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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