𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮 ➪ 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱

𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆. 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘀

"WELL, ANYWAYS.
can we go back to the main conversation?" Agnes asked, wanting to change the conversation after an awkward pause.
"right. who are the ones who caught Danny?" Lockwood faced his old friend.

"parasites. scum." Flo spat out.
"why didn't Tendy's help him? I mean, he must've worked for them for years." Agnes stared at Flo, starting to like her.

"Tendy's doesn't give a shit." the relic girl answered.
"clearly." Agnes muttered, closing her eyes as she saw she made a complete fool out of herself.
"he was on his way out. talent fading. expendable." Flo continued.
"we need to find Danny's partner. whoever it was who left him for dead." Lockwood stated, staring at Flo's eyes.

the relic girl stared deep into Agnes's eyes a sort of recognition lighting up in her eyes, "that'll be Jack Carver. but you do not wanna find him. trust me." Flo averted her gaze.
it was obvious the girl was of suspicious nature, people had faced their backs to her which made the girl wary of others. and sometimes (like for this instant) she was right. Agnes Berkshire, the girl who'd have headlines about her in magazines and newspapers even before her sudden disappearance. the girl who'd had it all, the girl who was born into a family full of sickos.

"we have to." Lockwood declared. "this is important, Flo. please." he pleaded.
Flo looked past him "leave a message on that board, and he might come and find you. it'll have to be the right kind of message, though. one he can't ignore." Florence instructed as Lockwood began writing.
Agnes read over his words, " "we know about the mirror." did you just put our address? that's suicide, Lockwood!" she exclaimed.

"well we need to make sure he shows up. he's our only hope." the boy glanced at his partner before getting up, going over to the board.
"I'm surrounded by maniacs..." Agnes exhaled, putting her right hand against her temple as Florence laughed.
"you're not so terrible..." Florence stated, giving the blonde one chance at some unspoken alliance.
"I can say the same, Flo." Agnes took a sip of her coffee, now lukewarm.

"tell me about their network. how do they move their goods?" Lockwood inquired as soon as he sat back down.
"they're in business with Julius Winkman. antiques dealer in Bermondsey who works with his wife. i'm warning you, do not poke that nest." Flo Bones warned in precaution. Julius Winkman, the devil they'd have to face next. the name was familiar to Agnes, she just didn't know from where.

"what do you mean?" Agnes questioned in frowned brows.
"let me put it more plainly, blondie. if Carver doesn't kill you, they will." Flo raised her eyebrows as to emphasize her statement.
Agnes stared at Lockwood for a second, he did the same. her eyes screamed hesitance while Lockwood's shrieked adventure.
"thanks, Flo. here. something to remember Danny by. the way he was." Lockwood slid a piece of cloth to the relic seller, inside it contained the Tendy's badge he let fall prior to his death. Florence looked at it in a sad sentiment, before returning her eyes to Lockwood.

"I'm always surprised when you turn up to see me, Locky. I thought you'd be dead by now." Lockwood smiled at her honest words.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

"are we really gonna walk all the way back?" Agnes asked, a few steps behind Lockwood who always seemed to be in hurry with the way he walked.
"it's such a lovely evening for a stroll." he chuckled slightly, looking at the now caught up girl.
"said no one, ever."

the silence had begun to take over as rapid as the curiosity took over Agnes's mind. "so, how'd you meet Flo?"
"can't remember. ages ago." the boy responded as he kept walking.
"she always been like that?"
"yeah. bless her." he stopped for a quick second, looking at her wondering why the unnecessary interrogation.

"she cares a lot about you huh?" maybe Agnes was still a little jealous, not realizing the sibling relationship they had formed over the years.
"yeah, she's a worrier, that's all." he replied in the same monotone tone

"forget about it. we don't know how long it will be until Carver gets that message. we need to move fast." he commanded.
"we should get a cab then." Agnes suggested in a know-it-all tone.
"we're not headed back yet, though." Agnes now turned her neck to look at him.

"it's almost midnight, Lucy and George will be waiting for us!" the blonde protested, but she knew there was no going back now. by Lockwood's expression he'd have his mind set in it, and in no form would he ever back down.
"I'm sure they'll be delighted when we bring back that mirror." Agnes stopped for a second, indignation written in her face.

"are we seriously heading to...Winkman's? her voice was pure disagreement.
"you heard what Barnes said. that thing is lethal. who knows whose hands it could end up in tomorrow? plus, it's easier to break in and steal things at night and it's on our way." Agnes fully came into a halt, holding her holster as she scrunched up her face.
Lockwood stopped, turning halfway to face her.

"are you mad? Flo said they'd kill us. you heard her!" the blonde protested.
"yeah, but Flo's a worrier. I'm not worried. are you?" he retorted.

"I'm afraid I worry a bit for your life, Anthony. so if that makes me a worrier then so be it." Agnes spat out angrily at his imprudence.
she walked ahead of him, her steps surprisingly surpassing the boy.

"you don't have to come, you know that right?" he asked after a few minutes, Agnes didn't dare to retribute his gaze. "I do. I do because I care, and if you die then I wouldn't know what to do." she replied quickly and almost unwillingly; as if she hated admitting the fact out loud, she did.
Lockwood was silent, looking down at his grey sneakers as he walked. thinking about Agnes's confession, he felt the same way. but he was the one walking her to a death dungeon.

and finally they came into a stop, staring the windows of the antique shop with a certain hesitance.
"we'll never get in there. it's better to come back first thing in the morning. you or I pretend to be a customer and the other—" Lockwood pretended not to listen. "let's go down the side." he said, walking away.
Agnes huffed as she followed him, terrible feeling still stuck in her gut.

"you know how to pick locks way better than me." Lockwood tossed the girl a clip in which she used it to open the side.
the duo had entered the shop, they were silent —due to this being a robbery of course— but the clashing sounds of swords, men screaming and screeching horses made Agnes's breath rapid and shaky.
"you hear the mirror?" Lockwood turned his neck around.

"too many sounds, I can't exactly pin-point the mirror." Agnes bit her lip in concentration, scrunching up her face in the process.
"from all this?"

"yeah well, I believe antics are the best relics. they tell a story just as they're aesthetically appealing." the girl whispered, opening a box in which contained a small teddy-bear.
"and this" she breathed out loud "these are relics with the biggest psychic charge I've ever felt." she held the object up. toy-like relics were always the most agonizing, because it was a reminder of a traumatic death a child had.

"come on." he taped her shoulder, seeing his partner drawn in to the bear "let's get further in. see if you can hear it or sense it." Agnes followed him.
"and what exactly am I supposed to hear anyways?" the blonde asked in a hostile manner.