Layton was driving with the eyes on the road and the signals while Luke was basically talking to himself:

-I can't wait to hug my parents again! And all of my other friends...-

-Don't forget about Arianna!-

Luke blushed and made a little laugh.

-Hehe... Yes... Arianna... Wait. Professor!-

-Hahaha! It's just an observation.-

The apprentice turned his head to the window and stopped talking, offended.

-You're not upset, are you?-

-Umpf!-

-Come on. Solve this puzzle, maybe it'll cheer you up! So two people are deciding on where to meet the next day. "Why don't we meet in Dante street? Oh! And the number of the house is the sum of the name of the street! Got it?" So, where should the two meet?-

Luke concentrated now on the front glass.

-Letters are not numbers... How can something be the sum of letters?-

Layton obviously didn't answer and stopped to let a group of sheep pass. Misthallery wasn't far.

-But... If the position each letter occupies in the alphabetical order is a number, then...-

He started writing on his notebook and then exclaimed:

-It's 44!-

-Correct!-

-Of course! Counting with letters, "D" is the fourth in the alphabetical order, so a 4! Then "A" is obviously a 1, "N" is 14, "T" is 20 and "E" is 5! If you do 4+1+14+20+5=44!-

-Good thinking, my boy.-

A shy smile formed on the boy's lips as he started looking outside.

-That was rather too easy anyway!-

-Glad you enjoyed it. We're here.-

The car stopped and both of them got down. Luke hurried to the bridge that lead into the city in search for any of his friends, but no one was there.

-That's strange. There's usually a policeman checking the entrance.-

-You're right. It's too desert...-

The two entered the city in hope of finding someone and their wish was soon granted. Mido, a man with a beard and an obsessive love for the color green, was running towards the plaza.

-Mido! Where is everyone? Why are you such in a hurry?-

-Didn't you hear? Someone is about to blow up in the plaza.-

-What?!-

Luke and Layton looked each other in the eyes very firmly before following Patrick to the plaza. A big crowd was standing in circle blocked by the policemen. At the centre of the plaza was Badger, a guy with an hedge instead of the hair. On his back was sticked something that looked like a big black box. There was also ticking, clearly audible even from far away.

-Oh no! Badger!-

Layton tried and reach for the boy, but one of the policeman blocked the way.

-Everyone, settle down! As soon as our experts arrive, they will deactivate the bomb and everything will be solved!-

-If you could let me through, I could try and deactivate the bomb myself.-

-Who do you think you are? Your hat of yours ain't going to make you special...-

-Let him through.-

Clark's deep voice made itself recognizable in the middle of the comments and sighs of the crowd.

-He knows what to do better than anyone here.-

While the policeman was not happy with this, he still decided to obey the mayor not to get fired. The professor walked towards Badger in the awe of the crowd.

-Badger... How did you find yourself in this situation?-

-Is that professor Layton?-

Badger was in fact so scared that he didn't turn around to check who was talking to him.

-Yes, it is. Please answer the question.-

-Well... I was going back to the market with my friend Louis and then I lost sight of him... So I hurried onward and felt a little push on my back... Next thing I know, a black cape is just running away and and I feel this weird thing on my back!-

-A black cape!-

Said Luke.

-Could it be...?-

-Let's not jump to conclusions, Luke.-

Layton examined the bomb from up close.

-Not a time-set bomb...-

-Exactly! If we had just waited for the experts to come like I said...-

-One thing strikes me as odd. How could someone stick something that big to someone and let him feel just a little pressure? What is it sticked with?-

The professor took some distance from Badger to think clearly.

-Luke, I can only think of three materials that can keep that bomb up. What do you think?-

The boy started reasoning under the concerned eyes of his father.

-I'd say braces, but no sign of them. And duct tape can't stick to clothes like that, so... Kneaded eraser! Could it be?-

-Yes, Luke. A type of eraser only skilled drawers use to clear up small lines or blur very big ones. And where do you think it was applied?-

-The four extremis!-

-Think again.-

-Can it be... One in the centre?-

-Only in this way Badger could've felt only one small pressure. One big piece of kneaded eraser holding this whole bomb. Now how do you advise we take it off?-

-Trying to pull it will probably trigger it.-

Layton nodded quietly.

-So... The best choice would be...-

His eyes met the peaceful little fountain where the fish were swimming.

-To wet it!-

-What are we waiting for, then?-

Luke immediately acted: he took a garbage bin miraculously empty from the corner of the plaza and filled it with water.

-Sorry, little fish...-

He gave the professor the bin and Hershel proceeded in carefully wetting the boy's back, not to drop any water on the bomb's generator. Very slowly, the bomb peeled off and fell into the professor's hands. Everyone cheered. Louis was trying to make his way through the crowd to see how was his friend, but a policeman blocked his view.

-What do we do with it now, professor?-

-We don't move from here.-

-Why?-

-I have the feeling this bomb is motion activated.-

Badger gasped.

-So, if I had taken another step...-

-Calm down, Badger. Waiting for someone more expert like the police was the right call.-

Even though Luke was helping the boy take off the kneaded eraser from the shirt, he smiled for the compliment. Clark said:

-Fine then. Go and call the expert now or...-

-Wait a second, Clark.-

Hershel's voice was strangely surprised.

-What?-

-There won't be needing to call anyone.-

-Have you figured a way to deactivate the bomb by yourself, professor?-

-No, Luke. My knowledge in machinery isn't wide enough...-

-Then what?-

Screamed one of the policeman irritated by all these change of plans.

-Somebody did it for us. The bomb has already been deactivated.-

The entire crown gasped in surprise.

-How? By itself?-

-I think it's been controlled with a remote...-

-You have no certainty that what you say it's true.-

-Au contraire.-

The professor pointed at his ear.

-Do you hear that?-

Even the spectators got quiet, so the only sound in miles was the peaceful sweeping of the canals' water.

-No.-

-Exactly. Do you understand now?-

All the policemen have each other confused glances while Luke got it straight away:

-There was a ticking sound not so long ago!-

-Yes, Luke. It was the bomb doing that sound and now it stopped. And I will prove it to you.-

With a careful and calculated movement, the professor extended the arm with the bomb in front of him.

-Don't you dare...-

He just let the bomb fall off to the ground. Everyone, even Luke, screamed in terror, but after a single bump on the plaza's pavement, the black box remained still and didn't explode. The apprentice sighed in relief and even the policeman dried his sweat.

-Well, I guess that's more than a proof...-

Clark smiled, even if a little tense, and then proceeded to chase the crowd away.

-Nothing to see here. Go away! The spectacle is over.-

Louis and Badger said hi to Luke and then set off to the market saying they had work to do. Clark and Layton finally got to greet friendly and talk about recent days and, the most important of all topics, the boy.

-So? You and Luke seem to be getting along. I knew it would be this way the first time you came here. Is he behaving politely?-

-Dad!-

Luke's cheeks got redder than usual. Layton laughed and then defended his apprentice like an attorney:

-You don't need to worry, Clark. Luke is a very polite little boy and I'm sure he has to thank you and your wife for the education.-

-Aw, Hershel, stop flattering me. I'm sure he got the most out of his mum.-

-Mind explaining the case in details?-

Clark looked around him to make sure the policemen were leaving with the bomb and then replied:

-Not here. Let's go home.-

While walking to Luke's house, an horrifying spectacle presented to them. A big gap in the ground, black as coal for the first explosion. Luke gulped against his will and the professor pushed him gently towards the house. They quickly went into the living room and found Brenda looking worried with a cup of tea in her hands. She stopped drinking and checked who got in.

-Oh, Hershel! You're back! And Luke!-

Mother and son hugged tightly for a brief second. Clark soon asked:

-Brenda, will you and Luke please go to his room? Me and Hershel have to talk between ourselves.-

Brenda tried to get Luke to leave, but he held onto the ground firmly.

-If it's something related to the case, you can't let me out, dad!-

-What case? The one that got you to run to the plaza?-

The mayor didn't properly know how to respond so he looked at Hershel. He, on the other hand, slightly nodded. It was with a sigh that Clark ordered:

-Fine. Brenda, please leave us alone for a minute.-

The woman obeyed without questioning, closing the door shut behind her.

-Well, Clark. What are we dealing with?-

-I fear that this bomber has more than my position to aim. He didn't ask for money for now, but all the messages do imply that he aims to terrorize the citizens as well.-

-Were they forcing you to bow out on your job?-

-I highly doubt it... After all, I am really going to bow out on my job at the end of this year.-

-For real?-

Asked Luke who, until then, had been silently taking notes.

-Yes. I'll be leaving my position as mayor to Greppe. So you won't have to bother the professor...-

-Clark, please... Your son doesn't bother me at all. I spend most of my nights in my office preparing the lessons, so he can be comfortable in my flat.-

-I still think it's better to leave Greppe to the job. He is way more qualified than me and cares about the citizens. That's all I need to trust him. I will try and find a job in London, maybe as a teacher like you.-

-I'll be sure to recommend you to Gressheneller, even though I guess it's not necessary!-

-Back to the case. If you want to read the messages, I left all that I have in Luke's bedroom. Although, they're not ordered: you'll need to order them yourself.-

-It'll be like a puzzle. No problem.-

-What are we waiting for, professor?-

Said Luke putting the notebook away and rushing out the door. Hershel and Clark remained alone.

-Hershel, I...-

-I know what you're thinking. I tried to persuade him to stay out of it, but it didn't work.-

-I'm scared for him! I already put him and Brenda in a very dangerous situation last time! One I couldn't bear and didn't let me sleep at nights.-

-I understand you, Clark, but I promise I will do everything in my power to protect him.-

The professor's eyes were extremely confident, while Clark's heart was the exact opposite.

-And a gentleman never breaks a promise.-

After saying that, Hershel turned his back and followed Luke. Clark whispered, with a little tremor in his voice:

-I don't doubt it...-