20 October 1922

Hollister carefully closed the journal and placed it back into its protective covering, "And, that's the final entry, Mr. Wolveridge. No one has ever heard from the founders since. That was thirty-two years ago."

"Interesting. What about the archivist, Morley, does he know more about it?"

"Morley?" Hollister said. "He's not the archivist. He's the society's butler and attendant. You must be thinking of Sanja Ristic, she's the archivist."

"Well, does she know more?"

"No one does." He smiled, "Are you going to find out what happened to them?"

Horacio was lost in thought for a moment before Hollister's question finally sunk in. "What? No, not intentionally anyway. The Jumping Jack has been spotted again. He disappeared for thirty years but now he's back."

"You're worried he might do to you what he did to them?"

"Not particularly. But the society is pairing me up with a partner for this one. Apparently, they are worried about it."

"Oh, who are they pairing you with?"

"Someone named Davor. He is supposed to be a brilliant inventor."

Hollister had a laugh then tried to stifle it, "You've not heard of Davor Nikolic have you?"

"No, but you are beginning to make me quite nervous about it. What's wrong with him?"

"It isn't my place to say, but he's a unique individual. Scared of dust and whatnot."

"Dust?"

"Yes, he says it's full of disgusting germs, dead skin, and insect parts. He won't go near anything with dust on it."

"That might be problematic out in the field." Horacio said.

"Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. He has to have three napkins at dinner with three forks so he can use one for each item on his plate. He eats his green peas in factors of three. He is a strange fellow."

Horacio came to his senses and realized he was listening to a low-level servant and engaging in gossip of a fellow agent of the Rose and Raven Society, "Well, I had better make my way to the great room now. Thank you for your help, Hollister."

"My pleasure, Mr. Wolveridge, any time."

Horacio left the records room and traveled up the stairs to the main hall. The Rose and Raven Society was housed in an old second empire mansion located just outside of New York City. The grand manor was known for its extensive use of wood and carvings. Horacio was admiring some of the work on the stairs and walls when he was approached by the head of the order, Orsal Mathers.

"There you are, Wolverton. Are you ready to meet your new partner?"

"With respect, the name's Wolveridge, and I do have a few reservations."

"Oh, of course. It isn't like me to get names wrong like that. Forgive me."

"All is forgiven."

"Good, now what reservations are we having?" He put his arm around Horacio and walked with him toward the great room.

"I have heard this Davor fellow is a bit eccentric."

Orsal laughed, "I think we all are, Wolveridge. You can't be sane in this business."

"Yes, well, is he dedicated."

"He is as dedicated as you and me." He glanced around the room and lit up when he saw a man dressed in a grey suit milling around a statue of a founder absently dusting it. "There he is now."

Horacio did not gain much confidence from the man's appearance. He might have been frightened of dust, but that cleanliness did not seem to extend to the wrinkles in his jacket and trousers. He had slightly greying hair and a short cropped white beard. Horacio wondered how he had a beard and a fear of dust. What would happen should his beard get dusted in some dank tomb? He mused to himself.

"Davor!" Orsal greeted him. "Meet Horacio Wolverton. Your new partner."

Horacio extended his hand, "Actually the name's Wolveridge, H. W. Wolveridge."

"Pleased to be sure, I am Davor Nikolic at your service." He bowed slightly.

"Yes, sorry Wolveridge. I'm not sure why I keep getting your name mixed up." Orsal said as he looked toward the door at some guests arriving. "You two get acquainted while I attend to some business." He slapped them both on the shoulder and sauntered off across the room.

"Your accent is charming. Where do you hail from?"

"I am Serbian. At least until they finish reorganizing the kingdom. Who knows where I will be from then?" He laughed.

"I hear you are an inventor?"

"I dabble. I'm sure you will find out what I do soon enough. What about you? I hear you are a difficult fellow to get to know. You keep to yourself too much."

"I see the staff gotten to you too."

"What this means?"

"You talked to Hollister about me, I'd bet."

"Yes," Davor looked rather sheepish, "I feel ashamed to say."

Both men looked toward the entrance to the great hall as a fair bit of commotion got their attention. A black cloaked figure entered the room and a woman nearby screamed. Horacio reached beneath his coat for his revolver. Davor stumbled and looked a bit dumbfounded.

The cloaked figure spun around into the middle of the room and breathed a plume of red-hot flame, "Don't come any closer, the lot of you. I have come to deliver a message. Cease looking for me and my kind or I will burn this organization to the ground." He bounded toward the door. Davor now leaped into action. He delivered a magnetic pulse from a bar he had hidden under his coat. The only way Horacio knew it was magnetic was because metal fixtures began to clang all over the room. The cloaked man stopped for moment, whirled around, and shot a plume of white flame at Davor. The man was taken aback while Horacio pursued. As the cloaked man exited the mansion, he bounded off into the air like a man on enormous springs. Two more bounds and he was over a ten-foot brick wall and out of Horacio's range. The man literally leaped like some mad jackrabbit out into the field with blinding speed.