Chapter 3:- One, part two
"My brother?" she repeated, her voice wavering.

"Yes. My name is Samuel de Cervantes." He pronounced it sam-WELL. "May I join you?"

She nodded, suddenly unable to find words. Anxiety and excitement danced within her, fighting for dominance. It had been five years since she had last heard from Virgil -- five years since he had disappeared into the rain forest without an explanation. At first she had worried about him, but as time had passed she had just avoided thinking about him at all. Now all those feelings she had suppressed for the better part of half a decade came flooding back.

Samuel took a seat across the table from her and waited patiently for her to compose herself.

"Is he okay?" she managed.

"I cannot say for certain. It has been days since last I saw him."

"You're a friend of his?"

He shook his head. "I am a messenger. He asked me to find you, and gave me this photograph." He produced a tattered picture of Lauren and her brother from his pocket. "He told me where to find you, and said that when I did, I should relay a message to you."

"What kind of message?"

"One I am afraid I do not understand." He smiled ruefully. "He said I was to tell you 'Castor is in trouble.'"

Her hands clenched involuntarily. Growing up twins, she and Virgil had latched onto the Greek myths of Castor and Pollux at an early age. A tomboy all through grade school, it had never bothered her that both twins in the myth were men, although when high school and puberty hit the nicknames gradually fell out of use until only she and Virgil still used them.

"Where is he?"

"When last I saw him, he was in Venezuela. Now? I do not know."

She swallowed the knot of fear in her throat. "Is that all he told you?"

"Yes," he said. "But there is a note on the back of the photograph."

She turned the photo over. Scrawled on the back was 24 Boiler St. Jack.

"What does this mean?" she asked.

He spread his palms out. "Again," he said, "I do not know. It may mean nothing."

She shook her head. "Are you staying in the city?" she asked.

"For tonight."

"If I need to find you..."

He looked surprised. "I will give you the address where I am staying," he said. She passed him a pen, and he wrote the address down on a napkin, which she stuffed into her purse along with the photograph.

She got up from the table. "Thank you. I, uh, should be going."

"Of course." He smiled. "Until we meet again."

She hurried back to the bookstore, too distracted to remember to open her umbrella. If what this stranger had told her was true -- if Virgil was in trouble -- then she had to help him. It was as simple, and as complicated, as that.

Her boss was tidying shelves near the front of the store when she ducked in out of the rain. "You're back early," he said.

"Did you look outside?" she replied, forcing a smile. "Why would I stay out there any longer than I have to?"

Pete chuckled.

She scanned the store. It was empty save for them. "Look, Pete," she went on. "Something's come up. I need some time off for a family emergency."

"How long do you need?"

"I don't know yet."

He pursed his lips in thought. "Okay. I can get Luke or Dianna to cover your shifts while you're gone. You have enough money saved up?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why don't you take the rest of the day off, then? I can handle the store by myself for one afternoon."

"You're sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. Where are you going anyway?"

"Venezuela."