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*Journal of Alex Moreau
Something evil is coming. I can feel it. It's like a cold windrunning down my spine. Ever since Derek left I have the uncanny feeling he is in terrible danger. Even Nick seed to have sensed something. Derek has been my friend and mentor from college and into my life here at the Legacy. If anything were to happen to him, it would be a hurt that will never leave my soul.
After checking time zones, we have decide to call Philip in another hour, it will be dusk his time and we are hoping he will be available to take the call.
I can't shake this terrible foreboding. I hope nothing is already wrong.
Journal Entry Closed*
Alex stretched and sighed, she looked at the clock. Ten minutes until call time. Smiling wistfully, she thought it would be good to hear Philip's voice again. If only for a short conversation. She wished he could be here.
"Almost ready?" Nick's voice called from the door. "Rachel is here."
"Great, lets go to the controll room and check on Derek's flight in the meantime." Alex levered herself off of her bed, leaving her Journal on the bed.
"Deal." Nick grinned. "Race ya?"
"Oh yeah?" Alex raised an eyebrow in mock disdain "You think you can actually beat me this time?"
"Now that wasn't fair, Alex!" Nick protested, recalling the last time they raced up the stairs. "You tripped me!"
"I did not!" Alex protested, "You ran into that wall all on your own!"
"O.K., then this is a rematch." Nick grinned suddenly and took off.
"Nick!" Alex called, getting a late start. "Cheater!"
---------------------------------------------------
Derek woke with a groan, his head hurt and he felt oddly detached from his body. struggling, he realised dimly that he was in a chair, arms and legs tied to it and a blindfold was around his eyes.
"Hello?" He croaked out, throat parched. "Is anyone there?"
"Not anyone you would like to be here." A voice came from the darkness, to Derek it felt familier. "But the time is not yet to reveal myself, nor is it time for your judgement."
"Judgement?" Derek whispered, voice failing. "What are you talking about?"
A hand cracked across his cheek. Derek was thrown back into his chair as pain blossomed aross his face..
"You will be quiet!" the voice hissed. "You are a traitor and you will be dealt with accordingly!"
Derek heard the sound of a heavy door closing and slumped in his chair. What the hell was going on?
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Nick and Alex arrived breathless and laughing as they ran into the controll room. Rachel grinned at them as they staggared into the room.
"Well, now I know why Kat loves coming here so much." She deadpanned.
"Oh come on Rachel." Alex smiled, a little out of breath. "It's therapy!"
"Yeah" Nick joined in, "Consider it an "exploring out inner child" thing."
"Well lets make this a "Calling Philip on the phone " thing, huh?" Rachel smiled and shook her head.
"Sounds like a plan." Nick slid into a chair and used the computer to dial the conference phone. Philip had left this number in case they needed to get in touch with him.
After a few seconds a polite voice answered in Italian.
Nick, Alex and Rachel just looked at each other. None of them spoke Italian. Rachel looked at Alex and both turned to Nick simultaneously and shrugged. Nick sighed and turned to the microphone.
"I don't suppose anyone speaks English there?" He said, trying not to laugh.
"Please....hold....on a moment." the voice said in the stilted correctness of someone repeating a phrase by rote. "Who ...are you ...looking.. for?"
"Father Philip Callaghan." Nick grins, enunciating so the man could hear him better.
"One moment please." Then they were put on hold. None of them could contain their laughter when the gentle strains of "Elevator Music" came from the phone.
Minutes later the phone pics up and a familiar voice answers distractedly. "This is Father Callaghan, may I help you?"
"Hey buddy!" Nick greets his friend with obvious relief. "Hows the Priest business going?"
"NICK!" Philip sounded very surprised. "What th'.... never mind. Good t' hear from you. I guess it's goin' alright."
Alex frowned at Rachel, the last sentance was strained, obviously something was not going well.
"You sure about that?" Alex pipes up, leaning into the mike.
"Hi Alex, Derek and Rachel there too?" Philip chuckles. "Should have known you'd all b' there."
"I'm here." Rachel smiles, "Derek away on personal business."
"What's wrong?" Philip's voice turns suddenly serious. "What's happened there?"
"Hey, easy Philip!" Nick frowns, was Philip aware of something? "We had some stuff go down and Derek went to go visit his mother."
"Nick...." Philip sounded threatening. "Tell me wha' happened."
It took Nick and Alex a half hour to explain the events of Winston Raynes return and posession of Derek, Alex's injuries, and finally the sacrifice of Sloan. Philip stayed quiet through it all. Until they were done. Then an uncharacteristic string of epitepths came across the wire, all in different languages.
"Those Damned Sepulchers!" Philip finally ended. "I take it you called me for somethin' about them?"
"Yeah, " Nick was disturbed by Philip's hot reaction to even the mention of the Sepulchers. "We know of all of us, you knew about the Sepulchers before any of us, Derek wants to try to use them to bring Slaon home,."
"An' you wondered if I knew any more about them than you do." Philip finished.
"We need to know more to safely try to open them again." Alex too was worried about Philip's strange reaction. "Sloan apparently knew more than we did and we were hoping you could dig up some stuff from where you are. Or tell us of anything you might know that we don't."
Philip didn't speak for along time.
"Alrigh', I'll look." He sounded resigned. "I'll get back t' ya later on today or tomorrow. Can ya have Derek give me permission t' use th' Rome Houses facilities t' transmit th' data, I really don' think this should go over open channels."
"Good idea." Nick started hooking up the Legacies Computer systems to reach Rome House. "I'll let them know to expect you."
"Derek leave you in charge?" Philip sounded amused.
"Yeah? so?" Nick grinned.
"Heavan help ya Alex, Rachel." Philip chuckled. "If I find anythin' you should know, I'll send it on."
"Sounds good Buddy." Nick had a sudden thought. "You sure your OK over there? You sound a little strained."
"No, Nick, " Philip's voice got hard once again. "It's not going too well, but I think I've made a few decisions. Now I just have to decide if they are the RIGHT ones for m'"
"If you ever need to talk, call us." Alex looked at Rachel who nodded. "We'd like to help."
"I know Alex, an' I'm grateful, but talking has gotten me nowhere, so I'm considering my options right now." Philip had an edge to his voice that belied his clam words. He was angry at someone or something. And an angry Philip was not a good thing.
"Well, take care Philip, and if you need anything..." Rachel siad sincerely.
"I know, an' I appreciate it. I have t' go. I'll be in touch." With that Philip was gone.
"Something is really wrong with him." Alex mused.
"Yes, there is something going on he doesn't want to talk about. But what?" Rachel looked over at Nick, who seemed lost in thought.
"Let's concentrate on what Derek wants us to do." Nick finally said, looking at them both. "We'll deal with Philip later when we have the luxury of more free time."
"Sounds good!" Alex sat at her terminal and began her search for articles about the Sepulchers, Rachel at her side.
Nick turned back to his console, yes, something was very wrong for his friend over there. More than anything Nick wanted to figure it out, but he had a job to do for Derek. Soon he was lost in his own search, the thought of his friend gone in the haze of his search.
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Philip lay down the reciever into it's cradle, musing over the unexpected conversation. He turned around and immediatly took a half-step back as someone was suddenly right there.
"Sorry to startle you Philip." Tha man said, grinning slightly, his voice condescending. "Cardinal Anjelou wishes to speak to you immediately."
"Wonderful." Philip sighed, just what he DIDN'T need, another lecture about the violations of the Churches Sacraments. He never should have trusted his confession to that man.
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The duly appointed Legacy Council conveined in the conference room of the London House. A house in uproar over the sudden loss of ther leader.
"We are called here to discuss the four names on the list to replace William Sloan as head of the London House." The oldest among them said as all were now seated. 'I think time is of the essence here, or caos will get it's hold in this organization and all will be lost."
"I agree Gregory." A woman piped up. "Read the names and let us chose among them."
"Robert Falcon, Precpet Vancouver House, 40years in the Legacy." Gregory Powers intoned, he was head of research and had been through more Ruling Precepts than he liked to admit.
"Accepted." the others chorused.
"Raj Ali- Kharas from New Delhi House. 38 years in the Legacy." Gregory read the second slip of paper.
"Accepted." Came the reply.
"Angelina Roja, Mexico City House 42 years in the Legacy." There was a slight stirring at this name. They had never had a woman as a ruling Precept before.
"Accepted." Came the eventual reply.
"And last but not the least of our candidates, Derek Rayne Precept of San Francisco House..." That was as far as he got and the room disolved into startled discussion.
***
*Journal of a Hound
I can feel myself sliding. Sliding back into the creature I was before I could controll myself. The backwards slip into the unreasonable is a direct result of doing what I have done. I should have killed him. Instead I have let him use me to further his own ends. And I don't even know if He is still alive.
The necklace my "benefactor" tossed so carelessly to the floor could belong to no one else but the one person in my life I care about more than myself. If he dies....... I will literally go insane. I will go back to being the indiscriminate killer I was before I was brought into reason.
I couldn't controll my 'sight' and the images I got every minute of every day made me crazy. I didn't care who I was, what I was doing, or how I was being used by others. I kiled many people then. It's not something I like to admit to myself, even in the privacy of my own mind.
Can I be redeemed? SHOULD I be? And what price will that redemption take? All I know is that right now I need to undo the harm I have caused, no matter what the cost.
So much to do, and so little time. I'm drowning and there is no-one to throw me a rope.
Journal Entry Closed*
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The selection comitte was awash in conversation.
"Sloan chose the man who may have been responsible for his death as a candidate to replace him! This is outrageous!" One members accusation flew out of the maelstrom of discussion.
"The report from Rayne SUGGESTED he was responsible. What guilt someone feels over not preventing a tragedy is NOT a clear indication he WAS responsible!" The leader called out, his voice silencing the otyhers. "THe only way we can reject one of the candidates, is if it is proven withougt a doubt that he is in league with the forces of darkness. Can we truely say that about Derek Rayne?"
"No, he's done very well in his tenure." Another grudgingly admitted. "I can't say I like the fact he may have had some small part in Sloans demise, but he is on our side."
"So then we have no choice but to accept him as a candidate, and let the process move forward again." He looked around at the other seated at the table. "Do you accept DR. Derek Rayne?"
"Accepted." Came the chorus.
"The let us proceed with the selection. All journals and cases of the candidates are to be examined, starting immediately. From their own words and the cases they have dealt with, our new leader will be chosen." The man sighed. It had begun.
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Philip walked into the large office, sighing in resignation. He had gone to confession shortly after arriving, and the results of it weren't quite what he had expected. Within hours the confidential words he had related were in his official file and he had immediately been sent to counseling.
The coldness in which he had been treated by his superiors was chilling. The gist of their defense was, that if he could break the sanctity of the confessional, why should his words not be made public knowledge as well.
Philip hadn't liked it, but they were right. After his breaking of the rules, what right did he have to complain. But it didn't stop him from being a little bitter about the way it was handled. So far the only peace he had found here was in the vast Library. He spent hours there with the elderly Father Palosa cataloguing the various items sent from other places. It was a daunting task, but one which Philip loved.
"I hear you had a call from your 'friends' in the States." Cardinal Anjelou motioned for Philip to seat himself.
"An' how would ya know about tha'?" Philip said, seating himself in the large chair. "I don't suppose you tap your own phones?"
"Tut, tut, Philip. You are bitter over your treatment, but you will see that we have only your best interests at heart." The Cardinal was being condescending, and knew it.
"My 'best intersts'?" Philip was scepticle, and even a little frightened. He wondered what this man was up to.
"Yes!" The Cardinal grinned, handing over a paper to Philip. "This is your evaluation that I am sending to the proper authorities within the Church. It is up to them to see what you future will hold."
Philip reached out and took it. It was thick, with many pages. As he began to open up to the first page, he was interrupted.
"You may wish to read that in private. It contains sensitive materials." With that Anjelou exited the room.
Sighing, Philip opened the report and began to read. He missed a shadow detaching itself from the wall and move towards him.
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Nick was finishing up another fruitless search for information on the sepulchers in Derek's office when the phone rang. He answered it off- handedly, concentrating on his reading. "Luna Foundation, Nick Boyle speaking."
"Nicholas?" A quasi-familier voice came out of the reciever. "It's Barbara Rayne."
"Hey." Nick felt a sudden dread take him over.
"I called to see if Derek told you he was going to miss his flight." The voice sounded strained, and Nick didn't blame her.
"Missed his flight?" Nick's feelings of dread intensified and he immediately ran a search on Derek's passenger records. "Apparently his plane from here arrived in time to catch his connection in New York. He didn't arrive on time there?"
"No, and the stewardess in charge doesn't remember him ever boarding the flight at all." Barbara Rayne's voice became rougher. "I think something has happened to him. Would you check it out for me?"
"You can bet on it, Mrs. Rayne." Nick was already searching Dereks flight itenerary for any hint of a reason for missing his connection. He didn't like the results.
"Please, call me the second you find out ANYTHING!" She then she signed off and hung up the phone.
Nick called Alex and Rachel in, and then set to work on finding his lover, trying not to cave in to the fear he held in his heart.
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The man had summoned him again. Colin swallowed his anger and merged with the shadows of the warehouse yet again. There was no way this man would ever see his face... until it was far too late.
"What do you want now, I tire of your game." Colin spoke first this time. "Let him go or I will.."
That was as far as he got before a large blow-up of a picture of a man bound to a chair with a blindfold over his eyes, was tossed into the light on the floor.
"You would do well to remember that we DO indeed have your "friend", and you and all your like minded sexual perverts will be cleansed from the Legacy. Only your usefulness to me keeps you from death." The man no longer pretended kindness. "I have him and I am not going to let him go until I have the Legacy for myself!"
"You hurt him at all and I'll make sure you DON'T die!" Colin hissed. For all his contacts, he still hadn't found where they were holding him. He never should have let him get out of his sphere of protection. But where he went to, who would have thought he needed protection. He was supposed to have been safe.
"All you have to do is kill the others on Sloan's list, then they will have no choice but to elect me as Leader." The man dropped a sheet of paper on the flooring. "Here is where they can be found and who they are. If you do this, the next time we meet, I will tell you where to find your 'friend'. But don't wait too long, or I will decide his sins need to be judged as well and punish him."
Colin dropped to the floor as he heard the man's car leave and scanned the list. How could he save these people and have it appear as if they were dead. Colin smiled. He knew who would help him anyway. Glancing around to make sure he was alone in the night, he left and prepared his daring plan. He couldn't do anything more this man asked or his soul might never come back from the madness that threatened his being. He had to act fast.
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