As Hollow As A Mannequins Grin (Keveridge)

18 - Would You Rather They Both Lived And You Died?

"COME ON KIER!" 

The red fringed man jogged up by mine and Luke's side, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "I don't get why we're going into the city though..."

"Because Drew never came back and it's been three hours, that's why!" I snapped, casting a glare in his direction before turning it back to the road ahead. From the corner of my eye I saw Luke pull the hood that was hiding his identity from the rest of the people that were milling about closer around himself and Kier lower his head down further.

We never got many glances, which I was grateful for. Last thing we needed right now was someone to recognise Luke from the palace, or even Kier from when he came into the city for food. Any distractions right now wouldn't go down too well with me.

As we turned the corner, I had to pull Kier back out of view as the idiot hadn't been paying attention and had just kept walking. He glared at me and opened his mouth to speak to which I signalled him not to and peeked back round the corner. A large black carriage was there which was unmistakably The Cardinal's one, and conformation from Luke assured my suspicions.

"What's he doing so far away from the palace?" Kier whispered, joining the two of us in our transfixed gazes.

"I'm not too sure..." Luke murmured.

As though to answer our questions The Cardinal swept out the door, a large smirk plastered on his face. We all watched as he climbed into the carriage, a ghost of a song coming from his mouth drifting our way.

"He never sings unless he's ridiculously happy..." Luke piped up once again, tilting his head to the side, "Something's not quite right here and I don't know what. Maybe-"

"SHH!" Kier whispered just as two figures poked their heads round the door, checking to make sure that the street was empty before dragging out a third one. I felt Kier stir to the side of me and soon enough I saw why as the third figure was Laurence.

It hadn't even been two days, but already he was beaten to a pulp. His face had nasty black and blue bruises round the cheeks and one on his eye. His nose was bleeding and his lip was busted up, split down the left. Other than the facial injuries, he didn't appear to be hurt which I was grateful for. I don't know how Kier would have reacted if anything else had been hurt by them.

He was trying his best to escape the two men that were holding him, struggling in their grip - even lashing out with his feet to catch them off balance - but nothing seemed to be working. One even laughed at his attempts. He didn't have much of a chance after that as he was bundled into the carriage with The Cardinal, and the two that were holding him followed suit and the cart lunged to life as it whizzed off down the street.

Kier started to make a run after it, but Luke held him back, the same phrase of "He's gone" coming out his mouth. I didn't know what else I could do for either of them. Kier lost his boyfriend, Luke lost his best friend, I'd lost... a friend? I was still a little unclear as to what me and Laurence actually were.

I left Kier and Luke to their little bonding moment over the loss of their friend and made my way into the house where Laurence had emerged. It was obvious The Cardinal was taking Laurence back to the palace, but I wanted to know who the ones that took him from the house and to the carriage were. The house would definitely hold some answers.

I was aware of Kier and Luke following me when I opened the door and withdrew my gun. I didn't know this building, so I don't know exactly what I was preparing myself for. The first room was empty, nothing and no one inside it - the second one the exact same. The third however had four men in it, all laughing and drinking between themselves.