There had been a reply from Professor Layton, and he agreed to come. Even Luke and Emmy were coming. It excited Elaine, though she was also a bit nervous. She wasn't going to try and kid herself. Desmond would at some point reveal himself as Descole. It worried her because she wasn't sure if the others would assume she was fully working against them now. But as quick as that idea had come, it had vanished as soon as she thought more rationally about it. From what she had put in her letter, they would probably assume she just had very terrible luck to have run from Descole only to run into him again without realising it.
Elaine tried to imagine such a scenario. It was a bit hard to imagine how she could have ended up fleeing from Descole, but running into him later on without realising it didn't sound too farfetched as far as Elaine could tell. Sounded fairly realistic considering her luck. Although, she couldn't really say it's been awful lately.
But back to the matter at hand, the Professor and co. would be here eventually (depending on the weather since Raymond was picking them up on the Bostonius), and it left Elaine with some time to be alone with Desmond before they arrived. It would be odd to see how truly close they were in such a short amount of time after all. Elaine wasn't too bothered by that. They could probably sneak something when there was a golden opportunity anyway.
"So it asks us to 'divides into fours'?" Desmond asked, raising a brow to the puzzle they had just discovered on the ground. How they had missed it until a short time ago was beyond them, but there was no use dwelling on it longer than necessary. Besides, it had been covered up fairly well by some of the plant life that had managed to survive these icy conditions.
"Oui, indeed," Elaine confirmed as she looked up at the frozen girl. "I guess we can at least confirm she was frozen on purpose. Whatever it might be." Focus back on the puzzle, Elaine scowled lightly. "I 'ate these sort of puzzles. They remind me too much of math."
"Then let someone else solve it," Desmond bluntly said. "We have the solution for our problem at least. It's actually quite exciting, isn't it?"
"It is, actually," Elaine agreed with a small smile. "Definitely worth coming 'ere. … Do you think that Targent might be 'ere eventually?"
"They're probably here already. Might have even found the entrance. However, if that is the case it seems to have fooled them for now." He had a confident smirk on his face, though it faltered briefly. "Though, my luck with them has never been the greatest to be completely honest."
"Like my luck with you?" Elaine asked, in a slightly humorous way.
"I suppose." Desmond pressed his hand against the ice, looking deep in thought. "I always wanted vengeance on Targent since they first came into my life. And this… I swear I can almost taste it." He clenched a tight fist against the cold surface, muttering, "I will get that vengeance."
"I'm sure you will," Elaine agreed though keeping a neutral tone. "Then you'll 'ave your daughter back, I'm sure."
"Johanna…" He had a slightly faraway look in his eyes. "She would be nine now. I wonder if she still remembers me?"
"I would think so. I don't see why not." Elaine stood up and stretched her arms. "I'm going to go stretch my legs for a bit. Won't be too long."
"Don't go too far."
"Oui, oui," Elaine said in a lightly dismissive tone, turning to walk towards the cave tunnel. Just a little walk and then she would be back. Simple as that.
She hummed to herself as she walked. No specific song in mind, just random little hums of any kind she could make. As much as she loved archaeology, no one could deny that it was always wonderful to get a break from something.
Tap, tap, tap.
Elaine slowed her walk to a stop. While she trusted Desmond when he had said there would be a low of any Targent members finding them, she was still a bit uneasy about hearing footsteps of another living being here. It definitely couldn't be Raymond. It sounded like three…
She bit her lip first, but decided it would be worth a risk and continued on with her walk. Though she tried to keep some level of guard up. Turning a small corner though, a welcoming smile broke out on her face as her guard went down again. It was just those they had been expecting after all. Desmond did say he'd leave a clue that certainly only Professor Layton would notice.
"Elaine!" Before Elaine could have said hello, Luke had already ran up to her with a grin on his face. "Great to see you again, Elaine. I wasn't sure we would."
"Well, I suppose my luck is a bit odd like that. Isn't it?" Elaine lightly joked. "But it's good to see you all again. Under better circumstances of course."
"Quite. I was actually quite surprised by your letter after what happened in Monte d'Or," the Professor remarked. Elaine cringed a bit at that memory.
"Ah, oui. I think it's only right to apologies now while the topic is up."
"You've already apologised and it's been accepted. Though it wasn't really necessary."
"I know but it's only right. 'Ow's Madeline by the way? And 'Enry?"
"They're both fine and as far as I can tell, Henry doesn't seem to hold a grudge against you if that's your concern," said Professor Layton. Hearing this put Elaine at a little more ease. Now she just had to apologise face to face as soon as she could.
"That's good. But I'm sure you're anxious to see the mummy and Desmond."
"Desmond?" Emmy repeated questioningly, looking slightly amused before Elaine fixed her slight slip.
"Oh, I mean Professeur Sycamore. We, er… 'ave gotten along quite well since meeting," Elaine explained as she rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish look. This was one of those moments where a lie was not really told. She did just officially meet Professor Sycamore a couple of months ago. Before that it was Descole she knew. So nope. No real lying.
At least from Elaine's point of view.
"But anyhow, the mummy awaits. I promise you won't be disappointed," Elaine assured with small grin. "Just up ahead this tunnel."
"Thank you. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you escape Descole and meet Professor Sycamore?"
"I'm not really comfortable with that first question," Elaine answered Professor Layton as they began walking. Purposely walking ahead to avoid eye contact, and so they wouldn't notice her fidgeting with her fingers too much. "But the latter is straight foreword enough. I was walking through the snow, and I was 'eading towards Froenburg since that was the first place I saw even if it was at a far distance. On the way, I met Professeur Sycamore and we talked a bit.
"The conversation turned to his latest research and 'e offered to let me come with 'im so I accepted. It felt like a good idea at the time, and… 'Ere I am."
"Well I'm sure it's a pleasant change."
"Pleasant indeed."
Desmond hadn't really changed his place since Elaine left. He still stood in front of the ice block, though he wasn't touching the ice as he had been then. Turning around, he smiled.
"Professor Layton. It's quite an honour."
"The honour is all mine, Professor Sycamore." They shuck hands in greetings. Light chat was made before the living mummy was revealed to them. The greatest find in the field off archaeology not only in this century, but in the entire history of the study.
"So you say this mummy is alive?"
"Yes," Desmond confirmed for Professor Layton. "It seems incredible, but that girl is alive. The heat from her body creates a temperature gradient within the ice. It's not much, but it's a clear sign of life.
"Surely that's impossible…"
"I cannot say what kind of scientific or biological phenomena are at work here… But she appears to be in suspended animation. Some sort of cryogenic sleep."
"This is crazy…" Emmy said lowly, just audible as she looked back up at the girl. Elaine could understand. The idea of someone being frozen for so long and to still be alive, likely healthy as well, did sound like it would be farfetched with just words to back it up. But the evidence was here, in the flesh. Just barred with ice that would soon be broken by the looks of things.
"So, how do you plan for us to break the ice?" asked Professor Layton, and Desmond was quick to answer.
"We found a tablet hidden on the floor in front of the ice not too long ago. It translates to, 'divide into fours'." Desmond gestured towards the puzzle. "Would you like to do the honours, Professor? I think it's only fitting you do it. I've heard you have an interest in puzzles."
"Well, I suppose I could take a look." The Professor knelt down and studied the puzzle. He hummed to himself, moving pieces where necessary. He appeared to be doing it with ease, though he was careful to take his time.
"And… That should do it." The Professor put the last piece down. All of it was divided into fours.
As he stood, rumbling started to happen from the ice. Lines of light appeared around the ice in straight lines, dividing the frozen structure like a puzzle. The ice then moved and slid apart, air escaping from it to cause a small wind. The ice encasing the girl shattered apart into nothing as water came down, and the girl fell though Professor reacted first and caught her. Compared to Professor Layton, everything physical about her seemed pale in comparison. Almost glowing even.
She was quickly laid on a blanket (looking a bit like some kind of Sleeping Beauty), and Desmond began to check her vitals.
"Is she okay?" Elaine asked, giving the mummy an unsure look. She could just barely see her chest rise and fall with breathing, though it could be a simple case of her body getting use to breathing again after so long.
"It's strange," Desmond commented as he held her wrist, a confuse look on his face. "She's warm to the touch, but I can't feel her pulse." Emmy appeared to be ready to ask something, but the girl began to stir a bit.
"She's moving!" gasped Luke.
"Surely not," Professor Layton said, looking a bit doubtful that she would be moving now.
But she was. Slowly opening her eyes, a blue tinged grey, she lifted her hand up to look at it before she noticed the small group around her and gave a small gasp and looking startled and maybe even a little frightened. A reaction most people would likely have in her situation.
"This is remarkable. Trapped in ice all this time, and yet here she is before us."
"We better take her somewhere warm."
Everything today seemed to have been going well. The girl had been freed from her icy prison and was solid, concrete proof of the Azrans existence. Desmond was quick to wrap her in the blanket, their next destination to be the Bostonius or somewhere in town.
Click.
Looking back in the direction of the tunnel, soldiers of Targent could be seen with guns aimed towards them. Their leader, Bronev, not too far behind. A confident smirk on his face as Elaine noticed Desmond tense from the corner of her eyes, while her own hands stiffened.
"Thank you. We'll take it from here."