Challenger looked at the child and he felt a chill run up his spine. He wasn�t sure why, but for some reason, his instincts were telling him he wasn�t safe. The girl�s grin grew wider as the cave started to spin. �What the devil?!�
Almost as quickly as it started, the spinning stopped. It took a moment, but his center of gravity returned and he was able to stand still without worry of falling over.
�George!�
Challenger stood rooted in place as recognition of the voice slowly came to him.
�George! George Edward Challenger! Are you listening to me?!�
He took a deep breath and turned around slowly. There she was. Exactly as he remembered her. At first he didn�t want to believe it was happening, but he couldn�t dispute the facts. One look at her was enough to put a smile on his face. She looked absolutely beautiful even though the expression on her face was of extreme irritation. Challenger stood there and stared at her in open admiration.
�Well? Are you going to stand there with that look on your face or are you going to answer me, George?�
That�s my Jessie. Challenger laughed and then cleared his throat. �Ahem, yes, sorry Jessie. What was it you wanted?�
Jessie Challenger put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. �I knew you weren�t listening to a word I said. Typical.� She took one look at Challenger�s smiling face and she sighed. �Oh all right, I am going to tea with Mrs. Williams and then I have some things to settle in town. Now George, I don�t want you staying in that lab of yours all day. I want you to spend some time with Alex. It would be a shame for you to miss out on your child�s life because you�re working, wouldn�t it?�
Jessie kept talking but her words didn�t register. My child? What is happening here?
Jessie adjusted her hat and put on her gloves. �Now, I am all set. Please don�t stay hidden away in your lab all day, George.� She gave Challenger a kiss on the cheek and started walking towards the door. �If you happen to wander down into your lab for some reason that I�m sure to hear about later, please do try to leave the walls intact.� She smiled and walked out. Challenger stood staring at the door in shock even well after she had left.
After a couple of minutes, Challenger broke out of his haze and his rational mind took over. �This looks like my home, that looked like my dear wife, but this couldn�t possibly be real. I don�t have any children. This must be another trick of the blasted plateau.�
�It�s not a trick, silly.�
Challenger whirled around and came face to face with the child from the cave. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. �So now you have something to say, have you? All right, I assume you have an explanation for all of this. You can start with who you are, it�s very obvious that you are not an ordinary child.�
The girl frowned. �Why are you being mean to me? I�m only helping you. You�re not being very nice to me.�
�I don�t know what you are, but you are going to explain yourself this instant. What have you done?!� Challenger stood staring at the child but did not move. Even though he knew the being in front of him wasn�t actually a child, he still could not bring himself to do anything other than raise his voice.
The girl smiled. �I told you, I helped you. You said you wanted kids, now you do.�
Challenger�s jaw dropped. �Wh-what?�
�Papa?�
Challenger turned his gaze away from the girl and saw a young boy no more than seven years old staring back at him. Even a stranger could see the striking resemblance: the same fiery hair, the cool blue eyes, he was practically a mirror image of his father. The boy walked closer to Challenger. �What�s wrong Papa? Why are you looking at me like that?�
Challenger spun back to look at the little girl only to find she had disappeared. He sighed but he wasn�t surprised, he almost suspected it. He turned back around to the little boy he presumed was his son.
He cleared his throat and starting walking towards the boy. �So�Alex, how are you�son?�
Alex looked worriedly at his father. �Are you all right, Papa? You don�t look good.�
Well, it looks like I am stuck in this situation until I can deduce a way out of here. I don�t know the first thing about children, what am I supposed to do? Challenger saw Alex was still staring at him waiting for an answer. �Oh, I�m fine, lad.� Challenger glanced nervously about the house. �Shouldn�t you be in school?�
The little boy laughed. �I had my lessons this morning, Papa, just like everyday. You know I don�t go to school.�
Challenger stroked his beard. What am I going to do with this boy? �Hmm�.so Alex, what do you have planned for today?�
�Well, I was wondering�..maybe�.� he looked down at his shoes and seemed to be debating something, �if I could come into the lab with you today? I promise I won�t touch anything, Papa! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?� The rest of his sentence came out in a rush and Challenger was barely able to understand it.
�Oh, I don�t know, a laboratory is a very dangerous place, young man. Besides your mother would have my hide.� He looked at Alex and saw his bright eyes practically begging him to say yes. Challenger was touched and didn�t have the heart to turn him down.
�All right, Alex. You may accompany me for today. BUT, you will not touch anything unless I give you permission. I do not want you hurting yourself, understand?� Alex smiled widely as he excitedly nodded his head up and down. �And maybe it might be best we don�t tell your mother about this.� He winked at Alex and they made their way down to the lab.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
��.and once you add this chemical to the solution, it changes from the red color to a blue color. You see, Alex? Isn�t that fascinating?�
Challenger picked simple experiments that would not put Alex in any danger and would also provide entertainment and fuel for a rapidly developing mind of someone Alex�s age. �Yes, Papa, that was great! Can you do it again?�
Challenger looked down at the boy who was so eager to learn and couldn�t believe what he had been missing out on for so many years. This boy idolized him and more importantly, he loved him. Maybe I did not make the right decision all those years ago. Alex is such a wonderful child, I�m already beginning to develop feelings for him even after such a short time. He sighed and looked at his watch and noticed the time. �Good heavens! Is that the time? I�m sorry my dear boy, but we will have to stop the experiments for today, it�s almost time for dinner and your mother will be home any moment. Now go get yourself cleaned up, and remember not a word of this, all right?�
Alex hopped out of his seat and nodded his head up and down. �Right, Papa, my lips are sealed.� He ran his fingers across his lips and grinned. He started to run up the stairs but stopped and turned around.
�What is it, Alex?�
�Thank you, Papa.� He smiled and ran up the rest of the stairs.
Challenger cleaned up the rest of his lab materials and made his own way up the stairs. He asked a servant to prepare him a cup of tea and bring it to his study. After the servant prepared his tea for him, he sat down in his chair to enjoy it when he heard a knock and the door open. The butler walked in holding something in his hand. �A message for you, sir.�
�Who�s it from?� Challenger got up from his chair and crossed the room. The butler handed him a white envelope.
�The London Zoological Society.�
TBC