Chapter 5

The small party crowding around a bar table at the back of newly rebuild "Mangled Mermaid" dockside pub was receiving odd looks. And if anyone among her group had been paying much attention, Alice doubted they could claim stares weren't justified.

With Keir Cheston's secretary, Asia, throwing back drinks like a sailor and a young woman, whom come in attached to Asia and had yet to be introduced to Alice, using manors and kindness not typically brought out in a ruffian bar she didn't really know what else to expect. Alice herself contributing to the luring of quizzical looks; clinging to the aged remains of a white rabbit doll.

"Alice." Asia projected over noise of room as a bartender, that looked like he should be doing anything other then delivered Alice a cup of hot tea, did just that. "We are celebrating are we not? Were you not in the courtroom when it was announced a substantial amount of your inheritance would be returned to you? You must have been because that darling bunny you're smothering has also been given back to you as part of the terms Kier worked out with Radcliff. So why not forget tea for the evening and order something a bit stronger!"

Before Alice could explain that alcohol was fowl smelling and made people act even fowler Asia was cursing that her beer ran low; woman darting off to order more.

With her escort gone lady whom had not let go of Asia sense their arrival went suddenly very red and very bashful.

"I apologize." Proper woman opposite Alice managed to make her quiet voice heard. "Asia likes to drink and thinks everyone else should as well. She gets this way when ever we go out."

"You're out with her often then, I'm sorry, Miss whom exactly?"

"Oh! I though Asia told you she would be bringing me! I apologize. Avery. Candice Avery."

"Avery?" Alice questioned as gears in her head worked on where she had heard name before. Her tone blunt as mechanics snagged on answer. "Kier Cheston's second goodwill case."

"Oh- well- yes." Candice replied with a huddled expression and a bit more pink to her face. "That Avery. I see you have read about me in the newspapers then."

Although Alice had intended to be quick with her response; that she had actually heard more about woman from Asia then newspapers a newcomer made his presence known.

"Good evening Miss Alice, Candice." Kier Cheston swiped off a scarf and hat as he made a gesture much like a bow in greeting. "I apologize. It is rude of me to turn up late to an event I planned. If office work that accompanies court appearances didn't take far too long to organize I'm certain I'd be on time for more occasions."

"It wouldn't take that long if I didn't ketch you dosing or daydreaming ever hour." Coming back to table Asia rambled into her seat next to Candice with a new drink in hand.

"You organized this celebration. You might as well pay for it as well. You can afford it after all. Or you can think of it as my bonus for having to constantly keep you on track."

Alice felt a frown on her face as Mr. Cheston used a smirk to silently reply to his secretary. Look similar to the fist one he had graced Alice with upon their meeting. His features warped into something stranger then a smile, but gentler then a grin.

As teen girl's scared brain tried to reason why a frown was her response to a shared expression her lips simply slanted more. All rational thoughts quickly reasoned out of her mind, frustration began to tap under Alice's skull like a clumsy cancan dancer's footwork. Her perplexed state of mind only altering when her ears recognized too many words in Kier's next dialogue.

"Drink for the both of us then. I'll be returning to Doomsville for a short few days in the morning. Steam trains already make such infernal noises as it is, I don't want to know what they sound like with a head hurting from a night of drinking. I can barley stand such hammering sounds, so much like the harsh work of a violent carpenter, on my limbs let alone my brain."

What logic Alice had was quick to leave her mind as Kier finished his explanation; vacant spot replaying with paranoia. An instant later reflex had taken control of the girl's body. With wide eyes and her frown as low as it could go Alice grabbed onto Kier like she might a card guard she was preparing to impale. Instead of attacking Mr. Cheston, however, her grip yanked young lawyer away from their company; hastily leading way up a set of stairs and into the first room off of second story landing with an ajar door.

"Mr. Cheston." Alice began in a huff. Her mind racing with several elements only she should be familiar with; yet out of coincidence, or something more sickening, her attorney had compressed into one quick statement.

"Ms. Alice?"

"I have been patient with you and with everything about you."

"You have."

"Like my Ches Cat implied I be."

"Ches Cat."

"But this is just too much. You simply can not be this much of a coincidence, Mr. Kier Cheston of Wonder Lane, Doomsville England. Who understands flawed medical practice and laws in favor of a single, orphaned, and mad woman; and also does not like infernal trains and hammering of the carpenter."

Kier let Alice rant her confusion. Possibly to keep her distracted, thoughts eventually catching up with her surroundings, noticing door she had left open had at some point been closed and bolted.

"Do you trust me Ms. Alice?" Mr. Cheston asked as he watched her react to confinement.

Anyone, even someone with as little sanity as Alice, could sense trouble in a lock, an empty room, a young powerful man, and a disturbed girl mixed together. Internal sirens further sounding as man blocking rooms only exit added to his question.

"I'll set you free Ms. Alice. Or would you rather, remember other things? Which is all well and good, yet memory is a curse more often then a blessing."

"What- what did you just say?" All the blood in Alice's body receded to her heart, causing her to go white with faintness and feel as if her chest were going to explode. Her legs began to tremble under a weight places shapely on her head. Her pupils attempted to exceed her irises under newfound stress.

"Don't do that." The girl's drying tongue managed to function while the rest of her strained. "Don't say those words. I've heard those words before."

"Do you trust me Ms. Alice?" Kier repeated.

Alice refused to let her body fall as it struggled with reliving the sayings of a man she'd rather keep far away from her mind. She had once before stood up to his twisted words and therapy, so why did she feel so week now?

"I don't know how, but you obviously know me better then I would like Mr. Kier Cheston." Though, internally she could sense panic and defensiveness settling in Alice bit on her tongue; willing it to sound sharp and deadly. "Despite the fact that I am grateful for what you have done in my favor you make as little sense to me as my mind does to the rest of the world. And now you're cornering me. Speaking innocent words that are like threats to my ears! Why should I trust you?"

"Do you trust me Ms. Alice?"

Uncertainty readying to tear her head apart, not for the fist time in her life, the teen girl's fists clenched; finger nails threatening to draw blood from her palms. Was this version of Cheston part of her own madness bleeding into London? Or was he exposing himself as a foe, much like Bumby had?

"Dear Alice." Kier expressed her name in what could have been either a hiss or a purr. His tone striking Alice like a clock struck the hour on an eerie night something in the girl's head clicked together at hue. As if she had just placed a puzzle piece, she didn't even realize she needed, perfectly into place she ordered.

"Say that again." All the teen girl's concern quickly replacing with disbelief. Which was an accomplished feeling, considering what her head had gone through over the years. "Exactly as you just said it."

"Dear Alice." The moment Kier's already smirking expression broke into something much more grand and ominous Alice knew he had been holding back. Probably sense the moment she introduced herself at his office. But now, he knew, there was no point in putting on a show anymore. She'd caught him by the tail.

"About time, Alice."