April 13th, 2032
Seattle, Washington
"Come in! I have been expecting you both!" A voice said after Seth knocked. He looked over at Alex who just shrugged. He opened the door to Dr. Samaria "Maria" Paewai-Kaaka's office to find her sitting at her one of her arm chairs, staring at them inpatiently, and strumming her fingers.
"Alex, I would like to meet the sacred Samaritan!" Seth said to him as they shook Maria's hand when she got up. She sat at her desk as the boys sat in her arm chairs.
"Ah, leave it to Arastoo to give you such a clue!" She smiled and beamed. "A clever play on my name's double meaning!" She explained how Samaria meant Samaritan and Maria was another way to say sacred. Alex nodded in understanding.
"What took you both so long to find me? Ever since Arastoo went missing, I followed you, Seth, and your friends. I came back here hoping and thinking that you would come find me."
"Arastoo sent me this not that long ago." Seth told her as he gave her the print out. "He is alive! And he needs our help, I think. What is the Beale Machine?"
Maria looked back at the print out. To the subject line and the coded message. She then saw Seth's circles and hand writing of the hidden message. Knowing Indonesian, she translated it fairly quickly and knew what it said: the truth is the secret of the wolf. She put the print out on desk and got up. She looked out the window for a little bit then closed the blinds. Then she walked over the her office door, and locked and lacked it.
"What the both of you are about to see, must remain a secret. Once I know what the coded message says, I will be able to explain more." She went over to her book case and fiddled with it a bit. There was a click and the book case swung forward and she entered. She turned on a light and something else that made a noise that rivaled almost any printer. Coming back out, she grabbed the print out telling them to stay seated.
"Do you know what is going on?" Alex questioned kind of whispering.
"No idea but I know that she was... is friends with Arastoo. Maybe she recognized something that I over looked on the message. Arastoo might have entrusted me to give her this message... But why me?"
"Seeing as how Arastoo appears to have a lot friends, he had a lot to pick from. Maybe this has to do with the truth he mentioned to you during your training with him." Alex pondered louder, then shrugged.
"The truth indeed!" Maria said exiting the secret room. She sat back done with some more pieces of paper. "I don't know how to tell you this Seth... but the time has come for you to learn... everything. But not from me, yet. This comes from Arastoo himself." She handed him the second piece of paper, keeping the first for herself to put away. "This is the decrypted message from what Arastoo sent you. I used the Beale Machine. I will explain about that later, but for now read. And read out loud."
Seth took the paper and saw that the coded message was now eligible. He started reading:
"Now this part is for him, have him read it to you-
Seth, I really don't know where to begin. I am sorry that you have to find out this way and not by me telling you in person. Unfortunately, the events that have transpired over the last few days has changed everything.
First off, I am fine, for the moment. I am hiding out and on the move again, but in secret. So I can't tell you where I am. By the time you read this, I may be on the way to the next place. I survived what happened at the expedition's camp. We were attacked by multiple forces from within and without. Don't know if there was any survivors. I was able to escape the attack, with some help. Then I was eventually able to escape after being trapped in the mountains for a little bit.
Now, I am getting help that hopefully will be subtle. I can't endanger anyone else because of our mist... because of my need and obsession with change, and progress. That is why I have decided to further break protocol, to tell you the truth, and warn you of the consequences.
There is so much to more to life, history, and humanity. I could not even begin to tell you what is really out there! Just know that for a very long time, certain knowledge and secrets have been withheld from people. The oldest and best kept secret is about the relationship we shared with wolves as both species evolved in and out of Africa. The truth is the secret of the wolf. This relationship allowed humans and wolves to dominate the whole planet in at least 30 thousand years! Up until at least about 10 thousand years ago and a rift happened. We turned against the wolf. This hatred that developed eventually almost caused the wolf to go extinct. Fortunately, some very few people remember the relationship and have been desperately trying to bring the wolf back. That is what the expedition was doing in those mountains. I was secretly trying to look for evidence of this relationship. And I wanted to expose it. In doing so, I invited multiple forms of trouble, and we were attacked because of all of that. There are people out there that will stop at nothing in order to keep this truth, and secret, hidden. There are others, yet unknown people, who are trying to keep other and different secrets and knowledge hidden. Everyone is clashing.
That is why you are involved, because of your parents. Your parents, myself, Maria, and many others, we all belonged to same group, a pro-wolf group. Unfortunately, your parents died before they can tell you the truth and get you to join the group. That may of have been the motivation behind their deaths. Myself and others though have investigated but unfortunately could not find any connection. The anti-wolf group are good covering up and masking deaths like that.
Because of my foolishness, you, and a lot of other people, are in danger. Maria will warn the others but you must tell Michael, Demetrio, and... even Totit. Tell them everything, because at this point, the cat is out the bag. They need to know what is going on and who is coming for them.
I am sorry and want to apologize profusely in case I never get the chance again. You are like the son I never had and am so proud of the man you are becoming. Regardless of what happens to me, I know that everything will be fine. You will be fine. Step into your mother's shoes. Continue our work, continue her work.
I love you Seth, forever and always."
Seth started crying onto the paper and whispered to himself, "I love you too Arastoo..." He almost soaked through it by the time he placed it back on the desk. After a few minutes, he was able to regain his composure. Alex and Maria stayed quiet to give him the time that he needed. They got up to hug him after he wiped his face.
"Sorry about...", he apologized as they all sat down again, "I could not hold it in any more. It... It was just a lot to take in."
"I completely understand Seth!" Maria assured gently, "I lost my parents too, shortly after they told me and got me in on the Family secret. I was not as young as you but I also eventually had Arastoo and the rest too help."
"I did not know that Dr. Kaaka..."
"Please, call me Maria! Almost everyone does. And don't worry about, I have had many decades to come to terms, and peace, with their deaths, and everything else."
Seth smiled. "Thank you Maria. I now understand why Arastoo told me to transfer and come here. You have been a great mentor too!"
"That was what mine and Arastoo's jobs entailed, nurturing and protection."
"When Arastoo said protocol, is that what was referring too?" Alex asked.
"Yes, that is exactly what he meant!" Maria explained, "For the last few thousand years, there have been a number of different Families across the globe who protect, control, search for, exploit, or bury knowledge and secrets. Unfortunately, the most powerful and wealthy Families have the most say by directly and indirectly controlling governments, countries, economies, religions, and/or cultures. Otherwise, most of the Families play nice and some even protect one another. The one major protocol, or rule, the Families created was never to reveal a secret or piece of knowledge to anyone unless you have permission from the appropriate Families, or if a person stumbled upon such knowledge or secret. Arastoo and I are protectors, among other things. We were tasked to protect Seth after his parents died. Recently, we kind of decided to become whistleblowers and try to unravel... everything... Looks like it did not work out."
Seth just looked at her not knowing what to say.
"Yes, it is a lot to take in."
"It really is but thinking about it, all of that makes so much sense. From what I remember about my parents. The talking behind closed doors. Them trying to figure if I will be ready or if they should even get me involved. Occasionally, they would disappear to some meeting for days or weeks and make up an excuse. It is so clear to me right now!"
Seth got up and started pacing around the office. "Who else is involved? I mean, who else do you and Arastoo know? Maybe we can all get together and fight back, or something!"
"I wish it was that easy Seth." Maria frowned. "Most of us are dead, missing, or already in hiding. One of Arastoo's oldest friends, Leo Desmond, or something like that, died almost a month ago. Another old friend, Malcolm Smith, who Arastoo met up with in New York before the expedition, went missing shortly after. He has not been seen or heard from since. Moriko and Kaneonuskatew have already gone into hiding. Some others have fallen off the radar as well. Between dying and disappearing, there are not that many of us left."
"What about Michael and Demetrio? Do they know? Are they a part of you guys?" Seth inquired.
"Michael is definitely not but we have been uncertain about Demetrio for some time. As like you, their lives are equally in danger."
"What are we to do then?" Alex asked.
Maria sighed. "Arastoo gave me implicit instructions. Michael and Demetrio need to be warned and filled in on what is going on. Then all of you need to go into hiding. Maybe meet up with Michael in LA and go somewhere safe from there. One thing is certain: you cannot stay here. I do not even suggest going back to your residence. They could be waiting for you there or even set a trap! You need to leave quickly though!"
"I got my plane! We can fly down to LA and take things from there!"
"I agree!" Both Maria and Seth said at the same time.
"What about schooling and my classes and such?" Seth asked her.
"Don't wis worry about it, I have already taken care of it. I told everyone that you will be going on a kind of sabbatical with me. I know some people over at Aviation, so I can work out something for you too Alex. Once I finish up some things tomorrow, I will be going into hiding myself!"
"This is a real mess, isn't it?" Both young men asked.
"It is... but it is... our mess. We all will survive it, or at least try to. Until it is time to decide what to do next. Try not to do anything foolish in the meantime!"
On that, they all said their goodbyes and hurried as fast as they could. Seth and Alex got to the car and immediately drove to the airport. On the way there Alex called and told the workers to have his plane ready by the time they got there. While he did that, Seth messaged then e-mailed Michael, Demetrio, and Totit. He knew that Michael would busy at the UN summit I New York City. That Demetrio would be somewhere in Sicily doing some sort of investigation into something. As for Totit, he did kind of care what she was doing, even though he did not want to make it too obvious.
He messaged them all the same thing: updating them on Arastoo survival and message, everything about our past relationship with wolves, the Families, and the threats on their lives. He told Michael to meet him in LA. Told Demetrio to do what he does best. And reluctantly told Totit that he still loved her, hoping to have as much of an impact as when Arastoo told him I the first message. He thought about who else he could tell and decided not to let Cynthia and Richard. They were busy and now was not the right time to potential risk their lives by telling them this secret. So far they were I the dark and he wanted to keep it that way.
Upon arriving at the airport, Seth and Alex found one of the workers bleeding from the head. Another worker said that someone broke into a few of the hangers looking for something. The worker got knocked out while the thief got away with some stuff. Otherwise everything was good and the plane was ready. Even though the timing was suspicious, they were not overly too concerned since airports like this, and this airport on particular, have been broken into before.
By the time everything was completely ready and they were sitting in the plane taxing on the runway, the sun was much lower on the horizon and starting to set. Fortunately and hopefully it was still bright enough to provide them with a few hours of flight in the light. That would be enough to get them to LA before it became completely dark. As they took off, the plane seemed to want to stall again but corrected itself after Alex worked the controls a bit.
"Damn", he said, "that was a close one!"
Seth was concerned. "Should we go back to land and see what is wrong?"
"No time and we can't risk grunt caught at the airport. The distance and safety of LA may be our best bet, for now. In the meantime, I think that I can manage and control this brute!" Alex smirked.
Seth nodded.
Approaching Mount Saint Helens
As the plane approached the Cascade Mountain Range, smoke started to billow out of the engine. The plane rocked and woke Seth up from his nap.
"What is going on Alex?" He asked as the plane shook some more. "Are we hitting turbulence?"
"No, no! I don't know what this is but it definitely is not turbulence!" Alex shouted over a all of the noise. "On top of everything whatever is going on, the plane wants to stall again!"
The shaking got worse and so did the smoke. Suddenly there was a land popping sound and fire erupted from the engine. Before anything else could happen, the plane stalled and the propeller stopped moving. They started to lose altitude, and fast.
"Remember how I quote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" Alex started. "About how the knack of flying involves throwing yourself at the ground and missing?"
Seth just nodded.
"Well, we will clearly not be missing. Brace yourself Seth, this will be a bumpy landing!"
Seth quickly fastened his belt tighter and strap on the emergency harness. Alex desperately tried to control and glide the plane for as long as he could but the altitude continue dropping. When the fire finally went out and smoke cleared, Seth could see that they were close to Mt. Saint Helens, and the trees nearby it. Those trees were getting closer and closer. Alex started screaming. Seth took once last look, braced himself, and closed his eyes. Then he blacked out.