CHAPTER SIXTEEN - "ABBERLINE'S INVESTIGATION"
From start to finish, Abberline laid out their entire tale - from Abberline's beginnings in his secret investigation into the mysterious re-emergence of Lukas Phantomhive and up until the present. But before he did, he had asked to telephone his fiancée, to tell her to remain with her sister for the night, lying to her that he had some urgent police work to do that Sir Randall wished for his assistance on. He didn't like lying to her, but it was safer than the truth that he was deep in trouble and didn't want her involved.
They sat in the Sitting Room, a room of open concept with a large bay window overlooking the back grounds. Ciel sat in a chair with a centre viewpoint of the entire room and Lukas was at his side in another chair. Abberline and Trent Banes were both seated on a black leather couch.
Ciel held a cup of tea. He took a sip before speaking, then held it aloft on a crossed knee. "Ah," he said when everything was said. "So this group called the Illuminati wishes to kill you for your actions on conducting a secret investigation on Lukas's home-coming." He played naïve, not to reveal what he knew what others had told him about this cult. "And you say you abandoned your savior to save yourselves?"
"Please do not say it like that, we feel bad enough as it is," Abberline retorted.
"Spencer demanded we go to a safe house he knew," Trent explained. "But when we arrived, it was ablaze. We suspect the Illuminati knew about it and sent people to intercept us."
"But of course," Ciel said confidently. "From what you tell us, a large organization such as the Illuminati will have spies in every façade, every dark alleyway, every tiny crack within the London criminal underground - and they would know unsavory people like assassins and killers of every sort. This is to safeguard their own best interests. You will never be safe from them now."
"You say that with an absolute mind, Ciel Phantomhive," Abberline said rather strongly.
"Because it is the truth, First-Inspector. You have engaged in activities contrary to your station and stuck your nose into the affairs of others. Now they wish to silence you to keep their secrets. Why is this not clear to you? Why did you not just merely ask my brother any questions you were concerned with?"
"I still do not remember everything that occurred during my seven years away," Lukas said, "but if I can, I will answer any outstanding questions you may have about the man who kidnapped me, Inspector."
"I do not know of what you are referring to," Trent interrupted, "but it can wait. We should go back and see if Spencer is all right. I fear something dreadful has happened to him."
"And how do you know this? Can you foresee the future?" Ciel said sarcastically. "I think not. If Spencer Von Strauss is as smart as his nefarious older sibling, Thann Von Strauss, and indeed his father, this I would not worry for your friend's well-being."
"May I learn if he is? Do you have a telephone? The Von Strauss manor has a telephone. He may have completed his clean-up at the Inspector's home and returned to the manor and is waiting for me to contact him on our safety and whereabouts."
"By all means. Tanaka will escort you to the telephone."
Trent them left the Sitting Room and exited out into the hallway.
"Now Inspector," Ciel's voice was serious. "Tell us the truth, sparing your new acquaintance. We know you could not tell us everything in the presence of Trent Banes. You gave us vague details on your investigation into Lukas's re-emergence. What is it you truly suspect of him?"
Lukas leaned over slightly, staring into Abberline's eyes. Abberline let out a deep breath. "Putting aside recent events of the Illuminati…" Abberline said. "The psychopathic killer you said you were kidnapped by, Lukas, also now known as the child kidnapper of London, is suspected of brainwashing countless children, and not just here in London but in Paris, Germany and other countries. Through my various contacts, I was able to learn you were special to him and did jobs that took you around the world."
Lukas's eyes narrowed. "Jobs, Inspector? To what are you referring to?"
"Reports are vague in origin, but soon after the fire that killed your parents, all of a sudden, friends of Vincent Phantomhive began turning up dead in various places where they were known to associate. If you do not know the names, Lukas, I am sure you brother will: Dietrich Heimlich, Lady Carolyne Eastbrook, Lord Ryan Hardgrove and his brother Vulcan, and…your uncle, Chlaus Phantomhive."
Ciel's left eye stared wide with shock after the mention of each name, especially the last one. He was so taken aback that his fingers seemed to loose all strength and he dropped his tea cup. It was almost empty, but when it hit the hardwood floor and smashed, some spilled out, saturating the area at his feet. Ciel then looked at Abberline, he wanted to say something, his mouth opening, but no words came out.
"By your reaction, Ciel, I believe you do remember them," Abberline said.
Lukas shook his head. He answered indifferently. "But I do not, and I have no recollection of my uncle, nor am I familiar with any of those people." He turned to Ciel. "Brother, who are they?"
"I suspect they worked together in their own secret group with a hidden agenda, am I not right, Ciel?"
Ciel composed himself. He cleared his throat. "You are a credit to your profession, First-Inspector. A man in the light, driven by truth and justice. But you are mistaken in the facts. They were merely acquaintances to our father. While I am saddened to now learn of their deaths, and that of our uncle, I am not surprised that the man or men who killed our parents would not also attack his friends and the rest of our family. Who ever is behind this plot against our family attempted to wipe us out with forthright malice."
"There is something else I wish to know. Why did you not mention a fraternal twin brother before? And why are there no birth records of Lukas Phantomhive in the city records? I suspect something afoot."
"You ask much, Inspector, but offer nothing in return," Ciel said. "And there is no conspiracy afoot. I simply did not mention him because he was believed dead, like the rest of my family. The pain was great."
"There are no death records either. You told the press that Lukas was kidnapped, but now you say he was believed dead. There is also rumor that you had surgery to your face, Lukas, to eliminate an imperfection of some kind, but it is not clear the reason or cause. Fraternal twins do not look alike, but you two look almost identical. And where did you get that scar down your eye?"
"I do not like the accusatory tone of your voice, Inspector," Ciel said strongly. "You are reaching for things in the dark that aren't there. And whoever murdered our parents and their friends will be punished!"
"Your brand of justice, Ciel? I warn you, Scotland Yard does not look kindly on vigilante justice. Allow me to also reveal something else I suspect. I suspect your parents were much more than they appeared to be in the public eye. That they were 'police' in their own rite, protecting the Crown from threats, eliminating trouble before it ignited further. Nonetheless, they were out-smarted by a clever enemy that caught them off-guard and killed them. You, yourself, have admitted that you do the Queen's work as her loyal guard-dog, perhaps taking on your parent's mantle, despite only thirteen. Notwithstanding, what you do is still unclear. And to return to another subject, your elder butler, two and half years prior, admitted to the police, that just before the old mansion burned down, that he heard the sounds of children running amok inside. Could these same children have started the fire, under the brainwashed influence of the child kidnapper of London?"
Abberline appeared to focus his gaze upon Lukas.
Lukas gave Abberline a hardened stare. "You have a vivid imagination, First-Inspector, but I suspect it is just that, fabrication. You have been reading too many detective novels."
Abberline then looked at Ciel. Ciel scowled at him. "Albeit, but the look on your brother's face tells me much."
"You are a clever and resourceful man, Inspector," Ciel said straightly. "Perhaps too clever."
"But there is more. I also suspect the child kidnapper of London is a member of the Illuminati and this is the reason they wish to silence me, to save him from prosecution. Indeed, I have gotten too close to the truth. But I would not even be aware of them if it was not for Spencer Von Strauss, who told me about the Illuminati and their dealings. After this, then certain missing pieces to the overall puzzle began to fit."
Ciel and Lukas shared a look, Lukas nodded. Ciel then looked back at Abberline. "We do not know if a certain person is a member of this secret cult or another group of individuals, or if he is indeed working of his own accord. Information is scarce at this point from what we have been able to gather."
"Who is this person who are referring to? If you are keeping valuable information that could crack open this case and help return dozens of kidnapped children, I swear, I will not stop to learn it!"
"We believe this person may be associated with the child kidnapper of London or may know people with information about the individual, but he can not be found to be questioned."
"I ask again - who is this person you speak of? Is it Bryon Kelvin, the recluse philanthropist? His name has crossed my investigations, along with his nephew, Mathu. Mathu Kelvin owned and operated several underground gambling dens, that Thann Von Strauss, a criminal in his own rite, has just recently taken over. And I suspect fowl play on the hands of Thann Von Strauss in regards to Mathu Kelvin, who has not been seen in months, along with certain other individuals he was known to associate with. Notwithstanding, it is believed Bryon Kelvin died years ago of a staff infection from a surgical procedure and could not possibly have any connection to the most recent child kidnappings…"
At this point, Trent Banes returned. "The butler at the Von Strauss manor isn't responding to the telephone. He is usually very prompt. I let it ring twenty or so times."
"Shall we discuss more on this matter later, Inspector?" Ciel suggested.
"Yes, Ciel. I am looking forward to it," Abberline said.
"And if deemed necessary, you shall have all the information called for. If deemed necessary. There are things in this world no other man need be privy to, especially an Inspector of Scotland Yard."
Abberline eyed Ciel with a look of contempt, but said nothing.
"I must go to the Von Strauss manor," Trent said urgently. "I must learn what has transpired since our departure. I must learn what has happened with Spencer."
"Then you shall go alone," Ciel said. "We have our own pressing issue. Our butler, Sebastian, has fallen gravely ill. A doctor has been called, but it may be some time before he attends."
"You only said he had touch of the flu, not gravely ill?" Abberline said.
"I am sorry for your butler," Trent said. "But my friend is equally important. I must find out what has happened to him. It is urgent I do so immediately."
Trent raced from the Sitting Room and back out to the main vestibule. Abberline chased after him, telling him to wait, as they were both hunted men at the moment. Ciel and Lukas followed. And all ventured out the front entrance doorway to watch Trent Banes hop into the "roadstir", putting on a pair of goggles.
But the moment he ignited the engine, it entire vehicle exploded in a blinding flash of light!
Abberline immediately pushed the boys to the ground and smothered them under his own body as a shower of debris fell. Large pieces slammed to the ground, other smaller pieces landed near by…and even body parts. But they were lucky they were far away from the blast to not suffer harm. When looked at, there was large black smoldering mark in the front courtyard with where the "roadstir" once sat.
Abberline then saw a white, glowing individual in the distance standing on the winding road leading to the mansion. He was dressed all in white, or that's what it appeared, but there was something about him that made him look more like an angelic being than anything else. He was pale skinned with white hair, frazzled in a haphazard manner. Something also coursed around him, and Abberline could swear he heard the buzzing, sizzling sound of electricity.
Both Ciel and Lukas also gazed upon this mysterious white dressed man, and they gasped in shock.
"Hello boys," Mathu Kelvin said, "I'm back! I have come for Sebastian Michaelis! Give him to be now!"
To be continued…