(A/N: I would do a revieew response here but I received an E-mail saying that someone on was punished recently for doing that. I'm not sure about this but I'm not taking any chances as it came from one of my reviewers, so no review response until this is cleared up : )
The reunion with the father
Lola came back with two glasses of iced water, one for her and one for Jessica. She sat nextt to Jessica and gave her the water. Lola drank her drink within a few seconds,a sight which made Jessica burst out laughing.
"You were thirsty." Jessica exclaimed.
"Considiring the ammount of talking it's not surprising." Lola replied.
"So, what room were you in now?"
"We were in a dining room…"
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The dining room was rather blank. There was a very large table in the centre with several chairs. There was a doorway to the right and a fireplace to the left. Above the fireplace, there was a portrait. As we entered the room, my nose began twitching. I could smell something burning.
"A, can you smell burning?" I asked.
"Yes, I can." A replied.
"It's coming from the fireplace." We went over to the fireplace and found a piece of paper. It was very burnt and barely readable.
"Can you make anything out?" A asked. I looked at the paper for a few minutes. I was eventually able to make out some of the words.
"Increasing chance…implement…fabricated memories…merging…Using another…replay memory…however…in practice"
"Hey, this is part of the another essay!" I exclaimed.
"Then who was burning it?" A asked.
"I don't know." I grabbed the burnt essay and had a look at the portrait. It was of two young rabbits. The boy on the left looked older then the boy on the right.
"Who are these boys?" I asked.
"I don't know." A replied. We were about to contiue when something on the table caught my eye. It was an 11 year old newspaper dated 11/02. I read the article aloud.
"Scientist Dies, Motive Unknown.
On the night of 10/02, Dr. Hikaru Bunny (28) of MJ labs was fatally shot in the chest in her own home. Hikaru's young daughter, Lola (3), was hiding in the wardrobe and suffered no injury. First on the scene was husband Dr. Robert Bunny (30). The authorities have recently brought him in for questioning as the chief suspect, based on all availible evidence."
"Mum is…dead? Murdured?" I exclaimed. I was then reminded of that dream I always had.
"That dream, I'm remembering it again. I was sitting with my mum in the kitchen waiting for dad. There was a cake with three candles and a teddy bear with a rd ribbon on the table. Then…someone entered the room. My mother said, 'you cannot have another!' And then I heard a gunshot."
"Lola, what is wrong?" A asked.
"Nothing." I replied. As we walked on, I was hit by a tidal wave of depression. A was able to sense it.
"Lola, what is wrong?"
"I can't tell anymore. I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"
"What do you mean?"
"That dream, wasn't just a dream. I remember it now."
"Remember what?"
"I'm like you. I saw it all, my mother's murdur. She was drenched in blood, lying on the carpet, dead!"
"Lola…"
"That newspaper said that mum was murdured."
"Lola…"
"And the article suggests that the killer was…my…dad!"
"Lola?"
"I didn't come here just to learn that."
"Lola…"
"I've had enough! I want to go home!" I ran to the table, sat at one of the seats and began crying into my arms. My mind was in turmoil. All the happy thoughts of seeing my father had been completely destroyed.
"But, where will you go?"
"What?"
"Where will you go?"
"I don't know."
"Lola, listen to me! Why did you come here?"
"To find my dad."
"Why do you want to see him?"
"To hear the truth from him."
"Well he's waiting for you. Let's find him."
"A."
"Remember how you first felt when you arrived? Your dad will explain what really happened to your mother."
"But…"
"It's natural to be afraid, but there is nothing to be scared of from the truth. Real sadness comes not from knowing, but from not knowing. I should know that."
"A…"
"Lola, your father is waiting, come on."
"A…"
"Lola, what do you want to do?" I slowly lifted my head up and looked at A.
"A, you're hard on me but you are right."
"Are you coming?" My mind was still full of turmoil. I was unsure what to believe. Eventually, I forced a smile.
"Yeah, let's go."
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"Your dad killed your mum?" Jessica asked.
"According to the article…yes." Lola replied.
"Mum, I didn't want to know that."
"Do you want me to continue or not?"
"If you continue, I may be told something shocking, but like A said, real sadness comes from not knowing."
"So…"
"So…I want to hear the rest of your story."
"Ok."
"Before you continue, did you believe the paper or not?"
"At the time, I wasn't sure what to believe."
"Ok, now, what happened after that?"
"Well, we then went into the next room…"
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The next room from the dining room was the lounge. It waas unique as it had a small bar to the right as we entered. Behind the bar was a glass cabinet. The cabinet was stacked completely with bottles.. To the left were some seats and a small table. There were a couple of sofa's at the far end of the room. When we entered, we heard a dreadful noise. It sounded like an untuned radio, and it hurt my ears.
"Lola, can you hear that?" A asked.
"A, to not hear it, I'd have to be deaf!" I snapped.
"Oh, sorrry."
"Where's it coming from though?"
"The counter, I think." We looked at the counter next to the bar and found an old radio. The horrible noise was coming from the radio.
"Static." I muttered.
"I think we should turn it off." A said.
"Yeah, I'll try tuning it." I looked at the radio and found two tuning dials. Trying my hardest to ignore the onise, I turned both the dials until the static stopped.
"Phew." I said with relief when the onise stopped. When the static stopped, a tune started playing. It was very soothing on the ears.
"What a nice tune." I muttered.
"I know this song." A said.
"Really, what is it?"
"It's called 'The gift of the Golden Sun'. It was popular back when I was alive and before you were born."
"So that's why I've never heard it."
"Dad loved this song."
"I see…" Before we continue, we heard a noise coming from the back of the room. It sounded like a door opening. There was then a voice I didn't recognise.
"Who's there?" The voice asked. We turned around and saw a Brown rabbit with a white suit, grey jeans and a yellow tie. He looked ta me with a look tha slightly unnerved me. There was a long silence, which the rabboit finally broke.
"So, you're here Lola." The rabbit said. Before I could object, he came up to me and gave me a hug. He held me close to his body, where I thought I could smell cigarettes.
"Lola, my Lola." The person said.
"D-dad?" I asked.
"Yes Lola, it's me, Robert. Your father."
"This is my father? What should I do?" I thought to myself.
"Lola?" Dad asked.
"Yes, now that you're in front of me, I don't know what to call you, dad?"
"Do you have the DAS?" I took out the DAS and showed it to him.
"Here. I also have the cards that you left for me."
"Lola, thank you for coming all this way. I am so happy to see you." I didn't make any response.
"Why didn't you make a response?" Jessica asked.
"Because there were so many things on my mind." Lola replied.
"Is that the only reason?"
"No, something about him bothered me."
"The fact that he smelt of Cigarettes?"
"Yes, I didn't realise that he smoked."
"Anyway, what happened after?"
"Well, I took the time to ask dad some questions…"
"Lola, what's wrong?" Dad asked.
"Dad, where's Rachiel?" I asked.
"Rachiel?"
"She's missing."
"What so you mean?"
"She went off to look for you and never came back. I went to the drawbridge and heard a scream. I later found her glasses by the lodge. Is she in this mansion somewhere?"
"No, at least, I haven't seen her."
"Where is she?"
"I'll find her."
"Ok."
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes, there is."
"What is it?"
"It's about Mum."
"What about her?"
"Why was she killed?"
"Hikaru, your mother died protecting you and another."
"But who killed her?"
"I…don't know."
"It wasn't you…was it?"
"Lola, do you remember anything about that night?"
"Well, I have a constant dream about that night."
"What happens in that dream?"
"In the dream, I'm only 3 years old. I'm hiding in the wardrobe crying myself to sleep. Then, the door to the wardrobe opens and someone calls my name."
"Who?"
"I don't know. I always wake up before I see the face."
"Don't worry, it doesn't matter. Please forgive me for leaving you for so long. I'm sorry."
"Dad."
"Lola, I…didn't kill your mother. Hikaru was my only one. When she died, it was like a part of me went with her."
"Dad."
"That's why I continued another."
"One of the message on the DAS cards that you left for me said that another was complerte Is another complete?"
"Lola, another is the result of a lifetime of research by me and Hikaru. And now that you are here Lola, it IS complete."
"Dad, what is another?"
"Another is…" we were interrupted by a thump of some sort.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I'll check. Stay here and I'll come back."
"Ok." Dad then left the room, leaving me and A alone.
"Was that, your father?" A asked.
"Yeah, I think so. Could he see you A?" I asked.
"No, he couldn't."
"Huh…"
"He couldn't see me"
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't trust people."
"A…"
"Lola, you don't have to worry. All adults are like that."
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"What did A mean by that?" Jessica asked.
"I'm not so sure. Perhaps none of the previous visitors were like that." Lola replied.
"So, you've finally met your father."
"My story isn't over yet."
"There's more?"
"Yep, and many more surprises."
"True, I still don't know who killed A's father."
"I'll come to that…"
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After my dad left I had anopther look around the room. Near the door where dad had gone through, I found an ash tray on a desk. There was a lighter in the ash tray.
"Hey, the letters D.R are engraveed on the lighter." I exclaimed.
"D.R?" A asked. I grabbed the lighter and went through the door dad had gone through. It led to another hallway. There were only two additional doors. The door at the far end had a code lock. I was about to try the old code when A stopped me.
"Lola, the code is likely to be different from the one before." A said.
"Oh, then we'll have to learn it." I replied. We had a look around the hallway and found a portrait of a bay. There was an empty space next to it which stood out as it wasn't covered with dust.
"I think there was another painting of a bay here." A said.
"Then, where is it now?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"Why is there a pattern on one side of the bay?" The pattern was that of several black lines, a few darker than the others.
"I think the second picture had a similar treatment." This gave me an idea.
"We have to find that other portrait." I used the DAS to take a picture of the portrait before going through the other door. This led to the kitchen. The main part of the kitchen was to the right. The kitchen had a sink, an oven, shelves, cabinets and burners. All the equipment was old and rusty. The china on the shelves however looked relatively new but pld fashioned. To the left was another doorway. The door was tied shut by a rope.
"Lola, I thiink there's someone in that room." A said.
"I'll try and untie the rope." I replied. I tried to untie the rope but had no luck.
"Grahh, the rope is too tight, I need to cut it with something." I exclaimed.
"But weren't all the knives taken out?" A asked.
"You're right, there must be something." We had a look around the kitchen. When we opened the oven, we found a rather rusty knife.
"Hey, I thought there were nomore knives." I exclaimed.
"Meliss obviously missed one." A replied.
"Perhaps we can use it to cut the rope." I grabbed the knife and went back to the door. It took a bit of work, but I finally cut the rope binding the door together.
"Now let's see who's in here." I muttered. With the rope cut, we opened the door and went inside.
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"Where did the door lead?" Jessica asked.
"It led to a storage room." Lola replied.
"And who was inside?"
"It was Rachiel."
"Rachiel?"
"Yeah."
"What was she doing in there?"
"I asked her the very same thing…"
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"Rachiel!" I exclaimed
"She's exhausted." A said.
"Rachiel!" I shuted loud enough and was aboe to wake her.
"Huh" Rachiel mumbled.
"Rachiel?"
"Lola, it's you. I'm glad you're safe."
"Rachiel, when I found your glasses, I got worried. You must be blind without them." I gave Rachiel her glasses as I said this.
"It is hard to see, thanks."
"How are you?"
"Fine, but I feel dizzy."
"What happened?"
"I think I was drugged. The next thing I knew, I was in here."
"Who did this?"
"It was Dave."
"Dave?"
"Dave Rabbit. A colleague of your father."
"Dave Rabbit!"
"Why he came here is beyond me but it was definitely him. Did you see him Lola."
"No, but I found my dad."
"Are you sure? I'm so happy you met Robert."
"Yes."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He went off somewhere after we heard a noise."
"Ok."
"I came looking for him and found you."
"I see."
"Dad told me about another."
"What? He told you about another?"
"Yes. He said it was the research mum died for."
"Lola, that's not true. Hikaru died for you, not for another."
"Rachiel, I saw the old newspaper about Mum's murdur."
"Lola?"
"That dream I have, it isn't just a dream. It comes from that night."
"Lola."
"Dad told me everything. He said he didn't kill her and I believe him."
"Lola, we need to fine Robert right away and tell him about Dave."
"Why?"
"I suspect he's after another."
"Ok, but…"
"There is no time. You go ahead and find your dad. When I feel better, I'll cath up to you."
"Ok."
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"I can see what you meant about this being traumatic." Jessica exclaimed.
"Well, it was far worse at the time." Lola replied.
"I can imagine."
"But I didn't know what Dave looked like at that time."
"What did he look like?"
"You'll find out."
"How long until then."
"Not too long."
"Anyway, what happened next?"
"Well, we then had a look around the storage room…"
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The storage room was full of boxes and barrels as well as a couple of cabinets. On one of the boxes, there was a picture frame. I could just make out a moon on the picture but it was covered in dust.
"Lola, this picture is from the hallway." A said.
"Then there must be another pattern on this picture" I replied.
"Try blowing the dust off."
"Ok." I began to blow as hard as I could at the dust. It took a while and by the time I had done it, I was out of breath completely. We then left the storage room and went back in the hallway.
"I assume that was Rachiel." A said.
"Yes." I replied.
"I'm glad you found her."
"A, could Rachiel see you?"
"No she couldn't." When we were back in the hallway, I used the DAS tu place the two bay pictures together. It was harder than last time as I had to rotate the picture. The two patterns told me a code when they were placed together.
"That code, it has to e for he other code door." I muttered. We went to the door and I entered the code on the keypad. The door then opened.
"Excellent." A exclaimed.
"It was nothing." I replied.
"Could your father be back here?"
"Yes. He probably went back to the laboratory. Let's go A."
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"Mum." Jessica said.
"You want to recap don't you?" Lola asked.
"You bet I do."
"Ok, we solved the candelabra mystery in the previous hallway and arrived in the dining room. What did we find in the fireplace?"
"The burnt essay about another."
"Correct."
"But who was burning it?"
"That I don't know.
"Or why."
"Anyway, in the old newspaper on the table, there was an article about my mother's murdur. I then remembered the night when my mum was killed. It was the reoccuring nightmare of that night. Who was the chief suspect according to the article?"
"It was your father. The authorities based that on the only availible evidence."
"Right, but who was that person that kept appearing in my dream? Me mind was reeling as we went into the lounge. I finally met dad in the lounge. What did he say when I asked him about the article?
"He said that he didn't kill her but when she died, it was like a chunk of him went with her."
"Yes, I felt quite sad after hearing his story."
"I see."
"Then what happened?"
"Then you two heard a noise. Your dad went off to find what the noise was and never came back."
"Yes. I then went to look for him at the back of the mansion. Someone had tied the door between the kitchen and the storage room shut."
"And you used a rusty knife you found in the oven to cut the rope."
"Yes, and Rachiel was in there. She was exhausted and dizzy but otherwise ok. Who had done what had happened to her?"
"Some guy called Dave Rabbit."
"Yes."
"But wasn't your dad in danger at that time?"
"Yes, so I had to find him."
"Ok, I think that will do."
"Good, I'm glad that you aren't finding it too traumatic."
"Well, it is traumatic but interesting."
"It was. Anyway, do you need a drink?"
"I'm fine."
"Well I need one." Lola stood up and went to the kitchen, leaving Jessica smirking silently.
(A/N: Ok, next chapter, I will reveal the killer of A's father. I will now accept the final answers. Who do YOU think killed him? You've got nothing to lose gambling a guess but if you don't want to, that's fine with me. Please read and review.)