. It was at the part of the show where the presenter is challenged on which of the three items was the most valuable.
"I still think it's the necklace. The expert said it was owned by a duchess."
"So?"
"So, it's historically significant."
Emmy sighed and looked over the sofa there were sat on and looked back at Edgar. The only other occupant of the office was sat on a wooden chair with his feet up on the desk, reading a newspaper.
"Edgar please tell Janice she's wrong."
"Hey!"
Without looking up, Edgar replied, "Janice your wrong…"
"Huh?" Janice uttered, making Emmy smile proudly.
"See."
"…and so are you, Emmy," he finished with a smirk, wiping the smile of her face, "the most valuable one is the brooch. I say that's it worth around…£2000."
"What!? But it's so-"
"It's the brooch," Janice sighed, pointing at the television to show to real answer. Emmy did a double take in bewilderment, "You have to teach me how you do that. You weren't even watching."
Edgar merely shrugged, "I've just got an eye for detail, that's all," he said before thinking to himself, 'besides I've watched this episode before.'
He laid the newspaper down on the desk and glanced at the front page showing a picture of Snake Eyes being put in handcuffs by a few police and smiled gracefully. Emmy noticed the newspaper and hummed thoughtfully.
"I heard he was going to a more secure prison this time. I don't think you have to worry about him anymore," she commented.
"Yeah, I suppose," Edgar mused, "Still, it was nice to see him after all these years. He wasn't that bad really."
"…Edgar, he was trying to kill you," Janice commented with a sweat drop.
"Nobody's perfect. Trust me, there are worse people I have meddled with."
Emmy gave a small chuckle, "You really did have us worried. You're lucky that the Professor was so forgiving."
"I know, I know," he send, sending them a warm smile, "Still, I guess, if I ever get I trouble again, there is one thing I can always reply on to help me get out of any situation.
Emmy and Janice smiled back, feeling a warm sensation in their heats.
"Your friends?" Janice suggested.
"What? No, I mean my instincts," causing Emmy and Janice to face fault, "I was great. I was able out-wit my own mentor and murderer. I mean, sure you were the one who took him down, but I had him on the ropes," he sighed contently, "What I did was so cool."
….
….
….
….
"You didn't learn a single thing about this whole experience, didn't you?" Emmy asked flatly.
"Not really, no."
"We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news," they all jumped in surprise when the TV suddenly changed to show the same news presenter from days ago, "We have just received an important news bulletin from Scotland Yard. Two hours ago, just after the arrest of Rob Cady, a staggering twenty more dangerous inmates have escaped from various prisons around the country," he said, shocking all of them. The screen then switched to show twenty mugshots of grisly and thuggish men; all of them having a murderous glint in their eyes, "The inmates are: Fred Foremen, Billy Knoll, Jack 'the biscuit' McVitie, 'Livid' Frankie Frasier, Mick the Knife, the twins Rodger and Richard Cray..."
Emmy and Janice frowned in concern as the news presenter continued to read out the names of the inmates.
"Oh dear," Janice uttered, "It was a good thing none of them were the ones you sold out to the police, Edgar. They all look very dangerous."
Emmy giggled, "Now that would be bad," she said, earning a small laugh from Janice.
"According to our sources," the news presenter continued after reading off the list of escapees, "they are seem to targeting one particular individual so they can take their revenge on he or she. However, we have reason to believe that is unlikely as such a person is likely to be linked to all these dangerous criminals."
...
...
...
...
Emmy and Janice stared blankly at the television screen, letting that last bit of information sink in. Eventually, Emmy slowly began to look over her shoulder at where Edgar is.
"Edgar," she said in a deadly, tone, "What exactly did you mean when you said that you've meddled with worse peop-"
She stopped suddenly when she saw an empty chair and the door to Layton's office wide open as if somebody had just ran out. Emmy began to shake in fury, her teeth gritted together in vicious snarl.
"Correction," Emmy growled while Janice gulped nervously, "make that twenty-one people wanting to kill him."
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was based on the book and film 'Cape Fear' and, due to some research, I now know that there are only two capes in the whole of Britain. Interesting.
See you next time :)