Chapter 5: Purpose
20 Years Earlier…
The black heels clicked briskly on the hardwood floor as agents accompanied her within the mansion to their leader's personal quarters. Katherine Marlowe had snipped a few orders here and there, and since she was highly respected and their leader's prodigy and next in line for the title, they quickly did as they were told. Katherine felt pain in her heart, but hid her emotions on the outside. She barely had time to change into clean clothes from her trip back to London from Cartagena.
She completely failed Roland. All because of Victor Sullivan and that street rat of a kid that he decided to feel pity for. It had taken the society decades in order to locate the ring and decipher. Now all she had in her hand was the John Dee's decipher, with the kid making out with Sir Francis Drake's ring. And though she still had agents scrounging about in Cartagena looking for the man and boy, she doubt she would be able to locate them at this point.
She stopped outside Roland's door. She shooed the agents who had accompanied her but there were two stationed outside his door on duty. Katherine looked herself over, wearing clean formal clothes, a dark violet blouse and black pants. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and preparing herself and opened the door to enter the room.
She found their great leader and her mentor and father figure at his desk writing. She had been away for a few weeks, and now it looked as though his illness had only grew worse. The older man looked up from his work, pale and thin, coughing as he smiled upon seeing his adoptive daughter and protégé.
He was slow to stand, and Katherine knew he was weakening in his battle of the ailment. It broke her heart. It was getting harder and harder to remember the once proud, dignified, blue-blood that ran this great society.
"My dear, how did it go? Did you locate it?"
Katherine lowered her eyes, faltering, but soon stood up straight and proud. "There was a hindrance, but I assure you Roland, I will get it for you."
Roland frowned, scratching at his graying hair and blue eyes falling to his desk. "I see."
Katherine felt she needed to explain further. "The man I hired to steal the items ended up betraying me for a boy that wanted to believe he was the descendent of Sir Francis Drake. He felt pity for the street cur."
She walked forward, placing the golden decipher on the desk. His eyes widened upon recognizing Dee's design. He picked it up, looking to Marlowe as he did so.
"This is all I have. The boy has the ring. I have men searching for them, but it will take time. The boy was very clever and sly. I'm sorry I failed you Roland."
Roland chuckled, which ended up turning into a deep cough. "You did well, Katherine. You've always strove to prove yourself to me, when you should know better that you could never fail me. We are getting closer to our goal, and we will get there in time."
This man had been her only family for most of her life. He had taken her in as a young girl. Even though she had become an orphan, she had come from a high aristocratic family and felt she could be a great aspect to the society. He had been right, and now she was next in line for leadership. But Katherine's devotion to Roland was far more important to her than leadership. She wanted the same thing as the society wanted, what Roland had strived for all his life. Katherine had seen all as his protégé. She had been heartbroken, betrayed, almost killed; the list went on and on. All for the society. All for Roland. She had done her own share of terrible things to other people. She had become a strong person from all of this, able to hide her emotions, and had become experienced and intelligent. But she could not fathom a life without Roland. And that life was getting closer and closer.
"In all my years I never thought I would be holding this," Roland whispered, closing his eyes.
Katherine studied him, feeling tears want to release, but she stubbornly stomped the emotion away. He would never be able to see the ring. He wouldn't live long enough to. He would never see Iram, or be able to retrieve the powerful item they sought there.
Roland sighed deeply, walking around his desk slowly with his cane guiding him. He looked the young woman in the eyes. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"You will guide this society to true power."
Katherine shook her head. "Not without you."
Roland chuckled. "I know my fate. I have accepted it. And so should you, my dear. You will take over leadership after I die. Will you be able to handle it? Will you make me proud, Kate?"
Katherine grinded her teeth, struggling with emotions wanting to surface. "I will. But…this is why I wanted to locate the Eye of the Phoenix first. It would save you, Roland."
"The Eye of the Phoenix is just a myth. It's just a fancier story to the Philosopher's Stone. It's taken us centuries to locate the ring and the decipher. How long do you think it will take to find the Eye?"
She looked away.
Roland sighed again. "My dear, you must accept my fate. You will be the new leader. You know what that means, right?"
"I will need a protégé," she stated nonchalantly, dipping her head. She had no children. She would have to take in a young ward just as Roland did with her and beyond. It had become tradition in the society at some point in history.
"That's right. Please do this for me, Kate. I want closure."
What the hell did she know about raising a kid? But it wasn't just any child she needed. She would need to know one that would be worthy of serving the society and one day becoming leader, like Roland knew with her. She didn't have his insight when it came to a matter such as this.
"Can you not help me pick one out?" Katherine asked, a little annoyed.
Roland chuckled. "We aren't picking out a dog, Kate; we are choosing our future leader."
"How will I know which child is the best?"
Roland looked down at the decipher, rubbing it with his thumb before sitting the device into Katherine's hand. "You will know. I did with you."
The next few weeks had proven stressful and difficult for Katherine. She was bound and determined to bring to Roland the best and brightest, and most well-bred ward worthy enough to become a part of the society. In those same days, it had been proven that Victor Sullivan had taken over guardianship of the street boy and they had lost the society hunting them down and seemingly disappeared for now.
Roland was doing worse. He was now stricken to the bed, with nurses and doctors coming in and going out doing all they could. Katherine was running out of time. Her associates tried to tell her she was being too picky, that her standards were too high. Of course she would tell them that for Roland, the next protégé had to be perfect.
Finally, a call sent her on a drive to the city of Birmingham to an institution for orphans who had come from well-bred, aristocratic families. She met with a woman named Mary Stroop, the director of the large, refined institution. The other woman asked Katherine many questions before giving her a tour of the building.
"Now do you want to meet a few or just-"
Katherine quickly cut the director off. "Just take me to your most prodigious child."
"Of course. This way. Now I must warn you. He's been here for a little over ten years. We've got a few here who think they are better off not being adopted and he is one of them. But I assure you, for what you are looking for, he is the best."
The director handed over the boy's file. Marlowe flipped through it as they strolled through the hallways. There were employees and children of all ages passing by. There were kids peeking out of their dorms. There were kids playing outside when they walked past a few windows.
"What happened to his parents?"
"They were one of the most powerful families in this region. Details are sketchy but apparently Lord Talbot had many enemies."
"Assassination. And the boy is the only one who survived?" Marlowe asked, still looking through the file.
"That's where it gets a little weird," Mary stated, stopping outside a door to one of the dormitories and turning to Katherine.
"How so?"
"When the authorities arrived, the assassins were already dead. He was only five then, but no one knows how they were killed. They were able to determine that they died after killing his parents. The likelihood that a five year old boy was able to kill three assassins is absurd, so the case is still open. Police think they had a guardian there that protected him and fled once the job was done."
"Has this affected him psychologically?"
Mary shook her head. "No. He's fine. He's just…"
"Just what?"
"Well, you'll see."
She opened the door and the two women entered inside. The room was nicely kept and looked as though it held three boys, but there was only one boy in the room at the moment. On the bed in the farthest corner next to the window sat a boy looking to be fifteen or sixteen. He was fixated on some cards that were laid out on the bed. Katherine took in the boy's appearance closely. His dark hair was well kept and he wore a uniform similar to the other kids of the institution. When he looked up to see who it was to enter the room, she was surprised to see such intelligence there. But there was also something she couldn't quite place, as his eyes darkened.
"Alexander, you have a visitor."
"Not interested," he stated coldly, and went back to his cards.
Mary turned to Katherine, taking back the folder from her in the process. "He may be the best in all aspects that you are looking for, but he is difficult to handle." The director then turned back to Alexander Talbot. "Need I remind you of the consequences for going against regulations? Now be a gentleman and come speak to Miss Marlowe."
Talbot looked up at them, his eyes studying Katherine for a long moment. There was a darkness to his eyes, a mysterious deepness within them that told Marlowe there was more to this young man than what he led on. He wasn't going to listen to Mary Stroop, but Katherine twitched a smile at this.
"Leave us."
"I'm sorry, it's against regulations to-"
"No disrespect Mrs. Stroop, but it looks as though this boy needs a different approach."
The director thought for a moment, and then slowly dipped her head. She left the room and shut the door behind her. Katherine turned back to the boy, who glared at her and went back to his cards. As Katherine walked over to the bed, she realized they were tarot cards. Some people would have disapproved of this. However, this only piqued her interest. She also noticed all the books and notebooks around his area of the room.
"Look lady, I'm not interested."
Katherine looked down at him. "No respect for your elders, hmm?"
"It's not that. I only have a few more years then I can leave on my own. I don't need anybody."
Katherine studied the lay out of his cards and found that it told a very different story. "That isn't what your cards say."
He looked up at her quickly, surprised that she would know how to read the cards. Growling, he started gathering them up together to put in a stack.
"By how you act, these aren't for fun. What are you trying to seek from them, Alexander?"
"Talbot."
"Excuse me?"
"I go by Talbot." He started shuffling the cards again, not looking at her. "What do you want from me?"
"Why don't you ask the cards?"
Talbot looked at her for a moment, as if trying to read her, then dealt the cards. Katherine watched, a small smile forming on her face. He was doing a simple five card spread. She watched the cards as they were laid out. The first card was the Fool representing present position, then there was the Empress representing present desires, next came the Chariot representing the unexpected, then was drawn the Star representing the immediate future, and last but not least the World was drawn as the outcome.
Talbot studied them hard, eyebrows scrunching as he interpreted them. She noticed how he lightly ran his fingers down the face of the Empress card. Suddenly, he grabbed the cards up, as if he didn't want to look upon them anymore.
"Alright, I'm listening," Talbot stated, getting off of the bed to stand.
Katherine twitched a smile. There was intelligence in his eyes that was beyond a normal teenager. She could tell he had a distinct insight, as well as a natural ability at manipulation and control. She found herself interested to see what else he was capable of. He just needed the right guidance and training. He didn't respect anyone here, and there was good reason for it. They didn't understand him.
Katherine now understood what Roland meant when he said she would know when she had found the right one. But it was on a far deeper level than she had previous thought. There were many secrets to this boy, but she could read his eyes like the very cards he had laid out.
"You seek a particular thing above all else. I can give it to you," Katherine stated seriously.
Talbot scoffed at her. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
"It isn't material items you want, or money, or fame. On a level you desire power, justice, and control. But there is something above all else."
Talbot frowned, apparently surprised that she was reading him well for others couldn't.
"Purpose, yes? You seek purpose. I can give it to you and everything else you desire."
"What's in it for you?" Talbot asked. Though his tone had softened from previous bitterness, he was still guarded, still cynical.
"I'm looking for a protégé. That is why I am looking for the best of the best. I found you. All I need in return is your loyalty above anything else. You see, Talbot, I am about to take over the leadership of a secret society that has been around for centuries. We control our enemies through fear, manipulation, and power. It's a one way road my young man. You must be sure it is what you want. Once you are in the society, the only way out is death."
Talbot thought in silence for a moment, looking from his bed to her. He was the one, Katherine knew it. Without a shadow of a doubt, Talbot was her protégé. She was going to make Roland proud. Talbot had every aspect they desired. Not only was he keen on the mind, but he was athletic and well built for his age as well. He could be trained easily. He could be trained easily to kill. He just needed the proper training.
"I can't deny my instincts to the interpretations of the cards. And there's something about you that I am drawn to. It's like I have been waiting my whole life for this moment. I accept your offer," Talbot finally answered, dipping his head.
"You won't regret it, my boy," Katherine stated. She finally earned a genuine smile from the young man before her.
Roland's personal quarters were starting to look like a hospital room. Marlowe had to make sure that her mentor was comfortable before sending the doctors away. Talbot followed along behind her, checking the mansion out with curious eyes. Marlowe had him change into a suit similar to what the agents wore. Now officially adopted by Katherine, he would need time to settle into the new life and work in the society. He had a lot of hard training and schooling before him for the next several years. She told the boy it would be rough, but it would be needed of him. Talbot seemed determined to prove himself to Marlowe, and that meant his undying loyalty would be there as promised.
Roland's face lit up as Katherine sat down next to his bed. The monitor was steady with his vitals, but he was very weak. She took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly and smiled.
"I finally found the perfect protégé. I want you to meet him. He's going to help bring great things to the society. I just know it."
She summoned Talbot over to her. The young protégé walked over, studying the dying man in the bed. By the way the leader smiled, they could tell he approved. He whispered into Katherine's ear.
"Talbot, go wait outside the room. I'll be out in a few minutes," she said, looking over to him.
Talbot nodded, noticing the way her voice cracked as she said the words. He turned and left the room without a word. Katherine turned back to Roland, tears finally releasing from her face. She squeezed Roland's hand even harder.
"It's been…years s-since I…seen you cry."
She ignored those words. "Did I choose right?"
"I see great things…in y-your future together," Roland said, struggling in his words. "But there is a darkness to him I don't understand."
"I chose the very best for you, Roland. He swore his loyalty to me just as I did for you."
"Loyalty…trust…is earned, not bought. If you want this from him…you-you must show him that you c-care."
"But he is just my protégé, nothing else."
"I said…the same t-thing about…you."
He was right. Katherine felt so dense for not understanding sooner. After all, she had been the protégé at one time. But it was hard for Katherine to build relationships. If she was going to get the best out of Talbot, she would have to work just as hard. Roland wanted her to care about him just as he had cared for her.
"I'll do my best, Roland."
"One day you will under…stand. I am so proud of you, my dearest Kate. I can now die in peace."
Katherine barely nodded, his words hitting her heart hard. She closed her eyes, keeping a hold of his hand. She didn't know how long she sat there with him, minutes or hours, until she heard the monitor flat lined on his vitals.
As doctors and nurses were rushing inside, Kate got to her feet. She slid the sheet over Roland's face, but not before kissing him on his forehead. The society's leader was now dead. But more importantly, her mentor, father, and savior was dead. She said her farewells and left the room. Talbot was there to greet her, but Katherine felt she had become an empty shell for the moment, numb and tired. Even though she was now officially the new leader of the society, she found no comfort in it. She would need time to mourn first.
She studied Talbot's intense stare on her. Roland had seen great things in him just as she had. And though there was still a darkness or some kind of mystery to this young man that no one understood, Katherine was determined to turn him into the best of the best. She knew he had what it took to do what others could not. He would be the future of the society. She would make sure of it. After all, Talbot desired purpose. And she would grant him just that.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Just wanted to dive a little into Talbot's past. I needed it to be in Marlowe's POV for obvious reasons. As this story goes along, there will be more flashbacks to Talbot's past, but most will be in his POV, with little more coming from Marlowe's. Don't worry, it will soon tie in with the bigger picture. Next chapter will be back with Nathan and the others. Again, sorry for the short chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)