Ezekiel smiled at his probable triumph. "If you stay with us I might be able to tell you something you need to know about Lyell."

Charlie slowly turned around.

"I'm listening."*

"If you work with us, I can tell you where your father is if you'd like."

Charlie could hardly think.

"Just let me know when you decide."

"…yes, sir," Charlie walked out of the room.

Dr. Bloor was talking as he led him back to Venetia but Charlie was hardly conscious of it.

His thoughts were on what Ezekiel had said:

'If you work with us, I can tell you where your father is if you'd like.'

Is he lying? But somehow that thought seemed outrageous and unlikely.

"Charlie… Charlie… CHARLIE, are you even listening to me?" Dr. Bloor's voice interrupted his thoughts and he was tempted to snap at him. But the day wasn't over yet.

"…no… sorry, sir…"

Dr. Bloor sighed but he didn't talk anymore so Charlie zoned out again.

I have to get dad back… I just have to… so… I guess…

"Sir?"

Dr. Bloor glanced at him.

"I need to tell Ezekiel something."

"Go ahead." Said Dr, Bloor waving his hand towards the hall that indirectly led to the attics.

"Yes, sir."

Charlie ran down the hall, around a corner—and into Tancred Torrson.

"Charlie, what has gotten into you? You've avoided us all day!"

"Yeah…, I've got to go!"

Charlie continued quickly down the halls, completely unaware that Tancred quietly followed.

Tancred followed Charlie up through the halls. Higher and higher they went.

Where is he going?

Finally they reached the attics.

Why on earth would Charlie come here?

Charlie swiftly weaved through the attics making one or two wrong turns and having to retrace his steps so it took him some time before he got to Ezekiel's room.

Charlie knocked.

"Who is it?"

Tancred tried to stifle a gasp and force sense out of his head for comfort.

Maybe he has a good explanation for being here… maybe he has to come… yeah that's it… Dr. Bloor made him come… or matron… or Manfred…

"Charlie Bone," he seemed nervous about being here.

There. He doesn't want to be here…

"Come in!" screeched the horribly metallic voice of Ezekiel Bloor.

Charlie walked in and closed the door behind himself.

Tancred walked up to the door and put him ear on it.

"Have you made up your mind, Charlie?"

There was silence for a moment.

"Yes, sir…"

"And what did you decide? Are you going to take my offer or not? You'd have to take an oath."

Charlie took a deep breath.

Dad would be worth that though wouldn't he?

"Yes, sir… I am."

"Okay, then be in Manfred's office at lunch tomorrow. I'll have Florence de Grey there with us waiting, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly there was a strong wind blowing everything all over the place and then there was rain and even a little bit of lightning.

Tancred didn't know what exactly had just happened, but he knew that Charlie had just taken some offer from Ezekiel Bloor and that Billy's ex-foster mother had something to do with it… Tancred did NOT need to go through what they had gone through with Billy again with Charlie. One problem. Charlie was very stubborn.

He stormed (hehe) down to the garden to tell everybody what he had heard.