Day.
The Royal house.
The main entrance.
Everyone is preparing the wagons for departure. The Duke is carefully watching everything from the porch.
Mary approaches him cautiously, slowly.
— Uncle...
The Duke turned around, but then switched back to the wagons.
— Mary... You shouldn't be here.
— I know, it's simple...
— What's that?
— I... scary.
— You can't be transported together, wait.
— No. I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about everyone.
The Duke was surprised, and Mary continued.
— It seems that things are getting more and more anxious because of Richard's antics. The police or guards can't handle it.
— And your friends are the only salvation...
Mary raised her head. The Duke sighed.
— I know, I can't believe myself that the fate of a country depends on a bunch of spy kids...
The Duke looked at his watch.
— But apparently we have to work on our own today... However, we are not used to it.
The duke gave the signal and, standing nearby, the officer rushed to the second floor.
3 wagons were ready. A guard of guards formed a large column.
There was a flood, and the Duke and then Mary moved away from the doorway as the Queen began to pass in a wheelchair, accompanied by an officer.
She asked to stop when she saw Mary.
Mary was motionless at first, but the Duke whispered to her.
— You're supposed to do whatever you want.
Mary smiled and ran up to the Queen and hugged her. A small smile lit up on the Duke's face for a second, but William turned his attention to the surroundings.
The Queen was saying it.
— Mary, I'm so sorry, you've probably been through this.
— Nothing, Grandma, the main thing is that you are healthy and the kingdom is flourishing.
— Don't tell me... The main thing is that you should be happy.
The Duke looked at his watch.
— It's time...
Mary wiped her tears and retreated a little. The Queen finally spoke.
— We'll definitely see each other again, but for now, don't cry.
The Queen was taken to the car, Mary followed them, but the Duke, putting his hand on her shoulder, said.
— You'll go separately, just in case.
Another car was prepared for Mary, and after checking the equipment and officers, the Duke spoke.
— Do you know what to do in an emergency?
Mary nodded.
— Then... take care of yourself.
The Duke closed the door. The cars started up.
William got into the car with the Queen and they drove off.
Elfrida spoke.
— I hope everything goes smoothly.
— And me...
An hour passed.
There were no problems on the way, which alerted the Duke.
The Queen spoke.
— William, is something wrong?
— No, nothing... It's just that everything is very smooth, which is not good.
The Queen smiled.
— You always liked to exaggerate.
— It is excluded.
— Really? Don't you remember how, as a child, you interrogated every employee in the house? The King and Queen even got caught a couple of times.
— Do you really think that comparing me to that obnoxious boy is rational?
— Over the years, a person only gains experience, but still remains himself, and those who believe the opposite only put a wall between themselves and the world.
William thought for a moment, then sighed and said.
— Maybe so... but right now, the main goal is still to protect yourself from the world behind the wall.
The Duke continued to observe everything through the window.
Control.
The Colonel, Dollishop, and "7" are sitting in the office. The colonel is most active when he checks documents like a "7", and Dollishop sometimes exchanges phrases with the Colonel. The latter speaks.
— Tell me, how did it even come to this that one of the ordinary members of the royal family, who had not lived in the kingdom for several years, could have several locations in the capital?
"7" without looking up.
— No wonder, he's a Duke.
— The Duke of Arkham, not London!
— What surprises you? There's a boy from the street who almost destroyed everything, and you're amazed at a man with power.
Dollishop grins and looks at his watch.
— Something "L" is delayed, is it really being changed again?
— No, I'm fine with this one.
— What about it? I thought the General was responding to you more.
The colonel lit a cigarette.
— I've known him before and what he allowed himself. When I found out that instead of "L" he was thinking of either resigning or hitting him in the back so that he wouldn't see anymore.
The Colonel smiled.
— What's so funny?
— Nothing...
The door opens. "L" comes into the office, takes off his jacket and sits down at the table, lighting a cigar.
Dollishop asked.
— How was the meeting?
— Productive... The Duke requested a "White Dove" to deal with Richard, and I approved.
The colonel was indignant.
— Just like that?" Have they proved that they are capable of performing tasks of the highest level, and you gave them away for free?
"7", holding up the document.
— No. In return, the Duke ordered to ignore the activities of the control.
"At least that's something... The Colonel exhaled.
"7" was surprised.
— However...
— However... — interrupted "L" — There was one more condition. Disband the team after completing the mission.
— What?"— The Colonel was taken aback.
Dollishop laughed at first, but then he spoke with seriousness.
— It's not funny at all.
"L" rubbed his eyes, and then got up from the table altogether.
— Please remind me what was the idea of the team and its advantages.
Everyone was silent, and "7" looked up from her papers and said.
— The idea of the team is that its members are girls specially trained from an early age, who have an advantage over adult agents.
— And now we have a mechanic and an officer, and a princess, and the girls have already grown up... Of course, this is not a reason to disband the team, and I will not do it... — pronounced "L".
— And thank God. — The Colonel lit a cigarette.
— I will not dismiss them, let them make their own choice.
The colonel exhaled a cloud, after which he silently buried his face in the table.
"L", leaning on a chair, continued.
— Of course, the question should be "why does an ordinary group suddenly have such a privilege?".. In connection with recent events, one involuntarily begins to think about the real goal... I'm sorry, I got carried away in the wrong direction, so where were we?
"7" came to her senses and checked the papers.
— Part of the team led by "M" met and had a conversation with "Z" and is now heading to the Duke, however, the Duke himself is currently redirecting the Queen to a safe place, where "A", "D", Princess and went... The daughter of the Chief Justice.
"L" inhaled tobacco smoke and spoke.
— Okay, let them report as soon as possible.
At that moment, the girls at the transmitter finished rewriting the message, after which she went to the table and redid it.
"7" read out.
— From "D". On the way to the Royal House, they were ambushed, they were transported to one of Richard's points, where they were interrogated by Johnson Carter (neutralized). "A" and "D" successfully escaped, but the princess, the judge's daughter, and Kay-shar were lost, and after blowing up the shelter, they went to check Richard's suspected attack sites...
The colonel stubbed out his cigarette and then spoke.
— Holy shit...
Dollishop spoke.
— It seems they can't solve the problems themselves yet.
The Colonel grinned.
— No, they just decide in their own way - the bad thing is that the method raises more and more questions.
"L" spoke.
— Let them report on the key points, the goal is to stop Richard at all costs, with minimal damage.
"7" she said.
— Yes, sir.
Dollishop added.
— You can see on this board that pawns have the opportunity to influence not only the game, but also the game as a whole.
London.
Antique shop.
Ange and Dorothy leave the store, the latter disassembling a handset-like device along the way. Ange took out a piece of paper and placed a circle in front of the address, which became the second one.
— How many more are there? — Dorothy said, disassembling the device into two parts and taking out an explosive component.
— Only 6. The Duke's next office.
Ange looked around.
— To the northwest.
— Accepted.
The girls got into the car, Dorothy handed over the component, and she started the car and they drove off.
Ange studied the component, Dorothy glanced at it from time to time and said something.
— You make sure that it is not used for its intended purpose.
— I don't promise.
Ange used a skeleton key to remove the outer layer. A green light appeared from inside.
Ange lifted it higher. Dorothy rolled her eyes and said.
— Of course there is cavorite, who would doubt it? Is there anything in this city that isn't made of cavorite?
Ange wrapped the component in a metal shell, and then said.
— Yes. And that's you.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The girls left the car on a nearby street and walked on foot, and they climbed onto the roof of a neighboring house. Dorothy whispered.
— Are we going to go like this?
— What do you want? Should I send a letter to the Duke?
— Okay, watch it.
— We'll go in from the back window, near the bathroom, if we wait a moment, we'll be able to enter unnoticed, further along the corridor to the top and into the office, the main thing is to do everything quietly.
— I see, it means as usual. But it's not safe to jump on rooftops without a key ball.
— Not Philony.
The girls walked along the roof, Ange examined the roof of the ministry and pointed her finger at its part. Dorothy shot the cat with a hook and flew to the roof, after which she sent the rope cart back.
Ange hooked her briefcase on her belt and flew to the roof.
The girls carefully walked along the roof, avoiding eye contact.
Ange expertly finds a gap in the window and opens the passage inside. The girls hide from the workers and make their way to the Duke's office.
Ange takes out the lock pick again, Dorothy says.
— What is the chance that there is no bomb here?
Ange, opening the door.
— 12 percent.
— That's encouraging...
The girls ran into the office.
Street.
At that moment, Stephen's team had just arrived at the Ministry.
Lawrence spoke up.
— Remind me exactly what we are looking for.
— Yes, at least something, if we meet the Duke or the Gazelle in general is fine.
The guys had just reached the door of the Ministry when they heard a voice from behind them.
— Stop!
The guys turned around. Chise spoke up.
— Speak of the devil...
The Duke got out of the car and walked towards the guys. Beatrice panicked.
— He's not going to arrest us, is he?
Lawrence spoke up.
— Of course not. We haven't done anything yet...
The Duke spoke.
— What are you doing here?
— They've come for you. — said Stephen.
— What? You were supposed to accompany the Queen, by agreement.
— How was it supposed to be? Princess Charlotte and the others came to you.
— Apparently we didn't get there... To my office, now!
The guys, accompanied by the Duke, went into the office.
William was surprised when he opened the door. Dorothy and Ange stood in front of them, the latter holding out a note.
— Mr. Duke, Richard has the princess.
— And Lily... — Dorothy added softly.
The Duke quickly approached Ange, snatched the note, and went to the table.
Dorothy asked.
— What are you doing here? Where's Zelda?
— The same question for you, but without Zelda. Lawrence said.
— The princess and this other one were abducted? — Steve asked.
Ange spoke up.
— Yea. We were ambushed, we were trapped in Richard's lair, and the prince decided to use the Princess, Lily, and K-ball as bait.
Beatrice was worried.
— Is Princess Charlotte being tortured?
— I don't think so, Richard needs her to lure us out, and Lily probably can't be saved...
Dorothy slapped Ange on the shoulder.
— Hey, don't scare the kids.
After a long conversation, the Duke intervened.
The guys came closer. William held his head.
— So... Richard wants to see me at a set time, in a set place, without a weapon. The key moment is "without you", after which he gives Charlotte in exchange for the city, that is, the whole country. If the conditions are not met, if you do not show up or if you are late, he wipes the city off the face of the earth...
The guys stood in silence. Ange broke the pause by saying.
— Will you do it?
The Duke looked down at the table, and then said.
— And you?
Dorothy asked.
— What do you mean?
— Well, even if everything goes according to Richard's plan, he's bound to either kill me or lock me up like a mutt. I'll get over it, but you... Will you be able to live under Richard's guidance?
Beatrice spoke up.
— You can't do that, you have to give Richard a fight. — She said with tears.
William got up from the table.
— If it doesn't work out, then he'll just destroy everything. In any case, changes were inevitable... and they don't happen the way we planned.
The Duke went to the door.
— I forbid you to interfere... for your own good, however, from now on you are free to do as you please.
Dorothy was perplexed.
— Wait, why?..
— You are disbanded!
The Duke said, slamming the door.
Everyone stared at the door in shock. Chise spoke up.
— Indeed, one of the worst days of all time...
— I didn't think that I would be so sad about being fired. Lawrence added.
Ange went to the table and looked at the note.
Beatrice was perplexed.
— Dorothy, what are we going to do?
Dorothy sighed.
— I do not know, technically, I can no longer give orders. Lizy, what do you say?
Ange picked up the note.
— As the Duke said, big changes are coming and it depends on us what they will be. However, this mission is the most dangerous thing that has happened to us, and I am not inviting you to take part in it...
Stephen interrupted the girl and went over to the table.
— Well, well, well... Of course, I understand that I'm not the first person to go to for advice, and I ended up with you for a completely different reason, but I would like to speak on behalf of all those who are in this room right now and those who are not. You guys are the craziest people I know. You are the ones who can hardly be called friends, even colleagues... but you know, for our campaign, I will go to the ends of the earth.
Chise stepped forward.
— In the common people, they call it a family. But they don't leave their family.
Chise held out her hand. Dorothy also extended her hand.
— So let's get the missing part back and finally go home.
The guys held out their hands one by one. Dorothy looked at Ange, who just stared blankly, as if she was about to cry, but then she went up to the guys and put her hand down.
— Home...