After a wonderful picnic and a nickel tour of the Manor and grounds, both Flint and Jaye went back to their chambers to change for the evenings meal. Jaye had informed Flint that it would be a black tie event and thankfully he had packed one of his best suits. Okay, maybe his only best suit. The atmosphere in the manor had changed dramatically. Robert Burnett had yet to give his blessings for the marriage, which made Flint nervous, but he hoped from the earlier day's conversation that he at least met him at halfway. He checked himself in the mirror one last time before leaving his rooms to pick up Jaye from her chambers.
Flint walked briskly towards Jaye's chambers. He felt nervous; not only did he have to get Jaye's father's blessing, he now had to get the consent from Jaye's Uncle James. He knocked on the door, and Jaye immediately answered. She was dressed in the most breathtaking black silk dress, which brought out all of her curves.
"Lady Alison Hart-Burnett, you look beautiful as ever," Flint teased, kissing her.
Her eyes sparkled, "And you, Master Dashiell Faireborn, look extremely handsome this evening," she teased back.
Together they walked down the grand staircase. "Where are Marmaduke and Scooby Doo? I haven't seen them for most of the day."
"Probably with Daddy in the dinning hall," came the answer.
The room itself was freshly decorated with several flowers in vases. Sweet scents of different dishes filled the air, making both their stomachs growl with hunger. Flint hope that there would be some dishes in that he could eat. Jaye caught his look and giggled, "Don't worry, I asked Cook to make a chicken dish for you." Seeing his relieved face, she squeezed his hand.
"There ye are, Lass." Robert Burnett's voice echoed in the massive room. He stepped away from the enormous fireplace that took most of the south wall.
"Evening Daddy." she said, kissing him on the cheek.
Robert nodded towards Flint. "Dashiell."
"Evening, Sir." Flint shook his hosts hand. Jaye had informed him that the evening would be very formal. He did not want to look like an idiot in front of her father and the Clan.
Jaye looked around, "Daddy, has Uncle James arrived yet?"
Robert shook his head towards her, "Nay lass. He'll be here, soon enough."
A maid came with drinks for them. Flint picked up his glass and took a sip and began to cough. "What.. is ..this..stuff?"
Robert patted him on the back, "Guess yer Lad can't handle good Scotch whiskey."
Jaye giggled, "It's called Drambuie, Flint. It's really strong stuff."
One of the doormen entered through the door, "Laird Burnett, Lady Alison, Master Dashiell, may ah present, Laird James McCullen and guest.
Jaye looked towards her father and then the doorway. She was extremely excited. She had not seen her Uncle for many years, and almost could not remember him. Even though he wrote and sent her lovely gifts, it wasn't the same, as seeing him. She glanced at her father, she had heard 'guest'. Who did her dear Uncle bring? She hoped it was not one of his mistresses.
Sean returned with two figures, both of which wore heavy long cloaks. Jaye smiled as she recognized the black velvet cloak of her Uncle's. He always wore the same cloak when he came to the Manor. The second figure was shorter than her Uncle, just the same size as Jaye, and wearing a similar cloak, only it was deep scarlet with a gold trim, and gold clasp. Both had their hoods on, covering most of their features.
"James!" Robert opened his arms and welcomed the taller figure.
"Robert!" They embraced. Jaye watched her father, embrace the other figure and kiss a cheek. She gave a curious glance. Who was this? She wondered.
They strolled to where Jaye and Flint stood, motionless.
"Alison! You look splendid as ever, dear." Uncle James's deep voice said.
"Uncle James." Jaye smiled and embraced her uncle, his face could be barely be seen from his cloak, but Jaye knew this was her uncle, The same uncle who had watched her slowly grow up from a newborn to a teenager. Released from the embrace, she nodded politely towards the other person.
Robert Burnett took a step forward, "James, Ah would like ya to met Allie's-" But his introduction was cut off.
"We have already met." James McCullen stated.
Both Flint and Jaye gave each other curious glances. How could Uncle James know Flint?
Two silver hands reached out from the cloak, "Hello Flint, I'm Alison's uncle, James McCullen." The hands moved towards the hood, and slowly pushed the hood off of his head, revealing the silver face of a man in a mask.
Flint took a step forward, ready for anything but stopped as he heard a surprised gasp coming from Jaye. Her face had turned pale, her eyes were wide, her mouth open, and her legs looked weak from the shock. The man in front of her, her dearly beloved uncle, her Uncle James McCullen, had another face, a face that she knew by heart, by sight seen and unseen, a face that belonged to one of the most powerful people in a terrorist group, the face of Destro.
Suddenly Jaye rushed out of the room very unladylike, and went straight for the bathroom off the parlor and started to throw up, trembling profusely.
A hand rested on her back, gentle so as not to frighten her, "Allie? Are you alright?" Flint's gentle touch made her relax. Thank goodness he was there. "Here, take this." a towel came in front of her head, soaked with water.
"It can't be." Jaye said crying softly. "I won't believe it."
"Shh.." Flint took her hand, pulling her close and sitting her on the floor, "Here let me wipe your face." He took the towel and cleaned her off. "There, much better." He threw the towel in the garbage, and sat next to her, he gently resting put her head on his chest, "It's ok Allie, just cry if you have to. Just cry." His soft words, allowed the stream of tears that had slowly been collected in the past few moments, escape. He stroked her hair, gently rocking her in his arms, "It's alright, it is going to be alright." he whispered in her ear. "It's alright my Allie."
"How can it be alright? How can it ever be alright again?" Jaye asked as she cried. She held onto him like her life depended on it.
James the butler came into the room where Robert Burnett was and whispered in his ear. "Milaird, yer daughter is getting ill in the bathroom."
"I'll see to it, Robert." came Destro's voice. "The sooner it is done, the better. For all of us."
Destro, took off his cloak and handed to James, "This gets any rips and you will curse the day you were born." He left the dinning hall and walked towards the parlor. He closed his eyes and sighed; he heard Jaye's soft cries and Flint talking to her. He took a deep breath and entered the room.
Jaye saw him enter then buried her face in Flint's chest.
"I was expecting that." Destro stood above the couple.
Flint growled and was ready to stand up to show Destro a thing or two but was stopped by Jaye's hand around his neck, holding him tight. "What do you want, Chrome Dome?" His eyes burned on the man, wanting the Manor's floor to rip open and send him down to the deepest dungeon!
"I am not here to argue Joe." His face was serious. "I want to talk to my niece."
"It's alright Dash." Jaye said softly. "I'll be fine." She let go of Flint and started to stand up.
Flint helped Jaye stand up, "You sure you will be ok?" She nodded. He then turned around and faced Destro, his features fierce. "You hurt her in any way, and I swear I'll come after you."
Destro's throat gave a low growl, "You have my honor, Joe."
"I'd better!" He snarled back, "Or I guarantee you that I will tell Baroness about your little secret rendezvous with that little blond low rank Cobra soldier female you been messing with. Got it?"
He snarled but nodded.
Flint turned to Jaye. "I'll be close by if you need me." he caressed her cheek, before he left.
Jaye looked at Destro, trying to make her face look cold but failing miserably. "How could you, Uncle? How could you do this to me?"
"Lady Jay-- Alison. I did not know myself, until the Baroness told me. If I had known before, it would have been all different. Remember the Manor that you had inherited?" she nodded, "That was my ancestral home, which is now in ruins, but let's not go there." His hand touched her shoulder, she flinched. "I'm telling you the truth, Allison. I wanted to tell you. But I was afraid, afraid that if word got around that you were my niece, then you would have been in danger. The Baroness is the only person who knows, yet I have made it clear to her, if she ever says anything, her mouth would be found down where we found the Siren's shell. Do you believe me?"
"Why did you join those monsters?" Jaye asked. She was angry but she did not pull away.
Destro looked at her, "It all began with a simple business transaction, with Extensive Enterprises, then before I knew it, I had gotten in deep, too deep to pull out. An offer was set, a position, and then something inside me burned for power. I forgot who I was and began to become someone new. Someone who possessed an idea, someone who would create something new to this world. Even if it must be conquered. I know Alison that you will never understand, but I hope that you will one day forgive me."
"How can I forgive someone who murders children, innocents that have nothing to do with this war?" Jaye asked hotly. "Clan doctrine states that innocents were to be protected at all cost's or did you forget that as well?"
Destro held her shoulders a little too tightly for a moment, "I know what the Clan states! You don't have to remind me." He let go of her shoulders, and turned away from her, "There has been too much lost, on both sides. Nothing affects me anymore. Nothing."
"Not even losing me? Do I mean that little to you now?" Her voice cracked, her heart breaking.
He turned: she could see that there was something in his eyes, a tear? She highly doubted it. He had no heart.
"No, Alison. You mean everything in my world, that is why you lost me."
"I don't understand." Jaye said, confused.
Destro took a step towards her and he tilted her cheek upwards, "Little Blue Jaye," using the pet name he had given her when she was three, "When I joined Cobra, I knew that everything would change, and everyone who I knew and loved would be in danger. I could never live with myself if any harm had come to you, so that's why, I had to do the unbearable: disappear from your world. That's why I disappeared all those years ago."
"I...I thought you were disappointed in me." Jaye said, trying to look away.
"Disappointed in you? Alison, I have always been proud of you. And when Baroness told me that you are The GIJOE Agent Lady Jaye, I had never felt prouder than that. I wanted to tell you then, to scream your name, when you and Flint walked away from the Manor. But I couldn't. To expose the truth was the same as signing your death warrant."
She looked away from him, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"I know that all this is hard to take and it may get harder. There is someone, here, tonight, that you must meet." Destro gently wiped her tear away from her cheek. "We must return to the Hall. By now I'd surprised if that bookworm has not sent in most of the Joe Unit."
"Don't call him that." Jaye said angrily.
"Very well. But don't forget my dear, you still need my consent." He looked at her, remembering the days when she was little and such a spitfire.
He chuckled, and that fire still burned in her eyes. "Shall we?" he extended his arm for her.
Jaye's eyes burned with heat but she took his offered arm and allowed him to escort her back into the dining hall.
When they entered the room, her eyes immediately went to Flint, who was pacing in front of the fireplace. He looked nervous and angry at the same time. He was worried for her. She was surprised that he had not burned a hole in the floor.
He glanced up and saw her enter with Destro, "Allie!" He called to her, he rushed over and took her in his arms. "Are you alright?" He looked at her, his eyes full of concern.
Destro found this opportunity to leave the couple and join Robert, who was talking with the mysterious guest.
"Yeah I'm alright. Are you?" She asked in concern looking from him to her father, her eyes bright with anger.
"I'm fine. It's you I'm more concerned about." He gently touched her cheek, caressing it.
Destro's voice interrupted their moment, "Allie, I want you to meet someone."
He strode to her, his arm over the person he had brought. The cloaked figure stopped in front of Jaye. The hood still covered the features. Jaye looked from her Uncle to the red cloaked figure and then to Flint, who looked as puzzled as she felt.
Two hands emerged from the scarlet cloak and she immediately identified them as female. They rose towards the hood and slowly pushed it in the back, revealing her features.
Jaye's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped. There, standing in front of her, was an image of herself. The woman's hair was a tad darker, but she had almost identical features, except for the eyes, which were hazel to her green ones. She was the same height, the same size. It was like looking into a mirror.
"What is this?" Jaye asked, taking a step back.
"Alison, calm down." Robert said and took a step towards her, worried about her because of her earlier reaction but also wanting her to remember her manners.
"What the hell, Destro? Didn't you learn your lesson on Synthoids the last time?" Flint's voice shook with anger.
"Flint," Destro's voice was calm, "This is not a Synthoid." He took the lady's hand in his, "Alison, I would like you to meet, your dear cousin, Lady Victoria Ailsa Hart."
"Vickie?" Jaye asked in shock. "I haven't seen you since we were both five." Jaye stepped forward, embracing the young woman.
The other woman exhaled a sigh of relief, "Allie! It is so nice to see you again. Uncle James has told me a lot about you. I don't remember much of our childhood together, but from what he has told me, we were once very close. But since the accident, the only thing I remember is the lake, behind the manor, and us I think, running in the water, still in our dresses." She smiled.
Jaye looked at her, full of concern. Accident? She glanced at Destro, still holding Vickie's hands in hers.
"Accident? What accident?" Jaye asked
Destro glared at Robert, "Damn it Robert! You didn't tell her?" The other man stood silent and lowered his head. Destro then continued, "Victoria and her parents were on a trip to the Swiss Alps. We don't know all of the details yet, but there was an avalanche, the cabin was destroyed, and both of Victoria's parents perished. Victoria barely survived the ordeal herself, she was alive, yes, but barely remembered anything. She was nine and alone. I took her in as my own. Raised her, sent her to the best European schools; everything she ever needed, I gave that. Vickie's mind still remembers some things, and the doctors have informed me that one day, she may remember everything. It was time to reunite you two. She was part of your childhood as you are part of hers. I thought maybe the Manor and you Allie, can help her recover her past."
"I'm sorry. I cannot help her." Jaye said. "We were five and that was twenty years ago."
"I understand, Alison" Destro's voice was stern. "But I was hoping maybe walking around the manor, she may remember something. I know you and book- Flint are leaving tomorrow morning. Vickie and I are going to be staying for a few days. She needs this as much as I do."
A bell rang throughout the room, "Dinner is served." Maxwell the servant said.
They all glanced at one another.
"You all go on. I'm not hungry." Jaye said and started to walk out of the room.
"Alison ye will come to dinner." Robert ordered.
"Not this time, daddy." She walked out of the room.
Flint glanced at Robert, signaling to him that he would bring her back. The other man nodded in appreciation. Flint walked out of the room, but not before he sent Destro an icy stare.
He ran out towards the hall, "Allie!" he called out to her, watching her climb the stairs.
She didn't stop walking up the stairs but she did slow down. "You should go eat. I had cook make your favorites," she called back. Her voice sounded like she was very heart broken.
He ran to her, not saying a word, just walking beside her, his silence telling her that he was there if she needed him. He would stay beside her, always. Through the bad times and the good times. He glanced at her but she avoided his eyes. She wanted to talk, he knew it. He knew her. He gave her one of his familiar looks. She caught it! 'Aha!' he thought.
"Allie, if you want to be alone, then I understand." He stopped her by touching her arm. "But at least call Shana and talk if you need to. Ok?"
She nodded.
"I love you, you know that?" He kissed her gently, then turned to one of the servants in the hall, "That was not funny business, it was business! Got it?"
She smiled.
"I'll go back to the dinning hall, I don't want your father to be alone with those two." He kissed her forehead and left.
Jaye got to her room and quickly changed into jeans, and a t-shirt, with a jacket and boots. She used the servant's stairs and went out the servant's entrance at the back side of the Manor house. She managed to sneak out without being seen. She headed towards the stables.
In the meantime, Flint had walked into the Dinning Hall, Robert glanced toward the young man and, not seeing his daughter with the warrant officer, his shoulders slumped.
Flint took a seat, across fromVictoria and Destro. "She wants to be alone for now." he said, glancing at his empty plates.
Suddenly a servant rushed into the room in a panic, "Laird!" he called out, quickly going towards the head of the household and whispered in his ear.
Flint watched as the man's features turned ghostly white and his eyes widened in surprise, and quickly changed to beet red, with narrowed eyes.
"Dang it, Lad!" He threw the napkin on the table, angrily, "Alison has tricked ya! She's run off!"
"What!" Flint shot up from his seat, and rushed out the door,
"Allie!" He called out, "ALLIE!!!" but the only reply was the gentle breeze.
Jaye ran quickly into the stable, to the second stall, and saddled the black stallion that belonged to her father. With a kick to the horse's sides, she rode off into the night.
She took the path directly across the main entrance of the house at full gallop. Tears dominated her eyes, blinding her from where she lead the horse.
"ALLIE!!" Flint's voice came from behind her but she ignoreg it. The pain ripped through her head.
The horse galloped wildly across the front lawn, dashing quickly around several guards. A hedge appeared in the front of them. Jaye lowered her body, waiting for the jump, and kicked the horse to jump over the fence. The black stallion neared the fence, and reared on its hind legs, refusing the jump. Jaye' tried to grip the mane of the animal but it was too late, she felt her body slip off the saddle and rush towards the ground. Her slim figure hit the ground, her head throbbed with sharp pain, before the darkness dominated
