Chapter 45 - The Tarnished Hero
The Albatross, October 6th

Life trapped inside a cell with nothing to do or expect was more boring than Nyctalope had expected. If his previous times in captivity were anything to go by, then this time he was lucky. No torture came along with this, no panic of going to prison anymore. Just a numb lull and the dread of what was soon to happen. He lay still on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Rene," he mumbled, glancing to the other bed on the other side of the room to see his friend facing away from him. "Are you still awake?"
Rene turned his head sleepily, peering over his shoulder in Nyctalope's direction. "Sure, Chief. Why? Something bothering you?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
Nyctalope couldn't look at him as he took a deep breath. "I'm going to confess."

"What?" Rene hissed.

"I've been thinking- god what else has there been to do- and… I think confessing would be best."
"No. No, I'm not going to let you do that- you're innocent!" Rene stood up, stepping closer.
"So are you three..." Nyctalope sat up and moved his legs over the side of the bed, but he didn't look up to see the horror on his friend's face. "Maybe if I say you didn't know, that I lied to you all… maybe they'll let you go."

"No," Rene asserted, squatting down in front of him. "I can't let you sign your life away! There's still hope. Lupin won't let us down, I know it."
"I can't depend on him. Not anymore, for all I know the League could have killed him. But this? This guarantees your safety, even if it guarantees my ruin. I asked you to come on this mission with me and I can't let you go through this with me too… who knows?" Nyctalope gave a half-hearted smirk. "Maybe Lupin will still be able to save the day."

Rene was running out of things to say, to do. This was an argument that would go around in circles. "Leo, please. Confessing would guarantee nothing. At. at least don't speak yet. I'm sure the others won't want to leave you either. Just wait a few days more. Give Lupin a chance, for us, for goodness sake, just give Lupin a chance, please."

He sighed. "Alright... alright I'll wait."

The door opened, revealing Fantômas in his mask and a bowl of food in each hand. "Any news on Lupin?" Rene asked hopefully, standing up and backing away.
"It's not my place to say," he answered.
"He... he's alive though, isn't he?" Nyctalope exclaimed.
He shrugged. "Honestly, I am unsure. It's… frustrating."

Nyctalope's face fell. "Frustrating is an understatement… I'll never get justice for my father."
Fantômas snickered. "You really think Robur was willing to go on a wild goose chase around the world for a parasite like Khan?"
Nyctalope froze. "He… he wasn't?"
"He didn't want you. He's said that to your face, why would he go on to help you? Don't tell me you didn't know- it's probably why you tried to kill him!"

Nyctalope clenched his fist but lay back down. Fantômas dropped off the meals and left, shaking his head.
"I should never have taken up the offer of joining this team," Nyctalope mumbled.

The Albatross, Belgium: September 12th

Nyctalope couldn't believe what he was seeing when he woke up to the sound of Tom Turner blaring away on the trumpet, playing the Chant du Depart while to other members of the crew fastened a flag on top of a huge cathedral- the flag of the Albatross. What was Robur doing?!

Rushing from his cabin on deck, Nyctalope headed up the poop deck to find Robur at the helm.
"What are you doing?" Nyctalope exclaimed. "You're going to get us all in trouble!"
"Go back to your cabin, Monsieur," Robur said. "This is a quarrel between me and the Government."
"Maybe so, but there are people down there. We're going to be seen!"

"The last I checked, I was in charge of this ship and this mission," Robur retorted.
"This is borderline treachery," Nyctalope hissed. "This is Belgium- what if they retaliate?! We're trying to stop a war. What if the League finds out and gets on our trail?"
"I do think you're being a touch dramatic, Saint- Clair."
"And you're being a fool and putting your whole Island at risk- Robur, why are you doing this?"

"Keep your nose out," Robur grumbled, moving the ship away from the cathedral now the flag was placed. "Your leadership is no better than mine, now mind your own business. As I said, this is between me and France."
"What does my leadership have to do with anything?" Nyctalope exclaimed.
"It proves you shouldn't be here. I don't know why they insisted you came along anyway- you're practically a child."

"Hey!" Nyctalope shot back. "I suffered for that mission and to protect my father, I think that shows I'm dedicated enough to my goals. How dare you try to suggest otherwise!"
"You got a man killed through your inexperience, and I don't want that level of sloppiness here."

Nyctalope bit back his reply, chest heaving and fists clenched. "So you're doing this to spite France for recruiting me. I thought you were better than that, Robur." He scoffed, "Well let me tell you, I am here," he ground out. "We will get this mission done. You will find me Khan, as I've been promised, and then you won't need to see me again." He walked away before he could get any angrier.

Robur shook his head dismissively and focused on the helm. "Good riddance. You're nothing but a shadow chasing ghosts."

Bourg-la-Reine, France: October 6th

Robur drove wordlessly towards Doctor Champeau's address; his gaze often going to his son beside him. He hoped he wasn't too late. The wait to get to France had felt like far too long, even if it had only taken days. Armand was on the brink of fever and admittedly Jean Degains looked no better, if not worse. Robur had little sympathy for Nyctalope and his companions, but it was clear he needed more than a nurse's care and a prison cell to survive.

Robur had left the Albatross far away and out of sight of the citizens of France. No one could no he was here, there could be no reports of airships reaching the League's ears again.

Another glance at Armand. He slept, although he was restless for some time. Every bump on the road seemed to disturb him. He was a light sleeper which didn't help him rest; every now and then his eyes flickered open. He'd readjust how he sat and drift back off with a hand on his thigh but he had not done so for a while. Robur turned a sharp corner and the boy fell onto his shoulder, much to his surprise, still asleep. Robur took it as a bad sign and he pulled up, carefully moving Armand so he was leaning against the car door. He groaned and tried to wake up. Robur smiled to reassure him. "It's just me. Shh, go back to sleep." He closed his eyes and settled himself. Robur set off again.

Degains groaned as he tried to wake up in the back seat. Champeau was quick to shush him back into a painless rest before he could even open his eyes. Traitor or not, Champeau was good at his job. He'd saved a lot of people on this mission and it seemed only Nyctalope had been responsible for the killing attempts. A thought had been playing on Robur's mind for a while now, and he finally decided to act upon it.

"Champeau, I have an offer for you."
"What is it?" he asked gently, checking Jean's temperature with the back of his hand, then his palm as though to be sure.
"I'm offering you the chance to be free, for you helping Armand and Zenith."
"And the others? They'll stay- face the courts?"
"Yes."
Champeau bit his lip and looked away. "Then, no. I won't walk away from them and leave them to face this alone. We're innocent, Robur. I'm sorry you can't see that."

Robur furrowed his brow. "You won't all be together in prison, you know? You'll likely never see them again. Why waste your life when you could live, help others?"
"Because I could not live, not with that guilt. I'd rather rot in a cell or die than have that eat away at me. I appreciate the leniency, but it was an offer, and it is an offer I have to decline."

Robur tensed his jaw, "then so be it."