Hola. Just so you guys know, at some point in the story I might not update for a while. I'll be plotting out the remainder of the story, as my current plot is somewhat complicated and I'm not sure if it will work. For now I'll continue writing but once the main action reaches a crucial point I may take a break.

Shimmering-Sky: Character injury? Death? Maaaaaaaybe...or maybe not. I'm not giving anything away yet :D

Hollyshadow the medicine cat: I'm just as excited as you are! I have sooooooo many ideas for this story...not sure how many will make the cut but still!

Enjoy this chapter! This is the last chapter in the first part of the story. We enter HM Prison Belmarsh and free Bronev and Clive. And the mastermind prepares his first move...

Chapter Eleven

The Great Escape

"Don't get hurt."

Those were Flora's final words to Emmy before the latter had to leave for Gressenheller University. There, she and a few others would devise a plan to get Bronev and Clive out of prison.

Emmy laughed. "It's alright, Flora. You know me. The Professor's first assistant! This will be a piece of cake!"

"But it's the most secure prison in the entire country..."

"Oh..." Emmy remembered. "Oh well. Still a piece of cake! I'll come back in one piece all right."

"If you say so," Flora answered meekly. "Tell the Professor I said hi."

"I'm off, Raymond. Do take care of the house, and do refrain from letting in guests."

"Of course, master."

Descole took one last glance at himself in the mirror.

Fashionable hat? Check!

Face mask? Check!

Cape? Check!

As Descole turned to leave, there was only one thing left to consider.

What will they think of me?

"I don't know why he needs criminals to help him with this matter. Knowing them, they'll probably try and take the Oculus for themselves."

"Calm down, Angela. I bet Tom's got a good reason. Plus, I know Hershel knows both of them personally. It'll be fine...and fun!"

"Alright then," said Angela, though she still looked unconvinced. "Henry says that he wishes you the best of luck."

"Oh, Henry..." Randall sighed. "I tried to destroy his city, and he's still loyal to me. Sometimes I really haven't considered how lucky I am to have you and him."

Angela kissed him. "Those days are behind us. That's all in the past. Oh, and Randall?"

"Yes, Angela?"

"Come back alive."

Randall saluted. "Yes, cap'n!"

"Crow, do you think we really should help Tom break into prison?" queried Wren.

"That's...that's illegal!" Badger shuddered. "We could get arrested!"

"So?"

"BRAVERY, BADGER!"

"Do you honestly think Tom doesn't realize that?" Crow sighed. "There must be a reason why these two prisoners are so important to him. He wouldn't risk his and others' lives to free them otherwise. Since he doesn't want us to be in danger, he did say it was optional for us to come, but...we are the Black Ravens! We have hid from others all our lives, and we have thrived. We gotta help him, and them!"

And as Crow said those words, all of the Black Ravens cheered and forgot what they were arguing about in the first place.

Such was the charisma of Crow.

It feels great being a leader.

"Claire, I'm very sure there's nothing wrong with my collar, or my cap, or my jacket. Now, can I leave?"

"Hush, you. You have to look your very best."

"Even though I'm probably going to ruin my outfit?"

"Especially since you're going to ruin your outfit."

The female mind works in mysterious ways. "I'm breaking into a prison, Claire. I'm not attending a party. There's no one to impress."

"I know."

"...are you just trying to mess with me?"

"Perhaps."

"I hate you."

"Oh! And before you leave, take this." Claire held out a gray flash drive. "My friend gave this to me before I, well..." She trailed off. "Anyway. It's a decryption device. Just in case, you know, you need it."

Tom stared at the object for a long time. "Claire, you have just made my task infinitely easier. Thank you very much." He took the device and slipped it into his pocket.

"You're welcome. Tell Hershel I said hi."

"You know I can't."

Claire sighed. "I know, but still...can you just pretend it's some sort of spiritual thing where I'm talking from the afterlife? Or something like that. You know, twist the truth."

"Fine. I will." Tom left the room.

Professor Layton paced back and forth in his office, waiting for his guests to arrive. Part of him, the methodical, calculating part, was wondering how the enemy mentioned in Tom's letter would strike first.

The other part of him, the gentlemanly, social part, was incredibly nervous about meeting his acquaintances after such a long time.

Emmy...she was a great assistant. I wonder if she'll still think of me fondly...I don't really know.

Descole. I thought he was my enemy, but, in fact, he was my brother, who only wanted to keep me safe and happy...though he had quite a strange way of doing so...

Randall. The Professor chuckled. That little devil.

Just then, he heard someone knock on the door.

"Come in."

A familiar looking man in a blue cap stepped in. "Hello, Professor."

"How are you, Tom?"

"Well. The others should be here shortly. Ah! I think they're here now."

Sure enough, Emmy, Descole, and Randall entered the room.

"Nice to see you again, Professor Layton."

"Layton. We meet again."

"Hello, Hershel!"

To everyone's surprise, a horde of kids soon tumbled through the doorway as well.

Only Tom seemed unaffected. "So you chose to come after all."

Crow got up and dusted himself off. "Of course! There's nothing like an adventure. Besides, you must have a good reason to break the law. Count the Black Ravens in on this one!"

"That's the attitude I like. The world could use more upstanders like you." Addressing everyone in the room, he said, "Now, I'm aware there is much you all would like to talk about with each other, seeing as you have not met for some time, but tonight we're going to get Bronev and Clive out of a high-security prison, so I'd appreciate it if we could focus on that for now."

Everyone nodded.

"Now, here is the plan..."

HM Prison Belmarsh looked ominous at night, comparable to Herzen Castle. No outsider knew of what happened inside its walls. The prisoners were said to be men of the worst kind possible.

That was why guards like Melvin were there. Whenever an inmate needed a little discipline, he and his friends would gladly administer it.

"Hey, Jones, remember that dude we had to punch yesterday?"

"Yeah." The other guard laughed. "What was his name?"

"His name? Who gives a-" Melvin stopped. "Hold on, do you hear something?"

Jones looked at him. "Are you paranoid-"

Then they were both knocked unconscious, tranquilizer darts stuck in their necks.

"Nice shot, Socket!"

"Hehe. Thanks. I'm not a mechanic for nothing!"

"Good job," commended Crow. "Now, Badger, run and tell Tom we've got these two for him."

"Professor, I need you to figure out what cells Clive and Bronev are in. Here's a device that will help you hack into the computer database, but I don't know how to use it. You might." Tom took out the USB drive Claire gave him. "Good luck, let me know when you're done."

The Professor instantly recognized the object. Claire gave one to me before! It's been so long since I've used one... As he thought of Claire, he wiped a tear from his eye. Concentration, Hershel. You can do it.

It wasn't long before the Professor found the information Tom wanted. "Clive's in this cell, here, on the third floor. Bronev's in the cell directly below Clive's, on the second floor."

"Excellent."

Just then, Badger ran in, saying, "We got some of them for you, Tom. Dunno why you need them, but, they're there."

"Thank you, Badger. You and the Black Ravens should return to Misthallery for now. The Professor will have to stay; we need the Laytonmobile to get Bronev and Clive to safety."

On with the next phase of the plan, he thought. I hope Descole and Randall play their part...literally...

"I hate these stupid outfits. Whoever this Melvin guy is, he sure smells..."

"Quiet, Ascot!" whispered Descole. "Jones's uniform is even worse! It's too small!"

"Well, I mean, you dressed yourself as Angela, so you have experience..."

"Very true. Look, there's the stairs. Let's split up for now. You get Bronev, and I'll get Clive." Descole resisted the urge to say "my terrible father."

"Alright. You have a tranquilizer gun, right?"

"I do. What about you?"

"I have one. Okay, let's go!" Randall dashed up the stairs.

Descole followed him, gripping his tranquilizer gun. As he passed floor two, he noticed that Randall had already knocked out a guard and dragged his body into Clive's cell.

He's quick.

"Huh?" Clive mumbled groggily as he heard his cell door open. "Wha-OH MY GOD WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"Quiet!" Randall hissed. "I'm Randall Ascot, a good friend of Hershel's. I'm here to rescue you."

Clive noticeably brightened at the mention of the Professor. "Really? He's here?"

"Yes, he's in the parking lot. Once you get out, you can talk, but for now..." Randall pointed to the guard he'd dragged into the room. "Dress yourself up!"

Clive groaned. None of the guards know the word 'hygiene,' sadly. "Okay."

After a minute, Clive was set. Randall and he exited the cell and met with Descole, who was accompanied by another guard...not.

"That's Bronev," Descole whispered to Randall. "Now come, we've got to get out of here before the other guards realize they're missing."

As the four rushed across the parking lot and into the Laytonmobile, they heard alarms go off within the prison.

"Safe!" Randall gasped.

"Congratulations," Tom said. "Professor, drive us back to your home, please."

A hooded figure sat in a large armchair, fingers lightly tapping on the desk. It looked up as a man entered.

"We've managed to locate the Hellspawn portal."

The figure smiled. "Excellent. Is everyone aware of their part in the London operation?"

"Yes. Everything is set."

"Perfect. Execute the operation in two days' time." The ringleader, the puppetmaster, the mastermind rose and looked out toward the horizon.

The dawn of a new era...is coming.

So what is the London operation? Who is this shadowy individual? What does he want?

All good questions, I'm sure. BUT I'M NOT ANSWERING THEM MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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