"Let's get off the main street."

I take Doreen's hand and lead her into a nearby alleyway. "Thanks to you, I know the layout of the streets around here. Let's get as far away from them as we can."

"I see. That's not a bad idea." Doreen says. She smiles, effortlessly following along as I run at full speed.

"Is there another way?"

"This is definitely one method..." Doreen says. "But there's a good possibly that we may have caught them off-guard if we had acted as if we were unaware of them."

"That's an ambiguous strategy."

"There is never any certainty when it comes to dealing with people." Doreen says. "For example, there is the possibly that they intentionally let us become aware them, in order to lure us here."

"What...?"

As if waiting to prove her right, several figures appear from around the corner. A group of men wearing bizarre masks stands in front of us. It's Progenitor. Several of the men take cautious stances.

There's no room to run in the narrow alley.

Just as Lupin and Van Helsing taught me, I quickly check my surroundings. "Doreen... I can buy us some time in this restricted space." I have a small smoke bomb in my pocket. Victoria had given to me just in case something happened. I close my hand around it as I continue. "I'll distract them. Can you get past them and get help from the others?"

"Oh? So you're telling me to desert you and flee?"

"Their objective is to capture me. But they might kill you."

"I appreciate your concern, but... Don't worry. These men are incapable of killing me."

"What...?"

Without holding a single weapon, Doreen steps in front of me.

The Progenitor soldiers hold up their swords threateningly.

"Doreen, watch out...!" The instant I shout this, a large wooden box slams into one of the soldiers from the side.

He careens into another soldier, and they both go down. The Progenitor troops respond quickly. The other soldiers speed around and disappear into the darkness of the alley. The fallen soldiers are up in an instant and follow the rest.

"Retreat if an encounter introduces an unknown element..." Doreen says. "Its seems their fear of getting caught and possibly disclosing information is greater than their desire to capture us. But, what just happened?"

A new figure appears from around the corner as if waiting for a cue. "Long time no see, gentleman. I'm glad you aren't hurt." Holmes says.

"You..." I say.

"Oh? Do you know one another?" Doreen asks.

"Not really. She's the mystery woman who got in the way of our plan to capture Pretorius." I say. "Lupin had a really tough time with her."

"Haha, you speak of me as if I'm a villain. Here, in this situation, I should be seen as the hero who's saved you." Holmes says.

"Thank you... I guess." I say.

"I see. How funny that we encounter you here again. It's as if you'd been following us to begin with." Doreen says.

"I'll leave that to your imagination." Holmes says.

"But why did you save us? You were trying to stop us before." I say.

"It's a detective's job to prevent crime... is what I'd like to say." Holmes says. "But, I'm actually off-duty right now. It wasn't work that motivated me to act. If I may also add... Does a lady need a reason to come to a gentleman's rescue?"

"I see..." I say.

She continues speaking without hesitation. Sherlock Holmes suddenly stops to take a breath, then faces us. "Now, as this lady is no doubt already aware, it's no coincidence that I'm here. I was following both of you, and those who left us just now."

"I see. So you were following Progenitor, who was following us... We had two tails." Doreen says.

"Indeed. There are many things I'd like to ask those Progenitor folks... But first, you two." Holmes makes a gesture to indicate that she is thinking. "Within the past few days, a number of treasures said to have been owned by vampires were stolen, along with a fortune. The items were stolen using brilliant techniques. This was the work of your friend Lupin, isn't it?"

My eyes dart about at this unexpected question.

If someone like Holmes finds out it was Lupin's doing, then she's going to be caught.

I take a few deep breaths. I calm myself down so that I can keep a cool demeanour while we speak. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." My words tumble out awkwardly.

"Hahah. You're a poor lair." Holmes says.

"Your genuine nature is one of the best things about you... but I must eventually teach you how to conceal your thoughts." Doreen says.

"Please do." I say.

While our conversation remains light, Doreen gently moves in front of me as if to protect me. "And now that you know this fact, what are going to do with us?"

"I don't intend to do anything. This was simply to confirm facts. I would have been fine if you'd denied it." Holmes says. "But this young gentleman here... Hmm? Now that I think on it, I was never properly introduced. Since we've been happily reunited, it would please me to know your name."

"...Caleb." Since I have no reason to turn her down, I simply state my name.

She tweaks her mouth, as if chewing on something, and nods, seemingly satisfied. "I've committed your name to memory. Thank you, Caleb. Back to what we had been talking about. If the culprit of those thefts is one of your friends, for now you're not my enemy. As I said earlier, I'm off-duty right now. Just an average citizen, enjoying her day off."

"You say 'for now'.... which means there may be the possibly that you will become our enemy in the future?" Doreen asks.

"Yes. We'll be enemies starting tomorrow morning, to be exact." Holmes says. "I've received requests from Scotland Yard, as well as one from the military. It seems the British government is sparing no expense in attempting to capture the violent criminal, Victoria Frankenstein. There is permission to kill her on the spot if it become necessary."

"No...!" I say.

"Progenitor and the military have quite similar tactics. Whose request are you going to accept?" Doreen asks.

"I will always stand by the law, even if the law is unjust. That is how we maintain order in society." Holmes says. "Although I have yet to find out their true intentions, I will gladly cooperate with them if it means the law is upheld."

"Ahah... Your philosophy on justice is the polar opposite of Lupin's." Doreen says.

"Arsene Lupin... A lady thief who adheres to her own definition of justice." Holmes says. "If we allow her methods to continue, and the masses will emulate her ways... I believe it will leave us with chaos."

"Lupin wouldn't do something like that." I say.

"I wonder. Whatever the result, a crime is a crime." Holmes says. "Either way, I just wanted to give you a warning."

"A warning?" I ask.

"Yes. If I am **** to seriously come after you, I will uncover your location and your schemes in no time flat." Holmes says. "I suggest that you leave Britain as soon as you can."

"I see. There may actually be another option..." Doreen stances over at and relaxes. "But I'll refrain from that one. You did save our lives. I will take your warning to heart."

Holmes nods. "Then, if you'll excuse me. The next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Don't take it personally." With this, Holmes leaves us.

"What an unexpected encounter." Doreen says.

"Yes..." I continue to look in the direction she left in. I wonder why. Even though they look nothing alike... I feel like Holmes and Lupin have something in common. "Hey, Doreen? Don't you think... that Holmes and Lupin are... alike?"

"Those two...? Let me think." Doreen says. "Both feel an immense responsibility for their actions, and have unwavering confidence in themselves. Perhaps this stance is the common ground between them."

"You're right. They share that **** self-confidence." I nod in agreement with her accurate point.

"Ahah, though that may be, it's probably best not to mention any similarities to Lupin."

"Why not?"

"When you escaped that train, it seemed that the detective Holmes was toying with Lupin quite a bit."

"Toying...? Holmes, not Lupin?"

"Yes. She was quite upset about it." Doreen says. "They barely managed to escape with Nemo's help but she was angry that the whole ordeal caused a delay in your rescue."

"She toyed with Lupin... That Holmes person must be very skilled."

"It certainly looks like she would be a tricky one to handle." Doreen says. "It does seem like our complications have been taken care of. Shall we go?"

I nod in response.