Ok, ignore what I said in the past about being late with the chapter. So I haven't updated in like what? Two weeks? I'm sorry! I had a huge project that I didn't start working on until…hmm…these past two weeks? . Stupid project…

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Bartimaeus Trilogy.

In the last chapter…

She looked back at the man. That couldn't be right though! This man, he was in his early twenties, there was no way he was the same man who wrote the book.

Maybe a relative?

She needed to talk to him. She had to. Maybe he'd have some information. It was worth the shot. After all, she had nothing else left to loose…

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Kitty eyed the pair sitting only a few feet away from her, her ears straining to listen to their conversation.

But so far, her search had proved futile.

The two only seemed interested in talking about Quentin Makepeace's fall or the recent politicians attempt to rebuild the government.

To sum it all up, they chatted about gossip.

Kitty closed her eyes as she massaged her temple. She had already finished four coffees, two ice cappuccinos, a small slice of chocolate cake, and she wasn't even counting her breakfast! If this lasted any longer, even all the caffeine that she had received wouldn't be able to keep her awake.

Please let their conversation come to an end soon…

And her prayer was answered. Two minutes later, the couple's conversation came to an end.

"So I'll see you Tuesday?" the man asked courteously.

"I won't leave until I see you," the woman answered, a smile on her face.

Kitty groaned and rubbed her face furiously. Although, their discussion was coming to an end, the mushy romance was enough to drive her insane! She watched as both man and woman stood up and got ready to leave. The two got up and walked to the door together, the man holding out the door for the lady. She parted to the right and he to the left. Kitty chose this as the time to get up. Her pace was brisk and she caught up to the man quickly.

Kitty ran up to the man and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me sir, I think I have something that belongs to you," Kitty said, presenting his wallet that she had just stole from his coat pocket.

"Oh! I must have left it at the café! Thank you!" the man answered.

"I couldn't help but notice your ID in your wallet. Would you be by any chance related to Karl Shlied? The author?" Kitty asked, carefully making her voice sound casual.

He eyed her suspiciously, a frown creasing on his forehead.

"Oh, it's just that I finished reading one of his books last night and I was wondering if you knew where he came up with such…" she paused, struggling with the last two words, "creative ideas,"

"No, I don't know. And it is none of your business nor mine," he stiffly responded, he turned on his heel to leave.

"Wait! Can't I at least have your name?" Kitty tried a last attempt to keeping him to stay.

"You saw my ID, you should know," he said, eyeing her more closely now.

Kitty mentally hit her forehead. What was she thinking? Being cooped up in a room filled with books did nothing to sharpen your senses, if not wear them down.

She watched Karl Shlied turn to leave. There was no way he was getting away so easily. It just meant she'd have to do things the old fashioned way.

Stalk and stake out.

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She was a shadow. It was her home, and they obeyed her like dogs do to their masters. They covered her, hid her, protected her. She was undetectable, and that was why she was the best at trailing. She could have put a knife to Karl Shlied's throat and he wouldn't have noticed until it was too late.

She could have probably gotten a job as an assassin; it was better than living off the government. But murdering was against the law, and it wasn't like she wanted to kill anyway.

Kitty sighed. This was ridiculously absurd. The man was oblivious. Blind like a bat. It really wouldn't take much to take him down. In fact, an amateur could have snuck up on him if they wanted to.

He strode quietly, and easily led her to his home.

What a fool…

"You've been following me all day now. I've even led you to my home, are you satisfied now?" Karl tiredly asked.

Kitty's eyes went wide. Did he…? Was he talking to her?

Kitty stayed hidden a bit longer. Maybe he was talking to someone else. Or maybe, she was getting a little rusty in the art of stalking.

"Fine, stay where you are. But you'll never get past my dogs…" he continued.

Dogs were fine. She had an elemental sphere if she needed it, not that she would need such power for a few measly dogs.

Karl had started walking again and Kitty was falling behind. She took a few quick steps to catch up to him, but at that split second, he jumped on her. He pounced on her like a cat and had her pinned underneath him. His hands having a firm grip on her arms, it happened all before she could blink. She was sandwiched between him and the gravel, and it hurt.

"Why do you follow me? You picked my pocket for my wallet. Why? Who are you and what do you want from me?" his questions flowed out more rapidly than rushing currents.

Kitty struggled to breathe as she felt his weight slowly having a toll on her. It felt like they would crush her lungs.

"Can't…breathe-" as she wiggled from underneath him, trying in vain to get air to her lungs.

Karl stood up and released her. Kitty sat up and placed a hand to her lungs. They felt like they were on fire.

"What do you want from me?" he asked Kitty again.

Kitty wheezed.

"Like I said, I only want to see where Mr. Shlied had gotten all his information. Such a historical book could not not have findings to back it up," Kitty answered truthfully.

"Why do you care so much about my great-uncle's research?" Karl questioned again.

"His findings are essential to my…research. I'm not sure if you understand, but I must see them!" Kitty replied, telling a little white lie in the process.

Karl arched one of his defined eyebrows, making Kitty blink.

That look! Where had she seen it before? It was on the edge of her brain. Something about him wasn't right and it didn't make her feel any better either. There was something eerily familiar about him, but what was it? She wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if this kept up.

Karl sighed and ran a hand through his silky brown hair. "I guess I could let you look at his old study and see if you can find anything…"

"That would be great! Thank you so much!" Kitty said, her voice filled with excitement.

At Karl Shield's house…

Kitty's eyes went wide as she walked alongside Karl. They had finally reached his house…but to be more specific, it was a castle. It seemed only a bit smaller than the government buildings.

"My grandfather, the Karl Shlied who wrote all those books, made an enormous fortune. However, the family still disregarded him as a fool. They thought of his ideas as wild and him to be mentally unstable. So my grandfather decided to live on his own and bought this," Karl gestured to the castle.

Kitty allowed her eyes to wander as they stepped into the dark building. They walked up a long dusty staircase and strode through the quiet hall. Everything in the house seemed to have at least an inch of dust on top of it.

"No one's been in this place for years. We never really thought of him as family, but when he died, he wrote in his will that he wanted us to have it," he stopped in front of an oak door, "Here we are. You know, he never believed in djinn, or anything that the magicians summoned for that matter. He always claimed that they were just lost human souls. Crazy if you ask me,"

Kitty answered with a weak smile.

Lost souls…She would have to look into that.

Karl put a brass key though the lock and it gave away. The door opened with a creak as they stepped into the room.

"Welcome, to Karl Shlied's private research room," he said nearly above a whisper.

Kitty's eyes widened in shock.

Everything was burnt to a crisp…

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Sorry if I'm straying from the Bartimaeus plot. I know I didn't keep Kitty in character. The problem with this chapter was that I didn't write it all at once and so I didn't have the same feeling for it every time I picked it back up. Hopefully it'll be better soon. By the way, can anyone tell me if Nick ever died in the third book? I can't remember…