Harold was relieved for a moment to find Aaron looking completely fine, leaning over the table, examining the papers in front of him. However, it only lasted for a moment before he got a grip on reality.
“Why are you yelling like that if you aren't dying?” he demanded. Aaron grinned.
“I heard you both,” he said. “And I need help with this last line of code. Wesley?”
“I don't have time for this right now,” Wesley said. “Lola is out there by herself. I have to go.”
“Wesley, just look at it for a moment,” Aaron said, but Wesley didn't seem to care.
“No, just leave it,” he said, turning to Harold. “I will take this on myself at the theater, if I have to,” he said. “Or you can come with me.”
“I need to stay here,” Harold said “In case...”
“Oh,” Wesley rolled his eyes and leaned over the papers. He picked up a pencil and scribbled a few words on it. He threw it down, and stormed out. Aaron glanced down and raised an eyebrow.
“He did it,” he said, in half surprise “Of course he did. I only spent 4 hours on it, so why couldn't he do it in three moments?”
He handed over the papers to Harold, who took them without hesitation.
“They are going to...” he couldn't finish the words as he scanned the documents. This was a well thought out plot, one that had taken nearly a year of completion. It had taken smuggling in every corner of the city, learning the routes of nearly every shop keeper; every guard, every patrol. The Spanish and the French had worked together, and these documents showed that they had conspired for nearly a year to slowly lay charges all over the city. They had planned it by passing dispatches on the ships, a place no one would expect to find information about a city bombing. Logically, it should have been the armies that passed this information. Passing it through the ships meant it would be harder to detect. Putting theses dispatches together had been a herculean effort, and decoding them had been an even bigger task.
There was no one who could put it together as fast as these two, Harold knew that.
They were going to blow all of London to bits, including the royal houses.
“We have to go to the Navy with this,” Harold said “It's going to take every troop we have to move on this.”
“Take it then,” Aaron said, although Harold already had a sinking feeling in his stomach. His superiors were never going to believe him.
“How are you feeling?” Harold asked, and Aaron turned to look at him fully.
“I mean...” Aaron hated to say anything but well, because his personality dictated sunny and happy. However, if Harold had grand plans, he wanted to be honest. “I've had better days.”
“If I help you, can you make it to HQ?”
"Harold, have you lost your mind?" Aaron asked. Then, before Harold got the chance to answer, Aaron interrupted him. "Sorry, I always wanted to ask that of you, but I never got the chance."
"Can you do it?" Harold asked. "Without entirely risking your life?"
"Maybe?" Aaron asked. "What is your plan?"
"When I head in there, they aren't going to believe me," Harold said. "And rather than waste time explaining what is going on while the city possibly explodes, I'd rather just...show them the proof. They will leap to your protection, I promise you."
"And if they don't..."Aaron said. "Do you think that they will let me say goodbye to my wife and daughter?"
"There will be no time," Harold swore to him. "Look at this; they could set the explosives at any moment. They won't hesitate and if they do...I'll withhold the information until they promise your safety."
"You're going to blackmail the navy HQ?" Aaron said in disbelief. "Why, Harold, you could make a pirate after all."
"Perhaps I could," Harold answered. "Which I may have to if our plan doesn't work out."
"It will work out," Aaron said. "Which of your plans hasn't worked out, ever?"
"Well..."Harold started, and then shook his head. There was no point in rehashing old mistakes. "Never mind. Can you stand?"
"I can attempt," Aaron said, reaching out for his arm.
Harold tried to keep his face neutral, but inside, his heart was sinking. Aaron used to be so full of energy, used to recover quickly from the seizures that startled everyone around him. Now, the decline, the slow movements, was heart breaking to watch.
He had to risk all their lives to save them. Just as Aaron had done for him, all those years ago, he realized.
This was his chance to repay the favor.
"Where are you going?"
Shauna's voice startled both of them and Harold spun around to find not only Shauna, but Annabelle standing there as well. Neither of the women looked happy, which told Harold that they were likely asking a rhetorical question. They already knew exactly where the men were heading.
"For a walk in the garden?" Aaron tried and Shauna raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Sure." he knew he was on the losing side, but Harold admired his determination.
"So you weren't going to Navy HQ to stop a plot that will likely get us all killed if you fail?" Annabelle looked between the two of them. "That part didn't even cross your mind?"
"It has to be done," Harold said, but Annabelle was not impressed.
"There has to be another way," she said. “A way that does not put this entire family in danger. Again."
"Annabelle, if we don't take this information to the Admirals, to the Generals, to everyone with the power to stop this, than the entire city is gone," Harold thought fast. "On that note, you both need to pack up and take the children and get out. Take only what you can carry and head out of the city limits."
"We're not leaving you," Annabelle was firm on this. "What if it doesn't work?"
"They'll believe us, they have the proof here," Harold said
"That's not what I was talking about!" Annabelle was quick to reply. "This entire family is already living in scandal, in question. It's only a matter of luck that we haven't lost everything that we have. And we have already lost far too much," she glanced at her brother. "We will never live down the scandal we are in. And that is enough if it means we are alive...but if there is anymore loss..."
"You aren't going," Shauna looked directly at Aaron. "You'll die on the way there."
"Or I'll die on the noose, die in secret, here with my name scandalized...or, my love, there's a chance I could die as I lived. Either way we play this game, death is the only thing that is non-negotiable. You know that, you've known that since the very beginning. So will you let me try to set up a legacy for you and Gwendolyn? Please?"
Shauna was quaking with anger, and she very much wanted to say no to him. She wanted to forbid him to go; to beg him to stay.
All she wanted was her husband the way things used to be; bright eyed and holding her hand as they walked down the street. She had spent so much time being denied this; for they were a scandal in themselves. The unwed school teacher who fell pregnant by a lord who didn't marry her right away; it was the story of whispers and rumors.
She wasn't new to scandal. However, she did require Aaron to live in order to be scandalized with him.
"Where's Lola?" Shauna asked at last. "Lola always has a last minute plan to save us."
"She already deployed it," Aaron said. "When she found out Gilles and Tannoy were threatening to kill her and me. They had a plan to do it themselves, if the explosives didn't work. I had no idea they were involved in something so complicated though."
"Wait," Harold's brain began to turn. "They did have a plan to do it themselves. In case the explosives didn't work...or in case they themselves don't have faith in their newly minted allies. In case they think a mistake has been made."
"There are a hundred ways to make a mistake," Aaron said. "The lines could be laid wrong, the powder could be wet..."
"And Lord knows all it does is rain in London," Harold said. "They don't have total confidence in this plan, which does mean there is a bigger chance for success and safety. However, we shouldn't risk it. Ladies, how soon can you be ready?"
"As soon as we can get the children," Annabelle said. "But you must come with us. If this entire city is set to explode, than you must..."
"Annabelle..." Harold stepped forward, taking her hands. "My love. I know that you are scared. And I know you want everything to go back to normal. But there are so many more people in the city; I have to do my best to protect them all. There are children, Annabelle, so many children in this city. We have to protect them."
Shauna had never liked to be romanced. Early on, life had made her strong, hardened. Still she did grip her husband's hand, as he tried to catch his breath. Even standing was proving to be too much exertion for him.
"Just promise me you'll come back alive," she said. "Promise me that."
"We've always been realistic with each other, Shauna," Aaron said softly. "A promise like that would be extremely difficult to keep, given the various factors today."
"I'm well aware," she said through gritted teeth."And that's why I want you to promise."
He met her eyes, eyes that he loved since he was little more than a child himself. Shauna had been his first love, the person he knew he was meant to be with. For years, he convinced himself that Cupid was cruel; that the dream that they had would never be. She kept his child from him because she believed the same thing--that they could never be together.
She would take scandal any day, he knew that. Yet part of the reason he didn't marry her was the belief that his health was not enough to support them. He didn't want her to face life as a young widow.
Shauna had stubbornly chosen to ignore all his flaws and stand by him, no matter what.
"Stand by me with this," he said to her. "If you believe I will come home to you alive, than I will do so."
She took a deep breath, meeting the eyes that she had fallen in love with. They were the same shining blue eyes that their daughter had.
She would be his legacy, the beautiful daughter that had grown strong and smart; that loved life as a Lady as much as a peasant. She had a shining and bright attitude, just like her father, in the face of any adversity, and loved unconditionally.
Shauna had always thought that if the world could see things the way Gwendolyn did, there would no reason to fear.
"I believe in you," she promised him, kissing him gently. "But at least take a coat, it's cold outside."
He chuckled. "That I can promise. Harold?"
His brother-in-law let go of his twin sister, squaring his shoulders.
"Let us go then," he said. Annabelle move forward to give her twin a gentle embrace.
"If you need help, just think it," she said, referring to the twin intuition they shared. "And I'll be there."
"Pity the Navy Admirals who have to deal with you, Annabelle," Aaron smiled.
"I will make them regret their careers," Annabelle said. "Now go. We'll make for the inn that's near Farmer Jacob's lands. Do you remember that?"
"Good God, is that man still alive?" Aaron said and she gave him a light swat on the arm.
"That's what I say about you," she retorted. "Now go. And listen to your wife."
Helping Aaron to the door, Harold made sure to grab both their coats before summoning the carriage.
"Are you...nervous?" he asked Aaron, who shook his head.
"It's an adventure," his brother-in-law answered. "And truth be told, I haven't had many of those lately."
"Aye," Harold said. "I'd rather keep it that way, if I was honest. A nice quiet, boring life suits me just fine."
"How did we ever end up as friends?" Aaron asked him, as the carriage rolled away.
"Opposites attract," Harold leaned back, closing his eyes to steady himself. One way or another, their lives were going to change when they revealed the plot. He just hoped that it was for the better.