The Call:
Ian McDougal sighs, running his fingers through his hair. The stacks of books before him would intimidate most grad students; he's only a third the way through the pile now, meaning he's got hours left until he's done. It'll be another late night in the library.
"I thought I'd find you here," someone says from behind him, pulling him from his dedicated studies. He looks up at the figure over his shoulder.
"Hi, Thomas," he greets. "What are you doing down here in the stacks?" He knows already, however, from the look on the other man's face that the news isn't good.
"I've got bad news, Ian," he replies. "The board won't fund your expedition."
"What?" He shakes his head, doing a double-take. "What? They won't? Didn't they look at my research?"
"To be honest... I don't think they did," Thomas tells him. "Not after last time..."
"Last time?" Ian presses his palms against his eyes, then runs his hands down his face, to help clear his thoughts. "Last time? You mean with Patrick?"
"Dr. Ardun delivered the idol of..."
"Patrick is an asshole who stole my notes! I did all the research! He stole my notes and..."
"Have you found proof yet?" Thomas asks. It's an old question. And Ian doesn't have a new answer yet.
"No, but..."
Thomas shakes his head. "Then that's it. Dr. Ardun has a proven track record. You don't." He gives a sympathetic shrug. "I'm sorry, Ian. Their decision is final."
"What if I brought proof? What if I paid for it myself and recovered the items for the school? Would that do it?"
Thomas sighs. "If you brought back the artifacts you claim you could find, I'm sure the board would be thrilled. But until you do... I don't think they'll even look at your proposal." He gives an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Ian."
"I can find them! I promise I can! I just... need a little more time!"
Thomas gives a friendly pat to Ian's shoulder. "You need to do something soon, Ian... the board isn't very happy with you. If you do this... if you miss any of your classes to search for these artifacts... you'd better come back with something of value. Or I can guarantee that this will be your last semester here at Brown. And there will be nothing I could do to stop that."
As Thomas walks away, Ian turns back to his books. If he has to be here all night, he knows now that he will be. If he plays this one safe, that asshole Patrick could steal his notes again. He has to find the location of the Castle DeHautdesert now, and he has to find every piece. Because if he can do that... then his career is secure. For life. And if he can't? Then his career might as well be over.
It's some time later -- he doesn't notice exactly how long it's been -- when he finds it. A reference of a castle's name being changed. No reference to the previous name... but everything fits.
Everything.
"...of course...." he mutters.
He scribbles quickly into his notebook and slips it into his inside jacket pocket. The books are almost left behind, then he turns back around and grabs the stack. He doesn't want any of his research to be found by anyone else. He needs to get a flight to England now. It'll clear out his savings, but... if he's right... and he's sure he is... then he'll be set for life after this.
With his notes secure, and his books returned, he heads out of the library. His destiny is calling.
"I thought I'd find you here," someone says from behind him, pulling him from his dedicated studies. He looks up at the figure over his shoulder.
"Hi, Thomas," he greets. "What are you doing down here in the stacks?" He knows already, however, from the look on the other man's face that the news isn't good.
"I've got bad news, Ian," he replies. "The board won't fund your expedition."
"What?" He shakes his head, doing a double-take. "What? They won't? Didn't they look at my research?"
"To be honest... I don't think they did," Thomas tells him. "Not after last time..."
"Last time?" Ian presses his palms against his eyes, then runs his hands down his face, to help clear his thoughts. "Last time? You mean with Patrick?"
"Dr. Ardun delivered the idol of..."
"Patrick is an asshole who stole my notes! I did all the research! He stole my notes and..."
"Have you found proof yet?" Thomas asks. It's an old question. And Ian doesn't have a new answer yet.
"No, but..."
Thomas shakes his head. "Then that's it. Dr. Ardun has a proven track record. You don't." He gives a sympathetic shrug. "I'm sorry, Ian. Their decision is final."
"What if I brought proof? What if I paid for it myself and recovered the items for the school? Would that do it?"
Thomas sighs. "If you brought back the artifacts you claim you could find, I'm sure the board would be thrilled. But until you do... I don't think they'll even look at your proposal." He gives an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Ian."
"I can find them! I promise I can! I just... need a little more time!"
Thomas gives a friendly pat to Ian's shoulder. "You need to do something soon, Ian... the board isn't very happy with you. If you do this... if you miss any of your classes to search for these artifacts... you'd better come back with something of value. Or I can guarantee that this will be your last semester here at Brown. And there will be nothing I could do to stop that."
As Thomas walks away, Ian turns back to his books. If he has to be here all night, he knows now that he will be. If he plays this one safe, that asshole Patrick could steal his notes again. He has to find the location of the Castle DeHautdesert now, and he has to find every piece. Because if he can do that... then his career is secure. For life. And if he can't? Then his career might as well be over.
It's some time later -- he doesn't notice exactly how long it's been -- when he finds it. A reference of a castle's name being changed. No reference to the previous name... but everything fits.
Everything.
"...of course...." he mutters.
He scribbles quickly into his notebook and slips it into his inside jacket pocket. The books are almost left behind, then he turns back around and grabs the stack. He doesn't want any of his research to be found by anyone else. He needs to get a flight to England now. It'll clear out his savings, but... if he's right... and he's sure he is... then he'll be set for life after this.
With his notes secure, and his books returned, he heads out of the library. His destiny is calling.