The Kidnapping King

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

BASEMENT OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE - LONDON, ENGLAND - 1917 

 William stopped in front of the twelfth door, marked with a brass plate featuring a top hat engraved on its face. Reaching into his suit pocket, he withdrew a key and inserted it into the lock, then looked down at Jack with a grin,

"We must keep up appearances and all," he winked, then opened the door, twisting the knob on a stained glass and brass table lamp just inside before moving for Jack to enter.

The office was well-appointed, with a sateen striped loveseat and matching over-stuffed chairs dotting the space. Exquisite oil paintings hung on the walls, and there was an impressive, polished mahogany, executive-style desk with a brown leather chair positioned in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, hung with heavy drapes and sheers behind it.

The left-hand wall had wooden shelves displaying various stylish hats, both men's and women's, perched on polished hat stands. Below them was an enclosed glass case that contained several jeweled crowns resting gently on richly colored velvet pillows.

"Wow," Jack said, looking around the room,

"This is an awesome office," he turned to William, who had removed his charcoal-gray felt hat and was placing it on a fancy brass coat-rack in the far corner by the desk,

"but it looks nothing like the place where I saw Grandpa Edward," he frowned, "I thought you were taking me to meet him."

"Oh, don't you worry, Jack," William began, walking over to his desk and reaching under its surface,

"He's here... we've just had to hide him away, for his protection, during his stay with me. However," He paused, "He doesn't yet know about your adventure." Jack's eyes opened wide, and his brows shot up high on his forehead.

"When the guard came to my door, your grandfather had to retreat to his office quickly, and I was required to accompany the guard without time to notify Edward of the situation."

William pressed a button on the underside of his desk, and Jack watched as the section of wall with the hat display slid out and to the side, revealing a doorway opening to a secret section of the space.

William smiled at Jack,

"So, this is going to be a complete surprise. Come," and Jack followed him into the hiding place as William pressed a button on the inside, returning the wall to its original position.

Jack stood, quietly, behind William as he spoke, "I'm back, Edward. I apologize for the delay."

Jack heard a friendly voice reply from across the room,

"Oh, good. You've been gone for a while. Who was at the door?"

"Edward, I have a surprise for you..." William paused, turning to place his hand on Jack's shoulder, urging him forward, "we have an unexpected visitor..."

"Grandpa?" Jack was gazing across the familiar space from the vision he had seen through Grandpa's eyeglasses. To the left was the small fireplace, a warm glow emanating from its coals, and on the right was a long, floral sofa with a small, round end-table sitting next to it. The wide cotton wick inside the kerosene lamp on its surface was softly burning, filling the space with a slight petroleum odor. And at the far end of the room was the enormous wooden desk, it's top littered with a variety of strange objects; parchment sheets, a big inkpot with feathered quill sticking out of it, and a stubby white candle with globs of melted wax splattered down its sides and onto the desk's surface.

And behind the desk, in a jewel-toned paisley smoking jacket, wearing a golden, plumed brooch featuring a large, faceted stone over his left breast pocket, and small, wire-rimmed reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose...sat Grandpa Edward.

Edward raised his head slowly, removing the glasses from his face, setting them on the desktop, and stared silently across the room. Squinting and dipping his head to the side, he pushed himself away from the desk and stood, walking cautiously in Jack's direction.

Jack?" He whispered, stopping a few feet from where the boy stood.

"Yes, Grandpa, it's me! Jack!" He rushed forward, throwing his arms enthusiastically around the elderly gentleman's waist and nuzzled his head into his chest.

Edward reluctantly put his arms around the boy and looked up at his father, pursing his lips and knitting his salt-and-pepper eyebrows together.

William opened his eyes wide and smiled, shaking his head aggressively. "It's true. It really is him, Edward. And he has quite a story to tell!"

Edward pulled away and held Jack out at arm's length, staring into Jack's chocolate-brown eyes.

"But...how is this possible?" He shook his head back and forth, "How can you be here?"

Jack laughed out loud and pulled off his coat, "Can we sit? I have so much to tell you, Grandpa!"

"Yes, yes!" Edward shook himself out of his daze, "Of course, oh my word! Jack!!! I can't believe it!" He motioned toward the sofa, and Jack moved to sit down.

"I want to hear everything! Please, do tell me about your adventure finding me!" Edward sat next to his grandson on the couch, turning to face him, and William pulled up a chair across the room.

"Well," Jack began, "I think the first and most important thing I need to tell you is that Grandma Lydia is alive. She's also in the past, in Bombay, India. She's the one who told me how to find you." Jack paused, observing the shocked look on his grandfather's face.

"She lost the teleportation hat you made for her and needs you to make a new one that I can take to her so that she can return to real-time at Mac Paidin Manor."