The Arrival Con't

As he was getting up from the table, Rachel Corrigan walked in. "Hey, Derek. Today's the big day." She said with a smile on her face. She then poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Hi, Rachel. Yeah, today's the big day. I'm a little nervous...what if I'm not a good father, Rachel." He said to his friend.

She put her arm around his shoulder and said in a reasuring tone, "You'll be a wonderful father. You are so good with Kat. Do you have any food with you?"

He looked at her with a puzzeled look on his face as he said, "Food? No I don't have any food with me. Why do I need food?"

"Susan may be hungry. It's a long flight and five year olds are hungry a lot and look for treats." Rachel said to him as she looked through the cabinets trying to find something that a child would enjoy. She found a box of animal crackers where Nick kept his food... away from the others. "Susan will like these, Derek...animal crackers." She said as she put them in a plastic bag and handed them to him. "Oh, also take a thermos of juice with you cause little kids get thirsty." Rachel added. Derek went to the cabinet and took out his black thermos, went to the fridge and took out the orange juice and filled up the thermos. "Is that all? Or is there anything else I should bring?" He asked her.

"You're all settled. You may have to take her to the bathroom; so don't let her drink too much." Rachel said to him as he was leaving the kitchen.

"Good, God. I never took food with me anywhere. A thermos, yes but not food. I may have to take her to the bathroom...oh I hope not." He thought to himself. Derek went to the coat closet and took out and put on his black leather jacket then went out the front door. He got into his black Range Rover and drove to the airport.

The Airport

He waited two hours four Susan's plane to land because the plane was delayed due to bad weather conditions. "I should have brought a book with me or some paper work. All this waiting around is making me impatient. I wonder if Susan will look at all like her mother."Derek thought to himself as he looked out the window. He then got up from the uncomfortable chair and walked around...needed to stretch his legs. Derek walked over to the flight schedule board and saw that Susan's plane would be arriving in five minutes at gate number seven so Derek went there.

People were coming off of the plane up the black carpet. He saw a little girl with chestnut hair in pigtails holding a woman's hand. Derek knew that the little girl was his daughter. They were getting closer to where he was standing. The lady asked him, "Are you Derek Rayne?"

"Yes, I am." He replied to her.

"Hi, I'm Katie, the flight attendent who was in charge of taking care of Susan. She was a good girl. There was some turbulence, and Susan got sick. Other than that plane ride was fine." She said to the handsome older man.

"Thank you, Katie, for taking good care of my daughter." He said to the cute blonde, who then walked away. Derek knelt down so he could be eye level with Susan, "Hi, Susan. I'm your daddy. You look pretty in your pink dress." He said to the little girl. He then kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you. Mommy and aunt Molly called me Susie. I like that name. Don't know what to call you." She said to him in a small voice.

"That's okay, Susie. You can call me Derek for the time being, okay?" He said to his daughter, who nodded her little head. "Is it okay if I hold your hand?" He asked her. She held out her small hand, and the both of them left the airport. They headed for the Legacy mansion.

Derek looked into the rearview mirror to see if Susan was up and asked, "Are you hungry or thirsty, Susie?"

"No, I'm not hungry. Aunt Molly gave me chocolate chip cookies. I ate most of them. I'm thirsty." She replied back to him. Derek pulled to the side of the road and poured the orange juice into the cup. He handed it to her. "Here you go, Susie. Don't drink too much...it's a long trip home." He said to his little girl as he started driving again.

After she took a sip of the juice, she said, "Thank you. When will we be home?"

"You're welcome. About an hour with this traffic. Ever been on a ferry, Susie?" He asked her.

Shaking her small head, she replied to her father, "Nope. I've been on a train, subway. A couple of times, mommy and me rode in the buggy in Central Park. That was fun!" She then yawned. Her eyelids were getting heavy, and Susan fell asleep.

Angel Island3:30

Alex woke up from her nap and went down the stairs to the kitchen to fix herself a snack and coffee. After she was done with that, Alex headed for the control room to do more research on the object with a picture of the Senufo mask on it. Alex was hard at work at the scanner when Nick came into the room. "Still at it, Alex? I thought you'd still be in bed." He said to his friend.

"Hi, Nick. Yes, I'm still at it. It's such a strange object...with Africian designs and this looks like Austrilan designs." She said as she was typing the info on the computer to enlarge the object on the screen. Nick walked over to the scanner and then looked at the screen. "I think those designs are Austrilan. Looks very familiar to me..know I've seen it somewhere." Nick said to her. "I know where I've seen it before, on the cover of Earth and Sun and Moon by Midnight Oil. the group's from Austrila, and they rock! I've got the CD in my room." He told Alex. Nick then left the control room and headed for his room to look for his CD. It took him a while to find his CD since it was a while since he listened to it. Nick searched his draws and found it where he kept his guns and amo. He ran down the stairs and went back to the control room. "Hey, Nick. What took you so long? I thought you were bailing on me." Alex stated in a joking manner.

"Alex, have I ever done that to you? It took me a while to find my Midnight Oil CD. See the picture is the same which is on this ugly object." He said to his friend.

"You're right, Nick. It's very primitive. Looks a lot like Native American art work." She stated.

"What would Native American art work have to do with African art?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders. Rachel entered the control room.

"Hey guys. What's up?" She looked at the strange looking object. "Still at it. Find out anything intersting?" The blond asked her friends.

"Yeah, it has a combination of African art work and Native American. That's 'bout all we found out about this awful looking thing." Nick replied.

"It's not a pleasing object. I thought that Derek and his daughter would be back." Rachel stated, flicking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

The traffic was horrible and Susan was car sick...threw up a couple of times in the black mini van. She was crying as she said, "Sorry for gettin' sick in the car."

"Don't cry, Susie. We all get sick...almost home sweetheart." Derek said to try an comfort the youngster. The van was on the ferry at this point and the motion of the water made Susan sick again. Derek felt bad that his daughter was sick again.

Finally they aproached the Legacy House. Susan had fell asleep from all the throwing up she did. Derek carried the sleeping youngster into the house, where he was greeted by Rachel. "You were gone a long time...begining to worry about you and Susan." Rachel said in a whisper, not to wake up the sleeping child.

"The traffic was awful Rachel...was in it for hours. Susan was car sick and the ferry didn't help." He stated climbing the stairs to put his daughter to bed. Her room was next to his. It was Rachel's idea. After he put the youngster to bed, he headed down the stairs towards his office. Rachel was in the library.

"Hey, Derek were are going?" She called out to him. He looked at her like she was out of her mind.

"My office to do some work. Why?" He wanted to know. He had a feeling that he was doing something wrong.

"Uh, Derek don't you think it would be better if you work upstairs? Susan might wake up soon...will be frightened if no one is there." The blond replied as she followed him to his office.

He picked up his files and headed back upstairs.

Derek sat down at his desk and began reading a file when he heard Susan's screams. He rushed into her room and sat on her bed. "What's wrong, Susie?" He asked her as he gave her a hug.

"I had a bad dream. I miss aunt Molly." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Derek wiped them away with his finger tip.

"I know you do, sweetie. Are you hungry?" She nodded. "Ok, what do you want?"

"Grilled cheese with chips." She replied as she jumped off the bed. Derek rose from the bed, and the two of them went to the kitchen.

Nick and Alex were eating pizza and talking when Derek and Susie walked into the room. "Hi, Nick and Alex." He said to them. Alex rose from the table and walked over to Susan and knelt down.

"You must be Susan. I'm Alex. How was your trip, sweetie?" Alex asked the little girl, who was still holding her daddy's hand.

Susan looked at Alex for a moment and then said "I like to be called Susie...mommy and aunt Molly called me that. I didn't like the plane...made me sick, and I didn't like the ferry...made me sick." Nick got up from the table and walked over to the little girl. He touched her head.

"Hi, Susie. I'm Nick. When I was your age, I didn't like planes either cause they made me sick. Do you like pizza?" He asked the adorable child she nodded her head and then looked at Derek.

"Daddy, is it ok if I have pizza?" He nodded his head yes. "Cool! I love pizza." The grownups laughed at her excitement. Alex held out her hand, and Susie took it. Derek left the room and headed for his office...knew that his daughter was in good hands with Alex and Nick.

Derek's Office

He sat down at his desk and tried to figure out the ancient language that the note was written in. He wasn't having much luck at it so he decided to call Philip in Boston because he was knowledgeable in ancient languages. "Philip, it's Derek. I need your help in deciphering a note, which was written in a language which I have never seen before. I showed it to Alex, and she was having a hard time figuring it out as well."

"Well, I've got a few days off, and I miss you all; so I'll come to San Francisco to lend you a hand. I'll be there Wed." The Priest said to Derek.

"Very well. Thanks, Philip." He said and then hung up the phone. He got up from his desk and went to the kitchen to see how Susan was.

"May I please have another cup of soda, Alex" Alex shook her head.

"You had two cups already. You may have milk or water." Alex told the little girl, who didn't seem to pleased with the choices. Derek entered the kitchen and kissed Susie on the cheek.

"Are you finished with your diner?" She nodded. "Good. Would you like to see my study and the sitting room?" He asked her daughter.

Susie got up from the chair and looked at her father said, "Yeah. I've never been in one before." She held out her small hand, and Derek took it. The two of them went to his study. Susie let go of her father's hand and ran to the piano and touched the keys. She then looked at Derek. "Do you play?" He nodded. "Will you play for me Mary Had A Little Lamb?" Derek went over to the piano and played the song that Susan had requested. "That was good, daddy." He kissed her on the cheek, and she kissed him back. Susie rubbed her eyes.

"Time for bed. I'll show you the sitting room and the garden tomorrow." He picked her up and carried her to her room and tucked her in. "If you need me, I'll be in my study. Good night and pleasant dreams, Susie." Derek kissed her head, shut the light, closed the door, and went to his study.

Derek's Study:

He sat down at his desk and signed the reports to send over to London House. He was looking over another document when Susan entered the room. "I don't feel so good." She told him. Tears were running down her face. Derek walked over to the youngster knelt down.

"What's wrong Susie?" He asked her. She pointed to her stomach.

"My tummy hurts. I think I'm gonna be sick." Susie gagged and puked on the floor. "Sorry 'bout the floor." She said crying. Derek hugged his little girl then picked her up.

"Are you feeling any better?" Susie nodded.

"A little. I'm sleepy." She yawned, and Derek carried her upstairs to her room and tucked her in. He pulled up a chair and sat down and watched her sleep for a while.

The Control Room:

Alex was still looking up the south western designs on the Legacy data base when Nick entered the room. "Hey, Alex? Don't you ever take a break?" Nick asked her as he sat down beside her.

"No, I never take a break. I was trying to figure out these markings on the box/vase. They are a combination of African American and South Western art." She said to him.

"I'm hungry how about you? We could go to a diner and get some apple pie."

Alex smiled at him. "I'd love some apple pie." She and Nick left the room and got into his mustang and headed for the diner. "Nick, it's a nice night how about keeping the top down?" She suggested. Nick put on the radio.

"Can't find any good stations around here. I should install a tape player or a CD player."

"But wouldn't that ruin the look of your car." He smiled at her.

Angel Island:

Susie woke up with awful stomach pains and screamed, "Daddy, daddy." Derek woke up startled.

"What's wrong, Susie?" The child threw up all over the sheets.

"My stomach hurts. I feel sick again." Derek picked her up and took her to the bathroom where the child puked in the toilet. When she stopped, he carried her to his room and dialed Rachel's number.

The Diner:

Nick took a bite of his apple pie swallowed. "Hey, Alex wanna go to a movie after we get finished here?"

Alex smiled at him. "That sounds like a good idea. What do you want to see?" She asked him then took a sip of her coffee.

"Well, I was thinking we could go see a horror flick. Ya know how I love scary films with a lot of action." She nodded her head. "If it's ok with you?"

"How about a French film?" Alex smiled at him and batted her eye lashes hoping that he'd get her message.

Nick blushed slightly. "A French film it is. Are you done eating?"

"Yes. Thanks, Nick for getting me out of the house." Nick asked for the check handed the waitress his credit card and left the tip. Then he helped Alex put on her black pea coat.

"You spend too much time in the control room...need to get out more." He told her as they left the diner.

Angel Island:

Rachel had examined the five year old and said to Derek, "It could be nerves. She's in a new place. Do you have any jello in the house?"

Derek looked at her for a moment. "No, why?" He asked. Being a father was not an easy thing.

"Susie shouldn't be eating any heavy foods like pizza or hamburgers for a couple of days." Rachel stated to the precept.

"Would toast be ok, Rachel or does it have to be jello." He snapped.

She gave him a nasty look. "Toast would be fine. Little kids like jello when they are sick. I can bring a box over tomorrow if you'd like?" He nodded his head."Good night then."

"Thanks for coming, Rachel."

"No problem." She said as she left the room.

The Movie Theater:

Nick and Alex were making out in the back row. "Going to see a French movie was a good idea." Nick stated after he kissed her soft lips.

"How about we leave now and go home. I'm sure Derek is asleep." She suggested. He nodded is head in agreement.

"How 'bout we go to a hotel instead?There's a kind in the house now."

"Fine a hotel it is." She replied as she rose from the red velet seat. He took her soft milk chocolate hand and led her out of the movie into his Mustang. "What hotel to you want to go to?" Alex asked as he started to drive away.

"The Marriott or The Ritz. Some place nice, Allie." He told her in a loving tone. She smiled when he called her that.

"Since you called me Allie, can I call you Nicky?" Alex asked in a playful tone.

"Nicky and Allie. I like it." He grinned.

Angel Island:

Derek watched Susie sleep. 'I don't think I'm cut out to be a father. I think I should hire a nanny or send her to the Convent. Ingrid would take good care of her...probably knew that kids like jello when they're sick.' He thought to himself. Susie turned over in her sleep and had a peaceful expression on her face. Derek picked up the brown leather bound journal and wrote,'She's so much like her mother. I wanted things to work out between Marcie and myself but working for The Legacy got in the way. She wanted to live and work in New York. I tried to get assigned to The New York House, but Sloan wanted some one to be in charge there. I couldn't talk to Marcie about my work, and she was some one who believed in talking about their work to one another. I have to make things work out.' He closed it and placed it on the night table. Then he kissed his daughter on the forehead. "I love you, Susie." He whispered to the sleeping girl.

The Mariott

Nick and Alex went into the extravagent lobby up to the front desk. Nick said to the tall man dressed in black, "Is the honeymoon suite available? Money is no object."

The desk clerk looked it up in the computer. "It's available. How will you be paying?"

Nick whipped out his credit card. "Charge it." He handed it to the man who took the info. He then handed Nick back his card and the key. Nick swooped up Alex and went up to the room.Once inside, he went to the bed and gently laid her down."I love you Allie. You are so gorgeous." He kissed her milk chocolate neck. Gently he, took off her sweater then he took off her leggings. Alex kissed Nick. She ripped off his gray shirt then she kissed his masculine chest. Next, she took of his blue jeans. Nick laid on top of her and kissed her flat stomach. He ran his fingers on her legs. They made love.

The next morning, Derek woke up and stared down at his sleeping child. He kissed her head then left the room to go see if Nick and Alex had any luck in figuring out the orgins of the object. Derek headed to the control room and entered the hologram wall no Nick or Alex. "I wonder where they are? Maybe they're still eating breakfast?"He checked the security monitors and looked to see if they were in the kitchen no luck, he then checked in the garden still no Nick and Alex."Where the hell are they? I can't do this by myself now that Susan is here.Derek picked up the reciever and dialed Nick's cell phone.

Nick and Alex woke up each with a smile on their face. "I hope that I was good, Allie."

"You were teriffic. Let's take a bubble bath in the heart shaped tub." Nick nodded his head. He rose from the bed went into the bathroom went over to the tub turned on the warm water and added some strawberry bubble bath. Then he went back to the room and swooped up Alex in his strong arms into the bathroom and into the tub where they kissed eachother and had a water fight. After twenty minutes they got out of the tub."Let's make love again." Nick sugested.

"Great idea." He picked her up and gently placed her on the bed and started kissing her. His cell phone rang. "Nick Boyle."

"Where the hell are you , Nick?!" The precept hollered at the other end.

"Well hello to you to. I'm with Alex in a motel had car trouble." There was a sparkle in his eye with that lie..

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't get much sleep last night. Susie was sick. When do you think you'll be home and working on the artifact?"

"Should be home in an hour. I was just leaving to pick up my car." He flipped shut his phone and turned to Alex. They both laughed.

"I had car trouble. Very inventive, Nicky boy." Alex tickled him.

"What was supossed to say, Alex and I made love in a fancy hotel. Oh and I charged it on our Luna Foundation account...go real good with the bigwigs." He kissed her on the lips. Nick was getting turned on again. He ran his hands against her soft body. Alex moaned softly. One thing lead to another and they made love again.

Angel Island

Derek was in the control room looking at the object when Rachel entered the room. "Hi, Derek. How's Susie?"

The precept turned his head. "Hi, Rachel. She's doing much better. I made her toast, and she kept it down.

"Where's Nick and Alex?"

"Good question. Nick had car trouble...said he and Alex would be back in an hour that was two hours ago." He informed her. Rachel's phone rang.

Upstairs, Susan was having a night mare about her mom. "Don't hurt her please don't hurt her. Hurt me instead." Her mom pleaded with the black guy who held out a knife and then grabed her. The little girl opened her eyes and got out of bed. She went to find her dad. She looked in every room calling, "Daddy." Susie then proceeded downstairs, but didn't find him anywhere. She rembered him showing her his study so she went there, but still no dad. I wonder where my daddy is? this place is big. I'll go 'sploring. She thought to herself. She went into the library and was intrigued by the map on the wall that she went over to it and touched it. Derek saw what she was doing and opened the door for her. The child squealed in delight. "Hi, Susie. How was your nap?" He asked her as he kissed her cheek.

"Ok. I had a bad dream, daddy." She told him as she hugged him.

"What was it about honey?"

"Mommy. A black man held a knife to her. That's when I woke." Tears ran down Susie's cheeks. Derek put his arms around her.

"It's ok sweetie. Want to help me with my work?" He asked her hoping it would distract her from her nightmare. She nodded her head. Derek led her to the table and showed her the half vase half boxed object. The child let out a blood curdling scream. "What's wrong, Susie?" Derek asked in an alarmed tone.

"The black man had that in his hands. He's gonna come after you with a knife." She cried again. Derek couldn't calm her down so he dialed Rachel's cell phone. "Rachel Corrigan."

"Rachel, Susie is crying and I can't get her to stop. She had a nightmare about an African American male attacking her mother. Told me that he's going to come after me because of the artifact." He told her.

"Do you know how her mother died?"

"Not a clue. I'm going to look it up in the database."

"I'll be at the house in fifteen." She hung up the phone.

The Marriott

"WE really should get back to Angel Island. Derek neds our help now that he's a father." Alex told Nick. Nick made a face at her.

"Ok. I really don't want to go back there. I'd rather be here making love to you than scanning that horrendious thing." He kissed her on the lips.He rose from the bed put on his jeans and shirt and Alex was getting dressed as well.

Angel Island

The Control Room

Derek was sitting at the computer when Nick and Alex entered the room. "Did ya find out how Susuan's mother died?" Nick asked his boss. The Dutchman turned around.

"Yes, she was murdered by the same guy who sent the artifact. We have to find him before he finds us."

Alex walked over to where her boss was sitting. "Does Susie remember every thing that happened to her mother?" Derek nodded his head.

"Rachel is upstairs talking to her right now as we speak. I wonder what is so special about this artifact." He rose from the chair. "I'm going to see how Susie is doing. " He went through the hologram wall. Alex sat down at the computer terminal.

"David, Zumba is a well known hit man from Africa. He is part of their Mafia. He likes to collect artifacts from various galleries and if he can't persuade the oweners to give them up, he resorts to murder. " The African American told Nick.

"Susaie's mother probably didn't want to give up the vase/box to that creep and murdrerd while her daughter was watching. I agree with Derek what's so special about this thing that Zumba killed for it ans sent it here? Why to the Luna Foundation?"

"I can answer the last part was a member of the Legacy in Africa when they closed it down and was the Precept who turned it over to the darkside. Horton and Sloan were responsible for the closing of the African House."

"Horton?"

"Yes, Horton actually did something good before turning over to the darkside."

"What about Horton?" Derek asked.

"Horton and Sloan were responsible for the closing of the African House in '74. Zumba was Precept." Alx informed her boss. Derek ran his fingers through his graying hair.

"No wonder why that name sounded so familar." Derek walked over to the scanner and picked up the box/vase to see if his psychic powers could pick something up. Nothing registered. He looked at the designs which were both African and South Western. The pattern looked familiar to him. "The African designs look like what the Jimi tribes would design. I like this artifact has healing properties to it. Look at the snake part. Snakes are able to shead their skin."

"It could have belonged to a Shamin or a witch." Alex added. Derek nodded his head. He had a vision of a black demon being released from the box when Marcie was murdered.

"I think that something evil was released from this box and will haunt who ever owns it. I think that it why Zumba sent it." A black cloud formed in front of their eyes. The black demon went for Derek's throat. Nick reached in his back pocket and took out his gun and fired at the thing. It flickered and let go of Derek's throat. "Go get the scroll, Alex. Read it. " The precept commmanded. Alex went to the table and read it. The demon was gone. Fin