Baskergrand The Nautilus

Night had fallen once Percival returned to Comerton Hall. He had failed to find Valerie in order to tell her the truth.

''I couldn't find her,'' Percival said as he entered the drawing room, crestfallen. Chess looked at him with pity.

''I'm sorry. Did you go back to her house?'' she asked him.

''Yes...which is strange. I should have seen her by the time I reached her home, but when I got there, I could not see her carriage, and I was told by her servants that she had not arrived at all,'' Percival replied, his expression riddled with confusion.

''She may have gone somewhere else. Don't worry too much Percy; try her at home later and then you can talk to her,'' Chess suggested. He looked up at her and procured a small smile.

''Yes, I will do that,'' Percival said, in a more cheerful tone. Chess smiled back at him and came over to him.

''By the way, I know your servant is all right with the explanation you gave him as to who I am, but what's going to happen when the rest of your family come back? And if I am to keep staying here, wouldn't they start to ask questions?'' Chess queried in a quiet tone. Percival thought about what she said, and rubbed his mouth with one of his hands.

''Hmmm. You are right; I can lie about who you are to my parents and brother, but...hiding you will be a problem. Unless...I tell them that you have no where to stay. They would be more than happy to accommodate you then,'' Percival proposed. Chess nodded her head in agreement.

''Yeah, that might just work. Anyway, we still need to go and find Garth Mason,'' Chess responded. Percival's face turned serious.

''Do we? I mean...I'm still not convinced he is the one who will turn your future into a bad place,'' Percival said to her.

''It's not just my future, Percival, it's yours too. And we need to do something now, otherwise we may not get another chance,'' Chess spoke more sternly to him. Percival sighed, a worried expression across his face.

''All right, let's f-''

BANG!

Percival was suddenly interrupted by a loud noise. Chess and Percival looked at each other in confusion.

''What was that?'' Chess asked before she and Percival went out into the hallway to investigate.

BAAANG!

''Sir, please stand back! You too, Miss!'' Parsons warned the pair. He shielded Percival and Chess while all three of them stared at the door, wondering what the source of the commotion was.

''Who is it?'' Chess asked aloud. The hallway fell silent. Parsons glanced over at Chess and Percival. He then slowly turned back to the door, and approached it cautiously. Percival and Chess waited with baited breath as Parsons put his hand on the door handle.

BAAAANG! CRACKKK!

''Aghhhh!'' Parsons screamed as he was blasted backwards to the floor. The door was blown off of its hinges and landed on top of Parsons as he lay unconscious on the floor.

''Parsons!'' Percival shouted, running to his servant's side. Chess stood frozen in place, a shocked glare in her eyes. She kept focused on the sight at the doorway. Percival looked up slowly from the floor as he too came across the scene that Chess was witnessing.

''...Nautilus,'' he gasped. The Nautilus suit stood aloft in the doorway, with the moonlight exaggerating its colossal figure from its shadow on the floor. The suit had its arm raised at Percival and Chess, but then it suddenly powered down, its arm returning limply to its side. Percival slowly stood up and joined Chess' side.

''I apologise for the intrusion, Percival!'' a voice came from behind the Nautilus. Percival turned white with horror upon realising the identity of the voice.

''...Charles...'' he whispered, before the man in question appeared in front of them.

''Hello, Percival. I'm glad I've caught you at home,'' Charles mused sarcastically as he stepped into the hallway.

''What are you doing Charles? Why have you attacked my home?'' Percival questioned him angrily.

''I didn't want to, but I couldn't exactly knock on your door and ask, since I know you would refuse to give it to me,'' Charles replied. Percival and Chess exchanged baffled looks.

''Ask for what?'' Percival asked. Charles smirked and turned his attention to Chess.

''The Nautilus can be controlled remotely with this device. I found one for this suit, and I have it here in my possession,'' Charles spoke, holding up the white remote device in his hand.

''So...you want my remote so you can control my suit,'' Chess surmised.

''Precisely,'' Charles responded, a sly smile developing across his face.

''But...why? Why do you need to control them? Why are you doing this?'' Percival interrogated him. Charles looked up at the Nautilus suit behind him, then glanced back at Percival.

''Because...this is the beginning of the future, Percival. And I will be the one to control it. Anyone who stands in my way will suffer the consequences. Including your friends,'' Charles responded in a dark tone. He looked at Percival knowingly, and Percival realised what he meant.

''Valerie...and Garth...'' Percival muttered quietly.

''If you kindly hand over the remote, I will release them,'' Charles issued his ultimatum. Percival slowly looked up at him, anger brewing inside of him.

''Where are they?'' he questioned him back lividly. Chess looked over at Percival, then glanced back at Charles. She scrutinized his face more closely, and remembered the first encounter she had with him and Percival.

''Percival...I think I remember who this guy is...'' Chess said aloud. Percival snapped out of his incensed state and glanced over to her.

''What do you mean?'' Percival asked her. Chess' face changed into one of realisation as she turned to Percival.

''From a file I saw in the future...with his picture...he's supposed to be...Garth Mason,'' Chess revealed. Percival gave a bemused look.

''What?'' he uttered in a confused tone, before he turned to Charles.