Unexplained
Chapter Three
Discovering
Los Angeles, California
Sydney sat impatiently beside Sark as he worked out some kind of complicated equation with the paper and pencil she had given him. She'd managed to talk Kendall into allowing her into the cell with Sark. She was curious about the exchange between Jarod and Sark. Jarod had acted like he knew Sark, though the thought hadn't seemed mutual. She wanted to find out. Her voice barely above a whisper, she spoke, "Do you know Jarod Masters?"
"I'm working, Sydney."
"Answer the question, Sark."
Sark finally looked up from the stenopad, locking gazes with Sydney.
"It feels like I have, but I can't seem to remember where."
"So he's not one of your lackeys?"
"No. I wish I could place him. I can't. Here. Sloane's in Italy."
"How do you figure that?"
"Rambaldi was obsessed with the country. Sloane's next stop was to go to Italy with the device and meet up with someone."
"Who?"
"No one."
Sydney glared at him, perking up at the sound of him meeting someone.
"Oh, I think you know."
"I have no idea."
Sydney grabbed his hand and pulled back his finger, almost to the point of snapping.
"Who?"
"Bloody Hell, Sydney, I don't know! I do know he'll leave Italy as soon as he meets up with this man and move on to some place that I'm unaware of, so I suggest you move now."
"If he's not there, I swear I'll..."
"You'll what? Kill me? That's not your style."
"How would you know?"
"I know you a lot better than you think. I understand you more than you think."
"I'm sure." She banged on the plexiglass, notifying the guard she was ready to leave. She strode out of the door with Sark's words calling after her, "You hate me because I am you."
What was that supposed to mean? Sydney thought angrily. Sark sank back in his chair, recalling the first time he'd met his father.
*The Centre
March 29, 1976
A young boy with disheveled blond curls stood in the doorway. He looked almost afraid and a single tear fell from his eye. A beautiful woman stepped through the threshhold and she smiled sweetly when she saw the little boy. She knelt to become eye-level with him, "Hello. My name is Catherine Parker."
He looked up, offering his hand. A heavily British accented voice popped out of his mouth, "I'm Andrew."
"It's nice to meet you, Andrew. I was very sorry to hear about your mother."
"You knew my mummy?"
"I did. She was a wonderful woman."
He nodded in silent agreement.
"You should meet my daughter. She's not much older than you, maybe a four or five years."
"That would be lovely, Mrs. Parker."
She ruffled his hair. "You really should call me Catherine."
He shot her an award-winning smile, brightening his entire face. Catherine took his hand. "Come. I'll take you to my daughter."
"There's no reason for that, Catherine."
Catherine whirled around to meet Dr. William Raines. "Billy, I don't think it would hurt. Andrew could use a few friends. He's new here."
"He doesn't need friends. Andrew, come to me."
His eyes had widened at the sight of the man. He'd never seen him before, and Mum never seemed to like William Raines. She'd always said he was no good and they should stay away from him. But then Mummy had died and left him all alone. He glanced up at Catherine, who sent him a sympathetic smile before nodding. He walked up to Raines.
"Hello, Daddy."
"Do not address me as Daddy. You may call me Dr. Raines."
"Yes, Sir."
"Now, I don't have time for your games. You will follow me and begin your...schooling."
"Yes, Sir. I was in the second class in England."
"That does not matter. Now let's go."
Dr. Raines jerked the boy's hand and pulled him down one of the dark corridors of the Centre. Catherine watched helplessly as the boy was jerked away. She had to find a way to help him soon, too. She hurried away to find Dr. Sydney. He would help her.*
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker tossed her keys on the table and slammed the door. "Ethan? Ethan, are you here?"
"Miss Parker! You're home early!"
Ethan entered the room, a book in his hand. He smiled softly at his sister and sat down on the couch.
"Yes, well, I needed to talk to you."
"It's about the heptagon."
"The what?"
"The heptagon. Mother told me."
"I don't know what the heptagon is."
"I don't really know, either. But she said you would have questions."
"I was just going to ask you if you knew anything about a brother of mine. He's Raines' son, so he's not related to you."
*Ask Angelo*
"Did you say something, Ethan?"
"No. It must be your inner sense."
"What must I ask Angelo?"
Ethan was quiet as he seemed to be considering something. Finally, he snapped out of his daze. "Angelo knows who your brother is."
"Why does that not surprise me? Angelo seems to know everything. Almost as much as Jarod, that is."
Ethan grinned. "Have you talked to him lately?"
"He's the one who started me on this sibling chase. I guess I'll go talk to Angelo."
"Okay. I'll see you tonight, Miss Parker."
Miss Parker sighed before retrieving her keys to leave the house once again. She should have just skipped the chat with Ethan and gone straight to Angelo. Oh, well. She'd find out before the day is out. Ethan closed his eyes as Catherine Parker continued to speak to him.
*Nairobi. You must leave for Nairobi. You must finish my work.*
Ethan, in a frenzied haze, got to his feet and grabbed a bag. He needed to go to to Nairobi. For what, he wasn't sure.
Nairobi, Africa
Lyle brushed the dust off of his suit. He despised Africa. It was so deserty and well, it was a little too close to the Triumvirate for comfort. All the same, he was here in Nairobi, looking for a man named Sloane. He'd never actually met Sloane, but Raines spoke of him often. They'd been working on this Rambaldi thing for years. We're talking networks of agencies searching for works, than Sloane and Raines had them taken down, the Centre the only surviving branch of the Alliance. Of course, the Triumvirate still existed as well. Lyle pushed open the door to a warehouse and found a large, misshapen machine in front of him.
"Mr. Sloane?"
He heard a gun cock behind him. Lyle slowly lifted his hands up in the air. He felt his gun being removed from the holster leaving him powerless to stop whoever held him hostage.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Mr. Lyle. Who are you?"
The gun barrel clicked as he let the retriever go. "I'm Arvin Sloane. It's wonderful to meet another one of Raines' children. I'm delighted. You're the first to show up."
"Dad sent me ahead to meet with you. Find out if the device was constructed properly. He also told me to inform you to expect Angelo, Ethan and Miss Parker in a few days. Jarod is still at large, but Dad suspects that once Miss Parker disappears, he'll show up. And of course, Sark and Sydney will be a problem to get here. That one is up to you."
"Oh, I don't doubt it. Sark will probably send Sydney to Italy, for he'll most likely talk. I left some clues behind of my whereabouts. I don't doubt the two will be directly behind, coming to take me away. Of course, the prophecy will then be fulfilled, if we can find the scrolls."
"Dad said Mr. Parker couldn't have been removed from the island. He's searching for him now. We'll have the scrolls by the end of the week, assuredly."
"Wonderful."
"I agree. Would you mind explaining to me this whole Rambaldi prophecy?"
Sloane let his wicked smile spread across his face. "Oh, I'd be delighted, Mr. Lyle. Please, have a seat. We'll be staying here up until the point that everyone arrives. The heptagon will be in place, and I have to say it's very amazing to have our first candidate here and willing to help. Now, the prophecy consists of five parts concerning the device. The construction, who is contained in the heptagon, how to retrieve both artifacts and the heptagon, the ritual to perform, and the world after the ritual."
Lyle leaned in as Sloane continued on with the explanation.
Chapter Three
Discovering
Los Angeles, California
Sydney sat impatiently beside Sark as he worked out some kind of complicated equation with the paper and pencil she had given him. She'd managed to talk Kendall into allowing her into the cell with Sark. She was curious about the exchange between Jarod and Sark. Jarod had acted like he knew Sark, though the thought hadn't seemed mutual. She wanted to find out. Her voice barely above a whisper, she spoke, "Do you know Jarod Masters?"
"I'm working, Sydney."
"Answer the question, Sark."
Sark finally looked up from the stenopad, locking gazes with Sydney.
"It feels like I have, but I can't seem to remember where."
"So he's not one of your lackeys?"
"No. I wish I could place him. I can't. Here. Sloane's in Italy."
"How do you figure that?"
"Rambaldi was obsessed with the country. Sloane's next stop was to go to Italy with the device and meet up with someone."
"Who?"
"No one."
Sydney glared at him, perking up at the sound of him meeting someone.
"Oh, I think you know."
"I have no idea."
Sydney grabbed his hand and pulled back his finger, almost to the point of snapping.
"Who?"
"Bloody Hell, Sydney, I don't know! I do know he'll leave Italy as soon as he meets up with this man and move on to some place that I'm unaware of, so I suggest you move now."
"If he's not there, I swear I'll..."
"You'll what? Kill me? That's not your style."
"How would you know?"
"I know you a lot better than you think. I understand you more than you think."
"I'm sure." She banged on the plexiglass, notifying the guard she was ready to leave. She strode out of the door with Sark's words calling after her, "You hate me because I am you."
What was that supposed to mean? Sydney thought angrily. Sark sank back in his chair, recalling the first time he'd met his father.
*The Centre
March 29, 1976
A young boy with disheveled blond curls stood in the doorway. He looked almost afraid and a single tear fell from his eye. A beautiful woman stepped through the threshhold and she smiled sweetly when she saw the little boy. She knelt to become eye-level with him, "Hello. My name is Catherine Parker."
He looked up, offering his hand. A heavily British accented voice popped out of his mouth, "I'm Andrew."
"It's nice to meet you, Andrew. I was very sorry to hear about your mother."
"You knew my mummy?"
"I did. She was a wonderful woman."
He nodded in silent agreement.
"You should meet my daughter. She's not much older than you, maybe a four or five years."
"That would be lovely, Mrs. Parker."
She ruffled his hair. "You really should call me Catherine."
He shot her an award-winning smile, brightening his entire face. Catherine took his hand. "Come. I'll take you to my daughter."
"There's no reason for that, Catherine."
Catherine whirled around to meet Dr. William Raines. "Billy, I don't think it would hurt. Andrew could use a few friends. He's new here."
"He doesn't need friends. Andrew, come to me."
His eyes had widened at the sight of the man. He'd never seen him before, and Mum never seemed to like William Raines. She'd always said he was no good and they should stay away from him. But then Mummy had died and left him all alone. He glanced up at Catherine, who sent him a sympathetic smile before nodding. He walked up to Raines.
"Hello, Daddy."
"Do not address me as Daddy. You may call me Dr. Raines."
"Yes, Sir."
"Now, I don't have time for your games. You will follow me and begin your...schooling."
"Yes, Sir. I was in the second class in England."
"That does not matter. Now let's go."
Dr. Raines jerked the boy's hand and pulled him down one of the dark corridors of the Centre. Catherine watched helplessly as the boy was jerked away. She had to find a way to help him soon, too. She hurried away to find Dr. Sydney. He would help her.*
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker tossed her keys on the table and slammed the door. "Ethan? Ethan, are you here?"
"Miss Parker! You're home early!"
Ethan entered the room, a book in his hand. He smiled softly at his sister and sat down on the couch.
"Yes, well, I needed to talk to you."
"It's about the heptagon."
"The what?"
"The heptagon. Mother told me."
"I don't know what the heptagon is."
"I don't really know, either. But she said you would have questions."
"I was just going to ask you if you knew anything about a brother of mine. He's Raines' son, so he's not related to you."
*Ask Angelo*
"Did you say something, Ethan?"
"No. It must be your inner sense."
"What must I ask Angelo?"
Ethan was quiet as he seemed to be considering something. Finally, he snapped out of his daze. "Angelo knows who your brother is."
"Why does that not surprise me? Angelo seems to know everything. Almost as much as Jarod, that is."
Ethan grinned. "Have you talked to him lately?"
"He's the one who started me on this sibling chase. I guess I'll go talk to Angelo."
"Okay. I'll see you tonight, Miss Parker."
Miss Parker sighed before retrieving her keys to leave the house once again. She should have just skipped the chat with Ethan and gone straight to Angelo. Oh, well. She'd find out before the day is out. Ethan closed his eyes as Catherine Parker continued to speak to him.
*Nairobi. You must leave for Nairobi. You must finish my work.*
Ethan, in a frenzied haze, got to his feet and grabbed a bag. He needed to go to to Nairobi. For what, he wasn't sure.
Nairobi, Africa
Lyle brushed the dust off of his suit. He despised Africa. It was so deserty and well, it was a little too close to the Triumvirate for comfort. All the same, he was here in Nairobi, looking for a man named Sloane. He'd never actually met Sloane, but Raines spoke of him often. They'd been working on this Rambaldi thing for years. We're talking networks of agencies searching for works, than Sloane and Raines had them taken down, the Centre the only surviving branch of the Alliance. Of course, the Triumvirate still existed as well. Lyle pushed open the door to a warehouse and found a large, misshapen machine in front of him.
"Mr. Sloane?"
He heard a gun cock behind him. Lyle slowly lifted his hands up in the air. He felt his gun being removed from the holster leaving him powerless to stop whoever held him hostage.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Mr. Lyle. Who are you?"
The gun barrel clicked as he let the retriever go. "I'm Arvin Sloane. It's wonderful to meet another one of Raines' children. I'm delighted. You're the first to show up."
"Dad sent me ahead to meet with you. Find out if the device was constructed properly. He also told me to inform you to expect Angelo, Ethan and Miss Parker in a few days. Jarod is still at large, but Dad suspects that once Miss Parker disappears, he'll show up. And of course, Sark and Sydney will be a problem to get here. That one is up to you."
"Oh, I don't doubt it. Sark will probably send Sydney to Italy, for he'll most likely talk. I left some clues behind of my whereabouts. I don't doubt the two will be directly behind, coming to take me away. Of course, the prophecy will then be fulfilled, if we can find the scrolls."
"Dad said Mr. Parker couldn't have been removed from the island. He's searching for him now. We'll have the scrolls by the end of the week, assuredly."
"Wonderful."
"I agree. Would you mind explaining to me this whole Rambaldi prophecy?"
Sloane let his wicked smile spread across his face. "Oh, I'd be delighted, Mr. Lyle. Please, have a seat. We'll be staying here up until the point that everyone arrives. The heptagon will be in place, and I have to say it's very amazing to have our first candidate here and willing to help. Now, the prophecy consists of five parts concerning the device. The construction, who is contained in the heptagon, how to retrieve both artifacts and the heptagon, the ritual to perform, and the world after the ritual."
Lyle leaned in as Sloane continued on with the explanation.
