Reckless | Tintin

" There's a possibility of a story here."

Marlinspike halls butler, Nestor, lifted the model ship off of Tintin as he and Sakharine, the current owner of Marlinspike hall, watched Tintin and Ana begin to wake up from being knocked out.

" Welcome to Marlinspike Hall," Sakharine said once the two had both sat up." I see you let yourselves in."

" We came to retrieve," Tintin said as he got up and grabbed the ship Nestor held," our property."

" I'm sorry I'm not sure I follow you."

Ana got up from the ground." But I believe you do. This ship was stolen from our apartment less than an hour ago."

" I'm afraid you two are mistaken; Mr. Tintin, Miss. Smith."

" There's no mistake," Tintin retorted." It belongs to us."

" Are you sure?"

Tintin tugged the boat out of Nestor's hands before walking a few feet away." Of course, I'm sure. We took it home. Ana put it on the cabinet in the living room and then Snowy chased Ana's cat Jade and knocked it over and it... Fell... this isn't our ship..."

" No. Indeed," Sakharine said passive-aggressively as Nestor took the boat from Tintin and placed it back in the display case.

" I'm sorry, it looks identical..."

" Well, looks can be deceiving."

" Yes indeed," Tintin said, looking at the man who was leading him and Ana out of the room. before they'd even made it five feet from the door he turned back, looking at the small ship." But I don't understand! Why did Sir Francis make two ships exactly alike? And you have one already! Why do you want another? What is it about this model that would cause someone to steal it?"

" Goodness me!" Sakharine said, standing next to Tintin and watching the young man inspect the model ship." Why so many questions?"

" That's our job." Sakharine turned to look at Ana." There's a possibility of a story here. And our job revolves around stories."

" Well, it's no great Mystery. Sir Francis Haddock was a drunkard and a hopeless reprobate. He was doomed to fail and he bequeathed that failure to his sons."

" So it's true!" Tintin said excitedly." The Haddock line is cursed!"

Sakharine stopped his path with his cane." What else have you found out?"

" What is there to find?" Tintin asked in response, shoving the cane out of his face before Sakharine brought it around and held it against his back.

" That depends what you're looking for."

" We're looking for answers," Ana stated simply, glaring at Sakharine."... Mr. Sakharine."

" You're looking in the wrong place... It's late, I think the two of you should go home."

" This way Sir, Madame," Nestor said, holding the tip of Tintins flashlight before carelessly dropping it into Tintin's hand." It's a pitty sir," the butler said as he held the door open.

" I'm sorry?"

" That the mast broke on your model ship sir," he clarified." I hope you found all the pieces? Things are so easily lost."

" Nestor!" Came Sakharine's voice from within the house." Where are you!?"

" Goodnight Sir, Madame," Nestor said, before closing the door as Tintin and Ana shared a confused look.

" Somethings are easily lost..." Tintin echoed, still trying to make sense of what Nestor had told them." What did he mean by that Ana? What was he trying to tell us? Somethings are easily lost..."

Ana reached into her pockets and grabbed her set of keys, unlocking first the main door and then filing through her set of keys in search of the Apartment key, until Snowy pushed the door open and made his way in.

" Snowy?" Tintin and Ana exchanged a glance before making their way through the door, trying to be as silent as possible. Once they'd made it inside, sensing no danger, Tintin flicked the lightswitch on only to see the room a wreck." Great Snakes!"

Ana went ran into her room, only to see that it had been torn apart as well, both the food and water bowls for Jade were tipped over, spilling the contents all over the room as all the sheets had been taken off the bed and strewn about, the books thrown off the shelves, all the drawers in her dresser and desk open and rummaged through.

Back in the main room Snowy ran over to the table the ship had sat on and started to try and crawl under it.

" What is it Snowy?" Tintin asked, following his dog." Ana? Snowy appears to have found something." The two of them moved the table out of the way to reveal the small metal cylinder they'd missed before. Tintin picked it up." Whats this?... Aha! This was in the mast!" he walked over to a lamp and opened the container before taking the magnifying glass Snowy had brought him in order to read the scroll within while Ana began to attempt and put things back where they had been before.

" Three brothers joined," Tintin read off the old scroll." Three unicorns in company, sailing in the noonday sun will speak. For it is from the light... that light will dawn, and then shine forth the Eagles cross..." He looked astonished before noticing something at the bottom of the paper." What are these markings? Some kind of secret language or code? It makes no sense, but it does explain why they ransacked the flat. They were looking for this, and they didn't find it, which means... they'll be back..."

Just as the words came out of his mouth the doorbell rang and both Tintin and Ana, and Snowy too I suppose, looked up in alarm before silently getting up and heading for the door as Tintin slipped the scroll into his wallet.

As Ana quietly opened the door they could hear Mrs.Finch talking to whoever it was at the door." No, I don't know where he is dearie I think he's gone out. And anyway it's after dark and Mr. Tintin is most particular about not admitting visitors after bedtime. I have to go back to my cocoa. I've got a very good book and a cup of cocoa, it's really lovely."

" Thank you, Mrs. Finch," Tintin said as he and Ana approached the door while Snowy stayed behind up on the stairs." We can look after this." She nodded and walked into her apartment before closing the door.

" Hey, kid? Is that you?" the American man from the market's voice came through the door." Open the door." Ana began to reach into her back pocket for her pistol.

" What do you want?" Tintin asked as Ana held her gun at the ready.

" Look, the game is up. He's gonna be back. Now I know wanted those boats but I swear to god I never thought he'd kill anyone over it."

" Who? Who are you talking about?"

" I'm trying to tell you that your life is in danger."

" Answer Me!" Tintin shouted." Who?" There was a sudden sound out gunshots as people from outside began to shoot at them. Tintin dived to the ground, grabbing Ana's wrist as he went, pulling her down behind him and trying to keep her safe from the bullets. Suddenly the firing stopped as the door swung open revealing the American man from the market. Tintin sat up, taking the gun from Ana and aiming at the man with one hand as his other hand was wrapped around Ana's upper back as she closed her eyes tightly, fully prepared to die at that moment, before the man fell forward, obviously dead.

" Mrs. Finch!" Tintin yelled, letting go of Ana and getting up before running to the doorway." A mans been shot on our doorstep!"

" Not Again."

" Call an Ambulance!" Ana yelled, following after Tintin and Snowy as left the building, watching a blue car speedily drive away. Knowing they wouldn't be able to catch it the three walked back inside as the American man used his last living moment to give them a clue.

" Can you hear me?" Tintin asked as he ran to the mans side." Can you?" he rolled him onto his back, coming to the realization that the man was dead for good now, before noticing the newspaper that lay beside him and had specific area's marked in blood.