CHAPTER 16 - REVELATION
I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I was sure the man in the picture was Brian Taylor; it just had to be. And the little boy, most likely about eight, could easily be Zane. It looked exactly like a younger version of the guy standing across the hut from me. Same intense blue eyes, same dark hair, same grin. And he seemed to be the right age.
But, it couldn't be. Could it? I mean, how in the world would a picture of Zane and his family get into a guest hut in the middle of Edou, South Africa?
Clearly we were missing something, but I couldn't wrap my mind around what it was.
I glanced from the little boy to Zane. Boy, Zane. Boy, Zane. They just had to be the same person.
"Zane," I said tentatively, "have you ever been to South Africa before?"
Zane looked taken back. "Uh - no, I haven't."
Okay, so that rules out the possibility of him staying in the hut before and leaving the picture behind. Although, Brian didn't live to far from Edou... But we didn't have proof.
My next question was bolder. "What did your Mom and Arabella look like?"
Zane thought a moment. "My mom had long blonde hair. She had green eyes. The most beautiful woman in the world. And tall; my whole family was tall, except Arabella. But I'm sure she is now. I miss her so much."
"And what does Arabella look like?"
"Just like Mom. Why do you ask?"
"No reason," I said, glancing at the picture. Blonde hair, green eyes, immensely beautiful. They both fit Zane's description. But it seemed impossible. It wasn't possible, and yet...
I had to tell him. Maybe he could explain.
"Zane," I said, holding out the picture. "Look at this."
Zane took the picture and glanced down at it. His expression changed. He stared at it for a good minute before he spoke, and when he did, it was soft and confused. "How - but where - Payson?"
I took a step toward him and glanced down at the small family.
"I found it. Under the bed."
Zane looked at it again.
"It's your family, isn't it?"
Zane nodded. "My Dad, Mom, Arabella, and me. The Christmas before my Mom found out she had cancer. Our last Christmas together as a family. But why's it here?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I thought it might be your Dad's. If he ever visited Edou -"
"He'd have stayed in the guest hut," Zane cut in, finishing my sentance. "That does make sence. But why would he have a picture of us? Me, Mom, and Arabella, I mean. It doesn't add up."
"Why?"
Zane glanced at me. "What man do you know leaves his family, but carries their picture with him. I mean, he didn't even leave it in Owando, with Dinda. He would have brought it. Who'd do that? I thought he didn't care. I mean, that's sort of the message he sent when he left us. If he cared... Why would he carry around a picture of his old life? The one he left."
I didn't have any answers. Honestly.
"I don't know, Zane. But if he didn't, who did?"
Zane shrugged.
"Think about it. It's not just a picture of your family. It's the last time you were happy. The last time you were together," I pointed out. I wasn't sure who else would carry it around. Brian was the only realistic answer.
Zane sat down on the bed.
"Maybe," I said, sitting by him, "he carried it with him, because he regretted his decision. Maybe he did love you and Arabella and your Mom. I know it doesn't seem like it, but what if he did?"
Zane shook his head.
"Zane. What if he had to leave?"
"What do you mean?"
To be honest, I didn't even know that. All I knew was that there had to be an explanation.
"I mean," I said slowly, "that he might not have wanted to leave. What if there's more to this than we origionally thought? What if it's bigger than just Carter and Mason?"
"Maybe."
Zane and I glanced back at the picture. A blazing fire roared in the fireplace behind them. Several cards lined the mantal. Each had a picture of Santa Clause, or a Christmas tree, or a manger scene.
"You certianly got a lot of cards," I said, pointing to them. "Must have been popular."
Zane sighed. "Not really. Most of the cards were from family. Or the guys from Dad's work."
"What did he do?"
Zane thought a moment. "I don't really remember. He didn't talk about it much."
Wait, so he didn't talk about it, but he got cards from work? If your work sends you Christmas cards, it's probably classy enough to be worth talking about, right? I certianly thought so.
"Wait," I said, going over several things in my mind. "Didn't you say that your Dad worked in DC? That's where you moved to when you left London, right?"
"Yeah," Zane said, still looking at the picture. "But what's that got to do with anything?"
I thought a moment. It couldn't be... Just couldn't be...
"Well," I said quietly. Pieces were beginning to fall into place. "That's it."
Zane put the picture down and turned to me. "What's it, Payson? What are you talking about?"
"Was your Dad an origional?"
"I don't think so. He never noticed Mason."
I sighed. "So your Mom was."
Zane looked confused. "Well, no. He helped with cleaning and stuff, and she never once saw him, even when he was in the room."
"But I thought being an origional was genetic."
"It is, but..." Zane stopped. "He had to be, didn't he? All that time..."
That was it then! It had to be!
"You Dad worked for DQA," I said to Zane.
He gave me a look of shock. "What?"
"You lived in DC. Your Dad was obviously an origional. He came to South Africa, and lived in the same exact city as Cilas. Your Dad came here about the same time as Cilas. It all fits!"
Zane was still confused. "What fits? Payson, you aren't making any sence."
I didn't care. I was so excited. "Zane, your Dad is seriously involved. I think he knows about Cilas. I think he's been working with DQA, tracking down Cilas or something. That's how Mason and Carter knew where to look. Your Dad told them."
The shock began to wear off of Zane's face. I could tell that he was trying to imagine it. His Father being, well, a good Father. A Father forced to leave his family because of an insane man who could threaten his whole way of life if he wasn't caught. A Father who loved his family, and who probably never even wanted to leave, but was forced to.
I'm not sure why, but I thought of my Mom then. If this was the answer - and I was positive it was - then I'd be going home soon. And Carter would be coming with me.
But then I thought of Zane. If I never got to see him again... I didn't even want to think about it. We'd become friends. And Carter was friends with Mason. We couldn't just walk away and never see eachother again. But Zane did have Arabella to think of. He hadn't seen her since she was four, and now she would be eleven. He'd missed to much.
Zane set the picture on his lap. "I just can't believe it."
I grabbed his hand. "We have to talk to your Father again."
Zane nodded. "But we should ask around here first. I mean, we should look for more information. Cilas could still be here."
I nodded. "And then we go see your Father."
