Epilogue – Twenty-two years later

John Brock strode down the stairs of Thames House reaching the foyer in time to see a strawberry blonde head bent in conversation with the security guard, Francis De Naldo. That strawberry blonde hair topped a familiar, young face, Gabriel George Pearce, son of John's predecessor.

John nodded a greeting toward the two men then continued on toward the front doors.

"Sir," Gabriel called out to him. "A moment of your time."

John changed course abruptly, heading toward him. The youngster always reminded John of his father. The two men were mirror image twins separated by a generation of wrinkle-inducing duty.

John smiled, extending his hand. "Good to see you," he said. "What brings you here today? Feeling disposed to take me up on my offer of employment?"

Gabriel clasped John's proffered hand in a firm grip. "Perhaps. Sir, my sister…Sophie Rose…I need your help."

"Of course," John replied, scanning the foyer for a vacant spot to have a private conversation. "This way." Gesturing toward the northern corner, he led Gabriel to an alcove tucked between two pillars and the rear wall of a bank of elevators.

Glancing nervously around as he walked, Gabriel removed his mobile from his trouser pocket and fiddled with it. He accessed his photos app then scrolled through before presenting his phone to John.

Removing his reading glasses from his suit pocket, John placed them on his nose and moved the image to the optimal viewing range.

Terrified eyes stared out at him, eyes so like Gabriel's. Gaffer tape covered a feminine mouth, a few wisps of light brown hair stuck along the lifted edge on her cheek.

"Who's got her?" John asked.

"I'm not sure. We…" Gabriel gulped. "We were holidaying in the south. We graduated, you know, this spring. We wanted a get-away, just a few weeks to explore the continent before Dad expected us to get work and…you know. We thought it'd be funny to travel under pseudonyms…" His voice faded and he gulped again. "I was James. Soph was Eleanor, Eleanor Estes." Gabriel's eyes filled suspiciously. "Daft. My parents…they're gonna be so…I haven't told them." Raising his eyes, he met John's gaze, his misery plain on his face. "Please help."

"Of course." John clasped Gabriel's shoulder. "That's what we do here."

John led Gabriel upstairs to his office in the heart of the Grid. "You grew up in Canada," John said, knowing it to be fact.

"Yes. Our parents ensured my sister and I had dual citizenship. After graduation back home, we flew here. We just wanted an adventure. My parents…they're great, you know? But boring. Dad's been retired practically my whole life, and my mom spends her days with dry, old books. Vancouver's an exciting place to grow up, but other than a few visits to old friends—computer geeks and failed rugby stars—we've never really traveled. So Soph and I planned a journey, backpacking across Europe. It's every students' dream, you know?"

"I understand. What went wrong?"

"We spent last night in an Irish Pub. It was cool. My dad doesn't talk about it much, but I know he served in Northern Ireland. I've seen pictures. So I was asking some questions about the situation there, said my father had spent some time in the area. Soph went into the bathroom, but never returned. I asked one of the waitresses to check in the ladies' room but Sophie wasn't there."

"Did you mention your father's name?" John asked.

"No. Well, yes. One of the older guys approached me, offering to buy me a whiskey. He wanted to know Dad's name. Then he puzzled over why my name was Estes if my father's was Pearce."

What foolishness youth can create, John mused. Harry and Ruth had loved their children, that was evident, but had sheltered them from the truth about a dangerous world. "Is there any chance that this is a prank, a sisterly joke?"

"No. Maybe." Gabriel faltered. "No."

"Hibb!" John hollered for his lieutenant who appeared forthwith. Taking the mobile from Gabriel, John passed it over. "Analyze this. Trace it. We need to find her."

"Who is she? His sister, I can guess, but who else?" Hibb studied the photo as he spoke. Towering over both John and Gabriel, Hibb was formidable.

"Harry and Ruth Pearce's daughter."

Hibb looked up, an odd expression in his eyes. "Born in Vancouver the year Caroline—"

John cut him off with a curt, "Yes."

"Aye," Hibb replied. "Wait. Ogham's." Hibb turned the photo back toward John. "Ye ken?"

John furrowed his brow in concentration. Something familiar… "Yes, of course." He sighed in relief.

"What is it? Is my sister okay?" Gabriel shifted to the edge of his seat.

John pointed to the corner of the screen. "Ogham's experimental farm. There are the vicuna and alpacas." John tossed the mobile back to Hibb. "Send Alexa. She dealt with Kent last time." As Hibb exited, shouting orders along the way, John turned back to Gabriel. "Call your folks. Tell them everything is fine."

"Really? Are you serious?" Gabriel asked.

"Wait and see what MI-5 can do."

"Thanks, John. You've been a good friend to my family all these years. You were the first person I thought of when Sophie went missing."

"That shows good judgment, son."

Ogham Conservation Farms

Sophie Rose Pearce, also known as Eleanor Estes, explained for the fiftieth time that she was not the children's author of the same name. She explained again that the author of Ginger Pye was indeed no longer walking the earth.

"Me liddl'uns sher liked t'meetin' ye."

Sophie had been frightened when the strange man had accosted her outside the ladies' room at the Irish pub last night. Once she'd deciphered his words, she'd realized the error he'd made, overhearing her and her brother joking around.

The man, who she now knew to be Kent Ogham, had so overwhelmed her that she was soon in the front seat of a battered, grey pickup truck, squeezed between two equally malodourous gentlemen and on her way here to the countryside. The Ogham children had taken pictures of her and then made silly photo-shopped additions, making her look like she was flying on Snoopy's doghouse, eating ice cream, tied like a mummy, and many more.

She needed to get back to Gabriel. If he panicked at her absence, who knows what might ensue. He always did tend to overreact. Dad was forever telling him to "think it through, son".

Oh, well. Another hour and she'd insist Mr. Ogham take her back. Who knew Eleanor Estes' name could cause so much trouble?