EPISODE 5
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Tiberius stirs awake on his own bed. He cranes his neck just enough to peer forward and catches Yancy Wil speaking quietly to someone at the door.
Yancy: Thank you, Bethany.
Maid Bethany: Mm.
Yancy: (Closes the door softly).
Tiberius: (Pretends to be asleep).
Yancy: Sit up. Here's a glass of hot milk for you.
Tiberius: (Sitting up slowly) How did you know I was awake?
Yancy: (No reply). (Hands him the glass).
Tiberius: {Is he angry about what we did to him? It wasn't my fault—he's after Papa.} (A memory flickers). {But he stood up for me on the punishment ground.} Why did you stand up for me…?
Yancy: (Settles back with his newspaper) Drink up your milk.
Tiberius: {He's definitely upset. Normally he'd flood the room with that infuriatingly radiant smile and voice.}
Tiberius sets the glass down. Yancy Wil lowers the paper just enough to glance over.
Yancy: What's the matter? You don't want—
Without warning, Tiberius leans in close, eyes fixed on the badge around Yancy Wil's neck.
Tiberius: {One thing is certain: I know what I saw yesterday. I just need more proof.}
Yancy: (Coolly) What? Want to see the wound?
Tiberius' soft gaze lifts to meet Yancy's.
Tiberius: {Come to think of it… if you really look, he isn't just charming. He's… beautiful.}
Yancy: Aren't you allergic to me, Junior Master?
Tiberius: I'm sorry! (Pulls back, earnest) My actions were very wrong and immature. I shouldn't have done something so harmful to you.
Yancy: (Coolly) Ah, now you apologise. Young Tiberius, you really mustn't judge someone so hastily based solely on your own perspective. Had you done this to anyone else, they might have taken the matter public, and that would have caused rather a lot of trouble for your father. Is that what you'd want?
Tiberius goes still, regret settling over him like a shadow. Yancy leans back with a quiet exhale, then glances across at the boy kneeling on the bed, fingers twisting nervously in his lap.
Yancy: (Snorts lightly). (A small grin breaks through) You hungry?
Tiberius: Huh? But I'm not allowed to eat till dusk. The kitchen's probably closed by now.
Yancy: Who said anything about the kitchen? (Smirks)
Tiberius: Huh?
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Kitchen – deserted.
Inside the darkened kitchen, Tiberius and Yancy move like conspirators, tucking vegetables and packets inside their clothes.
Yancy: (Whispering) Carrot with you?
Tiberius: (Whispering) Yes…
Head Cook: (Appearing from the shadows) What are you both doing?
Yancy & Tiberius: (Startled) Ah!
Yancy: (Cold sweat) Madam Cook… How's it going? We were just… We were just—Uhm…
Tiberius: Checking the stock of utensils… for Papa!
Yancy: Yes…
A pack of noodles slips from beneath Tiberius' jacket and thuds onto the floor.
Silence.
Yancy & Tiberius: (Nervous laughter).
Yancy: It's not what you think!
The Head Cook fixes them with a long stare. Just as dread tightens their throats, her expression softens. To their astonishment she reaches for more ingredients and slides them across the counter.
Head Cook: But how are you going to cook?
Maid Bethany slips in beside the Assistant Butler, who is proudly holding an electric kettle.
Assistant Butler: You can use the electric kettle.
Yancy: (Amused) Such brilliance.
Assistant Butler: (Beaming, self-satisfied).
From the corridor, the Head Butler watches the little procession sneak back toward Tiberius' room.
Head Butler: (Sighs, shakes his head) Fools. They've quite forgotten the Master has CCTV cameras everywhere… including the Junior Master's room.
On the security monitor, Mr. Kamen observes the pair huddled over the kettle, steam already rising.
Right-hand Man (Magnus Knox): {Innovative.} Do they realise you're watching them?
Mr. Kamen: Switch off the power supply.
The lights across the mansion flicker and die.
Yancy doesn't flinch. Instead he improvises something ingenious and carries on.
Magnus: (Scoffs, genuinely impressed) What a mad gentleman you've got there, Mr. Vaj.
Mr. Kamen only narrows his eyes at the screen.