Phileas had ridden past the house for a cursory check on the house. He quickly accessed the house.
The coach that they had seen was in the back. It was hidden behind some bushes but Phileas saw a glint of metal.
Phileas tied the horse to a tree not far from the house and made his way to the back of the house.
He got there just in time to see a man exit from the cellar and follow a second man into the house.
---
Rebecca had reached the second house but she did not see Phileas any where.
This only meant that Phileas had found what they were looking for and Rebecca wasted no time in heading off for the third house.
Suddenly the sun disappeared behind a huge cloud. The openness around her let her see the extent of the shadow. The shadow did not look like much of a cloud.
Rebecca looked up, seeing exactly what she was expecting.
---
The sun was beginning to set, a pink glow enveloped the outside world as Phileas ran, half crouched and hiding behind anything he could find.
The cellar door was left open and Phileas simply walked down it, his pistol drawn just in case.
Phileas evaluated the room with a professional air. The room was small and empty of the person he was looking for and as in a general sense.
There was a door that led to another room and Phileas wasted no time to check it out.
Phileas stood to the side of the door frame. He held his pistol aimed at the ceiling. Taking the standard stance, he cautiously entered the room.
He entered the room in a crouch and methodically took in any threats but the only thing in the room was a crumpled figure on the floor.
---
Rebecca and Passepartout flew as high as they could, without going too high that they could not reach the ground in time to help, if need be.
The sun was getting low, orange pink rays of light surrounded the Aurora, if they had been in a different situation this would have been beautiful, perfect.
But no, things have to go wrong. Just like they always do.
Rebecca told Passepartout to fly around the house and to park in the back.
---
Mike followed Thomas into the house. He grabbed an apple from the kitchen table and caught up with Tom.
He felt like he was forgetting something, something important. Really important, the feeling kept nagging at him.
Mike's mind retraced his steps, trying to find the thing his gut told him. The kid was waking up. He went up the stairs of the cellar and then went into the house. Then he had gotten an apple…HE FORGOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR.
Mike shrugged, less important than he thought. Jules was not getting anywhere.
He finished the apple, must have been hungry he mused.
Mike took a quick look around and spotted a plotted plant off to the side of the hallway next to a window.
Mike didn't know much about windows but he was sure that this one must have been worth his year's salary, with him never taking a break.
He tossed the apple core into the pot and glanced through the window while wiping his hand on his trousers.
"Thomas, look at that." Mike said, pointing out the window towards a ship.
---
Rebecca and Passepartout made their way behind the house after seeing Phileas's horse tied to a tree.
They walked towards the house.
Rebecca silently motioned for Passepartout to go thorough the front entrance while she took the back.
She stepped up the stairs silently and slipped into the unlocked kitchen door. There was movement upstairs. She could hear it. She hoped that they would all be in one place so that she can take them all out at once.
The kitchen led into a hallway which served as the route to the rest of the house. The front door was visible and Rebecca could see the handle turn, however the door had a screen and Rebecca saw no one there.
She darted behind an alcove and stood still waiting for Passepartout to enter so that she could be sure it was him and not some terrible guy that was guarding the place.
---
Passepartout entered through the front door and silently rejoiced that no one noticed him. The hallway looked deserted and Passepartout could hear movement from upstairs.
Voices and footsteps, none of the them urgent and none of them threatening.
That relaxed Passepartout somewhat. They did not know that neither he nor Miss Rebecca had entered.
Passepartout saw a slight movement in the hallway. He was sure that he could hear the swiftness of a dress, and he clamed.
"Hurry" Passepartout mouthed.
---
"Duke, they have entered the house." Thomas reported.
"Well, do I have to order you to go get them or shall I just go fight them off myself?"
Mike inwardly groaned and tapped Thomas on the shoulder, "Don't be an idiot, Tommy."
Mike led the way out of the Duke's room and into the hallway.
"Hey, remember that move we made back in Morocco?" Mike asked as they leisurely walked.
"Yeah, that was awesome." Thomas replied, smiling in spite of himself.
"Let's do that again!"
---
Jules was breathing was labored. He drew in deep breaths that seemed to cut short and he gasped. His brow was covered in sweat and there was a sticky glaze that smeared his cheeks.
Phileas frowned, but at least he found him. Phileas holstered his pistol and quickly rushed to Jules's side.
Phileas smoothed back the lush brown curls and Jules moaned.
"Jules," Phileas whispered, although he could not figure out why, "Jules wake up. We need to go."
Jules did not respond. Phileas carefully placed his hand on Jules's neck. He felt an erratic rapid beat that scared him. Phileas drew his hand away, noticing the stickiness but ignoring it.
Phileas turned Jules to face him. He then methodically checked Jules over for any physical injuries. He took in the bloody nose and split lip. The sunken eyes and he remembered that he could look no better.
Phileas picked Jules up with his deceiving strength.
---
Rebecca and Passepartout entered the second story hallway with caution.
Rebecca was not sure what they were looking for but she knew that Phileas and Jules were here some where.
A man then suddenly came out of the door and fell to the floor.
He saw them and drunkenly laughed.
Rebecca was confused but she was sure that she needed to silence the idiot before he gave their position away.
The man stood up unsteadily and giggling he began to turn around.
Rebecca could not have that. She grabbed him by his shoulder but before she could make another move his hand appeared on top of hers and deftly pulled her toward him.
Rebecca saw a flicker of movement off to the side but quickly began to concentrate on her opponent. The man pushed her against the wall and smiled.
"You're a pretty one." He whispered quietly.
He pulled his fist back to deliver a crushing blow, but Rebecca had slipped from his grasp and his fist hit the wall.
Rebecca wrenched him from the wall and slammed him into it. She heaved him back and smashed him into the wall once more before he fell limply onto the ground.
---
While Thomas had taken the woman with the bright red hair, Mike was supposed to take care of the Frenchman.
"O, thank God you are here, sir." Mike recited from memory with the perfect amount of emotion and pause, "I was afraid that…he might have…"
Mike looked dejectedly at the floor, but the Frenchman did not attack. This was a good sign.
"He…al all most…he…" Mike stuttered.
Mike hugged himself and sank down following the wall to the floor.
Mike knew that his appearance was perfect. His messed up hair and rumpled clothes.
He pulled himself into a ball and began to tremble.
He did his part perfectly. And he liked his part much more than Thomas's part. Thomas had to get hurt; he had to get knocked unconscious. Now Mike would prefer pretending to need help on any day then getting knocked out.