Disclaimers: as before.

Thank you so much for the reviews! I feel loved - I think I'll write here forever! I hope you don't all hate me when you get to the end of this chapter, though.

Audra - sorry, it doesn't quite happen as you suggest. I wrote this before I received your review. The Baron will get his comeuppance, though, I promise…

Nigel firmly grasped Sydney's wrist, as she scrambled to gain some sort of hold on the wall with her other hand. She was having little luck. The rain was hammering against the stonework, as it was lashing against their bodies and faces. Where it wasn't crumbling, the edging was slippery.

'You're going to have to pull me up!' yelled Sydney.

'Okay, 'said Nigel, sounding as confident as he could. He had been trying to do that just that, but was finding it difficult to grip with his own feet resting on mossy, wet flags. In addition, there was the Baron.

As Nigel planted his feet as steadily as he could, and hauled with all his strength, the television star stood behind him and laughed. Then, to Nigel's horror, the Baron squeezed in between him and the spire, and wrapped his arms tightly around his waste.

'I should have tied you up, shouldn't I?' said the Baron sleazily.

Nigel flinched at the unwanted intimacy, but could not let it distract him from his task. He had succeeded in helping Sydney, who had not yet spotted what the Baron was up to, to gain a firmer grip on one of the castellations. Reaching wide with her leg, Syd had also managed to place her toe on a ledge at the top of the cell window.

'I might have a foothold…' she called, optimistically. 'Give me another haul!'

'Let her go,' whispered the Baron. 'Let her go, and you and I can come to some agreement.'

'Will you sod off?' Nigel knew words were useless, but there was little else he could do. His entire strength was devoted to standing firm and holding on to Sydney.

'Let her go,' said the Baron, more menacingly this time. 'Let her go, or I'll push you over and you both die.'

'Then we both die,' replied Nigel flatly. Sydney had now seen the Baron and was doing her utmost to clamber up quickly. The Baron hesitated. Nigel, more firmly grounded with the big man's arms folded around him, managed to pull Sydney higher than she had been yet. This allowed her other hand to improve its tenure.

'Last chance…' jeered the Baron. With Sydney now out of his direct sight line, dragging herself up to the left, Nigel absorbed, for the first time, the full distance of the drop. A wave of dizziness hit him. 'This is it, then,' he thought fearfully. 'At least it looks like Syd's going to make it.' He hadn't lessened his hold of her, but she was now supporting much of her own weight with her foot and other hand. Nigel shut his eyes and involuntarily held his breath.

At that instant, a herculean gust of wind slammed into the tower. The spire gave an agonising creek, causing both the Baron and Syd to glance up in alarm. Nigel opened his eyes. Syd gave a gasp, then shouted 'Nigel, look out!'

A dozen tiles had begun sliding down the slope of the spire, straight at the three occupants of the battlements. Each one exploded into sharp shards as it landed around them. Several narrowly missed the Baron who, ironically, shielded Nigel with his body. The last landed inches from Syd's tentatively gripping hand, which fell away as the block shattered.

'Nigel!' Syd's voice rang with genuine terror.

Her full weight transferred back to the grasp of her assistant, who was still braced by the Baron. After nearly being decapitated, however, the big man wasn't hanging about.

'Stay here and die, then!' He gave Nigel a sharp shove, and fled. Nigel smashed forward against the castellations, but held fast. Every sinew in his body strained as he pulled Sydney back into a position where she could begin her climb again. He didn't let her go.

…………………..

Unhindered by the Baron, although not unperturbed by the slates which were now randomly falling around them, Nigel helped Syd back onto the battlements. As soon as she was on her feet again, Sydney seized his hand. They ran directly to the downward staircase, out of the range of the descending missiles.

Once on the relative safety of the stairs, they collapsed, panting, into each other's arms.

Sydney's words were breathless: 'You saved me… I would have fallen… thank you…' Nigel's response was smothered as, for the second time that evening, a beautiful woman thrust her lips upon his. He yielded willingly, clasping her soaking wet body to him as tightly, and as desperately, as he had held her over the side of the tower.

When finally they released each other, Nigel was dazed by the intensity of his emotions. Had Sydney really just kissed him… like that?

While Nigel was still slumped on the steps, Sydney got up and brushed the excess rain from her clothes. She looked at him with mild concern. 'Are you alright?' she inquired.

'Yes… I think so…yes,' stuttered Nigel.

'Well, come on then!' she demanded. 'We've got to catch that guy! Not only is he murderously insane, he's just made off with the relic…. by the way, well done for getting that. You'll have to tell me how you did it sometime.'

'That would be a pleasure,' said Nigel wearily, as he dragged himself his feet. How could she always just move on like that?

By this time, Sydney had descended the stairs to the cell where she had been incarcerated. She discovered it empty.

'Come on, Nigel!' she shouted back. 'That madman's got Pansy. What the hell is he up to?'

'I don't know,' said Nigel, trying to suppress his memories of the kiss. 'I think he wants to frame her for the murder of Lord Bannockburgh.'

They started descending the spiral staircase.

'Yeah? He's got to be the prime suspect now…. although, because of something Pansy said, I thought it was Moira. She was apparently arguing with Lord Bannockburgh before Pansy met up with him… something about the statue. '

'I'm not surprised by that,' replied Nigel. 'I was searching for the keys to release you, and she found me and… kissed me.'

'She kissed you!'

'It's not that rare an occurrence,' he retorted. He felt Sydney had sounded a little over surprised. 'Anyway… she was acting very strangely. She might have betrayed me to the Baron.'

'So they're in it together,' affirmed Sydney. 'What the hell are they up to?'

'I'm not sure…' replied Nigel, 'but, the Baron said he wanted the statue. We know the old boy wasn't keen to part with it. Why would the actor kill him for it, though?' Nigel paused and thought. 'Do you think it might have something to do with the regeneration myths surrounding it? The Baron strikes me as the sort who would like to recapture a bit of faded youth and beauty.'

'To save his career?' pondered Sydney. 'Maybe… although I doubt there's much recent proof it works. And, why is Moira involved?'

'I have no idea…but we can be sure that at least one of them is a homicidal maniac!'

…………….

Sydney and Nigel were heading for the library. It had been the hub of the action so far, and Nigel had a hunch that the Baron would want to take the statue back to its altar. The secret room behind it had been set up like a temple, and if they were going to perform some sort of regeneration ceremony, he was sure that this was where it would happen. Sydney agreed.

They were just tiptoeing across the hall towards the library door when their progress was interrupted by a timid little voice.

'Nigel! Lady Hortensia!' Syd and Nigel spiraled around to find themselves face-to-face with the slight figure of Lucy Milford dressed in a long white nightgown. 'What's going on? I heard a terrible row outside!'

'Shhhhhhhhh!' Syd placed a finger to her lips. 'Please, go back to bed.'

Lucy recalled Sydney's possible guilt. 'Why, my husband locked you in the tower!'

'I didn't do it!' hissed Sydney. 'But the person who did might be about to murder again. Please, Lucy - is that your real name? - get yourself to safety.'

'Yes, I'm Lucy. My husband said I wasn't an important enough character to deserve a new one for the game!'

'You shouldn't let your husband boss you about like… nevermind! Please, you have to trust me. Now, get to safety.' Lucy looked at Sydney uncertainly.

'Please do what she says,' pleaded Nigel. 'These are dangerous people. You could get hurt.'

'Alright,' said Lucy. She slipped almost silently back up the guest staircase.

'I hope nobody heard that,' said Syd through gritted teeth, as their unwanted companion vanished. As silently as possible, they crept into the library.

………………….

The library was empty, but two things were missing. Firstly, and most conspicuously, the body of Lord Bannockburgh was gone. Secondly, Nigel noticed that his Grecian Urn was no longer in its corner. The secret door by the bookshelves was slightly ajar again. Nigel followed Syd as she sidled over and silently pried it an inch further open. They peeped in to see what was happening in the hidden room.

They didn't like what they saw. The statue was back on its altar and, sitting slumped against it, her hands tied and her mouth gagged, was a distressed looking Pansy. In front of her, dumped on the floor, was the body of the Baron and the large Grecian Urn.

Behind this tragic scene, stood the Baron, wearing a long black cloak with a high collar, like a costume out of a black-and-white Dracula movie. Next to him, wearing the stylish black gown in which Nigel had seen her in earlier, was Moira. Her skin looked deadly pale, highlighted by her dark hair. Reflections of the candle flames danced in her dark brown eyes, giving her a demonic air.

As Nigel had conjectured, they appeared to be about to undergo some sort of ceremony. Moira was giving the Baron stern instructions, to which he was listening intently. Her voice was too soft to be heard at first, but his response carried easily.

'But I can't remember the words in Ancient Greek. Can I say them in English?'

Moira rolled her eyes. 'Yes, yes! Now get on with it!'

'Will it work quickly? Will you tell me if I look younger?'

'Patience!' commanded Moira, louder this time. 'If you carry out the ceremony correctly, those movie bosses will change their minds the moment they see you on Monday. I promise you: they will not be complaining about money spent on soft focus cameras and air brushes anymore!'

'They'd better not!' said the Baron with heartfelt passion. Moira handed him a knife. 'Remember,' she said, gesturing at the body on the floor, 'that man was over 200 years old… his longevity will now belong to you!'

Back at the door, Nigel was getting alarmed. 'What are we going to? It looks like they're trying to kill her!'

'We've got to do something,' said Syd meditatively, her eyes fixed on the outrageous scene.

'And… what does she mean that Lord Bannockburgh was over 200 years old? He looks quite different to his father, a prominent politician, and to his grandfather, a highly renowned World War I naval commander!' Nigel was mystified.

'I doubt that our friend the Baron knows his history quite as well as you do. I think she could be bluffing him…but that's not what I'm worried about right now!'

The Baron had yanked poor Pansy to her feet, and was holding one of her wrists out over the statue.

'Remember,' cackled Moira. 'When you cut her, you have to make it look like a suicide. She killed herself in remorse, remember, after she realised that murdering her poor old 'panda-bear' led to the deaths of two other innocent, but deluded, people as they tried to escape…' Pansy sobbed so loud it could be heard through the gag. The Baron raised the knife.

'I'll get Pansy,' hissed Sydney to Nigel, 'try and trap them between the two portcullises… they seem to be jammed up with something…'

Sydney made her presence known by bounding boldly into the middle of the room. Moira stepped back into the shadows, as the Baron looked up, aghast.

'You… you should be dead!'

'No. But, I'm beginning to think the world would be a better place if you were. Now let her go!'

'I need her blood to complete the ceremony… come any closer and you'll be my next victim.'

He raised the knife again. Sydney rushed at him, stopping his arm and pulling Pansy out of the way before the blade could reach its mark. He swiped at her with the knife, which she ducked, and she then parried a blow to his stomach. The baron fell back, crashing into the altar.

Nigel helped the whimpering Pansy back to the library door, which had somehow been locked. Nigel suspected Moira must have triggered a mechanism, but she was nowhere to be seen. He then turned his attention to the workings of the portcullises. The Baron was back on his feet and Sydney, as they exchanged kicks and blows, had lured him where he would be trapped by the falling partitions. Pull this off, and the monster could be caged.

The first one was easy. The workings had simply been wedged with a rock, which came out easily. 'Mind out, Syd!' he shouted, as it crashed down behind her, cutting the three of them off from Pansy and the blocked library exit.

The second portcullis, however, caused more difficulty. Not only was the rock firmly stuck, but the Baron had worked out what Nigel was up to.

The actor had also realised that Sydney was a far superior combatant to him. She had kicked the knife from his hand and it was only a matter of time before she landed a knockout blow. He couldn't beat her, so he dived unexpectedly in Nigel's direction and grabbed him by the back of the shirt. The Baron then pushed Nigel hard in the direction of the altar, into which he collided headfirst. Sydney lunged after the Baron, but was repelled by the base of his boot. He wrested the rock from the workings of the portcullis, and threw himself sideways as it smashed to the floor.

Sydney was the one trapped in the cage. The Baron, on the other hand, ended up on the side with the escape route, the altar, the knife and Sydney's teaching assistant.

The Baron picked up the knife, and glanced down at Nigel, who was lying stunned at his feet. He then looked at Sydney, who was straining unsuccessfully to pull up the portcullis, and laughed.

'Don't touch him, you bastard! That woman was conning you. Nothing will save your career when you're in jail!'

The Baron ignored her. 'She only said that it had to be somebody youngish and pretty,' he mumbled to himself. 'She didn't say it had to be a woman. Besides, I don't want to look like a Pansy!'

For once, Sydney had no words to express quite what an obnoxious man he was. The Baron forced Nigel to his knees in front of the statue, and stretched out his captives arm in its direction. Then he chanted: 'To release the beauty, blood must spill, and darkness must meet light.'

As Sydney screamed 'No!' the Baron slashed the knife straight across the middle of Nigel's forearm.

Thanks for reading. Please, please, please review!

I'll do my very best to get the last chapter up by the end of the week… but I've got a deadline for college, and my professor will be baying for my blood if I don't meet it!

Thanks again to my beta…