Chapter 7: the final request

Danny picked up the pattern of Listening and repeating once again.

It's Lockwood.

He's waking up in this world.

He died not knowing

What happened to his company.

It was his main goal in life,

To see it become a top agency.

I was hoping Danny here

Could tell me what had become of it.

George looked grim. "Well, Lucy…after you two passed, it was all we could do not to fall apart. It was Kips actually who held us together. I mean, we'd all lost fellow agents before but Lockwood and Co was our family. I inherited the property, of course. Still check on it every once in awhile. But between mourning, inquiries from DEPRAC… it didn't last. I couldn't bring myself to hire anyone else on, so Holly and I finished off the cases, stopped taking new ones, and moved out. We didn't know what Lockwood would have wanted, and our Talents dwindled about a year later. Kips said grief is often related to that. I hired myself out as a researcher for the various agencies too lazy to do their own work. Holly got a job at a primary school. We moved on."

Ah. I understand.

As for Lockwood's wishes,

I can help with that.

He thought about it a lot

And decided the best course

Was to train new operatives

To work together

Until he was confident in their independence.

Then, those younger operatives

would train the next generation.

And so on.

The Company would live on,

As would its legacy

And independence.

"Well, sounds like we have some work to do," George said. "We've got a few grandchildren with some Talent. Not to mention Danny boy, over here."

You're going to re-open the company?

"Of course we are!" Holly cried, looking at Danny since she could not see Lucy. "We would do anything to help you two rest in peace."

Good timing then,

Because there's one more thing.

Fittes and Rotwell are at it again -

They're stirring up all sorts of spirits,

not just Lockwood.

They're making a final attempt

to come back from the grave.

Which means,

The Problem is about to resurface.

Author's note:

Thanks for taking the time to read this through =]

It's more of my attempt to come to terms with the fact that Stroud has killed off main characters before, and since he's laid the groundwork for it I'll be more surprised if Lockwood lives than if he dies. This is something like a happy ending, even if it does leave more than a few loose ends - but I suppose that's up to Danny and Flo.

Brace yourselves, kids. After all, "Life's in Death, and Death's in Life."