Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Unforeseen Circumstances

The next day dawned with unexpected news from the

police. Francis got a call that the report about The Seekers

had come from the Interpol and they had the irrevocable

proof that they had been murdering people to get

information about the ancient treasures in various countries

and the old man Oliver was killed by them for the same

reason .But The Seekers did not find what they needed in

the old man’s house..Even though they tortured him he did

not reveal anything. But they found a map in his house.

That map showed a location of a mountain range –Western

Ghats that was hundred kilometres away from the old

man’s place. The copy of the report, the map and the

detailed report of the circumstances in which the FT Group

chairman was threatened were given to them and the same

would be handed over to the Chairman and they would

meet him shortly!

Frank was little relieved to hear the news. The focus of

attention would be shifted to the treasure hunt! Redim

looked at him and he nodded his head in understanding

Francis was tensed...he was not sure if he would be

implicated in the old man’s death as he had informed them..

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When the four police officers arrived, Philomena treated

them like her long last friends and as usual her hospitality

was flawless. Finally they were left to speak!

The DIG handed over the file and thanked Francis for

setting a trap to catch the international criminals

He added, ‘Interpol has praised your service and here is a

letter of appreciation for you. Moreover these criminals had

a bounty on their head... its value amounting a million USD

and you know that is a very large sum indeed’

Francis was moved beyond words. The past few days were

like hell as he anticipated the worse and media having their

fill..And he couldn’t express any such things to them so he

remained silent .Frank understood his dilemma and came

forward and gave a hug and said, ‘Dad you were correct

.

..finally we could get rid of the criminals .As you said we

could have a memorial for the old man who sacrificed his

life ..Officers my father was worried where these criminals

would come and haunt this place. Now thankfully

everything cleared... Now we would like to ask you to keep

my dad’s name from media. We don’t want any copycats

coming forward to take revenge on us...The prize money

will go to charity in the old man Oliver’s name here in our

locality .’

Francis came out of his emotion and took the cue from his

son,

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‘My son is faster than me of course but we thought we

should do something for the old man as he was the reason

that the criminals were caught. Unfortunately he is no

more… The map is an added advantage...we will be finally

left in peace. Thank you gentlemen for coming all the way

to this rural area....’

They all laughed. They once again experienced the

wonderful warmth of Philomena and left praising them all!

The news made headlines the next day and not very

surprisingly Francis Timothy’s name was not mentioned

other than to mention that the village was near Tim’s Land.

Few reporters who had come to Tim’s land even mentioned

about the strange happening before the old man’s death and

how criminals had been searching the neighbourhood to get

the map...the news reporter added that, they murdered for a

non existing treasure as the area they had mentioned was

tourist area and there was no way any treasure could be left

as it was explored thoroughly by the millions of tourists

who visit to see the natural falls and for the medicinal

benefits of that place..

Thus the matter of Oliver’s death came to an end. All who

were associated with the incident gave a sigh of relief.

Richard thought sadly of the old man and how he had left

all his belongings to him in a written will! The police had

handed over the will that was written by Oliver few years

back when Richard was his regular company...Richard

missed him...he was his only companion till last

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Redim spoke to him, ‘Richard, I understand how you feel,

but life moves on... we have a very big responsibility ...

.

we need to see these extra-terrestrials are safe... we did not

select them but they came to us.’

Frank came to them as he overhead Redim, ‘yes what

Redim tells makes sense... they came to us asking for

help... we must continue to help them without exposing

them to the world. If that happens they would remain as the

guinea pigs used for experimental purpose. So either we

must find a safe place in the space or we must see they live

peacefully here in our land. But our life time is so short so

we cannot give a guarantee for their safety... so we need to

find a solution, I am expecting Re... Come let us go to the

room’

Richard was thinking hard. The problem was real and he

felt very protective of Re and group. He had no idea why

he felt like that but at the same time, since his childhood he

had been dreaming about meeting the extraterrestrial and

that was the reason he totally believed the old man’s tall

stories about talking animals... He was eager to know about

the group that was left in USA.

In Frank’s suite, Redim was seated in the couch and

Frank was standing with the closed eyes. Richard quietly

sat on a chair. Frank was wondering about the delay when

Re appeared as an eagle..!

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Frank locked the door and asked Re to be seated on the

coffee table and he sat opposite to him on the couch with

Redim.

Re simply sat and looked from one to another. Redim

couldn’t bear the silence, ‘what is the matter Re? I think

you are Re!’

Then another eagle appeared and perched on the same table

near Re. Redim continued, ‘now who are you? We were

waiting for Re... So we guessed he was Re... .’The second

one turned to look at Redim, ‘I am Re ... he is Zo...just

back from USA... ‘

Frank, ‘Now you can tell us what they were doing there

because we have to speak openly ...’

Zo opened its wings as if he was stretching himself and

said, ‘Well, you knew what happened in NASA, it was our

mistake that the accident happened there ... I was the one

who tried to send a message back but the radio had a strong

receiver but the transmitter was not so strong in the radio

frequency and I thought I could increase its capacity but

you know the result. So we stayed back in search of the

most powerful radio transmitter and we came to know that

it was in Chile’s Atacama Desert at an altitude of

5

050metres above sea level but once again we were

disappointed because that observatory too had no powerful

transmitter.

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Then we came to know of NASA’s Deep Space Network

and there we could send our messages. But we did not get

any reply...once again we observed the signals that used

Re’s name, now it was very feeble but clear... Finally we

came to the conclusion.’

Re continued, ‘that signal was a pre-programmed one...

Perhaps every thousand years or so... It gave a warning that

we should not go back and to take over this planet as ours!

We had a discussion with my mates and all are against the

idea! Yes Frank, this thousand years have given us some of

your humanity, it has seeped into us I think... Something

very new to us...but that is it.’

Frank couldn’t help but smile as the old eagle hung its head

in shame as if having some sentiments was disgraceful.

,

‘well, that is it then! What is your next plan? Frank asked

them thinking it would make everything easier if they

asked for specific help.

But Re and Zo both did not answer. Redim prompted them

by asking, ‘what happened to the group that stayed back.

You said you had some other work for them’

Re eagle’s look was penetrating..., ‘You really want to help

us but we have a problem, bigger problem than finding an

exit from the cavern ...’

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Frank was alarmed, ‘but Re you should tell us everything...

only then we can help you// First believe that we are here to

help you ...so don’t hesitate;

Zo replied, ‘ Frank, it is not that we distrust you. But it is

not possible for you to help us because our technology is

much superior to yours !’

Re added, ‘ yes Frank ..Our spacecraft uses magnetic

levitation and superluminal particles to move at that speed.

We have lost few very important gadgets that are needed.

Until we find them, we cannot think of travelling’

Richard asked them, ‘ Lost them.. How was it possible?

You misplaced them perhaps!’

Zo eagle said, ‘we don’t know’

Redim wanted to know, ‘if you have been warned not to go

back, what is the other option!’

Re replied, ‘yes we held a meeting to discuss the same. The

males of our community are ready for adventure of the

unknown… But the females wanted to find their origin and

go back to the place from where we came. But now this

message from above changed everything. We have only

one option left that is to find a habitable globe in the

universe and establish it as ours. But we don’t want to go to

a globe where already life is existing as we don’t want to

destroy life. So we have started the search. Redim has

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already some idea and we hope we will get there finally!

Am I right Redim?!

Redim was amazed that they knew everything., ‘ I thought

the same Re.. Because you have to go to another planet in

our Milky Way we have several solar systems we are trying

to find one as you have the transport... You see, your

transport is ready and destination is still unknown

Frank laughed... ‘In transit but destination unknown... Ok

let us fix it! Meanwhile you people must keep searching for

the vital gadgets because no use of doing anything without

them....’

Richard was still thinking about the objects that they took

from the basement, ‘Re you people had found some things

from the basement and you said that they were for your

survival! Did you search among them for the rest of the

gadgets?’

‘Those things were our survival kit. We were glad that

nearly 100 cylinders were found and we need only 32...

One for each... That kit keeps our energy going for the set

time. We searched in the basement for the gadgets but

found nothing.’

Frank, ‘now we know all the problems and we will clear all

of them. You people can search for the lost things and we

will concentrate on the feasible destinations.’

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Both Re and Zo said they would arrange an intense search

for the lost items and they vanished from sight...

*

******

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