Hard of hearing
Arianna MacDuff carefully stripped the plastic casing from a new section of wire to be spliced into the telephone line. Due to careful timing, the interruption in service went unnoticed. Now she was able to listen in and record all of the calls made to the organization.
After several tedious hours of nondescript personal calls, meeting postponments and cancellations, there was mention about operation LJ. Something was going to happen next month involving LJ in London. Arianna at once thought of her friend Mercy Lonejack - what could the organization be planning? She would have to try to warn her friend, wherever she was this week......
"So I'll be listening to one of these conversations?" Alistaire asked twelve hours later, sitting in the surveillance van. He looked at the walls of the van a bit doubtfully. They were covered with newspaper clippings, graphs, and a calendar dated 1987.
"Just put this on," she directed, handing him an extra headset. He managed to put it on backwards, then poked himself in the eye with the mouthpiece. Arianna sighed, and reached over to arrange it for him.
She strapped on her own set, and fiddled with the volume. There was a brief hiss of static, and then a man's voice began to speak.
"Operation LJ will take place as planned-- is that clear?" he demanded, angrily.
"Sir, the wards are not yet fully secure," protested another man.
"Then, Mister Daria, I expect you to make them secure," came the quick reply. "Do whatever you must-- or you may find yourself acting the cabrit sans cor."
Arianna glanced at her companion. Alistaire listened to the tap, disbelieving.
"Can you record this?" he asked, turning to her.
"Well, yeah. I always do," she replied.
"Good. Mercy's going to have to hear this herself." His face was very pale, and Arianna could only wonder just what she might have got herself into.
Night Off
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
An exhausted Arianna looked around her apartment. She'd been practically living in the surveillance van for the past two days, as messy as the apartment was, it was good to be home - even if it was only for one night. Alistaire had found someone to mind the tape recorders so she could have a night off to meet her new Cabal liaison.
*I really should straighten up the place before he arrives* she thought, but first a hot shower and some clean clothes. Housework could always wait.
The steam from the shower and tangy fragrance of the lavender spice soap helped revive Arianna until she felt almost human again. Wrapped in a thick terry robe she selected a black crepe pantsuit and cream silk shell for the evening. Her grandmother's gold pin on the lapel and her favorite button earrings completed the ensemble. She looked at her reflection in the mirror while brushing her short light brown hair and thought *this should pass for a date outfit*. Her first meetings with Cabal contacts always had the cover of dinner dates.
At precisely half 8 there was a knock on her door. Arianna opened it and her breath caught in her throat.
Standing there was a tall, slim man. His vivid green eyes were warm, and he smiled at her.He reminded her of someone----who was it? Then she realised: He looked much like Alistaire. Perhaps 5 years older, with a few grey hairs at his temples that only added to his appearance, but the resemblance was uncanny.
"Hello Arianna, are you ready to go?" he asked.
Temporarily unable to speak, she just nodded and picked up her purse and keys.
"You can call me Julian", he said "Julian 7."
Finding a cab in the city was always a challenge so they decided to walk. The restaurant was not far away and it was a lovely evening.
"I'll be replacing Hamilton as your operative" he began, "things have been a bit hectic since the accident but they are settling down now."
*Accident?* Arianna still wondered who had really planted the bomb that had killed him.
* * *
Hamilton Z had been like a father to her. He had drawn her into contact with the Cabal in the first place although she didn't know it at the time.
Even as a child she had always been fascinated with things mechanical. She remembered her grandfather, the world's greatest babysitter, would let her have any non-working appliance in his workshop to take apart, provided she put it back together when finished.
"If it isn't working now, how can she do it any harm?" he would say when scolded by her grandmother. Probably it was in the family blood, she thought, afterall Great-grandpa was a clockmaker from the Black forest of Germany. Grandpa had been a commercial artist but spent most of his time tinkering in his cellar workshop when he wasn't trading unbelievable war stories with Hamilton. Arianna used to listen to those stories as if they were fairy tales.
All through school, she had always done well with math, computers and the types of courses the boys were supposed to be best at. Never much interested in cooking or gardening, she was much happier dismanteling the filing cabinet in the Band Director's office in High School, later moving on to rewiring the sound system for the Auditorium, and the electrical system for the computer lab in College. After graduation, Hamilton had offered her a "job" helping him with various technical difficulties. She hadn't totally known out about the Cabal until he was killed.
After the *accident* Arianna had gone to London to visit her friend Mercy Lonejack. That was ahere she had first met Alistaire. He had asked for her help listening in on the New York headquarters of a mysterious organisation.
And who could ever say no to Alistaire?
* * *
One of the most exclusive Chinese restaurants in town, the *Ming Tree* was fairly crowded but obviously the host knew Julian well. They were escorted to a table in a secluded corner, separated from the main dining room by a wall of exotic plants.
Julian startled Arianna from a daydream by saying "You look as if you've seen a ghost."
"Not a ghost really, it's just that....you look so much like someone else I've met" she replied.
He smiled "It happens all the time; don't worry - you're not seeing double. The Cabal is a very old organisation. Often, Cabal membership follows along family ties. Several of my nearer relations, as well as some more distant, are Cabal."
*Family ties?* This could be an interesting alliance, Arianna mused......
Night Flight
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
Arianna woke to a knocking at her door, the apartment was freezing so she put on her plaid fleece robe and went to answer it wondering *Who could this be at 1 am?*
"We have to go to Paris, our flight leaves in 1 hour."
It was Julian of course, who else would knock in the middle of the night? He was wearing his favourite travelling clothes, black Armani suit with a dark red silk shirt and tan Cashmere topcoat. *How can anyone look that well put together at 1 am?* but she noticed his hair was slightly tussled as if he'd been running his hand through it more often than usual, a gesture he often did when frustrated. "Good morning to you too." she said, closing the door behind him.
He anxiously prowled around her living room while she went to get ready. Suddenly more alert, she dressed quickly in black knit slacks, a mint green turtleneck and low heels, then reached for the carry-on bag that was always packed and ready to go at a moment's notice. She knew her tool kit was in there, and anything missing could be purchased in Paris.
"What is it this time?" she asked as they sped toward the airport in his "company car", a sleek, black Lexus.
"I'll tell you once we're on the plane" was all he said. There was very little traffic at this hour and the airport was practically deserted. They were able to make the flight with 5 minutes to spare before takeoff.
The two of them were alone in the First Class cabin of a jumbo jet. As the flight attendant offered a drink Arianna smiled, "Guess not many people fly to Paris at 2 am." The attendant smiled and said this was often a fairly empty flight, especially in mid-January.
Julian had seemed preoccupied and was unusually silent during their drive to the airport, now he looked as if he was miles away. The book he'd been pretending to read had been on page 136 for over half an hour, and now he was staring out the window into blackness.
Arianna gently touched his arm and asked "Where are you Julian?"
"What? ....oh....nowhere in particular" he answered, slightly embarrassed.
"I'm a good listener" she added, "tell me what's bothering you."
"It's nothing, really" he lied, then asked the flight attendant for another Scotch.
"I should think by now you'd know you can trust me" Arianna prodded.
"We received a message involving someone we thought was dead. My former partner to be precise." he said reaching for his glass.
"Were you close?" she asked, almost dreading his reply.
"She.....I......we.....yes, we were" he replied finding the words difficult to say.
"Tell me what happened Julian, it will help to talk about it."
He looked at her and smiled weakly, in the short time they'd known each other a close bond had developed. She had a knack for seeing through any front he tried to put on and getting to the core of a problem. Hiding his feelings was not going to work this time.
"We'd been working together for a couple of years on various assignments. Then 4 years ago we were sent on a *long term* undercover job in Paris to investigate an organisation that called themselves Watchers. Our assignment was to find out who, or what they were watching. It took a while to locate them, but eventually Cassandra met one of their group, a man named Joe Dawson, I liked him." Arianna saw an odd look in his eyes, and wondered if there was more to tell about Dawson.
" Then she met his brother-in-law, James Horton......" he downed his drink with one gulp.
"One night, Horton asked Cassandra to meet him on the riverbank near Notre Dame for some special Watching. It was a trap, and I let her walk right into it. There was an explosion. Four days later I woke up in hospital and she was gone." He ran his fingers along the crease running diagonally from his right eyebrow up to his hairline. Arianna had often wondered if it might be a faint scar, it was more noticeable when he was tired.
"It's been 3 years since she and Horton disappeared that night. Both the Watchers and the Cabal presumed they were dead. Yesterday, Dawson intercepted a message that H/C would be going after a target in 5 days time. He asked for our help. Apparently, there's a rival faction bent on destroying those they are supposed to be watching, and he fears it's leader is Horton.
We have to find out who this target is,.....and if Horton and Cassandra are still alive."
"We will" Arianna answered and he seemed to relax a bit.
Both of them managed a few hours of sleep before arriving at Charles De Gaul Airport. Customs and Immigration processing were never a problem when you traveled with the Cabal so they were in their rental car enroute to the Imperial Hotel less that 20 minutes after touchdown. The early evening traffic was heavy and the drive took them nearly an hour.
Julian asked Arianna to wait with their bags while he got the room keys. She noticed he was arguing with the concierge and wondered what the problem could be. The Cabal kept rooms on retainer that they had always used in the past.
"Trouble?" she asked when he returned with the keys.
"No, I just wanted a better view this time." he replied. Something was up, but she knew when not to pry.
When they got into the elevator and Julian pushed the top button Arianna understood. He had arranged for them to share the penthouse rather than the standard Cabal rooms on the 8th floor.
The penthouse suite was more apartment than hotel room. The main sitting room was built around a freestanding central fireplace. The wall facing the entry was a bank of glass doors opening onto a balcony that overlooked the whole city. The winter night darkened early and the citys lights looked like a jewelry box spilled onto black velvet. To the left side of the suite was a large bedroom and galley type kitchen. At the right was another large bedroom and a bath that bordered on being a religious experience. A deep oval tub was the centerpiece of the luxuriously tiled room. It looked big enough for two to fit comfortably. Fitted with all the conveniences of an extravagant European bath, it had everything one could imagine.
"Take your pick" said Julian, gesturing toward the bedrooms. Arianna chose the one to the left.
*This room is bigger and better furnished than my apartment* she thought as she put her bag on the luggage stand. With a chaise lounge, writing desk, stuffed chair, and two chests of drawers, the room was nicely equipped. There was even an outlet strip and modem connection available for her laptop computer. She started to unpack thinking that the queen size bed would feel good after the long day of travelling and a soak in that oversize bathtub would be heavenly.
Julian tapped lightly at the door and asked "Would you like to go for a bite to eat? There's a Thai place nearby." Arianna smiled, she'd never had Thai food until she met Julian. Now they had been to Thai restaurants in 3 countries and countless US cities.
"Where do we start?" she asked after he had ordered. Still not sure of the exotic sounding names of the dishes, she always let him order for them both. So far, her trust in his taste had never been betrayed.
"First stop, Dawson's. You can run a tap on his phone. He deals in antiques and rare books. It's a good front for the Watchers."
"What can you tell me about Dawson?" she asked.
"I'd rather see what you think after meeting him. I should have followed your instincts on our last assignment." he didn't have to remind her how that had ended. "It'll be better if I let him explain what's going on."
When they finally returned to the hotel around 10:30pm the bed did feel wonderful. Arianna snuggled into the warm depths of the goosedown duvet and fluffy pillows. and was asleep very quickly.
Near 2:30am, there was a noise out in the sitting room. She got up quietly and crept to her partly open bedroom door. Having been claustrophobic since a child she always left inside doors ajar and window curtains open. Nobody really understood what had caused this fear but it had gotten worse in the past few years. No matter how hard she tried to remain calm, any closed in space would make her feel like she was suffocating. She could handle being in a small space, provided she could see out of a window. Her surveillance van had been fitted with special one-way glass sides, so that from the inside it looked like a greenhouse. On planes, she would always request a window seat. Elevators and subway cars were a bit dicey but as long as they were moving seemed to be bearable.
Julian was sitting with his feet up on the couch, cleaning his gun. His shirt was unbuttoned and there were dark circles under his eyes, it was the first time she had ever seen him disheveled but he was still awfully handsome. On the coffee table were a box of bullets, his gun holster, one glass and a half empty bottle of Scotch.
"Have you had any sleep?" Arianna asked softly.
"I couldn't relax" he said wearily.
Moving to stand at the end of the couch behind him, she put her hands on his shoulders and massaged gently. The tension in his neck and shoulders was incredible. He closed his eyes and sighed, leaning into her hands. It felt good, and he was exhausted. Two days with only a few hours of sleep had taken their toll. Every time he had tried to sleep, he went back to that last night when Cassandra and Horton disappeared.
A short while later, Arianna felt his body go limp and realised he was asleep. Unfolding a green mohair throw from the foot of the couch, she gently laid it over his body being careful not to wake him, he needed any rest he could get. She delicately touched his soft brown hair and silently whispered "Goodnight Julian."
Back in her bed, Arianna lay awake a long while thinking. What did she really know about him?
Nightmares
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
He was running. It was dark, cold, and raining. Already soaked though to the skin and out of breath he couldn't stop now. He should to be there to watch her back but knew he was late. As he neared the meeting place he saw her there with Horton. She turned to face him with an evil smile and laughed.
"Cassandra - NO!" He yelled. Then a huge explosion, and blackness.
Julian woke with a start, breathing hard and disoriented. Looking around the room, things slowly came into focus, *oh right, couch.... Paris....Arianna*. His gold tank watch read 6:05 am. Still too early to do anything he opted for a shower. Maybe that would help clear his head.
Arianna woke to bright sunlight streaming through the balcony doors. She glanced at the bedside table clock - 6:25am. Stretching lazily in the large bed she rolled over and realised she was hungry. The hotel provided its guests with plush terry robes; pulling one on she thought *this will do until after breakfast*. On her way to find some food she heard the shower running and hoped Julian had slept peacefully.
He turned the water regulator to *C* remembering from his last experience with French plumbing that Chaud was hot and Froid was cold. The glass walled shower stall was twice the size of a telephone box and it was nice to not bump his elbows on the walls while soaping his tired body. Steam soon filled the room with a thick moist fog. Bracing his hands against the wall he leaned forward to let the water flow over his back like a waterfall. His head ached from exhaustion and lack of sleep but the hot water and steam felt wonderful. Reliving the night Cassandra disappeared in dreams was bad enough, now the image of her last look haunted his every thought.
They had been partners for two and a half years, and secret lovers for the last 6 months. Cabal leaders frowned on relationships between operatives so they had tried to resist but working so closely together, it was inevitable. Especially when they were sent to Paris with the cover of being a newly married couple. He could still see her that last morning at breakfast, sitting on the couch in one of the hotel's thick terry robes. Cassandra was petite, barely more than 5' tall; when barefoot, her head just reached his shoulders. Her pale skin was a perfect compliment to a thick mane of long wavy black hair. Her eyes....usually blue were a steely grey shade. What really was a simple assignment had become complicated. When they first came to Paris it was just undercover surveillance, to watch and catalogue movements without interferance.
Everything had been wonderful in the beginning, like a long vacation, but the last few months, she had disappeared several times without a word. When they had planned to meet at certain times, she had been late and often wanted to go shopping on her own. He couldn't pinpoint what had happened but she seemed distant, as if a part of herself was closed to him. They always told each other everything, but now he knew she was hiding something about the meeting with Horton. Their quiet breakfast ended in an argument, him accusing her of not sharing, and she accusing him of only caring about the work.
The galley kitchen was small but more than adequate. Arianna had never been fond of cooking and was glad to find an assortment of fresh fruits, cheeses, and muffins in the fridge, all the makings of a Continental breakfast. She put a pot of water on the stove and found plates and mugs in a cabinet. Moving to set the table, she looked up as Julian emerged from the bathroom, in another of the hotel robes, towel drying his hair. The dark circles under his eyes had lightened a little, but he still looked weary.
"Tea?" she asked.
"Coffee actually - I'll take it black" he said seeing her, and smiling; the terry robes were the same but the women inside were as different as night and day. Where Cassandra was petite, with long dark hair, Arianna was tall, only about five inches shorter than he was, and her short sassy haircut was light brown-blonde. The hard to define color that pale blonde haired children often become as adults. "Thanks for helping me sleep last night."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Not really - I relived that night over and over" he answered, just then the water boiled and the kettle began to whistle.
They ate in silence, each lost in thoughts of what may come before this day was over. Julian offered to clear away the breakfast so Arianna would have time to shower and dress. Today being a work day of sorts, she chose slacks, a cotton mock turtleneck and houndstooth blazer. Comfortable but businesslike was always best in her line of work, she never knew when she may have to crawl under tables or into unusual places to access wires.
Julian was ready to go at 8 o'clock. Dawson's opened at 9 and the drive in morning traffic would take about 45 minutes.
* * *
As they reached the glass door of the shop she first saw him. Dawson must have been about 5'10" tall Arianna guessed, just 3 or 4 inches shorter than Julian and several years older, probably in his early 50's. His thick hair was mostly dark grey but his close cropped beard was almost white. She noticed a cane propped against the table in the center of the shop, he walked difficultly without it.
"Julian - it's good to see you again - though I wish it were under different circumstances." he said greeting them with a warm smile and an outstretched hand. As they moved into the shop, he flipped the OPEN sign to CLOSED and locked the door.
"Joe Dawson, may I introduce Arianna MacDuff. Arianna, meet Joe"
"This the electronics wiz you told me about? " he asked looking at Arianna in disbelief. Shaking her hand warmly, he added "A pleasure to meet you."
"Careful Joe, she could rewire your whole network so you have no access" Julian teased.
"Right" Joe smiled - "Lets get to work - first can you put a tap on this phone?"
"That's my cue". Arianna undid a zipper and the outer compartment of her black leather purse detached to reveal a neatly fitted tool kit. A thank you gift from Julian on completion of their first assignment. She moved toward the back of the shop in search of the main line junction box, leaving Dawson and Julian to talk.
"Any news?" Julian asked.
"Not good. It is Horton, and he's not alone." He noticed the muscles in Julian's jaw tighten and knew Cassandra was still a painful memory for his friend. "Believe me Julian, we were as surprised as you. I can't figure how they survived that explosion." Joe moved to the table and they sat. "The only possible target in Paris now is Duncan MacLeod..... Have you told Arianna about *THEM*?"
"No, I saw no need to tell her.....and won't unless I have to." Julian replied.
*THEM * were the people whom the Watchers watched. They were Immortals. A select group of individuals scattered around the world. Some had been around for hundreds of years fitting into society with various identities. They could die, but unless decapitated would awake a short time later. At the time of the Gathering, one by one they would have to face each other in sword fights to the death, the winner gaining the knowledge and power of his victim. In the end, there would be only one. The Watchers were a secret group of mortals who Chronicled the lives and movements of the Immortals without actually interfering with them.
"I appreciate that" Dawson smiled. He had violated Watcher laws twice a few years ago. First he had made friends with his Immortal, MacLeod. And second, he'd told an outsider of their existence.
Julian remembered Duncan from 3 years ago. A tall, muscular man with long dark hair. Expert in all the martial arts, MacLeod could be a powerful ally or a menacing enemy. He lived on a river barge near Notre Dame, not far from where Cassandra and Horton had disappeared. It made sense that they would go after him again. Dawson liked MacLeod, and thought him to be possibly the best of all the Immortals. Hopefully in the end, he would be the one.
"Immortals have been turning up dead, but not killed by others of their own kind. Horton's got a small band of ex-Watchers with him and they're trying to wipe them out. We had a man on the inside but last night he turned up dead in the alley out back; with this note pinned to his chest." Joe handed Julian a scrap of paper. It read "Joe, you can't stop us this time" and was signed -H. "The last we heard from our man, he gave us 3 locations they used. It's not much to go on but guess it's the best place to start."
She located the junction box where the phone line entered the shop and found the line Dawson wanted tapped. There were actually two lines coming into the building. She stripped the casing from a short section of telephone wire, undid a couple of screws, and spliced it into the existing cable creating a branch line to work from. Looking around Dawson's office she noticed shelves of books overflowing into piles on the floor. There were boxes of papers stacked in every corner. On a metal stand near the door was a battered manual typewriter that would be considered an antique back home in New York. Then she turned to take a look at the computer terminal on the corner of his big oak desk....
Arianna returned to the front of the shop saying, "All set - the tape will monitor itself. I was able to hook it in with your computer system. When the phone rings, the tape will turn on automatically - just leave the PC turned on."
"She's good" Dawson said as he winked at her.
"I warned you Joe." said Julian. Reaching to his inside jacket pocket, he pulled out a card and handed it to Joe. "Here's my mobile number if you hear anything interesting."
"Be careful Julian - I don't want your blood on the Watcher's hands." Joe said as they left the shop.
* * *
Checking the locations Dawson had given Julian took all day, and each one was as deserted as the one before - it seemed Horton had vanished......again. Late that night, they were crossing to their car from the last possibility on Rue de Marseilles, a street full of empty warehouses, when a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows came screeching around the corner. Julian grabbed Arianna and pulled her back, turned to shield her with his body and dropped to the ground. As the car sped past, she heard the rapid fire of gunshots. A few seconds later all was quiet.
It all happened so quickly she had no time to think about what was happening until all was quiet. She remembered seeing the car and being pulled to the ground. Julian had acted on instinct, risking his own life to protect hers. Now, he was laying on top of her not moving. With her eyes tightly closed, all she could see was an image of him shot dead and it made her blood run cold.
"Are you alright? Arianna, Arianna are you alright?" He asked urgently. Her eyes were closed and he feared she may have hit her head when they fell. She opened them and he repeated, "Are you alright?" looking close into her eyes.
"Yes, I think so, are you?" she answered a bit shakily.
"Let's see" he said moving off of her. "Looks like I'm still in one piece." He got to his feet and offered her a hand. As he helped her stand up he felt a burning pain in his right arm. He remembered how it felt when he dislocated the shoulder many many years ago, this was different.
"No, you're not" she gasped, seeing the bullethole in the back of his coat.
"It's nothing" he lied to her, "lets get back to the hotel."
"We should get you to a hospital" she argued, pressing a folded handkerchief against his shoulder to help slow the bleeding.
"No, too much red tape with gunshot wounds - just stop at a chemist on the way. You know what we'll need." He winced as he got into the passenger seat, she would have to drive.
Nervous about leaving him alone in the car, she shopped hurriedly. Antiseptic, gauze, adhesive tape, and extra strength pain relievers. Julian would have to get some sleep now.
He clenched his teeth as a searing pain jabbed from his shoulder down his arm. His right hand was numb, and he felt very cold and totally drained. He had to remain conscious - at least until they got back to the hotel room.
When she returned to the car, he had his head back against the headrest and his eyes closed. She could see the tense set of his jaw. "Are you sure we can manage this without a doctor?" she asked.
"Trust me" he said, "I've been shot before, you know." She didn't have any trouble believing that.
Julian made it through the hotel lobby without anyone noticing them, but as soon as the elevator doors closed he nearly passed out. Arianna caught him in her arms and turned the lever making the car express to the top floor.
She helped him to the bathroom window seat and removed his coat and jacket. The bleeding had almost stopped. As she started to pull his blood soaked shirt away from the wound he flinched and inhaled sharply.
"I need a drink" he said weakly.
Arianna turned on the tap and soaked a hand towel in warm water, then gingerly laid it onto his shoulder and went to get the scotch. When she returned, the dried blood had softened enough to remove the shirt without causing more blood loss. The bullet had torn straight through his right shoulder but the entry and exit holes looked clean. Pouring the antiseptic on some gauze, she cleaned the wound as gently as possible. Julian gasped slightly and she knew it must burn, but it was necessary. With the blood finally cleaned off, she noticed an old scar running along the top of his shoulder and wondered what other scars he may be hiding. Remembering pressure dressings from her basic first aid training, she carefully folded some gauze into a square. With the pad pressed firmly over the entry point on the back of his shoulder, she wrapped strips around the edges to hold it securely. Next, she covered the exit wound with another pad and wrapped some more, anchoring the ends in place with adhesive tape. As she helped him to the bedroom she noticed his skin was very pale and clammy to the touch.
Afraid he was going into shock, she made him swallow 2 pain killers and lie down on the bed. She took off his shoes and covered him with the duvet and an extra blanket, then took his flip phone into the sitting room and keyed in the backdoor password number she'd programmed into Dawson's private line that morning.
"Joe, it's Arianna. Julian's been shot, and won't let me take him to hospital."
"I'll be right over - we know a doctor who won't ask any questions" he rang off.
Dawson arrived with Dr. Ariel and a box of take-out food within the half hour.
"I guessed you two hadn't taken any time to eat so got this while the doc packed his medical bag." Arianna took the box from him so he could manage easier with his cane. While the doctor went to check on Julian, Joe made his way to the couch.
He unpacked the take-out Chinese food onto the coffee table while she went to the kitchen for plates, worriedly looking toward the bedroom door. As much as she liked Chinese, her stomach was in too tight a knot to want food.
"You have to eat something - it won't do any good if you're both unwell." Joe insisted handing her a container of vegetable lo-mein and a pair of chopsticks. She managed a few mouthfuls before the doctor came out of Julian's room removed his glasses, and reached to his pocket.
Handing her a packet of capsules, he smiled. "I'll leave you these anti-biotics in case he develops a fever. There's nothing else I can do to improve on what you've already done. Nice work. He's strong but he's lost a lot of blood. Keep him warm, and see that he gets plenty of rest." *That'll be easier said than done* she imagined.
"Thanks Doc, he's a special friend of ours" Joe said showing him to the door.
"Joe, what are we going to do now?" she asked when he sat back down next to her.
"Don't worry, just before you called we got a line on Horton's new location. I've asked Mac to help us find him. If anyone can, it's MacLeod. He has his own reasons for wanting Horton dead."
Arianna picked at her food a little before daring to ask, "How long have you known Julian?"
Dawson snickered. "Well....we admit to 4 years, but actually we first met some 20 years ago in Laos, he saved my life. *Officially* neither of us were there, you understand." Arianna nodded, she knew that was often the case with Cabal personnel like Julian, but wondered why it would apply to Dawson.
"I was working for the agency to rescue some of our guys caught on the wrong side of a border. One night in a bar, I sat down next to a brooding Englishman, after a few drinks we started chatting. He couldn't talk about the specifics of why he was there any more than I could, but he'd recently lost someone he cared about and blamed himself. Around midnight, the place was rocketed, I don't remember much after that. When I came to, the nurse said that somehow, Julian had gotten me out of the rubble and to the American hospital before he collapsed with a concussion, 4 broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. I came home 10 weeks later with an artificial leg and this cane. We hadn't seen or heard from each other from that night until I met Cassandra and our paths crossed again 4 years ago. For your own safety, that's really all I can tell you."
"One thing I've learned working with Julian is when to take things for what they are and not push for explanations." she smiled slightly.
"Are you sure you'll be okay tonight?" he asked, getting up to leave. "I'll check on you in the morning."
"Yeah, he's not going anywhere" she replied, looking in on Julian, asleep at last.
"He told me you were special.....he was right." Dawson smiled at her. He was glad his friend had found this new partner. *She seems much better for him than Cassandra.*
"So is he." She said softly. Joe nodded his head and pressed the elevator button. *Julian was right to like him* she thought, Dawson had a way of making the worst situation seem better. She knew they could trust him with their lives.
11:50pm - Arianna was too wound up to sleep, and her French was too rusty to watch television. Wanting to keep an eye on Julian, she curled up on the chaise lounge in his room. The book he had been reading on the plane was atop his suitcase "I, Vampire" by Michael Romkey. *Strange choice for you Julian* she thought more expecting to find an action-adventure or mystery novel. Turning to page 1 she began to read.
"Paris, June 1, 1989 - Women are my weakness. Or to be more accurate, I should say they are my greatest weakness for I have many. Travel. Books. Classical music. Art. Excellent wine. And, formerly cocaine. I admit these things without a sense of guilt. I am as my friend from Vienna says, a man with a man's contradictions - "ein Mensch mit seinem Widerspruch."
I am neither good or bad, neither angel or devil.
I am a man. I am a vampire.
I have found the perfect place to spend this warm Spring evening.
I am in Paris, the City of Light........"
It was dark, damp and cold, an underground tunnel. Each turn drew her deeper and deeper into the labyrinth. There was a musty, earthy scent to the stale air. She stumbled on something but, not really wanting to know what is was, kept on running. All around her were scratchings and other strange noises from assorted small creatures. She didn't know where she was going but desperately needed to get there. Every nerve in her body told her something was horribly wrong. She turned another corner and found a large chamber eerily lighted by tall candelabras. In the center of the room was a coffin. She stood frozen in place, unable to move, her heart pounding as slowly the coffin lid opened and laying inside was -- my god... "Julian!" she cried.
Arianna jumped awake gasping for air, and nearly fell off the chaise. Seeing him lying safely on the bed, she let out a sigh of relief, and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. She was trembling from the nightmare's image. Checking the clock she saw that it was only 6am but already light outside...another sunny winter day in the *City of Light*.
Julian's color looked better this morning. Moving silently to the bedside, she softly touched his cheek - he was burning with fever.
Night Terrors
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
Arianna read the label and dosage instructions on the packet of antibiotics Dr. Ariel had left in case of fever. **Cephalexin - one tablet, three times daily.** Setting a glass and the drugs on the bedside table she went to the kitchen for a pitcher of ice water then to the bath for some terry washcloths. As she laid a water soaked cloth on his forehead she could feel his temperature was very high. He moaned at the touch of the cold wet cloth. "Julian, wake up" she tried, but no response. "Julian, can you hear me?" She shook him gently and he came to just enough to swallow the tablet, then was out again. Thrashing about in delirium, he kept trying to throw off the blankets and mumbling things she didn't understand, except for an occasional name. She carefully bathed his face, neck and chest with the cold water and he settled down enough for her to change the bandages on his shoulder. The bullet's entry point looked clean but the exit wound was red and ugly. Cleaning it again with antiseptic, she re-covered it with a fresh dressing and he slept a bit quieter. Dawson came by around 11:30am to see how they were doing. "How is he?" Joe asked seeing in her face that she hadn't had much rest. He imagined she'd been up all night watching over his friend. "Not great" she sighed. "The fever is very high and he's delirious, keeps calling to Cassandra. I think he's reliving the explosion.....again." "Yeah, the Doc expected that - he said to give it a day with the anti-biotics and see if the fever breaks. They obviously knows you're here so it's best for the two of you to stay out of sight today. Let us find Horton and Cassandra now." Dawson tried to re-assure her. "Doesn't look like we have much choice does it Joe, can't you tell me anything about her?" Arianna begged. "I don't have much, but I'll trade what I know for a cup of tea." he grinned. "It's a deal" she said as he moved to sit at the glass topped breakfast table. "Hope you like Earl Grey - milk or lemon?" The ironstone teapot warmed quickly from the boiling water as the tea steeped. "Just black is fine thanks. Got you hooked too did he?" Joe laughed. Before he met Julian, tea was just tea - he'd never thought about it coming in different flavors. "I always liked tea" she protested, "he just educated me to different blends and types." As she poured the warm brown liquid into their cups he kept his part of the deal. "Four years ago, she came into the shop one day looking for an antique book. As it turned out, they were really investigating our Watcher organisation. They seemed like a perfect team at first. It was almost like they could read each others thoughts. But there was a dark side to her I don't think Julian could see until she met my no good brother-in-law James Horton. After that, everything went wrong. She ducked out on him a couple of times, disappearing without a word, arrived late at meeting places and made excuses to go off on errands alone. That's how he and I got to be friends, usually while trying to find her. I'm pretty sure they were more than just partners. He was always carefully discreet in public but I could see it in his eyes" he saw Arianna almost smile, "I don't have to tell you that do I?" "No" she shook her head, "I learned to read those eyes on our first assignment." He continued, "We're not sure what their plan really was the night Cass and Horton disappeared. I think she was trying to get Julian out of the way. She'd set a meeting with Horton down at the riverside about a mile from MacLeod's barge. In the afternoon, she rang and told him to meet her at my place half an hour before the meet with Horton. Of course, she never came. When he got down to the river meeting place a car bomb exploded. We thought they were dead but didn't find any bodies in the water. I was afraid we were going to lose Julian too. He was unconscious for 4 days." The afternoon dose of drugs was not a easy to get into him as the morning one had been. When she reached across him to pull the blankets back up over his chest he grabbed her. Lost in his fevered nightmares he thought she was trying to kill him and held her in a tight clinch. She tried to struggle free but his hold was firm. Afraid he might reopen the wound she tried to distract his fevered brain by putting her arms around him, hugging gently, and laying her head against his chest. In a few minutes, it worked, his arms relaxed and she was able to break free, he seemed to sigh as if he'd enjoyed it. Continuing with the cold cloth treatments, Arianna tried to keep him as comfortable and quiet as possible. By mid-evening, the fever broke and he finally slept quietly. Completely exhausted, she lay down to get some rest, looked at Julian's book and shook her head, remembering the nightmare of last night, she was too tired to dream. * * * Arianna woke early and looked in on Julian. He was still sleeping peacefully. When she touched his cheek it felt normal temperature and his color was good. She took a quick shower, dressed and put on the water for coffee. At 9:30 am there was a soft knock on the penthouse door. "How is your patient this morning?" Dawson asked as she let him in. "Still asleep" she whispered. A gravelly voice behind her said, "No.... he's not". She turned to see Julian leaning against the bedroom door frame in his hotel robe. "Morning Joe, how long have I been out?" "Only one day this time." Joe grinned. "Seems to happen every time I come to Paris." He tried to laugh but it hurt. "Aah - no humor today." Arianna moved to his side scolding, "You shouldn't be up Julian, you're too weak." "No" he faltered, "we've got work to do. Can you think of some way to keep this bandage dry so I can get cleaned up?" Among the complimentary toiletries supplied by the hotel, she found a shower cap made of thin clear plastic with elastic edges. She stretched it carefully over his shoulder and secured it with some tape. "We'll need to change the dressing later but this may help a little." she said. "Can you manage on you own?" Dawson asked. "I think so" Julian said, moving slowly toward the bathroom. Feeling a bit lightheaded, he steadied himself against the vanity table. The face looking back from the mirror surprised him. His cheekbones stood out more than usual and his eyes were sunken and hollow with dark circles underneath. *You look bloody awful* he muttered to himself and decided a bath might be safer that the shower. The large, deep, oval shaped tub had a bench like seat built into each end. He wouldn't have to worry about falling down. Carefully he climbed in as the tub filled, and his body soaked in the water's warmth. The feeling had partially come back to his right hand but the throbbing pain in his shoulder made moving the arm difficult. He was glad to have packed an electric razor for this trip so he could shave with one hand. Toweled off as much as possible, he managed to get his trousers on and comb his hair, but shirt buttons presented a problem. Arianna and Joe were sitting at the breakfast table when Julian came out of the bathroom with a shirt in his hand. "Having a spot of trouble with buttons." he said. "Let me" she said, moving to take the new green silk shirt from him and undo the small buttons. He leaned against the couch while she changed the dressing on his wound. The redness had lessened and it looked somewhat better, but she could see in his face he was still in a lot of pain. As she gently helped him get the injured arm through the shirt sleeve and stood close in front of him to fasten the buttons, he noticed her perfume. Somehow he remembered it from the black void that was yesterday in his mind. Slightly spicy yet sweet, it suited her personality, and he liked it. "Would you make me a coffee?" he asked as he clumsily tucked the shirt into his pants. "MacLeod took care of Horton last night." Dawson announced as Julian sat down to join them for breakfast. "We won't have to worry about him again." "What about Cass?" Julian asked as Arianna put a plate in front of him containing a melon wedge cut into bite size pieces and a muffin. A mug of strong black coffee came next. "Without Horton, their little lynch mob was pretty easy to round up. Cass and one other are the only ones unaccounted for." Joe answered. "Mac has a plan, he thinks they'll try to come for him tonight. It's some sort of anniversary or special date from Horton's twisted rituals." "I need to be there tonight Joe." Julian insisted quickly glancing at Arianna. She was busy pouring herself a cup of coffee and didn't see the look he exchanged with Dawson. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that." Joe said finishing his cup with an almost imperceptible nod. Dawson said he'd ring with the details after he'd seen MacLeod and left a few minutes later - it was already almost eleven. Arianna cleared the table while Julian finished his breakfast. The food had helped as much as last night's sleep. He began to come back to life. "Can you do some shopping for me this afternoon? It appears I need a new topcoat." he asked. "Sure" she answered with a laugh, "any particular color?" "I'll leave that up to you." She noticed a slight twinkle in his deep green eyes and smiled thinking *he must be starting to feel better.* "Promise me you'll rest while I'm out - I don't like leaving you alone." "What else can I do? Until we hear from Dawson, I won't know what is planned." "Alright then, I won't be gone long. There's food in the fridge if you get hungry later." She gathered her purse and coat and left him. Dawson sat in his car watching the hotel entrance until he saw Arianna leaving, then went back up to the penthouse wondering what sort of wild goose chase Julian had sent her on. Julian was waiting for him at the door. "Thanks Joe, I hoped you'd realise I don't want her involved in this trap tonight." "Okay, but I think you're making a big mistake." Joe said shaking his head. "She'll be furious when she finds out." "This is not her battle, it's mine. Just tell me the plan......." * * * She found a city map and tourist guide in the glove box of the car and quickly located the address she needed. Paris mid-day traffic was nearly as heavy as New York City rush hour and the short drive took longer than she wanted. Lucky to find a parking space on the busy street, she walked quickly to the exclusive shop. There was a large assortment of coats to chose from but she knew exactly what she was looking for. Selecting a classic tan trench coat with removable winter weight Burberry tartan lining she handed the clerk a credit card. Her mission accomplished, she returned to the hotel by 3pm and he was gone. "Damn him!" she swore aloud. Julian had done this once before. Gone off solo to finish an assignment and come back saying it was "to keep you out of danger." She wondered if this time it was because the danger was his ex-partner. Pacing the floor she picked up the cordless telephone and dialed Dawson's shop - no answer. Then his private line, again no answer. She put the phone down muttering "Okay Julian, at least you're not alone this time." *Dawson will get a piece of my mind later.* At a little after 4pm a bellboy knocked and delivered an envelope that had been left at the front desk. Unfolding the rumpled scrap of paper she saw:
She stared at the note suspiciously. Julian usually hand wrote his notes, always with a fountain pen. Learning to recognise his left-handed angular script had taken her some time. Perhaps Dawson had sent the note. She thought about the battered typewriter in his office, but didn't imagine Joe would be so cryptic. It could be a trap but with no other leads to go on, she set off for Notre Dame .
Parking the car a few blocks away she approached the cathedral's North facade. The sunny day had turned cold and drizzly, sending most of the tourists indoors. Nearing the entrance, she saw no sign of Julian or Dawson and a cold shiver ran up her spine. Without warning, something hit the back of her skull and she fell to the ground in darkness.
Julian and Joe parked just under the bridge near where MacLeod's barge was anchored and waited.
From their vantage point they had a good view but went unseen. At about 7:30 Julian's cellphone rang, startling them both from their silent surveillance. "If you want to see the woman again, leave MacLeod to us" a husky man's voice droned.
"Where is she?" Julian demanded. But the caller had rung off.
Dawson looked worriedly at his friend. "They've got Arianna" Julian said. "She modified this phone to log all incoming call numbers, we may be able to trace the location of the call." He keyed in the special function code and the display blinked 01 45 81 77 77.
"I can get the location" Joe took the phone and punched in the number for someone in his organisation.
"Mike, it's Dawson, need the location for a number pronto - 01 45 81 77 77 .........okay, thanks Mike." He pressed off and handed the flip-phone back to Julian saying "It's a call box on the other side of the river, near the cathedral. Cass has already tried to kill you twice Julian, you know this is a trap."
"Yes, and you know that I have to go. Stay here and keep cover for MacLeod." Joe got out of the car and Julian drove off cursing himself. *How had they gotten Arianna?* He thought she would have been safe at the hotel.
She came to in a dark, cramped space with a terrible headache. Her hands were bound behind her with what felt like packing tape and a gag was cutting into the sides of her mouth. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes against the darkness, trying to calm her panic at being in a confined space but she felt like she was suffocating. Julian had once tried to teach her meditation for overcoming her fear, but she was too impatient to be a good student. Touching the carpeted surface beneath her and judging the width of the space with her feet she realised it was the trunk of an automobile, but it was not moving. Just then she heard the muffled tones of the church bells, and knew they were still near Notre Dame.
Suddenly the trunk lid opened and a pair of rough hands grabbed her arms pulling her out onto the sidewalk where she got her first look at Cassandra. A small but wiry woman with long black hair and the coldest blue eyes she had ever seen. And with a gun pointing right in her direction she looked at Arianna as if she'd just spotted an insect.
"In the boat" she commanded in French. The barrel-chested thug held her roughly while they moved along the riverside. There was a motorboat waiting at the water's edge. As they neared the boat, a tall figure came out of the shadows and yelled "Let her go."
Cassandra turned to see Julian standing there, just as he was 3 years ago, but now he had a gun aimed at her chest and one hand hidden in his coat pocket. She put her gun against Arianna's temple, saying "Don't come any closer Julian - I'll kill her." He stopped in his tracks. "So, it's been a long time lover - is this my replacement?" she chided.
"You ran out on us, remember?" he said coldly, keeping his gun trained on her.
"There was no us Julian, you and your senseless devotion to the mission always came first. Horton cared about something worthwhile. Now he's dead and I'm going to continue his work."
"You know I can't allow that." he said.
"I'd say I hold all the cards right now." Cassandra sneered. "What will the Cabal say when you lose another partner?"
Arianna could feel the big man's breath on the back of her neck and wondered if she could hit him in the face with the back of her head. She knew Julian wasn't up to a fight and had to do something to help.
"It's me you want Cass, let her go."
"You're right" Cassandra smiled evily. Arianna saw the look on her face change to that of a leopard about to pounce on its prey and sensed what was about to happen. Just as she turned, Arianna kicked with all her might, spoiling the woman's aim at Julian and breaking free from the thug that was holding her. Off balance, she crashed to the ground hearing Julian's gun fire once...twice, then all was quiet again.
Both Cassandra and her henchman lay dead. Julian rarely used his gun but when he did, never missed.
"Are you alright?" he asked, freeing her hands and helping her up. She glared at him to remove the tape from her mouth and he obliged as Dawson arrived with MacLeod and the police.
"I'm okay - how about you?" she asked.
"All in one piece - and this time, I'm sure." he smiled "Thanks to you."
Training
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
It had been over 2 months since Julian was shot in Paris. Now, it was early Spring and he was restless. The wound had healed well but regaining full use of his arm and shoulder had involved aggravating weeks of physical therapy. Being on the "inactive" list had given him plenty of time to think about the recent turn of events. She had taken a leave of absence rather than be reassigned to another liaison. In the three years since Cassandra first disappeared he hadn't let himself get close to anyone for fear of betrayal, but this one felt different. He couldn't bear the thought of losing another partner, whether she liked it or not, Arianna needed some special training.
Friday morning:
"Now again, concentrate - you can do this" he said as they sat facing each other across the square coffee table in her New York City apartment. Arianna was glad to see him back to his old slightly brooding self. The last couple of months, he had been worse than a bear with a sore paw.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and shut out everything but the soft, warm tones of his voice. His classically educated British accent made this a thoroughly enjoyable assignment.
"Think of a particular place, somewhere you feel safe," he continued "let your mind take you there."
*A safe place?* she thought of her grandmother's Summer house - on a small island 3/4 mile off the coast of Port George, Maine. There were no roads on the island, and only a handful of houses scattered around the shore, all summer places that stood empty from November until the beginning of June each year. As she concentrated, she could almost smell the sweet fragrance of wild clover and the tangyness of salt water.
*** Bleeeep *** "Damn!" he muttered reaching to his jacket pocket for the flip-phone. "Yes?" he answered angrily. "No - absolutely not! ...... that can wait ........ I told you there were to be no interruptions this weekend .......we are NOT available." Pressing the power button to silence the phone permanently he smiled. "Sorry, shall we begin again?"
She again closed her eyes, inhaled and thought about the island. Just as she again reached her favorite spot on the rock ledge near the flagpole, looking toward the lighthouse... **Bing-bong** the doorbell rang. With a shrug she went to answer it.
"Hi Ari, some of your mail got mixed with mine." her neighbor said cheerfully as she peeked in and saw that Arianna had company. Ann was a good friend, but was constantly trying to play matchmaker. She smiled, hoping to be introduced to the mysterious man in the flawlessly tailored dark suit and blue shirt. But Arianna did not take the hint.
"Thanks Ann, I'll pop by later for a visit." She said as she closed the door and refastened the deadbolt. Asking him "Shall we try one more time?" as she returned to the couch.
"Quite" he answered. "Alright, now go back to your safe place and look around, what do you see?" just then her video cassette recorder reached the time it had been waiting for, and clicked on to begin taping. She opened one eye to peek at him and smiled.
Julian ran his hand through his hair, very frustrated, and sighed. "This is unbelievable - is there nowhere we can go to get away from all these interruptions?" She giggled, as he looked at her questioning, "What?"
"I know just the place. An island hideaway, far enough from the mainland to be private - quiet and secluded, no phone - no television, and there shouldn't be anyone there to bother us. It's only about 8 hours from here and then a short boat ride." she grinned.
"Sounds perfect, I'll go to my place and pack a bag." He smiled, envisioning any of the small tropical islands in the Caribbean. As he started down the hallway to the elevator she called after him, "Julian, be sure to pack something warm - it's in Maine." Laughing to herself as the door closed, she telephoned her uncle in Port George and asked him to get the house ready for them.
Friday, early evening:
They had been on the road since 11am, with a quick early dinner stop near Boston and a longer stop at the grocery store for supplies, they had made good time. It was almost 8:30 when they parked his sleek black Lexus at the dock. A motor boat was there as promised and the short ride took only about 20 minutes. There was not much to see at night, just the twinkling lights from mainland homes and the beacon from the lighthouse, but overhead were more stars than Julian remembered existed. He'd lived in the English countryside as a lad, but had spent most of his life in and around cities where lights mask much of the night sky's brilliance.
Walking up the dock on the island he saw before him a large white house consisting of a pair of two story buildings connected by a single story room. Running the entire front length of the place was a long open deck that ended at 4 Doric columns supported by overhead beams. At the North end of the deck was another small building set at right angles to the main house.
"It'll stay warmer if we just use the South end of the house" Arianna said unlocking the front door. "There's plenty of room and it has the fireplace."
The South end was essentially a large square. A large living room with fireplace took one half while the kitchen and dining room split the other half. Through the middle was a staircase leading to the second floor. Carrying the groceries to the kitchen she told him to take his pick of the bedrooms upstairs, then added "the lavender one is mine."
At the top of the stairs, he found a duplicate of the floorplan from below. To the left was a large bedroom that spanned the entire width of the house and looked like the captain's quarters of a ship. At the right were two smaller rooms with matching double size, antique spool beds, the back one yellow, and the front lavender. Not the type to enjoy yellow roses on the wallpaper, he chose the captain's quarters and tossed his bag on top of the battered sea chest. When he went back downstairs, Arianna asked him to build a fire while she prepared a pot of tea.
With plenty of dry wood and some crumpled newspaper, the fire started easily. Before long, it was nicely warming the air and casting a soft flickering light over the whole room.
"Tell me the history of this place." He asked, sitting beside her in front of the fire with a large mug of Earl Grey.
"It's been in my family four generations." she began. "My great-grandmother was the daughter of a sea captain and had sailed round the world many times. She thought this was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen. This South part of the house was originally on the mainland, it was floated over to the island sometime in the late 1800's. The North part was a boatbuilder's shed down on the point. Oxen teams and log rollers were used to move it to where it stands now and then the connecting room was built early this century.. When I was a child, my Mom and I would move up here as soon as school was out, staying until the next school year started. Dad would come up for weekends and his two week vacation. It was wonderful to escape the city, and the island was a great place to be a kid."
Julian thought of his own childhood, Father was a high-ranking government official and they lived in a large manor house on some 60 acres of the Southwestern English countryside. With rolling hills, hedgerows and forests, it was all a young lad could want. There had always been animals in abundance. Mother was extremely fond of cats, mostly Siamese. He and Father preferred dogs, his favourite had been Obsidian, a black mastiff, and then there were the horses......
"Have you ever spent time in the country?" she asked, pulling him back from his trip to the past.
"Uhm...yes..., actually I grew up in the country, before going off to school. But I've never spent time near the ocean."
"I think you'll like it when you see it in daylight." she said quietly.
When the fire had down, they closed the glass fireplace doors and said goodnight
"Training starts early in the morning - sleep well." he smiled.
Saturday
Julian woke to the smell of bacon. Rolling over in the large soft bed he looked out the window at a picture postcard. The island lay due East from a peninsula of wooded land ending at a long walkway that lead to a white lighthouse tower. There were several smaller islands visible toward the horizon that he guessed were really 5-10 miles away. At the water's edge, a great grey heron was fishing. Looking at his watch he couldn't believe the time was 10:25am.
Dressing quickly in grey corduroys, a turtleneck, and slate blue wool fisherman sweater, he went downstairs to find she had prepared a traditional English breakfast of eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast, and grilled tomato. A nice surprise as he knew she hated cooking.
"Morning sleepyhead, I thought you were a morning person." she teased when he appeared in the kitchen and ran his hand through his hair, looking rather sheepish.
"Normally I am - can't think when I last slept past 7am. Must be the island, you know, fresh air and all that" he joked, pouring coffee for them both.
As they enjoyed the hearty breakfast she asked eagerly, "So, what's the lesson plan for today?"
"First, I want to be sure you can look out for yourself. Can you handle a gun?"
She giggled, "My dad had a BB gun air pistol when I was about 10. We used to shoot tin cans on the beach. Does that count?"
"It's a start. We'll see what you remember." As they cleaned up the breakfast remains, he found several empty gallon size milk jugs under a cupboard, that could be filled with sand to use as targets, and took them outside.
The beach was rocky and there was a big ledge that appeared at low tide. It rose 5 feet or so from the sea floor like a small hill, about 50 feet straight out from the edge of the lawn. Julian put the bottle targets on the top of the ledge and went back to Arianna's side. Reaching into the bag at his feet, he pulled out a bundle wrapped in black cloth and handed it to her.
"This is for you." She unwrapped the small but heavy bundle to find a twin to the Sig Sauer she had seen Julian always carry with him, but rarely use. Somehow, memories of childhood came back to her. Where the BB pistol had always seemed heavy and awkward, this gun was sleek and seemed to fit her hand, probably because her hands were smaller 28 years ago.
She snapped the safety off and took careful aim at the bottle in the center hoping to at least hit one of the 5 targets. Gently squeezing the trigger she saw the center bottle move and smiled with delight as she turned to look at Julian's surprised expression.
"Beginners luck." He squinted at her, "Try again. The left one this time."
To both their surprise, she hit the second target also. "Alright, now turn and face me with your back to them." as she turned he continued, "You won't always time to aim carefully, let's see if you're so good at a quick aim. Turn fast and fire, at the one on the far right." She spun on her heel and fired, missing the targets by 3 feet. "Okay then, that's what we practice today." he said smugly.
The rest of the day was spent firing from various distances and assorted theoretical situations. Arianna was exhausted by sundown, and very appreciative when Julian offered to cook dinner. The day had been pleasantly cool but after sundown had turned cold so they enjoyed his delicious vegetable stir-fry with a bottle of white wine in front of a roaring fire. Sitting next to each other on the couch with their feet up on the coffee table, Arianna absent-mindedly rubbed her arm, it was a bit sore from all the training.
"Does it hurt?" he asked.
"Just a little, not used to that sort of exercise I guess." she smiled.
Julian gently pulled her hand across his lap and softly kneaded the sore muscles, beginning at the wrist and slowly moving up toward her shoulder. His touch sent shivers up her spine.
She watched him closely as his expert fingers massaged her arm.
Julian's face had the strong cheekbones and angular jaw that Arianna had always found attractive. Set into that face were the most amazing eyes she had ever seen. They almost seemed to be windows to his soul. She'd learned during their first assignment that she could read the truth in those eyes. Like many Brazilian emeralds, they were a deep green with a few brown inclusions. But there was something else, there was a warmth and depth she could get lost in. When he looked up and their eyes met she blushed slightly and quickly looked back toward the fire."Ah..um.. what do we learn tomorrow?" she stammered, embarrassed he had caught her staring.
"We need to get back to focusing your concentration. I know if you give it chance, it will help, if you will just trust me." He smiled wryly.
Deep down, she knew he was right. When she'd been locked in the trunk of that car in Paris, the surge of panic caused by the confined space had been overwhelming. Since their first assignment, he'd kept insisting she could conquer that fear if she learned to direct her thoughts to another place. *How can he be so certain it works?* she wondered, *unless he uses it himself.*
They said goodnight at the top of the stairs, and she fell asleep wondering what fears a man like Julian might be trying to mask.
He lay awake for a long time thinking. *It's happening again.* As much as he'd sworn not to let himself get involved with another partner - he couldn't stop thinking about her. *They are as different as night and day.* The last one, Cassandra, had been exciting, with a dark mysterious sort of attraction, and a wild side that had turned to evil and tried to kill him, twice. Arianna could be mischievous at times, but was always honest and sincere. She easily adapted to any situation, making her a perfect companion. He'd spent years perfecting ways of hiding his emotions but somehow she could always see right through them. It wouldn't be long before she knew how he felt. And there was something else about her he couldn't quite get a bead on; just a sensation, a feeling that somehow she brought out the best in him. He liked himself when he was with her - something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Not since Laos, and Mei Ling Chen, more than 20 years ago....
His first assignment had been like something out of a West End musical. The young British operative, fresh out of University, falls head over heels for a China Doll. They were both very young and naive, and it seemed that nothing could harm them, they had everything to live for. Until the night she was killed by a bullet meant for him... Two days later, he was badly injured when a bar was rocketed and had been sent back to England on a hospital ship. Rolling over and punching his pillow, he tried to push the thoughts away.
Sunday
Julian woke early and crept silently downstairs thinking to put on the coffee while she slept. Near the front door, he heard her speaking softly, barely above a whisper.
"Come on.....here it is......it's alright.....you can have it."
He looked out the window and saw her. Barefooted and wearing only black knit pants and an oversize sweater so big it could have passed for a dress, she was outside sitting cross-legged on the deck, offering a biscuit to a hungry raccoon. The creature was wary, but after a few moments moved forward and took the food from her hand. He expected it to grab the cookie and run away but instead it sat right in front of her and ate happily.
Coming back into the house as quietly as possible she was startled to see him standing in the dining room watching her. "Did I wake you? I'm sorry." she asked quietly.
"No" he shook his head smiling. "Who's your friend?"
Laughing she watched the animal leave with it's treasure. "When we spent the summers here, there were a few of them that would come for dinner every night and sometimes stay around until morning. I woke up early, looked down from my window and saw it sitting on the deck, staring at the front door. It must be the 9th or 10th generation by now."
"Do you have some special power to tame all wild beasts?" he started to tease with a sly grin.
"I don't know, do you want to test me?" he saw a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Maybe later" he laughed, "Coffee first."
After breakfast were the lessons she had dreaded.
For today, they decided to use the single story room that connected the two halves of the house. An electric heater quickly warmed the room to a comfortable temperature. She said they called it the "Cone" room because of the pinecones and fir branches on the wallpaper. Large windows were the East and West outside walls of the room, the inside walls were lined with an assortment of stuffed chairs and two long sofas. In the center was a long but fairly narrow oak table with 2 benches. Only about a three feet across, it was the perfect place to work on the next step of her training.
Arianna sat on one bench facing him dubiously. "I still don't think this will work Julian" she said.
Remembering the 3 months he'd spent in Nepal years ago; and how long it had taken him to learn this type of meditation thought control he smiled, "We'll try a different approach this time. Do you trust me?"
Looking deep into those green eyes how could she say anything other than, "You know I do."
He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table, holding his hands up, palms turned toward her. "Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and block out all other thoughts, listen only to my voice. Let your mind lead you. When you're ready, see if you can match your hands to mine - without opening your eyes."
Following orders, she put her elbows on the table as he had, cleared her mind, and slowly moved her hands toward his. Her eyes were closed but somehow, she could see his hands clearly. As their palms touched she felt a strange tingle, something like the shock of static electricity only warmer, and gasped. Her eyes opened briefly with surprise.
"Well done." He was smiling back at her. "Now close your eyes again and concentrate on your safe place. Let your mind take you there. Can you see it?" She nodded yes and he continued, "When you return to this special place, you feel safe, yes?"
"Yes"
"Now, look around at the surroundings, imagine that everything is absolutely perfect, each detail is exactly the way you want it to be. You've never been as happy, or felt as safe before."
This time, the lesson was easier. It was possible to block out all other thoughts. She couldn't understand how, but she seemed to be drawing some sort of energy from his touch. The perfect scene was set in her mind: It was Summer, she was sitting on the rocks, watching the waves tumble against the shore, when he came to sit with her and.....
"Is the scene just the way you want it to be?" he asked softly.
"Yes, it's just perfect." she whispered.
"Now, try to describe it to me using just your thoughts." he said.
Arianna squeezed her eyes closed even more tightly, took another deep breath and tried to mentally send him a picture of her favorite spot.
Julian closed his eyes and cleared his mind. One particular image of this island place, he couldn't push away - it was too lovely. Exploring the image more carefully, he realised it wasn't from this weekend, it was the island in Summer. The day was warm, the sun was shining, gulls soared overhead, and there were flowers. Someone was sitting on the rocks near the flagpole, it was Arianna. She smiled at him as he went to sit beside her.
"I told you you could do this." was all he said.
"What do you mean?" she asked opening her eyes.
"This is your special place, isn't it? I could see you here in Summer, sitting on the rocks, near the flagpole. Thank you for taking me there with you."
He got up from the table and held his hand out to her saying, "I think we've done enough training for this weekend. Let's take a walk on the beach."
Eastern Europe
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
The 'new' part of the city looked much like the 'old' part. One grey stone building after another lined the cobbled streets, all caked with years of coal soot and dripping from the rain.
Arianna shifted her purse higher on her shoulder. She was getting used to the extra weight Julian's gift added to the bag. At first she hadn't wanted to carry the gun, but he had insisted. It was starting to feel reassuring to know it was there. Now that he'd taught her to shoot, she could at least cover his back the next time it came down to a fight.
Their appointment with Dr. Jacob Wells, leading expert on demonology and the occult, was for 10am but there was no answer to the doorbell. Julian knocked, or rather pounded on the door, but still there was no response.
"See if you can open it," he said, moving to look in through the study windows.
The heavy carved wood door looked to be at least 200 years old, probably original to the building. Luckily, the lock mechanism was equally as ancient, and easy to trip with the small L shaped pick from her tool kit. As they moved cautiously into the dark hallway, Julian motioned for her to stay behind while he quickly surveyed the first floor of the house that was about the size of your typical New York 'Brownstone'.
As he silently climbed the stairs to check the second floor, she entered the study. The dark wood paneled room had a rich, slightly musty smell coming from the shelves of old books lining the walls. One volume, laying upside down on the table next to a large cordovan leather wing chair, caught her eye and she picked it up to examine. 'Bristow's Demon Index' was open at a section on spirit possession.
Arianna remembered Dr. Wells from her uncompleted graduate studies at Oxford. A short, heavy set man with grey hair and a scraggly grey beard, he had an unstoppable energy that reminded her somewhat of the Cairn Blue terrier she'd seen at the last Westminster Dog Show.
A sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump out of her skin, drop the book, and reach for her gun. "For Christ's sake Julian, make some noise the next time you sneak up on me."
"Sorry - what did you find that was so enthralling?" He stooped to retrieve the book she'd dropped. Noting the title, he handed it back to her saying. "There's no-one here, something must have come up suddenly. He has to be at the Embassy party tonight though. I can arrange invitations, but we'll need full dress clothes, it's practically a state occasion. Can you find something this afternoon and be ready by 6?"
"No problem, I have just the thing with me."
Thinking about the relatively small size of the carry-on luggage she had brought on this trip he asked, "Just what have you got in your bag of tricks this time?"
"You'll see," she smiled.
Back at their hotel, Arianna unzipped her suitcase and pulled out her favourite black dress. A silky knit with long sleeves, and a low cut back. She'd searched a long time to find the perfect outfit that could cover any occasion and yet pack with a minimum of fuss. After a nice soak in a tub of jasmine scented bubbles, she dried her hair and put on some makeup wondering where Julian would find dress evening clothes in such a short time. He was taller than most of the men she'd noticed in this part of eastern Europe; even back in the states, he'd be hard pressed to find a tux on such short notice.
She stepped into her dress, and adjusted the cowl draped bib that fell from its high neck to below her waist. Along each shoulder seam sparkled a double row of Austrian crystal rhinestones. With the addition of earrings and her black satin heels, she was ready for any affair.
At just 6pm, Julian stood waiting for her at the connecting door to their rooms. She could see in his expression that he approved of her outfit; and the sight of him in a perfectly fitted tuxedo made her wish they could skip the Embassy party and go off somewhere for a private dinner...........but they had work to do.
The soft strains of chamber music floated over the Embassy ballroom as the dignitaries and guests mingled over pre-dinner cocktails. Arianna always enjoyed going to public functions with Julian, even though they were technically 'working', he always acted the perfect escort. Handing her a flute of champagne, he nodded to a door set into the corner of the room. They casually maneuvered their way through the crowded reception, and entered a small office where Dr. Wells was waiting for them.
"What happened this morning Jacob?" Julian spoke first.
"I an sorry, one of my students rang suddenly, there was an accident, I had no choice but to go." Dr. Wells looked just the same as she remembered from so long ago. He looked at her with a glint of recognition in his eyes. "Have we met before?"
"Many years ago, you gave a series of lectures at Oxford. It's good to see you again sir." She smiled and shook the hand he offered. Dr. Wells' lectures had stirred the embers of a fascination for her. She'd always been skeptical but did believe there was a dark and light side to everything. His research into black magic and the occult had presented too many unsolvable puzzles to be dismissed easily.
"Ah yes, I remember now. How long have you been mixed up with this troublemaker?" he teased, waving a hand at Julian.
"Long enough to know when he's hiding something from me."
"That's quite a feat," said Dr. Wells, "he's one of the best I've ever known at controlling his thoughts. He learned all I knew so fast, I had to send him to Nepal to study with the Master."
Julian grinned slightly saying, "We've already tried some of the thought control lessons. She's a fairly good student, but there's still a lot yet to be learned." As they moved to sit around the table in the small office he added, "What can you tell us about this case?"
"We've been researching the Dybbuk, it's a very old legend, originally Hebrew. Although I recently found some references to a similar spirit in Celtic lore. There are some rather obscure writings by the Druids of a tree spirit that can travel around by possessing a human host. It apparently lies dormant until it finds someone with a receptive mind to invade. It's a mischief, not really destructive, but very troublesome. When it enters a host, it opposes the person's original personality, causing something of a mirror image to emerge."
"What happened to make you call us now?" Julian asked.
"I believe its gotten into my research assistant Stephan. He suddenly turned very sullen and moody, reckless, rude and completely uncooperative. It all happened about a week ago. He went on a camping trip near a set of standing stones near Stonehenge. We've found a description of the ritual needed to banish the spirit but I had to find someone else I could trust to be able to control their mind against invasion during the ritual. You're the only person I can be sure of Julian."
"Where is Stephan now?" Arianna asked.
"He's safe, this morning, he drove his car into a traffic signal. That's why I was gone when you came to the house. Thankfully, he wasn't seriously hurt. We've got him sedated and hidden in a section of the College infirmary that's under construction. Everything is arranged to attempt the banishing as soon as possible. The new moon will help concentrate the ritual's power, it has to be done in the next 2 days."
"We should be able to make excuses to leave just after the dinner, will that give us enough time to try tonight?" Julian asked.
"I think so, thank you both for coming."
Julian had not exaggerated that the party was practically a state occasion. With every imaginable piece of sterling cutlery and crystal glassware perfectly laid out at each place setting, the dinner ran into 8 courses. Shortly after dessert, the three of them were able to depart for the University.
A little before midnight, the campus was fairly deserted. No-one noticed three people in evening clothes entering the construction site.
"Everything alright Lucien?" Dr. Wells asked the tall, red headed student keeping watch.
"All quiet here Doc, are we going to try tonight?"
"Yes. Julian and I can be the controls, with you and Arianna between us, we can form the circle." He carefully covered Stephan's sleeping form with a white sheet marked with an emblem of linking concentric circles, enclosed in a large square. As Lucien lit pillar candles all around the room, the doctor put on a long black robe and handed a matching one to Julian. Positioning the four of them around the bed with himself at the head, Julian at the foot, Lucien to the right, and Arianna to the left he urged, "No matter what happens, do not break the circle." He passed around a chalice of wine for them each to drink from, they joined hands and he began the ritual chant.
"Mare Nubium. Umbriel. Mare Imbrium. Ariel. Et itur ad astra. Mare Undarum. Io. Vela. Mirabile dictu. Mirabilia. Mirabile visu. Et itur ad astra."
Stephan began to stir as Julian felt an electricity seem to fill the room.
"Sempervirent. Rosetum. Afer Ventus. Zephryus. Volturnus. Etesiarum. Eurus."
Cuus cuique mos. Suum cuique. Meus mihi, suus cuique carus. Memento, terrigena, vita brevis. Et itur ad astra. Meus mihi, suus cuique carus."
A sudden wind extinguished the candles, and the electric lights went out, throwing them into darkness.
"Ag caoineadh ar an uaigneas mor. Na deora, go bronach. Na gcodladh ins an uaigh ghlas chiuin. Faoi shuimhneas, go domhain. Smaointe, ar an la. Raigh sibh ar mo thaobh. Is cuimhim liom an la Gan gha'sgan ghruaim. Bigi liomsa i gconai Dybbuk!"
A force swirled through the room knocking everything on the table behind them onto the floor. As their eyes adjusted to the low light coming in through the windows, Stephan suddenly gasped for breath and awoke very dazed and confused.
"What's happening, what, where, who, where am I?" he stammered.
"Steph man, are you okay?" Lucien asked.
"Yeah, I, I think so, last thing I remember, we were camping, how did we get back here? What's going on?" He rubbed his head.
Lucien laughed, "That was over a week ago - you've been in the Twilight Zone pal."
"Is everyone else alright?" Dr. Wells asked as the emergency generator kicked in and the lights came back on.
"Peachy, " bubbled Arianna.
"Fine," said Lucien.
"I think so," Julian answered, running his hand through his hair. Shaking off a strange feeling, almost like a chill, he carefully folded the black robe into a neat bundle and set it aside.
"Well, let's hope that does it." Dr. Wells pulled off his robe and put it with Julian's. "We'll have to keep a close watch on him for a few days to be certain. For now, I think we all need some rest. Julian, can you two stay for a few days?"
Julian looked at Arianna, she was fidgeting with her purse. "As long as you need us Jacob. We'll stop by tomorrow to see how things are going."
The next morning, Julian tapped on the connecting door and went in to find Arianna's sitting room in almost total darkness with the curtains tightly closed. Peeking into the bedroom, he found her sitting cross-legged on the bed with her eyes closed. This room had the curtains drawn as well.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Trying to meditate, like you were teaching me," she answered. "You told Dr. Wells I still had a lot to learn."
"Care to go down for some breakfast first?" he offered.
"Okay." She bounced off the bed and stepped into her shoes.
When the waiter came to the table with their usual pot of Earl Grey tea, she wrinkled her nose at it, made an unintelligible sound, and asked for espresso instead, then ordered oatmeal and sausages. Julian stayed with his usual eggs and bacon and wondered at her order. She had once said she'd rather eat a bowl of wallpaper paste than oatmeal.
"You seem a little... a little tense, this morning," he commented, eyeing her espresso.
"I'm a little tired. Exorcisms are exhausting," she said, rather absently.
He lifted an eyebrow. "Even to watch?"
"Yeah. Even to watch."
He frowned, watching her. *Don't be so suspicious of everyone,* he chastened himself. *She said she was tired. What reason would she have to lie...?* "We need to check back with Jacob today to see if everything is alright."
"Can't you just use the telephone?" she snapped.
"Yes, I suppose I could. What would you like to do today?" he tried to ask nicely while she fiddled with the silverware.
"I'd like to go to the art museum, there's a travelling exhibit of modern art."
"Very well, I'll call him after breakfast and we can go as soon as you're ready." He detested modern art, but wanted to keep an eye on her so agreed.
While she was getting her purse and coat, he dialed Jacob's number from the phone in his room. "Jacob, it's me...... well I thought so too, but Arianna has other plans..... Is everything all right there?...... good........ I'm fine, but I'm a bit worried about her, ........ just little things, I probably shouldn't even have mentioned it........ I'm sure everything's fine......... all right, yes......... yes I will....... bye now."
He'd never seen her as edgy as she was today. In the museum, she'd flit from one canvas to another, then double back to the beginning and disappear into a side gallery, almost as if she were trying to get away from him. After following her around all afternoon in near silence, he was exhausted when they finally stopped at a small cafe for a quick dinner. All through their meal, every time he tried to start a conversation, she'd snap back a one word answer. It was just after nine when they returned to the hotel.
"Ari," he said, stopping her as she was about to go into her room, "are you sure you're all right?"
"God, what *is* it with you today?" she demanded, shaking his hand off her shoulder.
Surprised by her irritability, he took a step back. "You followed me around like a lost puppy," she continued. "Just back off, will you?"
"Fine, fine," he replied, now rather irked, himself. "I'm just worried about you."
"Oh, great," she said. A slight, icy smile curved her lips. "Helluva lot of good your worry did Cassandra."
"I uh, - what did you say?" he gasped, as shocked as if she'd thrown ice water on him.
"Good night, Julian. Sweet dreams." And she was gone, shutting the door in his face.
He backed away, completely shaken. Of all the people he had ever thought might turn against him.... He'd never thought she had it in her, to be so willfully cruel. Realising he was about to make a fool of himself, he retreated hastily to his own room, shutting and locking the door behind him.
He moved to the window, standing there, gazing out into the darkness. The few words she had spoken had hurt him, more severely than anything had done in years. Not the words themselves so much, though they were enough, but it was the way she'd spoken them. He swallowed, hard. Maybe he had been too overprotective in watching her today.
Julian undressed slowly, almost as if he was in pain, and crawled into bed. Curling his body into the duvet, he closed his eyes. A moment later, he sat bolt upright. *Since when does Arianna say -anything- cruel?*
After a terribly long night of tossing and turning, Julian got no response to knocking on the door to her room, and the connecting door was locked from her side. He tried phoning but again, no answer. Hoping she'd just gone to breakfast without him, he went down to check the dining room.
Finding her at a table, alone, playing with an empty juice glass he asked," Mind if I join you."
"It's an almost free country, do as you wish."
"Jacob wants us to come back to see him today, just to be sure everything is back to normal."
"Can I pick up some souvenirs while you see him? Lucien said there's sort of an arts and crafts fair on campus today."
"Sure, if you wish. We can go there this morning." He watched her as they finished their breakfast but she took no notice.
She was out of the car and beyond earshot before Julian had a chance to say anything, he would catch her up later. His first stop was Jacob's faculty office.
"Good morning, is everyone normal today?" he asked, entering the room where Jacob and Lucien were sitting.
Dr. Wells stood to greet him, "Julian - good morning. Yes, all appears fine here. Stephan is sleeping a lot but was his old self when he woke up. How about you?"
"I'm fine, but I'm worried about Arianna. She's acting... peculiar." He sat down in the vacant chair next to Lucien.
"Peculiar, how?" Jacob returned to sit at his desk.
"Just odd little things, really."
"Lucien, don't you have a class to attend?" Dr. Wells asked.
"Oh yeah, I was trying to forget about that." The student gathered up his books and left them to talk privately.
"Now, tell me about it Julian, any little detail might be important. " Jacob offered him a cup of coffee.
"Black, please." Accepting the cup, he continued, "That was the first of the odd things. We usually share a pot of tea at breakfast, now, she acts as though she hates it and only drinks espresso. She can't seem to sit still more than 5 minutes without fidgeting with something, and she had the curtains closed in her room."
"Why is that so strange?"
"She can't stand closed in spaces, and never closes curtains, always wants to be able to see out a window, even at night. That's why I'd started teaching her some of the mind-control tricks, to try and overcome her fear. We'd made good progress, but not that good."
"Where is she now?"
"Off across the campus at the craft fair, she wanted to pick up some trinkets. At first, I thought I was over-reacting but last night..... Her personality has changed Jacob, she's not the Arianna I know."
"This is bad Julian. If as you said yesterday, she can really see through your defenses, then she may have more cognitive powers that we might realise. That would attract the Dybbuk. If it has jumped to her, we'll have a much harder time driving it out than we did with Stephan. Just how far did you get with her training?"
"We really just started, finding a safe place. I prematurely jumped ahead to contact-linked telepathy, and she was able to show me her place quite nicely."
"That could be good. There is some mention in the Celtic lore of joined minds being able to defeat the Dybbuk and drive it back to the trees." He reached for one of his books.
"I don't think the spirit in her is apt to co-operate with us," Julian said sarcastically.
"Why don't the two of you join me for lunch here, in about an hour?" Jacob suggested, picking up the vial of sodium pentathol they'd used to sedate Stephan. The advantage of being a medical doctor as well as an academic was his access to the college of pharmacology.
"Splendid idea," Julian nodded, then he set off to find her amid the brightly coloured pushcarts and kiosks of the craft fair.
The assortment of wares was unbelievable. Everything from carved wooden animals and embroidered fabrics, to antique military pins and intricate bobbin laces. He finally spotter her at a cart selling painted wood Matrushka dolls.
"Have you found anything of interest?" he asked as he came up behind her.
"Oh yes, look at these - aren't they adorable?" She was pointing to a set of twelve nesting dolls, the smallest barely half an inch tall. They were garishly painted in bright pink and green. He looked at her suspiciously. It was definitely not the type of souvenir he could picture in her apartment back in New York.
"Jacob has invited us to join him for lunch in an hour."
"Sounds good, I'm a little hungry already." She paid the vendor for the dolls and tucked the neatly wrapped bundle into her bag.
Julian watched her closely as they wandered from stall to stall. She was almost like a child at a carnival and continued to be drawn to the brightest colours and tackiest things. He was convinced this was not the Arianna he'd come to know. One particular pushcart drew his attention but she wouldn't go near it and went off to look at a cart of kitchen wares. It was a goldsmith with all sorts of amulets and folklore type jewelry. He quickly, but carefully perused the offerings of talismans, rings, and pendants until he spotted one that he wanted. The jeweler was very pleased with his selection and packaged it in a black suede pouch for him.
When they returned to Dr. Wells' office, he'd managed to put together a rather nice lunch of potato soup, chicken stew, and a green salad. Noticing Arianna fidget throughout the meal he offered them instant coffee or tea with desert.
"Coffee please, with extra sugar," she replied.
"Julian will you join me in a pot of tea?"
"Of course." He could see Jacob at the side table behind Arianna, reaching into his pocket for the drugs.
Jacob fixed her drink and brought it to the table while the tea steeped. Before their sweet cakes were finished, she was slumped back in her chair, asleep. The two of them carefully moved her to the leather couch in his office to wait out the afternoon.
While Jacob reread all the prophecy and lore he had found on the Dybbuk, Julian paced the floor, time seemed to be standing still. "What do we do differently this time Jacob?"
"I think it will be safer with just the three of us. Conscious or not, I believe she can still complete the circle. The bond the two of you started to share should be strong enough for you to reach into her mind past the demon's influence." Checking his books one last time, he noted a variation in the last line of the ritual chant.
Later that night, as soon as the new moon rose, they began. Dressed again in a black robe Julian picked up her hand from atop the white sheet. He could feel the electric tingle like there had been when they first made contact during their lessons in Maine, but this time it was icy cold. Jacob set down the wine chalice and joined hands with them both, beginning the chant once again.
"Mare Nubium. Umbriel. Mare Imbrium. Ariel. Et itur ad astra. Mare Undarum. Io. Vela. Mirabile dictu. Mirabilia. Mirabile visu. Et itur ad astra."
Again, the candles blew out but there was light coming through the office windows from outside so they were not in total darkness this time.
"Sempervirent. Rosetum. Afer Ventus. Zephryus. Volturnus. Etesiarum. Eurus.
Cuus cuique mos. Suum cuique. Meus mihi, suus cuique carus. Memento, terrigena, vita brevis. Et itur ad astra. Meus mihi, suus cuique carus."
Julian felt Arianna try to pull her hands away but he held on tightly. In his mind, he could feel her struggling with the Dybbuk and tried to help her return to her safe place. Taking a deep breath, he pushed to go even further, to the very core of her mind.
It felt as if she was drowning. As hard as she struggled against it there was no breaking free, every movement seemed to be pulling her deeper and deeper into a sea of inky blackness. Just as she was being pulled under again, he whispered her name and a faint glimmer of light appeared on the horizon.
"Ag caoineadh ar an uaigneas mor. Na deora, go bronach. Na gcodladh ins an uaigh ghlas chiuin. Faoi shuimhneas, go domhain. Smaointe, ar an la. Raigh sibh ar mo thaobh. Is cuimhim liom an la Gan gha'sgan ghruaim. Bigi liomsa i gconai. Na laetha geal m'oige, an bealach mor a ghi Romham anonn Dybbuk!"
At his final words, Arianna cried out and a sudden force rose up from her body reaching outward in all directions. They held their circle unbroken as the force swirled around the room scattering papers from the desk in all directions and overturning the chairs. With an unearthly scream, it finally shattered a window and dissipated.
Julian had to take a step backward to keep from losing his balance, as Dr. Wells felt the side of her neck to check for a pulse, all the color had drained from her face and her hands were limp and icy cold. She started breathing in shallow gasps and shivering but did not wake up.
"Could you sense anything in her mind?"
"I felt her struggling with it, then felt as if she was drowning. I tried to pull her back." He nervously ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his forehead.
"Well, all we can do now is wait until she wakes up to see if it was successful. I'll find some blankets, and I don't know about you, but I want a stronger drink than tea."
Julian smiled weakly, he felt totally drained, and it was going to be a long night. He wrapped his suit jacket around her to try and stop the shivering.
When Jacob returned to the office he was carrying an armload of blankets, and a bottle of vodka. They wrapped her up as warmly as possible and turned to the liquor.
"This was all my fault," Julian whispered as Jacob sat down and pulled two glasses out of the bottom desk drawer.
"Your fault - how?" The older man poured the drinks and handed one to him.
"We should have gone further with her training before starting on the telepathy. Once again, I opened Pandora's box without the necessary preparations." He swallowed the drink in one gulp and sighed, "When I heard from you, I should have come alone, not dragged her into this. What if the ritual didn't work?" He sat heavily into the big leather chair between the desk and couch and rubbed his eyes.
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Don't let the events of long ago haunt you forever, let go of your past." He refilled their glasses. "You had no way of knowing what would happen with the Dybbuk. Even if we had realised it would be attracted to her, there was no way to ward it off."
At that, Julian remembered the black pouch and reached into his jacket pocket. "Maybe there is, I found something for her today at the fair." He opened the drawstring and tipped the contents onto the desk, out fell an intricately woven Celtic cross, suspended from a delicate gold chain.
Jacob looked at it, amazed, "The Cross of St. Ciricus - I can't believe you found one here, most of the ancient religions have been abandoned, or lost. I've not seen one of those since my last trip to the Highlands."
"It surprised me too. The old goldsmith was very happy when I chose it." He took the necklace and knelt beside the couch to fasten it around her neck. When the metal of the cross touched her skin, she stirred slightly and made a whimpering noise but still did not awaken.
"Go home and get some rest Jacob, I'll keep watch tonight."
The older man patted him on the shoulder as he left the office saying, "It was not your fault."
Julian slumped back into the large chair, propped his feet up on the corner of the desk, and watched while she slept.
Closing his eyes, he pictured her last night at the Embassy party in that slinky black dress. Her short, tawny light brown hair had fairly glistened with blonde highlights. With a smile, he remembered how she'd cleverly trounced that know-it-all aide who was asking questions about things he had no business knowing. There'd been a devilish glint in her eyes when the young man scurried away. Those eyes...almost like a kaleidoscope, seemed to change color with her moods. Usually a deep sapphire blue, he'd seen them range from a deep violet to the pale turquoise of thick glacial ice. When she was being mischievous, they leaned more toward lavender. Whatever had to be done, he wanted that Arianna back, he cared far too much to lose her now.
He woke with a jump to find the office filled with sunlight. Rubbing his temples, he guessed he must have dosed off sometime in the early morning hours. Arianna was breathing more evenly now, and had a slight smile on her face as if she were dreaming. He gently brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles and her eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened.
"Ju...Julian, what's happened?" He could see the confusion in her face when she recognised Dr. Wells office and saw that his tuxedo had changed for dark pants and a rumpled grey shirt.
"Hi, welcome back," he said. She squinted against the sunlight and he moved to close the curtains.
"What are you doing?" she protested.
"You don't want them closed?" he asked hopefully.
"You know I don't."
He unwrapped the nested dolls from her bag and asked, "Do you remember buying these?"
"Uggh, please tell me I didn't," she squirmed.
He laughed, "It's good to have you back."
Struggling to sit up from under the mountain of blankets, she noticed her own clothes had changed as well, and touched the gold cross hanging from her neck. "What is this? Please, tell me what is going on."
"It's a gift from me, an old Celtic talisman against invading spirits. The rest.... is going to take some time to explain."
The Darkness
By Arianna (aka wavBec)
There was an intense flash of light, and then silence. When her head cleared and she got her eyes back into focus she saw him lying in a heap on the floor.
"Julian!" She gently shook him, "Julian can you hear me?"
He sat up, putting a hand to his head, and opened eyes that refused to focus. "Arianna?"
She touched his arm, "I'm right here, are you alright?"
"I don't know,....... I can't see anything," he said softly. Taking hold of both his arms, she looked closely into his eyes. The translucent green had turned muddy like a pool of stagnant water, the usual life and sparkle was gone.
"Nothing at all?" She waved her hand in front of him.
"Nothing."
"Oh my God, how are we going to explain this to an emergency room doctor?"
"We don't, just take me home and call Jacob." His voice sounded shaky.
"Home - aren't you safer here?"
He shook his head, "No, if I can't see where I am, I want to be in my own place. Don't worry, I can find it with my eyes closed." She snickered, at least his sense of humour was still intact.
Leading someone who can't see was harder than she thought. When she missed telling him about the kerb he stumbled, but her tight grip on his arm kept him from falling down. They finally reached his car in the underground parking lot. "Do you want me to drive?" he teased, fumbling in his pocket for the keys and holding them out to her.
"Very funny, now hold still." She opened the passenger door and carefully guided him through the opening, closing the door when he'd settled into the seat. Getting behind the wheel and adjusting the mirrors down to her own height, she turned the key and asked, "Okay, where to?"
"Oh, right, well, the motorway, uhm, route 87 North to the Sawmill River parkway, then follow route 9 to Hastings on the Hudson." When they got to the quaint little town, he instructed her to take the road that lead into a thick area of woodlands. She almost missed the dirt driveway he said to watch for. Turning left into the drive, they continued about a quarter of a mile off the main road, to a spot where the trees opened up to reveal a clearing with a small cottage perched high above the riverbank.
"Julian - it's beautiful," she gasped.
"Must be the right place then." He laughed nervously. Joking was one of his many defense mechanisms, but she could fell deep down he was quite shaken by this new twist of fate. Leading him from the car to the house was easier than before, maybe because he was familiar with the surroundings.
The side door led into a large living area that spanned the whole back of the house. Sliding glass doors opened onto a deck that afforded a spectacular view of the river. He felt his way to one of the overstuffed chairs upholstered with nubbly oatmeal color cotton and sat down to get his bearings.
"On the desk in the study, there's a Rolodex, where you can find Jacob's number." He shuddered to think of some of the other numbers she'd find there but it couldn't be helped now, he had no choice but to trust her.
Arianna went to the small wood paneled study. In contrast to the light airy modern decor of the living room, this looked like Henry Higgin's library in 'My fair Lady". All four walls were lined with shelves of books on every imaginable subject, and in several different languages. In the center of the room was a large desk the top of which was painfully neat. Quickly spinning the Rolodex to W, she used one of the fountain pens in the tray to write Dr. Wells' faculty office and personal numbers onto a scrap of paper from the notepad.
When she returned to the living room she got worried when Julian wasn't there, but relaxed a bit upon hearing "Damn!" come from the kitchen as a glass fell into the sink and shattered. When she came up behind him, he had his hands braced against the kitchen counter, his head hanging down, totally discouraged. He turned toward her and sighed heavily when she put her hand against his back. "I thought I could at least make a sandwich."
"Come back and sit down, you can talk with Jacob while I find us something to eat." She carefully guided him to the couch and picked up his cellular phone. Looking at her watch and allowing for the time difference, she keyed in Jacob's personal number, it should be too late for him to be at the university. When she heard him answer, she handed the flip phone to Julian and went to the kitchen.
There wasn't much to work with but there was plenty of tea. The refrigerator was empty except for a bottle of flat soda, mayonnaise, cheese, and a bottle of stir-fry sauce, obviously Julian hadn't spent much time at home recently. A quick trip to the market was definitely in order, after his talk with Jacob.
* * *
He closed the flip-phone and carefully set it down on the glass coffee table. Sensing that she was watching him, he turned toward her and shrugged. "He'll catch the first plane and be here tomorrow. I told him what we were trying to do and he thinks the blindness is temporary. I hope." She touched his left shoulder and he reached up to take her hand, leaning his head against it he could smell her sweet perfume.
"You don't have much for food here. Are there any stores nearby?" she asked.
"I haven't been home very much, but there's a small market and an apothecary in town, turn left at the main road, then straight on about 2 miles."
"Will you be okay here alone?"
He really didn't want her to leave but knew that without him she would be back a lot faster. "I'll just sit here and watch something on the telly," he joked.
The words were funny, but she saw no laughter in his face, Julian who'd always been a tower of strength, was afraid. "I'll be right back," she said softly.
As soon as he heard her drive away, he shuddered as an uncomfortable memory from childhood came crashing back into his head. Once, after a heated argument with Father over sending him off to school, he'd run off into the woods and in his anger got lost. Alone and feeling utterly helpless, he'd wandered in circles for hours before his dog had come crashing through the underbrush to find him. Who would find him this time?
Shaking his head to try and shed the maudlin thoughts, he wondered what he could do until she returned. Normally, he enjoyed the peace and quiet here, but now it was quite unsettling. The usually familiar surroundings were alien without his sight. Feeling the surface of the coffee table with both hands, he at last located the television remote and pushed several small buttons before hearing the set hum to life. Tracing the shape of the larger buttons with his fingertips he located the arrow indicating channel up.
* * *
Pulling into the shopping centre parking lot, Arianna giggled at his calling the small drug store an 'apothecary' but was glad it was there. She hadn't thought to bring an overnight bag from her place, so at least she could find a toothbrush, and some of the other sundries needed for an extended stay, she'd worry about clothes later. The market was tiny, but incredibly well stocked, it took no time at all to find provisions for the next couple of days.
True to his word, Julian was sitting right where she'd left him on the couch. He'd fallen asleep with the TV remote clutched in his left hand and a Sherlock Holmes Mystery on the screen. Quietly she took the groceries to the kitchen.
The smell of food finally woke him about 25 minutes later. She was just adding mandarin orange slices to the veggies for one last stir when he bumped into the bar stools on the living room side of the pass-through counter. "Sorry, I must have dosed off while you were gone, I'd forgotten how quiet this place could be, the silence was nerve wracking." He sniffed the air, "Hmm, smells good."
"I hope so, tried to make it like the one you cooked on the island but wasn't quite sure of your recipe so had to improvise."
"There is no recipe, improvising is the secret to it." He started feeling through the silverware rack on the counter to find forks and spoons.
Dishing the concoction over a bed of rice on each plate she had to admit it did look rather tasty. She set one plate in front of him and sat on a stool on the kitchen side with the other. "There's a glass of ice water next to your left hand," she warned him before he knocked it over.
"Thank you - for everything," he said quietly.
"You'd better taste it first."
"Now who's trying to be funny?" he laughed.
After they had finished their dinner, they sat on the couch and shared a pot of Earl Grey and some tea biscuits.
"What does it look like?" he asked suddenly.
"What does what look like?"
"The view, describe it to me."
She sighed, "It's lovely, there's a full moon and its light is reflecting off the water like quick silver. The lights of houses across the river twinkle like little yellow gemstones on black velvet."
"Wish I could see it," he muttered, almost under his breath.
"You will." She laid her hand on top of his and leaned her head against his shoulder as they sat in the moonlit silence.
It had been a long day and they were both exhausted by the time she helped him up the stairs. When they reached his bedroom door she asked, "Can I borrow something to sleep in and a shirt for tomorrow?"
"Let me try to find something. This room, I should be able to manage on my own." He moved cautiously into the room. There was not much furniture so he was able to maneuver quite well as she stood in the doorway watching. He bumped the side of the large bed with his knee and then turned and crossed the open floor to the bureau. Feeling down to the second drawer, he pulled out a pair of blue and white striped pyjamas. "Are these okay?" he asked holding them out.
"Just the top is fine." She smiled taking it from him, thankful he couldn't see the colour rising in her face.
"There are more clothes in the guestroom. Help yourself to anything you find in there for tomorrow. Then you can help me pick something that doesn't clash." Still joking, he sat down on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes.
"Sleep well Julian," she said, lightly touching his hair before going down the hall to explore the guestroom.
She was surprised to find that each room of the small cottage was decorated in a completely different style. Julian's room was painted off white, stark and uncluttered with black lacquered oriental furniture and a thick cushy Chinese wool carpet of dark red and black, with a round ivory symbol in the center and a branch of flowers at opposing corners. The guestroom was also off white, but done in Danish modern teak wood with hand hooked rya rugs in shades of brown, orange, and gold. The other odd thing all through the house was the complete lack of any photographs or personal nick-knacks. It almost seemed like a model home, or a theatre set.
She took a quick shower to help her relax and got ready for bed. Noticing a slightly spicy aroma as she rolled up the pyjama sleeves, she sniffed the collar. It was sandalwood, probably from the oriental furniture, but she thought it suited him somehow. With the pleasing scent, the soft mattress and fluffy comforter, the bed felt wonderful and she was asleep very quickly.
* * *
Feeling the warmth of the sun on his face Julian hopefully opened his eyes but still could see only darkness. He lay very still, not moving a muscle and listened. His own heartbeat was deafening, but once he got used to it he could hear a myriad of other sounds. Birds, traffic, leaves rustling with the wind, something scampering along the roof - a squirrel probably, and if he really tried, he could hear her breathing in the other room. Jacob had mentioned the old cliche that when one sense is lost the others become more acute, perhaps there was something to it after all, but he'd rather not put it to the test. The muddy darkness was bloody awful.
* * *
In the morning, she opened the teak armoire to find a rainbow assortment of shirts that could rival many a store. Pushed far to one side was a brown plaid flannel that seemed out of place among the others. Borrowing an ivory silk shirt with pearl buttons, she carefully folded up the long sleeves to uncover her hands.
Tucking her necklace down inside the shirt, she tiptoed down the hall and looked in on Julian. He was lying perfectly still, flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. For a moment, her breath caught in her throat, until he spoke.
"I think I can hear the grass growing."
"Julian, you scared me. How long have you been awake?"
He sighed deeply, "I'm not sure, none of the clocks in the house strike. I've just been lying here listening to everything. You'd be amazed how many sounds we normally take for granted. What time is it?"
"It's about 9:30. How do you feel this morning?"
"The same. Actually, I'm hungry."
"I'll go start breakfast - any special requests?" she asked playfully.
"I haven't the faintest idea what you bought at the grocer, so I'll have to say surprise me?" he laughed, "I'll be down in a few minutes."
"Okay, be careful on the stairs."
* * *
When she'd gone, he threw off the covers and felt for the edge of the bed. The walk-in closet was so neatly arranged, finding pants and a shirt by touch was like picking one from column A and one from column B. There was no need for a suit and tie today. He felt his way along the wall to the bathroom, and managed to take a shower without dropping the soap.
Arianna looked up from slicing an apple cinnamon coffee cake to see him cautiously making his way down the stairs. "Four more steps," she offered.
"Thanks, I never realised there were 13." Carefully he made his way to the kitchen door, rubbed his chin and shrugged. "I detest the grunge look but it was either this or risk slitting my throat with a razor - couldn't find my electric." He settled onto a counter stool and inhaled deeply. "Let's see, apple, cinnamon, melon, Earl Grey of course, and.... strawberries?"
"Very good, there's cheese too if you like." He felt the warmth as she put a mug of tea next to his left hand and touched his right with a plate of fruit and cake.
While she cleaned up the dishes after they'd eaten, he moved slowly to the sofa. They were both startled when his cellphone rang. Fumbling for it on the coffee table, he toppled half the carved ivory pieces on the chessboard and swore under his breath before flipping open the phone.
"Yes?.......Jacob, where are you?.......No, no change yet.......Right, same place, in Hastings, it's about a 2 hour drive.......yes, yes she's here........good, well - we'll be here, ........see you soon." Putting the phone down, he stood up and scratched his chin again. "He's renting a car. He'll be here in a couple of hours, 3 at most."
"My grandfather used to let me play barbershop and shave him. If it bothers you that much I think I can remember how."
"Aah, and how long ago was that?" he asked.
"Well, you know what they say, some things you never forget. I'll find the stuff, take off your shirt and sit at the counter." Even though he couldn't see her, he knew her eyes must be that mischievous shade of lavender and wondered just what he was getting himself into.
In a few minutes, she was back with a basin of warm water, a towel, shaving cream and the razor she'd found in the upstairs bath. Wrapping the fluffy bath towel around his shoulders, she gently smeared white foam over his cheeks, chin and neck. He squirmed and picked at the edges of the towel. "Now hold still," she instructed, as she started to remove some of the light brown stubble with firm even strokes, very glad he couldn't see her hands were shaking slightly. "If you'd unclench your jaw, it would be easier. Go to your safe place, and trust me."
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The rest went much easier, they were both a bit more relaxed. She wiped the last spots of shave cream off his chin with a warm facecloth saying, "Okay, you can breathe now. All done, and no blood spilled."
Inspecting the results with one hand, he laughed, "Thanks, that feels much better."
She pulled off the bath towel and handed him his shirt noticing the Paris wound had left only a small round scar where the bullet passed through his right shoulder.
Around two o'clock, Julian was sitting in the sunlight out on the deck when he heard a car turn into the drive. He made his way inside announcing, "I think Jacob's here," as he closed the sliding glass door and bumped the coffee table.
* * *
Arianna went out to meet Dr. Wells at the car. "How is he today?" he asked getting out of the anonymous looking rental.
"Still blind, and trying overly hard to be funny. Jacob I'm worried - he's putting up a good front, as always, but I can tell he's scared."
"I can imagine, let's go see what we can do." Reaching for the black medical bag on the front seat, he headed for the house.
"Where is your luggage?" she asked following him.
"I left it at a hotel in the city."
When they got inside, Julian was sitting on the sofa, pretending to read a book. He looked up when he heard them come in. "Hello Jacob, so good to see you again."
"Very droll Julian, but your book is upside down." Jacob nodded to Arianna as she tried not to giggle, "How about some tea while we try to analyze this.....ah, problem?"
As Arianna filled the teapot, the doctor went to examine the damage. "Now, hold still and let me take a look." She watched anxiously as he waved a hand in front of Julian's face, then took out a penlight and shined it into his eyes. There was no reaction to the point of light at first, but when he went back a second time, Julian drew a quick breath and winced. "What is it?" Jacob asked.
"A sharp stabbing pain," Julian answered. "What did you just do?"
"It was a reaction to an intense beam of light, could you see anything?"
"No, does that mean something?"
"I'm not sure but I hope it might be a step in the right direction." Arianna brought the tea tray over to the coffee table and put a mug in Julian's hand, then sat next to him with her legs curled under her and waited to see what Jacob recommended next. "Tell me again what you were doing when this happened."
"Thought transference, she'd sent an image to me and I was transferring it back when there was a bright flash and then this." He waved a hand toward his unseeing eyes.
"The only explanation I've been able to find so far, is some sort of backflare. Like the reflection of a camera flash against glass. The amplified thoughts must have overloaded your optic nerve. Was there anything in your line of sight just before it happened that could have reflected the energy?"
Julian tried think back to it in his mind, but shook his head, "It's no use, even in my thoughts, I'm blind."
"Perhaps we can do it together. Now that Jacob is here, maybe it would be safe to try again," she suggested.
"I don't know. What if we both end up bumping into the furniture? It's a hell of a risk."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take," she said softly, shifting to sit facing him.
"Alright then, see if together you can go back to just before it happened and describe to me everything you see." Jacob moved to a chair where he could watch them more closely.
Julian ran a hand through his hair, then sighed and held both hands out toward her.
She put her hands in his, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Blocking out all other thoughts and concentrating only on his mind had gotten easier with each step of their lessons. This time though, it was as if she was moving through a dense black fog.
She could feel him squeeze his eyes tightly closed and try again to concentrate on yesterday morning. Feeling the shared energy flow through their hands, shades of grey started to emerge from the inky blackness.
"Can either of you see anything yet?" Jacob whispered.
Arianna answered first, "Yes, I can see the apartment. We're sitting like we are now, hands joined, eyes closed."
"Open your eyes and look around, see if there is anything Julian's thoughts might have hit and bounced back at him."
She scanned the room looking for a mirror or anything reflective but there was nothing. "No, I can't see anything unusual."
"Julian, can you see anything at all?"
"I'm starting to make out vague shapes, but nothing identifiable."
"Arianna, try to change places with him, see if you can see what he saw."
"Okay, I'll try." She concentrated harder and soon was looking at herself across the coffee table. Even though it was daytime, the moon was visible through the open window but she saw nothing reflective in his line of sight. The only thing different that she could see was....."my necklace," she gasped.
Julian started laughing. "Oh that's just too ironic."
"What necklace, what did it look like, was it shiny?" Jacob was confused.
"It was the Celtic cross I gave her," Julian answered as they both opened their eyes and sat back comfortably again.
Jacob rubbed his beard and puzzled. "The prophecies say that talisman protects against invading spirits. I suppose one could stretch that to include the energy of thoughts as an invasion as well."
"But if that's true, why did nothing happen with it just now?" she asked.
"You're not wearing it." Jacob refilled his cup.
She pulled the chain out from under her collar saying, "I never take it off."
"But yesterday, it was outside your sweater. I remember now. Perhaps it reacts differently when uncovered. Assuming we've answered how it happened, any suggestions how to undo it Jacob?" He jerked suddenly and put a hand to his eyes.
"What is it Julian, more pain?" she asked worriedly.
"No, I'm fine, one of the grey shapes moved in the blackness, it startled me that's all."
"That's good, if you can still see them then maybe it's wearing off. I want to confer with one of my colleagues before we go any further. She's doing some research in the archives at the Museum of Natural History. I'm meeting her there after it closes tonight. In the meantime, one thing I've really missed is good Thai food, and I'm sure Julian knows where to get some."
"I do - Star of Siam, next to the town hall. It's a small place, but very good. Would you mind getting take away Jacob? I'm really not up to dinner in public."
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking, I'll be back shortly." He left them sitting in silence and drove off to find the restaurant.
Julian sat forward, elbows on his knees with his head in his hands. She felt a lump rise in her throat, wanting to help but not knowing what to do was painful. She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling. Unclasping the chain and removing the necklace she took it to the kitchen and put it on top of the fridge, safely out of sight, then went to kneel on the floor in front of him placing her hands on his knees.
"Let's see if we can shed some light on those grey shapes." She gently took his hands in her own. "Show me the blackness Julian, maybe together we can clear it." He started to resist but then gave in and followed her lead.
This time, the darkness was suffocating. It felt like being deep under water and not knowing which way was up toward the surface. She could feel herself struggling for breath and tried to focus on finding him. Hearing him call her name, she moved cautiously toward his voice. As she went deeper, the blackness seemed to lighten into many shades of grey. Moving further on, she could just make out a shadow standing with a hand held out toward her. Just as she reached out to take the hand, someone grabbed her and pulled her back.
"Stop! You don't know what you're doing!" Jacob yelled, pulling their hands apart, breaking their connection. "Arianna, snap out of it!" He shook her roughly.
She shook her head and blinked while her eyes focused. "Jacob - I could see him through the darkness, why did you stop us? I was almost there."
"She was Jacob, I could make out her shadow coming toward me, and the grey shapes are a bit more defined now." Julian stood up but quickly fell back down onto the couch rubbing his forehead.
"What happened?" Jacob asked.
"Now that I can make out shapes, their movement is making me dizzy. Think I'd better have a lie down."
"I'll take him upstairs," she said, helping him up and steadying him as they moved to the stairs. He kicked off his shoes and sprawled on the top of the bed like someone trying to hold onto a floating raft in a swimming pool. As she went back to the kitchen Dr. Wells was unpacking the take-away dinner.
She carried a container of food up to see if Julian was hungry but found him rolled in the comforter fast asleep. Jacob was relieved when he saw her come down the stairs smiling.
"He's asleep," she said softly, putting the extra food into the fridge and retrieving her necklace from it's hiding place. "I'm sorry Jacob, it was all my idea. He looked so distraught, I thought it might help, it's so hard to see him like this."
"I know, but I must insist - no more attempts until I talk with Theora. Give me your word you won't try anything else until tomorrow."
"I promise." They ate quietly at first. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but had learned that there were usually no answers when it came to the Cabal. Finally deciding it was worth a try, she asked, "Are you with the Cabal too Jacob?".
He shook his head, "No, I'm not." After a drink, he continued, I was teaching at one of their schools when Julian got sent from home. It was a joy having such a gifted student, even though he wasn't happy there. His father was killed partway through his first year at school, and his mother went to pieces. There was some disagreement that tore the two sides of his family apart, and he was caught in the middle." They finished eating and he left for the city, and his appointment at the museum.
Afraid the television would wake Julian, she crept upstairs and changed for bed. Lying very still she tried to get to sleep but it was early and she was too wound up from the day. Silently going downstairs she took a closer look at the bookshelves in his study.
The wall behind the desk was all counterinsurgence and tactical books. With a whole shelf devoted to weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. There was also an extensive collection of encyclopedic reference books. Another section held books in foreign languages. She recognised French, Italian, Spanish, something with a Cyrillic alphabet, Russian she guessed, several books in Chinese characters and what looked like Thai, or maybe Vietnamese. Next, she found, as she'd expected, mystery and adventure novels, everything from Conan Doyle to Grisham and Cussler.
In the far corner of the room were shelves that took her completely by surprise. There were the classic literature romances, Forrester, Austen, M.M. Kaye, Bronte; and poetry books, Byron, Frost, Dickinson, Shakespeare's plays, and The Sonnets.
*You never cease to amaze me Julian* she thought, noticing at the end of the shelf a small book with no title on the spine. Taking it from it's place she found a worn leather binding with a compass rose design embossed on the cover. Inside was a collection of poems and excerpts, handwritten in Julian's angular script. The first few entries were dated, 1971, he must have started this collection sometime in his late teens. Taking it with her she quietly climbed the stairs.
As she passed his open door, he reached out and whispered her name.
"I'm here. I just borrowed a book from your library." The full moon shining through the window cast patchwork patterns of light across the dark room as she took his hand and sat on the floor next to the bed.
His voice was shaky when he softly uttered, "I hate having you see me like this, but I'm glad you're here. Would you read to me?"
"Will the light bother you?"
"Try it."
She switched on the bedside lamp and saw that his still muddy green eyes were moist with unshed tears.
"It's alright," he said, closing his eyes.
She was embarrassed to let him know she'd found his private collection but having no choice, began to read aloud an excerpt from Ranier Maria Rilke's - 'Letters to a Young Poet': "How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are at the beginning of all peoples, the myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into princesses, who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being, something helpless that wants help from us."
He rolled onto his side facing her and slowly his other hand reached toward her hair. As she inclined her head to make contact with his fingers he felt the silky strands and murmured softly, "You've found one of my secrets."
She just smiled and continued, "So you must not be frightened, if a sadness rises up before you larger than any you have ever seen; if a restiveness, like light and cloud-shadows, passes over your hands and over all you do. You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; it will not let you fall..."
"Read another, please," he whispered, lightly stroking her hair and exploring the side of her face and ear with fingertips that sent shivers up her spine.
The next page contained another Rilke piece from 'Possibility of Being':
"How shall I hold my soul, that it may not be touching yours? How shall I lift it then above you to where other things are waiting? Ah, gladly would I lodge it, all-forgot, with some lost thing the dark is isolating on some remote and silent spot that, when your depths vibrate, is not itself vibrating.
You and me - all that lights upon us, though brings us together like a fiddle-bow, drawing one voice from two strings it glides along. Across what instruments have we been spanned? And what violinist holds us in his hand? O sweetest song."
"One more," he tried to stifle a yawn.
She turned the page to find e.e.cummings and read,
"somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously) her first rose
or if your wish be to close me,i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain, has such small hands."
She stopped when he fell asleep, his grip on her hand held firm. Reading more of his book silently, she found snippets from Tennyson's 'Lady of Shalott', Alfred Noyes' 'The Highwayman', as well as more excerpts of Rilke's works, and Dylan Thomas.
He'd copied two of Shakespeare's love sonnets completely, 116 and her favourite, 29:
'When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
featur'd like him, like him with friends posess'd,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, --and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.'
Looking at his sleeping face, she marveled at the enigma that was Julian. The cold, polished exterior most people saw of him concealed a depth of feelings like a dam waiting to overflow. The selections he'd copied were some of the most passionate and sensual pieces she'd ever read.
As she turned another few pages she found a wallet size photograph tucked into the book. It showed a beautiful Chinese girl, probably in her early twenties, standing in a Moon gate. Wearing a long pale blue dress with a mandarin collar, she held a single lotus blossom cradled delicately in both hands.
On the back in small flourished script was inscribed 'Julian, I will love you always'. At the bottom she recognised his hand had written 'Mei-Ling 1955-1976'. The pages surrounding the photo held an excerpt of Wordsworth that made her eyes fill with tears,
'What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.
And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills, and Groves,
Forebode not any severing of our loves!
Yet in my heart of hearts I feel your might;
I only have relinquished one delight
To live beneath your more habitual sway.
I love the Brooks which down their channels fret,
Even more than when I tripped lightly as they;
The innocent brightness of a new-born Day
Is lovely yet;
The Clouds that gather round the setting sun
Do take a sober colouring from an eye
That hath kept watch o'er man's mortality;
Another race hath been, and other palms are won.
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.'
She swallowed hard to silence the sob that rose in her throat and closing her eyes, rested her head against the side of the bed. Listening to the even rhythm of his breathing and feeling the heartbeat in the hand still firmly clutching hers, she fell asleep as her mind drifted toward his.
A fine haze parted in the early evening dusk to reveal a young couple arm in arm, walking slowly in a lush oriental garden. The man was tall but the young oriental girl was very tiny, her head barely reaching his shoulder. They paused on a footbridge over a trickling stream and embraced. When she stood on tiptoes and he leaned down to kiss her, Arianna recognised Mei-Ling and a much younger Julian. As her arms wrapped about his neck, a single white flower tumbled to the ground. Arianna could see adoration in both their eyes when their lips parted. He bent down to retrieve the flower just as a loud sound split the tranquility of the night, she fell into his arms, a trail of blood oozing from her temple.
"....no....Mei-Ling....NO!" Julian yelled.
Arianna woke suddenly when she heard him call out and shook him gently, "Julian, wake up, it's alright, it's over now."
"Arianna?" He woke from the memory breathing hard, and tightened the already firm grip on her hand.
"I'm so very sorry Julian, that nightmare was all my fault. I found her picture in your book just before I fell asleep."
He wasn't sure if it was the nightmare itself that had shaken him so, or the realisation that in sleep she'd been able to touch his locked away memories. If she learned to do it deliberately, it was only a matter of time before she'd find the other things hidden in his past.
He tried to catch his breath and sighed. "No, you can't control where the mind goes when you're asleep, it's alright. It's been a long time since....."
"Can I ask what happened?" she whispered.
"Now you know another of my dark secrets. She was my first..., we met on my first assignment. That bullet was meant for me. If I hadn't bent down for her flower she'd still be alive."
She felt suddenly ice cold and shivered at the thought that if he'd been killed back then, they would never have met.
"You're cold, I can feel it. Stay here with me tonight." He pulled her hand toward him, but she resisted. "What - don't you trust me?"
"It's not that." She thought from their telepathy lessons that he knew how she felt about him, but so much of him was still a mystery. She didn't even know his whole name, just Julian 7. And how could she admit that but for one clumsy attempt in college, she had no experience with intimacy.
His face turned into the palm of her hand and kissed it. "Don't worry, I won't bite. I just want to hold you near me." He reached out his other hand to her, needing the physical contact.
The mattress sagged under her weight when she timidly settled herself under the covers facing him. "Julian I'm not...,"
"Sssh, just relax." Gently, he touched her face, exploring with his fingertips. She trembled as he rubbed this thumb across her lower lip. He pulled her closer until she could feel the warmth of his body radiating through her. As she lay curled next to him, lightly resting her head on his chest, his free hand gently caressed her back, until she fell asleep.
* * *
Julian awoke first from a very sensual dream, they'd skipped going to the Embassy party on their last assignment in Eastern Europe...... He could feel her body moulded against his side. Using his shoulder for a pillow, her free arm was mostly inside his shirt and one knee draped across his thigh. He gingerly touched her hair and in her sleep she purred like a kitten. Listening to her heartbeat merge with his own, he tried to picture her lying there. Although taller and larger boned than Mei-Ling or Cassandra, he knew his pyjama top was very big on her. Remembering how she'd trembled when his fingers touched her lips he smiled, and wondered if the reaction was to the sensation itself or to 'him'.
He found her timidness to lie down with him last night somehow strangely attractive, but after that dream, was a bit apprehensive of how she might feel this morning. When he felt her body start to stir, he closed his eyes and turned his head away from her finally relaxing his hold on her hand. If he couldn't see her, he'd rather let her think he was still asleep and allow her to get up first.
* * *
Arianna slowly opened her eyes and blushed with the realisation of her position. His body was so warm, and being close to him felt so good she hated to leave the bed, but did want to get up before he awoke. Slowly pulling her arm out from inside his shirt and moving away, she froze when he moaned softly and rolled toward her. A lock of hair fell over his forehead giving him a boyish look. Watching his still peacefully sleeping face, she carefully continued to inch her way off the bed.
Having made it to the guestroom without hearing him wake up, she let out a sigh of relief and pulled off the pyjama top. The hot spray of the shower felt wonderful, but it couldn't compare with the sensations of last night. Trying to sort through the overwhelming muddle of feelings in her brain led her back to the dream. She'd fallen asleep first, which meant this time it came from his mind. But still, letting the water wash over her, she wondered if Julian had just needed company last night, or if he'd really wanted to hold 'her'.
The longest of his shirts was the brown plaid flannel. Putting it on and checking her reflection, she figured it was passable to wear as a dress, provided she was with someone who couldn't see. Jacob had said he would ring before driving up from the city so they'd be alone until afternoon.
* * *
Julian waited until he heard her go down the stairs then slowly sat up. So far, so good, but the real test would be to see if the dizziness returned when he tried to stand up. Without unbuttoning it further, he pulled yesterday's shirt off over his head and cautiously got to his feet. Catching his balance against the wall with one hand, he fumbled his way to the closet. He was still a bit woozy, but not as bad as yesterday, the grey shapes seemed to be even more clearly defined now.
"Hope you don't mind the same breakfast menu today," she greeted as he counted the last few stairs. "How are you feeling?"
"Still slightly off balance, but better. What time is it?" he asked, gripping the counter and carefully finding the barstool.
"It's just past 9."
He felt the warm tea mug touch the side of his hand and picked it up for a careful sip. After a few awkward moments of quiet he asked, "Any word from Jacob?", knowing the phone hadn't rung, but trying to think of something to say.
"Not yet."
They ate quietly, both lost in remembrances of last night. When they were through, he moved to the couch to wait for Jacob's call. As she brought him a refilled mug, his hand brushed her bare thigh and he pulled back quickly wondering what she was - or wasn't -wearing
"I borrowed your flannel shirt," she said. "Today, I need to find somewhere to get some more clothes."
"Well, maybe a change of scenery would be fun, can I come along?"
"Do you think you're up to shopping or would it be easier to go back to my place?" she asked, settling onto the other end of the couch with her legs curled under her.
"There's a rather nice boutique here in town, it would save the drive back and forth. I'll buy you anything you want."
"Well, that's a deal I can't refuse, but we should wait until we hear from Jacob."
"Agreed."
Again there was a period of awkward silence until finally he heard her take a deep breath and begin, "Julian, I'm sorry I found out about Mei-Ling. I know Cabal personnel identities are secret. I didn't mean to pry - it just sort of, happened."
"Well, I've had several identities, and besides, if my sight doesn't come back, I may not be Cabal personnel much longer," he didn't laugh. "In a strange way, it almost feels better that you know. With telepathy training, there was always the risk you'd tap into my memories, consciously or not. My other contacts never had the ability for any of that, and in recent years I haven't stayed with anyone for more than a single assignment."
"Should I be flattered or did you get stuck with me?"
"I'm sorry, that was rude. It wasn't as comforting as it was meant to be."
"It's alright Julian, I know you're worried but you can't keep it all inside - it'll destroy you."
"You already know more about me than anyone. Dawson clued me in on what he'd told you about our first meeting, and the mess with Cassandra. Now you know about Mei-Ling. The Cabal is what I am, it's all I've ever known. Father sent me off to school when I was but twelve. "
Feeling the pain in his voice she leaned forward and lightly touched his arm in sympathy. When he suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, she felt the dam inside him was about to overflow.
A ragged whisper in her ear said, "I don't want to lose you too," just as the cellphone rang.
"Hello?........ Good morning Jacob,..... yes,...... he's still a bit off balance, but better I think. What news?....... good..... okay,..... okay late afternoon...... we're going shopping...... (laugh)No, I don't think he'll mind...... see you later then...... Bye."
As she closed the phone Julian rubbed his eyes and asked, "What won't 'he' mind?"
"He wants to bring take away food, Indian this time. Since you didn't eat last night, I didn't think you'd mind. His friend thinks she has a bead on something. They've got a few more archives to go through so he'll be up late this afternoon. Do you still want to go for a ride?"
"Splendid idea," he sighed, trying to get his emotions back under control while she ran upstairs to pull on her black knit slacks and find some shoes.
'Tapestry of Dreams' was a quirky little boutique in the centre of town that catered to those with sophisticated tastes, and they appeared to know Julian well. He lied to the young salesclerk, telling her his vision was just temporarily blurred from a climbing accident. The probably late teenaged girl, whose engraved nametag read 'Janet', was duly impressed. Arianna now knew where he found the unusual silk ties he wore with those Armani suits. While she selected some things to try on, he whispered something to the girl and she led him to a large overstuffed chair near the 3-way mirror.
"I'll be quick," Arianna said, touching his shoulder on the way to the dressing room.
"I want to see what I'm buying," he teased.
She turned to look back at him saying, "Very funny Julian."
"Humour me," he winked.
Figuring his little charade was for the benefit of Janet, she chuckled and decided to play along. Her first selection was a pair of black pants and red cotton sweater with a black swirl design knit in around the shoulders. She stepped out from behind the ringed curtain and asked "What do you think?"
"Very nice," he said.
Next she put on navy pants with a periwinkle blue pullover that had small seed pearls around the collar. "I like that one too," was his reaction when she moved to look in the mirror.
The last choice was tan pants with the same pearl embellished pullover but in a soft celadon green. "Do you like this one or the other better?" she teased, looking at her reflection.
"Ooh, that shade of green is my favourite color." She did a double take - and would almost have believed his sight was back if Janet hadn't been trying so hard not to smile.
"Just for that, I'll take all three," she laughed, then asked the clerk if she could wear the last outfit home.
"How about a nice satin sleeping gown?" he offered.
"Actually, I'm quite happy in your pyjamas, thank you." Enjoying the shade of red that overtook his cheeks, she handed Janet her own clothes, the new selections, and some silky lingerie.
He turned toward the sound of rustling tissue paper and said, "Put it all on my account."
"Of course. Thank you Mr. Julian," the girl answered.
Leaving the shop, he suggested they pick up a pizza for lunch and by 12:30 they were back at his place enjoying a medium pie - half veggie, half Hawaiian.
With the leftovers tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge, they once again retreated to the couch to wait. "How about some music?" he suggested. "There's a stereo inside the cabinet beside the fireplace.
Arianna opened the off white pickled pine cabinet door to reveal an impressive audio system and extensive CD collection. Quickly scanning the titles she saw everything from the Classics to rock. His taste in music seemed to go off each end of the scale. "What would you like to hear?" she asked.
"Something soothing, see if you can find Dare to Dream, it should be near the bottom."
Sure enough, Yanni was at the bottom alphabetically and she found it easily. The five CD changer already had two disks in place so she dropped Dare to Dream into the empty space before them. As the platter rotated back into position, she noticed something called 'Celtic Twilight 2' and the soundtrack from Beethoven's 'Immortal Beloved' in the other spaces. After just a few tracks of the soft instrumental music, his head fell against the back of the couch as he dosed off. She sat quietly, enjoying the music and watching him sleep.
Julian woke suddenly to the sounds of 'Ode to Joy' and for a moment didn't know where he was. As his head cleared it all came back to him, but something felt different. Squinting his eyes, he thought he could almost make out familiar shapes. He put out one hand and touched the arm of the sofa, then reached further and found the stuffed chair. This morning's lie to the store clerk was coming true. Though awfully blurry, his vision seemed to be slowly returning. He looked around for Arianna but she wasn't there. As he tried to calm his racing heartbeat, the outer door opened and he heard her excited voice, and then Jacob's.
He could smell curried rice as they came in. "Julian good news, it wasn't the necklace. Theora and I found something in one of the astronomy archives that I think explains it all. It was a little hard to translate from the Latin but basically it said that when several of the planets and the full moon are in alignment it can cause a flare effect. It only happens once in a century, but there are 5 aligned right now, and early yesterday morning was the full moon. As soon as it wanes, the effects should clear."
"That's good, I'm really getting tired of these grey shapes," was all he told them.
Eating really was much easier now that he could at least see the outline of a plate but just as they finished, he misjudged feeling for his water glass and spilled it onto the counter. He and Jacob conferred quietly on the couch while she tidied up the mess.
After they'd all enjoyed a nice pot of tea, Jacob stood up to say his good-byes. "I really must head back to the university tomorrow. Now that we've found the answer, I think it will just take time. Call and keep me informed of your progress."
"I will, thank you Jacob." Julian reached out and they shook hands.
"It's the least I could do for my star pupil," Jacob grinned.
As Arianna walked him out to his car he turned to her and said, "I probably shouldn't tell you this but I've known him a long, long time. There's a lot of misery in his past, but I can see a definite change in him now that he's with you, it's a change for the better. Take good care of him for me will you?"
"I promise," she replied.
When she went back inside she was surprised to find he wasn't in the living room, or anywhere else on the first floor. Halfway up the stairs, she heard the shower running and her worry lessened. She put her new clothes on an empty shelf in the armoire, changed into the pyjama top and sat on the bed reading until Julian peeked his head around the corner of the doorframe clumsily tying the belt of a thick burgundy terrycloth robe.
"Will you read me to sleep again - please?" he begged.
"Okay, but no more shared nightmares - or dreams, I think we both need a good night's sleep. What would you like to hear tonight?"
"How about the last chapter of Great Expectations? Second case from the door, third shelf."
"Okay, get into bed, I'll be there in a minute." She'd seen the book last night among a section of classics, it was next to Homer's 'The Odyssey'.
* * *
Julian almost knocked over the bedside lamp trying to find the switch to turn it on but managed to succeed without breaking anything. He could just see the light the way the sun peeks through the clouds of a dark and stormy sky.
When he heard her go downstairs, he pulled on the blue and white striped pyjama bottoms and fished in the drawer to find the top from another set, then climbed into the far side of the large bed. Stacking the fluffy white pillow shapes against the headboard as well as possible, he made a backrest for her to sit against. Partly sitting up himself, he rubbed his eyes and blinked, squinting to try and clear the blurriness. As he heard her in the hall, he tried to focus on the doorway. He could see her outline but not as clearly as he'd hoped.
He patted the bed beside him saying, "I saved you a spot."
Feeling a bit self-conscious, she sat on top of the bed beside him with her ankles crossed and the book in her lap. She looked at him and giggled. The way his soft brown hair curled when wet made him look like a little boy as he folded his hands on top of the covers and sat expectantly waiting.
"What? What's so funny?"
Arianna was just tired enough to be susceptible to the uncontrollable giggles, and it was almost a minute before she could say, "Nothing - I'm sorry Julian, it's just the expression on your face - you look like it's storytime on the first day of school."
He laughed too, "Well in a way, now that Jacob is sure my vision will return, I feel almost as though it were the first day of a new beginning."
Finally regaining her composure, she opened the book and started to read:
"For eleven years I had not seen Joe nor Biddy with my bodily eyes - though they had both been often before my fancy in the East - when, upon an evening in December, an hour or two after dark, I laid my hand softly on the latch of the old kitchen door. I touched it so softly that I was not heard, and I looked in unseen. There, smoking his pipe in the old place by the kitchen firelight, as hale and as strong as ever, though a little grey, sat Joe; and there, fenced into the corner with Joe's leg, and sitting on my own little stool looking at the fire, was -----I again! "We giv' him the name of Pip for your sake, dear old chap," said Joe, delighted when I took another stool by the child's side (but I did not rumple his hair), and we hoped he might grow a little bit like you, and we think he do.".......
As she neared the end of the chapter, his head drooped forward and his left hand fell from atop his lap into the space between them almost touching her bare thigh. She could feel a warm tingle from the near contact as she softly finished reading the chapter.
"I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her." She sat silently watching him and wondering what would happen if his sight didn't return, would he let her stay and take care of him? - or make her go away and do something self-destructive. Shaking off the horror of that thought, she began to wonder what would happen if his sight did return. He'd said he didn't want to lose her, but the Cabal frowned on relationships between liaisons and operatives and after losing Cassandra, would he send her away and request re-assignment? - or were they headed in a new direction, one her inexperience found frightening. Lightly touching his hair, she whispered "goodnight Julian."
As she carefully got up to leave, trying not to jostle the bed, he reached out with surprisingly accurate aim and caught her hand, pulling it to his lips. His eyes were closed as he murmured "thank you", then gently kissed the inside of her wrist before letting go.
* * *
Every nerve in her body was tingling from his kiss when she slid into her bed. She was utterly exhausted, but sleep refused to come. A million different thoughts and emotions whirled like a cyclone in her mind. After midnight, still trying to calm down she tried to focus on the book. Having read the end of the story, she was curious of the rest, it was one of the few Dickens works she hadn't yet read. After nearly an hour of tossing and turning but still not sleeping, she gave up. Turning on the light, she opened to chapter 1.
* * *
Julian's mind played out it's own version of the final chapter of Great Expectations as he slept fitfully. He was home, in England, 32 years ago, seeing it as it was just before his 12th birthday. He saw himself return from an afternoon ride on his favourite horse, Onyx - a sleek black Arabian mare with fiery eyes and a strong will. When she'd first come to the estate some of the grooms were afraid of her, but he was as stubborn as she. After she'd thrown him the first few times, he'd played dead until she came back to nuzzle his shoulder, then he'd grabbed the reins and they'd come to an understanding over the past year. Now, he was the only one she'd allow to ride her, and she'd respond to the slightest movement of his legs without hesitation.
The household was not happy as he watched himself enter through the kitchen door and move through the house. Mother had been mourning over his older brother's death the past eight months, but now she was sitting at her writing desk weeping. Father was anxiously pacing the library floor. He'd been holed up in there arguing with Grandfather via phone for hours two days ago, and had been a bit on edge ever since. Passing the library door he heard, "Julian, we need to have a chat about plans for your future, and schooling......" With tears streaming down his face, the boy ran headlong into the woods.... He suddenly jerked awake.
Reaching for one of the pillows from her backrest he hugged it tightly to his chest while he tried to catch his breath. It was the second time in the past few days that memory had haunted him. Yesterday morning, he'd realised that his whole life was the Cabal. If his sight hadn't returned he'd be no use to them, and he would have .... nothing.
* * *
She woke with a stiff neck to find the book had tumbled to the floor at the end of chapter 6. Her watch read 6:15am as the first rays of sunlight peeked through the open curtains. Even more exhausted than last night and needing a cup of tea, she quietly got up and tiptoed down the hallway. She stopped in the doorway to look in on him before going downstairs, he was on his side, with a pillow clutched tightly to his chest.
Noticing movement as she filled the teapot with boiling water, she looked up to see him feeling his way downstairs. The solid navy pyjama top was an interesting compliment to the blue and white striped bottoms, she wondered if all his pyjamas were color coordinated.
* * *
Hearing the spoon hit the side of the pot as she stirred, he looked toward the kitchen. "Good morning what time is it?"
"It's just after 6. Did I wake you?"
"No, my own memories did. Did you sleep well?"
"Not really, I only slept a couple of hours, fell asleep reading and woke with a kink in my neck."
"Maybe I can help with that, sit down on the couch," he said, watching as she did. Standing behind her with his knees braced against the back of the couch, he lightly put his hand against her arm. "Just sit back and relax." As she stretched her long legs out to rest her bare feet on the coffee table and sat back against the cushions, he began to slowly massage the aching muscles in her neck and shoulders.
She felt the the ripple of a million little shivers fanning out from his touch and dancing through her body. "Mmmmmm, that feels so good," she purred. Closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against his hands, she was thinking he had no idea of the effect his touch had on her. At the same time icy cold and searing hot, she'd never felt anything like it. The only comparison she could find was like diving into the icy water in Maine and finding a jacuzzi beneath the surface. It felt wonderful, and being here with him she was so happy she never wanted to leave, but that would mean .....
* * *
After a short while, he felt the tension melt away, and she was asleep. Quietly pouring a mug of tea, he settled into one of the stuffed chairs to watch her sleep, and ponder the assortment of her feelings he'd sensed while massaging her neck, the one that surprised him was ..... fear.
Now that he had his sight back there were some ghosts in his past he wanted to put to rest, permanently. At his lowest ebb during these past few days of darkness he'd realised that his whole life had been one big charade. But with her, he felt like he had a new chance to erase the mistakes of the past, against the rules or not, he wanted to let her into his world, show her where he came from, and go back to the abandoned house.
About an hour later, she stirred awake and heard him in the kitchen behind her. He carefully picked up a mug and moved toward her with it. When he came near, she reached out to take it and thought she could see the beginning of a twinkle returning to his eyes as he looked down at her and grinned.
"Truth to tell, I like to see you in my pyjamas too," he winked. "It's a warm, beautiful day, lets have breakfast out on the deck this morning."
The look of shock and delight on her face was worth any wrath her embarrassment might incur, but just to get out of harms way, he retreated to the kitchen and found the tin of fruit and the last pieces of the coffeecake.
When the food was all gone, and the teapot was empty, she looked at the sunlight reflecting off the river and sighed wistfully, "It's so lovely here, I hate to go back to the city."
"Then don't," he smiled.
Next Chapter "Going Home"