Thanks to all of you who emailed me praising the new work and in some cases begging me to continue the series. I was amazed to hear from more than a few of you that you periodically go back and read the entire series from the beginning. I thank you most humbly. There will be some interesting changes; including an answer to some cryptic comments in chapter one of the return. (yes, that means you might want to go back and see what I'm talking about =) )
Onward...
Backbayguy@juno.com
Nick and Jonathan- THE RETURN PART FOUR
CHAPTER ONE-
There's a world beyond reality, a place of light and dark. A world beyond infinity; a realm of mind and heart It's a shadow world of fantasy upon which dreams are born A kingdom where illusion is given life and sound and form
Such were the thoughts that were swirling around Jonathan's head. As these and other thoughts wandered around his head he found himself in one of the favorite places to be as an immortal. While his bodyguards thought that he was in his bedroom sleeping, his body remained on the bed while his immortal being was standing in space overlooking the planet. He watched the world spin and he was amazed at the beauty of Earth. Finally, after many hours, a thought went out from his mind and his being returned to his body.
Jonathan arose from his transition to find both Maximillian and Kristian standing there.
"What do you need Michael?" asked Kristian, using Jonathan's new name.
"To be Jonathan again" said Jonathan.
"That is going to be very hard to explain" said Maximillian. "A whole new identity was created for you, a biography for you plus you are the face of the company. Even your look has been changed. This is not a simple matter, nor one that is advised."
Jonathan picked up Maximillian and began to slowly stroke the cat's fur. This brought forth a purr.
"I understand that" said Jonathan moving over to a chair and sitting down. "However the crisis has passed and I need to return to who I was. I cannot live a lie. The people I care most about know I'm alive. I've sold off the company, I just want to be free to come and go again. Are you telling me that this has never been done?"
"It's not a matter of if it has been done or not" said Kristian. "It is a matter of explaining where you have been the past two and a half years"
"If a new persona can be created out of thin air then my old identity should be easy enough to bring back." Said Jonathan. "Give me a hundred thousand and even I can make a new me"
"You forget Jonathan" started Maximillian as he settled into Jonathan's lap and stared at him. "You are now the CEO of a very public firm. You can't just disappear. Besides making a new identity as opposed to re-creating the old one is two different things."
"I can retire" said Jonathan. "Or die"
"I'm not sure either is a good idea" said Maximillian standing on Jonathan's lap and stretching. "However I'll bring it to the council of cats and we will review it for possibilities."
With that he cocked an ear and disappeared.
"Are you telling me that my future depends on a bunch of cats?" asked Jonathan pointedly.
"In part, they are great for advising but we'll see what we can do."
"It would be a hell of a coming home party though" mused Jonathan.
CHAPTER TWO-
"It's going to be a hell of a couple of summers coming up for Marvel Comics and their movies" said Ryan.
"It will be interesting" said Brandon from behind the paperwork he was doing. "Especially now that Disney is in the mix of things. I'm kind of surprised that you didn't buy them."
"I like comics but not that much" Ryan said. "I'm still working on the concept of 10 billion plus in the bank"
Ryan was at the house in Phoenix. He had gotten over his fears and memories of that night in the alley in downtown Phoenix. He had re-done the house to his own tastes. It still reflected a great deal of the southwest, but it now had more than a little bit of a Swiss flavor.
When he wasn't at the University in Zurich, he found himself hanging out here. Ryan still used the penthouse in Boston, but not as often. He did spend quite a bit of time at the house in Lake Tahoe, but the house in Phoenix was his favorite. Lake Tahoe was his hideaway. He had also bought a house right on Lake Geneva for the summertime. The house crew at grown accustomed to traveling on short notice with Jonathan and there didn't seem to be much difference now.
"Who is your favorite character Ryan?" ask Anthony from behind the bar.
Ryan thought for a moment "I'd have to say that it would be Thor".
"Cheeky" said Anthony. "It kind of reminds me a bit of Kristian"
"Yeah, he does have that attitude come to think of it" Said Ryan laughing at the humor of the moment. It had taken him a while to get used to Anthony's humor but it now it usually brought a smile to his face. He stood up and walked over to the fireplace and picked up a long stick of wood.
" Can you imagine lifting your cane up and saying those words to turn yourself from a crippled doctor into the Norse God of Thunder: Behold Mjolnir!" He slammed the wooden rod into the floor.
Without warning there was an unbelievably loud crack of thunder from inside the room. At the same time a bolt of pure white light came crashing into the room to fill it with light and sound. Sebastian who had been sound asleep barely touched the ground as he fled the room. Several windows were shattered. Ryan found himself dumped on his butt by the shock of light and sound. Pictures were knocked from the walls. As the light faded, Brandon barely had his eyes above the level of the desk looking around at what happened. Anthony stood behind the bar looking over his half moon glasses down his nose at the aftermath. He then looked down at the shattered bottle of wine at his feet.
"I just had these pants cleaned and that was a 400 dollar bottle of wine" he said sadly.
Ryan could only look at the wooden rod in shock. For a brief moment he actually thought he had summoned Thor. He looked up and saw someone.
Jonathan.
"You just scared this shit out of everyone" said Ryan getting up.
"Sorry I was in the middle of coming over here I heard what you were saying and I couldn't resist pulling that off" he replied with a large grin on his face.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm back" he said simply.
"I can see that" said Ryan. "But what are you doing here?"
"As I said I'm back, or will be very soon" said Jonathan.
"You're coming back?" asked Ryan
"For good?" asked Anthony.
"Yes and yes" said Jonathan with satisfaction. "You will still have this place and everything as before Ryan, I don't need that much money ever again, plus what I have access to in the bank will find me a nice little shack to live in."
"You have never lived in a shack in your life Jonathan" said Anthony as he brought over a Bloody Mary for him.
"Something's never change" said Jonathan nodding his thanks. "Perfect as ever".
"Does this mean we get joint custody of the help?" asked Ryan with a smile.
Jonathan laughed and put down his drink on a table. As he was crossing the room to give Ryan a hug, a banshee wail came from the entrance way. Jonathan and everyone looked to see Sebastian running across the space. Jonathan caught him on the fly and spun around landing on the couch.
"Damn cat" he said. "I'm happy to see you too but I don't go running around like a siren of Hell"
"Rudeness" he heard in his head. Sebastian continued to but his head against Jonathan's chin.
"As far as the hired help, we will work it out." Said Jonathan. "I'm not coming back to take over your life. I'm just coming back. The life I am leading is a sham and all of the people who I love and love me know that I'm still around. I'm just going to make it a bit more public. Speaking of, where is security? They normally come running if someone farts too loud.
"I had a few more renovations done on the house here" Ryan said. "We're completely secure here and I've made peace with the team. I carry a panic button. Anything else they ignore"
"How is it possible that you can come back?" asked Anthony. "You have been declared legally dead. Your body was never found. I can't even conceive of all the legal mumbo jumbo to unravel."
"I'm working that out."Said Jonathan; putting Sebastian on the floor. "It should be possible"
CHAPTER THREE-
Jonathan and Ryan had talked for a long time after dinner. Their conversation carried on into the dark of late night. Jonathan suggested taking a walk through the desert night. Ryan agreed and security tagged along at a discreet distance. Not all of the "palace guard" as Ryan had come to call them knew who Jonathan was and it took a bit of work from Ryan to get them to back down and stay further back along the trail then they wanted to.
"I wouldn't have this life if it wasn't for you Jonathan" Ryan said as they walked along the desert trail. Security was walking quietly behind them. At 2 in the morning not much human was around the desert; yet the night was full of sound.
"I know, I still remember the first time we met" said Jonathan.
"So, how will this work?" Ryan asked.
"Michael Lexington will announce his retirement from the company next month. He will then fade into obscurity. My looks are decidedly different then my alter ego. I will return as Jonathan. I will have had amnesia and been living in a hospital recuperating from my injuries as a John Doe. Danny will announce through the security company that I had been found about six months ago and with extensive therapy from the Swiss doctors, I have recovered my memory. At least that is the rough draft of the idea."
"Since you are coming back, have you thought about the house, Sebastian, and the rest?" Ryan asked.
"Yes, and you as well" Jonathan said.
"And?"
"I don't have the right to interfere with the life you have developed." Jonathan started. "You are doing well for yourself".
"Yeah but that is because of you" said Ryan, coming to a halt near a very large boulder and leaning up against it. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. You have known Karen and Anthony far longer than I have. Sebastian, well.. he likes me but that cat loves you"
"I know but for the past two plus years they have all been a part of your life. The life that I left behind" Jonathan said.
"Now you are back tho" said Ryan.
Jonathan looked at Ryan bathed in the moonlight. In the years that Jonathan had been away Ryan had grown into an adult. He stood at 6'1" and close to 200 pounds now. Jonathan could tell from just the way that he was leaning against the boulder that those 200 pounds were almost all muscle. Now that he wasn't swimming in competition a thin matt of black hair was growing across Ryan's chest.
"We'll figure it out". Jonathan said. "You have a spare bedroom around here? I need sleep"
"I think there are 8 or 10 back at the house" Ryan said with a smile.
CHAPTER FOUR-
A week or so later, Jonathan once again found himself in the 737 flying this time across the Atlantic to Switzerland.
"Well it looks like you are getting your wish" said Jonathan looking across the plane at Sam. "You finally get to meet the Eberle family"
"Have you told her you are coming?" asked Sam sipping his wine.
"No, I figured that it will be a nasty shock either way and it is better to do it in person" said Jonathan. "Security went ahead and as far as they know it is Ryan coming over to visit for the weekend. He keeps the same suite as I had when I was going there"
"You do realize this isn't going to be pretty" said Sam.
"Yeah I know" said Jonathan. "Before I made the decision to come back I wasn't going to contact them at all. They were in my will and were well taken care of. I'm still not sure that this is a really good idea."
"I'm sure all will be OK" said Sam. "At least she will have no problem recognizing you now that you got rid of the black hair and goatee"
"It did have its uses" said Sam, looking over seductively.
"That sounds like a challenge to repeat" said Jonathan getting up from his seat and holding his hand out to Sam. "It is four more hours to Switzerland. Let's see what I can do without the goatee."
Sam smiled and got up from the couch.
CHAPTER FIVE-
It has been a fast trip from Zurich Airport down to Lucerne via train. Now, they were in a taxi only a short distance from the hotel.
"You look like you are ready to jump out of this car" said Sam holding Jonathan's hand.
"I'm a little worried that this might not be a good idea" said Jonathan.
"She loves you and I'm sure she will be thrilled to see you" said Sam. "Besides I'm here"
Jonathan squeezed Sam's hand. "I know.. thanks"
The drive going from the Bahnhof in downtown Lucerne to the Eberle's hotel was a scenic as well as a brief one. Getting out of the cab it was a little strange for Jonathan. Over most of his life, first as a mortal then immortal this had always been a place of refuge for him. He knew joy and love here and he could only imagine the pain that she and her husband Hugo had gone through after his "death". It was also just a little odd not to be welcomed at the door.
Squaring his shoulders he walked forward and through the door. There he saw Frau Eberle at the front desk, just finishing up a check in. He walked up to the desk.
"Darf ich Ihnen helfen?" she asked staring to look up. (May I help you?)
The two stared at each other for a moment until she recognized him.
"Ach" was the only reply. Then she fainted away.
"Well that went well" said Jonathan to himself.
Hugo came running through the door from the back offices after hearing her crash to the floor. He took a look at Jonathan and knelt by his wife. Suddenly his head came flying up and he looked again.
"YOU!" was all he said.
"Ja, me" was about all Jonathan could imagine. Then Hugo slumped next to his wife.
"This is getting bizarre" said Jonathan. He snapped his fingers as security came running over. They picked up the couple gently and brought them over to couches. Another security officer came over with a bottle of brandy.
"This is going to be a long afternoon" said Jonathan sighed.
In a few minutes the couple began to come around. The agents handed each of them a snifter of Brandy. Frau Eberle was the first to recover.
"I have half a mind to knock the daylights out of you" she said.
"Does that mean I can't stay here?" Jonathan asked with a cute smile.
"Not until you explain many things" said Frau Eberle.
Herr Eberle woke up a moment later and began to rant at Jonathan in German. He only got a few words out but among them he got devil, spirit and a few other impolite comments.
"Hugo calm down" said Jonathan. "It is me, I promise. I can explain it but it will take a while".
"Do you want me to wait outside?" asked Sam.
"No" said Jonathan.
"YES!" said the Eberle couple.
Sam abruptly turned and fled.
Jonathan shifted his head at the security guards as well, sending them out of the room.
"Ok, it is like this" said Jonathan sitting down.