Chapter 10: Downtown London

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Rowena XXXIV

2014 - London

Maybe she was getting old. Or maybe she had not slept in three days straight. Or maybe she was seeing the truth.

The Tablet was gone.

And right under their noses. Her nose more importantly.

Perhaps she should go back to the first part of the day.

'What was it with people being so nosy?'

Rowena clearly was not having a good day. A portion of security had called in sick, and she couldn't exactly have the night's stay for a day shift. Instead, Antonio had called in their backup for the next few days, who had asked the head of security to do so on their behalf. She also hadn't had time to sleep for the past two nights and she was tasked to do a talk on Ahkmenrah today.

To top it off, an elderly person had fainted just outside in the large hall. She blamed her heroism and instinct to help anyone as she rushed to the man's side and tried to put him into the recovery position.

Many people began noticing, crowding around her as they began asking if he was alright. Luckily (and surprisingly), a figure with dark brown locks and golden eyes were already there beside her which surprised Rowena. Rebecca had come to her aid, making sure there was space for her and the group of people.

Rowena was not expecting any of the three to be at the museum today, not after last night.

Whilst Rebecca contacted the paramedics, she ushered the crowd away. Security had little help in moving these visitors away, and she sighed in exasperation. She should have taken the day off no matter what.

'Ahk is going to have words with me for not sleeping again,' She said to herself in mirth. She knew how concerned her love was when it came to her health.

As she finally got the elderly man wrapped up with her cardigan and Rebecca's jacket, she heard someone cry out her name. Once she turned to the voice, her eyes narrowed in confusion when she saw him running and pushing through several people – with Nick trailing behind him as always.

Rowena then stood up, narrowing her eyes in confusion at their panicked expressions. What had happened?

"Rowen! I..." Larry Daley panted, stopping himself before he could trip himself with his feet. He took deep breaths to speak but the words came into stammering incoherence.

Rebecca was already next to her, matching her confusion as well as easing Larry to calm down. But Rowena could tell easily that Larry was insistent.

"What's wrong?" She pressed, urging him to get something out at least understandable.

He was shaking. Hands clasping open and close whilst Nick was incredibly silent – gazing at the man with a shocked look.

"The Tablet," Larry's voice hastily sped through.

Her mind then averted to him, and Rowena's tone changed. "What about it?"

Larry blurted, "It's missing."

What.

"What?"

Both Rowena and Rebecca exclaimed at the same time. She eyed the taller woman before telling the two Daley men to wait with the elderly man as she sped back down into the exhibit. On the way, she spotted a security guard already rushing towards her with perplexion on his face. How did he not notice anyone suspicious taking the Tablet?

She didn't think of it any further, only trusting the security guard to get Antonio or inform anyone nearby. Once he left, she took another quick breath before speed walking towards Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus.

Once she arrived, she noticed the room to be empty, no security in sight. Her eyes glanced over to the cameras and took a mental note to check them afterwards. Rebecca had come hot on her heels, running up to her before Rowena could freeze in her tracks.

The stand which temporarily held the Tablet was empty.

It was gone.

And here, we return to the entourage – where Rowena could feel her brain malfunctioning.

Her hands had gone numb whilst she tried to blink several times. Surely, she was hallucinating; she was tired and could be seeing things.

She said blandly, "Tell me I'm not seeing what you're seeing, Rebecca." Her eyes never left the empty stand.

Her friend which she saw in the corner of her eye, looked incredibly pale – with widened eyes that could bulge out any second. "I might have to burst your bubble right there, Ro," Rebecca confirmed. With a wavering voice.

Rowena inhaled sharply and shut her eyes.

'This cannot be happening.' She thought. 'I leave it safely with security for just ten minutes...'

How could the Tablet be possibly stolen? Of course, she knew it would have been easier for anyone during the daytime, but there was security twenty-four-seven. And even then, people would have spotted anyone being suspicious.

She scoured the sarcophagus and the room, inspecting each nook and cranny. Nothing seemed to be touched apart from the stand itself. The Tablet was large enough to be noticed – and with it practically being made from gold was obvious to be detected around London. No one simply carried 24-karat gold around these days in their hands. Not with that size.

Rowena continued to think thoroughly as they exited the exhibit and returned to where Larry and Nick were. When they did, the paramedics had arrived, and she had to pull back the thoughts on the Tablet to discuss things with them. She could hope the man would be alright, despite her curiosity of him seeming to feel fine afterwards. The paramedics took him either way to check his vitals.

Once they were out of the way, Rowena turned to the trio at hand. "Did any of you see anyone suspicious?" She pried, "Anyone with a rucksack of anything?"

"Why a backpack?" Nick asked.

"They needed something big enough to fit it in." Rowena pursed her lips.

Rebecca frowned, "Why didn't they replace it? Would have been easier."

The historian had a point. Though with a Tablet made from pure gold, Rowena wasn't sure how someone could build a replica out of the same material in this present era. She and Rebecca continued to contemplate on how someone could slip through.

"Guys."

The two stopped.

Larry swallowed and spoke, "The Tablet." He said. "It's magic right?"

"Yes..." Rowena slowly spoke.

"Remember when Dexter stole it?" He asked, his eyes lighting up. "His hands got burnt the moment he took it."

She let a breathless gasp. Her friend had a point. The Tablet had magical properties and several news ones which they've discovered for the past few years. One had been the fact that the Tablet knew the intent of the wielder of the artefact.

Rowena muttered, "It burns anyone who tries to use it in an evil way, per se." She looked at Larry and asked, "How is possible for someone to hold it then?"

The night guard's face paled and he answered, "Someone like Cecil."

Her mind then paused, halting her thoughts. She flashed her eyes at him and tightly asked, "You think he did it?"

"No." He quickly said. "Look, I'm not saying he did it, but look. I met up with him."

Rowena gaped back.

Larry's face didn't look changed, almost snapping back, "You didn't tell us you went."

"I-,"

Her lips thinned, and it took all will not to glower up to him. She remembered that Larry had wanted to talk to him about her yesterday and they never got around to speak of Cecil Fredricks.

In fact, it has been four years since she's heard of that name. By the darting eyes and the awkward stance, he wore, Larry had something else to mention about him.

"What happened to him?" She asked.

Larry answered back, "He's dead."

Her heart stopped.

"What?" She whispered.

And by Larry's heavy breathing, she could tell he would not be lying.

Cecil Fredricks was dead? When did it happen? And what happened?

A cold sense of dread slithered up her spine and into her chest. Her mind

"I'm sorry, Rowen. I should have told you."

"I...Don't apologize." Rowena said, trying to maintain her voice to echo out. She cleared her throat. "Let's just try and find more clues."

She began walking but was halted by Larry tugging her sleeve. Turning to him, Larry frustratingly cried, "But that's it! Ro-"

"Dr Bates!"

Running up to her, she sighed to relief to find someone much more reliable and trustworthy. One of her new head of curators - Dr Holly Lyons - had been a fresh face to her team. The young (and remarkably tall) woman told her that Antonio is coming soon and wondered if she could be of help.

That was when Rowena nodded and ordered: "We've got to close all perimeters."

"Why? What's happened?" Dr Lyons questioned.

She answered, "Someone's taken it."

"What?"

"The Tablet," Rowena spoke, not sure if it was to her or herself. "Someone's taken the artefact a moment ago."

The young curator's eyes bulged, and her jaw slacked. She nodded silently, before rushing back out to begin the procedure. Whilst this worked, she only hoped Antonio had bumped into Dr Lyons and informed the situation.

Once the paramedics were gone and all the visitors were beginning to have some worry, she reassured them that it was only procedure if any theft occurred in the museum. Which was not a lie. There were many times during her life which people have tried to steal certain artefacts to be sold at a high price. Some were the ones who discovered them in particular.

However, this time seemed different. Someone knew the Tablet was moved from New York.

The only suspicion she concluded were the people with her now, Antonio, Richard and Dr Campbell. Her stomach did a flip at the idea and she almost wanted to call back the paramedics. The people she trusted could have been conspiring behind her back.

Rowena was dreading who to point her fingers to.

Luckily, she thanked Larry for stopping herself from completely distrusting everyone around her. He couldn't have done it (not that she was slightly insulting his intelligence or moral code) and with what he just revealed.

Cecil Fredricks was dead.

She had just forgiven the man and this was the repayment she got.

'It was in your hands.' Her mind called out to her and she shoved the thought away. 'You should have taken him away to Britain.'

She thought of it once. Looking back to her time in Egypt, she disliked Samuel Fredrick's treatment of his son - no matter how much there was love between the two of them. If she could even call it love. C.J had become the only son she wished to have.

Now, it was her fault that he was gone. Just like Peggy-

'Shut up!' Rowena screamed in her head. She needed to pull herself together. However, nothing was helping her at all.

All the visitors began panicking with the announcements piling through. Rebecca and Larry were either talking to each other or asking her (she wasn't sure who was talking to who now). Then there was her mind arguing with herself.

She could feel her ears ringing, the light looking too bright for her sight as she flexed her fingers to sense some reality.

Tablet. Cecil. Tablet. Larry. Museum. Ahkmenrah. Prophecy.

Tablet. Museum. Prophecy. Ahkmenrah. Larry. Tablet.

Museum. Prophecy. Ahkmenrah. Tablet.

Tablet. Museum. Ahkmenrah.

Tablet. Ahkmenrah.

Her fuse blew out.

"Rowen?"

"Shut up!" She shouted, earning several winces from them and some people around. "All of you, be quiet! I am trying to think!" Taking a ragged breath, she counted in her head before looking at them.

Rebecca and Nick curled back and guiltily glanced down to the floor. On the other hand, Larry's face was firmly on her, a hardened gaze as he waited for her.

"No, listen to me, Ro." He said to her. "I think I know who did it."

She gave him a long look. "What did he look like?"

Larry replied, gesturing with his hands. "He looked familiar. Tanned skin, black hair, he looked like he was in his late twenties. Dark jacket and a backpack-"

"You're telling me this now?" Rowena asked with irritation. "

He exasperated, "How was I when everyone's interrupting me!"

"Could have told us just after you saw the guy!" She cried.

Rebecca pulled gently Larry's arm and told the two: "Hey, hey. This isn't the right time to argue."

Huffing, Rowena glared up to him. As much as they were as close to anyone would as a friend, she and Larry did clash when it came to the interest of the museum. Maybe it was a Daley trait. She and Robert were worse for wear, constantly at each other on the littlest things. With Robert, it was all fun and games until they would eventually blow the fuse. But with Larry, Rowena wanted to whack the young man's thick skull sometimes.

Eventually, Larry and Rowena had calmed down slightly with Larry grumbling something about how he clearly had the right in the argument.

On the other hand, Rowena pulled her phone out and said, "Fine, I'm going to call the police."

"There's no time." Larry's hurried voice slowed her button pressing.

She questioned him, "How are we going to-"

"You felt it, right?" Larry pressed on.

The certain look which Rowena learned to be his 'you know what I'm thinking of' expression made her mind click. The Tablet was somehow sentient to an extent, and they were able to sense where it was. But only at a short distance.

So when she nodded, Larry raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and Rowena widened her eyes.

'He could sense the Tablet.' She realised. 'And at this distance.' "Yes, but-" However, she was then abrupted when the man pressed a long kiss on Rebecca's lips and patted Nick's shoulder. "Larry, what are you-"

A second later, he had sped off out of the museum.

And towards the Tablet.

"Larry!" Rebecca exclaimed, her face laced with worry and shock.

At the same time, Rowena shouted at the figure, "Daley!" However, he was already out of ears. She swore, "For fuck's sake..."

Rebecca and Nick looked startled as much as she was. When she could sense air entering her mouth, Rowena clamped her jaw shut and inhaled trying to maintain some ounce of composure. She panned her eyes around and suspiciously eyed several guards and cameras in her sight.

"Let's go to my office." She offered and gestured for the two to follow them. Rowena could only trust no one would try to steal Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus at this time of the day. That block of stone weighed a ton, and it would hardly be able to get through easily with these much visitors around.

After postponing her tours and answered several concerned public faces, she pulled a smile at each person and informed them that it was the only procedure. But in her mind, Rowena was beginning to feel the cracks. And with Larry gone...

They arrived at her office, and she ushered them inside before locking the door with a sense of relief - for now. She then headed towards the windows and peered through, spotting the police cars beginning to arrive, and security stopping several of the incoming public entering the museum.

'At least some people are doing their job,' She thought and headed back to her desk, opening her laptop and beginning to file through her drawers for several things.

It was then that Rebecca had stood on the other side of her desk, pleading expression on her face. "Where is he going?" She demanded. "Rowen, tell me. What did he mean?"

What was she to say? That her fiance had gone on a wild goose chase to catch their thief and return the Tablet with no means of weaponry? Rowena swore internally once more as the thought accumulated. The older Daley should have given her some chance to give him something to defend himself.

Perhaps it was the Wadjet key thrumming over her chest, or it was indeed her heart as she pursed her lips and then answered her, "...Don't worry about him. We need to help him."

She continued setting her station up and then heard someone speak.

"I can."

Glancing back, she found the youngest Daley shifting under his feet. Nick Daley was standing awkwardly on the sidelines. She was impressed that he'd seemed calm enough to let alone offer his aid.

"Nick?" Rebecca's eyebrows furrowed when she turned to him, unsure what Nick meant.

As for Rowena, she already knew what the youngest Daley intended to provide. In fact, it only took several months to figure out what Nick Daley had done after that night in Washington. Several discussions with the Smithsonian Museum and curiosity killing the cat, she discovered something quite interesting about what he did in his spare time. And of course, how she and Larry were able to 'clean' up the mess they created after Khafre's demise.

Rowena gave a look, not fazed at all by how she simply stated: "I know it was you hacking into the Smithsonian." She then held walked over to him and held a small silver object out. "This is a key; it hacks the majority of the cameras in this part of London."

In her hand was a USB stick. Small, simple. And yet their only way to make sure Larry could be safe.

Nick understood with his widened eyes. "How do you have this?" He asked. She was amused by his wonder and shock but was impressed by his hesitation as he carefully took the USB stick into his palm. He was smart, but he was sensible. He knew the consequences of using something rather questionable and gave his time to choose his options.

Right now, they had no choice but to do this.

"Fewer questions, more action," Rowena answered him and allowed him to sit down and begin the work on her laptop. For her, it would take half an hour to try and get into the security cameras around London. She would hope Nick would do it in less time.

Rebecca on the other hand already got the pieces together and wandered her eyes away, trying to distract herself with the books and painting over the walls. Rowena couldn't blame her friend, she was standing here whilst Larry was in danger and Nick was trying to find him.

To calm her nerves, Rowena reassured her that Larry would be fine and told her to sit down or pace around if that would ease her thoughts.

Silence then fell between the three whilst the sound of vigorous typing, Rebecca pacing and Rowena's sharp and consistent voice carried the room.

"Next thing we'll know, you've got a fucking army," Nick muttered under his breath after Rowena put down her phone and gave him a stern glare.

Rebecca frowned and spoke, "Nicky, language."

He murmured an apology before turning to Rowena. Nick asked, "Are you sure about this? I won't be...you know-"

She raised an eyebrow before softened her eyes. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Rowena shook her head. She wouldn't let Nick take the blame for something that helped them. If they did discover her uses of her old position as once part of the War, she would take the blame either way.

Once Nick seemed more relaxed and assured, he continued getting through.

Letting out a sigh, she began to explain. "I couldn't tell you both on the way here because this whole place has eyes and ears." She gave a grim expression to them, folding her arms. "It would seem the temporary guards are not doing their job well."

Rebecca slowly said, "So, you're saying..."

"This wasn't a one-person job." She told them, "They have planned it well enough to know the security camera, procedures and times of the day."

Rebecca's eyes gazed over to Nick's to which he silently returned before letting himself work on the screen again. As for Rowena, she was growing impatient. It had only been five minutes, hardly that long since Larry left. She should pester the young teenager, but she was on the edge.

Suddenly, there was a knock. 

All their heads turned to the dark wooden door and she was the first to approach it cautiously. With one hand on the doorknob, she crept her hand to the object pocketed in her sleeve. She took a quick glance at Rebecca and Nick and motioned for them to stay silent.

Carefully, she opened in her usual pace and found herself facing her friend.

"Antonio." In one part, she was thankful it had been him and not someone else. However, that didn't halter her prudence.

The Italian man curtly greeted her before she allowed him inside and shut the door.

He stood in the middle of the room, with Rowena by the door and Rebecca and Nick at the other end. The curator gave the two only Americans in the room a look of confusion before turning to her. Antonio discussed, "Rowen. Dr Lyon's informed me. They're down in security to check the footage as we speak. More enforcements are arriving."

Rowena wanted to speak any further, but she kept her cool and instructed him, "Tell the security to keep people calm. If they don't comply, make sure they don't leave."

He questioned, "Why-"

Antonio's eyes flashed in wariness as he heard a click.

She kept her eyes trained on him, the handgun aimed at his chest.

"Rowen!" She heard Rebecca gasp as Nick was probably too busy getting through to the cameras.

As for her, Rowena was not going to let her guard down. In one part of her mind, she would hope Antonio was truly her friend and had no idea what was going on. However, her rationality knew she could not take any more risky choices. He knew of Ahkmenrah and the Tablet's movement from New York. He was the other option that might have to know about the theft.

She heard herself speak with a plain tone, "Give me one reason not to shoot you."

He slowly lifted his arms up as she nudged the butt of the gun to him. Even if she had a weapon on his body, Antonio Paladino didn't seem too terrified. It was as if he was prepared by her hostility.

That even made him more suspicious and she waited for him to speak.

"Believe me, amica." Antonio carefully spoke, his voice calm and collected.  "I am not your enemy." 

"Prove it," Rowena ordered.

Even trying to find any fault in his voice or any small changed in his expression, Rowens saw no hatred or fakeness in them. There was something else, which almost resided to guilt but it wasn't betrayal. It frustrated her.

He admitted, "I cannot prove it. But you knew me since university. I would never try to pull a stunt-"

Antonio paused as he hiccupped, the gun pressed over his chest.

Her mind was screaming to her. What was she doing? This was not what she intended. The fear flashing in his eyes and she hissed back, "One more chance."

"I swear to you, Rowen Bates." Antonio gulped, the calm voice faltering. "I have kept you alive for longer than you would think."

She stared at him, sensing his discomfort close to the gun. His cool breathing made her contemplate his answer. What did he mean that he had kept her alive? And for what? How Antonio even said her name felt foreign to her - as if he spoke the wrong thing.

His eyes spoke nothing by the truth in his words, though there was something else. No hatred or desire in his eyes, but pleading and forgiveness. She realised that he hadn't even tried to touch her, only allowing her to keep her gun on him.

Rowena finally stepped back and lowered her gun, sensing the relief in everyone around the room. Antonio placed his arms down and brushed the front of his suit.

She said tightly, "You will interrogate each of them." Rowena then asked, head still watching her colleague. "Nick, are we connected?"

The teenager replied, "Yep, we're in." He let out a gasp. "Wow, the encryption is amazing!"

Rowena refrained to roll her eyes before setting herself to walk over to her desk where Nick was looking at multiple screens of various streets. Whilst she did so, Antonio waited where he stood whilst Rebecca lingered closer to Nick.

The screen held multiple views of streets, all recording in live time. Rowen spoke quietly, "We're looking for the man your dad described."

Nick nodded, and Rebecca joined them searching for any indication of a familiar face. They haven't seen Larry yet, so they continued looking through.

"You won't uh...tell Dad, right?" Nick asked her, and Rowen raised an eyebrow. At this time, he would ask her of this? What was more surprising is that Nick hadn't told Larry of his talent in computing.

That'll be another conversation to hold for the two of them.

She let the two do their work and she decided to hover back to her friend, slipping her jacket on and replacing her heels with some proper shoes that were perched under the desk. 

Rowena inhaled and clenched her jaw. "Antonio, I don't know what you're hiding." She narrowed her eyes as she spoke, "But lay a finger on them..."

He looked at her with a pleading expression, trying his best to get through her barriers. However, she was long past in trusting people now. "I promise I won't, amica," Antonio swore, his hand over his heart.

"Shaftesbury Avenue." 

Rowena turned to the teenager and nodded. "Thank you, Nicky. Call your Dad right now."

She heard another cough, and she found Antonio firmly calling out. "Go, Rowen."

Swiftly rushing up to her, Rebecca seemed so lost with all of the mess that was occurring. Rowena squeezed her hand and silently gave her a look of apology. She could only hope she would be able to catch up to them not for her sake, but for Rebecca's.

She saw the worry and fear rising in her friend's eyes. "Becca, if something happens. Call Yara." Rowena told her - no, ordered.

It took a moment to process it, but Rebecca mechanically nodded, even more, terrified as her hand grasped the object. The dagger that had been in Rowen's possession for decades, she had now passed it to her.

"Okay." She whispered, but her voice frantically changed as she cried. "Wait! Where are you going?"

However, it was too late. Rowena rushed past Antonio and exited the office. It was time to catch up to Larry. And to keep her promise to her best friend to keep him safe.

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Larry XXX

2014 - London

He was probably doing the stupidest thing he has ever done in his life.

And that was the last thing on his mind.

From pushing dozens of people out of the way and saying multiple apologies, he sped down the front entrance of the museum and ran out of the gates. He could hear the noises and screech of tires as he yanked himself off the road and back into the pavement. Larry apologised once more at the walker passing by, waving his arms before he spun his head to sense where the Tablet was.

He was not lying to Rowen when he told her that he began sensing the artefacts as of late. There was a sort of pull whenever the Wadjet key of the Tablet was around. The number of times he's wandered to the Egyptian exhibit by accident in the past few weeks, realising he had been sensing it, showed there was something odd going on. 

No one but him seemed to notice. He as only relieved Rowen and Ahkmenrah felt it too.

It was the middle of the day, and with the honking of buses, taxis - he could feel his ears ring before sensing his heart starting to beat fast.

Where would the guy go?

He tried to focus on the Tablet and felt a miniature tug down the street opposite the gates of the museum. With another intake of breath, Larry ran. He swerved down the pavement, dodging as much as he could through the crowds of people walking up and down. A woman shrieked into his ear and Larry picked up the bag she had dropped and passed it back to her. She gave him a soured glance before walking away.

Larry swallowed the bile, trying to pan his eyes about and sense the Tablet's whereabouts. He was still a couple of minutes away from the museum, though it seemed the Tablet was getting further. Though, with the number of tourists, workers and the general public (wearing bags as well), his head began to ache.

He decided to continue forward, leading up to the crossroads. As soon as he spotted the familiar signs and main road filled with red buses, he felt something vibrate in his pocket.

Slowing down his pace, he took a deep breath and said, "Nicky?" He asked quickly, "Why are you-"

"Continue down the road. Shaftesbury Avenue!"

Larry spun his head around, furrowing his eyes in confusion. There was no sign of his son anywhere. "How do you know-"

"Doesn't matter, Dad!" Nick loudly said, "If you want to catch up with the guy, less talking more driving."

"I'm so gonna get kicked out of this country," Larry complained, before shoving taking off once more and pulling enough strength and air to sprint.

Once he got to the crossroads, he was met with multiple lights flashing in his eyes. He squinted as he searched for any indication of the man in the dark jacket and black backpack. But it seemed everyone wore similarly of the colours he had.

Larry pulled the phone back next to his ear. He could hear his own breath mix with his voice. "Where now?"

"Take a left on to Charing Cross Road," Nick instructed. "Then keep going straight down to Trafalgar Square."

How far was that? And Larry refrained to groan out loud at Nick's bossy tone. He didn't understand how long the road was. It seemed to stretch for miles, and the traffic was not worth to get a taxi. 

'How the hell does he know where I am?' He asked himself but then told his mind to shut up and continue on.

There was still no figure of any sense of the Tablet, making his let out a snarl. He continued to walk down until he arrived what looked familiar in the pictures he's seen. Trafalgar Square was a bustling hub filled with black cabs, red buses and groups of tourists flashing their cameras and sticking their selfie sticks everywhere. With the familiar Roman building of the National Gallery and the fountains couldn't help Larry stop to admire it.

It gave him time to take a breath, focusing his eyes to find any figure that looked like the man at the museum. It didn't help when he found out that about five different roads were leading out of the square, making him curse internally.

'How am I going to find him out of all of this?' He asked himself before he let another huff. Maybe he should have thought this through. Rowen was probably preparing her row with him the moment he returns.

In the corner of his eye, he then spotted the blurry figure of the man.

Eyes flashing in realisation, Larry sped down the stairs and race towards him. Luckily the thief hadn't noticed him yet, disappearing down the street lined with trees, heading towards the Thames. 

He was several yards ahead of Larry, and he quickly contemplated taking one of the bikes lying about. 'There's no time.' Larry thought, before dodging another couple holding hands down the pavement. 'And I'll probably cause an accident.'

As soon as he arrived at the crossroads, he then spotted the thief entering one of the buildings. 

"Shit!" Larry pressed his phone up to his ear, hearing Nick curse. "He's gone underground. I don't think I can see-"

"Don't worry, you gave me a good job." He said, he carefully made sure he heard him add. "Now make sure you and Becca are safe, kay?"

Nick sniffed and replied, "I will."

As the line cut off, Larry ventured across the road and entered the London Underground. It was in his luck that he still got the valid ticket he forgot in his pocket, passing through easily but not as fast as he wanted. The escalator down was packed with people, and he could see the top of the man's head and the backpack sticking out at the bottom of the escalator.

Before he was even halfway, the thief had disappeared down into the corridors and blended into the rows and queues of people filing towards the platform.

Larry impatiently walked down, keeping his eyes trained as he tilted his head up.

However, by the time he arrived at the platform, there was the sound of the train doors closing. He was left standing on an empty platform, his hands ruffling his hair in frustration. He could feel his heart pumping, his body drenched in sweat. The pull of the Tablet was beginning to dwindle.

It was too late. They were long gone.

People began to fill the platform, pushing and shoving around him as they tried to get to the front. He felt a blow of wind slap his face, seeing the light growing at one end of the tunnel. As the next train slowed to a halt, he considered if it was worth it to follow the thief still. Larry knew there was no chance he could find the man again. There was probably a dozen stops he could have gotten off after this. Even then, he would have disappeared into the streets of London when he got to the surface.

However, the possibilities that were growing in his mind didn't stop him from entering the train and moving forward. The doors slid closed, and he quickly grabbed the nearest handle and felt the force of the train pull him to the side.

Larry stared around the congested cabin, the pungent smell of sweat, perfume and body odour lingering in his nose. The sound of a baby crying echoed from one end of the cabin whilst he could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He had not run like this for months, despite being fit for his age. He had to thank the museum life for that.

"He stopped at Waterloo."

Head lifting upwards, Larry found the voice whispering by his side.

Right beside him was an ordinary man. His curly hair messy compared to his rather expensive jacket and white trainers. He must be around Nick's age by his face, though with the stern and cautious expression on him.

Larry gave him a look of suspicion. He had no idea who this man was and he definitely talking to him.

The train stopped at the next station, his eyes glancing across through the window to see the same name the man spoke of. The man didn't move as the doors flew open, though his head nudging Larry towards the exit spoke otherwise.

Larry questioned, "Who are you-"

He grunted, feeling the man's hand grasp his sleeve and shoved him out of the train. It took a few seconds to recollect his thoughts, startled at what just happened. When he looked back up, the young man stared at him.

"Someone that's trying to help." The man answered, and then spoke. "Now go. He will try to reach the Needle."

"What needle?" He asked.

The doors were beginning to close, and the final words he heard were: "...The Thames!"

The ringing of the train warnings echoed around him before the train slowly exited the station and back into the darkness. It must have taken him several seconds to process what just happened before reminded himself that he still needed to catch up with the guy.

Jogging down the white walled corridors towards the exit, he felt his phone buzz and he answered. He exhale, "Rowen."

"Gods, Larry." He could hear the panic in her voice. She asked, "Where did you go?"

"Waterloo Station." He quickly said, continuing to hurry up the escalator and running towards the entrance.

"Fuck, I'm on the other side." Rowen cursed and then asked. "Where's he going now?"

After he passed the ticket gates, he heard the blasting of traffic and the cool breeze returning around him. He panned his eyes from both sides of the street, trying to identify any recognition of his jacket.

"I'm still following him. But he trying to get to the Thames. Some needle or-" Larry hissed, spotting brown eyes stare back at him. 

His eyes widened before he bolted into a run.

"He's seen me, gotta go!" Larry called out before slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Larry sped down the street, seeing the thief turn to the right- heading towards the river. Exhale, inhale, exhale: he could have sworn his lungs were going to give in as he dodge the pedestrians around him.

A woman shrieked as he shouted an apology before jumping over the bench. Green patches of grass and trees began to appear in his surroundings before he spotted the figure leap off the marble wall and ran across into the crowd.

Larry stared up, seeing the large structure standing beside the Thames. The London Eye stood proud and round, keeping the eyes of tourists focused on the monument. He waded through the masses, hearing more shouts of protest. People thrown on the ground as the thief created a path of destruction. He wanted to stop and help the rest, but he didn't have any time.

Now, the two were running down the riverside, hearing more screams erupt as the thief got closer to the bridge.

Larry was shoved back, feeling a large mass hit him. He found himself falling to the ground, groaning in pain. When he looked up, he found himself met by a vendor. Sauces and food sprawled over the ground. The vendor was glaring daggers, spitting out a nasty string of swearwords. He heard people gasp around him and he gestured his hands.

"Look, I'm sorry. But I need to get this guy-" Larry cut himself off as he got back up, walking gradually away from them before sprinting back to the direction he last saw the thief.

He heaved up the stairs, spotting the black hooded figure race down the bridge towards Big Ben. Just as he was about to get closer, he skidded to a stop as he saw the figure turn to look back. However, the thief had seem to ignore the young couple walking towards him. 

The thief went straight towards them, falling onto the ground with them as his bag plopped onto the hard ground. Larry began to jog closer, but then he suddenly felt his heart grow cold.

Suddenly, there was large bang.

He could feel his heart pounding, hands shaking as he couldn't believe his eyes.

There was a scream, before a body fell onto the ground once more. The thief got up, slinging the backpack up. However, at that time: Larry spotted his hood falling off his head - revealing the face of their thief.

And he could not believe who it was.

It was Kai's friend.

And he had a gun pointed at every single person around him.

"Stay back!" Garret Trench warned, firing another bullet up at the sky as he barked. "Stay back or they get hurt!"

He looked like a rabbit animal. With red feral eyes that glowed. 

Larry gaped in shock. Those eyes were brown before. 

'Just like Khafre...' He realised. 'He's not himself.'

"Just give it back okay?" He could hear himself shout through the multiple screeching of tyres and horns. "Put the gun down-"

Another bullet shot through the air and Larry's body jerked as he spotted another body collapse by the sidewalk. People were beginning to off the bridge, leaving him and several cars and taxis with him.

The buses and taxis stopped, people flying out as they raced out of the vehicles. Glass shards flew over his head, as Larry took shelter behind the red bus. His ragged breaths was all he could muster to hear, as well as more screams and cries hurdling around him.

This made no sense. Why pull a stunt now?

'He's crazy!' He screamed in his head. 'That douchebag knows this is a deathtrap. He's trying to pull as much people down before he does.' Larry opened his phone, only to find the screen cracked. He tried to turn it on, but all he received was a black screen.

Letting another curse, Larry glanced behind the bus and saw a man racing off the bridge.

And in a instant, the man fell to the ground. His body not moving at all. Dead.

He couldn't breathe. He clenched his chest with his fist, repeating to himself more words of encouragement. Larry needed to stop Trench before he could kill any more of them.

He tried to find something he could use, and discovered a car door dislodged from the piles of crashed vehicles. With a hefty heave, he lugged it in front of his body before exiting the safety of the bus.

Down beside the edge of the bridge, he could spot him talking  - a mixture of English and some other language - to no one. Perhaps he had a phone or a speaker - Larry was not clear enough to see.

Closer and closer, he edge towards Trench. He looked occupied, his gun aimed at a person that looked to be in their sixties. With Trench's back against the edge and the elderly man knelt on the floor with shaking hands, Larry then took the risk.

However, he then felt his body shake in fear as he saw the old man fall to the ground. Red beginning to stain the ground.

Trench had simply pulled the gun again. 

On an innocent man.

He wanted to be sick. But Larry pushed the vile taste out of his mouth before he felt his anger overcome him. 

Metal clashed against Trench's side, as Larry shoved the car door into his body. His grasp slipped off the door, letting the thief collapse on the ground - dropping the backpack and gun as well.

Larry then raced to grab the backpack. Though just in the corner of his eyes, he saw him grab the gun and pointed it toward two figure. His let a gasp, before speeding towards the mother and child. Where had they come from? 

"Get behind me!" He told the two strangers, backing them on the sidewalk before glaring at Trench.

He had lost his chance, finding Trench hobbling just a few feet away - with the Tablet still in his hand.

"You think I'll just cheaply give it away?" Trench scoffed, and revealed the object from his bag. The Tablet glimmered under the sun. "I've been waiting for this to happen for so long."

"Look, Garry. Garfield whatever. Just give me the Tablet!" He demanded, trying to cover the woman and child behind his body.

He barked out a laugh, before replying. "Not a chance, night guard. It's the end for you and your friends."

Hearing the click, Larry did something brave.

And something stupid.

He felt something tore right through him. A burst of nerves exploded from his stomach, sending a shock wave of coldness up his spine before a flare of heat followed. Larry felt like he was on fire, as he felt his throat dry up, choking as he begged for more air. His legs wobbled before him, and he took them moment to run straight towards Trench.

Tackling him onto the ground, Larry snatched the Tablet from his hands and shoved the golden artefact against Trench's face - letting out a scream of agony.

"Argh!" Trench screeched, as smoke began to rise up. His cheeks grew red before a black charred mark began to scrawl up his arm and neck. "Damn that fucking curse!"

Larry pried the Tablet off him, limping backwards. As he tried to turn, he could feel his body roaring in pain. It felt like a fire was burning him from the inside, as he stared at the thief beginning to stand up.

Trench turned to him, the Tablet's marking tattooed on across his face. Letting another snarl, he lifted his trembling hand and pointed the weapon at Larry's chest.

This was it.

This was how Larry was going to die.

He scrunched his eyes, preparing for it.

There was the echoe of bullet hitting skin. 

However, Larry felt nothing from it.

When he opened his eyes, what he imagined of Trench standing before him never came. What appeared in front of him was a body thrown onto the floor, the clattering onto the ground. Trench's body in fact.

He staggered a breath of shock, before he hobbling closer to him. Once he leaned over the man's body, he then saw what he had not expected.

A bullet hole in Trench's forehead.

"What..." Larry let a breathless voice, before feeling his knee buckling under him. He lifted his hand from his stomach, seeing the the palm of skin coated in blood. 

His blood.

And with one last breath, he could hear sirens echoing around him - before hearing the clatter of metal hitting the ground for the last time...darkness filling his mind.

____

A/N: Finally finished this chapter! This took so long to write and a lot of re-writing. But this was probably the best I could do as of now and it's not perfect.

Please don't hurt me. I know I left this chapter at a terrible point of time but don't love some suspense. Hehe. Larry is going to go through some thought shiz next chapter. As for Garret Trench, we now have our second character killed. Who shot him though? 

As well as for Antonio, who is he really? And where do his loyalties lie?

On another note, decided to give Nick some spotlight this chapter, and decided that he would have the talent in computer coding and hacking. Of course, it's not written in canon but I thought it would be great to have something which Nick has a passion for. Something that could help our heroes in the following chapters. ;)

Next chapter: To be continued...

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Written: 20/11/2020

Edited: 20/11/2020