Home Front: Lionel and Agnes

[Laraqua]

The two make their way to the library through the war-torn streets of London, asking directions from the locals as they go in order to bring themselves back onto the right track. The morning air is warm and smells of ash, charred concrete and smoking houses. There is also a vague chemical stink to the air.

The library hulks midway down one road, encompassing much of the street, its entrance shrouded in deep shadow. Birds flutter about the nearby trees, singing prettily despite the local devastation. The library itself appears to be so far untouched by the war, the only signs that war was occurring, being the white masking table criss crossing the glass windows and the sand bags flanking the doors.

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, here we are," says Lionel. He looks around. "It's possible that our friends are already inside waiting for us. I don't see them out here. Shall we go in and see if they've arrived, or left a message for us?"

[kabukiman]

-I don't know if they are already here, but let's enter. By the way, what justification, we will give about Ronald and Brianna? We simply cannot tell that they transform themselves in bubbles...

[Mr. Handy]

"We could tell Daniel and Annie precisely that," says Lionel. "They witnessed the same things we did at the hospital, and they already know how we got here. I wouldn't repeat it to anyone but the two of them, however, so we'll only tell them this in private. If there's anyone else around, we can just explain that we believe Ronald and Brianna have returned home." He sighs. "I miss them already. It's like losing my daughter all over again. Still, I have confidence that I'll see all of them again, but before I can we have much work to do." He opens the library door and holds it for Agnes.

[Laraqua]

The library door is unlocked. Unfamiliar voices can be heard speaking in hushed tones in one of the alcoves further within the library.

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel waits for Agnes to enter before following her inside. He knows it's not unusual for people to be whispering in a library, but out of curiosity he tries to hear what the voices are saying - without success. "If we don't see our friends over there, we should find and ask the librarian," whispers Lionel.

[kabukiman]

Agnes entered the opened door, thanked Lionel and then tried to see if she could heard the voices of Daniel and Anna, with no sucess.
-It is indeed better that we asks if they have already arrived.

[Laraqua]

The two individuals, huddled deep in conversation, are not familiar to either of them. They stand in an alcove, lowering their voice to a bare whisper as they notice there are now others within the library.

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel takes a good look at the two people and remembers what they look like. He can't hear a word they're saying, but their behavior strikes him as a bit odd. Then he walks with Agnes to the front desk to seek the librarian.

[Laraqua]

The front desk is empty. It doesn't appear that there is anyone here to serve them. In fact, the front desk is pushed off to one side, almost as though it were not regularly staffed. This whole private library strikes him as a bit odd.

[Mr. Handy]

"How very odd," says Lionel quietly to Agnes. "There really ought to be someone here, but the only people we've seen are those two in the alcove. Shall we go ask them if they've seen our friends, or would you rather walk through the library first and see who else is here?"

[kabukiman]

-Hum, I will try to ask first. If there were here, those two should have seen them.
Agnes goes in the direction of the 2 persons, and ask:
-I'm very sorry to interrupt you, but have you seen by chance a young couple here? He is about 18 years old, she is a bit older.

[Mr. Handy]

"The young fellow is an A.R.P. warden," adds Lionel.

[Laraqua]

"No, I'm sorry," says one of the two men. "We haven't seen anyone recently matching this discussion. Do tell me? Are you a member?"

[Mr. Handy]

"No, this is my first time here," says Lionel.

[Laraqua]

"I see," says one of the men.

They stand there silently, looking at Agnes and Lionel.

[Mr. Handy]

"Shall we have a look round, then?" says Lionel to Agnes. "Perhaps our friends are here elsewhere, or they simply haven't arrived yet."

[kabukiman]

-Right, let's look what kind of books they have here.

[Mr. Handy]

"And we can see who else is here," says Lionel. He walks with Agnes through the library.

[kabukiman]

Agnes starts to search for any occult books, but she doesn't find anything.
-Well, it seems an ordinary library, nothing of special.