fish. Jack was completely lost in his thoughts and memories when suddenly the doorbell rang. He got up and walked out of the living room.
Jack casually opened the front door. Standing in front of him was Gabriel Ash.
*****
10:03am
The Tall Man knocked on the door of the house. After a short while, an old man opened the door. He was stooped over with hooded eyes and an angry look.
“Yes, how can I help you,” he snapped.
“We’re looking for a Jack Clarke,” said the Tall Man.
“Yes, that’s me. What do you want?”
The Tall Man looked at his colleagues before turning back.
“You’re Jack Clarke?”
“Just said so, didn’t I? You’re not too bright, eh son?”
“We’re sorry to disturb you,” said the Tall Man, and abruptly turned around to leave. After walking away from the house, he turned to the others. “What the hell’s going on?” He pointed at Agent Sutton. “He told you he lived in Plymouth?”
“Yes...”
“OK, I’ll contact HQ and find out if they have any more information about Mr Clarke.” The Tall Man walked back to the car.
Agent Sutton watched as the other agent followed the Tall Man. He stood quietly enjoying the bright sun on his back until he noticed a lavender plant in a garden nearby. He strolled over to the plant and pinched some of the leaves from it. He held the lavender leaves to his nose and breathed in deeply. Agent Sutton closed his eyes and a calm, peaceful smile passed over his face. Eventually, he opened his eyes again and turned in the direction of the Rapture.
“What are you doing?” barked the Tall Man.
Agent Sutton quickly walked back to the car. “Did you find out anything?” he asked anxiously as he got into the driver’s seat.
“He must have been lying again. The team are trying to identify all the Jack Clarkes in Devon. We’ll have to stop somewhere and wait until there’s an update.”
“I’ll drive into the centre of the town,” said Agent Sutton, and started the engine. As he drove off, he smiled to himself and raised his fingers to his nose to smell the lavender again.
*****
10:10am
Katie sat in the kitchen of Oldway House. In front of her was a cup of tea, a collection of biscuits, and an assortment of home-baked cakes placed on the kitchen table. A middle-aged couple sat opposite her with excited, expectant looks on their faces.
“You really told that Jeremy Banks what you thought of him,” said the woman, who was frumpy looking and plump.
“I read in the newspaper he has a terrible reputation,” said the man, who then looked at Katie with an expectant expression as if she might reveal some celebrity secrets.
“I shouldn’t really speak about him, sorry,” Katie replied shyly.
They sat quietly and awkwardly for a few moments before Katie said,
“So, your brother has gone on vacation?”
“Yes, we’ve just come over to collect his dog, Rene,” said the woman, and indicated to the dog resting on the floor. At the mention of his name, the dog raised his head and looked at them passively before lowering his head again and breathing out deeply.
“Rene?” Katie asked.
The woman gave a disapproving look. “Yes, as in Rene Descartes, the philosopher – don’t ask...”
They sat silently again until the man said, “Do you know anything about where this Rapture originated from?”
“No,” replied Katie quickly. “Sorry, we’ve reported everything we know.”
Again, they sat in awkward silence until Katie looked like she was ready to leave.
“Well, I should continue with my walk now. Thank you for letting me know where Lavender Hill is.” She stood up.
“It was lovely to meet you,” said the woman. “Enjoy your walk. It smells wonderful up there on a calm day like today.”
Katie walked to the front door and the man opened it for her. The couple stood outside and waved enthusiastically as Katie walked away from the house and towards Lavender Hill. Katie looked around one last time and
Jack casually opened the front door. Standing in front of him was Gabriel Ash.
*****
10:03am
The Tall Man knocked on the door of the house. After a short while, an old man opened the door. He was stooped over with hooded eyes and an angry look.
“Yes, how can I help you,” he snapped.
“We’re looking for a Jack Clarke,” said the Tall Man.
“Yes, that’s me. What do you want?”
The Tall Man looked at his colleagues before turning back.
“You’re Jack Clarke?”
“Just said so, didn’t I? You’re not too bright, eh son?”
“We’re sorry to disturb you,” said the Tall Man, and abruptly turned around to leave. After walking away from the house, he turned to the others. “What the hell’s going on?” He pointed at Agent Sutton. “He told you he lived in Plymouth?”
“Yes...”
“OK, I’ll contact HQ and find out if they have any more information about Mr Clarke.” The Tall Man walked back to the car.
Agent Sutton watched as the other agent followed the Tall Man. He stood quietly enjoying the bright sun on his back until he noticed a lavender plant in a garden nearby. He strolled over to the plant and pinched some of the leaves from it. He held the lavender leaves to his nose and breathed in deeply. Agent Sutton closed his eyes and a calm, peaceful smile passed over his face. Eventually, he opened his eyes again and turned in the direction of the Rapture.
“What are you doing?” barked the Tall Man.
Agent Sutton quickly walked back to the car. “Did you find out anything?” he asked anxiously as he got into the driver’s seat.
“He must have been lying again. The team are trying to identify all the Jack Clarkes in Devon. We’ll have to stop somewhere and wait until there’s an update.”
“I’ll drive into the centre of the town,” said Agent Sutton, and started the engine. As he drove off, he smiled to himself and raised his fingers to his nose to smell the lavender again.
*****
10:10am
Katie sat in the kitchen of Oldway House. In front of her was a cup of tea, a collection of biscuits, and an assortment of home-baked cakes placed on the kitchen table. A middle-aged couple sat opposite her with excited, expectant looks on their faces.
“You really told that Jeremy Banks what you thought of him,” said the woman, who was frumpy looking and plump.
“I read in the newspaper he has a terrible reputation,” said the man, who then looked at Katie with an expectant expression as if she might reveal some celebrity secrets.
“I shouldn’t really speak about him, sorry,” Katie replied shyly.
They sat quietly and awkwardly for a few moments before Katie said,
“So, your brother has gone on vacation?”
“Yes, we’ve just come over to collect his dog, Rene,” said the woman, and indicated to the dog resting on the floor. At the mention of his name, the dog raised his head and looked at them passively before lowering his head again and breathing out deeply.
“Rene?” Katie asked.
The woman gave a disapproving look. “Yes, as in Rene Descartes, the philosopher – don’t ask...”
They sat silently again until the man said, “Do you know anything about where this Rapture originated from?”
“No,” replied Katie quickly. “Sorry, we’ve reported everything we know.”
Again, they sat in awkward silence until Katie looked like she was ready to leave.
“Well, I should continue with my walk now. Thank you for letting me know where Lavender Hill is.” She stood up.
“It was lovely to meet you,” said the woman. “Enjoy your walk. It smells wonderful up there on a calm day like today.”
Katie walked to the front door and the man opened it for her. The couple stood outside and waved enthusiastically as Katie walked away from the house and towards Lavender Hill. Katie looked around one last time and
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