Beyond Sight Ch. 02

Dimitry was always a cautious man with spending money, being tightfisted with unnecessary expenditures. Now he had so much money he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore for the rest of his life! Though, he'd have to be careful who he'd tell about his newfound fortune. He was sure all sorts of slick con artists would try to bilk him out of every penny if it ever became public knowledge.

"Life changing, isn't it? These are the documents that will initiate a transferal of all his assets to you. Your signature is required on each one of them to validate the transfer," he explained.

Nodding, Tomas wasted no time in putting his signature on the papers, after giving each one a proper read. Seeing that everything was in order and sensing no ulterior motives, Tomas handed back the papers. Nodding to himself and seeing that the documents were signed, Hugo the reached into his desk once more. His hand came up, enclosed around a small package he placed in front of Tomas.

"What is this?" Tomas wondered.

"Something that your grandfather had me hold on to in case there were any issues with Ms. Melo and once all the papers were signed. Since the... problem... of your stepmother has been dealt with, I can now give this to you with no issue."

"What's inside it?" he asked, viewing the grubby little package.

"That is something that only you can know. It was given to me under the express instruction that it was for your eyes only," Hugo explained. Tomas picked up the package and inspected it. It was squarish in design, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. It almost felt like a jewelry box and Tomas was keen to open it, but not there.

"Thank you for carrying out my grandfather's wishes, Mr. Starling," Tomas said as he stood. He then extended his hand to Hugo, which the other man took and shook firmly. Tomas' mind was already awhirl with the immense possibilities of what he would do with everything he now owned! He would pay off his student loans, of course, having only taken some small ones out to pay for his stay in the dorms and some textbooks.

"Please, call me Hugo," the man said with a friendly intonation. "If you ever require our services, just call and we'll be right there, ready to assist in whatever means possible." He then handed Tomas one of his business cards, which he took willingly. Walking out, the two men headed up to the reception area.

Arriving there shortly, the men saw both Olivia and Rachel chatting away like old friends. The ladies' heads turn at their approach. Olivia regarded Tomas warmly as Rachel gave him an appraising look and a ghost of a smile touched her lips. Walking up to Olivia, Tomas wrapped her in a hug. Returning that hug, Olivia kissed him on the cheek as they embraced.

"All good?" Olivia asked as she stepped away from her man.

"Yeah. I think we should head on out. There's something I need to check," he said warily. Understanding it was something he needed to do without anyone he didn't trust, Olivia threaded her arm through his. Walking to the elevator, they waited for maybe thirty seconds before boarding and heading back down to the parking lot.

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"Do you think he knows?" Rachel asked her boss as the doors closed on the departing couple.

"Not yet, but soon I should think," Hugo stated somberly. "Dimitry did not know us and neither do they. For now, we keep it that way. Keep me appraised of everything that happens to them and whatever they get up to. But make sure that it is done quietly. There is no need to let the Council know of them yet."

"It will be done, sir."

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Once down in the parking lot, the young couple hurried to Olivia's jeep and got in. With the doors closed, Tomas then opened the small package. Tearing away the brown paper, inside it was a jewelry box of black leather. Cracking it open, inside it lay a key of some sort. Confused, Tom looked at it closer and saw three numbers etched into the brass key: one-one-seven.

"That looks like the key for a safe deposit box," Olivia guessed as she fired up the jeep. Pulling out of the parking spot, she took the ramp back up to the surface. Using the parking stub at the automated gate that Rachel gave her, they were let out of the subterranean garage and into the sunshiny day.

"But to where?" Tomas inquired further. Looking at the box again, he noted a small slip of paper peeking out of the velvet inlay. Pulling it away, Tomas found that the slip of paper was much larger than he thought and on it was written the address and name of a bank. Reading it, Tomas knew exactly where the bank was. It was maybe five minutes walking distance from his grandfather's home.

Tomas sighed heavily as he now guessed that it was his home now, having signed the papers that made it his less than an hour ago. His heart weighed heavily at the loss of Dimitry, but Tomas knew he'd have to carry on. There was no way he'd let himself languish in agony or misery, as he knew his grandfather would not have wanted it that way. He resolved to be strong and to carry on with his life, to live it as fully and completely as he could.

As they sped along the highway, Tomas told Olivia everything about what had just transpired at the office. He left out just how much money he'd inherited, as he wanted to be sure that Olivia stayed for him and not his money. She was floored though at exactly what he'd gotten and was ecstatic at the fact that he now had his own place! She was asking him several questions about what he would do until she caught sight of the radio clock.

"Shit! Tom, I need to drop you off back at the house. I have a shift that starts at noon and I need to get going!" she said worriedly.

"That's all right Olivia. If you could drop me off at the Tim Hortons just by my house, that would be great," he responded.

"Going to check out what's in the safe deposit box?"

"Yeah. Even in death, my grandfather is being as cryptic as a riddle. I might get some answers or at the least, make some sense of everything he's done. It might also help me process everything that's happened in the last twenty-four hours," he replied.

Soon, Olivia came up to their exit and made the turn into the neighborhood they left. Driving along, she quickly found the Tim Hortons branch they were looking for. Pulling into the parking lot, she put the vehicle in park to let Tomas out. She stopped him by putting her hand on his shoulder, a thought on her mind.

"There is no way I'm letting you sleep alone tonight. I'll be by later, OK?"

Tomas looked as though he might object, but he saw a solid and resolute look on her face. He knew once Olivia had set her mind on something, stopping her was akin to stopping an avalanche. He could tell that she was worried about him, and she had every right to be. They'd seen what the death of a family member could do to someone.

A mutual friend of theirs, Katrina, had lost her mother while they were all in Grade Eleven. The overwhelming grief had driven the poor girl to suicide. She was unsuccessful, thankfully, but in light of this and her unstable mental condition, her father had no choice but to commit her for her own protection.

"All right," Tomas relented. "But I still need more time to wrap my head around all of this."

"I know. I just want to be nearby if you need me," she sympathized. Sighing as he nodded, Tomas gave her a quick peck on the lips before he let himself out. As the door closed, he waved goodbye as Olivia pulled away. He then turned around and spotted the bank where his grandfather had taken out the safe deposit box.

Steeling himself for whatever Dimitry had left behind, he walked onwards and stepped through the doors. As he got inside, he looked around for a moment and noted that the bank was quiet at this hour. There was only one other person doing any banking there, and the rest of the tellers looked bored. One of them caught his attention.

"Excuse me, sir, may I help you?" the young lady queried, her ovoid face framed by straight brown hair. She had blue eyes, a pert little nose and wore a cream-colored blouse with a shiny brass name tag which read Erika.

"Good day to you, Erika. My name is Tomas Brykonov, and I came here to gain access to my grandfather's safe deposit box," Tomas stated.

"Who is your grandfather?" she asked.

"Dimitry Brykonov was his name," he replied.

"Was?"

"He passed on just yesterday," Tomas said somberly. Hearing that, Erika picked up the receiver of the phone that was there. She spoke quickly and quietly before hanging it up.

"The manager will be here to see you in a moment, sir," she informed him.

Just seconds after the words left her lips, Tomas heard footfalls and turned behind him. An older, slightly portly man, an East Indian judging by his hair, skin color, and facial features, walked towards him. The name tag he wore had both his first and last name, which was Mandeep Singh. He was dressed almost immaculately and from what Tomas could sense this man was all about conducting his business with no ulterior motives.

Tomas thought this odd as almost everyone he had met had an angle they were playing. Rarely did he find people who were about doing their jobs or living their lives with no sense of personal gain. He could already feel Erika was checking him out and could sense the somewhat lustful thoughts coursing through her mind. He also caught an edge of avarice, like she was curious about how he had access to a safe deposit box and what was in it.

Still, it was refreshing to see that there were people who were at least honest in their dealings. Mr. Singh stopped right in front of him, shorter than him by at least a good four inches. He extended his hand and spoke.

"Mr. Brykonov, welcome. My deepest condolences for your loss. Dimitry was a good man."

"You knew my grandfather?" Tomas asked, surprised.

"Of course! He was always one for donating to the various charities that we were associated with. But where are my manners? Mandeep Singh, I'm the bank manager here, and I was instructed to ensure that you have immediate access to both the account and the box he rented. This way please," he gestured. Tomas followed the man, sensing he was simply carrying out the request of an old friend.

"How did you know he was gone?" Tomas asked, suspicious of how he knew.

"Mr. Starling contacted me a few minutes after he contacted you. It was all done per Dimitry's wishes once he died. He wanted all of this done quickly and efficiently, with none of the unnecessary waiting and red tape. He'd also told us of what happened regarding your father and wanted to avoid any similar... complications," Mr. Singh explained.

"Also, Mr. Starling was kind enough to send us e-mails and faxes of all the paperwork you've signed, but we won't be able to process them all until tomorrow. To finalize everything, you will need to come in and finish one final round of paperwork before you can have access to all the late Mr. Brykonov's assets."

Tomas grunted in satisfaction at the answer he was given. That sounded like Dimitry, always the no-nonsense type who hated all the preposterous wait times and legal hoops that people had to jump through. Considering how he lost everything to that witch before, it made sense that his grandfather would have some plan in place. It was good to know he'd ensured that Vanessa wouldn't wrest what was rightfully Tomas', away from him.

Mr. Singh led Tomas to a restricted section of the bank. It was behind a security door that had to be accessed via a passcode and what appeared to be a biometric scanner and card reader. Mandeep swiped his card, entered a seven-digit code, and placed his palm on the reader. After a few moments, the reader flashed a green affirmative on the screen and the door unlocked.

They proceeded behind the door, where a pair of large and imposing security guards stood watch. They greeted Tomas with little more than a cursory nod and smile before turning their attention back to the door. Mandeep continued on, leading him deeper into the bank. He stopped at what appeared to be a nondescript door and opened it.

Behind the door was another door, much like the one they had passed through just a few minutes ago. The difference was that this one appeared to be linked to a much more sophisticated system. There was the number pad, card reader, and palm scanner, but there was also a retinal scanner and another device. Tomas didn't know what it was until he watched Mandeep go through each one.

"Mandeep Singh, bank manager," he said loud and clear. The final device lit up with a green accept light and the door unlocked.

"Quite the security system you have in place," Tomas commented.

"We take pride in assuring our customers that the items they want kept safe are safe. May I see your key for a moment?" he asked, holding out his open palm. Tomas reluctantly handed it over after determining that he wanted to be sure it was the genuine article. After receiving the key, Mandeep held it up to inspect it and nodded to himself before handing it back to Tomas.

"You will find your safe deposit box inside. Please take your time and come out once you are satisfied with the contents," Mr. Singh gestured. Tomas walked past him and right into the vault. Inside was a rectangular space of about fifteen feet long by about ten feet wide. In the floor's center stood a simple metal table with several chairs tucked into it. The walls were full of small doors of various sizes, each one of them numbered.

Tomas looked about, searching for the door marked one-one-seven. Looking about carefully, he finally found it. Inserting his key, he unlocked the door and opened it. The box in question lay inside and, after pulling it out, Tomas found it was rather small. It was maybe twelve inches long by nine inches wide and two inches thick.

Puzzled, Tomas opened the box and found a small envelope tucked into it. Thinking it was a letter, he eagerly broke the seal and looked inside. All he found was a slip of paper, a small blue thumb drive and a rather complex looking key, like something that came out of a science fiction novel. On this slip of paper was written a simple phrase; 'Go to the basement library and look for Anna Karenina.'

Bewildered, Tomas looked at the paper, then the key, and back again. He huffed in frustration at the trail of breadcrumbs that his grandfather was leaving him. With no other ideas other than to go along with the clues he'd been left, Tomas pocketed the key, the drive, and the slip of paper. He then closed the box and replaced it, locking the door to it once again.

Taking the envelope, Tomas stepped outside of the vault and around the corner. Mr. Singh was standing there, waiting for him, having respected his privacy as he was legally bound to do. He perked up at Tomas' approach and walked up to him.

"I trust that you have everything you've been looking for and that everything is in order?" he asked hopefully.

"It is," Tomas responded neutrally. "The box is still in my grandfather's name?"

"It is, sir, and it is also in your name. Now, with Dimitry gone... it is solely yours now. It will remain so until you decide to empty it and stop paying for it," he stated. From the anxiety that Tomas picked up in his voice, it was clear he didn't want it to happen.

"I'll hold on to it for now. Decide on it at a later date. I may need it at some point in the future," Tomas reassured him.

"Wonderful! Is there anything else that I can help you with today, Mr. Brykonov?" he wondered.

"Not at this time. Right now, I just want to go home and rest. Thank you for your help today, Mr. Singh," Tomas said gratefully, as they walked back into the main area of the bank.

"Not at all Mr. Brykonov. I hope that your day today gets better," he intoned respectfully.

Smiling, Tomas turned and walked out of the doors and back into the midday sunshine. Taking a minute, he decided that he'd head straight home. He needed to find out what exactly the key he now owned, opened. Tomas made his way out of the plaza and followed the sidewalk to the lights. He crossed when the light had changed and continued to his grandfather's house.

Walking along, many things were tumbling through Tomas' mind. He wasn't sure what to make of Dimitry's cryptic message, but he knew it wasn't just random bits of information. Every clue that was left behind had a purpose, and Tomas would find out what it was. He turned off the main road about seven minutes later and down into the neighborhood. Another three minutes saw him at the door to his now inherited home.

Walking in, Tomas took a quick look around and decided that the house, though in good shape, needed a serious update. There was a lot to do beyond just a coat of paint. The kitchen appliances needed an update, as did the boiler and the furniture. Some items, which he knew to be valuable antiques, Tomas would keep. Everything else would have to go. He was already envisioning how he'd make it look like a modern-day take on the style of the nineteen twenties.

Tomas shook his head, trying to not let himself get distracted. Taking a deep breath, he headed over to the basement door, then stopped midway there. He got another niggling feeling in the back of his mind. Something told him he should set the alarm to the house and grounds. Despite the illogical reasoning behind it, Tomas trusted his gut instinct, walked on back and set the alarm.

Feeling better about doing it, Tomas resumed his march to the basement. Moving along down the steps, he came into the workshop area, which was just as he remembered it. It was where his grandfather liked to tinker with many electronics and homemade gadgets he came up with. Smiling at the wonderful memories here, he continued on to the wall that divided the basement in half.

In the middle of the wall was a door which Tomas opened and stepped through. Inside was a what seemed to be a study but was more like a miniature library. The walls were transformed into bookshelves and books of every kind and type were crammed into the shelves. Some ones he saw were small pulp novels of the nineteen forties and fifties, whereas others were textbooks on medicine and psychology.

Remembering what was written on the slip of paper, he went hunting for the works of Leo Tolstoy. He was the author who had written Anna Karenina but was most famous for his earlier work, War and Peace. It took him a good fifteen minutes of browsing the titles until he finally found the book. It was jumbled together with a bunch of other works of Tolstoy, right next to the entire collection of Shakespeare's plays.

Taking the book out of its place, Tomas looked it over, thinking there might be something on the book. Seeing nothing immediately, he then started flipping through its pages, thinking another clue might be tucked away in it. Again, that yielded nothing, which frustrated Tomas to no end.

He bent over and looked to where the book had been sitting, thinking another clue on a slip of paper was leaning against the other books. It was in that moment that Tomas noticed something peculiar about the place where it sat. In the shelf's wood was a small, silvery disc that looked like it was built right into the shelf. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there was some sort of rectangular depression in the disc, like it was a keyhole.

Mind clicking into place, he snapped his fingers and dug in his pockets until he found that odd-looking key. Pulling it out, he carefully lined it up with the slot and pressed it in. The key slid in with no difficulty and clicked to a stop, going as far as it was intended to. With that, Tomas first turned it left. Feeling it wouldn't turn that way, he turned it right, and it moved ninety degrees, coming to a stop once it had rotated one-hundred and eighty degrees.