The Scientist's Cultist

x - minotaur.

"Look," Rowan said as Landon approached.

"What am I looking at?"

"A letter, silly, found in a bottle at sea. But get this, it's signed by June."

Landon leaned over Rowan's shoulder to take a closer look at the sloping cursive letters:

"Dear Jack, will you allow me in a few plain and simple words, respectfully to express the sincere esteem and affection I entertain for you, and to ask whether I may venture to hope that these sentiments are returned? I love you truly and earnestly, and knowing you seek your New World with such fervor. I cannot think that you will take offense at this letter. Perhaps it is self-flattery to suppose I have any place in your regard for we have not yet been able to officially meet. Should this be so, the error will carry with it its own punishment, for my happy dream will be over. I will try to think otherwise, however, and shall await your answer with hope. Trusting soon to hear from you, I remain, dear Jack. Sincerely yours, June."

"New World?" Landon asked after he'd finished reading. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know," admitted Rowan. "Judging by the 'we have not yet been able to officially meet' line and that it's addressed to Jack..."

"They haven't learned any new information," Landon finished.

"Right. The New World thing, though..."

"Let me call Lil," said Rowan. "Maybe she'll have a better idea of what it means."

The phone hardly had a chance to ring before Lilia picked it up. "Row? Is everything okay?"

Landon fought a smile. He didn't know Lilia as well as Rowan, but he could already tell she was quite the worrier.

"Everything's fine," Rowan replied. "We think we found June and Theo's message. Does the 'New World' mean anything to you?"

"No, but let me take a look in the database." From across the line, Landon could hear the faint sound of clicking. "Was there anything else in the note?"

"Not really," Landon pitched in. "Just indications that they haven't actually met him yet."

"Thank god," said Lilia. "I would literally shit my pants if I had to meet Jack the Ripper."

Rowan laughed. "We know."

"Hey, making fun of me isn't going to get your results any quicker," Lilia scolded, though it was obvious she was only pretending to be upset. "There is hardly any information on the New World. It looks like there are speculations it was a religious cult formed in the 19th century, but there has never been any proof, nor have any members of the cult ever revealed themselves."

"Huh," said Landon, thinking out loud. "I wonder if this cult is the reason the directors want Jack. Any details as to what the cult believed in?"

"Nothing," Lilia replied. "Whoever formed this cult did a hell of a lot of work to keep it secret."

"Thanks, Lil. We'll keep you updated," said Rowan, tapping the red button to end the call. "A religious cult," he repeated. "This might sound insensitive, but I'm so glad I'm not there right now."

"I'm wondering how they managed to learn this information if it's protected as well as Lilia says it is," said Landon. "Do you think they're in trouble?"

"They were able to write this, so they must be okay for the moment," Rowan soothed. "Lilia would have told us if anything weird happened to their timelines."

"This is so stupid," Landon said as they exited the archives. "Ryan would have never cleared a mission this dangerous."

"Ours was pretty damn dangerous."