The whole night was spent packing and getting ready for today's departure and I sometimes found myself gazing into the thin air till someone shakes me into reality. For the others, the only concern was to get out of Atlantis as soon as possible but I knew it was more complex than that. What am I to do? Only five souls can pass through.
I went out to the balcony in the afternoon and looked out to the city. She was so beautiful, so precious in every way but like every other dream in my life, it harbored a nightmare. But I had come to a conclution. I was lost in my thoughts when I felt the comforting face of Summerlee appear before me.
Summerlee: Any place for an old man in your thoughts?
Me: Of cause Summerlee.
Summerlee: Beautiful place, isn't it?
I nodded and instantly fell into a daze.
Summerlee: Only five of you can go back.
I turned in surprise and looked at Summerlee.
Me: How did you know?!
Summerlee: Well I figured it out Marguerite. Five people opened the door and
came in and five people shall open the door and go out.
Me: That is not true! It's...er...
Summerlee: I have been here long enough to know that Marguerite. Now listen,
I am old and had lived my life...
I knew of Summerlee's answer and cut him off immediately.
Me: No Summerlee. No more excuses.
Summerlee: Child now don't talk nonsense! You have so much of life...
Me: No I don't Summerlee. Please listen. You have to. While we were here, we
had a discussion about what we are to do if...
Summerlee: when.
Me: when we get back to London. Each and everyone have a dream, a vision to
complete. Everyone including you I'm sure. But I...I have nothing.
Summerlee: That does not mean you'll never have a dream. Marguerite you have to go there and build a dream to see that. You must try!
Me: No Summerlee. My past, my life is too complicated for me to live...now more than ever. I'm a terrible person...
Summerlee: No you are not!
Me: I AM Summerlee. You will understand.
Summerlee: But what about John? He cares about you so much.
Me: And I don't deserve that care! I have been a terrible person to him most
of all. I have been leading him into blind places and now I must bare all
its consequences.
Summerlee: But Marguerite you have so much of life to live and to correct your past. This is not right!
I rested my hands on his shoulders.
Me: Summerlee, all my life, other people had to be responsible for my mistakes. I made them responsible. But not anymore. I want to make my own decision. I love you a lot Summerlee and all I ask of you is to respect my decision. Please don't tell anyone of this.
He looked at me with such a helpless face.
Me: Summerlee, I'll explain everything to you, to all of you. Then you will understand. You will all understand. And Roxton will understand.
Summerlee: If it's your wish. My lips are sealed.
Me: Thank you.
Only a few hours remained before we departed and thus I decided it was time for me to explain everything to them. Roxton too had woken up and was being fed by Veronica.
Melone: Look who finally decided to show up!
Veronica: Where have you been? I had to baby sit your Hercules over here!
Only a slight smile crept into my face as my heat raced with unknown anxiety of what was to happen. I sat down.
Challenger: Marguerite, are you all right?
Me: I'm fine Challenger. Just a bit...er... I think I owe you all an
explanation.
Melone: We already know, we figured it out. Right Summerlee?
I looked at Summerlee with disbelief. How could he?!
Melone: We know all about the arrow!
Me: Er...what?
Melone: You wanted to explain about the arrow right? Well we actually
figured it out. When Veronica and I were cleaning your room, we found the
arrow and it glowed as if it was made of crystal. Then it dawned upon us.
Maybe you were hit by cupid's ...or Eros' arrow.
Veronica: that's why you were so much in love with him!
John looked at me with his eyes, even though baldly bruised, showing a sign of victory. Oh if you only knew John what I was going through.
Challenger: But what we don't understand is Lycious.
Melone: Apart from that he used you in hope of killing Atlas.
Me: It was not that Melone. Listen...
Challenger: then what was it?
It was obvious that the others wanted the answers to these questions first and I too needed time to compose myself.
Me: Lycious is not Lycious. He is actually the God Nemeses...the God of retribution. You see Grecian Gods are able to change shape to other humans, interfere in people's lives and change their destinies. And they are not that high in morals, as you can see. So Nemeses, changed shape to Lycious and hit me with, as Melone told, Eros' arrow.
Veronica: It looks as if he not only controlled your heart but your will too and wanted to use you to kill Atlas.
Me: It seems, yes.
Challenger: What about the whole two Roxton, one dead thing?
Me: Oh...er...I was about to kill Atlas when I heard a fight and it was
Roxton and Nemesis. I did not know what to do and was confused but then
Roxton got one hell of a shot from Nemesis and the his blood smeared on me.
I looked at John with grateful eyes.
Me: That's when the spell broke. When I came back to my sensors, I saw the sword and wanted to stop these two. And during that time, Nemesis changed to Roxton's image to come and get to me but I...but I unknowingly stabbed him and I thought...I thought it was Roxton and I ran and, and that's when I met you all.
Challenger: that explains everything. What about the part when both of you disappeared to the ground?
Me: We landed in that cave and that's how I found out that the planets have aligned.
Challenger: Fascinating. Now this Nemesis is the God of retribution of destiny?
Me: Yes.
Melone: So he wanted you to retribute Atlas.
Me: No.
Veronica: Then?
Me: That's what I wanted to explain. Nemesis wanted retribution for me.
Everyone stood still and stunned by my answer. This was it. My moment of truth.
Me: I was reattributed for my sin of deception.
Challenger: Who did you ever deceive Marguerite?
This was the moment I answered the hardest question in my life. This was the moment when I betray the love I gained.
Me: I deceived...I deceived all of you.
Challenger: What?
Me: The day of the lecture Challenger, I did a terrible thing. I walked into
that hall and then I stared all my lies.
Melone: Are you really Marguerite Krux?
Me: Yes but let me finish.
Me: I told you all that I came on this expedition for science, for the
adventure. But that was not true.
Veronica: You came for the treasures!
Me: No Veronica...more than that.
Melone: What more than that.
I felt tears wobble at my eyes and I tried so hard to be strong.
Me: I used you all as a human shield. I promised all your lives to save mine.
The others did not know what to do. They all stood still at my words with confused and betrayed faces. Faces I dreaded seeing.
Challenger: what did you say?
Me: I twisted your words Challenger. My past is so that I had to work for the Germans. I had to do such terrible things in my life and finally, I was able to escape to Shanghai through marriage...it was not quite of an escape though. Before Andrea and I escaped to Paris, we stole the map and it was almost the same time as when Maple White had all the theories and expeditions. Somehow, the Germans did find me again after about a decade and this time there was no escape. I was once again made to work for them, during the war because they knew I had the map. I had no choice, I did not know what to do and the only way out was to tell them that Maple White stole it and that you had found it Challenger. I told them that you made it look like science expedition but you were actually working for the British.
Challenger: The Germans knew of Atlantis?
Me: they knew of Atlantis and the Plateau. So I promised them that I would
go with all of you as a member and when or if you find Atlantis that...that
I...that I would kill you all in exchange for my life.
Everyone gasped at this and Summerlee went into a seizure that I thought he was to die. Veronica rushed to him and stroked his hand.
Me: Summerlee!
Veronica: Don't you dare came near him...or any of us.
At this I started crying and pleading to everyone to understand me.
Me: Listen to me...I never wanted to but I needed to escape... I needed to get away.
