40 Attack and Retaliation (2)

Jack was moving quickly down the street towards the Cast residence, ever since he figured out that Killsman was very likely a member of the Brotherhood of the Labyrinth his mind had been at unease. He was not only concerned about Reginald, but the rest of the family too. He had gotten quite attached to them over a several months in Forgemire.

He also was not letting his guard down just because they hadn't moved in a while. If anything that fact made him even more worried about the circumstances in which he found the Cast's to be in.

Arriving at the estate he directly teleported into Reginald's room, and upon seeing that he was okay breathing a sigh of relief while turning visible. Reginald was obviously not expecting Jack to visit him and so nearly spat out the afternoon tea he was drinking.

"Wha-"

"No time for pleasantries Reg, do you know if your father a a tattoo?"

Reginald blinked a couple of times before slowly nodding.

"Yeah I think so."

Gearing this Jack's browse furrowed and his heart felt like it had dropped into his stomach. Starting to pace Jack put his hand up to his forehead and massaged his temples.

"What does it look like?"

Reginald shook his head, "I don't know It's been a long time since I've seen it and since I was a little kid I was more interested at the hot springs than my father's tattoo. But mother should now, they've been married longer than I've been alive. But why are you asking about this now?"

Jack who was just about to teleport into Regina's office stopped his pacing and faced Reginald.

"You father may very well be a member of the Brotherhood of the Labyrinth."

Reginald's face twisted in denial, but slowly faded as he pondered for a few moments about the implications. His face draining of all it's color he stood up and nearly ran to the door.

(Oh god, he might just be right. Lizzie said that she saw him being weird after he got back, and come to think of it he never asked if I was okay or anything. I mean he was never over caring but he wasn't ever this cold! Nor was he there at the times of the attacks.)

Turning over his shoulder he called out to Jack.

"Come on we have to go ask mother!"

Nodding quickly Jack followed Reginald's quick pace towards Regina's office. Bursting open the door Jack and Reginald came face to face with a very flustered looking Regina.

"No time to explain Mrs. Cast this is very important. What does Killsman's tattoo look like?"

Blinking rapidly at the to men taking ragged breaths standing in front of her desk, she decided to comply to Jack's question before asking her own.

"Um... I believe it's a three headed serpent. Now, why did you have to nearly break down my office door to ask me that?"

Hearing the answer Jack's face turned very dark, looking at Regina he hesitated before eventually deciding to break the news.

"Killsman is a member of the Brotherhood of the Labyrinth."

Regina looked confused as she cocked her head at Jack.

"What's the Brotherhood of the Labyrinth?"

(Ah right I never told her about the actual culprit. I thought Reg would have told her but I guess not.)

Shooting a quick glare a Reginald Jack spoke up.

"There a cult worshiping a evil god. But that's not important, what's important is that they were the ones behind that killings that happened recently."

Hearing this Regina stood up and glowered at Jack and Reginald.

"I've been with my husband for over thirty years! I think I would've noticed if he were in a cult, he may be a little cold but he is a good man. You better have a damn good reason for accusing my husband of something like this. Because if you don't.."

"Mother calm down for a second please, has Jack ever done anything without planning first?"

Reginald spoke up so that Regina did not become too loud, and because he trusted Jack. It might seem odd that he was this easily ready to distrust his father. But after his near death experience Reginald had been thinking of his circumstances within the family.

He had been researching the history of the family and noticed that there was a spike in power shortly after his parents got married. Asking his father about it he didn't get very clear answers, which Reginald assumed at the time was because Killsman was either not willing to tell him yet, or too prideful to say that it was luck.

But with Jack's theory he had started to put together his own suspicions against his father.

Seeing that Regina had calmed down a bit Jack swallowed his saliva and spoke slowly.

"First things first, when Reg got...."

Jack explained his thought process starting from when Reginald said that he heard Brotherhood of the Labyrinth, up until this morning with the information Celine had given him. When he had finished speaking Reginald quickly spoke up voicing his concerns and doubts about Killsman; all the while, Regina slowly paled and began pondering about Killsman herself.

Shuddering Regina sat back down in her chair and feel into a state of reflection on her marriage over the years. Slowly piecing together her own thoughts on the matter she silently shed a tear before quickly wiping it away and putting on her business face.

"Alright, but I'm not completely certain. Choose your next words wisely because I may very well not go with your plan if I do not like it."

Relaxing his shoulders Jack nodded.

"I don't want you to do anything for right now, just keep a closer eye on him. But don't get closer with him. Just see if he is acting suspicious and when he does do something let me know so we can track him."

Regina sighed in half relief and half exhaustion before putting her hands together and then on the desk.

"Alright, now leave me, I want to be alone now. We can start the plan once Killsman gets back from his business trip tomorrow evening."

Bowing courteously Jack and Reginald left the room and walked silently back towards Reginald's room. Reginald on the way back looked sullenly towards Jack.

"What do you plan on doing now?"

"Now I think I'm going to visit Lilian to help diffuse my mind for a bit, then I'll probably head over towards the thieves guild and ask them to watch from afar."

Nodding Reginald sighed before walking back to his room in silence.

====================

As the sky turned dark Jack quietly stepped into the Jovial Joint. Looking towards Sharks usual spot he spotted him drinking away per usual.

Approaching Shark he tapped on his shoulder while sitting down next to him.

"Pfft What'ya need this time?"

Jack simply looked at Shark with a side eye and spoke.

"Eh, am I always inclined to ask for something, couldn't I juts be having a since drink with and old drunk?"

Shark did not respond; instead he gave a ook towards Jack making him chuckle slightly before putting his hands in the air .

"Woah okay fine, I want to talk to you about changing the watch target from last time."

Shark's face darkened for a second before returning to normal.

"Got it, but first let's go to Annalise's we got some information on Hildegard. Then we can talk about who the next target is."

Nodding Jack waited for Shark to leave before exiting the building soon after.

Walking briskly towards Annalise's Jack past Shark along the way.

"Did something happen Shark? I couldn't help but notice that you're limping."

Shark simply scoffed at Jack waving his hand.

"I'm not as young as I used to be you know, I can't climb jump and run as well as my youth. It's nothin' big just a run in with that brat Specter. Apparently the Assassin's guild is made up of lazy good for nothin's that can't even stop a kid."

Jack brows furrowed at the mention of Specter, "I see well I'll walk with you the rest of the way, I don't want people to start recognizing me for my patronage. The less time spent the better."

Shark simply snorted and picked up his paced slightly while limping. While they were walking Shark decided to break the silence between the two.

"Well since I'm going to be a while I may as well tell you what we got on Hildegard. Last night he left his house and walked in the direction of the palace before dissapearin'. I don't know if he spotted us trackin' him or if something more sinister was going on."

Nodding slowly in thought Jack posed a question.

"Did Hildegard say to his wife and family the next morning that he was going out of town?"

Shark frowned slightly pulling the scruff on his jaw, "I don't know for sure since it's harder to listen in during the day, but he very well could've."

Nodding in thought Jack turned to Shark once more.

"Okay, another question does he have a tattoo anywhere?"

Hearing this Shark frowned, "Not that I could tell, but then again he is always wearing trousers and long sleeves. He as been itchin' his arm a bunch though, probably has a rash."

Hearing this Jack's eyes widened for a moment, (Alright, it seems like Daniel is also a member of the Brotherhood.)

But before he could get any farther in his thoughts, the two men arrived at the entrance of Annalise's. Motioning for Jack to step in first Shark grinned cheekily.

"Age before beauty."

"You know that's if I'm older than you right?"

"I didn't say which direction of aging."

Snorting Jack stepped inside and was greeted by the familiar sight of Annalise's. Over by the bar Annalise spotted him and smiled joyfully. Her eye's were slightly puffy and she seemed to be in overall lower spirits. That was until she looked behind Jack and her face twisted into horror.

Jack also immediately felt that he was in danger, moving quickly he dodged and blow from Shark, who was now laughing menacingly.

Annalise opened her mouth to scream something at Jack, but was cut off by the resounding boom of an explosion.