Murder at the Palace!

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Murder at the Palace! was a virtual representation of one of Jacob and Evie Frye's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate in 2015 through the Helix Navigator.

Description

Jacob or Evie met with Frederick Abberline in front of Buckingham Palace, who told them of a Palace Guard who had been murdered.

Buckingham Palace

Dialogue

• Abberline: There has been a murder at the palace. I need you to be careful with this one. Anti-royalist pamphlets have been cropping up and tensions are high. The Queen is very nervous about security. This way!

The Frye twin followed Abberline to up to the second floor of the palace, outside the Queen's study.

• Abberline: Here we are. Good luck! God save the queen and all that!

The Fryes entered the study and began their investigation with the deceased guardsman's body.

Queen's study

Clues

• Guardsman's body – A member of the Palace Guard slumped in a contorted position, eyes and mouth wide open. The body shows no signs of violence.
• Guest list – A list of eminent invitees to the investiture to be held this evening. The queen will knight several industrialists who oppose child labour.
• Vase – A priceless vase, lying broken on the ground. Signs of a struggle.
• Window – The window is broken. The broken area is large enough to allow access to someone.
• Letter from Scotland Yard – To her Majesty's private secretary Sir Henry Ponsonby. Doyle's address is appended.:

• Vault – Marked by deep gashes as if someone attempted to break in.

Dialogue

Upon inspecting the vault, Queen Victoria entered the study.

• Queen Victoria: Please leave the room for a moment. No one is permitted to see me open the safe.

Frye left the room and the doors were shut. Alone in the study, the Queen fretted over the security of the Scepter with the Dove as she unlocked the vault.

• Queen Victoria:: You cannot imagine that someone was after the Scepter? I must see it! I ordered the Scepter with the Dove to be brought from the Tower for tonight's event! Oh! Thank heavens! It is untouched!

The Queen closed the vault and reopened the door, allowing the Frye twin to ask her questions.

Interrogations

• Queen Victoria (body): The poor man! I arrived to find him here, dead as you see him. He gave his life to defend my person.
• Queen Victoria (vault): Only I know the combination. The vault contains the very precious Scepter with the Dove which I've chosen to be used in tonight's knighthood ceremony.
• Queen Victoria (event): This evening I will knight several industrialists that have worked to end the practice of child labor. All of London's luminaries are invited.

Artie's Yard

With all leads at Buckingham Palace exhausted, the Frye twin traveled to Artie's yard.

Clues

• Evidence wall – Drawings and texts linking various clues and anomalies throughout the mysteries that have been solved and the resulting penny dreadfuls. The final scrawled message is unfinished: "Leading to... Raymo—".
• Blank paper – A sheet of apparently blank notepaper.

Interrogations

• Buck (Artie): Artie's been in a state. Thinks there's some sort master criminal on the loose. Then this morning, he's gone!
• Buck (evidence wall): Come to think of it he had been going on about the Queen and all for the last day or two. Seemed to think she was in some sort of trouble.
• Dooley (Artie): He said he was on to something. Said everything had hidden clues.
• Dooley (evidence wall): Y'know, when he thought somethin' was important, he'd write it up in invisble ink. Lemon juice, like.
• Dooley (Henry Raymond): I did see Artie's friend, Mr. Raymond. He'd just come from Purlock Publishing with his new penny dreadful. Seemed very excited about it. I never liked him much.
• Dooley (blank paper): He'd use smoke to read it. If you have a way to make smoke, you can see what it says.

Clues

• Blank paper – Written in invisible ink: "Purlock Publishing... Henry Raymond... It's all connected... Follow the clues!"

Purlock Publishing

Following the clues Artie left, the Frye twin traveled to Purlock Publishing.

Clues

• Dynamite crates – Empty munitions crates clearly marked "Prescott Munitions No. 408."
• Map – A plan of Buckingham Palace. The queen's study is circled in black.
• Gallery proof – A typeseller's gallery pool for a penny dreadful, "EXPLOSION AT THE PALACE!" With some descriptive text: "Attack at the heart of Britain!" "Buckingham Palace in flames!" "Will the queen escape?" The book is written by Henry Raymond.

Dialogue

The Fryes deduced that Henry Raymond was behind the recent surge in anti-royalist propaganda and was planning an explosion.

JacobEvie

• Jacob: He's planning an explosion at the palace! It must be evacuated!

• Evie: An explosion at Buckingham Palace?! I must warn them!

Buckingham Palace

Dialogue

• Palace Guardsman: There's at least a hundred people here for the knighthood ceremony. The Queen will use the Scepter with the Dove for the knighting. She'll arrive precisely at one o'clock.

The Fryes raced through the palace to warn guests out of harm's way.

JacobEvie

• Jacob: Out of here! Now! Damn you.
  Run! Out!
  Get out! Emergency! Out!
  There's going to be an explosion!
• Guest: Whatever is happening?
  Most extraordinary!

Jacob located the Queen in the second floor parlor.

• Queen Victoria: Mister Frye. I grant you leave to order me to leave.

Jacob had successfully ushered everyone to safety.

• Jacob: Good! They're out!

He ducked for cover, but the explosion did not trigger.

• Jacob: Why is nothing happening?
  Nothing! What's going on?
  I've been tricked!
  Raymond! Why has he done this?

• Evie: Everyone! Leave! Please!
  Everyone must leave!
  There may be an explosion!
• Guest: Do as you're told!
  I demand to know what's going on!

Evie located the Queen in the second floor parlor.

• Queen Victoria: Miss Frye. I grant you leave to order me to leave.

Evie had successfully ushered everyone to safety.

• Evie: I've saved them!

She ducked for cover, but the explosion did not trigger.

• Evie: Nothing is happening!
  No explosion? What is this?
  I've been tricked!
  Raymond! Why has he done this?

Memory Palace

The Fryes drew upon their memories of past cases to deduce the solution to Raymond's ruse.

• Raymond: You are more naïve than you appear.

The Fryes envisioned the Whitechapel warehouse where their first case had recalled their talk with Artie.

Interrogations

• Artie (why evacuate?): Look beyond the obvious, beyond surface appearances.

Frye remembered Thaddeus the Amazing's reception room and their talk with Douglas.

• Douglas (why evacuate?): Nothing but a showman. So many people makes everything more dramatic!

Frye walked through a memory of Purlock Publishing, where the empty munitions crates were stacked.

Clues

• Dynamite crates – Empty munitions crates clearly marked "Prescott Munitions No. 408".

The Fryes followed their memories to the plaza outside Prescott Munitions, where Louis Prescott had been shot dead.

• Dynamite crates – Empty munitions crates clearly marked "Prescott Munitions No. 408".

The Fryes deduced three possible motives for Raymond.

Interrogations

• Stalwart citizen Raymond: I found the same clues you found! I knew there was to be an explosion and I led you here to save everyone. I'm as mystified as you are that nothing happened.
• Criminal mastermind Raymond: Seems to me you've created the perfect diversion, haven't you?
• Terrorist Raymond: You've helped me herd all those dreary people to certain death! We shall hear the explosion presently.

Criminal mastermind Raymond was accused.

• Raymond: Quite right.

The Fryes' memories took them to the park where Prudence Browne had been stabbed to death.

Clues

• Scattered papers – "I always get what I want." Written by a left-handed man.

The Fryes retraced the final steps of John Ashton and remembered their conversation with Mrs. Ashton.

Interrogations

• Mrs. Ashton (diversion from what?): I brought him his invitation to the knighthood ceremony. The one with the special scepter.

The Fryes followed the trail back to the flat where Byron Cashan breathed his last.

Clues

• Newspaper – Several articles. One about the coming ceremony wherein the queen will use the storied Sceptre with the Dove to knight an industrialist.

The trail of clues brought them back to Thaddeus the Amazing's house, where they remembered their talk with Colonel Asquith.

Interrogations

• Colonel Asquith (diversion from what?): Never trust a man who tells you what you want to hear. He's after something!

The Fryes deduced three possible opportunities for the criminal mastermind Raymond in the wake of the evacuation.

• Kidnapper Raymond: While you were chasing all those people around, I absconded with the queen, A hefty ransom is now due.
• Master thief Raymond: A man like me can take anything he wants. Even the queen's most beloved item of all her Crown Jewels: the priceless and symbolic Scepter with the Dove.
• Murderer Raymond: I needed you to distract everyone so that I could quietly assassinate Her Majesty the Queen!

Master thief Raymond was accused.

• Raymond: The Scepter with the Dove, taken with your help! What could better display my genius?

The Fryes envisioned the plaza outside Prescott Munitions, where they remembered their talk with Curtis.

Interrogation

• Curtis (how was it stolen?): No one questions you when you wear a uniform!

The Fryes searched their memories of the university where Professor Byng was highly regarded prior to his demise.

Clues

• Spider – A large distinctive spider, curled up in death.

The Fryes crossed a police line to talk to another memory of Artie.

Interrogation

• Artie (how was it stolen?): I suspect the solution will turn on geometry.

In their memory of the Queen's study, the Fryes deduced three possible means by which Raymond stole the scepter.

• Safe cracker Raymond: I am a fellow of many skills. Cracking a safe is but one!
• Observe Raymond: I simply watched the queen open the safe when you arrived!
• Coerce Raymond: I threaten the queen with her very life. She told me the combination in a thrice!

"Observe Raymond" was accused.

• Raymond: Quite right.

Dialogue

• Raymond (normal outfit): The dead guard was I! The spider venom allowed me to fake my death. I had a perfect view from where I lay.

The Fryes' envisioning of Raymond changed to that of the deceased guardsman, albeit clean-shaven.

• Raymond (guard's outfit): I have stolen the queen's most prized possession, the Scepter with the Dove! Think of it! I have out-foxed you! The most cunning detective in Britain. I mocked you by leaving clues for you at every turning point! Now I have the Scepter, proof positive of my superiority!

With the case cracked, the Fryes were stirred back to the moment at hand in Buckingham Palace by Abberline.

JacobEvie

• Abberline: Jacob! Wake up! It's Raymond! He's taken Artie hostage! They're on the roof! Evie's here to help you, Jacob!

Jacob pursued Raymond to the roof and heard Artie cry out for help.

• Artie: Jacob! Help!
• Raymond: Nice sleuthing, but you've come up short, Mr. Frye! Do not threaten me or come any nearer! This lad's very life depends on it!

Jacob climbed onto the same roof and held Raymond at gunpoint.

• Raymond: You have done well. Indeed, far better than I expected. But you cannot win. Make a single move and young Artie's murder will feature in my next story!
  Now, now, Mister Frye. I said, do not move.
• Jacob: Let's stay calm, shall we? No need to do anything rash.
  Come, now. Scratching my nose surely shouldn't count.
  What will you do now? You're standing on a roof with no plan.
  Don't do anything foolish, Mr. Raymond. Let young Artie go and you and I can solve this just the two of us. What do you say?
• Raymond: Oh, I'm quite calm, Mister Frye. Little Artie, however, appears rather alarmed.
  Yes, but Artie here is a trump card, is he not?
  I appreciate your efforts, but I don't have much reason to trust you, now do I, Mr. Frye?

In the midst of their standoff, Evie strolled onto the palace grounds below.

• Evie: Don't worry, Jacob. He won't know it's coming.

• Abberline: Evie! Wake up! It's Raymond! He's taken Artie hostage! They're on the roof! Jacob's here to help you, Evie!

Evie pursued Raymond to the roof and heard Artie cry out for help.

• Artie: Evie! Help!
• Raymond: Nice sleuthing, but you've come up short, Miss Frye! Do not threaten me or come any nearer! This lad's very life depends on it!

Evie climbed onto the same roof and held Raymond at gunpoint.

• Raymond: You have done well. Indeed, far better than I expected. But you cannot win. Make a single move and young Artie's murder will feature in my next story!
  Must I remind you? Do not move!
• Evie: Let's stay calm, shall we? No need to do anything rash.
  I'm not moving. No chance of that. Let's all just take a deep breath, shall we?
  This is a poor ending to one of your mystery novels, Mr. Raymond. The innocent young boy is threatened with death! I really expected much more from you, sir.
• Raymond: Oh, I'm quite calm, Miss Frye. Little Artie, however, appears rather alarmed.
  On the contrary, it makes for an excellent ending, Miss Frye. As far as my readers are concerned, the more lurid the better!

In the midst of their standoff, Jacob strolled onto the palace grounds below.

• Jacob: Keep him busy, Evie. It won't be long now.

Outcome

Jacob or Evie climbed up to the roof to confront Raymond, who held Arthur hostage. While one of the twins held Raymond at gunpoint, the other climbed up to assassinate him.

• Evie: I suppose this means our detective days are over. But what about you Artie?
• Arthur: I'm glad I survived Mr. Raymond's insanity, but sadly he won't be here anymore to write more books!
• Evie: A great loss, I'm sure.
• Arthur: I'm quite serious, Miss Evie. Me and my friends waited every week to read the next number and find out what happened next!
• Jacob: Why don't you write some yourself.
• Arthur: A fellow would have to very clever indeed!
• Evie: Sounds like you'd be in your own element, my dear.
• Jacob: "The Gruesome Whitechapel Murders, by Artie!"
• Arthur: I should think I would use my full name. "By Artie... Conan Doyle."
• Evie: I'd use 'Arthur'. Sound more of a serious fellow.

Behind the scenes

Raymond's fatal rooftop standoff with a captive Arthur loosely mirrors the finale of Charles Dickens's 1838 novel Oliver Twist, where the robber Bill Sikes holds the book's titular orphan hostage.

The name of the memory may be a nominal reference to the American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco.

References

• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – The Dreadful Crimes