{IC} Planes Of Polarity - Quests for the Truth Chapter One - A Journey Begun

[Mysteria]

Rated M for potential violence, drug usage, coarse language, sexual situations and possibly other adult themes.


Napa Valley at the Delgado Estate - Friday, four p.m.


Within the sprawling Delgado estate seated deep inside of the Napa Valley, Aiyanna sat curled up in front of a crackling fire in her favorite room, her husband’s den in what had been his favorite chair, simply waiting. The die had been cast, and her plans had been put into motion.


First she had spent hours researching the individuals that were hand chosen to accompany her on the expedition she would be funding, each having a talent or some type of knowledge or experience to bring to the expedition. This particular one would be unlike any other that the Quest Travel Agency had ever put on before. This one was for her, to sate her own curiosities.


Eyes as dark as coal stared into the fire as flames rose upward, flickering and casting shadows that would dance upon the walls of the interior of the den. The letters had been hand written by the expeditions benefactor and had been delivered to their intended recipients by a mysterious dark haired stranger.


The letter would read:


[I]You have been chosen for your unique abilities to be part of an expedition that will take you on an amazing journey. I do hope that you will consider joining me as I embark upon this adventure.


This expedition will last as long as is necessary to complete its intended goal. I realize that could cause a financial burden for many of you but I assure you that you will paid handsomely should you choose to accept my invitation. The only requirement for this expedition other than the reasons stated above is that you have a desire to be a part of it.


If you are interested please make any preparations for an extended absence. Transport will arrive to pick you up at exactly four P.M on Friday. You will know that the transport is for you when you see this emblem on the side of the vehicle that will transport you. From there you will be brought to your final destination before the expedition will begin.


It is my sincerest hope that you will consider this invitation. I understand that you may have concerns that will need addressed due to the vagueness of this letter, and those issues will be addressed upon your arrival at said destination. Housing and all provisions will be provided to you before, and after your arrival, as well as during the course of the expedition.


Thank you for your consideration, I promise you that this is a journey you will not want to miss.


The letter would be signed “Your benefactor, Aiyanna Humetewa-Delgado."


It was Aiyanna’s hope that all of the recipients would at least consider the invitation and that possibly if any of them had ever heard the name Delgado in association with multimillion dollar heiress it would help to entice them into accepting the invitation.


Her eyes shifted then through the window and across the crystal blue waters of the swimming pool to the guest house where her best friend and personal pilot, resided.


After what had seemed to be a very long week, it was finally Friday and all that was left to do now was to wait for her guests to arrive.

[Numbers]

Sheeria had received the offer for a job and the letter that went with it from a friend who was a general in the military still. That was back on Tuesday. Normally the letter would have come straight to her house, however, for security reasons, she had yet to change her address from when she was in the military. In turn, any mail that was meant for her still went to the military. She partially had it like that because she didn't get a lot of mail in the first place. She lived in a small enough town that they just paid in bills instead of mailing checks, and bills came to the house under her younger sister's name.

The fact that the military had passed it off to her meant that they had read the offer on the letter. When they gave it to her they gave her another offer. For her to go as a representative of the military and to keep a record of everything that goes on. They would have a guard keep her sister safe and besides the pay that she would get from the contractor, the military would also pay her the salary of a special forces officer. Naturally, she took the offer and made sure to alert all of the small town businesses know that she would be gone for an extended amount of time and that she would be having someone take over her normal duties while she was gone. She also made sure to talk to her sister and they spent time together for the rest of the week.

Then came Thursday night. She left the town to take a red-eye flight to the closest airport to Napa Valley where she eventually found a car waiting for her with the same symbol that was on the letter. She picked up the several suitcases and luggage that she had on her. One of them held her clothes, and the rest contained military gear that she would bring with her. A rifle, a few pistols, her favorite knife, some ammo, and several other pieces of gear that she used in the military for general purposes since the letter hadn't explained exactly what she would be doing.

As she got in the car and settled for the ride to the location of her host, she sat in silence, simply watching the environment go by her as she waited to arrive at the location. After some time had passed she arrived the front door of what was a very impressive mansion. As she got out of the car she was greeted by a woman who introduced herself as Janice, the housekeeper for the mansion. Sheeria said her brief greetings before Janice had some people help with the luggage and showed Sheeria to her room.

Upon arriving at her room, it took Sheeria a moment to catch her breath. It was very... unique... was the only word she could really conjure to her mind as she stood there stunned slightly. After a brief second she cleared her mind and had the helpers put her suitcases on the bed for now before Sheeria walked over to a window looking outside. She had only one question currently on her mind. She turned to Janice to speak and spoke quickly. "When do I get to meet our host?"

[trouble.muffin]

Retrieving the mail was a task Esther looked forward to with equal anticipation and dread ever since she applied for at least half a dozen internships or paid positions. Each day so far, the eager graduate's suffering had been prolonged a little more as she walked back up the cement path to her parents' door empty-handed, or worse--with a bundle of junk mail. Today, however, the stack of envelopes she carried held promise. Two of them were addressed to her, and one she recognized as the branch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to which she'd recently applied. This one was strategically placed at the top of the parcel as she shimmied a little samba on her way back inside.

As her parents were still out, Esther had no one to celebrate the mail's arrival with except for Harvey, of course. The old lab was waiting for her in the entryway with his salt and pepper muzzle pressed against the window next to the door. His tail could be heard thumping against the wall as his two-legged sister approached.

"Silly boy, people on the outside are supposed to knock, not you!" Esther teased. Harvey wagged his tail against the wall more frantically now that she was back inside. She hip-bumped the door shut behind her and scooped to scratch the dog's chin. He sniffed at the letters in her hand, disappointed at the apparent lack of any treats.

"Not for you, Harv. These are mine!" Esther laughed before rising to get a dried pig ear. The sight of them in the bag had always been unsettling, but they were Harvey's favorite. "Here, ya beggar." Years ago, she used to make him jump or stand up on his hind legs for his treats. His poor hips wouldn't be able to take that anymore. She watched him hobble away with his snout held high to show off the treat and remembered how he used to trot. Her beloved pup had grown into a senior citizen, but he still retained at least a glimmer of his former spunk.

Settling into the couch, Esther turned her attention back to that top envelope. A nervous forefinger slid under the seal, and the other hand couldn't help but notice how light the letter seemed away from the rest of the stack. She released her breath sharply, as though to expel her rising nerves, and pulled out the single page.

The letter opened with:

"Ms. Esther Mendoza,

Upon review of your recent application and phone interview, it is with sincere regret that we write to inform you that another candidate has been chosen for the biologist/taxonomist position. While our department's opportunities for employment are limited at this time, we strongly encourage you to--"

The letter fluttered to the floor silently. Esther was in no rush to read the rest. She let her head slump back with eyes shut and pushed her shoulders into the back of the couch. Nearly a decade of school and two degrees later, opportunities for employment were still limited.

Only fifteen minutes was allowed for this self-pity. It's okay to let yourself feel sad, just don't dwell on anything beyond your control. Esther reminded herself of this little disappointment mantra with a sigh and willed herself to sort through the rest of the mail. All of the shiny, colorful envelopes beckoning her to respond to pre-qualified offers were swept to the opposite side of the rejection letter that she'd eventually finish reading. Only one letter remained, from a sender she didn't recognize.

The contents were as mysterious as their author's elaborate name. "Go figure, I get hired for the one job I didn't apply for!" Harvey couldn't appreciate the irony, but Esther's enthusiastic announcement caught his attention. He plopped his head in her lap. "It's gonna suck to be away from you, though," Esther cooed. "Maybe I should write ahead and ask if this unexplained venture is dog-friendly." He swept her feet with his tail in response. "But then who would protect Mom and Dad? You better stick around here, Harv." The old dog gazed up at her with dopey eyes, blissfully unaware that she would soon prepare for departure.

*******

The driveway to the Delgado Estate was long, narrow, and lined with well-groomed hedges which had grown so robust that they might be better described as trees. As Esther drove closer, the castle-like manor revealed more and more of itself. Even from outside, the halls looked endless. She couldn't wait to explore.

Her parents had been quite supportive of her request that she take her car for a while. Technically it was co-signed and they all owned it, but this was her roundabout way of breaking the news of her job. They had raised their eyebrows when she didn't have a specific return date but didn't press as much for details as she'd feared. Harvey had taken it the hardest. Seeing her luggage outside the closet reminded him of when Esther left for college, and he had caught on right away. He whined whenever he saw her packing or moving the bags and whimpered quite pitifully as she loaded the car. The hope in her heart had been weighted with guilt when she left, but the long drive and sight of this gorgeous estate had eased this.

She set her luggage down in the room Janice led her to. Esther was so taken with the bedposts, which gave the illusion that birch trees were actually growing through the floor of this second-story bedroom, that she hadn't noticed the largest of the wolves right away. It was painted on the wall, but so realistically that she hopped back with a gasp, followed by a relieved chuckle.

"That's great," Esther remarked admiringly. "I love it! Thanks for your help, Janice. It looks like I have a few roommates to introduce myself to." She referred to the various wolf plushes on the bed and floor. They were adorable, but also instantly reminded her of Harvey. She missed him already, but she had gotten through college and this shouldn't be nearly as long.

[Mysteria]

Posting for MG (Mystery Guest)


Elli Valentine: Thursday, 2:13 am, Bellevue Washington

Upon hearing the satisfying “click” of a lock, Ellie removed the key with one hand and used the other to turn off the bar’s neon “open” sign. Megan, her coworker, was already wiping down some of the table tops behind her. It was a comfortable routine, both girls knowing and executing the closing duties in sync without having to argue over who would be cleaning what. One of the perks that came with working together for nearly two years.

Ellie told herself she should be satisfied with the secure monotony of it all, but the truth was, she had been aching to get away. Yet now, when she had an opportunity to do so, she was second guessing herself.

“Hey,” Megan said, startling Ellie out of her thoughts. “I saw the schedule changed. You’re not going to be here this weekend?”

Ellie reached for the broom. A part of her had hoped that the other girl wouldn’t have noticed until she was already gone. “Oh. Yeah, I’m… going out of town.”

Megan paused, searching her face intently. “Vacation?”

“I guess so,” the redheaded girl responded, unsure of how else to describe it. “Something like that. It’s kind of a working vacation. More of one of those ‘find yourself’ retreats, you know?” At least, that’s what she had hoped it would be.

“How long will you be gone?”

Another question to which Ellie had no answer. “As long as it takes to find myself, I guess.”

Megan made a grunt in response and resumed her work, and Ellie let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

Later into the wee hours of the morning, when the floor was polished of all the sticky drips from sweet drinks and Ellie’s back pocket was stuffed with the tips she had made that night, the two finally turned off the lights and made their way out the back door. Suddenly, Megan whirled around and grabbed Ellie into a tight embrace.

“I’m really happy for you,” she said, as Ellie wondered how soon would be appropriate to pull back from the friendly hug. “Just be super careful, okay?”

When she was released, Ellie smoothed back her hair and flashed her coworker a mischievous grin. “Yeah right,” she teased. “You’re just glad you’ll get all of my Friday night tips.”



Friday, 8:04 pm, Delgado Estate

“Holy moly,” Ellie breathed as the beautiful monstrosity of the estate came into view. She saw her driver smirk at her through the rear view mirror, but the man didn’t comment. After receiving the letter, Ellie had done a bit of Google research on her potential benefactor, and had been impressed with the insane amount of money the woman invested in charities and good works. And the offer of a million dollars to go on this trip was beyond extraordinary. But Ellie hadn’t imagined that after giving so much away, Aiyanna Humetewa-Delgado would have so much money left over for herself to live in such a palace.

The car rolled to a stop and Ellie was exiting it without giving the driver a chance to get her door, though the man did handle the luggage that was in the trunk. Ellie took a moment to glance down at herself. Jeans, a simple tank top, a zip-up sweatshirt and flip-flop sandals had seemed like a reasonable choice for traveling, but the girl felt drastically underdressed in the shadow of the estate. She only hoped that if Mrs. Humetewa-Delgado had done enough research on Ellie Valentine, she would know to expect a person with a modest wardrobe.

Ellie’s thoughts returned to the letter. You have been chosen for your unique abilities to be part of an expedition that will take you on an amazing journey, it had said. Unique abilities. She wondered for the umpteenth time whether her patroness was interested in health care or bartending.

Only one way to find out.

After mumbling a breathless “Thanks” to the driver, she was on her way up the steps to the gigantic door. Only a few seconds after knocking, a woman appeared. Ellie was obviously expected. The woman quickly introduced herself as Janice, the maid, and knew Ellie’s name without her having to do the same. Janice offered to take her coat (a sweatshirt was a coat?), which Ellie declined, and her luggage, which Ellie allowed. Then she was lead from the grand entryway through the grand halls of the house to a grand hallway and a grand wooden door that lead into her room.

While the rest of the estate (at least the parts she had seen) had made Ellie feel very small, the bedroom itself looked intimately comfortable. A quilt of forest green, rust red, and deep browns was draped over a massive bed with plush pillows. A large photograph of an eagle flying over some beautiful national park (or some other wild place) adorned one of the walls, while another wall had a painting directly on it of a white birch forest. It was a little bit adventurous, a little bit comfortable. The perfect blend.

Upon taking another look at the giant bed, Ellie suddenly realized how tired from the journey she actually felt. That quilt looked so warm and she could almost hear the book stashed in her suitcase calling her name. Besides, if she was going to meet this mysterious benefactor in the morning, that was nothing wrong with getting an early start on sleep. With a quick thank you to Janice, Ellie was ready to settle in for the night.



______________________________________________



Peter Terran: Santa Cruz, CA, Friday, 12:45 pm

Peter groaned and rubbed his forehead in exaggerated annoyance as the entire wait staff gathered around him and his mother. They were holding a chocolate lava cake sporting an oversized candle and all singing “Happy Birthday” at the highest volume that their off-key voices could muster. He mumbled his thanks as they set the plate and two forks on the table before moving away, leaving him to frown at the woman sitting across from him.

“Seriously, Mom, someone in this place is probably one of my students. Don’t you think we could have a quiet celebration for once in my life?”

The older woman smirked, obviously pleased with herself. “No, I don’t. Now that you’re a grown man, I don’t get to embarrass my son often anymore. Just let me have this moment, okay?”

He handed her a fork before poking at the cake with his own utensil. It was overcooked, of course, because that’s how chocolate lava cake always turned out. Oh well.

“Excited for your vacation?” his mom asked before putting a bite in her mouth, wincing slightly, and promptly putting her fork down.

He nodded in response, eyes on the melted chocolate oozing out onto the plate. “Yeah, I am. A little nervous though. I just don’t know what to expect, you know?” Not that he would have admitted that to anyone else in the entire world.

“You’re sure it’s all on the up-and-up? The letter sounded a little vague.”

“Yeah, of course. Mostly sure,” Peter said with a nod. Aiyanna Humetewa-Delgado checked out. She was a big patron of science, of the arts, of charity, of… pretty much every good cause you could think of. If she was even a little bit interested in his skills, as the letters suggested, it would be absolutely moronic to pass up this opportunity. “If this woman is willing to offer a grant or something, this could be a huge break for me.”

His mom reached across the table for his hand, her blue eyes earnest as they met his. “I know, Petey. You’re destined to do big things, I just know it. Just be safe, okay?”

While he didn’t subscribe to her ideas of fate and destiny, Peter still found himself touched and a little bit excited by her profession of faith in him. “I’ll call you as soon as I arrive and when I know more of what’s going on.”

The older woman nodded, and both of them regarded the partially-eaten cake in silence for several seconds.

“It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?” his mother asked.

Peter laughed. “Yeah, it is. You would think a dessert named after one of the more powerful forces in nature would be a little more awe-inspiring.”



Napa, CA, Friday, 8:57 pm

His room had a dreamcatcher in it. A fucking dreamcatcher. Like the thing with the yarn and the feathers that 19 year old girls get tattooed on their ankles. Peter just caught himself from laughing when he remembered that the maid was right behind him.

Initial impressions of Aiyanna Humetewa-Delgado from his internet search, the letter he received, and her estate/his guest room: she was definitely high-class in appearance and attitude, was smoking hot, either had a ridiculously huge heart or really loved tax deductions that came with donating to charity, and liked using her considerable bank account to blatantly flaunt her native american heritage.

Okay. This was fine. He could work with this. And, Peter reminded himself, he had yet to meet the woman. All of this could be pretense and she could be super nice and down-to-earth, or she could be a major c-

“Is there anything else you’ll be needing, sir?” Janice said, interrupting his thoughts.

Bringing himself back to the here and now, Peter flashed his most charming smile. “I do have some essays to grade before I hit the hay. Is a beer too much to ask?”