The Time Travelers' Club -- Chapter 101: A Captive

Rubbing his eyes, Fulop Farkas woke up, staring up at a stone ceiling. Light streamed in from the small window at the top of the wall.  He yawned and stretched before getting up. Looking through the bars on the window, it was obvious he was in the lower part of a building, since all he could see were the roots of shrubs and some patches of grass.  Crossing to the other side of the room, Fulop squeezed his face into the bars of the window in the door.  It was only big enough to see the brick wall on the other side of the hallway.

“Hello?”  Fulop shouted out.  “Anybody out there? Anyone?”

Silence.  Letting out a heart-felt sigh, Fulop sat down at the rickety table in the corner.

“This is it,” said Fulop, looking around his cell.  “At least the bed is comfortable.  And I’ve got a table and chair.  And some books.”  He picked up the one he had been reading, opened to his bookmarked page, and read aloud.

“Ichabod, who had no relish for this strange midnight companion, and bethought himself of the adventure of Brom Bones with the Galloping Hessian, now quickened his steed, in hopes of leaving him behind. The stranger, however, quickened his…”

Out in the hallway, Fulop heard the squeal of rusty hinges as someone opened a door.  Muffled voices drew near.  His heart began to race, wondering if he would be freed or would meet some other fate.

The lock clicked.  The cell door opened.

“Ah, good morning,” said Rufus Leightstone, followed by Griff Graff and Mrs. Labuler.  “We hope that you don’t object to this safeguard too much.”  Leightstone looked distastefully around the cell.

“I’ve seen worse,” said Fulop, picking up on Leightstone’s unimpressed evaluation of his quarters.

“Oh, I’d like to hear about it sometime.”  Leightstone walked over to him.  “But for now, we feel this is the best place to hide you.  The Doctor or his gang have never located this place and the incantation will keep you hidden from the rest of the world.”

“I hope that I didn’t rough you up too much,” said Griff, putting his hand out to shake.  “I had been assigned to watch the Doctor’s lair.  I was amazed to see you come rushing out and into the woods.  I wasn’t sure what you were up to at the time.”

“I don’t mind,” said Fulop, shaking Griff’s hand.  “I was the lucky one.  I was on my way to Connecticut… Um… Wherever that is. To find the old lady. I had no idea where I was going.”

“And we’d like to thank you for the book,” said Leightstone.  “From what we can tell about it, Dr. Herkeimer’s partial copy include a lot of the incantations.”

Mrs. Labuler added.  “I had several of the missing pages and they are a perfect fit.  I’ve got the entire provenance on this copy.”  She then left, saying that she would go fix lunch.  Griff and Leightstone continued to talk to Fulop and assure him that he would be safe where he was.   They quizzed him about any future attacks that he might know of.  The International Council was on guard across the globe.

“I think that we can work this out,” said Leightstone to Fulop.  “We can offer your safety until we’ve taken care of Dr. Herkeimer.”

“And what are you planning on doing with him?”  Fulop nervously thumbed the pages of the book he held, more interested in his own fate would be.

“We don’t know yet,” replied Leightstone.  “We’ve dealt with his type before in a variety of ways. We will let most of it play out.  You, of course, will be kept here for your own safety.”  Leightstone straightened his tie and coat then added.  “And to evaluate your allegiance.”

“And the book?” asked Fulop.  “What will happen to it?”

Griff and Leightstone gave a sideways glance at each other.  “It will be destroyed along with the others.  We thank you for bringing it to us.”

Straightening his tie again, Leightstone promptly left the cell. Griff gave Fulop a thumbs up and left too.

Fulop’s allegiance began to waiver again.  “I don’t have the ability to use any of the incantations.  Thank heavens for that.”  Fulop laid down and began to read his book.

 Back in the archives, Leightstone and Griff sat down to talk about the plan. Mrs. Labuler had fixed a light lunch of sandwiches and mixed greens for them.

“We have to get to the cave,” said Leightstone.  “Lottie is very confident about the boy.  We’ve got to get to the cave.”

Griff polished off his first helping of mixed greens and dished out more.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll move very soon.  The last part of the plan is almost in place.  The boy’s Mother is going to be the tough one to convince.”

Leightstone drank his milk.  “Not much to worry about there.  You’ve heard about the Henrys.  Lottie filled in the Council about them.”

“Some of it,” said Griff.  “I’ll ask Xavier about it.”

Leightstone nodded.  They wrapped up their meeting and left.