CHAPTER 3
Two days after they had received their mysterious globe in the mail from Dr. Barlow they made their way to the famous London Zoo, upon the lady boffins request. As they made their way down the streets of London, Alek noticed how different the bustlings of people were compared to the busy markets in Austria and even of the streets in Istanbul. It was less colorful and exotic than Istanbul yet more clean and modern than the market he visited back in Austria, not to mention how London was covered in propaganda posters, the buzz of America entering the war everywhere as many believed it would bring an end to the war.
Alek felt an itch of discomfort as he remembered his little more than disastrous time in America - Spending the rest of his gold on Tesla, being used as a pawn, fighting with Deryn, almost getting blown up in New York, being harassed by the American reporter, almost losing Deryn . . . But then again . . .
Alek looked over at Deryn as he walked by her side, happier than he'd seen her since she left the Leviathan behind, and smiled softly. Although he faced tumultuous times in America, it would always be the place where he realized his true feelings for Deryn, where he told Deryn that he loved her, where he gave up everything for her, where he kissed her for the first time . . . At that thought, he felt the heat rise on his neck, and the memory of yesterday's interruption by Gibbs and Aldo made him feel as stupid as he ever has felt.
" come on slowpoke, we're nearly there. '' Alek looked around and noticed Deryn, just a couple steps ahead of him, but then finally stopping in front of a big metal (likely fabricated) archway with the words 'London Zoo' engraved beautifully atop.
" Are you sure she said this is where we meet her? The zoo?" Alek looked around to only see a few families and some kids alone, looking around at the lions, elephants, and other more natural beasties that were set up behind bars but in beautifully made habitats that most likely resembled the ones, they should be in.
Deryn sighed but continued to grin wide at the sign. " that'll be her alright - the Zoological Society. This is the place where I actually met her. Or, well, moreover there I suppose. " Alek followed Deryn's outstretched arm to see a big field with couples having picnics on blue and red checkered blankets.
He nodded in agreement. Alek knew better than to question Deryn about the things like instructions and directions, but it still seemed odd to him that someone's office was in a zoo. Though the lady boffin was everything but ordinary, and he supposed that she was a Darwin, after all. What better place for her than with the animals that inspired her fabrications.
"Mr. Sharp" the other perspicacious loris called out from a beautiful little branch conveniently placed in the lady boffins office. Bovril perked up when he heard the other Loris, leaping from Deryn's shoulder and making its way up to meet the other loris, their tiny voices mingling as they shared new words in a soft mumble.
" Good day , Mr. Hohenberg. I'm glad you could make it - " she looked down at her pocket watch " - on time. We have much to discuss. Please, sit." Taza greeted Deryn and Alek happily as the two stepped into her eccentric office. Although it did have an organized and fashionable London sense to it, it was still riddled with old books no doubt passed down in her family, animal skeletons, and of course, drawings on the anatomy of bees.
As they both sat down they couldn't help but notice a shift in the room. It was as if, no matter how serious the lady boffin could be sometimes, that this would be the most serious they would have ever seen her. This made Aleks hands just the smallest bit clammy as they held tight to the fabricated globe that they were so curious about.
" as you know," she began, her hands clasping together in front of her on the desk " I am the granddaughter of the late Charles Darwin. And as you have maybe guessed, I have not only inherited my intelligence from him, but rather a position in society that I am entitled to." Although this sounded a bit of a superiority complex, to question it seemed almost impossible. " and today, I will finally reveal to you what you are allowed to see, as new recruits into this society. Into the world of the Zoological Society in which each of you will have a role to play. " She was silent for a minute before, getting up and walking over to the bookshelf on her right. Alek looked at Deryn for answers but saw that she looked a bit puzzled herself, before turning both of their attention back on the lady boffin.
What happened next was like something out of a mystery novel. Dr. Barlow carefully slid out one of the books on her shelf about the anatomy of tortoises and slid it into a new, empty slot in her bookshelf, which triggered the wall to open up before a dumbfounded Deryn and Alek. Alek continued to gape when he saw the bookshelf open up, remembering the old secret passageways in his old home. But what wasn't even close to a resemblance to his old ancestral home was what was behind the sliding bookshelf.
The lady boffin smiled coyly, and Deryn gasped softly beside him, her surprise turning into a delish grin. Every question and curiosity they may have had for the lady boffin before was forgotten in light of 's secret room.
"Cooooool!"
Alek stayed bolted to his seat, curious enough, but altogether weary. Whereas Deryn had no such bolts keeping her down as she raced into the hidden room filled with all kinds of oddities and old journals and to no surprise, what looked like to be experimental fabrications.
" Are these weapons? Can I touch them? Ooooo! Is that a Kaper-Net?! Oh and look a - " Alek watched tentatively, rising up a bit from his chair to get a better look at all of Deryn's commotion, and the lady boffins tentative eyes on her.
" - What is that?" Deryn's excitement had fizzed down quickly and from what Alek could see, her curious eyes and wide-spread grin had faded into a blank stare of bewilderment? Now Alek felt that he had to step into the darwin-extreme room, his eyes zooming back and forth at all the little creatures and fizzling beakers and bottles neatly placed about the desks. "What is this place?" he couldn't help but mumble to himself. He had finally made his way to Deryn, but by the time he stepped up to the chest that she was staring so intently at, an arm reached down between the two, and a tiny gloved hand shut the chest. Although they were in the society, there were still secrets not even Deryn or Alek could be made aware of.
" to answer your second question," the lady boffin said from behind the both of them, grabbing each one by the shoulder and turning them towards her " This is my private, and secret study" she said "secret" sternly as she gave each agent a pensive stare, to let them know that this information could not under any circumstances leave this room or pass into anyone else's ears. Alek and Deryn gave each other a fleeting glance, before nodding to reassure the lady boffin of their loyalty towards her secrets.
" Right then!" The lady boffin suddenly flipped her switch, her darker demeanor suddenly flighty and haughty. Alek felt a twinge of annoyance at the lady boffin's erratic behavior but also felt that twinge of excitement and importance he felt whenever he was involved in schemey and seemingly important things with Deryn and Dr. Barlow. Besides the prospect of being with Deryn and creating a new life, the idea of adventure and purpose, no matter how secretive that purpose was, had been a part of the reason he agreed to come to London in the first place.
Bovril and Doctor Barlow's own lorris finally made their way back down to each respective shoulder, with Bovril choosing Aleks. He figured that they could sense the ending of this little tour as both Alek and Deryn could. He was glad for the sudden warmth and familiar weight on his shoulder, as the lorris began to whisper small little mumblings by his ear, the words "cetacean" and " Dover " catching Aleks's attention for some reason. He shook the feeling of curiosity and turned his attention back to Dr. Barlow, who herself had exited her private study, and had called both Deryn and Alek back to the main parts of her study. But when Alek had looked back at Deryn, he'd expected to see her smiling face, but instead saw that her face was in a tight scowl, her eyes sweeping the floor. What had happened to Deryn in the few minutes between her dazzling excitement when first seeing Dr. Barlow's private study, to now?
He felt a bit awkward from lack of experience but wanting to comfort her, Alek put a light hand on her shoulder, his head dipping down to find her eyes. "Deryn? Are you quite alright?"
Deryn sighed and tugged at her boy slops, her smiling coming back in halves.
" Quite. Come on, the lady boffin is calling."
Alek and Deryn made their way back to find Dr. Barlow waited by the entrance of the private study and gestured for Alek and Deryn to once again take their seats squarely in front of the intimidatingly large Darwinist inspired desk. Alek tried not to but couldn't help watching as the lady boffin closed her study off, putting the book on the anatomy of tortoises back in its original slot next to the book about toucans and another book about Tropical weather patterns of the Galapagos islands.
" Let us not dally any longer. You two are here because I have recruited you to be part of this Zoological society." The lady boffin made her way back to her seat, Tazza happily sitting next to her feet. " I understand that each of you possesses talents and intellects that have given you the opportunity to be in my service…" She turns to Alek then, her small nose raising slightly as her eyes bore into Aleks. " and although your political positions have changed, I do see a formidable future for you here ." The next victim of her powerful gaze was Deryn, whose eyes never met hers in the ways a soldier's eyes never meet its sergeants. " And you, Mr. Sharp, as you may know, have become almost indispensable to my service of scientific endeavours. Your fast thinking and perception have been your ally - don't dare to lose it."
It was not often to see the lady boffin genuinely smile, but as she pushed back from her chair and stood, a soft smile pointed at both Deryn and Alek, which although kind, was a little unnerving. " You two shall soon begin your rigorous training in the way of the society and I am very excited for you two to be accompanying me on my endeavors as you continue your training. But remember, to the outside world, you are now Zookeepers - nothing more." and with that inclination towards their cover finished, she walked away from her desk to the door of her office, and opened it in a gesture indicating that indeed Deryn and Alek may in fact, leave.
" Good Day Mr. Hohenberg, ."
Alek and Deryn both looked at each other. What kind of meeting was this? They had received almost no real information about what they were supposed to be doing and where they would be going, and what their first mission would be!
" Pardon, Dr. Barlow, but what about our first mission? And how long will we have to train? Also, are you ever going to tell us more about the Zoological society? Like, what you guys really do?" Deryn seemed a bit frustrated, so Alek just kept quiet, his instinct to let this play out between Dr. Barlow and Deryn overwhelming him.
Sighing, Doctor Barlow replied, " All in due time . But as for your training, it will last as long it needs to until you are ready to handle an assignment on your own. But until then, both of you will train and learn. Although I say, we never truly stop learning. " The lady Boffins Lorris huffed in agreement as it sat all proper like on her desk. Bovril joined it, huffing too.
" We understand, Dr. Barlow. Good day. " Alek felt as though he was overstaying his and Deryn's welcome, so in a hurry he got up, pulling Deryn up behind him and politely but hastily retreating from the lady boffins office, and back into the zoo where he and an agitated Deryn began their journey back to the streets of London, the echoes of beasties filing the space of silence left after they met with the ever mysterious Dr. Nora Barlow.