Professor Layton: Love In All Adversities

17. Only Perceptions

Sending the wide main doors of Gressenheller University flying backwards, the five members of Team Claire huffed their way out and made for the path ahead that lead to the main road. Night had fallen and the lack of lights around the University meant that they were running in almost complete darkness. Hershel could barely make out the features of those around him.  

The Professor cried aloud for them to follow him and they did so as he made a jarring right behind some bushes and trees. He stopped there and gestured for them to rest and stay low.

They did so, exhausted from running down two flights of stairs and through many corridors trying to stay ahead of the Gatherers.

As Flora just moved her head below eye line, the doors bashed open once more and out came two Gatherer men. They stopped and looked left and right before Oliver and the other Gatherer agent, his right hand man, came out of the darkness and pushed their way through.

"DON'T STOP HERE!" He screamed, the spit visible all the way from behind the bushes where Flora was watching with a beating heart.

"Sir," The young man at his side employed, clearly one who seemed to disagree with many of his master's ways. "they won't have gone for the main road. It's too obvious. I think they went around and-"

"If it's too obvious, then that is the path they will take. You forget we are dealing with Professor Layton. He will try and outwit us."

"But sir-"

The young man was cut off as there was rustling in some bushes over to the side of the University. The shaking of the leaves grew until people could clearly be seen jumping out and heading into the fields.

It was too dark to see so they only appeared as black shapes, but it seemed to most definitely be the Professor and his group.

"THERE THEY ARE!" Oliver boomed, a wry smile on his face. "DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

Without saying a word, the men had started to run after the fleeing people and only Oliver and Benedict were left in front of the empty University.

Flora found herself covering her mouth as she was breathing far too heavily. The thrill of the chase never was the type of thing for her.

"We'll head back to the car and cut them off at the end of the field." Oliver explained, running his hands through his straggly hair. "We're faster than them. A foolish move, Professor."

"Alright, sir."

As Oliver strided purposefully down the main path, Benedict lingered a moment and sighed. He turned his gaze around the area and Flora found herself start as he stopped at their bush. Then he did the unthinkable. He winked at her.

She fell back in shock; certain something fishy was going on. When she composed herself, she jumped back up to see where he was but he had already joined his master.

She couldn't be certain if that wink meant that that man was on their side, but in the slight chance he wasn't, it was crucial to go now.

She turned to the Professor, but he was already on the same line of thought as her.

"This way!" He spoke, loud enough for them all to hear, whilst still be quiet enough to be unheard by unwanted attention.

The others rose into a hunched over position and followed the Professor to the other side of the University. It would normally be too dark to see, but their eyes had grown accustomed to the dark now and they could just find their way.

The Professor stopped in front of a large, oddly shaped vehicle and then he carefully made his way over to the wall where he found a switch. As soon as the dull light flickered on, Flora gasped.