thief - lw&co [anthony lockwood]

12.

Third person

As soon as the group arrived home George started his research and soon invaded the table with papers. Erin and Lucy helped him and tried keeping the table nice and tidy, but of course, failing.

Lockwood came unusually late for just a trip at Satchells but was participating nonetheless.

"This job is going to kill us," George complained.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." The taller boy said. He stopped a moment to look at the research on the table.

"Wow. This all on Combe Carey Hall?" He asked.

"Yeah, everything Fairfax forgot to mention. It's not just a country house. It used to be a static priory of medical devil worshippers." George grew more aggravated.

"Oh, good. Evil monks." The other boy laughed.

"Even if Fairfax had told us, Lockwood would have still taken the job." Erin sighed.

"Anyone fancies another beer?" Lockwood asked, his head shoved in the fridge.

"You're a bad influence, Lockwood, promoting underage drinking to your friends, how disappointing." Erin joked.

"Oh, stop pretending you're not the one that drinks the most out of all of us." He laughed.

"I do not," Erin said in a fake gasp.

"At least we know what we'll be facing at Combe Carey Hall." Lockwood changed the subject.

"No, actually we have no idea," George said standing up in frustration. "It's killed loads including some at a party 30 years ago, but those deaths weren't blamed on the monks. No, they were blamed on a Screaming Staircase, or a Red Room, whatever they are." George huffed.

"Without flares, this job is suicide. Look!" Lucy grabbed an old photo. "We're not the first ones to try, either."

"At the start of the Problem, an elite Fittes team was sent in." George showed him the picture while explaining. "There was only one survivor. And one, Samaran Pandey, is still unaccounted for."

"Fairfax kept all of this from us," Lucy added.

"No, he got himself a good deal." Lockwood tried to clarify. "And so did we. This is a job that's finally big enough for our talents."

"It's not such a great deal for us if we die," Erin complained.

"We're a team. So... if either of you have another option on how to keep this agency afloat, then I'm all ears."

"Prostitution, selling drugs, organ trafficking... the list goes on." Erin shrugged. But was smacked in the head by George.

"Something not illegal." He said.

"The job we're doing is already illegal." She snapped back.

"Right, so it's decided then, well do the job." He ignored her.

They all went their separate ways after, Lucy had a shower, George was stress cleaning, Lockwood was getting ready for tomorrow, and Erin was playing around with her current prototype, with was just protection glasses for flare explosions.

Erin was in her room with music blasting in her ears, she heard commotion downstairs. She assumed it was just George and Lockwood having another disagreement, this only made her turn the music louder.

She was slightly annoyed at Lockwood for not really leaving them a choice about the mission, she was sure they could find another way, a least deadly and easier way. but she did see things from the boy's perspective and agreed with him on some parts.