━━ CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT / the auction
episode seven.

The trio made it out of the Fittes Ball alive, just about. Lockwood seemed rather smug with himself and Lucy looked terrified. Demi was just glad to be away from Fittes. The last time she had been there, she left with a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Now, she was leaving in slightly higher spirits but the worry still lingered.

They talked briefly in the night cab before they reached the street corner. The cab stopped and they got out before the trio took off in a run to get to where they were supposed to meet George and Flo. They were late but they had the book so George couldn't really be that angry.

"You're late," George stated as the trio came to a stop in front of the pair. Flo looked impassive, not all that bothered about it. George was wearing that face of annoyance, as usual.

"Sorry, things got a bit weird," Lucy responded as she glanced around the gloomy streets of London. The street they were on bordered the Thames and the only thing that lit up the area was the street lights and a few ghostlights that lingered around. They were flashing intermittently as Demi looked around anxiously "I think-" Lucy began but George was prompt to cut her off. The impatience practically radiated off of him.

"Did you get the Dulac book?" He asked. Lockwood let a smirk spread across his face while Demi's gaze returned back to the group in front of her.
"Yeah, course we did. Now what's the plan?" Lockwood asked as he pulled the book from the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

"The auction's starting any minute and Winkman's locked down all the streets around it so basically we're screwed," George lamented. Demi frowned. This isn't where it could end, they had worked so hard for this and the thought that Winkman could win - like he had before - just made her want to fight that much harder even if her body was still sore from being thrown around by Visitors like a ragdoll.

"Oh, have a little faith, George. London ain't just streets, you know," Flo retorted, a wry smile spreading across the girl's lips.

"Why do I not like the sound of this," Demi mumbled. Lockwood was grinning now and he took a hold of Demi's hand, nudging her as a way to telling her that it was fine. Lockwood trusted Flo and so Demi had to trust her too even if she was anxious about how this was going to go.

"Don't worry, just stay close and no talking," Flo's words were a little reassuring even if the mischievous glint in her eye didn't seem to have gone anywhere. The group then began to follow Flo as she led them through the streets and out towards a pier. Demi didn't like being led blindly but when Flo jumped onto a boat, all her fears were squashed.

A boat was the perfect way to get around. Not only would they be able to avoid any unwanted Visitors because they were in flowing water but it also meant they could be undetected. As the boat started up, Demi was grinning.
"Why didn't I think of this?" Lockwood said as he leant against the side of the boat now that it had been parked up further down the Thames closer to their intended target - Demi presumed.

"It's what you pay me for, Locky," Flo retorted as she grabbed the rope from inside the boat so that she could tie it up to the side.

"Unlike you, Flo's a genius," Demi teased as she looked up at Lockwood. His jaw dropped, feigning offence which made her chuckle. Flo then threw the rope onto the side and began to tie the boat up so that they could get out without the boat floating away.

"Is this it? It looks deserted," George mumbled, disapproval clear in his tone as he looked around. Flo glanced at him, barely giving him a second of her attention before she went back to tying the rope up. Once she was done, she finally gave him a reply.

"That gangway takes you to the back of Fothergill's. No entrance from the street but there's a hatch in the basement. It's unlocked. I've made sure. Get in, get out, and get back but give me a warning because I can't wait out here. It's way too exposed. Radio me," Flo explained as she passed over the radio for Lockwood to pocket. He nodded his head, determination was written across his face.

"You're the best, Flo." He had a cocky smile on his face as he went to step out of the boat, the other three quick to follow but Flo stopped them before they had any choice.

Lockwood stepped down from the edge of the boat as Flo said; "Hold up, I need one of you to stay. Whatever you do, you'll be coming out hot. If we're gonna get away quickly, I need someone else doing this shit." Her hand gestured vaguely towards the rope that was now tied on the side. The group of four looked between each other, all equally unsure.

"Maybe I should stay?" Demi suggested, breaking the brief awkward silence. The longer that she was awake, the more her back began to ache so in her head, she thought it would probably be better to stay.

But the very concise, "No," from Lockwood gave her pause.

"I'm still injured. I would be more help here," Demi argued back, not wanting to hold the group back if something happened.

"The injuries are why you wouldn't be helpful here. I need to keep an eye on you," Lockwood stated. His words were stern and clear. There was no room for argument and Demi sighed but she understood why. Especially after he had asked her out not even two hours ago, he needed some reassurance that she would still be alive after this and even with her hesitancy, she would listen to him.

"Well..." Lucy began, trying to come up with a way to decide who would stay fairly but before she had the chance to suggest anything, George cut her off (again).

"Don't be kind. It's unbearable. It's clearly me." Demi frowned and she glanced around at the others before her gaze landed on George.

"No, I should-" Demi went to argue again but then Lockwood practically knocked her over with the nudge that he sent her way. She sighed and stopped, wrapping her arms around herself. The dress that she was wearing was really not practical for what they were about to do but she just had to work with it. It seemed that Lockwood wouldn't let her stay.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Lockwood asked, his gaze falling on George.

"Of course I mind but who gives a shit? This is Bickerstaff's bone glass. We have to get it. Don't mess this up," George rambled. Demi smiled softly and she stepped towards him, giving him a tight hug even if he hated them.

"We won't, thank you," She whispered. George hugged her back briefly before letting her go and she walked over to Lockwood. The trio then clambered off the boat and headed towards Fothergill's.

Demi's back ached as they clambered through the hatch into Fothergill's. Her white dress was already dirtied from having to clamber on the floor and she quietly lamented in misery over the dress being stained, probably forever. As soon as they were in the basement, they went to open the door only to find it locked. But then, by some miracle, men came in and it seemed that one of them had spotted them because they were quick to come face-to-face with an undercover Agent.

The guilt swirled in Demi's gut as they spoke with him. He was putting his life on the line every day for this and they were going to jeopardise this. But at the same time, there was nothing that they could do. They needed to get the bone glass. They needed to stop it being sold and cause more and more harm. It would only create more issues if some random peer managed to get a hold of it and didn't research what it actually could do. It was so beyond dangerous.

So, when they were told to get out and Lockwood wanted to stay, Demi stayed with him. They both knew what this bone glass could do and the Agent knew what he was getting into when he decided to go undercover with Winkman's gang. It was a risk that they had to take to make sure that the bone glass didn't get into the wrong hands.

And so eventually, Lucy caved in and the trio returned back to the room they had entered in, searching through the barrels for something that they could use. Lucy was raging, her annoyance was palpable but Demi tuned out the brunette as she eventually found cloaks that matched the attendees of the auction. There was a whole box of them and she grabbed three, throwing them at the pair that were still arguing.

"We need to go," Demi stated firmly. She had no reason to delay this any further and if the auction was starting soon, they were going to be late and that would cause even more issues. They had to move quickly and so the other two stopped arguing and they headed through the corridors to the auction.

When Demic came face-to-face with the blonde woman at the entrance of the auction, she could only assume it was Winkman's wife and her stomach turned in disgust. She didn't understand how anyone could be with someone like Winkman. He was beyond evil. Demi couldn't even think of a word to describe him.

But she had to put aside her hatred as she greeted them, "Welcome, stragglers. Have fun." There was something in her tone, something almost teasing. It seemed like she was enjoying this just as much as the rest of the wealthy participants of the auction.

As they walked into the room, Winkman was introducing the items that were up for auction that day; "Including a cigarette case found on the beaches of Dunkirk, permeated with the torment of a fallen son. The source of one of the nation's most prolific murderers, Anne-Marie Nelson." The way he was shilling the Sources like they were nothing more than artefacts made her stomach twist in disgust. She could never understand the people who actually wanted these Sources. These objects were haunted by real people but the rich sycophants didn't seem to care.

"We want the mirror!" Someone from the crowd shouted as Lockwood led the group through towards the front of the crowd. They were surrounded by people in cloaks and masks. There was no way of telling who any of them were.

"Where is it!" Another shouted as Lockwood brought them to a stop closer to the front. The trio formed a line, standing shoulder-to-shoulder as their gaze rested on the bone glass that was being brought up on stage. Lockwood was stood in the middle of the two girls, staring up at the stage where Winkman and his wife were.

"Of course you do and here she is. That rarity. The piece that has so exercised the hard-working people at DEPRAC these past few days" Winkman's wife began, quelling the rowdy crowd as someone brought it forward, "Recovered at great cost from the grave of the visionary genius Sir Edmund Bickerstaff. We present to you, his bone glass." Once it was placed down, the cover of the bone glass was pulled off. The crowd seemed to shift forward, desperate for a glimpse but Demi was rooted to her spot, the sound of flies and screams flowing through her mind. It was horrific and she squeezed her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms to try and distract from the sound. She had been hoping never to hear that sound again but luck was not on her side. Lockwood recognised Demi's discomfort in seconds and he took a hold of her hand, unfurling her fist so he could squeeze it comfortingly.

"A truly lethal item," Mr Winkman continued with a smirk on his face, "The mirrored surface itself, which has been covered for your protection, exudes a mesmeric attraction more powerful-" He was trying to shill the Source still but Demi didn't catch the rest of his words as Lucy softly spoke, taking Lockwood and Demi's gaze away from the man at the front.

"There's too many people. Let's stay quiet and see who buys it," Lucy suggested softly. Lockwood nodded in response and he then let go of Demi's hand as he reached underneath the robes. Demi watched as he pulled flares out and passed them over to Lucy, "What am I supposed to do with these?" She snapped, her voice impatient.

"I need a distraction to get to the mirror," Lockwood stated as he looked down at Lucy, "Look out. I'll give you a signal." He seemed so sure of himself and he glanced between the two girls before he stepped forward.

"This is dangerous," Demi mumbled softly. He was getting reckless again and she knew that she couldn't stop him but it still didn't make her feel better. All of this made her feel so worried and uneasy.

"I'll be fine," Lockwood stated as he took her hand and squeezed it. Then he pushed his way forward, further into the crowd and left the two girls behind. Lucy and Demi exchanged concerned looks before their eyes moved back to Winkman. The bidding had begun and the prices were skyrocketting quickly. It was nauseating to see how many people wanted this dangerous weapon but really, she should have expected it.

Suddenly a voice put a five-hundred-thousand bid on the Source and Demi swore she recognised that voice. It sounded like the man from the library just a few hours earlier but she couldn't be sure. She then watched as Lockwood bid again last minute. It went back and forth and then the two men were called to the front to prove that they could pay the large sums they were bidding.

And that's where it all started to go wrong, Lucy was trying to light the flares but it wasn't working. The lighter wasn't taking and she kept trying but the flame just wouldn't come to life.

"Let me try," Demi muttered over her shoulder, keeping her voice low. She didn't want to draw any attention to them but also, she knew that Lockwood needed a distraction and quickly. It was getting too close.

"I got it," Lucy snapped under her breathe and she continued to try. But then suddenly Lockwood was being thrown to the floor, cries of him being an Agent rung through the room and his mask was ripped off. Demi felt the lump in her throat grow and she was ready to scream or cry in some sort of distraction but then Lucy managed to light the flares.

With a great swing, she threw them over the top of her head and they flew through the rafters and pinged off in every direction. Smoke filled the room, bangs going off in every direction and Demi watched as Lockwood grabbed the mirror. She took a step back and the second that he had grabbed the Sources and began to run, Demi and Lucy took off.

But as they were getting out, Demi ran into a man and when she looked up to meet his face through the mask, she swore she recognised those eyes. There was no time to dwell though and instead, she took off in a run with Lockwood. They went in the opposite direction to the crowd and the trio stripped their robes off as they came to a door.

But when they tried to shove it open, it was padlocked. Demi's face fell and she stared at Lockwood before she turned around. Winkman's voice was echoing down the corridor and it hit Demi that this might be where she dies. She was going to die in a dingy dock basement and it would all have been for nothing.

Surviving while her team died would have been for nothing. Winkman appeared with his guards and she didn't know what to do. Lockwood took a hold of Lucy's rapier and it seemed that they were going to fight. But then Lockwood was looking at the Undercover Agent. Lockwood wanted him to risk his position for them,

Demi wanted to scream at him for being so selfish but when the agent was told to prove that he wasn't a traitor, he stepped towards them. Demi was sure they were about to die then and there. Her mind was spiralling and she knew that this would be the end and then suddenly, the officer broke the padlock and they ran for it towards the elevator.

Lucy frantically mashed the button to try and get the elevator door to open but Lockwood's gaze was fixed on the door where Winkman was murdering the undercover agent. He was killing them and Demi watched as Lockwood's face turned into one of complete horror.

When the elevator door opened, Demi dragged Lockwood inside and Lucy pressed the button for the top floor. They needed to get out and soon, the roof would probably be the best place. Lucy pulled the radio from Lockwood's pocket and desperately tried to call for George or Flo but it was just static. They were stuck here with no backup.

And Lockwood wasn't responding. His eyes had glazed over and his breathing was shallow. His features were coated in guilt. Demi had never seen him look like this and as Lucy raged about how they were going to get out of this, Demi took a hold of his face.

"Hey, hey, we need you back," Demi said softly as Lucy smacked the button for the third floor. The door to the elevator opened and Lucy ordered for them to get out. Demi dragged Lockwood with her and Lucy grabbed one of the Sources from his bag, throwing it into the elevator as it went up to the next floor.

Hopefully, it would keep Winkman's men busy enough that they could get out. Demi grabbed hold of Lockwood's face tigther and he managed to say, "They just killed him." Demi nodded and she pressed her forehead against the boy's.

"I know they did and it's fucking unfair but we need to get out. I need you back," Demi begged softly. Lockwood looked into her eyes and they just stared at each other for a moment before he let out a ragged breathe.

He then took her hand and he was back. He glanced at Lucy who was already halfway up the stairs and then they rushed up together. Lockwood led the group again as they headed up, further up until they reached the roof. Lockwood pushed the door open and the cold October night air bit at their skin as they ran onto the rooftop.

It was a covered rooftop and Lockwood looked between the two doors before he rushed forward out into the next covered portion. But before Demi could follow behind them, someone grabbed her arm and shoved her against the wall - out of sight from the other two. Demi wanted to scream but then she saw who was staring back at her.

"Hello," The familiar voice said and Demi's face completely fell. The tension in her shoulders disappeared as she stared up at her dad. He looked almost exactly how she remembered when she had last seen him. His hair was that salt-and-pepper black that she had always teased him about and his beard had grown out a little but it was still so familiar. And those kind brown eyes that she had gotten from him - the only thing she had gotten from him.
"Dad? What- what are you doing here?" Demi stuttered out, completely baffled by this. For so long she had thought that they didn't care about her or that something had happened. The thought of her parents finding her had terrified her because she had no idea how they'd react but this. This was different and she felt nothing but relief.

"It's a long story," He stated, the corners of his lips tugging into a smile, "And I could explain it but you have something I need." Demi's eyebrows furrowed at his words and she stepped back from him. Her Dad let out a soft sigh and his gaze flicekd down to her hands, "Your mum's rings." Demi stared down at her hands for a minute, taking in the rings that she was wearing. She wasn't even sure why she had put them on but now she looked at them, she realised. They were familiar because she had seen them before. She had seen them every single day of her life until she had run away but then it hit her.

"These are sources, what? What are you..." Demi's face began to fall as realisation set in. If these were sources that only meant one thing and when she looked up at her Dad's face, it only confirmed what she was thinking, "No, she's not. Dad... you can't be... Dad, please don't tell me-" The brunette was choking on her words as she lifted her hand to cover her mouth. Tears began to blur her vision as she stared at him.

"I'm sorry, sunflower. We never wanted you to know," Her dad said so softly. Demi wanted to sob, the grief was sitting heavy in her chest now that she knew the truth. But she didn't understand how it could be true.

"Know what? What happened to her? What did you do?" Demi begged for answers but the heavy look on her father's face told her all that she needed to know. She tried to blink the tears away but they just wouldn't leave.

"We got too close but it's okay. I need the rings, please," He begged softly. Demi shook her head, not believing this as a tear slipped down her cheek. Her mum couldn't be dead. There was no way. It didn't make sense. She couldn't be. But before Demi could choke out a response, they heard a sudden noise, someone being thrown against the wall, "Is that Lockwood?" Her dad asked after a beat of silence. Demi nodded, wiping the tears that were slipping down her face away. How had this become both the best and worst night of her life?

"He's a real troublemaker. I shouldn't be surprised. You always were a chaos magnet, sunflower," Her dad teased softly. Demi pushed her fingers through her hair, rings still on her finger. There was some part of her that wanted to beg him for more answers but she knew that she couldn't. This was already too risky. They had just stolen from an auction, they needed to get out.

"I- I don't understand," Demi stuttered, hearing more sounds of noises and shouting. Her head whipped towards the doorway where Lockwood and Lucy had gone. Her friends sounded like they were fighting someone and she was here. She needed to help them.

"You don't have to," Her dad said softly as he looked into her eyes. Demi shook her head, pushing some hair behind her ear.

"Demi! We need to go!" Lucy suddenly shouted and Demi looked between her dad and the doorway. They needed to go, they needed to get out, "Where is she!" Panic laced Lucy's tone and Demi stared at her dad. He sighed and he grabbed her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Then the two of them headed into the other room.

And that's where they came face-to-face with Lockwood and the man from the Black Library duelling. Demi's face fell, the man had two rapiers, he was going to kill her team. But the man seemed to pause in his fighting when he saw Demi and her dad. Annoyance spread across the man's face as he shoved Lockwood back with the two rapiers, not even caring for Lockwood as he stumbled backwards into the wall,
"Harry Campbell, you just can't stay dead can you?" The man stated, a smirk spread across his face. Demi looked to her dad, letting go of his hand before he pulled her rapier from where she had it in her scabbard. He then held it out in front of him, holding it defensively. Demi stared at her dad, face full of confusion as Lockwood stumbled to his feet and headed towards her.

"I don't tend to listen to what traitors want, Rupert," Her dad spat in response. Demi's gaze suddenly moved to Lockwood who had took a hold of her hand. He looked just as confused as Demi felt. It felt like her head was about to explode, "Sunflower, now is your chance to get out," Her dad stated as she advanced on the man - Rupert. Demi looked from Lockwood to Lucy and then back to her dad as her rapier clashed with the golden blade of the man.

But before she could say anything, Lockwood grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the fight. He pulled her towards the edge of the building and the three of them stared down at the Thames. Lockwood had to practically drag Demi to jump as the clashing of rapiers continued to fill their ears. She was paralysed but Lockwood needed her so he pulled her forwards and they soared through the air and into the freezing water of the Thames.

RUBY'S NOTES

- okay so this chapter was initially gonna go slightly differently but due to me changing the plot we now have this!! DEMI'S DAD IS HERE!! harry campbell my beloved <3 i don't have a specific faceclaim for him but i just know he has kinda like swoopy salt-and-pepper hair, like oscar isaac sort of salt-and-pepper hair when he's not had his hair dyed for a role, and i know he has the kindest face and harry campbell is a SWEETHEART who fell for a hawaiian girl during university and AGH harry and alani (demi's mum) are EVERYTHING. TO. ME.

- okay anyway now that i'm done gushing about her parents, this chapter?? PURE CHAOS, she's so confused, her mum's dead?? what is going on, it's gonna be somewhat explained in the next few chapters but considering the nature of the show (being cancelled too early :(((), there is probably gonna be some loose threads! but for now this is what i got

- i feel like there's more to say but i have already rambled too much so i hope you enjoyed the chapter and the next one will be up soon! (sooner than u probably expect hehe)