Alaya woke abandoned in the room. She looked around and found a note on the side table.
Alaya,
I wanted to get there early to watch the Titanic and passengers.
Fiona.
Alaya sprang out of bed and knocked on the adjoined door. Mother Jenny answers in her dressing gown.
Alaya handing over the note, "Fiona already went down to the docks. I am going down to find her."
Mother Jenny, "We are up, we will go together."
Less than thirty minutes later Veiled Alaya, Veiled Vastra and Jenny are getting out of the taxi gawking at a huge crowd on the docks. Alaya pays the fare and starts
weaving in and out calling "Fiona! Fiona!".
Mother Vastra quickly, "Alaya."
Alaya is standing in front of her mother in seconds. "Yes?"
Mother Jenny, "Honestly it is as if we have wasted all that training. Get a hold of yourself. What has gotten into you?"
"I told her about Daniela last night ... she was gone this morning."
Mother Jenny, "She left a note, she has not left you."
Alaya clenching her hands.
Mother Vastra, "Have you tasted her scent?"
Alaya blushed as she realizes that they are having this intimate conversation with people everywhere, "No."
Mother Vastra, "Let's see how well your tracking skills are in a crowded area. It has been easy on the empty streets." Mother Jenny nods.
The three women walk through the crowd and look at all the people who come to see this magnificent ship.
Mother Jenny starts to discuss the number of rooms, the food, the different classes and other fascinating Titanic fact and information. Vastra is listening to Jenny with great enthusiasm and paying attention to Alaya.
Suddenly a woman screams, "My baby! My baby is missing". Vastra and Jenny promptly investigate, Alaya follows behind.
Vastra looks to the woman, "I am detective Vastra and these are my associates. We came here to witness the Titanic leave port when we heard your cries. My card. Your name pleases?"
The woman hastily reads the card and looks to Jenny, "My name is Augusta Goodwin my Sidney ... taken. He was right here." and points to an empty carriage.
Jenny, "When did you notice?"
Augusta, "Just moments ago. My husband left to get more bread for voyage and I turn around my baby is gone."
Vastra, "Do you have any other children? Could they be holding the child?"
Augusta, "No, the children have already been taken on board. We realized we needed more provisions. We, we ... wanted to use the baby carriage as a mode of transport."
Vastra, "Smuggling, I see."
Augusta, "Please don't say anything? Please, find my Sidney."
Alaya is leaning over the empty carriage and under her veil she is taking in the child's scent.
Vastra, "Please keep Augusta company. Alaya and I will find the child."
Alaya pops up her head and swiftly walks towards the taxi stand.
Vastra catches up, "What is it?"
"I have the baby's scent and ..."
"Fiona's?"
"Yes. We need to fix this ... Fiona has done something rash."
"Let's find her before the authorities."
Jenny and Augusta watch the two veiled women move through the crowd with determination. "They will find Sidney, I imagine he is alright. We have not heard a baby cry."
Augusta nods.
"So you are heading to New York?"
Augusta talking through tears, "Yes, yes we are. Actually we moving to Niagara Falls. We were to leave on the S.S. New York but a coal strike delayed our voyage. We received the Titanic tickets in compensation."
Vastra and Alaya find Fiona holding the child waiting for the next taxi. Fiona turns as Alaya gently picks Sidney up and hands him to Vastra.
Vastra quickly makes her way through the crowd back towards Jenny.
"Why Niagara Falls?"
"My husband's brother Thomas has a job opening working for the Schoolfellow Power Station ... Sidney!" Augusta quickly takes him from Vastra's arms and holds him close.
Vastra, "My associates and I resolved this mystery. I wish you a pleasant voyage."
"Thank you so much. Where did you find my Sidney?"
"Your child was abducted by a lost soul, please have pity."
"I am grateful. Thank you again."
Vastra puts Jenny's arm in her own and walks towards the taxi stand.
"What happened."
"That stupid human girl"
"Fiona?"
"Who else would be that desperate?"
Vastra and Jenny reach the taxi stand and slow their pace. At the far end of the taxi stand, Alaya is next to Fiona as they watch from a safe distant the Titanic passengers board. The Titanic bellows its horn to announce departure. They all stay to watch the ship leave the dock.
Only Alaya can see Fiona waving from her wrist.
They return to the hotel, in complete silence.
Once they are in their rooms Vastra and Jenny come through the joining doors directly into Alaya and Fiona's room.
Vastra pulls off her hat and veil. "This was a mistake coming here."
Fiona sits on the bed. Alaya stands nearby places a hand on Fiona's shoulder for comfort.
Jenny touching Vastra's arm, "Calm Vastra, please mind your words."
"She ... Fiona ... she took a child!"
"I know, we all know."
"We must not take on the roles of a god. We can't choose who lives and who dies. It doesn't work like that. She ... " pointing to Fiona, "... she knows things, has knowledge, access to technology and she is clever." Now turning to face Fiona, "You are very intelligent, brilliant I might add. The most intelligent human I know. The combined experience of your mother's life, what she shared, what you know and what you will learn in the future can change everything."
Alaya, "Everything?"
Jenny, "Oh ... I see"
Vastra, "Yes, I believe we do understand."
Fiona feeling like she is on display for an art exhibit, "What?"
Vastra is now pacing not out of anger, but because it helps her think. Jenny sits down. Alaya looks to the floor.
Alaya, "We know now why the Weeping Angels are spying on you."
Fiona stands up, 'What? Weeping Angels? Spying?"
Vastra tells Fiona everything from John's eyes, the angels watching 14 Savile Row, the courtroom, the magistrate and the hospital. "Which is why you are staying at our home. It is the safest option until we can figure out a solution."
Fiona sits back down and tears in her eyes, "I see, the weeping angel put me in the hospital? Why not tap me into the future?"
Vastra, "They already took your future, when you in your mother's womb. What if the future could be altered. What if one little act changes the ripples in the future, you have the power to do that. The Weeping Angels depend on the future to find their victims. If the future can be altered how can they plan let alone their species sustain themselves?"
Fiona pulls her legs up to her chest, "I'm scared."
"Good." Vastra looks affectionately to Jenny. "It was good we came. Let's eat and then head home."
The train ride back included four women contemplating chaos theory, butterfly effect and how Fiona's knowledge could be positive and negative. By the time the train approached London the women had reached three points of concessions: knowledge of critical future events could prove helpful, there are key points in time that are immoveable and kidnapping is never acceptable.
