PLATO'S STEP-DAUGHTER I FLYNN CARSEN

For The Relief Of Indigent Racoons

For The Relief Of Indigent Racoons

Flynn waltzed into the foyer of Golden Axe Food's headquarters, an imposing skyscraper that made Clara dizzy just by looking at it, the others trailing at his heels, Ezekiel brandishing his walking stick at various passing businessmen. Much to Clara's chagrin, they'd ended up in Boston, missing Manhattan by miles. But Flynn was convinced the answer to their problems could be found here, that the solution to saving everyone was right in front of them. He seemed to have completely forgotten about Eve and Cassandra, and everytime Clara tried to remind him, he silenced her with his hand.

"Hello, fair maiden," he trilled, pirouetting over to the reception desk, making the woman staffing it do a double-take. "How are you this fine morn?"

"The circus left town two months ago, sweetheart," the woman snapped, discreetly signalling for security.

"We're collecting for charity," Flynn said abruptly, dropping all feudal formalities, "for racoons to be precise," he hastily added, glancing at Jenkins's streaked hair.

To her surprise, Clara suddenly had a collecting can in her hands, the others armed with the same. As she glanced up at Flynn's broad back, she realised how little she knew him really, but despite this, she was glad he was here. If they were going down, she would rather he was by her side when the ship sank.

As she glanced around, her eye caught Jenkins's, making her feel an unexpected pang of pity for him. Flynn had forced him to come along on another trip to The Twilight Zone, and Jenkins genuinely looked like he was suffering for his sins, completely torn out of his comfort zone. For all his faults, he had helped her on occasion, even following her into a curiosity cabinet, and the recollection prompted Clara to offer him a shaky smile, Jenkins regarding the gesture suspiciously, before inclining his head almost imperceptibility in return.

"What's the name of your er... charity?" the woman was asking, eyes narrowing as she eyed the ID now hanging around Flynn's neck on a lanyard.

"Any one you like," Flynn beamed, rattling his collecting can like a maraca.

"I thought the circus had left town," a confused voice said from behind them, making Clara turn around, only to be confronted by a combination of unnaturally white teeth and even more unnaturally blonde hair. "It took several depositions to get you lot moved on," the woman then said, striding forwards, shooing them with her hands, "so mosey. You're bringing the value of the place down with your very presence." But as she did, she froze at the sight of Archie, her eyes widening with almost shock, and not just the average shock at seeing a glittery pink goat, but something else altogether. Then she recovered herself, folding her arms across her chest, her face changing, forcing itself into a welcoming expression. "How can I help you?" she said to Clara, startling her.

"I" -

- "We're collecting for charity," Flynn said, cutting across Clara, "volunteering our limited life-spans for the sake of a good cause. Savvy?"

The woman studied Flynn and the others for a moment, raising her eyebrows as Jacob flexed his muscles threateningly and Ezekiel squatted like a sumo wrestler, Jenkins shifting uncomfortably on the spot under her scrutiny, her gaze dwelling on Archie the longest. But just as she opened her mouth to say something, a young woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere, her pretty face anxious, a phone clamped to her ear. "Miss. Willis," she stage-whispered worriedly, "the Tokyo office is on the line" -

– "Not now, Jenny," Miss. Willis said from between gritted teeth, her gaze still rigidly fixed upon Archie.

Jenny retreated behind the reception desk, shooting Clara and the others curious looks, blushing becomingly when Jacob fired one of his famous smiles in her direction. Jenkins elbowed him in the side, making Jacob mumble and mutter, but thankfully ending his flirting. Miss. Willis finally tore her gaze away from Archie, snapping her fingers together, signalling for someone called Franklin, the pompous pace of his footsteps announcing his arrival before he arrived.

"How can I help you, Karen?" Franklin said, sounding bored, consulting his clipboard.

"I need HR to process these people," Karen said, eying them oddly, "take them down." And with that, she was gone, disappearing through a set of elevator doors.

Franklin immediately led Flynn and the others away, Clara the only one to hesitate. "Wait," she cried, almost sprinting to keep up as the others followed Franklin like hounds to the hunt, "why do we need to be processed?"

"Where's your paperwork, princess?" Franklin fired over his shoulder at her. "Your contracts and agreements? You can't just waltz in here like a Disney film."

"We're collecting for charity," Jenkins said clippedly, "not signing a business deal."

"You didn't even bother to phone ahead," Franklin said just as clippedly, turning into a corridor.

"The lines were down," Flynn said, grabbing Ezekiel's arm, stopping him just in time from knocking over a vase.

"Ming," Jacob said knowledgeably, circling the stand.

"Mine!" Ezekiel chimed in, lunging at it, trying to knock it over again.

"Lay one finger on it, Father Time, and you're history," Franklin threatened, whirling on them, "and if your horned friend so much thinks about defecating on my darling floor," he continued, his gaze falling upon Archie, "his head will be mounted on the wall of my office before you can even blink."

"And your fingers will look most fetching on my dinner plate," Flynn said with a strange smile, his tone taking on Hannibal Lector tones.

Franklin just stared at Flynn, startled despite himself, before resuming leading the way to HR.

"Everyone's staring at us," Clara hissed under her breath to Flynn as they followed Franklin, "as in 'we have three heads staring'."

"They've been staring at us ever since we first set foot in this place," Jenkins reminded her irritably.

"Phooey," Flynn said dismissively, taking Clara's hand, knotting his fingers through hers, "let them stare. You can't buy this hot pink goodness."