“... I need you to feel me, Vincent. I need you to keep an open mind and stay true in your heart … I need you to TRUST ME …” Vincent finished the message left by his wife, following Alex's lead.
“It's the pen, Alex. She's brilliant - it's the pen!” Vincent got excited that her clues were coming together so nicely.
It was the pen Vincent put a microphone into for Chantele. He thought it was perfect for her line of work, and she loved it. It let her interview people undetected. She and Vincent were the only two people who knew about the hidden microphone.
“Don't be afraid to listen to the signs; they are never coincidental,” Vincent whispered to himself growing more curious at the lifelong secret Chantele may have recorded on the pen for him.
Alex watched an older gentleman walk in, while his father celebrated their discovery. He was thin, with grey hair, but appeared to move with a quiet purpose. The man was almost old enough to be his grandfather. Alex studied him as he sat down next to him and patted him on the head. Alex fought to make a sound, as he wondered why his father hadn’t said anything yet? The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he had a bad feeling that something wasn’t right.
“Dad,” Alex whispered. When Vincent failed to respond he spoke a little louder, “Dad, please?”
Vincent surfaced from his celebration and looked up, instantly shocked at the sight of a man sitting beside his son. Vincent couldn’t figure out how he’d missed seeing the man enter the room.
“I’m sorry, we were just leaving,” Vincent stopped twirling the pen, hoping he was one of the project managers on the construction crew.
“You aren't going anywhere, Vincent. Chantele is waiting to see you,” Vincent froze halfway to standing and stared at the man in disbelief.
It only took a moment for Vincent to recover, dropping the pen and leaping the rest of the way to his feet. “Chantele! You know where my wife is?” Vincent’s voice rose.
“That’s correct.,” he admitted.
Alex shrunk back from the man who smelt of cigarettes, and alcohol.
Vincent rushed around the desk, “Where is she?” He reached down to grab the man’s arm as he demanded, “Take me to her, right now.”
The man shifted slightly, avoiding Vincent’s grasp. “As you wish.”
Alex finally found his voice, moving off the couch to take a stance slightly behind his father. “Who are you? How do you know where my Mum is?”
“Hello, Alex. I'm Ivan. Your mother is a special, friend, of mine. We go back a long time.” The man smiled as he stood up gracefully.
Vincent knew whoever he was, he’d take him to Chantele.
“…You also need to find my closest friend, my walking angel … Perhaps my angel may discover you instead...” Alex was going over Chantele's lines in his head. Was this man her angel?
It was enough for Vincent. As far as he was concerned, he had deciphered Chantele’s code and found the person who could lead him to her. Alex wasn't convinced, hovering over the capital letters Chantele had highlighted in her S.O.S. letter.
‘… TRUST NO ONE! …’ Alex tried to think of a way to remind his father of the warning.
With all the boyish innocent he could muster Alex asked, “How do we know if we can trust you, Mr. Ivan?”
“It's the only choice you have, Alex. That is if you want to see your mother again.” He leaned down level with Alex with a sour look on his face.
Then it dawned on Vincent the quote Chantele had highlighted in her coded message, the one that baffled Vincent.
“… age is experience and lessons learned; sometimes though, age is a word and the mind over-powers experience…Believe in your gut ... It's in your genes, your gift for us …”
‘ALEX!’ She was talking about Alex. She wanted Vincent to believe in Alex.
Vincent tried to think of his next move when Lina walked in with a group of maintenance men.
“Hello, Vincent, you were quick! What did you do fly here?” Laughing at her own joke, she smiled at Vincent. “Alex, I didn't see you there! Come and give your Godmother Lina a hug!”
As the CEO of the Oracle not much got passed, Lina. She was quick on her feet, in recognizing danger and knew body language like the back of her hand. Part of her love for Chantele came from the mystery Chantele gave off. It was no surprise she saw the look of worry on Alex's face and picked up on the room’s tense vibe.
Lina turned to the gentleman standing with Vincent and Alex. “Hi I’m Lina, and you are?”
“No one important,” Ivan replied immediately shuffling past Lina and out the door. Vincent moved to follow Ivan, not wanting to lose sight of him as he still wasn’t sure if Ivan could be Chantele's and his angel.
Lina felt as if she had seen this person before, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked back to Alex. “How would you like to come to the ‘Einstein Fair’ with me right now? I have a spare ticket.”
Alex caught on and piped up, “Awesome you're the best Aunty Lina.” He looked at Vincent, paused in the doorway. “Dad, can I please go with Aunty Lina? I promise I’ll be good,” Alex played along trying to make it believable so Ivan wouldn't catch on.
“That's fine Alex. It's lovely of Lina to do that for you.” Vincent turned to Chantele’s boss, “Thanks,” he gave a tentative smile, “Are you sure Alex isn't going to be a bother?”
“Are you kidding? It’s my pleasure,” she laughed nervously as she became worried about what was going on.
Vincent nodded and started after Ivan, who was walking slowly enough to hear what was being said behind him.
Looking away from the elevator doors closing on them, Alex spotted the customized pen on the desk. Alex grabbed it, putting it into his pocket before leaving with Lina.
CHAPTER 11
C
hantele couldn't help thinking about her husband and children. However, the conversation with her father perpetually lurked in the back of her mind, as she looked around the sparsely decorated room. One corner had a tiny toilet and even smaller sink. There was a bed to sleep on and a table with an incredibly uncomfortable chair. The windows were covered by steel bars, and the door was bolted shut from the outside. Which made it evident that there was no apparent way to escape.
She kept coming back to the warning she left Vincent. Chantele worried he had discovered her journal, deep down hoping he had no idea it was there. When she’d left it, she’d been counting on him to get rid of all the bugs and spiders in the Mancini mansion. It was a safe bet due to his O.C.D. he would have started by placing the spray bombs up in the attic, hoping to destroy anything unwelcome in there. It made logical sense to start at the top and work down. If he’d gone with his perfect plan, then it was inevitable that he would most like find. Chantele sighed knowing it was too late to change her mind now.
Chantele thought about the woman she knew as her best friend, Sanya. She was the one person she could confide in, she counted on to her to keep her identity safe. She struggled to process why after everything they’d been through together, why turn on her now? ‘What’s changed?’ Chantele wondered, she knew it was something that involved Vladimir, and she was determined to figure it out.
Chantele heard footsteps outside. Her eyes shifted to the door, and she sat up, curious. Was it Sanya, finally ready to face her? Whoever it was Chantele was ready, and she planned to do everything in her power to get some answers.
The bolts scraped against their housing as they slid back, and the solid door opened with a groan. A man walked in, wearing dark colored jeans and a checkered shirt. He was unshaven and in need of a haircut. Closing the door behind himself, he casually moved the chair next to the bed. He looked her in the eye and smiled.
Chantele recognized him. She met him on the business trip to Belgium. It was the man her father warned her about, Vladimir Sokolov's best student. Ivan. Her heart beat faster, and thoughts of her family made her wondered if she’d ever see
them again.
“Chantele! We meet again!” Ivan greeted her with a broad smile.
“I know who you are. What do you want from me?” Chantele snapped. She wasn't in the mood to mentally tousle with anyone except maybe her son Alex.
“You are your grandfather's granddaughter,” he remarked taking a seat. “You’re just like him.” He leaned back, appearing comfortable in the chair. Ivan was enthralled at the resemblance Chantele bore to her grandfather. She could almost pass as a female version of his Professor he looked up to, the man he considered a man of greatness.
“What do you want from me?” Chantele asked getting agitated with her circumstances.
Ivan got up from his chair and began to pace. “Vladimir was a hero. The man everyone wanted to meet. A person of integrity, loyalty, and hope for a future we are all entitled too.” Ivan watched Chantele as he spoke, making sure he kept her full attention.
“I traveled continents to be his student. To learn as much as I could from him.” He paused pacing to stare off into the distance. “I wanted to be him, I wanted to be a fearless man with guts.” Ivan turned back to Chantele, “And you know what, I did. He was my idol.”
Chantele was more confused than ever. If he looked up to her grandfather in the way of his confession, then why did he have her locked up? What did Ivan have to do with Sanya? “I’m at a loss for words,” Chantele stammered. “I don't understand?” she confessed, the stress getting to her as she tried to comprehend precisely what Ivan was trying to tell her?
“Your grandfather was not the man everyone thought him to be. He betrayed us.” Ivan’s voice got louder as he continued, “He betrayed me, the world, and even his family.” His voice reached a crescendo, and he paused. Stopping to look Chantele, he met her eyes, “He betrayed you too.” This last was barely audible, spat out as if a sour taste had touched Ivan’s tongue.
The weight of her exhaustion began to break free, as it reached a level that was beyond Chantele’s control, it physically manifesting, causing her body to shake, “I don't understand. How? What do you mean?”
“It's really rather straightforward Chantele, or, should I call you … Celina?”
Chantele was stunned! She involuntarily recoiled as if she’d been struck. He knew exactly who she was. The identity she’d worked so hard to protect ever since fleeing to Belgium as a teenager.
“Your grandparents, Vladimir and Alina. They killed my mother!” Ivan's anger and pure hatred showing in his eyes echoed in his voice.
“No! That’s not possible! My grandparents wouldn't do that, they couldn’t. You’re lying!” Chantele accused, masked her confusion by yelling. She had no idea what any of this had to do with her anyway?
“It’s true! Vladimir! Killed! My mother!” Ivan screamed, shaking with rage. “He killed my father too. Vladimir killed his one and only brother - his identical twin, Konstantin.”
Chantele froze, her heart racing frantically in her chest fueled by adrenalin. If what Ivan said was true, then Ivan was her mother's first cousin. It made Vladimir, Ivan's uncle, which meant the man standing in front of her was her uncle.
“So, you want to kill me to avenge the death of your parent's? Is that why you locked me up? You want to kill me, is that it Ivan?” Chantele didn’t know what to think, biding her time by keeping him speaking.
“No. That would be too easy. I'm not Vladimir.” Ivan calmed considerably. “I’m more of a man than Vladimir ever was.”
He cleared his throat, “You have something I want. You are going to give it to me, and you will do it now.” He smiled, the same smile he came into the room with. “If not, you will never see Vincent, Samantha, Suzie, or Alex again.
Chantele's heart sank. She wanted to be with her family more than anything in the world. Ivan opened the door, nodding his head to someone outside. Hearing footsteps, she wasn’t all that surprised when the devil herself - Sanya - entered.
“You bitch, you betrayed me! I hate you!” Chantele started to get off the bed, furious and upset, she wanted to punch Sanya.
Sanya looked at Chantele, her face red and tear-streaked. “I had no choice,” her voice broke through the sobs. “Don’t you understand? You brought me into your world. You put me in this position.”
Chantele stopped. She could hear the anger and fear in Sanya’s words but had no idea what she meant.
Ivan and Sanya explained how Ivan's mother had died from Leukemia, and his father from bowel cancer. Now Sanya's mother had leukemia, with only days to live. They told Chantele about Alina’s breakthrough when she discovered the cure for certain cancers. How she passed her knowledge down to her daughter, Katya, who also worked in nuclear medicine research and development. Apparently, Katya was extremely successful, finding, even more, cures for cancers, with the expansion into autoimmune diseases.
The big wigs had taken their discoveries, turning them into a business transaction, treating cancer through specific clinics only, clinics charging top dollar. It was a rapid income generating venture which was dispensed through insurance companies and government programs. The general public, however, continued to pay for the hope of a cure, getting partial treatment even as the full cure was available behind closed doors. Millions died every day. The profits were beyond anything the corporate sector had ever seen or imagined before. Alina and Katya’s discoveries were bound so tightly in red tape, that their freedom to continue their research was removed. They were governed by politics, money, and greed.
It didn’t stop there, Vladimir's sister-in-law, Melissa, was also dying from Leukemia. Vladimir promised to save her but failed to deliver on his promise. Vladimir chose to turn a blind eye, unable to come through for his twin brother. Now Ivan's sister was fighting breast cancer, and Sanya's mother was losing her battle with leukemia. Chantele was the only one who could help them save the only two people they had left.
Chantele was devastated to hear how her grandfather had deceived his family. She was hurt, and couldn't believe what she was hearing. She numbly stared at them, still not understanding how she could save Ivan's sister or Sanya's mother. If she knew how she would in a heartbeat.
Ivan pulled out an old cassette tape and placed it into a cassette player Sanya had carried in, it looked just like the same one Chantele’s mother had when she was growing up. He pressed play, and Vladimir Sokolov’s voice came out, clear, with a heavy Russian accent, but it was definitely him.
His English was perfect; as Chantele listened memories started to surface from her subconscious. Vladimir's voice triggered a cell in her brain that brought her back to her mother's womb. Chantele heard voices she used to listen to while Katya was pregnant. It was the sounds of Vladimir, Alina, and Katya, speaking of a secret they had groomed Chantele to know.
***
Vincent looked around the sparse room he’d been locked up in. It consisted of a table and chair, along with a bed and commode. His pent-up nervous energy had him moving to sit down but then his O.C.D would scream at him as the distance between his backside grew closer to the bed. It was as though someone had released a jarful of fireflies inside his head. He needed a way to save both Chantele and himself. It was at that thought that events of the day replayed through his mind, triggering the memory of finding Chantele’s pen. He and Alex had managed to identify the clue and locate it. It reminded him of the pen he’d started carrying inside his pants pocket months ago. It was a sister to the one he’d designed for Chantele, but much smaller. The pen may be his only chance to get the word out to someone who could help, but who? He thought of Alex but had never told him about the pen's features.
Regardless he had to try something. Hoping and praying somehow, that by some miracle Alex would figure out the pen. Vincent got the pen out of its secret pocket and spoke his password into the microphone. A tiny light blinked, telling him it found a network connection. Recording his own S.O.S., Vincent prayed once more that Alex would detect it and alert the police of their whereabouts.
It was the only chance he had, so he took it. He spoke another command, sending the file directly to Chantele's computer.
CHAPTER 12
A
fter Vincent left, Lina took Alex to her office and ordered food in from the shops downstairs. Lina watched Alex eat the pizza she bought him. He rolled a pen back and forth on the small conference table while he finished eating. Lina recognized it as the one Vincent had specially made for Chantele. She’d been so proud when he gave it to her, showing it off to Lina the next day. She was excited by the built-in microphone and the pen’s ability to connect through Wi-Fi. Vincent had even set up a cloud service, converting recorded messages to PDF documents in synced folders.
“Are you still hungry Alex?” Lina asked him.
“No, I'm done, thank you.” Alex picked up the pen and thought about his missing mother.
“Okay. I’ll call your mother to let her know you’re with me,” Lina offered as she picked up the phone and dialed Chantele's number.
“No, you can't!” Alex jumped up.
“I can't?” Lina's expression showed her confusion. “What's going on, what’s happening with your mother Alex? Who was that man with your father in Chantele's office?” Lina demanded wanting to know what was going on.
Alex got up and closed the door to Lina's office. “Promise you won't tell anyone?”
“Cross my heart. It's our secret. You know I wouldn't betray my precious Godson, we’re a team!” Lina hugged Alex.
Lina was the Godmother to all three of Chantele's children. Chantele adored Lina not only as a good boss but as one of her closest friends, other than Sanya. Lina never judged her or asked questions. Their relationship was real, and it was pure. They understood each other more so than themselves.
“Mum’s missing!” Alex started to cry. He was so busy being brave for his father and sisters, he hadn’t had time to process his own emotions.
Alex explained the events of the last few days. The journal with the S.O.S. message from his mother in the attic. Their having to leave quickly, staying in the countryside, and then the clues in the letter that led them to Chantele's office. He explained the importance of the pen and how excited Vincent had been when they found it in her office right before that man had walked in. The one that said his name was Ivan.
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