The Second Investigation

A/N

Almost all the dialogue for this chapter is taken from Season 2 Episode 4 Terriort Butler with my own flair thrown in there from time to time. I wanted to be faithful to much of the timeline of the series before I started to veer off completely.

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After they had had their fill of each other, Lydia spent time explaining Ceil's next mission. Sebastian and Claude listened as she spoke, but they were absently either playing with her hair or rubbing their hands along her skin. She ended by saying, "I believe with my knowledge we can have things turn out oppositely. Ceil surely doesn't have to be kidnapped, I shouldn't think. And as for you Claude, you're going to be there nevertheless, perhaps you can help in your own way."

"It would seem His Highness orders me to be there and deliver the message. Without first speaking to him and making sure that's all there is to the order, then I don't see why I can't help... in secret of course," Claude said.

Lydia nodded. She understood what his worries were. "And I suppose that we can do things differently. What can it hurt?" Sebastian closed his eyes. "You know how I hate to see the young master in danger."

Lydia put her hand on both of their cheeks. They had become so dear to her in such a short time. They both looked at her, and then she initiated a kiss with them. After the kiss, it was decided to go ahead and get ready for the day ahead. Before Claude left he said, "I look forward to seeing you both on the train."

Lydia was sent downstairs to get breakfast ready for Ceil while Sebastian got him ready. The rest of the morning was spent getting things cleaned up from breakfast and getting everything ready for the train ride. Everyone left except for Tanaka. Once at the train station Ceil, Sebastian, and Lydia stood at the door of the train as the other servants saw them off. "Goodbye, young master," Mey-rin said. "I hope you have a nice trip."

"Yes," Ceil said in his stoic way.

Lydia knew that this 'trip' was an excuse for him to do a mission. "Now I expect you lot to try to behave yourselves while we're away," Sebastian informed Bardroy and Mey-rin, who stood in front of them.

"A train sounds lovely!" Finnian exclaimed joyfully as he looked around. "Ah, a fruit! I wanna go and--"

"Finny would you quit running around like a bloody loon?!" Bardroy yelled.

Finnian started to sing and dance around then he bumped into a couple of porters that were loading something into the train. Lydia closed her eyes as Finnian and the porter fell to the ground. The large wooden case's top fell off. Lydia had already told Sebastian about this, so it came as no surprise. "Ohh!" Finny cried as he fell to the ground. Then he got up and pleaded, "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Is everything okay?" Mey-rin asked as she ran over.

"Don't touch! That's a valuable, scholarly acquisition," a man said as he came out of the train. He had on a brown suit with a hat and was smoking a cigar. "Do you have any idea what it's worth?"

All three of the servants gasped at his question and then looked into the container. Lydia knew that they would see the mummy's face. Bardroy and Finnian yelped. Mey-rin started wailing. "Hmm. It's a mummy," Ceil observed in a rather bored tone.

"Egyptian antiquities are popular these days. The moneyed classes have taken an interest in their value as collectors' items. A mummy would be prized indeed," Sebastian explained.

"Who would want to collect that thing?" Bardroy asked.

"Dear Lord, please forgive your children," a priest knelt beside the case and prayed.

The man in the brown suit clapped his hands and said, "Pack it up immediately."

"Right!" one of the porters said.

"And you'd best be careful," the man in the brown suit said.

"I pray that no calamity befalls you for your actions," the priest said, and he drew a cross along his chest.

Then a whistle was blown. It was time for the train to depart. Sebastian, Lydia, and Ceil boarded the train and headed to their cabin. As they set out on their way Sebastian pulled out a very interesting tea set and brewed tea. Ceil had been staring out the train window almost the whole trip so far. "Master, may I offer you a cup of tea? I've always found the scent of Williamson and Magor's Summer Darjeeling to be the perfect complement to the view from a train window. Wouldn't you agree, sir?" Sebastian asked.

Ceil didn't say anything. He looked to be in a funk. Sebastian said, "Come, my lord. We are meant to be acting as if we're off on holiday. We don't want to be found out. Please try to muster up a bit of levity."

Lydia smiled, "If it helps, this is my first time on a train."

"How on earth could that be?" Ceil asked.

"I never left my home until I came here, so I have had many firsts since arriving," she informed him.

Ceil stared at her a moment before returning his gaze to Sebastian, "Yes, I know."

"If you don't mind me saying so, young master," Lydia said. "You seem bothered as of late."

"It could be the Trancys," Sebastian said. "Have they so preoccupied you?"

"They haven't," Ceil insisted. "I am curious, of course, but for the moment, that's all. The Queen's orders take priority over all else."

After Ceil looked away toward the cabin window Lydia gave a worried look to Sebastian, but he gave her hand a quick squeeze. Ceil moved the curtain away from the window and said, "That's Lord Ackroyd, then, and the kidnapped boy was his only son."

"Yes. If the police are informed, the hostage will be summarily killed. Instructions Lord Ackroyd received indicated he should deliver the ransom on this train," Sebastian rattled off.

"The ransom of £5,000, was it?" Ceil asked.

"Is that the going rate for a boy's soul these days? You humans have an interesting way of pricing these things," Sebastian said dryly.

Lydia knew he was joking, but he came across to Ceil as so monotone all the time, that likely Ceil would never know. She rolled her eyes. Lydia would scold her mate later. "The man responsible for the kidnapping must be on the train. We'll find him, take him into custody, and rescue Lord Ackroyd's son," Ceil explained. "That should dispel Her Majesty's distress."

"Indeed," Sebastian said with a head nod.

"Of course, young master," Lydia said, doing the same.

Sometime a little later they left the comfort of the cabin to walk about the train. Lydia was a little on edge. She didn't want things to go awry as they had with the last investigation. Her senses were on high alert. "Haha! It's the find of the century, I'm telling you!" a man laughed as they entered the train car. It was the man in the brown suit. "Yours truly discovered none other than the Pharaoh Smenkhare hidden deep within the Valley of Kings. Haha!"

"How crass for a man to brag about robbing a grave," Ceil said.

"I was fortunate enough to have met the Pharaoh during his lifetime, actually. I found him to be an affable man of impeccable virtue. It's odd. Even taking into account the desiccation, his face is quite different than I remember," Sebastian explained.

"The mummy is a fake, then. Perhaps that means the archaeologist is our kidnapper," Ceil devised.

"I couldn't say, my lord," Sebastian shook his head.

Lydia was scanning the car, "And I reserve judgment until we have meant other people."

A man laughed. "The train that left St. Pancras at 9:00 will cross the Cambridge-bound route at Bedford at 10:18. Oh-ho!," the man with a yellow headband said excitedly. "This is thrilling, a great moment so not to be missed! We reach Derby at 1:05! Uh--oh. There'll be a slowdown, what with the weather, the porters will have a hard time of it, seven minutes at least!"

"Is he reading the timetables?" Ceil asked.

"Yes, it appears so. In fact, I'd say he's developed a rather unhealthy obsession with them," Sebastian observed.

Ceil started to move forward when a short, older Japanese man shouted, "Careful, you damn brat!"

"I see you're from Japan, my good sir. The scrollwork on your furoshiki wrapping cloth is exquisite," Sebastian said as he bent to take it.

"Hands off! This is a family heirloom," the old man said as he took the pack.

"I'm sorry, my boy," an older woman said as she came their way. "He's so stubborn when it comes to his things. Please accept this as an apology."

She held up a box of food. Lydia eyed the rice balls. This was the first thing that she wanted to change about this story. She couldn't afford anyone getting sick. Sebastian was about to say something, but she took the box from the older woman, "Thank you for the kind gesture. Is this all that you have? I find myself rather peckish and this looks like it will hit the spot."

Ceil was looking at her strangely, but she hoped Sebastian knew what she was doing. The older woman frowned slightly, "I'm sorry young lady, this is all that I made for the trip. I had planned to have one for myself, but if you are that hungry I suppose I don't mind for you to have all of them."

Lydia smiled at the older lady and whispered to her, "Thank you again, ma'am. You have no idea what this means to me. It will settle a certain craving I've been having."

"Craving?" the woman whispered back to her. Lydia just gave her a secret smile and then put a finger over her mouth. "Oh, yes I understand fully. Please take it all. Eat to your heart's content."

Lydia stood, "Pardon, young master. I hope I didn't make a scene."

Ceil gathered himself together, "Of course not. I was headed to the dining car anyway at some point. If that is what you desire to eat while there I won't stop you."

She bowed her head "Thank you, my lord," before resuming her spot behind him and next to Sebastian who gave her a confused look.

Suddenly the door burst open and a man in a trench coat said. "Everyone please control yourselves!" he walked up the aisle. "Calm your tempers! Resume your seats! I can understand why you're all uneasy. It's true that we're transporting an assassin on this train, but you mustn't worry."

Everyone collectively took a gasp at his words. He continued, "He is being kept under strict armed guard at all times. He's restrained and unable to move. But fear not. Hmm?"

All Lydia heard was one of the passengers yell run. Sebastian grabbed Ceil, and she shifted into one of the seats as the other passengers started running out of the car. They stepped on the man in the trench coat as they went. Lydia shook her head after they were all gone and Sebastian sighed as he set Ceil back onto the ground. "I recognize him from somewhere," Ceil said.

"Huh? Ah! If it isn't the Earl of Phantomhive," the man in the trench coat said as he jumped up, but then he fell right back down.

Lydia shook her head again. How this man could be related to Fred Abberline she couldn't believe it. They made their way to the dining car where Edward Abberline and Ceil ate. Lydia forced herself to eat the rice balls. They tasted of nothing to her and did nothing for her. "Ah, eel pie and mash really brings back memories, traditional English food just like Mum used to make," Abberline said as he stuffed his face. "Mmm-mmm! I say, quite a fuss back there, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yes, a right stampede," Ceil said, rather sardonically. "If only we knew whose fault it was. Should you be here? Sir Arthur is sure to call you on the carpet if he learns you dined with me."

"Oh pish-posh. I didn't want to pass up the rare opportunity to get to know you. It's something I've waited for. You see, my twin brother spoke a lot about you," Abberline reminisced.

"Twin brother? You mean there's more than one of these idiots wandering about the world?" Ceil asked.

"I miss him," Abberline went on as if he hadn't heard Ceil. "I wish we could have shared this meal today. I think he would have enjoyed it."

Both Sebastian and Lydia noticed Claude sitting a few seats behind them in the dining car. Lydia wanted to face-palm. Could he have made himself more conspicuous? His eyes met theirs. A wave of peace swept over Lydia. She knew no matter what that her mates wouldn't let anything happen to her. "Is there a problem?" Ceil asked as he saw them looking at Claude.

"No," Lydia said as she turned her attention back to Ceil.

"It's nothing, young master," Sebastian assured Ceil, then stood. "Shall we?"

Ceil stood followed by Lydia. The three of them began to make their way out of the dining car. "Oh, Ceil! If you don't rest yourself between meals, you'll ruin your stomach!" Abberline shouted as they walked out.

"All in all there are quite a few suspicious characters on this train," Sebastian said as they walked through a corridor of the train.

"Indeed," Lydia agreed.

"Yes. The priest with the tattoo, a sham archaeologist, a surly Japanese man, a maniac obsessed with timetables, quite a group, but I doubt our man would want to stand out," Ceil observed.

Lydia heard the door open and close behind them. This was their kidnapper. "Let us not forget the assassin who's traveling onboard as well," Sebastian reminded.

It took everything within her to not strike when he bumped past her. Ceil took hold of him, "You're the porter I saw back at the station. What are you doing on the train dressed as a traveler?"

"Damn," the man growled.

Lydia whispered to Sebastian, "You need to run quickly. Remember what I told you."

"Of course, love," Sebastian flashed her a smile.

The man took off running and Ceil yelled, "He's the kidnapper!"

Ceil ran after him as did Sebastian. Sebastian was faster. Lydia came after them to watch after Ceil. As Sebastian reached the door the man was trying to uncouple the train. He took his gun and pointed it at the man, which stopped his work. "My, my, what have we here?" Sebastian asked with a grin on his face. "Where are you keeping your young hostage?"

The man gulped and threw the item that he had been using, "Well, the boy's still onboard the train, but it's too late, unfortunately. You can't save him now."

"Oh? Why is that?" Sebastian asked with a little danger lacing his voice.

"I planted a bomb. I set it to explode as soon as the train stops," the man laughed. "My plan was to collect the ransom money, and then I'd celebrate with some fireworks," the man laughed some more.

Sebastian hit the man over the head with the butt of the gun. "I shall let the detective deal with you," he then pulled out his pocket watch, "We have ten minutes left until the train reaches the next station," he turned to Lydia and Ceil. "Lydia, can you take care of the young master while I take care of the bomb?"

"Of course Sebastian," Lydia assured him.

With that, Sebastian picked up the kidnapper and took him from the room. Lydia looked to Ceil, "Well, my lord, where do you think the boy is?"

Ceil looked deep in thought for a moment then said, "Only one piece of luggage onboard is big enough to hide a boy, that mummy's coffin."

"Then let's go and check it out, my lord," she said.

They headed to the car where the luggage was kept. Lydia's senses were on high alert. She knew what was going to happen in here. Ceil saw the mummy's box almost instantly and went over to it. Lydia watched over him from the shadows. Sure enough, as Ceil was working to get the young boy untied the assassin came into the car. Lydia got angry at that. She was pretty sure her eyes changed color. Lydia noiselessly crept behind him and before he grabbed Ceil she stealthy grabbed his knife away from him. She then put it to his neck. She spoke into his ear, her voice quiet and deadly, "I suggest you leave my young master alone. That is unless you wish to die."

The assassin gulped but tried his hand to get out of her grip. Ceil turned with the young boy in his arms as Lydia threw the assassin over her shoulder and put her heel in his throat. Ceil was looking at her with wonder. Lydia smiled at him and stole a line from Sebastian, "If I couldn't do something as simple as this then want kind of Phantomhive maid would I be?"

That sobered Ceil up. Sebastian and Abberline came running into the room not a few minutes later. Abberline rearrested the assassin. Ceil, Sebastian, and Lydia all went back to their car. They arrived at their destination intact. When Sebastian had an opportunity to speak with Lydia he had a question for her. "Do you have something to tell me, dear?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Now don't try to get out of this I heard you perfectly well when you were talking to that lady on the train. I can put two and two together," he said folding his arms.

Lydia's cheeks flared somewhat pink. "Oh... that... Right. I certainly don't believe so. It'd be much too early to know for sure. I made up a story to get the food away from her so that no one aboard the train would get sick."

Sebastian sighed, "I suppose that makes sense, but please let one of us know if you start to have cravings. Human food won't satisfy you."

"Yeah. I found that out today. What about the bomb. What did you do about that?"

"Ah yes. Well, Claude and I dealt with it."

"Really?!" Lydia was quite surprised by that.

"You would be surprised what two demons with come together to achieve if it is for their mate," he smiled.

"Did he give you the card?"

"He did."

Lydia inhaled deeply, "Well, I guess we will just have to take the next steps very carefully.

Sebastian kissed her head, "Indeed, my love."