“We’ve missed getting to see you grow up.”
And on and on it went for several minutes. We followed Mom’s lead, smiling, shaking hands, kissing cheeks and allowing ours to be kissed. After the initial swirl of introductions, the crowd parted and we began to move about the room as Mom and Michael sought out allies.
Michael leaned in close to Jayden and me, “Neve, Annika and the guys should be here soon, you two stay with one of us at all times. Understood?”
“Oui, mon Capitan,” Jay was getting a little too caught up in the atmosphere.
“None of the council members will be here, but they will have spies everywhere,” he cautioned. “Don’t talk about anything significant with anyone.”
“Got it,” we both nodded.
“Whew, we made it,” I jumped at Neve’s voice behind me. “I was nervous there for a minute.”
Kristoff was with her, but not Alec or Annika. Michael asked, “What happened? Where’s...”
“Alec’s with her now, she’ll be fine,” Kristoff told him. “But they were in a bit of a scuffle at the airport, they tried to grab Neve and Annika got shot.”
My hands flew to my face, Jayden gasped. That would have been us if Annika hadn’t suggested they take our places. Now she’d been shot, mistaken for my best friend. “Where is she?” I asked. “I want to see her.”
Neve put her hand on my arm reassuringly, “It was a superficial wound, and they’ve already given her the Essence. It’s just going to take some time to work because it took a little while to get it to her. She’s sleeping now, but you’ll see her in the morning.”
Kristoff changed the subject, “We should probably all eat something and try to blend in.”
“Yes,” Neve agreed, “that sounds like a plan. Look at Marion, over there,” she pointed across the hall. “She is really in her element.”
It was true; my mother thrived in social environments. She was surrounded by a flock of the Society members, chatting away with them. They hung on her every word, and though she knew any one among them may be responsible for any number of plots carried out over the last several decades, she received each of them as dearly beloved friends.
“What are we supposed to be doing?” I asked.
Kristoff shrugged, “Eat, mingle, make small talk.”
“Just keep the talk small,” Michael added. “And keep one of us close by.”
Over the next few hours, I shook dozens of hands, ate foods from every continent, and drank the equivalent of a bottle of champagne. Several times I saw faces that I could swear I’d seen before – if not in person, then in pictures – but I couldn’t place any of them. It wasn’t until I saw one unmistakable platinum blonde talking to my mother, that I remembered that Michael had said the Society added other members along the way. It also explained why they would go to the extent of building a city in a mountain – if she was indeed the iconic beauty believed to have tragically left this world too soon; she would have to live underground to go unnoticed.
It all went by in such a blur, all I knew by the time we were ready to leave was my face felt like it was frozen in the smile I forced upon it all night.
***
The ride back to our suite went by in a blur. Neve and Kristoff each had rooms down a separate hall from ours, but shared the same common area, so they followed. Alec and Annika were already in their rooms, I assumed. Once the door was shut, it was clear we would be having another meeting before bed.
“Did any of you find out anything?” Michael asked.
“I think the fact that Tollack and the other members of the Council were absent says enough,” Mom offered. “They are not going to cooperate.”
Kristoff shook his head, “Edna Hargreave agrees with you, Marion. And you know Ilsabein Unverfehert will always side with the Marquets.”
“Well, yes, this is true,” Mom conceded. “Norma Jeane said she will do what she can.”
The guys cracked smiles, and Neve commented, “One thing she has around here is influence, even if she isn’t on the council.”
“I think Ilsa’s not coming tonight was a strategic move on her part,” Michael added. “She’s got to cover her own ass, too.”
“Exactly,” Kristoff agreed. “We have more support than you think; they just don’t want Tollack to know yet.” He sighed, and went on, “Unfortunately, I did gather some disturbing intel tonight.” We all just looked at him, waiting. “They’ve been working on perfecting their method of memory removal. They call it dosing.”
Neve asked, “That’s what Boris was talking about?” She looked horrified by whatever it was.
Mom sighed, “See, Michael, this is exactly what I was afraid would happen.”
Jayden cleared her throat, “Mind letting us in?”
Michael’s eyes met mine for less than a half a second before he looked away. I could see this was not something he had anticipated. “It’s a combination of hypnosis, chemical and electric shock. If they give you the dose, the goal is to erase your memory of these events, any knowledge you’ve acquired in the last week. Basically, the intent is to return you to your life as usual.”
“Can they?” I couldn’t allow that to happen. There was no way that was an option for me. “Really, is it something they have the power to do?” My heart was trying to pound its way out of my chest. “Have they done it before?”
“Yes,” Mom answered. “I should clarify; it has been attempted three hundred seventeen times. I know of seventy eight that were called successful. It may just be that those subjects were good enough at faking forgetting.”
Jayden figured the math first, “What happened to the other two hundred thirty nine?”
They all looked uncomfortable; finally Kristoff spoke, “One hundred and four of them wound up with mental capacities ranging between those of children six to ten years in age. They are well provided for, in the employ of the Society.”
Michael continued, “The other hundred and thirteen wound up in various conditions; complete amnesia, crazy, comatose, brain dead, or just plain dead.”
“Well, I vote for complete amnesia if those are the options,” Jayden tried to laugh it off.
“Michael, you could still get us out of here, right?” I hoped.
“We still need to go before the council tomorrow. We don’t know what their decision is yet, and we can use their resources, if they will allow it.” He looked at me again, “I will not allow them to harm you, but if we leave now they will not stop coming after us.”
“He’s right.” Mom looked exhausted. “We can’t do anything about it until we find out what their answer will be. We will all be best off if we get a good night’s sleep.”
“I’ll take first watch,” Neve volunteered. “Michael, you need to sleep the night, we’ve already worked out the shifts among ourselves.” Kristoff nodded in agreement.
“I don’t know when I put you in charge,” he teased as he rolled his neck and stretched his arms over his head. “But I am pretty beat, so I won’t argue. Sleep well all,” he turned and faded into the shadows down the hall.
The rest of us said our goodnights and followed within minutes. Jayden and I opted to bunk together for comfort in our strange surroundings.
Mom paused at our door, “Michael’s door is opposite yours, and I’m the next one down in case you need anything.” She kissed my forehead and gave me a hug. “And, please, don’t worry about all of that nonsense; nothing is going to happen to either of you.” She smiled and left us.
CHAPTER 21
09/29/2006
So Much for the Afterglow
I smelled coffee before the bearer knocked at the door. “Come in,” Jayden replied eagerly.
Annika entered the room, holding a tray with a mug for Jay and a can of Pepsi for me.
“I’m so glad to see you!” I really had been worried about her. “Why on Earth are you serving us?”
She laughed, “I’m not, I just knew you’d be worried and wanted you to see I
was fine. I just brought your morning jolt along with me.” She set the tray on the nightstand and picked up the mug and can to hand to us. “And I figured the Pepsi and coffee would help wake you two up.”
“You are an angel,” I smiled at her as I accepted my refreshment.
“I know,” she smiled back. “Now we have to get up and join the Society for breakfast.”
Jay wrinkled her nose, “Do we have to?”
“If you want another cup of coffee, then yes. Now up, up! You’ll have time to shower between breakfast and the meeting of the Council.” She closed the door behind her.
Jay sat finishing her coffee while I got up to get dressed. She asked, “Do you really think they will decide to erase our memory?”
“It sounds like things will get a lot harder if they try to go that way, but even if that’s what they want, it won’t happen.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Michael won’t let it happen. It might get messy though.”
“Oh, you’ve got it bad.” She set down her mug, and got up to head to the bathroom.
“I’m with Bailey,” was my argument, but it lacked conviction. I couldn’t deny the feelings I was beginning to have for Michael much longer.
“That’s a mere formality, I think, at this point. I wouldn’t blame you if you remedied that as soon as we go back.”
“You know there are other reasons why I can’t do that.”
“The BOAs are going to find out, so what?”
“Jay I really don’t think he’s with them.”
“I know, he told you a good story. I’m still not sure I believe it. Just wait till I get my hands on a computer.”
“You don’t think Alec has been all over that already? If it isn’t a story, then he is everything I thought he was, and he asked me to move in a week ago.” The look on her face was something between amusement and horror.
A knock interrupted us before she could respond, followed by Michael’s voice, “Everything okay in there, ladies?”
“Yes,” I finished tying my shoelace. “We’ll be right out.” I turned to Jayden, “Enough of this, please? Isn’t there enough going on without throwing a love triangle on my plate?”
She shrugged, “Fine, I’ll back off. But you already have one if you ask me.”
“I didn’t.”
***
We walked through the tunnels to breakfast with Annika and Alec; the others had already gone ahead of us. Along the way I had a better chance to examine the wall sculptures, which were magnificent. Scenes of knights battling dragons, cherubs smiling down from clouds, lovers romancing in gardens, and the aforementioned gargoyles were but just a sample of what I saw. Some of the scenes were left in their natural stone coloring, but others were so vividly painted they came alive.
The diner was much smaller than the ballroom, with ceilings carved to a normal height, and cheery yellow, blue and white decor. Booths lined the walls and tables with chairs were scattered about in between. It looked like a down-home country diner in Anytown, U.S.A., but the conversations buzzing around the room reminded me of exactly where we were.
The tone of the Society seemed less in favor of Jayden and me being there at breakfast than they were the night before - at least that was the impression I had from the snippets I overheard. As we made our way through the buffet-style serving line and filled our plates, I searched the room for any sign of a friendly face, but found none.
Quick smiles and eager handshakes readily distributed the night before were guarded in the morning’s light, replaced by long hard stares which were quickly averted the moment there was a chance our eyes would meet. Jayden and I followed Alec and Annika to a booth in the back, where Neve was already eating. We sat down to join her just as Kristoff entered the room.
“Well, good morning everyone,” he said loudly enough to be heard across the room. “Glad to see y’all woke up as shiny and happy as you were last night.” He strode over to the buffet line as several Society members glared at him, and others ignored him. I heard a few stifled giggles.
When he joined us at the table, I asked, “Where’s Mom?”
Neve swallowed the mouthful she was chewing carefully before answering, “She and Michael had some other matters to attend to.”
Jayden asked, “Are they pleading our case to the Council members before this big meeting?”
Kristoff put a finger to his lips to shush her, “Yes, they were up all night trying to find a way around the vote.”
Annika had been out of the loop, “You don’t think they want to dose them?”
“Yes,” Kristoff, Neve and Alec answered in unison.
“No,” Michael snuck up behind me. “They want to blackmail us with that to get their hands on the Philosopher’s Stone. And they are probably going to get what they want, but not without giving up something of their own.” I looked up at him, he winked. “Hurry up and eat, it’s time to get ready.”
***
As row upon row of Society members filed into the Assembly Hall, I wondered how everyone knew what the seating arrangement was supposed to be. There were no place cards. In retrospect, I came to understand that when you’ve sat in the same seat for a couple hundred years, it’s not that hard to remember which one is yours.
On the floor stood a long wooden table and a podium that faced the audience which I expected were intended for the mysterious Council which was led by the Elder - Tollack Pennington. Only after the room fell silent did they enter, all wearing dark gray, hooded cloaks, which concealed their faces. Seven in all, the six members of the Council stood before their chairs at the table while the Elder took his place at the podium. They removed their hoods in unison.
Tollack Pennington struck his gavel for attention. I did not know him, so I was not able to read his expression. “After a careful night’s consideration, I propose that it is in the best interests of all parties concerned to carry out the Dosing procedure. We will wipe their memories and let them go back to their previous lives.” He paused to allow the ripple of murmurs spread throughout the room. “We can continue to protect Miss Marquet and Miss Gage as Miss Marquet has been protected for her entire life, and it will be a much more simplified task that we now have our sister Marion and our brother Michael back home.”
“BULLSHIT,” my mother shouted down at him from our place in the auditorium. I had only heard her cuss maybe three times before in my life. When she did, she meant it. “My daughter has been attacked three times in the last week by three different enemies.” This raised some eyebrows at the Council’s table. “Her friend was kidnapped,” this brought whispers from behind. “So no, it is not in their best interests to be walking around in the dark, without knowing who is friend or who is foe. Or without knowing there is danger lurking? Both of these young women are intelligent and capable. They want in and we will admit them.”
“I fail to see how any of these events warrant admission to the Society,” the Elder retorted.
They were continuing the argument they’d been having behind closed doors, and Mom was clearly frustrated. “I fail to see how Samuel ever thought you were worthy of admission, Tollack, but he did. And now, my daughter - his granddaughter - needs the protection of the Society. It was always our intention to bring her in; we just didn’t think it would be so soon.”
Pennington poured a glass of water from a pitcher on the table, took a long drink and cleared his throat, before speaking. “Sister Marion, during your time away some things have changed about how we conduct business in the Society.”
Mom didn’t skip a beat. “To hell with your sister crap, you’re no more my brother than you belong in this century.” Two men I assumed were part of the Shadow Watch moved in her direction, and she turned to them, “You two will sit down.” There was a conviction in her tone that made them do just that.
She looked around the auditorium. “None of us belongs here - God did not decree this. This is a result of one man’s doing - Samuel Clemens Mar
ks - he is the sole reason any of you have this life and everything that comes with it. And guess what?” She pointed to me, “There sits his only granddaughter, and sole heir.”
She turned her attention back to the Elder and marched down the aisle to the floor. “I don’t really give a damn how you’ve been running the Society in my absence, Tollack. I’m back now, so you might want to prepare for change. By right, my daughter should be sitting in your seat, and I’ll be damned if I let you, or anyone else here, touch one brain cell in either of those girl’s heads.” Her fists were on her hips now, and I, being her daughter, knew that meant someone was in serious trouble. I wondered if the Elder knew it too. “If you ever want to taste the Philosopher’s Stone again, I strongly suggest you change your position, and declare it now, lest I declare war on you and the rest of the Society.”
She turned and looked to the crowd, with a scary smile on her face. “If you knew my husband half as well as I did, then you know that he left me with more than enough means to decimate every single member of this so-called society entirely.”
I didn’t believe my ears. It was Mom’s voice alright, but the authority and power it wielded in that speech was something I’d never heard before. I looked down at her in awe. Mom rocks.
She glared at Tollack, while whispers circulated behind me. “Glad to see you’re taking me a little more seriously now, I’ll take that as a sign you haven’t completely lost your mind. And if that’s the case, you know I meant what I said, and I won’t hesitate to do it either.”
“In centuries, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you speak like that Marion....” the Elder began to speak again.
“That will be Mrs. Marquet to you from now on, Tollack. And as far as I’m concerned, you can take however you have been conducting things in my family’s absence and shove it. My father-in-law brought you here, he gave you the world, and this is how you thank him?” She shouted the question, her arms outstretched in an all-encompassing manner.
“I tried to settle this with you before it had to come to the floor, Tollack, but you left me with no other choice.” Mom shook her head and sighed. “I hope the few neurons you have still firing off in your brain are capable of making the connections they need for deductive reasoning. You should think very carefully about the next words out of your mouth.”