Hello peoples of the world. GPB IS BACK FROM THE GRAVE. Yeah, I'm SOOOO sorry that I'm so flip-flapping late. I've had school, movie script to help on, a trip to Washington D.C., I was booked. Anywho, THE FIC IS THE THING!
Tuesday, 3:00pm, Black Market.
John ran. He ran as fast as he could to get out of that mansion. And, having spent years running from Descole and Don Paolo, was fast. He outran Bucky as he brought out a boat for a young couple. He ran past a restaurant where a man was eating soup. He only stopped when he fell down a hole.
How he fell down a hole right next to a brick wall, he will never know. But fall down it he did. He would have split his head open on the stone ground at the bottom had his foot not caught on one of the rungs of the rope ladder on the way down. He hung there, dangling ridiculously for a while, before a figure dressed in black appeared in front of his face.
The figure laughed. "Well, who do we have here?"
"Who wants to know?" John asked as he tried to reach his foot to no avail.
"The only person that will get you down."
John tried once more before he stopped and hung there. With a sigh, he said, "Johnathan Walker. An acquaintance of Professor Hershal Layton."
"Layton? Ah, yes. He was the man who helped out our little haven during the attack of the Specter." The figure reached a hand up and cut the rope holding John's foot, causing him to fall with a crash. "There."
"Aw, you do have a heart."
"No, I just don't want a dangling body scaring away my customers. Now get up and follow me."
"Hey, I told you who I am. Who are you?"
"Out here, I'm the Black Raven."
"Oh, so you're that Crow person."
"NOT SO LOUD!"
"You're yelling twice as loud as I'm talking."
"Never mind. Just follow me. I have something that might be of interest to the Professor." The Black Raven led John do a winding path to a sub market space. There were several items on display here to buy, yet only a few...scratch that, one customer.
At the end of the market place, there was a door that opened into a large amphitheater, where John assumed that auctions took place for some of the more ornate items. Up on the stage, behind the podium, was a red veil that the Black Raven held back. "Go in."
John obliged and found himself in a large room, full of the predetermined "more ornate" items. Though John didn't get a good look because the Black Raven closed the veil and then dropped his costume, revealing a younger boy, decked out in blue pants and hat, red vest, and a white scarf. His brown hair fell over his left eye. And when he spoke, it was a deeper tone than would have been first thought. "Ah, that's better. It's hard to keep up the charade when you are boiling in your own costume."
John stood there and scratched his head. "Wait, you're Crow? The leader of the black market?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"You're younger than I am!"
"And?" Before John could continue, Crow walked over to a safe at the back of the room. Opening it, he took out a small package, wrapped in newspaper. "This is for the Professor." After giving him the package, Crow also handed him a letter. "This came with it."
John looked at the letter. The handwriting on the front of the letter looked like it belonged to someone who was getting on in years. The phrase that was written in ink was this: From a friend.
Tuesday, 3:00pm, Barde Manor
"Are you sure, Inspector?" the professor asked after Grosky gave his account of the records.
"Would I lie? I'm on the Police Force! I took an oath of..."
"Inspector!" Luke cried. "With all due respect, we...don't...care!"
"Well I never...In all my years..."
"Inspector," Emmy started. "Just tell us."
"Fine! Be that way! Yes, there was a stunning lack of any criminal records under the file 'Descole, Jean.' Here."
The Inspector reached into his...strange as it seems...chest hair and produced a file. An empty file. Titled just as the Inspector said.
"And as if that wasn't enough, I found this." Again, his hand shot back to his chest and produced another, this time over-flowing, file. "This one, if I may direct you attention, is titled 'Walker, Johnathan.'"
Flora held a hand to her chin. "That's impossible. In every Shockback we've shared, there's never been a mention of Misthallery at all. I'm pretty sure the first he heard of it was when he got his hands on the newspaper."
This time, Layton began to think. "This does raise a new mystery."
Tuesday, 4:00pm, Barde Manor
John had made his way back to the manor slowly as he pondered what could be in the package. There could be anything in it. Jewels. Codes. Artifacts from old times. Could it even be...
His thoughts were interrupted when a pair of very familiar arms wrapped around his neck from behind. Flora held on tightly to him, whispering into his ear, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
He put the box and letter on the ground beside him before turning around and holding her tightly. "It's not your fault, Flora. Remember what I said."
"I can't help it." Tears began to fall down her face. "I'm..."
John pulled back a little and held her face in his hand. "I know. You have almost too kind of a heart." He smiled at her before planting a soft kiss on her lips. He moved his hand down to her's, rubbing it during the embrace.
As they pulled apart, Flora smiled. Then, she looked down at their interlocked hands. John's hand was the one with the scar. And the scar was glowing.
~Flashback~
John woke up inside of a metal prison. His arms were suspended at the wrist by large metal cords. Smaller wires were hooked up to him as well. Around him were other machines and such that appeared all to be attached to him.
However, the one that caught his attention was the one right in front of his face. He didn't know what it was, but it held his ring, covered in blood. His blood. He could tell this from the ominous red liquid pouring from his left hand.
There was nothing he could do. Descole had hooked him up to his excavation machine. And know, he could hear music start to flow through the window. The machine would awake soon.
He had lost.
Chapter Complete. Well, that's one way to end a chapter. Again, sorry that this is so late, but I just sat down to work on it. Anywho, R&R AND ADIOS!