Chapter Three

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Three minutes later the girl was revived again. She cracked an eye open and looked around.

"Oh no! I was hoping it was a dream." she whispered.

"No this is all quite real." said Leonardo sympathetically. "And now that you feel better, my dear, would you mind telling us who you are?"

"Um...Rebecca, Rebecca Miller." she replied groggily.

"That's a foreign name isn't it?" said Gustav.

"Oh yes, the first name originates from Israel but the last name is of English origin"
Leonardo replied and turned back to the girl "Where are you from, child?"

"Yes, I'm from England." said Rebecca. "But my uncle is from here, at least he was...will be, I don't know."

"Well who is your uncle? Maybe we can find him for you." said Gustav helpfully.

"André de Barbarac. Look, my head hurts, could you stop all the questions." the two men looked at her in complete shock. Was that really her uncle's name or had they misheard?

"Of course, dear. You get some rest." said Leonardo kindly and quickly dragged Gustav out of the room.

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"Did you hear that? I knew she looked familiar, I just knew it!" cried Gustav excitedly. "We have to tell Danielle this. This could be the only family she had left!"

"Calm down boy!" said Leonardo "We must act cautiously. We have no idea where this girl came from or even if she's telling the truth. And did you see the things she had with her?"

"I glanced at them." said Gustav.

DaVinci picked up the small patchwork backpack Rebecca had brought with her and began to sift through it. "Look." he said, holding up a book "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy! copyright 1979!"

"What's a hitch hiker or a copyright for that matter?"

"I don't know! And look at this...One Euro, minted in 2003."

"What's a Euro?"

"Well apparently it's the currency for 2003."

"You mean?"

"Yes. This person is either a highly eccentric con artist or a visitor from five hundred years in the future!"

Gustav gasped. How could this be! It was impossible! "But she said she was related to Danielle!"

Leonardo shrugged "She could well be. Just a very very very distant relative."

"Well what are we going to do? She could be dangerous! She could have powers!"

"I shouldn't think so, she's just a child. I'll talk to her alone, she seems to know me"
said Leonardo.

"Please be careful." said Gustav worriedly as his employer went back into the next room.

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"Hello again." said the old man and sat down on the edge of the bed and set the bag down.

"Hello." said Rebecca apprehensively and glanced at the book the man was holding and stiffened slightly. "What are you doing with that? You have no right to touch my things!"

"Yes, sorry about that. But I couldn't help noticing them. They really are quite extraordinary." said Leonardo. "Would you care to tell me where and 'when' you are from?"

Rebecca sighed, she was just too damn scared and tired to lie to this person. "Before I came here it was June 2004." she said.

Leonardo gasped with excitement. He had always dreamed of seeing what the world would be like, even if it was just a glimpse. "That's amazing, nearly five hundred years! How does it work?"

"I don't know it just sort of happened."

"Hmm, shame. It sounds fascinating, speaking as a scientist."

"I just wanted to understand why."

"Understand what?"

Rebecca looked up, only just realising she had said it aloud. "It's nothing, never mind."

"So you really have no idea how you got here or how you can get back?" said Leonardo.

"Oh no! You're right! I hadn't thought of that! How am I going to get back! I want to go home!" the girl cried out with terror and began to cry. Suddenly the old artist's heart melted and realised that this girl was just like any other, regardless of what age she was from."

"Well I'll try to help the best I can but my work must seem primitive to you. If I can create a flying machine now then surely your people must know how to reach the stars." the old man said "Nonetheless you are very welcome to stay here with me and Gustav."

"Really!" Rebecca exclaimed looking up.

"Of course. It would be an honour to have a child of the future as a guest in my house."

"It would be an honour to have the greatest painter in history as a host." Rebecca cried. She was still extremely upset but this was too exciting an opportunity to pass up. "Thank you so much."

"Oh my! You flatter me, mademoiselle." said Leonardo. "Now you must tell me all about yourself. I'm sure you have some fascinating stories."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you a few things." said Rebecca cautiously "And then maybe you could teach me few things about this place."

"It's a deal." the old man laughed.