by J. Hickey
Chapter 20
Answers and Questions
"Children!" Margot poked her head through the children's bedroom doorway with excitement strewn about her youthful face. She swiftly turned their light on and off as to sound some sort of silent alarm.
Hunter rolled over onto his side and stretched out lazily; his bedside clock read six a.m. He let out a yawn accompanied by a trifling moan. He wanted nothing more than to hide his head under his cozy comforter and return to his peaceful sleep. Hunter hadn't gotten a ‘peaceful' night's rest in over a month, and now, the first time he was able to do so, he was unfairly awakened before the sun was even up.
"Why so early?" The sudden bright light burned Hunter's eyes.
"Elly, wake up! Time to rise and shine." Margot was now nudging Elly's shoulder. She finally rolled over and wiped the sleepiness away from her eyes.
"You kids slept like rocks. I came up to see you last night and you were both fast asleep."
"Yeah," Hunter replied. "I guess we were pretty tired from everything. You should let us sleep in."
"Afraid not, I'm here to take you to Professor Calenstine's office. He wants a word with you both before the day starts."
"He does?" Elly jolted upright with curiosity. They had been waiting for forever to meet their godfather one on one. With everything that had happened since their visit, Dr. Calenstine had never made the time to sit down with the children.
"Is it news about Uncle Joe?" Hunter sat up in his bed.
"I'm afraid not. However, I just came from visiting your uncle. He's still in stable condition."
"Is he ever going to get better?" Elly said, a little humbled.
"Of course, dear. Of course he will." Margot tossed the children their new school uniforms she had brought in with her. "Get ready and meet me outside your door. They should fit."
"Okay," they said in unison. Hunter unfolded his royal blue vest and inspected the symbol stitched on the left breast. It was the same symbol he had seen on the computer screen in the room underneath the library. It had the serpent shaped in the letter "S" sitting over an oval crest.
"Look." He pointed it out to Elly. "That logo must be the Seekers' emblem."
"Duh," Elly said. "Obviously."
"Don't act like you knew that." Hunter slipped on his vest over his white shirt, not hiding his annoyance. "These outfits suck." He frowned. "Why can't we wear jeans and a T-shirt like normal kids?"
"I like my skirt!" Elly peered into the large full-length mirror.
"C'mon, hurry!" She ran to the door. "We finally get to meet Professor Calenstine in person!"
Margot waited patiently for the children to come out of their room. She was just as excited as the children that they were getting to meet Dr. Calenstine. She knew they had wanted to get to know their godfather more personally since the minute they entered the estate. She secretly hoped it would help them find closure over the loss of their parents, and help them open up more to this new life.
When the children finally made their way out of their room, she led them down the hall and into the elevator. Elly thought Margot looked prettier than ever with her dark black hair curled up. She wore a black skirt much like the blue one Elly was wearing.
"How's Sebastian doing?" Elly asked while they waited for the elevator doors to close.
"He's still healing. Lots of cuts and scrapes. He's in good spirits though."
Between goings on with her fiancé, the condition of her newfound friend, Joe, and caring for the children, Margot's life had been turned upside down. She would never speak of the pressures to anyone, but privately she was feeling her life give in to the stress. Even though Elly thought she looked as pretty as ever, behind the makeup and cute outfit, Margot's eyes were heavy. What made it worse was that every time she looked at Hunter and Elly, she felt the guilt swell up in her chest. In her eyes, the problems that kept arising in her life paled in comparison to what they were dealing with. She found encouragement in their youthful smiles.
"Where's Professor Calenstine's room?" Hunter asked.
"It's in the sub-layer of the mansion, underneath the Ocelot Room," Margot answered.
"The ‘what' room?" Elly questioned.
"The big computer room you guys met Plato in. Remember, during first time you snuck out," she added a bit more sternly.
"Oh yeah." Elly's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
"You know that Dominick took all the credit, but we helped out a lot getting that monster captured," Hunter added with his own sense of sternness. He knew sneaking out was going to catch them a lot of heat with the adults, but if they would only listen to their story, maybe they would realize they did more to help than Dominick than hinder.
"You did, did you?" Margot was only half-listening.
"No seriously, it's true!" Elly interjected. "The creature had Dominick pinned down. Hunter took a rifle and took the last shot. He saved his life! And Alistair knows a lot about medicine and stuff, so he helped everyone out too."
"I see." Margot led the children through the library largely unimpressed. "Either way, I don't think you two realize the amount of danger you were in. You could have died."
"We know," they both said, defeated and quickly realizing no matter how much help they were, it would forever pale in comparison to the fact they were just kids.
"Do you remember where the hidden lever is?" Margot stopped near where Hunter had originally found the entrance into the top-secret Ocelot Room.
"Yeah," Hunter ran over to the stone gargoyle. He turned the beastly head around clockwise until he heard the gears turning in the wall.
"All right." Margot smiled. "After you." The large bookshelf opened up and revealed once again the winding stairwell leading deep into the depths of the mansion. The children made their way down the steep spiraling staircase and into the large computer chamber--the Ocelot Room. In the far corner stood the towering automaton, Plato, who was working on a giant touch-screen computer that literally was the size of eastern wall. Regular computers just weren't fit for a mighty android with mega-sized mechanical hands.
"Plato?" Hunter smiled proudly. It was because of this lovable robot that their uncle wasn't one of the Beast of Bladenboro's meals.
"I don't think the three of you have been properly introduced," Margot interjected.
"Children, welcome to my recharge station and the central intelligence hub of the Belmonte Estate, codenamed: Ocelot Room." Plato turned his dome-shaped head from the large computer screen, his eyes still glowing a bright blue. He towered over the children with his sheer size to the point Hunter felt a kink in his neck from staring up at him too long. "Apologies, it was apparent upon our first consultation that I somehow managed to alarm you."
"Err… we didn't know what you were." Hunter laughed.
"Understood, my human emotion registry suggested the act of chasing you only supplemented your anxiety levels. I have saved in my memory core the events and have added variables to future meetings to refrain from such a repeat outcome. Note: will speak before pursuing."
"We wanted to thank you for helping out our uncle," Elly said bashfully. She had never spoken to a giant robot, nor any sized android in fact. She also didn't know how to verbalize her gratitude.
"Master Joseph is an honorable friend. My memory core had a significant lapse in any form of communication with him for approximately three thousand eight hundred seventy-nine days, sixteen hours and thirty-four minutes. If my simulated social/emotional data link is functional, I surmise I was excited to see him again. He made many people smile while he lived amongst us. I have not been able to link into the medical wings network. How is he doing?"
"He is doing well actually," Margot said. "We came on business, however. Could you be a dear and open up the energy field to the lower catacombs please?"
"The energy field?" Hunter asked.
"Yes, the energy field. It's a high-tech security force field to prevent anyone from going any farther into the Ocelot Ro
om. We have a system of catacombs deep beneath the Ocelot Room that are highly classified. Plato here is the gatekeeper to the only entry point to them."
"Catacombs?" Elly questioned.
"Yep, the catacombs are the name given for what lies beneath the mansion. It is all quite secretive, and even I don't know everything that the catacombs contain. See there," Margot pointed through the transparent energy field towards two large steel elevator doors on the opposite side, "those are the two elevators and the only entrances beneath the Ocelot Room. I don't even have high enough security clearance to clear the main lift; I'm only able to open the one that leads to Professor Calenstine's private chambers."
Plato walked over to the buzzing energy field and placed his large mechanical hand on a screen beside it. He keyed something in, his large metallic fingers banging quite loudly as he entered his pin number. Shortly thereafter, the energy field dissipated, allowing entrance towards the elevators.
"Quickly, it only stays down for ten seconds." Margot rushed the children through the threshold. "Thank you, Plato." She smiled at the robot. "A gentleman and a scholar as always."
"Be safe," the robot said and went back to his work.
"We're going to the elevator on the right," Margot said and pointed.
"So what does Plato do down here?" Elly asked. "You know, besides letting people through that energy thing."
"Plato has many jobs, including being our librarian. The Ocelot Room is also where he maintains his battery charge to keep himself energized-it's kind of like a giant computerized bedroom for him."
"Oh." Elly was a bit surprised by the answer; a computerized bedroom was fascinating to her young mind.
They stepped into the elevator and took a long trip down into the sublevels of the mansion. Professor Calenstine's office must have been miles underground because Hunter felt like it took ages for the lift to finally get to its destination. Once the lift settled and the metal doors slowly opened, they unveiled a giant elongated hallway filled with all sorts of mysterious décor. The long walls stretched out, showcasing a myriad of fascinating things that one wouldn't believe unless they were there staring at them in the flesh.
Elly peered down towards the opposite end of the hallway where it opened up into a large study. There at the far end sat a large half-circle mahogany desk was a busy Professor Calenstine hard at work. There he sat meddling through stacks of papers and smoking from a long cob pipe and humming a peculiar tune that Elly could just make out. The minute she heard it, she knew it was the same song her mother would hum when she was hard at work, whether it was getting the kids breakfast or balancing her checkbook. Warm memories of her mother surfaced, and she couldn't help wonder how odd it was that they hummed the same song.
Hunter was easily distracted, and he hadn't noticed any of the peculiar decorations that adorned the long halls, nor did he take notice of the professor humming away at his desk. It was what sat behind the professor that caught Hunter's amazement: a giant flat-screen monitor that covered the entirety of the wall. Currently it was broadcasting a live video feed of what looked like some sort of jungle. It was larger and clearer than any movie theater screen Hunter had ever seen, including those special high-definition ones only found in big cities.
"I love his office." Margot stopped for a second and took in her surroundings. "Look at the walls as we make our way towards his desk. They're littered with things he has found and done in his life. See that?" Margot pointed to a large framed picture. It was black and white and appeared to be quite old. "That was when the professor was still an active Seeker-check it out."
Hunter inspected the photo frame a bit closer. There was an older man standing next to a tribe of aboriginals smiling brightly. Upon closer inspection, Hunter realized it was a younger Professor Calenstine. Although Hunter thought the word young wasn't quite the right term. He looked as old as he had the night of the Orientation, except he was able to stand and wasn't confined to the wheelchair. He also carried a bit more weight with him, but Hunter could recognize the youthful smile anywhere. That was not the first picture Hunter has seen of the professor, he immediately remembered back to the old photo from the book he read about the Beast of Bladenboro.
"What's behind him?" Elly pointed out a large serpent-looking creature that coiled up behind the men.
"The largest Anaconda the world has ever seen-over sixty feet long." Margot pointed out its head in the picture. It was so big Elly thought it could have easily swallowed an adult whole with little to no effort.
"Wow, really? I wish Alistair was here to see this." Hunter's mouth gaped at the size of the serpent's head.
"Over here," Margot pointed to the other wall, "is Professor Calenstine with President Carter outside of the White House. Here is one with President Clinton at a rally…"
"Who's this one?" Elly pointed to an old grandiose oil painting. This time it was Professor Calenstine standing next to a rather scary-looking man with a balding head and bushy white hair that stuck out on its sides.
"Oh," Margot answered. "Well, that's President Van Buren," she answered.
"Who?" Hunter asked. He had never been taught about President Van Buren in school.
"When was he president?" Elly asked.
"Well…" Margot paused for a second not quite sure how to answer, "…let's not worry so much about that photograph," she dodged the question. "What do you think of the room?"
"Is that a big television on the back wall?" Hunter pointed.
"Sort of," she explained as they continued the long walk down to his desk. "It's kind of like a giant computer screen. He can switch to any of the camera feeds we have set up around the estate. He always says the Demeter Station feed is his favorite, which is what is on right now."
"The what station," asked Elly?
"Demeter," Margot corrected. "The eastern conservatory. It's a giant bio dome where we have created a unique ecosystem that resembles a rainforest. I think it's the sound of the wild birds and the constant rain that puts him at ease."
Hunter paused for a second, and sure enough, there was a sound system as well. He could hear the faint chirping of birds, croaking of toads, and all sorts of other wildlife noises throughout the large room. Finally, they approached the friendly old professor sitting comfortably at his desk.
"Welcome, children," Professor Calenstine said with a wide smile as he puffed out a dark cloud of smoke. On his lap sat a small scruffy dog that wagged its tail anxiously at the sight of the children. It was a scrawny old thing with hair as white as snow. They seemed a fitting pair, dog and owner, as they both looked as old as old could be.
"You have a puppy?" Elly loved animals.
"This here is Monte, and I'm afraid to say a puppy he is not." Professor Calenstine petted his furry companion gently. "He's been my best friend for longer than I can remember."
"How old is he?" Elly asked.
"Older than you and Hunter's age combined my dear, and then some." Calenstine chuckled loudly. "He doesn't get around much these days. His age has crept up on his body as it did with mine as well. He spends most of his days now resting on my lap. He's a lot like me you know. Not man or beast can escape time. It's eaten away at our physical bodies, but not our minds-we are as sharp as ever, isn't that right, boy?"
The old dog let out a small bark in agreement.
"Please have a seat," Calenstine waved his old wrinkly hand towards two comfy leather chairs sitting in front of his desk. "I implore you, make yourself at home. You are guests here, special guests. It's very rare for anyone to be summoned, or even see, my personal chambers. Yes, children, there are only a select few people here in the mansion that have ever seen this room."
The children shot quizzical looks to one another.
"Why so secretive? It's just a big old room, isn't it?" Elly replied.
"Just a room?" Calenstine chuckled again. He opened a drawer in the oaken desk and pulled from it a small remote. He began clicking the device, paying little attention t
o the large screen behind him as it turned from channel to channel. It was like a giant television. It started at the live feed from the Demeter Station, then there was a feed from the main foyer looking down towards the giant wall of stuffed monster heads, than another feed outside the estate overseeing the large gargoyle-covered gates, and finally a feed that looked like it was streaming from Antarctica, nothing but snow and the star-lit sky. "I am the central hub of all things the Belmonte Estate is privy to. I have eyes everywhere, you see."
"That's awesome," Hunter stated, practically drooling at the large screen. "Do you get cable in here?"
"Cable? Oh no, no time for such things. I am a very busy man, my young boy. No time for television." He set the remote down gently on the desk. He lit a match and put it to the cob pipe in his mouth, puffing gently.
"Tea, anyone?" The professor lifted a hot teakettle and poured himself a fresh cup.
"No, thanks." Hunter and Elly both hated tea. They thought it tasted like dirty water.
"I asked you children down here to have a heart to heart. To open up and allow you to ask any questions you want, and I promise I will answer as truthfully as I can. You have been through a lot-more than any children your age should ever have to deal with. We kept many secrets from you when you first arrived in hopes of keeping you safe and away from harm's reach."
"Now is your chance," Margot added. "No running around in the middle of the night trying to find secrets, just an honest conversation with your godfather."
"I have a question," Elly started, a little shyly.
"Please go ahead-anything, and everything."
"How did you know our parents? Why are you our godfather and not our Uncle Joe? We don't even know who you are."
"Your mother comes from a long line of Seekers, your grandmother, great grandmother, so on and so forth," explained the professor. "Your father married into the bloodline and was inducted into the tradition through the sacred bonds of marriage. They were both beautiful people, and it saddens me to have lost them so young," Calenstine explained. He took a long sip from his hot tea, cleared his throat and continued on, "As for why they chose myself to be your guardian, I believe it is because I shared a very strong bond with both your parents. We had been working on some very secretive plans. They knew the dangers, and I believe they knew the best way to keep you kids safe was under my guidance."
"Oh," Elly responded. She thought asking the question would bring forth some sort of closure to her parents' death, but it didn't. She hoped it would fill a bit of what was missing inside her, but she still felt the emptiness burn every time she thought of her parents.
"I was reading a book on the Beast of Bladenboro that you had written," Hunter interjected, "There was an old photo of you in it, and you looked the same," Hunter added.
"So there was." Calenstine pushed down his glasses onto the tip of his nose. "You two are quite the pair of sleuths I see, most students don't start wondering until their sixth or seventh years about my age."
"Oh?" Hunter didn't quite know how to reply.
"Let me answer by telling you I am beyond old. I have seen many things in my lifetime-a great many things. I promise you though, as I sit before you wrinkled and bound to this blasted chair, I do age. I feel it in my bones every morning."
"What about the Seekers, and the secret society thing?" Hunter blurted out. He had spent weeks thinking of questions he wanted to ask his godfather, and he didn't want to forget a thing.
"The Secret Seekers Society," Calenstine cleared his throat, "is something you will learn more in-depth about during your Enlightenment class-that is if you decide to stay with us. However, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I briefly explain. The society has been rumored to have ties dating back to the early 1700s, possibly even before then, but records are not clear on this date. It started with my bloodline; my ancestors who bonded together and dared to go where no one else would. They traveled the world seeking out the truth, to sift through myths and legends. Our society has a long history of seeking out cryptids, relics, hauntings… you name it, and we have dealt with it."
"What are cryptids?" Elly asked, completely lost in Calenstine's words.
"Modern times have shown a rebirth in interest in these monsters. The word ‘cryptid' is a short term used to describe an unexplained creature or legendary beast, derived from Cryptozoology, which in turn is the study of such creatures."
"Like Big Foot?" Elly chimed in.
"Correct." Calenstine smiled and clicked the remote one more time. Now the large screen behind him showed the giant version of the Seekers' logo-the "S" shaped snake sitting in front of the circular emblem. "This is our insignia; you wear it on your vests. The double-headed serpent shaped like an "S" represents our Seekers' name, and the duality of our lives. We hide our true selves from the world, sworn to secrecy about our findings. Just like the serpents stay hidden in the tall grass. You notice the large ape behind it?"
"Yea, Big Foot, right?" Elly asked, as if it was a stupid question.
"Yes, Sasquatch, Yeti, the Skunk Ape, all named depending on where the sighting takes place. The most famous of all cryptids in modern culture. Now to the right of it," Calenstine pointed to the large stone with a thick broadsword stuck in it, "any idea what that symbol represents?"
"Well, it's no animal," Hunter said.
"Correct, we don't just hunt and investigate cryptids, we also explore relics as well. What you are looking at is the fabled Excalibur sword. King Arthur pulled this mighty blade from a stone to prove his lineage to the throne. The sword is said to have magical abilities. If one were to wield its blade in battle, it is said to have magical powers that grant the user the ability to never be wounded in battle."
"Wow… really? Is it real?" Elly wondered.
"Perhaps." Calenstine couldn't hide his smile. "Below Excalibur we see another famous cryptid. Any takers on our long-necked friend?"
"Loch Ness Monster?" Elly smiled smugly. "I read about that in one of the books. That one is not real, right? It was a hoax."
"Well, perhaps you will find out once you begin your courses," Calenstine said with a smile. "Finally, on the bottom left we have the six-sided star. This one is a little tricky, not as popular as the other three."
"That's Solomon's ring!" Elly answered again. It was evident she was quite proud of herself for knowing.
"Show off," Hunter mumbled.
"Impressive, young Elly. I didn't think you would have known such a peculiar item."
"I read a lot."
"And can you explain its significance?" Calenstine asked.
"Um…" Elly thought for a second. "It has magical powers, correct?"
"It is said to possess the power to speak to spirits, demons, and animals as well."
"Demons?" Hunter was baffled. "Why would anyone want to do that?"
"Well," Calenstine thought for a second. "Demons are not quite what you would expect. Needless to say, its powers have been sought after ever since." Calenstine flipped the channel back to the Demeter Station feed. "Now, anyone who wears this badge of ours is sworn to a lifetime of secrecy. We have upheld this notion over the millennia, and unlike many other societies, we have managed to keep ours out of the modern world's eyes. We are virtually unknown, with the exception of a few partners on the outside world. One might say we are completely off the grid."
"So, Mom and Dad were Seekers. That's where they went on all those work trips all the time."
"There weren't just any old Seekers; your parents were the best. They understood why we do what we do and dedicated their lives to making this world a better place."
"Why do we ‘do what we do'?" Hunter asked a bit confused.
"Easy," said the Professor. "Like I said, we want to make the world a better place. Understanding our world and discovering its many mysteries only opens new doors to be explored. Did you know we found a living Mongolian death worm that excretes fluid that has healing properties when treated correctly? It's true. We also want to
provide misrepresented creatures with protection from the outside world. For example, your new friend Trayer is widely feared and would be hunted down, or worse, tied up in some laboratory somewhere. We rescued a small den and have tried to keep them safe here, giving them an area to grow and be stable. Not all cryptids are evil, bloodthirsty monsters."
"So that's what we do then," Hunter added. "We hunt these things down, find out if they're real, if their nice, and we save them."
"A part of what we do, yes. These creatures are endangered; this is why they are so rare and so called ‘legendary.'"
"What about the scary man that interrupted the meeting yesterday?" Elly added.
"Professor Aten," Calenstine sighed. "A terrible, wicked man. I fear he has no soul; he would kill just about anyone to see his goals achieved. He is rich and powerful beyond your imagination; it wasn't a good sign seeing him within our walls."
"He seems to hate you," Hunter stated.
"He is angry because I have what he thinks is rightfully his. He even tried to kill me once. Foolish man. Ever since then, he has been hunting me down. Silly really, he knows he cannot kill me. I assume he wants to do the next best thing."
"What's that?" asked Elly.
"Destroy everything that I love and believe in-the Seekers, the estate, everything and anything I hold dear."
"Why can't he kill you?" Hunter blurted out, not quite thinking about how rude the question was.
"Let's just say there are rules to the game we've been playing. The main rule is we simply cannot kill one another."
"Oh. Can't rules be broken? Hunter always breaks rules," Elly added frankly.
"Shut up, Elly." Hunter frowned.
"It is not a rule one can just break. It is not allowed, plain and simple."
"I don't understand," Hunter said simply.
"It's quite all right. Just know Aten is evil and to not fall for his slick tongue. Understood?"
The children nodded.
"Can I ask…?" Elly hesitated for a second, thinking better of it.
"My actual age?" Calenstine chuckled.
"Well, I was just curious."
"Yes, I did purposely beat around that bush. Let's just say that I am by far the oldest person you will ever meet--probably the wisest as well." He laughed. "Don't let my body fool you; it is a physical misconception, as I said before, my mind is as sharp as can be."
"Okay," Elly agreed, still a bit unsure about what he meant.
"If you have no more questions, I have one of my own for you."
"Oh?" the children replied, taken a little off guard.
"You now know what it is the mansion has to offer. I must ask you both now; will you join your family's decorated heritage and follow in the footsteps of your parents?"
"What about Uncle Joey? What if he doesn't get better? Who will take care of us?" Hunter asked, a bit uneasy about the question. He still wasn't sure about all this secret society and monster-hunting nonsense.
"I have asked Margot to take on the honors of raising you kids and to be your guardian during your Enlightenment until your uncle is fully fit to make a decision."
"Margot, really?" Elly jumped out of her chair and gave Margot a large hug.
"You would do that for us?"
"Of course I would." Margot took both the kids hands.
"I want to stay," Elly answered.
"But…" Hunter was a bit more hesitant.
Suddenly the large screen behind Professor Calenstine's desk beeped. The words "Incoming Call: Patricia Ellingbee" flashed on the screen. The professor spun around in his chair and clicked the remote. Suddenly a large window of Patricia popped up on the screen. She looked tired, large bags showing under her eyes. Yet she seemed excited.
"Good!" Patricia beamed. "I was hoping the children were still with you."
"They are, yes," Calenstine added.
"Joe woke up!" Patricia yelled. "About a half-hour ago, he opened his eyes, was asking for the kids. He's awake now!"
"Uncle Joey!" Elly literally jumped in place.
"Can we see him?" Hunter asked.
"Of course, of course, go now!" Calenstine ordered.
