Olivia already knew the answer to Marie Negre's question in her heart: she must help 22 even if her own search for the Sybilline Scrolls would suffer, even if no trip to Mt. Soracte might result in the spring - she must be a master of her own wants and desires while serving the greater cause of the Grail.

Aware that the terrain of Rennes-le-Château was an unforgiving wilderness whose forests were populated by wild boar and whose town was lacking in amenities at best, Miss O began to train her body and her mind for the ordeals that would lie ahead: a new diet which included one weekly fast, a one mile run per day, study of the gnostic texts of the Nag Hammadi library without fail or complaint. Her only mistake was to hide her newfound intent from Duke, who joined his lady in her pursuit once he managed a confession elicited after Miss O's tearful rejection of a lovingly tendered box of Washington's Birthday chocolate covered cherries.

Back in Los Angeles, 22 began her training, too. She was committed to meeting Ms. Madeline face-to-face in France, preferably outside a deserted shepherd's hut, undoubtedly in that spot of mystery so dear to her soul, Rennes-le-Château. Olivia's Lone Star and his Green Ray would be the bait, for what good was a key without a lock, she reckoned, or the Grand Mistress of the Salamander Society without her historical grimoire?

Or a DOMM without her whip?

Yes, indeed, 22 mused with a determined grin, it was time to start cracking and regain that which was the product of her own mind's eye, and hers alone. A white hand instinctively was drawn to a piece of emerald housed in a small leather bag hanging from a slender neck, and Marie Negre paused to pay the relic homage with a touch, for she knew that a matter of the gravest import was at stake.








Copyright © 2001 - 2005
cybersybils.com & 22
All rights reserved.