Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Ruins of Atlantis ❯ Freedom and Mysteries ( Chapter 2 )

Ruins of Atlantis

By: Ginsan

 

 

Chapter 2

Freedom and Mysteries

 

 

 

 

He knew it was a risk, but he looked out of the window anyway. It was just so hard, not to look at what he had missed the last two hundred years.

 

The Capitol had changed so much over the years. And yet, it was still much the same. New buildings had been built to replace those that had been destroyed following the Accident. There appeared to be fresh paint on almost every building. There were certainly more people bustling through the streets than he remembered. Mostly soldiers, since his escape had been noticed.

 

He turned away from watching the people, and back to looking at the buildings. The new buildings weren't really new. They were simply replacements for the old. They were exactly the same, down to the last stone slab on the roofs. The colors were the same as those two hundred years ago. New, but still the same.

 

He couldn't say the same about himself.

 

Since Meioh had freed him from the cell, he doubted he had said more than ten words to her. With only his mind for company for the last two hundred years, he found it difficult talking to another human. Especially to her. He just hadn't found it in himself to tell her what he'd actually endured after they'd locked him in the cell. He couldn't do that to her. Couldn't let her know that she had trapped him in a living Hell within his own mind for all that time.

 

She knew something was wrong of course. His silence was proof enough of that. Before the Accident, it was all she could do to get him to shut up. To stop him from pestering her about marriage.

 

He was still staring out the window when she came a few hours later.

 

Once she saw what he was doing, she rushed across the room, and hurriedly closed the curtains. He blinked several times as he came out of his thoughts, and turned to look at her.

 

“Jorowyn, what were you doing? You know it's dangerous to be seen.”

 

She looked at him worriedly, while she gently pulled him away from the window. He merely allowed her to guide him to a nearby chair, where he calmly sat down.

 

“Jorowyn, I wish you would talk to me. Tell me what's wrong.” She knelt down in front of him, and took his hands while she looked up into his face. “I wish you'd tell me it wasn't my fault.”

 

She looked away as she started to quietly cry. He kept denying it, but she knew. She knew something had happened to him after being locked in that cell, and suspended in time. There was no other explanation.

 

She was startled, when he brought his hands up, and gently began wiping away her tears. She looked up again, to see him with the same sad smile he'd worn since she'd let him out. He leaned forward, and her eyes closed involuntarily as he softly kissed her forehead.

 

It was then, that she made up her mind. She would do whatever it took to get him to safety. To get him to the surface, where he could disappear forever among the non-Atlantians. Where he could live away from the people that had done this to him. Where he could be far away from her.

 

* * *

 

Jordan dozed in his wheelchair while Zackary stood waiting nearby. He doubted Jordan was really asleep, but he let the old man have his fun. If even half the rumors surrounding his life before becoming C.E.O. were true, then he deserved to act however he pleased.

 

“Mr. Staziak, the plane will be landing in a few minutes.”

 

Zack nodded to the security member, before turning to wake Jordan.

 

“Look, you can just make out the plane.”

 

Zack sighed, as Jordan was already awake and pointing to the Northwest, where the plane was just becoming visible. They both watched for the next several minutes as the plane made it's landing on the recently completed runway. Until two days ago, they were still relying on the dirt strip for supplies.

 

“Let's go over and make introductions, shall we?”

 

Zack nodded as he wheeled Jordan over to where the ground crew was working on getting the plane unloaded. Amara was just coming down the passenger ramp, and Jordan waved her over.

 

“How did our new friends handle the flight?”

 

Amara smirked as she walked over, nodding a greeting to Zack.

 

“Some better than others.”

 

Zach smiled as he glanced up, and spotted a lanky blond walking down the ramp, nursing a black eye.

 

“He questioned your taste in clothing, didn't he?”

 

She snorted as she turned to fix the man in question with a glare, causing him to abruptly turn around from where he had stopped to stare at her ass.

 

“More like tried to cop a feel when I went back to check on the cargo.”

 

Jordan chuckled as the man in question stalked away. He noticed one of the nearby security detail walk off as well. Most likely to make sure the young man didn't get himself into more trouble.

 

The three of them waited patiently as the rest of the passengers came down the ramp. Jordan smiled as the last two passengers came down. Darien Chiba, and his assistant Nathan Randolph.

 

“Ah, Mr. Chiba. You have no idea how long I've wanted to meet you in person.”

 

He held out a hand to the man, as Zack wheeled him closer. Darien took the hand and shook it.

 

“It's a pleasure to meet you sir. I'll have to admit. When you said you had a Dig Site, I didn't expect it to be a tropical island. In the middle of the Bermuda Triangle no less.”

 

Jordan smiled, then gestured for Darien and Nathan to follow as Zackary turned his chair, and headed for the main complex.

 

“I've always been a fan of mysteries, and the Triangle is one of the greatest mysteries on the planet. We'll get you and your team settled in today, and we can tour the island in the morning. I think you will be quite surprised by the little mystery we discovered. We'll discuss the details over dinner tonight.”

 

Darien and Nathan shared a look. It was never good when people talked like that. It usually panned out to be a worthless find. Or worse, a hoax. Still, even for as large a company as Mallone Industries, ten million was a little much for a hoax.

 

“Oh, Amara, I almost forgot. Michelle arrived from the mainland an hour ago. If you hurry, you should catch her in her office.”

 

Jordan winked at her as she smiled, then hurried off down the path.

 

“Ah, to be young again.”

 

Zack shook his head as they continued walking. Darien and Nathan looked at each other, baffled. They both had a feeling they had missed something.

 

* * *

 

“So how is your team settling in Mr. Chiba? No problems I hope?”

 

Darien shook his head as he set his fork down, and took a sip of his wine.

 

“No sir, everyone seems to be enjoying their rooms. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such nice quarters. I'm used to a cot in a tent, not a fully furnished room with it's own kitchen.”

 

Jordan dismissed such an idea with a wave of his hand.

 

“Nonsense. What point would there be in fully funding this Dig, if I didn't make sure you were all comfortable? Mallone Industries wouldn't be what it is today, if we didn't consider the comfort of our employees. Happy employees are productive employees. Besides, there's still a chance for that tent and cot if you decide to spend the night outdoors.”

 

Darien and Nathan laughed at that. There was silence for a few minutes while dinner was enjoyed.

 

Jordan was sitting at the head of the main table, with Zackary to his right. Darien had learned that the young man was Mr. Mallone's Personal Assistant. He had also learned that he was the same age as himself, Nathan, and Jadrian. A relatively young, twenty-four. A strange coincidence, and when he'd brought it up, Mr. Mallone had simply smiled and called it one of life's little mysteries. He was beginning to think the older man really did have a thing for mysteries.

 

Jadrian had been given a seat next to Zackary, and the two seemed to be in the middle of an animated debate over something. They were keeping their voices down, so it was hard to make out what they were saying. It had struck him as odd, how quickly the two had gotten along. Most people tended to get annoyed by the surly mechanic, put off by his rude behavior and coarse language. The most recent example being Ms. Tenoh.

 

The woman in question was seated across from himself and Nathan. She was sitting with another woman, who had been introduced as Michelle Kaioh. He'd been formally introduced to both just before dinner.

 

Amara Tenoh was the current Head of Security for the island. In fact, she was the Head of Security for all of Mallone Industries. Jordan had hired her personally five years ago, and groomed her for her current position. From what he had heard, she was very competent at her job, and fairly well respected in her field.

 

Michelle Kaioh, was apparently the head of the Acquisitions Office, in charge of land and equipment purchases for Mallone Industries. She too had been hired five years ago by Mr. Mallone. Apparently, she had just recently gained this promotion, replacing her boss who recently retired. This island purchase, had been her first major negotiation since taking the position.

 

The two of them had remained out of the majority of the conversation so far, leaving Mr. Mallone and himself to discuss matters. In fact, the two seemed a little too busy flirting with each other, to bother paying attention to what was being said. The conversation from earlier was starting to make a little more sense.

 

“Sir, if you don't mind my asking, what exactly are we Digging for here? Did your people find a Pirate's cache or a wrecked ship?”

 

Jordan chuckled at Nathan's question, before setting his fork down, and taking a quick drink of his wine.

 

“No, no. I assure you, what we have here on the island is nothing so mundane as a mere shipwreck. I could have hired some two-bit treasure hunter from Florida is that was the case. No, what we have here, is a genuine Mystery.”

 

He'd been calling the island a mystery all day, and Darien was beginning to get a bit annoyed by it all.

 

“What is this Mystery business? What are we supposed to be looking for here anyway?”

 

Jordan shrugged, then gestured at Zackary. He broke off his conversation with Jade, and left the room.

 

“Now that you're all here, I don't suppose it can hurt anything to tell you. What do you boys know about Atlantis?”

 

Warning flags went off in Darien's head, and he could tell by Nathan's expression he was thinking the same thing. This was going to be a wild goose chase after all. Thankfully, Jade saved them both from having to respond.

 

“Isn't that that mythical continent that Plato guy said sank into the ocean?”

 

“Crude description, but yes. Atlantis suffered a devastating disaster and sunk beneath the Atlantic Ocean.”

 

“So what does that have to do with dragging Darien and the rest of us here?”

 

Jordan smiled, then looked back to the door as Zackary returned, carrying a large box. He set it down in front of Jordan, then stood patiently beside him.

 

“Quite simply, Mr. Destry, I hired you all to find Atlantis for me. Before you begin to think me a foolish old man, I have something you should see.”

 

He nodded to Zack, who quickly opened the box, then began removing several objects wrapped in cloth. The largest was handed to Darien, while several smaller objects were handed to Nathan and Jade.

 

“Please, have a look. Then you can judge for yourselves if I am crazy or not.”

 

Darien frowned as he looked down at the cloth wrapped bundle for a minute. Jade was already opening the ones in front of him, but Nathan was apparently waiting for Darien.

 

Jade was acting like a kid at Christmas. He eagerly unwrapped the larger of the two objects, then stared down at it. It was a crystal of some sort. Almost like a ruby in color. It was round, and it's entire surface was cut in the smallest facets he'd ever seen. The longer he looked at it, the more he could swear he could see a flame burning inside it. The entire thing was about the size of his fist. And yet, it was practically weightless, the cloth wrapping weighing more than the odd Orb.

 

He set it aside, then unwrapped the other bundle. Inside, were six small gems. They appeared to all be different gems, but each was exactly the same cut and size. About the size of his thumbnail and shaped like pyramids. There was a clear diamond, a ruby, a black onyx, a sapphire, an aquamarine and a citrine.

 

Jade set them down on the table, then turned to look at Darien. Hesitating a moment more, he finally unwrapped the large object he had been handed. It was round, and about fifteen inches in diameter, and about a half inch thick. It was made of concentric rings, each one roughly an inch wide. Each ring was covered in strange glyphs composed of lines and dots set in a rough nine by nine configuration. Both sides of the artifact were covered by the glyphs. The artifact itself was composed of a strange, bluish metal he had never seen before. In fact, it almost seemed translucent, like it could have also been made of crystal. Though, he had never heard of any crystal or metal with the colors and properties he was looking at.

 

Nathan took one glance at what Jade and Darien had, before he started opening his items. The first, was a crystal very similar to the one Jade had. Though, his appeared to an emerald. Looking inside, he could almost make out what appeared to be small bolts of electricity. It too was nearly weightless.

 

Fascinated, he opened the last object. It appeared to be another crystal, but this one was much different. It was approximately twelve inches long, and made of an odd, translucent green material. It was actually warm to his touch, and certainly weighed more than the other crystals. The crystal itself was shaped like a rod, with the ends coming to points.

 

Darien was the first to look up, and meet Jordan's amused smile.

 

“What the Hell are these?”

 

“Atlantian relics. The wheel in your hand was found under a shipwreck off Cuba. The two Orbs were found on different islands scattered around the Triangle. The gems were found embedded in a cliff face of another island. They were removed as a safety precaution, and the entire site was photographed for preservation. And finally, that large green one. That was found partially buried right where this room is now. Don't worry, the area was searched throughly before we began construction. Nothing else remains at this Site. I have high hopes for the other Sites on the island.”

 

“Other Sites? Just how many are we talking about?”

 

“Roughly thirty at the moment, in various states of decay. I expect there to be a few more, in the denser foliage of the island.”

 

Darien sat back, stunned. This whole thing had either progressed from a wild goose chase to a very elaborate Hoax. Or this was the real deal. Either way, his mind just couldn't wrap around.

 

“If you had other sites before, why are you just now bringing me in?”

 

“Ah, but Mr. Chiba. I wanted you all along. But until six weeks ago, you were wrapped up with that little matter in Singapore.”

 

Darien had the good grace blush, while Jade and Nathan burst out laughing. A horrible cultural blunder on his part, as well as his atrocious grasp of the Malaysian language, had almost lead to an International Incident. Quick thinking, and some sooth talking had eventually cleared the matter up. He knew Jade and Nathan would never let him live it down, but to know that Jordan Mallone knew about the situation.

 

Just what was he getting himself into?