KEEPERS BOOK 2: THE HUNT FOR SONJA

Chapter 16 The Errant Youngling

As soon as he emerged from St. John's wood tube station he hesitated before he walked down the high street that would lead him to Norfolk road. His strides were slow, giving him ample time to catch his breath as his thoughts scrambled in his brain. He had just finished his business with headquarters having received his assignment, he would be handling night duty while they tried to solve the case of the recent murder. His assignment was clear, a covert operation that would take him to Oxford street where he would have to go on surveillance duty with his partner.
He had enough time to solve the current riddle that was playing on his mind before he had to report for duty. Taking the slip of paper where he scribbled the address of Jason he followed the map that would lead him to the place where answers awaited him.
All his life he was known as John Lumley only son to the aging lumley's. He grew up in farm in surrey. When he was old enough, he was sent to boarding school where he excelled in literature and social studies. He grew faster than most of his peers and he was stronger as well. His main sport was football but a dabbled with cricket whenever he got the chance. While in boarding school they had gone on a field trip to Scotland Yard, a trip that would change his life.
He had developed a fascination for criminal studies and enrolled in the university of London. That was a turning point in his life. His professors marveled at his keen sense and analytical mind. One of them recommended him to intern with the London police. Used to field work he was always chosen to investigate various criminal acts, some of them quite gruesome but he had a strong gut and this made him a favorite of most criminal investigators. His commendations finally led him to his current position which was challenging but something he looked forward to everyday.
Having been exposed to a variety of weird cases, this latest discovery about his life went far beyond the scope of what had become his reality.
Shaking his head in disbelief, he looked at the spiked gate in front of him and pushed the button that said doorbell. The gates came apart slowly and he walked into the gravelly road toward the front door which was already open. The man Jason stood at the foyer, a smile on greeting on his face as he recognized John. Nodding to the man, he walked in cautiously observing his surroundings with interest.
The house was a Palladian structure, it sported ionic columns at the foyer and white marble floors. They passed through an archway before turning into a room that looked like a library of sorts. There were shelves of books everywhere. The halogen was dim and a fire was lit on the hearth. The people he saw that morning in his apartment were all present and watching him with keen interest, especially the man with the shoulder length ebony hair and matching trimmed beard.
"Welcome John" the woman whose name was Sonja smiled at him tenderly, he nodded in return, accepting a bottle of beer from Jason before realizing he was on duty. He set the bottle down on a nearby table and returned his attention to his audience having relaeazied that their silence only meant they were seizing him up.
"Thank you for coming, I know you have a lot of questions." It was Jason who spoke standing a few paces away close to the hearth. "Please have a seat."
"I'd rather stand if you don't mind." John declined the invitation preparing to bolt in a few minutes. He realized that perhaps he had been too hasty in agreeing to come, he wasn't ready for any of it. At least not right now.
"On the contrary,now would be the perfect time" Sonja said bluntly
Shocked john could only state "how did you......"
"It's our gift, you come from Garrick and I we can read your thoughts." She smiled
"Your mind is racing with so many unanswered questions" Carrick spoke for the first time his sympathy going out to the boy.
"Hang on a second all of you" he raised his palm to signal silence he could feel their eyes upon him. "Yesterday I was john Lumley I know I'm adopted but how in hell can you be my parents? Your no older than I am?!" Sighing he shook his head and made to turn away when suddenly he heard the voice in his head
"John wait you must listen to us. Please let us explain"
Shocked he turned Sonja whose lips remained sealed he knew he heard her speaking to him "your powers are starting to rise. I know you can hear me."
"How can you do that?"John was too shocked to say anything else. In all his life he had never heard voices in his head.  He must be going nuts.
"John are you familiar with the bible?" Jason continued ignoring the rest of his guests.
"Of course, what does that have to do with me?" John frowned.
Jason turned to his crowd "perhaps I should be the one to tell it." Returning his gaze back to John "The bible says that in the beginning God the father created the life here on earth but he wasn't alone, He had help. Where the almighty father had dominion over human kind and those that dwelt with him in the heavens, the mother was granted dominion over the rest of his creation and those of us that stand before you have the guardianship of the mother."
"I don't get it" John shook his head.
"Other than the humans and the creatures that live on earth such as the animals and the sea creatures there are those of us that were created as well.  You've heard about us in fairy tales."
"Fairy tales?" Kibble asked giving her full attention to Jason.
"Yes Kibble, there are this of us that did not agree to severing the ties completely with the humans.  We wanted them to remember us in some way. Anyway, while the humans were evolving and trying to survive in this land we had already been existing. In fact there were  realms." Seeing that John had his full attention he continued " The fairies, the goblins, the mages, the mere folk, the Lycans, the elves and the humans make the seven realms. All of us were given immortality but for some reason , the humans did not exist as long as the rest of us.  Their lives were shortened but they bred rampantly. We all existed together, side by side, sharing the land and its bounty. We made a promise to protect the land together and all was fine but creation continued. The night crawlers sprung from the anger of the Father who had banished his fallen legion of angels and the shadow people who were created by the mother to continue in her work to make the land bountiful. And last but not the least surely you've heard of the dragons."
"This sounds really ridiculous" John muttered.
"Oh really? Remember the story of the little mermaid?"
"My mother took me to watch the Disney movie I thought it was funny at the time." John snorted.
"Funny yes" Jason nodded "But that mermaid did come on the land and she was saved by me and a young Norman warrior who had kept silent about her discovery. We managed to patch up her wounded body and hid her among the humans. The story of beauty and the beast is clearly the story of a shape shifting lycan and his human mate. And what about the story of sleeping beauty.?"Jason asked
"As I recall she was saved by a prince with a kiss." John countered.
"Yes she was awakened with a kiss before the dragon was vanquished by the same prince and his essence tranferr d to the prince. Such was the curse of the Mage known as Maleficent. And don't forget she had three fairy godmothers, Cinderella too had a fairy godmother. Now where do you think those stories came from? They were not imagined, a twist of the truth perhaps."
John shook his head in denial as the stories poured within his mind backing up slowly , he just could not process another irrational revelation.  "YOUR all cracked!" He exclaimed before turning around and making a dash for the exit.
Jason sighed gulping the rest of his beer ignoring the stunned looks of his three immortal charges. Not a word was spoken as all three looked at the open door except for Jason who walked toward the French Windows and stared out into the night.
"We can't just let him leave upset." Sonja said dismally.
"Let me go after him." Garrick dashed through the same door before Jason could stop him.
"Tell me uncle Jason, the price that was cursed to be a dragon, was his name Ivanly ?" Kibble asked Jason.
"If he's the dragon that prefers his own company then that should be him." Jason replied. "Bollocks, the boy is confused"
"You cornered his mind with your drivel" Sonja shook her head in dismay "now he's left more confused than ever. This was suppose to be a reunion." She accused glaring at Jason her arms crossed
"He's quite stubborn" kibble observed going to the book shelf and thumbing through the volumes of literature.
"Not so far from his parents. I mean what did you expect, this life he has lived is all he knows, suddenly we spring this announcement that he is not what he thought he was. Did you think he would open his arms and embrace his immortality?" Jason asked incredulously.
"You didn't have to be so brutally frank!" Sonja countered angrily. "Now he's gone."
"Can you sense him?" Jason asked curtly.
"No only Garrick."
"They are entering a station" Kibble  looked into the emptiness before her and spoke about her vision "they are riding a fast machine going somewhere."
"Do you know where?" Sonja asked hopefully.
"Oxford street" kibble continued seeing the flash of a street sign.
"Great lets go" Sonja looked at Jason.
"Where in Oxford street?" Jason asked kibble.
"I don't know" kibble shrugged as the vision disappeared "They are still on the train."
"Alright we will go after them."Jason conceded.