Standing outside, smelling the fresh air, Clive was content. He looked down at Luke who had a similar face. It had been months since the boys had been out of Layton's manor. To be honest four months to be precise.
Clive was lucky to have his room on the first floor, this meant that jumping from the ledge would not do any harm to either of the boys. Clive knew that if they were caught, he would have a room change. He hoped that if it came to that, then he would be moved up the floors, not down to the basement.
The basement was known throughout the whole of England. It was a system of dungeons with unimaginable devices for torture. Only those who defy layton himself go there. If you do any thing to his trolls, then you would disappear. The basement was the worst thing that could happen to you.
Clive shuddered just thinking about that place. He had not ever been there before, but if they were caught he would most likely end up there. He knew layton would never send Luke down there.
Clive took a proper look at Luke's hand. It was not burnt badly, so he took off the bandages. He felt sorry for the boy. Luke was only trying to help him. Clive knew that to keep Luke safe, he had to get him to his family abroad.
Both boys walked easily out of the manors grounds and in to London. No trolls were around.
Luke tugged on Clive's sleeve. He looked very quizzical.
'Come on Luke, were free! No more layton, so you can speak to me.' Clive said whilst walking down an empty street with Luke.
Luke sighed very heavily. 'Umm, isn't it a bit suspicious that we could walk out of dads house without anyone noticing?'
Clive looked down at Luke. 'Luke he's not your father. Remember that, so don't call him dad.'
Luke stopped walking and scuffed the ground with his foot.
'Clive, will you send me away like you did to flora? You said that you sent her to my real family. Does this mean that we won't see each other again?' Luke's eyes started to fill with tears when he said that.
Clive placed his hands on top of Luke's shoulders.
'Luke, if I send you away, you will go to your family and I will come with you. I promise that I won't be separated from you. OK? Right, now let's go get some things sorted so we can escape this place.'
Luke grabbed Clive's hand. They both walked down the deserted street.
After a while of walking they had got to the market place. Clive was shocked. He covered Luke's eyes with his hands. The market was, like every where else, deserted. The only problem was that the streets were covered with blood. All the street stalls were smashed and splattered with the crimson liquid.
Clive and Luke looked around the place, looking for life, but none was found. Clive looked in every crack and crevice to see what may have gone on there, but a retching sound behind him bought him back to his senses. He turned around and saw a very shaky and pale Luke.
Clive ran up to Luke and hugged him.
'Don't worry lukey. I'll protect you. Looks like what happened here occurred about an hour ago, so it should be safe now.'
'Or not.'
Both boys turned around suddenly. A stranger in all black clothing stepped from the shadows and on to the blood filled cobble stones.
Luke gasped as he instantly recognised who this person was. Clive looked clueless. He stared between Luke and this stranger.
The stranger curled his top lip into a smile. 'I have come to take you home. My masters orders. If you do not come with me, my friends will help me. As I have already seen, you have admired their handy work.' The boy gestured around him.
Clive pulled Luke in close to him. They started to back away, but something blocked their way. More people dressed in black blocked their path.
'I take it that you don't want to come with me? Oh boys I'm disappointed. Especially in you Luke, I thought that we were friends.' The boy was cleaning his nails whilst talking. No emotions were shown in his voice.
'Who are you and what do you want with us?' Clive shouted
All of the people that surrounded Luke and Clive smirked.
The ringleader, the boy who spoke to the boys, stepped forward.
'Well I told you that I am here to take you back home and if you want to know who I or any one else around you is, well just ask Luke.'
Clive immediately turned to look at Luke. Luke just looked speechless. Slowly the young boy looked at every person who surrounded Clive and him.
Once he looked at everyone, he turned back to the ringleader.
'Why are you working for-' Luke quickly glanced at Clive. 'For Layton? You know that he has turned to the dark side. Why trust him after what he did to Misthallery?' A tear escaped Luke's eye.
'So who are they Luke?' Clive asked, still confused.
'This is Crow,' Luke said gesturing to the ringleader, 'and those around us are the black ravens.'
'Don't worry Clive, we know all about you and Luke. My master told me to keep a close eye on you after the flora incident.'
'Incident! I rescued her!' Clive shouted.
Crow snorted. 'It was interesting reading her file. How she was an orphan, craving the master's attention until you kidnapped her and sent her aboard.'
Clive thought that his comment had gone too far. He full hit crow in the face.
Crow had not expected that. His nose as now bleeding, he suspected that it was broken. Crow then glared at Clive, he snapped his fingers and all the ravens started advancing on to Clive and Luke.
Both boys were putting up a good fight, or rather Clive was rather defending Luke well. After a while the toll of having many ravens against two boys were against them. The ravens grabbed the boys. Clive covered in blood and bruises, Luke looked untouched.
Crow waltzed up to Clive. He smirked.
'Right now your only option is to come with me.'
Crow snapped his fingers and the ravens started to drag Luke and Clive back to layton manor.
Layton was at in his office, waiting for the ravens to bring back his sons. He was furious.
'How could that stupid boy try to take Luke from under my nose, especially after what he did to my flora!'
Layton picked up a glass and threw it against the door. He turned to the fire place.
A small knock sounded on the door.
'In' layton muttered. He did not even bother to turn around.
'Master.'
Layton knew that voice. He turned around to find crow bowing at him.
'Ah, crow. Did you get my children?'
Crow stood up. He clicked his fingers and the ravens walked in with Luke and a struggling Clive.
Layton smirked. 'I see Clive put up a bit of a fight.'
'Yes sir, now can we have our reward and go?' Layton slapped crow. Crow fell to the floor and coward to Layton's walking stick.
'Now boy, you and your little gang will get out of my sight. We may discuss your reward later.'
'Yes master.' Crow quickly got up off the floor. He clicked his fingers and the ravens followed crow out of the room.
'Right now you two.' Layton rounded on to Clive and Luke.
'Clive you tried to steal Luke from me AGAIN. You will pay. As for you Luke, you went with him, believed in his lies of freedom. You untied him!'
Clive took a step forward towards layton. He shielded Luke behind him.
'I do not lie! I have always told the truth to Luke. He needs to be protected from people like you. I keep trying to take him away from you for a reason! I will succeed. I succeeded with flora.'
Layton looked livid. He raised his stick, then...lowered it. He rung his little bell. Two trolls came in.
'Take both boys to the basement. Put them where I told you to put them.'
The trolls grabbed the boys. Both boys looked scared and pale. They tried to fight against the trolls, but failed.
'No layton. You can't do this! Not to Luke, its not his fault! Its all mine let him go.' Clive screamed and struggled.
Layton looked towards the fireplace as the boys were dragged to the basement. He sighed.