Chapter 11 - Helping Hands
"Well, what am I supposed to say? I don't know what to do. My baby is gone. Our family is a mess..."
"How could this have happened..." Randall held his head in his hands as Angela wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "If you have a grudge against someone, the last thing you do is take it out on a newborn baby!"
"I know, Master Randall..." Henry rested a hand on his shoulder.
"But I don't get it. Where's Hershel? Why didn't he call me and tell me? Why didn't Emmy get in touch either?"
"Well, they're both going through so much, randy. They both must be exhausted..." Angela sighed. She watched the television as Bronev lead a broken Emmy off the stage and switched it off.
Randall looked p at his wife. "You know what we have to do now?"
Angela nodded determinedly.
"I will pack our bags and arrange for a carer to look after your mother, master Randall. You ought to settle your affairs and prepare for our journey..."
"Are all of you reporters here to listen to me telling you how much I miss him? To say how I miss the sound of his voice or how the house feels so empty without him? Because I never even got to do any of that..."
Arianna wiped a tear from her eye and rested her head on her brother's shoulder. "I can't believe this is happening to her... To them... After they've helped so many people over the years... They don't deserve this."
Tony wrapped an arm around her shoulder and nodded as he watched Emmy pour her heart out. Seeing her eyes fill up with tears and the grief etched on her face brought up terrible memories...
The other black ravens nodded and murmured in agreement. Crow, the leader of the group as ever, stood up and addressed the lot of them.
"I'm sure you all agree with me when i say that we need to do something about this."
"Definitely!" Wren nodded fiercely as her brother,Socket, stood up too.
"Professor Layton and Emmy helped us when we needed it most. Now it's payback time."
"Yeah! Let's do this!" the other Black Ravens brought up the rear.
"So how do you propose we get to London without our parents finding out?" Marilyn asked, ever the sensible Black Raven. "I mean, we have no transport, no sense of direction, seeing as none of us has been outside Misthallery since, like, birth, plus we have to manage the market, I mean, have you guys forgotten that we have a Naiya Matthew record collection up for auction this weekend? It's worth a fortune, it hasn't even been played, or opened, and they're all in their original sleeves-"
"That's not important!" Wren snapped. "Rule number one of the Black Ravens, Marilyn; friends come first, money comes later!"
"Wren is right, Marilyn," Crow said simply. "Although, you do make a good point about our parents. They'll never let us go to London on our own, and they can't exactly afford for us to shut up shop so soon..."
"Maybe if we explain the situation, that we're going to help the great man who saved Misthallery, they'll understand," Gus said hopefully.
"Yeah, Gus. And maybe they'll hire us a private jet to get there in," Roddy sighed, shaking his head. "This whole thing is a pain in the butt, it really is."
"I can pay for transport, money isn't a problem," Arianna said, lifting her head off of Tony's shoulder. "And we can call Flora to meet us at the bus station and show us to Layton's place. And if any of your parents need money, all they have to do is get onto Doland or Beth and they can arrange a wire transfer."
"There!" Wren said happily. "That covers all the bases!"
Marilyn sighed. "Somehow, I don't think my parents will be too happy to accept charity, or to let me go off without adult supervision... Or anyone else's parents..."
"Well, they'll have to lump it if we're going," Wren scoffed. "Because either we all go or none of us go. We're not leaving a single person behind."
They all looked at each other, then at Marilyn.
Marilyn smiled. "I suppose... We do owe it to them..."
Crow nodded. "We'll just have to go quick, without anyone else knowing. We can face the music when we get back..."
"I barely got the cot together when he was born, I only got to hold him twice. He didn't even make it in the front door. I've never even been able to spend one full night with him, because that bitch took him and everything else away from me..."
Carla and Antonio waited by the luggage checkout, watching the British news on Antonio's cell phone. Carla watched Emmy concernedly as Bronev pulled her into a tight hug. She felt Antonio's arm wrap around her shoulders. She hugged him back and sighed.
Xavier and Aldaz returned from the vending machine and handed their two worried companions coffees. Xavier peeked at the news on the cell phone and sighed as he watched Bronev lead a distraught Emmy away.
"This is sick," he said, making Carla and Antonio look up. "What kind of psycho kidnaps a baby out of jealousy? I can't wait for Emmy to get her hands on her..."
"He's been missing for days, Xavi," Carla pointed out. "Emmy's probably past the pummeling stage of her grief. She's probably out of her mind with worry..."
Antonio kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. We'll find Alfendi, Carla. We will find him, whatever it takes..."
"You bet," Aldaz piped up, taking his sister's hand. "Alfendi is family, and no one messes with us. Ever. We will get to the bottom of this."
"I never even got a photo of him. I can't be a mother to him because he's God-knows-where with a psychopath and I can't find him!"
"What did Layton tell you before he left?" Alicia asked her son, unable to take her eyes off the television screen.
"He suspects that there is a connection between Emmeline and Ms. McIntyre that no one else knows about. Not even Emmeline," Alex replied as he tapped away on his laptop.
Alicia frowned, tearing her eyes away from the screen to look at her son. "What kind of connection? And what the devil are you doing on that thing?"
"I'm not sure how Emmeline could know this person. It all sounds dodgy to me. And I'm looking up a contact for Professor Layton, an accomplice to Emmeline's birth father in a sex scandal he committed years ago..." Alex frowned. "You don't know a doctor named Darnell Alecksa, do you?"
Alicia shook her head. "No, why?"
Alex nodded. "I've found him. He's in Prague, and it loos like he's been here for the last thirty years or so. Same address and everything... I'd better give Layton a call, he should have landed by now."
"Layton's in Prague?" Alicia looked confused. "Alexander, what are you getting yourself into?"
"This is to do with Emmeline, I have to investigate..." He pulled out his mobile and dialled Layton's number from the paper he received earlier. "Layton. The doctor lives in Politických vězňů 1511/5, Praha 1. Let me know what he tells you." He hung up immediately.
"I really don't know what Layton expects to find in Prague," Alicia sighed. "The poor man must be out of his mind."
"You don't know him like Emmeline and I do, mother," Alex replied. "His search for the truth takes him far and wide, yet he always manages to find it. I wouldn't doubt his skills, mother. He may well be onto something... Something big..."
"If he's anything like Leon, he's on a one-way trip to nowhere," Alicia said darkly. "That brother of mine has been up to no good since childhood. No wonder Emmeline is in the state she's in now."
Alex sighed. "Judging by the evidence Layton has shown me, I think he's on the right track."
"Well, try telling that to poor Emmeline," Alicia replied. "The poor thing is going out of her mind with worry..."
"Well, I'm finished for now," Alex said, shutting his laptop gently, "So let's go and see her."
"What do you mean you're in Prague? Why?" Arianna asked incredulously. "The professor has some sort of lead? But you haven't talked about it yet? Well, get back to me when you know, okay Flora? Is Emmy with you?" A pause. "So how do I get to your house from the bus stop outside the university...?"
"Prague...?" Crow muttered. He caught Marilyn's eye, but she merely shrugged.
"Oh, okay, I get you. Thanks Flora. Yeah, I will. Bye." She hung up the phone and sighed.
"What's she doing in Prague?" tony asked, confused.
"She thinks the professor has a lead, but she doesn't know exactly, they only just landed, and they were busy sorting accommodation and everything... But their place is just up that road past the university and a left, so we should get there okay."
"Right, we should get moving," Crow decided, rounding everyone up. "We'll go to Layton's place first and see what the story is, then find a place to stay. Let's go everyone."
Just behind them, however, was the De La Vega/Van De Garde crew.
"Where exactly does Emmy live?" Antonio asked, scratching his head.
"Well, she and the professor live near the university, she told me that when we came over for her wedding..."
"Wait! Shut up! Listen!" Aldaz nudged her and she fell silent.
"We'll go to Layton's place first and see what the story is, then find a place to stay. Let's go everyone."
Carla smiled at him and tussled his hair. "Let's follow them."
After Emmy's statement to the press, they had finally decided to back off, and Emmy was finally able to return home. The Triton's had decided to look for accommodation in London. As soon as they arrived, Emmy had rushed upstairs to sleep in her own bed for a change, and Bronev and Celeste invited themselves into the kitchen for a cup of tea. There was a strained, worried silence amongst them before Celeste finally spoke up.
"I think Emmeline ought to go to her doctor for a check up. Goodness knows what all this stress is doing to her," Celeste said, sipping her tea.
Bronev nodded. "Yes. I'll phone for an appointment first thing tomorrow morning, I suppose."
"And she ought to have a bath and try to relax. Excess stress can cause all sorts of health problems, she has to be careful. The last thing little Alfendi needs when he comes home is stress and his mother unwell."
"I think you should talk to her, Celeste. Try to get her to offload some of the stress. You've really gotten through to her in the last couple of years, and I think she'll be able to let it all out if you speak to her."
"Well, I would have thought that you would be able to relate to her situation a lot more than I would, Leon..."
"..."
"Tell her you know how she feels, and it'll make her feel better," Celeste encouraged him. "She won't feel so alone if she really knows how you can relate to her situation."
But before Bronev could reply, there was a loud knock on the door.
"I'll go," Celeste said, clasping his shoulder as she passed him.
Bronev placed a hand on his shoulder where she had touched him. A peculiar sensation suddenly came over him as he heard her answer the door. He shook his head. "It's nothing..." He got up and followed Celeste to the door.
Celeste opened the door, expecting it to be Scotland Yard, but to her surprise, she was greeted by a group of children. "... Can I help you?"
"We're looking for Emmy Altava," Marilyn replied. "Now, please tell me we've got the right house, because we've barged into about six other houses before this one..."
"What do you want with Emmy?" Celeste asked. "I don't know if you've seen the news, but she's under a lot of strain right now-"
"We're here to help find her son," Crow interrupted, stepping forward. "Just tell her that the Black Ravens are here to help and she'll understand."
"She's sleeping," Bronev said curtly, joining Celeste at the door. "And, may I ask, why would a bunch of children like yourselves want to help my Emmeline, and how?"
"We'll do anything in our power to help her and Professor Layton to repay them for saving Misthallery."
Celeste turned and caught Bronev's eye. He nodded.
"Come in."
But just as she was about to shut the door, she heard a familiar voice call out to her.
"Dr. Folley, wait!"
Celeste opened the door again and smiled. "Mrs. De La Vega, how good to see you again. Do come in."
"How is Emmy?" Carla asked, hurrying inside with her brothers and Antonio.
"Well, the press have been hounding her something rotten and she's been staying at Leon's place, she's only just gotten home and she's in bed now, she's exhausted-"
But as Celeste tried to shut the door, someone stopped it.
"Charming," Randall smiled as he strolled in the door. "Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I would like to know exactly what is going on here."
"And I would like to see Emmeline." a lady who appeared to be in her late sixties pushed past Henry, Angela and Randall to greet Celeste. "My name is-"
"Alicia," Bronev grunted. "A pleasure, as always. This way," he gestured to the living room. She entered the house and followed Bronev, with Alex in hot pursuit.
"Come into the kitchen, all of you, I bet you're all gasping for something to drink after your long journey," Celeste called, gesturing for everyone to congregate in the kitchen. "I will explain the situation as best I can. Carla," Celeste took her by the arm and lead her aside as everyone else filed into the kitchen. "I wonder could you check on Emmy for me. I'm sure she would love to see you, especially at a time like this..."
"Of course," Carla smiled. "Thank you doctor." She made her way upstairs. She peeked in every door she passed to try and figure out where Emmy slept - the bathroom, a pink bedroom which appeared to be Flora's room, the professor's study, filled with artefacts and maps - then she entered a red bedroom with a large king-size bed and Emmy and Layton's wedding photo and several other pictures of them and Flora adorning the walls and their bedside tables. Yet the bed hadn't been slept in. Carla frowned as she left the room to try and find her cousin. After looking around a bit more, she stumbled upon a yellow bedroom with a cot and a mobile hanging above it adorned with stars and puzzle pieces, and sat beside it was Emmy's shaking form. She was crying silently and trying with all her might to suppress her sobs. Carla looked on at the scene sadly and approached her. She wrapped an arm around Emmy's shoulders.
Emmy jumped and spun around, gasping as she tried to keep her composure.
"It's okay, Em," Carla soothed. "It's okay... Let everything out, I'm here... You can tell me anything, you know you can..."
Emmy shook her head and whimpered. She shuddered, breathing deeply.
"Emmy, sweetheart..." Carla whispered. "What the hell has that awful woman done to you?"
"She took my-my baby," Emmy gasped, tears running down her cheeks. "My baby-gone Hershel-gone Flora-gone-"
"Emmy's everything will be okay, I promise you," Carla assured her.
"No... Hershel-said-thinks-my-fault-"
"Nobody blames you, Emmy, this isn't your fault, it's McIntyre's," Carla said firmly.
"Hershel-gone-hate-me-"
"Nobody hates you, Emmy, Hershel loves you-"
"No one understands!" she wailed, her head in her hands. "This is all my fault-"
"No Emmy-"
"I should have stayed awake, I should have watched him, and now he's gone! They're all gone and it's all my fault!" She gripped her own hair.
"Emmy, please don't talk like that! Everything will be okay, you'll see! We'll find him! When you calm down, you can come downstairs with me and you'll see. Everyone is down there, Angela, Randall, Henry, Antonio and the boys and these kids called the Black Ravens - everyone wants to help, and you know why? Because you're such a kind and caring person, and you've helped every single person down there. And now we want to help you." Carla took Emmy's wrist in her hand. "Please don't beat yourself up over this, Emmy. Alfendi needs you."
"I-I want to go out there and find him, but I can't - I'm so tired-"
"You've just had a baby, and you're so stressed that you can't think straight. That's what we're here for. We'll do all the thinking and the searching and the everything, but you, Missy, are going straight to bed and having a cup of cocoa and are going to focus on yourself and your health for when Alfendi comes home."
"But what if-"
"And he will come home, I promise you. Look at me, Emmy."
Emmy looked into her eyes.
"It's just gonna be you and me for a bit. You're gonna go to bed, rest up and leave everything else to everyone else. And knowing what Hershel's like, it won't be long before he comes back with Flora."
"I'm so scared... That she's done something to my boy..."
"There's no evidence to say that, Emmy, and for now we really shouldn't assume that. They are out there, Emmy, and we will find them. I swear to you."
Emmy wrapped her arms around her shoulders.
"C'mon; let's get you into bed so you can get some proper rest." She helped Emmy onto her feet and lead her into her own room. "Everything will be okay. I promise you, we will find him. Just trust me."