LeglessJack

 "You're serious?" Alek shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. I already told you—" "Aye, I know." Deryn was grinning. "But you've really never even heard of tag?" Alek gave her a cool look. She laughed. "Alright, but it's time for you to learn." She hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Tag, you're it." Then she bolted. Alek whirled, watching her go. "Deryn!" "You're supposed to chase me!" Alek looked at her doubtfully, then up at the grey sky. It was early spring in London, but still cloudy and damp. The two were in Regent's Park, outside the London Zoo, enjoying an afternoon off. Sort of. "Deryn, it's going to rain!" "Stop being a ninny!

December 23, 1914 (Three days post-Goliath) Deryn stood in the doorway of their new apartment in London. It was just a few blocks from the London Zoo, ideal for the Zoological Society's new agents. Alek watched her as she read yet another note left by Dr. Barlow. The open door brought a breeze to ruffle her blonde hair, and for a moment he imagined her topside. "Could you come here for a squick?" she asked without raising her eyes from the paper. He doubted she wanted the note clarified—it had been quite precise—but he crossed the room anyway, standing close, but not too close, to her, wary of the open door. Glancing out, he thought he s

In Trenches, Part One The noises are deafening, and they move closer with every passing second. The ground shakes as another bomb goes off outside. Alek can feel sweat trickling down his back even though it can't be even thirty degrees. Alek's hands tremble as he struggles with the insides of their broken communikator. Without it, there's no way to know if it's safe for them to get back to their camp, if someone is coming for them... they have nothing without it. They're just stuck. Which feels like a fate worse than death for Deryn Sharp and Aleksandar Von Hohenburg. Alek had believed that tossing the papal bull off of the side of the Levi

New Year's Eve 1914 in Times Square, New York City. It is probably the one night of the year that the strangeness of what appears to be two well-dressed military boys from warring nations on a date is completely and totally overlooked.  Deryn chalks this up as a good thing. The lady Boffin has a few more things to do in New York before they can head back to London to do... well whatever it is the Zoological Society actually wants them to do. So tonight, Deryn and Alek are on an incredibly spectacular date. The lady Boffin gave them both a small fistful of American money as their sign-on bonus and Alek's went directly into some special hidin