A Monster Inside Saga - Book Of The Sword - ITV Jekyll And Hyde

9 - The Lily and the Rose

Natalia had resided in her room quite peacefully, until the sound of drilling alerted her to something different. Faraway drilling, like it was beneath her. She decided to go and investigate, but something deep inside told her not to. What if it was MIO? Or Tenebrae even? Coming to collect their long-awaited bounty. Quietly she told herself to stop worrying about such things and pulled her hair back from her face, walking out of the room.

However something in the mirror caught her eye. Along her hairline, underneath the chocolate-brown hair she had stolen from Lottie, there was a red mark in a circle. Bullet scar? And did it belong to her or Lottie? Well, there was only one way to find out, didn't Robert mention they had access to an X-ray machine. He was probably in his lab. It seemed whenever Dr. Jekyll was met with anything different in his life he would always retreat back into his lab, trying to fix it. Which everyone supposed was a good thing. She shook away her daydream and walked down into the lab.

"Hello? Robert, are you there?" she called out, as the room had been purged of light and she couldn't see any sign of him anywhere. Her hand felt on the wall for the light switch and then the room burst into light when she pressed it. Uncomfortable under the light, she squinted, and just by the bookshelf, was that... a woman? She turned, dark hair bundled underneath her beret, and smiled.

"I don't think we've met", she lilted. "I'm Lily Carew".

"Didn't you use to know Robert? I think he mentioned you".

"All bad things I suspect".

"Well, um, you were mentioned opposite someone called 'Bella'".

"Ah, yes, Bella Charming. The endearing Empress of the Drinking Hall, that has not only Hyde, but now Jekyll wrapped around her little finger".

"If I got the right impression of you from Robert, you weren't that bad at manipulating people either".

"Yes, you've got me there. So, you're Natalia Olejova, the substitute for Pan?"

"Sure. What are you doing here?"

"I'm with MIO-"

"Come to kill me then? Because I'm not giving you the location to Lottie". Lily laughed and from behind her two MIO agents came out of the darkness. One of them had a long blonde fringe pulled to the side and in his hand was a rifle. The other was more smartly dressed with closely cropped brown hair and mousy eyes.

"Lottie Hyde is dying", the blonde said in a thick Welsh accent.

"That's impossible", Natalia replied with a hint of disbelief at their accusation. "No person knows the location of her cryogenic chamber".

"It's in the old MIO vaults", Lily quipped. "Sorry for busting your little project that you've had. But it seems the Carews may be superior to the 'Olejovas'"

"The sweet lily may grow, thornless and beautiful, but it is the rose that is held in the world's heart, with all it's thorns", Natalia quipped and brought a smile to the Welshman's face.

"Christina Rossetti", he said finally, speaking the name of the quote's author. Lily just rolled her eyes.

"That was a very important piece of information. If Tenebrae get their hands on it-"

"Nothing will happen. I say you may not be a Jekyll, but you have their dramatics".

"You said she was dying. How?"

"An undercover spy for Tenebrae got in and shot a bullet through the side of her head. She's in suspended animation so it won't kill her, but if she is ever released she will die immediately". Lily let out a tiny smile.

"Something funny?"

"You just lie, don't you? You have lies upon lies upon lies. In fact you have so many lies that when people think you're telling the truth, you're just telling them another lie".

"I'm not a woman of lies, I'm one of secrets. And secrets that are worth something".

"A secret's worth depends on the people it must be kept from". Seeing Lily's sudden rush of anger, the two men stood back in the darkness, knowing that it wasn't their place to speak. "When are you going to tell Robert the truth?"

"Right, one: What does it matter to you? And two: How the Hell do you know about me?"

"Robert may never trust me again, but it doesn't mean he isn't my friend anymore. I'm looking out for him, because of people like you. The two-faced little brats that pretend to be something they're not and think that because they lie, people won't see through them".

"Funnily enough, that's exactly what I am. Two-faced".

"And as for how I know. My Grandfather knew the Jekylls inside and out, even if he didn't admit it, and he passed the knowledge down to me".

"Why not share it with MIO? Or were you just dragging them along as well as everyone else?"

"If Bulstrode knew that I knew everything about the Jekylls, I would just become his pet. Have to keep myself entertained somehow".

"So carrying on the family business of stalking the Jekylls, are we?"

"Yes. And please stop talking about yourself in third person. It is getting rather freaky".

"Says the girl who just broke into our house, accused me of being with Tenebrae, told me that my twin was dying underneath her little hideout and just revealed that she stalks my family. And if you wouldn't mind leaving the way you came and never coming back, I have someone that needs my attention upstairs".

"Telepathic, eh?"

"Just the tip of the iceberg dear. Wait until I get my powers back from MIO, just you wait".

"Why not just take them? You know where they are, right? Oh wait, yes. I forgot. You need the DNA of Olalla and Robert to get in. My father wanted to break you apart after you got let loose. And this... is his checkmate".

"Keep talking Carew, someday you might say something intelligent".
In a huff she escaped the way she came, but not before shooting her a vicious glare from the darkness.