"Yeah, he's another new one."
What did that mean? She was almost certain that 'the one in the top hat' was Professor Layton and that the boy with him was Luke - but where was Emmy? And who was the girl that they were with? The Azran girl never thought about Descole's accusations - that Emmy really was part of Targent.
Aurora slumped back into the chair in the corner of the room. The talking in the room next door to her had ceased, and she heard a door slam shut followed by the sound of footsteps - more than one pair - which moved further away. The girl listened carefully - seconds later, silence.
Confident that nobody was near, Aurora decided to try and give the door handle a turn.
"Do think that this is it, professor?" Emmy asked as if she knew no better herself. It was difficult acting like she knew little about the place that she had spent years in. Being back again felt unusual - she wished that she could feel more fondly of the place that she had pretty much grown up in, but couldn't shake the lingering feeling of repulsion.
"It seems to be." Layton answered."It is the most ostentatious building here. No doubt it was designed to intimidate."
"But it's deserted! How come there aren't any guards or anything?" Luke asked as he stared up at the building that towered over them. The boy was anxious to go in and find out exactly what was going on, but most of all, he wanted to rescue Aurora.
"That I do not know, my boy." Layton admitted, lifting his hand to his chin. He had to admit to himself that he was feeling rather tense. "There's a chance that they have been positioned elsewhere to give us a false sense of security." The professor explained.
"Well we can't just wait out here! Come on, we have to to go in and find out what Bronev wants." Emmy said over-optimistically as she hastily pushed open one of the large doors.
"We're about ten minutes away, master." Raymond said, keeping his eyes ahead. The pair had exchanged few words - let alone glances - since they had left the dome in Kodh. "Are you ready?"
To his surprise, Raymond was joined by Descole at the front of the ship. "Of course I'm ready." the man replied brimming with confidence. While he had considered infiltrating the Targent headquarters many times before, this was the first time that he was going to act upon those ideas.
Raymond looked over at his master momentarily. "Sir, I don't reccomend that you go dressed like that." He stated, seeing that he was in his mask, hat and cape, before turning his attention back to flying the ship. The butler had to wonder whether the man had even aknowledged how much he stood out in his Descole get-up. "You'll be picked up by them immediately. If you want to go unnoticed you'll need to look as if you belong."
"What do you suggest? I find myself some thrown-out Targent uniform and go in like that? Great idea!" The masked man ridiculed sarcastically, turning to face the shorter, older man.
"More like one of the... researchers, perhaps." The butler proposed, ignoring the sarcasm and taking a hand off the wheel as he spoke.
"No." Descole knew instantly what Raymond was suggesting. "No." He said louder when the other man looked over again. "I only did that to manipulate Layton and look how many problems that caused!" Being forced into acting like his old self only brought on more turmoil and stress - Raymond of all people should have known that.
"You have few other choices, master." The butler said with a sigh. "You'd only need to look like it - I know the whole act reminded you- ah." he stopped himself before he said too much.
Descole exhaled loudly. It was true, he had no other way of going in there unnoticed. "Fine." He snapped, reluctantly throwing his mask down ane heading towards his move.
It was locked. She tried to push it and pull it but her efforts were useless.
Hearing footsteps, Aurora quickly sat back down where she was meant to be. The footsteps belonged to the officer that had put her in the room to start with. The man quickly fiddled with the lock before opening the door just wide enough for himself to get in.
"I reccomend that you don't start getting any ideas like that again. I doubt you'd like what would happen if you did." The officer said. Was that a threat? The man's tone was so bland that she couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious. "We're monitoring this room on our surveliance. If I were you, I'd sit there and not cause us any more trouble."
Nodding obediently, Aurora lowered her head. If the room was monitored then escaping would prove futile - she'd be caught before she made it out, and that would only make things harder for herself.
The second they walked into the building, they were confronted by a tall pillar. It was, without a doubt, one of Azran origin.
"Wow!" Luke exclaimed. "Who'd have thought there would be a massive pillar hidden away in here?"
"I was not expecting it either, Luke. I do wonder how they got it here." Layton said, inspecting the glowing engravings on the column. "If we had Aurora with us then we could have seen what this means. Seeing as we don't then we will just need to continue up."
"Look, Professor, I think that's a lift over there. Shall we take that?" Emmy asked, pointing to the far side of the room.
"Hmm. It appears to be our only option. I don't see any other way up." Layton stated. "But I do worry about that guard over there."
"We were invited here. We can just say that Bronev wants to see us." Luke said resolutley. Any other time he would be terrified, but today he was determined - determined to save his friend.
"Luke is right." Emmy agreed. "If they hear that we are here under the reqests of their boss then I doubt they will try to stop us." That or the fact they're with a fellow Targent member already, Emmy thought.
"Desm-" Raymond began to call as his master walked in, before stopping himself. He must have been getting forgetful in his old age - forgetful or hopeful. "Master," he corrected himself. "Are you going to be okay? It will be dangerous."
"Should be." the man grunted, pretending not to hear Raymond almost call him Desmond. Like the butler had suggested, he wasn't going to put on another act - sure, he'd look like the famous archaeologist that he used to be, but he had no intentions of showing any hint of his old character. "I guess this will have to do as far as protection goes." He said, holding out a sword only half the size of his usual one. This one only just fit inside his jacket. "Raymond, you stay in here, it will be safer."
"Aye." Raymond nodded, carefully landing the Bostonius next to a tiny yellow plane - it looked just as out of place as their bright red airship. "Is it usually this quiet here?" The butler asked with worry once he had stopped the engine.
"It was never this quiet..." The man thought out loud, adjusting his glasses (he had found a spare pair while tidying up the mess that Emmy had made in his desk). "It is quite unsettling. I suppose they are planning something."
"Are you still going to do it, master?" Raymond asked.
"Of course."
