Outside the fanciest house off Whitechapel, a man stood by the sidewalk in the middle of the night. He was scrutinizing every part of the house and the patrolling men of redcoats to observe the pattern of their movements.
He was smoking on his pipe while on the sidewalk, about to finish.
His name was Victor Law, the best detective in town.
He heard footsteps coming towards him. He looked in the direction and saw Lewis walking while looking at the house.
"Lewis," Victor called the man he had known for more than a few years after removing the pipe from his mouth.
Lewis turned his head and pulled the brakes. He was startled to see the well-known yet unconventional detective in London.
"Oh? Detective Law, you're here."
"Strolling at night? Or perhaps you've read the letters?"
Lewis was astounded by Victor's words, just like from all of his encounters with him.
Figured that Victor purposely left the letters at that apartment for anyone who'd aid him, he had to take a moment before answering him. "The latter."
"I see you are eager to stop him once and for all."
"I have a promise to keep, Detective. Do you have any information on the man?"
"Our target has gone by various names, something you already are aware of from the letters. But his real name is Godfrey Irving. He actually came from Oxford all the way here, thinking that he would have a more satisfying life despite his family's wealth. He spent all the money on prostitution until he ran out. And that is where his perverted character began to develop."
Lewis curiously asked, "How so?"
"With the lack of pennies, he became a frustrated man. He had to vent his exasperation on prostitutes and murder them."
"Why would he do that," mumbled Lewis.
"Now you might be wondering: how is he not getting caught? If that were the case, we would not be here standing in front of this distraction of a house. Someone actually witnessed him getting away from the scene of the crime during my investigations of serial killings of prostitutes here in London. At the same time, I was also able to look through angles where I could see how he was able to escape. It turns out that he was frequently using smoke screen bombs that released phosphorus when exploded, making one in range dizzy."
It would look like the man they were facing against was more cunning than Lewis thought.
"Such a witness helped me out to observe his movements further the past couple of weeks."
"Do you know how he got involved with the Untamed then?"
"Besides myself and the authorities, the Untamed's attention was on Irving for the serial killings. Let's just say... they have their ways. And voila, recruited. And from that point on, he was able to regain income from funds, buying any luxury available and returning to his ways except he started tormenting and murdering ordinary women to satisfy himself. Quite obvious when you think about it."
"I feel like the higher-ups of the gang are not pleased with his ways. Spending their funds for that…"
Victor seconded Lewis's statement, "The same goes for me."
"Do we have a plan here, Detective?" Lewis asked for any available scheme to capture and arrest Godfrey Irving.
"I have predicted his plan of escape. Due to the funds given to him, he is able to buy anything opulent, including a train. That train runs county to county, and since that is the case it can reach his hometown. Not to mention some of his possessions inside."
"Are you saying he is escaping back to Oxford? Is he actually willing to leave the gang?"
"Well, he already has enough income for himself. His train is stationed north of the Strand. We should be able to intercept him before he arrives at the station in case he escapes—with this carriage right here."
Victor pointed at the carriage waiting just across the street and Lewis looked.
"And you used disguises for more thorough scrutiny." Lewis could not believe all the information Victor gave him. It was about time to finally reveal the man's name who introduced himself to him as Alfred Lewis: Godfrey Irving.
"And to think that the prima ballerina of London was on his list," said Victor. "I heard you had a... boisterous event."
Lewis argued, "Not for me and Garrett. It was absolute chaos."
Victor heard Garrett's name and asked Lewis, "Where's the gunsmith? Did he not come with you?"
"No," Lewis replied.
By the time the surveying was done, Victor had finished smoking and hid the pipe in his pocket. He told Lewis, "Shall we?"
Lewis nodded and they headed towards the front yard of the house.
Two Untamed men turned away to the front door of the house, giving Lewis and Victor the window to sneak on them. They locked their heads and pinned their noses.
As the thugs were fighting for their lives to breathe and escape, Lewis asked Victor with a whisper, "I have a question: what's it called when your speaking got robbed?"
Victor whispered back in reply, "Aphasia. Commonly caused by brain damage. I take it that Ms. Thomas experienced it."
"And I take trauma as a cause."
"Correct. Has she been well?"
"Well, sort of."
The thugs had been knocked unconscious and both quietly put them down.
They stood up and Lewis told Victor, "Unless Godfrey Irving is caught, Beatrice won't be performing anytime soon."
Victor realized the promise Lewis had to keep. He sensed more of the Untamed inside the house. He told Lewis, "There are more inside. Prepare to fight."
Lewis nodded again and he opened the door to face off the thugs.
He immediately saw one near the door. He held the shoulder, pushed clockwise and punched the thug.
The rest inside were alarmed of the attack and they charged towards Lewis and Victor.
The situation was nothing for Victor. He already had the experience of getting outnumbered from his cases. He just maneuvered his way to the end of the living room, countering punches and hitting their limbs to neutralize the thugs.
For Lewis, him fighting a few thugs to protect the children back in the alley more than a week ago was rare. He never engaged himself in brawls unless necessary. That time, however, could have been a rough time for him to heal injuries, but Garrett saved him.
He was able to fend off three thugs with counter attacks but was then hit by a fist. He stood firm and charged at the thug. He parried the next attack with his forearm and punched the stomach to disturb the reflexes. That enabled him to repeat the punch with a different fist and strike the jaw of the thug.
The thug fell down in pain and Lewis saw Vicor farther from him. He was just beside him seconds ago.
"I think we got all of them," Victor spoke.
Already with the assumption of Godfrey Irving contemplating in the said secret room, Lewis headed straight towards the grandfather clock.
"And now to look for—"
Victor's words were interrupted by Lewis turning the clock with force. The passage had then already been seen.
"... him."
Victor was dumbfounded and said to Lewis, "Ms. Thomas told you?"
Lewis took the first step down and answered, "Yes, she did."
Victor picked up a hat from one of the thugs. He wore it and followed Lewis down in the passage.
Their footsteps were echoing inside. As they slowly entered the room, the brightness of torches was already seen.
Lewis and Victor spotted a figure of a man touching the surface of the table. Victor saw the whole room with dead bodies, heads and weapons still stained by blood.
Lewis called out the man, "Alfred Willis."
The man raised his head in response. "Beatrice told you about this place, did she?"
Victor told the man, "You ought to be called Godfrey Irving."
Godfrey was surprised to hear that. But when he looked at Victor, that surprise vanished.
"Victor Law. Of course London's best detective would know my real name. A matter of time before you finally solve the serial killings?"
"You should be behind bars for your crimes," said Victor who ignored the question.
"Hehehe..." Godfrey started to chuckle until he began laughing. Hysterically.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Lewis was disturbed by Godfrey's hysterical laugh. Meanwhile, Victor began to observe his movements.
Through his scrutiny, he saw the shape of Godfrey's right hand shaping like a ball. He must be holding something, he thought.
Godfrey uttered, "YOU took Beatrice and now I'm about to get captured!"
Lewis loudly responded, "You have to answer for your crimes, Godfrey Irving!"
"Never!"
Godfrey raised his right hand and was already holding what looked to be a bomb. He threw it to the ground in front of Lewis and Victor.
Victor shouted, "Phosphorus!"
The bomb exploded and it released black smoke that was so dense Lewis and Victor could not see anything. The smoke was made by what Victor shouted which could have dazed them. Luckily they quickly covered their mouths and noses.
It was a smoke screen bomb. Godfrey managed to escape the two with the device.
The smoke began to disperse and they realized Godfrey was no longer in their sight.
Lewis turned around and saw the man already at the last steps upstairs, fleeing away from them. "He's running away, Detective!"
Lewis and Victor ran upstairs immediately as they attempted to seize Godfrey Irving in the name of justice.