Dangerous Secrets

Chapter 15

TRACY ISLAND

Finally having a moment to relax, the Tracys, Rae, Kayo, Brains and Moffat (who were next to each other) were seated around the dinner table, eating some pasta with meatballs that Grandma Tracy had made with Rae's help. "I wonder how the search is going with Lady P, Parker and Kerry?" Jeff wondered out loud.

"I can call Penny and find out," Gordon immediately volunteered. "I don't mind."

Kayo and Grandma Tracy looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "Alan Tracy! What are you doing?" Grandma Tracy suddenly snapped. Everyone looked at Alan, who was sheepishly trying to hide his tabloid under the table. "You don't have them darn electronics at the table, young man!"

"But, Grandma, there is an interesting article on the news about an attack on London! It's all over the media!" Alan protested.

That grabbed everyone's attention and Professor Moffat turned on the holo-television. Kat Cavanaugh was reporting on the attack. "This is just shocking! The Tower of London has been bombed, explosions going off on each floor of some hotels, causing them to collapse. Witnesses have claimed that the attackers are men and women in khaki uniforms, but they could not see any emblems. Many people have claimed that this attack is due to terrorism. The attack coincided with the arrival of the World Parliament, World Council, world leaders and GDF at Buckingham Palace for the meeting tomorrow with the Queen. A spokesmen for Queen Bridgette IV has stated that the meeting will still be taking place according to schedule now that the attacks have subsided. The British military and police have clamped down on the attacks, and have apprehended most of the attackers. Some, though, have escaped. And the reports have now been confirmed: The attackers are dressed as soldiers, but missing their countries emblems-"

"Whoa! Soldiers without emblems!" Alan exclaimed. "Remember the photograph of those soldiers practicing an arms drill, and Parker had said that they had no emblems?"

Footage of some of the arrests began playing on the holo-television. None of the soldiers had emblems. And they looked just like the ones in the photo. "Interesting," Jeff muttered. "But why would they attack London?"

ST. FERNANDO'S, SPAIN

Parker frowned. They had been searching throughout the ruins, and Parker had found a few artifacts for his 'collection', but they had not found anything. Nothing to do with silver lining, or clouds. Something kept niggling at the back of Parker's mind. He remembered that when he had last paid a visit to St. Fernando's that there had been something about silver lining, but he could not quite remember what it was. What the hell was it? he thought in frustration.

"I don't know what to do, Kerry," her ladyship was saying as she and Kerry walked into the hallway where Parker was, interrupting his thoughts. "I am so, so sorry, but I don't have any ideas about where the cloud is. Or what the silver lining is."

"Oh. Of course!" Parker exclaimed. He had been listening to Lady Penelope, and suddenly hearing her say 'silver lining' made him remember. "Milady, I know where to look!" he exclaimed and hurried off down the hall and turned left into a room. Sure enough, there it was. Not 'alf bad, Grey Ninja, he complimented himself.

"Parker, what is it? How do you know what it means?" Lady Penelope bombarded him with questions as she and Kerry swiftly entered the room, having followed him.

"Milady," Parker said importantly, "the remark about a cloud was just to throw the searcher off. What we really need to look for is something with silver lining."

"Okay, I am going to assume you know this from your previous visit," Kerry commented. Parker nodded.

"There was h'an old cabinet made of gold, with silver lining the inside," Parker reminisced. "Right there!" and he pointed across the room to the cabinet. Sure enough, it was made of gold. Parker walked over and opened it and yes, it was lined with silver. "But 'ow exactly it tells us what's coming beats me," he admitted.