Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Flashback

There was a knock and Francis entered ..

Frank was really nervous and he prayed that both of them

would be able to face him without blurting out the entire

story..

Frank wanted to take the situation in his hand so he said before

his father asked him a question . ‘ I was about to come and

meet you dad …I need to show you something dad.. You see,

we were talking about the old man’s death ‘

Francis was easily diverted from whatever reason he had

come to see them. He must know that by calling The Seekers

he was directly involved in the murder. Frank felt really sorry

for his dad .. For the first time he could see his father troubled

.

. He vowed himself that he must save his father ! His father

had been always obsessed with publicity but he had never

stooped to unethical means to run his business.

Now Francis demanded to know what was that he wanted him

to know..

Frank said, ‘ When I met the villagers the old man told me

certain things privately about a treasure..’

Redim and Richard did not expect this !

Francis became pale! ‘what he told you too!

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‘

do you mean that he told you!..but till now no one knows

that he had met you or spoken to you . but he had an

evidence... a very strong evidence that you both were close

and your familiarity go back to your young age’

‘Evidence ! what kind of evidence ..! Francis asked in a

controlled manner . Frank brought him his laptop and told

him to be seated in the settee and showed him the video of

the cave ...

He sat there for a long time and broke the silence , ‘ well ..

how did you get this? Did the police give you this? I will

call my advocate.’

‘Dad listen to me.. Richard brought it from the old man’s

house before the police arrived ..The police do not have this

information.. But dad .. you know more than this.. you

know some mercenaries or treasure hunters were involved

.

. Please let us know.. I don’t want any negative publicity to

come to us and we can prevent it before any damage ’

Francis literally looked deflated.. ‘well … it was a long

story.. I have been trying to get fame and name as long as I

remember .. Psychology may label me as a typical dictator

with narcissist tendency.. When I was in my early twenties

,

the village went through some unnatural death and all the

deaths were predicted by Oliver ..the old man as you

know.. Oliver became an overnight sensation ..I had

arranged for the media here in our house and I was there

with him in every interview he had given. I was not

interested at first in what he was saying but in the

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spotlight..Then slowly it started sinking in me that I was

sitting on a gold mine..It was not his prediction but his

knowledge about a vast wealth or the treasure …He

sometimes blurted out that the talking animals showed him

wealth beyond imagination and he knew where it was .

So I stopped all the media attention on him but even

otherwise the world did not believe in talking animals and

branded him as fake.

Oliver was not bothered about it and then there were no

more death. But I was with him all most all the time but I

had never seen any talking animals ..But one day Oliver

told me he had seen a treasure in a cave which he had never

seen . I was curious and agreed to go with him.. But my

obsession to publicity made me to call one of my camera

man friend and that was my gravest mistake I had done in

my life .. the mistake still haunts me and the death of Oliver

was just a continuation of the consequence of my mistake..’

Francis was silent and Frank gently prompted him ,’ dad

what happened in the cave ? how many of you were there?’

‘Frank, Oliver, the cameraman Brandon and I went to the

cave .. It was a Sunday ,we met after the Sunday mass in

the church and we walked to the place where Oliver said

that he had seen .. As we were walking ,Brendon was

nervous and Oliver kept on telling me not to take him with

us.. They ended up fighting but I thought of the video .and

the photo and reprimanded Oliver sternly.

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Oliver stood for some time and then he said he forgot his

chain he must go and get it.. But I thought he wanted to

escape because I scolded him and I had to use all my

coaxing technique to make him go further’

Frank had goosebumps listening to his father’s tale .. He

understood why Re and group never knew what was there

in the box till today because Oliver had not worn the Link

and must have left it elsewhere!

His father continued in the same melancholy tone.

‘

As we went near the cave , we could see the vegetation

had been cut crudely just for one person to walk …we

could see the vegetation was too thick and dark’

Redim asked, ‘ Uncle sorry to interrupt you , but where

was the cave .. was it somewhere near or elsewhere ?

He looked at her , ‘ no ..it is to the left of the house ,

western side .. but now the vegetation is not as thick as

before ..’

Redim gave a meaningful look…

He continued , ‘ Oliver found the cave with difficulty.. he

had removed only a little of the undergrowth and we

entered the cave . Brendon was shooting the scene and

Oliver showed me the heavy and Brendon asked me to

pose with the box .It was stuffy and smelly ..bats were

disturbed .. I couldn’t stay there anymore so we brought the

box out and carried all the way to the house . Brendon

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wanted to take a photo of the interior of the box, but Oliver

became so agitated and crazy that he started beating him .. I

had to intervene but unfortunately the box couldn’t be open

.

. Oliver showed such aggressiveness that I told Brendon to

come later . we all took an oath that we would never tell

about this to anyone!

‘That was the last time I had seen him …he was murdered

very brutally just like Oliver. The next day I was visited by

a group of international thugs who called themselves as

The Seekers or just treasure hunters . They blackmailed me

to show the box….but Oliver inspite of all his abnormality

,

proved he was a genius that day. He had filled it with

some crude stone statues and hid what was there inside ..in

fact it was not known to me .. So when the box was opened

I clearly showed the disappointment. The Seekers made an

agreement with me on that day.. If I came to know of any

treasure , they should be informed and it would be shared

5

0/50. If I cheated on this arrangement, my family would

not see another day..’

‘Since then , I would get a call once in a month from them

for me to know that the agreement is still open..So the other

day when I spoke to Richard and Oliver, I guessed it was

about the treasure so I called them and they wanted to

know the source of information..’

He was too emotional , with tears in his eyes he looked

directly at his son and said ,

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‘

I mentioned Oliver to them! so it was me who had

sentenced him to his sure death… I am going to surrender

to the police,’

Richard spoke , ‘ you didn’t do it intentionally sir..

moreover we know now that it was The Seekers.. so many

years you waited without telling anyone ..just give us few

more days ..we will trap them’

Redim, ‘ Uncle just relax ..we will solve all the problems

and believe me we have solid help from above’ both Frank

and Richard knew whom she meant ..

Frank intervened , ‘ yes dad .. we have already guessed

most of the things ..give us the contact details of the group

and this time you are not alone ..I want you to be

completely away from this from now on as it may become

ugly.. But be sure we will come out of this’

Francis was visibly moved and said , ‘ your mother doesn’t

know anything about it ..I have done lot of research on

these treasure hunters .I will give everything to you..Come

and collect the files from my room’ he hugged his son

impulsively and left .

Frank removed the Link and kept it in the locker as he

wanted to keep the Re and group away from this new

mess..

Frank wanted to have an action plan so they huddled

together and planned ..One was regarding the so called

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treasure and another one was regarding the intragalactic

visitors..The common point was that the treasure was used

as a bait by Re . But they have not bargained with Frank..

So they have to create a bait for Re and group.

Richard was in awe of the way both Frank and Redim made

plans.. They listed out everything that the space visitors

might need..Richard asked , ‘ the treasure hunters are the

rogues and what do you think of the aliens?’

Frank and Redim both said in unison , ‘our responsibility’

and they were happy that they both had the same idea

Richard was content to know the distinction between them

It would be easier to work... He had been born for this kind

of the work.. He had been going behind the old man all his

life just because his imagination worked over time but it

was all real and he was included in the plan..

‘Frank and Redim I am there in this ..Especially I like your

responsibility ..count me in’

They all laughed ..

Invisible Zo who was listening to all these, sitting with

them on the coffee table , flew out…

*

******

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