Chapter 24 – Erased From Existence
"So what exactly did Bronev say, Emmy?" Luke asked from the back of the Laytonmobile.
"He just said to get over there quick and that it was urgent, then he hung up," Emmy replied worriedly, biting her lip.
"Uncle Leon..." Little Emmy whispered, looking anxious.
Luke took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "It'll be okay, Emmy. Bronev can handle himself." Little Emmy shrugged as she stared absent-mindedly out of the window. "Something is wrong with Uncle Leon, I know it..."
"Andrea must have strong allies on her side," the professor said. "Someone who is capable of wiping another person's memory is a very dangerous person. Hopefully, we will be able to catch this person out and have them locked up before any harm can come of anyone else. Here we are." The Professor pulled up outside Celeste's house. "Let's see what the problem is here." The four of them got out of the car and rushed up to Celeste's door. Emmy reached it first and banged loudly on it. "Uncle Leon! Uncle Leon, are you okay?!"
The door opened, and Celeste stood there looking grave. "It's Andrea. She's here and she's got us backed up in a corner. We have to let her get the machine. Come in and see for yourself."
The four followed Celeste into the kitchen. Little Emmy stared at her uncle, tied to one of Celeste's chairs with the helmet contraption on his head. The professor glared into the eyes of the person standing behind him holding the control. Andrea smiled at him, her older counterpart at er side, wearing an identical expression on her face.
"What on earth is going on here?" the professor demanded.
"Vat are you doing to my uncle?!" Little Emmy shouted, stepping forward with fists clenched.
"Take one more step," Andrea droned, one finger placed teasingly on the activation button of the control, "and you will all disappear."
"Do as she says, Emmeline," Leon said gently.
"What is that on his head?" the professor asked, forcing himself to stay calm.
"This," Andrea's counterpart said, pointing to the helmet, "is a memory eraser. Now, as you all know very well, Bronev here is not from this time, and you all would not be who you are this day if he did not exist. So, if my counterpart here were to push this button..."
Andrea raised her finger threateningly.
"No! Don't do it!" Markus cried.
"The choice is yours," Andrea smarmed. "Give me what I want, or die."
"Do it."
Everyone turned to stare at the person who just spoke.
"Do it," Emmy repeated. "I dare you."
The professor shook his head viciously at Emmy.
"What is the meaning of this, girl?" Bronev hissed.
"Very well," Andrea smiled and pushed the button.
"No!" Leon yelled. But it was too late. Dim lights flashed before Leon's eyes as he felt himself going drowsy. Just like Desmond did.
Everyone watched in horror as blue lights flashed and wired on the helmet and as every memory Leon Bronev ever had began to fade away. Suddenly, the same thing happened to Bronev. He held his head and collapsed to the floor, yelling. Mere moments later, the same happened to everyone else, including Andrea.
"Why is this happening?!" she shrieked.
"This wasn't supposed to happen!" her older counterpart yelled.
A bright white light engulfed the lot of them and within a fraction of a second engulfed everything and everyone which had ever even interacted with Professor Layton and his companions, erasing them from existence.
Almost everyone.
While all of this was happening, at home, Flora's vomiting had ceased some and she was sitting up in bed, while Hershel kept her company. She seemed a little more cheerful as she and Hershel talked about the current situation.
"So, there was an older Emmy and Professor too?"
"Yes, and their son, Alfendi."
"Alfendi... that's a cool name. It's really unusual!"
"Yeah."
"Uurgh..." Flora went pale again.
"Oh dear, are you going to get sick again?" Hershel bent down and picked up Flora's bucket. Suddenly, a split-second later, a bright light surrounded Flora.
What on earth...?" Hershel thought, confused, as he shielded his eyes.
Moments later, the light faded away, as did Flora, to Hershel's shock.
"Flora!" Hershel cried, trying to grab her arm. But his fingers went through it. Flora looked at him, terrified, as she quickly faded away. Hershel's heart pounded in his chest.
"What on earth could have happened now?!"
Little Emmy stood shaking as she stared at her unconscious uncle. Many questions really should have been running through her mind, but she was in too much shock to even register that. She knelt beside her uncle and took off the helmet, throwing it across the room.
"Uncle Leon?" she cried, shaking him.
Nothing happened. He lay there slumped over the back of the chair he was tied to, in a deep sleep. Little Emmy untied him and gently lifted him from the chair, which proved a difficult task, what with her still being so small, and lowered him to the floor. Tears fell from her eyes.
"Vat am I going to do now?"