After much deliberation, Robert was able to convince the team that it would be a good idea to ambush Gerrard with the police. This was the closest they have gotten to him since he began tormenting their lives. Capturing him would be the best option and that way, Robert would be able to make his moon lamp in peace.

The Captain was a bit hesitant to accept this proposition considering the lives of his children at stake. But Gerrard wouldn't know what hit him. That was why they wouldn't enter the factory through the normal route. They'll go through the sewers.

And Gerrard wouldn't dare kill his captives when he learned that the police were outside.

"So Howard, what will you do when all this is all over?" Ella asked, leaning forward. The team were all in the Captain's large carriage. They couldn't take Robert's small one because of Captain Asher's huge frame.

"Well, my wife and I have been talking about buying this house in the countryside so we could finally settle down and have children of her own. The countryside view is marvellous," Howard said, staring outside the window into the thick dense forest that sided the road.

That was sweet. He deserved the rest after this tiring journey they had all embarked on.

"How about you, Captain?" Ella asked.

"I'll use the chance to spend more time with you and your siblings and get to know you all better."

Ella and her father smiled affectionately at each other before she said, "That's the same thing I had in mind too." She fixed her gaze on Robert. "Robert, how about you?"

How about him? Bloody hell, he couldn't think of anything. He had spent all his life thinking of ways to prove to his father he was a worthy son, but he didn't pause to think about what he would do after that.

"Hmm, I can't think of anything," Robert said, disappointed.

The carriage stopped and everyone brought out their pistols, ensuring it was loaded. Robert was worried that Ella didn't want to go with him. They had grouped themselves into two. One team would take the sewer in the right wing and the other would take the one in the left wing.

"Ella, are you sure you won't come with me?" He asked once more.

"I'm still annoyed with you for what you did," She answered, narrowing her eyes. "I think I would work better with Howard."

"Alright, if you say so. Do we all remember the plan?" Robert asked for safety and they all nodded. "Good, we'll meet at the centre of the building. That's where he's likely to hide the captives."

Robert and the Captain exited the carriage, entering the thick forest. The trees were dense, barely letting sunlight sneak past them. Robert looked over a boulder that laid close to a tree, spotting two men holding guns and guarding the entrance of the rectangular-shaped factory.

Their scout was right; Gerrard had men guarding the entrance. It was a good thing he had a blueprint that showed where the hidden sewers were located. They travelled through the forest till they arrived at a round grate covered by dead leaves.

Robert brushed them away and Captain Asher joined hands with him to lift the heavy grate. Once they did, a foul smell so strong it could kill someone nearly knocked the oxygen out of Robert's nostrils. It was a good thing he came prepared with pegs. He handed one over to Captain Asher and pinched his nose with a peg.

Then they both descended the stairs that connected to the base of the sewer. They landed into a stream of debris and Robert concluded it was connected to the Thames. Slowly, they progressed down the sewer. Footsteps thudded over their heads, faint conversations coming after. Things were going according to plan.

At this rate, they would bypass Gerrard's men. One thing was clear to Robert though-they were walking in blindly to the centre of the building. They didn't know what to expect when they got there. This was as a result of a lesser duration to plan their sneak-in.

The walls of the sewer held reflection of the dirty water below them, their boots making splats as they advanced. Soon they arrived at a dead end which had another ladder leading to a ceiling covered by another grate. But this one was locked.

"You have the key, yes?" Captain Asher asked in a whisper. His eyes were filled with a sense of haste and Robert knew the man wanted to save his children more than anyone else. Their lives were at stake.

"Aye, I do," Robert reach out to his pocket and brought out the keys in a bunch. The former owner of this building was a sweetheart and took the time to tag all the keys. It didn't take long to find the desired key. Fixing it inside the rusty padlock, it cracked open after trying for minutes.

Robert moved aside the grate and they entered a dark room that was dimly lit from a tiny window at the top. There were dusty mops and iron buckets at every corner. This had to be the cleaners' room.

Slowly, Robert opened the door and peeked outside. Two men guarded the hallway and they were both having a causal conversation while laughing at intervals.

"How many are they?" Captain Asher asked.

"Two."

"Positions?"

"Three and nine."

"Alright, I'll take nine, you take three."

"Okay," Robert answered and slipped out of the room, the Captain following him. Crouching, they moved silently like thieves and approached the goons. On the silent count of three, they both covered the mouths of the men and quietly put them to sleep. They dragged them into the room they came out from and then shut it back.

The corridor ended with metallic stairs that led to the middle of the factory. There were old straightening machines, bins covered by polythene and loopers all scattered around. Then a small thought crossed Robert's mind.

Why did Gerrard choose a factory Robert owned? It was too coincidental. At that instant, his heart paced faster. He scoped the area and once he was sure there were no more guarding men in the vicinity, he went down the stairs with Captain Asher. They hid behind a large finishing mill, getting their guns ready to shoot.

"Sweep the area," Captain Asher said as they both held their guns up.

Robert came out of his hiding spot and walked further, scanning the area. Once he was sure it was clear, he said, "Clear."

"Area clear," Captain Asher said and Robert's ears picked up muffled moans. His eyes followed the direction of the sound and he saw them, Arthur and Helen. They were both tied to a pillar with a brown rope, their mouths filled with white clothes.

"There they are," Robert said and then held Captain Asher's arm. "Don't you think it's unusual we found them too easily?"

"Gerrard could be a dullard," Captain Asher said, already jogging to his children. Gerrard, what are you playing at? Robert moved over to the Captives, still consciously looking around.

Ella and Howard should be with them by now. The right-wing had a shorter sewer canal. It was a surprise they weren't here before them. Nonetheless, there was no need to trouble himself. He trusted Howard to keep her safe. He wasn't a multi-medal-winning soldier for nothing.

"You're safe now, lads, you're safe," Captain Asher said, cutting off the ropes to set the lads free. His brown eyes conveyed a strong connotation of concern for his children. Their bruised faces and red covered... There was red liquid over their face. That was blood! Once Robert realised, he noticed another drop fall onto Arthur's scarlet-coated face.

He looked up and his eyes shook with fear and shock.

Three men wearing high-waisted beige trousers were hung from ropes, blood dripping down their slit throats. Bile rushed up Robert's throat and he took a step back, his breath shaky. Those were the men he sent on the expedition to the Niger. Why were they here?

"How do you like my gift to you?"

That voice...

Dread surged through Robert's body as he looked up to the balcony above. Gerrard stood in between two men holding rifles. Robert reached out for his pistol but froze when he saw he was numbered -Men holding guns came out from hiding. It turned out they were all hiding inside the bins that were covered by dark polythene.

"It was a bloody trap," Robert said under his breath.

"My Lord, what's happening?" Helen asked, walking up to him after the Captain had set them free. Her face was still covered in blood and she held on tightly to his arm.

"Helen, get behind me," he warned holding up his gun.

"You too, boy," Captain Asher said, covering Arthur with his large back.

If Ella and Howard weren't here yet, and Gerrard was-that only meant one thing. Oh, no.

"Looking for them?" Gerrard asked, gesturing at Ella and Howard who were pushed towards him with guns pointed at their backs. Robert's heart bled as he watched his loved ones under the mercy of Gerrard. Their hands were tied behind them, their mouths covered with a white cloth.

"Ella!" The Captain shouted out.

"Don't you dare hurt them," Robert cautioned, his blue eyes raging with a storm; like a grey cloud over a disturbed ocean.

Gerrard laughed. "For someone who is surrounded you have quite the guts to be speaking."

Robert's eyes travelled back to his dead workers hanging above. Had Gerrard truly lost his mind? These men were dead because of Robert. If he didn't send them on that treasure hunt, they would be safe.

"If you're wondering, your ship arrived in England three days ago," Gerrard informed and Robert's eyes widened. His metal was already on English soil? "It was a good thing I still had some soldiers in the Captain's command who were loyal to my late father. They helped me wipe out the soldiers guarding your ship." Gerrard bowed mockingly at the Captain. "I apologise for killing off your soldiers. You may need to hold another cadet training for recruits."

"You bastard," Captain Asher growled.

"I've been called worse," Gerrard answered, his green eyes glowing evilly.

"Don't you lay a finger on her," Captain Asher said, his focus on his daughter.

"You mean your daughter?" Gerrard asked, grinning.

Robert was dumbfounded. How did Gerrard know?

"Mrs Tucker was smart, but not smart enough." He shook his head in disappointment. "Who leaves important adoption documents lying around in their room?"

"Why are you doing this?" Robert asked the question he had wanted to ask for a long time. What did he ever do to Gerrard to deserve this?

Gerrard appeared to be caught off guard by the question, his green eyes looking fiercely at Robert. He took a step forward and held the metallic railing.

"You'll soon find out. But first, your punishment for not obeying my instructions," he said taking a step forward. He gestured at his henchmen and they pushed Ella and Howard forward. Robert's heart thrummed against his ribcage, his palms clammy with sweat. What was Gerrard doing?

"You see, when I tell you no policemen, you bring no bloody bobbies. There was a reason I chose this place. I once worked here during my Cambridge holidays so I could learn iron making. So I know the ins and out of this place. I saw when your carriage stopped. I saw when you entered the sewer. I saw everything."

They were indeed fucked. No way out. Even if they called the police now, Gerrard had Ella and Howard with him.

Robert's eyes shook with fear when Gerrard brought out a pistol and took a step back. Ella and Howard were now before him and vulnerable to his shot.

"No, no, Gerrard don't do this!" Robert pleaded, stretching a hand out.

"Do you know why you'll never be good enough to beat me? You're always making your decisions based on the moon lamp. You made the police come here because you wanted me out of the picture so you could make your moon lamp easily." Gerrard did a dry laugh. "And now it's about to cost you a life."

"No, no," Robert said, running towards the balcony. A troop of men with guns blocked him and he took a step back, looking up with dread shaking his blue eyes.

Gerrard held up the gun at the back of Ella's head."Eeny, meeny, miny, moe."

A gunshot echoed through the room.

"No!"

The men holding guns made way for Robert as he rushed to the balcony. The body fell into his hands as he watched his friend bleeding profusely from his chest. Robert hurriedly took off the bound in Howard's mouth, blood sputtering out of it.

He knelt with his bleeding friend in his hold. "Stick with me, Howard, stick with me. Remember how you said you wanted to live in the countryside? Hold on, you can do this."

"Fucking hell, My Lord," Howard said coughing crimson liquid, a weak smile on his face. "I almost forgot how a bullet wound hurt. Gerrard is a terrible shot by the way."

Robert laughed softly, his throat constricting. "How can you joke at a time like this?"

"I might as well enjoy my last moments in this world."

"Hold on, you're not dying. You're not leaving me."

Howard's shirt stuck to his chest, that area clad and sodden in red. He sputtered blood, scarlet liquid pouring on Robert's hands.

"Don't be silly, my Lord. That was a g-gunshot t-to the chest. There's no surviving this."

Robert's face paled as he watched his friend accept such a deadly fate.

"This is all my fault, Howard."

"No, it's not. Gerrard pulled the trigger." Howard cupped Robert's stubbled cheeks with his blood-stained hands. "Bury me on a hill that overlooks the countryside. Let it be the first thing I see whenever the sun rises. And tell my annoying wife I love her. At least where I'm going, she wouldn't be there to nag me every morning."

"Shut up, shut up," Robert said, the tears rolling down his face like a waterfall. He couldn't lose his friend, not now. Howard took in his last draw of air before he left this world. What had Robert done?

He was frightened of never being loved by his father that it forced him to make a stupid decision—bringing the police—and now it had cost him his friend's life. All he wanted was to capture Gerrard so he could finally make the moon lamp. Gerrard was right—Robert's decisions were influenced by his desire to make the moon lamp and that was why Gerrard always managed to outsmart him every time.

Robert sank his head into Howard's shoulders and sobbed like a little child. He cursed himself for bringing this upon himself. His friend was dead and Ella almost died. All for what? A bloody moon lamp and his father's validation.

"You'll be hearing from me soon. And don't worry, your lover is in safe hands," those were the last words Robert heard before his sense of hearing left his consciousness. He was frightened of never being loved by his father that it forced him to make a decision that cost him the life of a dear friend.

******