1 CHAPTER-1 THE PAST

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF WINTER IN HOLLENSTON. THE TEMPERATURE WAS FALLING. THE WEATHER FORECAST HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THE FIRST SNOWFALL WILL BE TONIGHT.

THE SNOWFALL WOULD LOOK MOST BEAUTIFUL FROM THE KING CROSS BRIDGE. SO, THERE WERE MANY RUSHES ON THE BRIDGE FOR TONIGHT'S SNOWFALL.

AT NIGHT, THERE WAS A CROWD ON KING CROSS BRIDGE. WITHIN THE CROWD WAS A LADY. SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS IN HER MID-FORTIES. SHE HAD SMALL, BLACK HAIR AND SHARP EYES. THE TIP OF HER NOSE AND HER EARS WERE TINTED WITH RED DUE TO COLD. SHE WORE A RED LONG OVERCOAT ON A WHITE SHIRT AND BLACK JEANS. SHE HAD THE LATEST METEORITE WATCH IN HER LEFT HAND AND MADE A FIST IN HER RIGHT HAND. HER MOVES WERE ELEGANT. HER TASTE OF CLOTHES AND WATCHES WAS GREAT.

AS THE SNOWFALL STARTED, SHE OPENED HER RIGHT FIST. WITHIN THE FIST CAME OUT A BEAUTIFUL, SILVER RING. THE RING WAS MADE WITH FINE ARTISTIC WORK WHICH WAS FAMOUS DURING THE MID-70S. IT WAS MADE BY THE FAMOUS GOLDSMITH SIR JOHN CROWNS. IN TODAY'S TIME THEY WERE CONSIDERED TO HAVE A GREAT VALUE AND WOULD BRING GREAT FORTUNE TO THEIR OWNER IF WAS SOLD. ON THE RIM OF THE RING WAS ENGRAVED '27 SEPTEMBER'. AS SHE WAS STARING AT THE RING, HER PHONE RANGED. SHE RECEIVED THE CALL.

"HELLO, MR.JAMES."

"YOUR HIGHNESS, SHOULD I SEND A CAR TO PICK YOU UP?" A MAN ASKED.

"YES," SAID, SHE ENDED THE CONVERSATION.

WHILE SHE WAS KEEPING THE PHONE BACK, HER SILVER RING FELL. SHE TRIED TO FIND THE RING BUT ALL WAS IN VAIN. WITHIN THE CROWD, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A SMALL RING.

DESPERATELY, SHE STARTED TO WALK. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, A BLACK CAR ARRIVED TO PICK HER UP. SHE SAT IN THE CAR. WHILE SHE WAS LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW, SADLY, TEARS ROLLED OFF HER EYES. SHE WEPT SILENTLY WITHOUT MAKING THE DRIVER NOTICE. HER CHEEKS WERE ALL WET WITH TEARS.

SOON AFTER, THEY REACHED THE WINTHENTON PALACE OF HOLLENSTON.

SHE GOT OFF THE CAR AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE PALACE. THE PALACE WAS QUITE BIG. APART FROM THIS, THERE WERE GUEST ROOMS, OFFICES FOR OFFICIAL WORKS, A BIG MEETING ROOM, A LIVING ROOM, AN OPEN KITCHEN, A LUSH GREEN GARDEN WITH DIFFERENT AND SPECIAL KINDS OF FLOWERS AND A SWIMMING POOL. IN THE MAIN CORRIDOR A LONG RED CARPET WAS SPREAD. TWO SERVANTS WERE STANDING BESIDE THE ENTRANCE TO HELP THE GUESTS. AS THE LADY ENTERED THE PALACE, THE SERVANTS HELPED HER WITH HER BAG AND OVERCOAT. AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR AN OLD, FAT MAN WAS STANDING HOLDING SOME FILES. THIS MAN WAS THE ONLY HOUSEKEEPER AND PERSONAL ASSISTANT OF PRINCESS ROYAL OF HOLLENSTON.

SEEING THE LADY, THE MAN SAID, "YOUR HIGHNESS, A MAN IS WAITING FOR YOU INSIDE. HE SAID HE HAD SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU."

"MR.JAMES, DID HE TELL HIS NAME?"THE LADY ASKED.

"NO" MR. JAMES REPLIED. BOTH OF THEM LEFT THE CORRIDOR AND ENTERED THE LARGE LIVING ROOM, WHICH HAD THE ENTRANCE FOR THE MEETING ROOM.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM WAS THREE BIG, WHITE COUCHES, ARRANGED IN A SQUARE SHAPE WITH A SQUARE-SHAPED BLACK TABLE KEPT IN FRONT OF IT. BEHIND THE COUCH WAS A FISHBOWL. THREE GOLDFISHES WERE SWIMMING HAPPILY IN THE FISHBOWL. BESIDE THE FISH BOWL WAS AN OFFICE ROOM FOR KEEPING AND MANAGING THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FISHBOWL WAS THE ENTRANCE TO THE BACKYARD WHICH HAD A SWIMMING POOL, A FISH POND AND A GARDEN WITH FLOWERS. IN FRONT OF THE FISH BOWL WAS A TV AND A GAME SET KEPT SIDE TO SIDE. ON THE RIGHT OF THE TV SET WERE THE STAIRS. AND ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS THE MEETING ROOM. FOUR PORTRAITS WERE HANGING ON THE WALLS. THE HALL WAS SIMPLE IN DESIGN AND DECORATION. IN FRONT OF THE PORTRAITS WAS STANDING A MAN IN A WHITE DRESS. HE WAS A MAN MOST PROBABLY IN HIS FORTIES. HE HAD ROUND EYES, A SHARP-POINTED NOSE AND THICK RED LIPS. HE HAD SILVER-COLOURED SQUARE GLASSES WITH A TINT OF BLACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM. HE MUST HAVE BEEN HANDSOME WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. GUESSING FROM HIS COSTUME HE WAS MOST LIKELY TO BE A SCIENTIST OR A DOCTOR. HE WAS STARING AT THE PORTRAIT AND WAS LOST IN THOUGHTS THAT HE DIDN'T REALISES THAT THE PERSON HE WANTED TO MEET HAD ARRIVED. SEEING THE MAN, THE LADY WAS ASTONISHED. SHE TOLD MR. JAMES TO LEAVE THEM FOR THE TIME BEING.

THE ROOM FELL IN SILENCE AS MR. JAMES LEFT THE ROOM. THE SILENCE WAS BROKEN BY THE LADY SPEAKING, "DON'T STARE AT HIM. HE WON'T BE COMING TO LIFE EVEN IF YOU STARE AT HIM FOR A LIFETIME."

"I AM AFRAID THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO STARE AT HIM FOR A LIFETIME, EVEN IF I WANT TO, ROSE." THE MAN REPLIED WHILE TURNING BACK.

"CUT THE CRAP. SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO."

"I CAME TO INFORM YOU THAT I AM GOING TO DIE SOON. I HAVE CANCER."THE MAN SAID IN A LOW VOICE.

" THE GREAT SCIENTIST OF ALL TIME, LORRIS CREEVE, WHO CAUSED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO DIE IS ABOUT TO DIE HIMSELF. ARE YOU UNHAPPY ABOUT DYING SO EASILY THAT YOU CAME TO FIND YOUR DOOM?"MRS. ROSE SHOUTED WHILE THROWING HER PURSE ON THE SQUARE TABLE.

"SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT. I AM GUILTY ABOUT MY DEEDS BACK THEN. SO, I CAME TO MAKE UP FOR IT. BUT, ROSE, I NEED YOUR HELP." DR.LORRIS SAID.

"EVEN IF YOU ARE GUILTY, NOW, IT IS OF NO GOOD IT WON'T RESURRECT THE DEAD. MY BROTHER AND OTHERS ARE DEAD. THEY WON'T COME BACK TO LIFE. BUT I WILL COMPLETE YOUR WISH. IF MY BROTHER WAS ALIVE, HE WOULD HAVE ALSO DONE THE SAME. BUT, DON'T MISTAKE FULFILING YOUR WISH AS HELPING YOU. BECAUSE THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN."MRS. ROSE SAID WHILE FEELING SAD.

"I WANT YOU TO HELP ME ESTABLISH THE IMPERIUM ONCE AGAIN," DR.LORRIS SAID.

"I WAS CORRECT ABOUT YOU. YOU ARE A LUNATIC. A MANIAC. FORGET ABOUT IT. TAKE IT AS I NEVER SAID."SAYING, SHE STARTED TO MOVE UPSTAIRS.

DR.LORRIS SHOUTED," YOU CAN'T GO BACK ON YOUR WORDS."

STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF HER WALK, MRS. ROSE SAID, "TAKE IT AS I TOOK MY WORDS BACK. I ADVISE YOU TO LEAVE OR ELSE IF THOSE TWO ARRIVE THEY WON'T BE AS POLITE AND PATIENT AS ME. AFTER ALL, YOU ARE A PARTNER IN THEIR PARENT'S DEATH."

DR.LORRIS SAID, "I AM TELLING YOU TO ESTABLISH THE IMPERIUM ONCE AGAIN JUST FOR THEM. YOU KNOW THEIR LIFE IS IN DANGER. DON'T YOU?"

SHE TURNED AROUND WITH A SHOCKED FACE AND SAID," WHAT DID YOU SPEAK JUST NOW?"

"DON'T YOU KNOW THEIR LIFE IS IN DANGER. YOU KNOW STILL, YOU ARE BETTING ON THEIR LIVES. AREN'T YOU A SINNER LIKE ME?" DR.LORRIS SHOUTED IN RAGE, "YOU ARE THE SAME AS ME STILL YOU ALWAYS CURSE ME WHILE NEGLECTING YOURSELF. IS IT FAIR?"

SHE LOST IN THOUGHTS AND SAID AFTER SOME TIME, "YES, YOU ARE RIGHT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ALL A JOKE. BUT I SHOULD HAVE INCREASED THEIR SECURITY. I THOUGHT THAT THE FIVE DANGERS MIGHT BE SEALED OFF FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS. BUT IT BROKE OFF QUITE FAST."

"I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONFESSIONS. I WILL ONLY ASK ONCE WHETHER YOU WILL HELP ME IN ESTABLISHING THE IMPERIUM ONCE AGAIN OR NOT."

AFTER A LONG TIME OF FIGHTING BETWEEN YES AND NO IN HER MIND, SHE ANSWERED, "OK. BUT NEVER HAVE A THOUGHT ABOUT COMING BACK IN THIS HOUSE OR THE IMPERIUM'S HEADQUARTERS. YOU WILL NEITHER BE IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE FROM THE IMPERIUM NOR WILL YOU GO TO FIND THE TWO GIRLS. IF YOU AGREE I WILL COMPLETE YOUR DEMANDS AND ESTABLISH THE IMPERIUM ONCE AGAIN."

"I AGREE. BUT ESTABLISH THE IMPERIUM ACCORDING TO MY LIST OF SUPERPOWERS."THE MAN SAID IN A DISHEARTENED TONE AS IF HE WAS RELUCTANT TO SEE THE IMPERIUM ONCE AGAIN BUT WAS REFUSED.

THE MAN HAND OVER THE LIST TO MRS. ROSE AND LEFT THE PALACE.