The Strange Case of Miss Lavinia Armitrage

Azathoth Prinn

They burst through the revolving doors of the Innsmouth Diner, and out into the darkness.  Green neon light illuminated them briefly as they walked to the sidewalk. Mist swirled around their feet, and there was a chill in the moist air.  Lavinia pulled her tiny jacket closer around her, but it wasn't really meant to envelop its contents, just accentuate them.  And it did.  Ward was almost distracted.  Almost.

They began walking briskly down the sidewalk.  It had stopped raining, but it looked as if it could start up again at any time.  Thunder rumbled intermittently all around them.

Lavinia looked furtively around them, searching for signs of anything that might be hostile.

"Anyone following us?" Nathaniel asked.

"I don't see any-wait!" She grabbed his arm.  He stopped abruptly.  She pointed to a car, sitting farther down the street at the curb, running with it's headlights on. "I think that might be a car that's been following me..."

"You never said anything about anybody following you!" He whirled around.
"Is there anything else that you're not telling me-anything important?"

"Well, there was the time when several men tried to abduct me-"

"What?"

Just then the doors of the car opened and two men got out.  They rapidly approached Nathaniel and Lavinia. They were both dressed completely in black, head to toe, in trench coats and hats pulled down low. Nathaniel stepped in front of Lavinia. 

The two men stopped.  Nathaniel smiled.  "Gentlemen?"

"We're seeking to speak with Miss Lavinia Armitrage," said the one in front, standing completely upright.  He was still a good foot-and-a-half shorter than Ward, and about half as wide; he seemed to sense this, and he slightly stepped back.

The second man attempted to sidestep Ward, but Nathaniel was a sidestep faster.  The man, cut off, seemed surprised and halted.  Lavinia shrunk further behind Ward.

"What is this concerning?" Ward said, sternly.

"And who are you?"  The second, and taller of the two, asked.

"Her boy-" Nathaniel started, clenching a fist.

"Brother," Lavinia finished, pulling his hand back down firmly.  They exchanged somewhat sheepish glances.   "He's my brother...Victor."  She wasn't convincing in the slightest.

"Victor?" the second man repeated.

"Vic-?" Ward started.

"Victor," she finished again-"my brother, Victor Armitrage."

The first man reached into the front breast pocket of his trenchcoat, pulled out a small tablet, and began leafing through it furiously.  The second man interjected.  "There is no Victor Armitrage, just a sister-"

"Felicia Armitrage," the first replied.  He seemed to have regained some of his courage.  He sneered. "We know everything about you, Miss Armitrage, about your family-"

The second continued. "Especially about your grandfather, one Wilbur. Curwen. Armitrage."

The first man puffed out his chest.  "Well...Victor?" He smiled again.  The second man tried to go around Ward. 

Nathaniel grabbed him by his coat collar and grabbed the other one by the front of his coat.  He pulled them both close together, hesitated for a moment, shrugged, and then klonked their heads together. 

Whether it was shock, surprise, or outrage, it mattered not; they both just stood there, stunned.  Ward let go of them, and then grabbed both of them by their upper arms, pulling them closer to him.  Gritting his teeth for effect, he continued. "I said, what is this concerning?"