The Fascinating Fortune

Jeremy was cycling around his neighborhood one day, as he usually did. Suddenly, he felt a little bump on his bike, as he cycled past. He turned around and noticed something underneath a bunch of leaves on the ground, behind him. He brushed the leaves away to reveal a slightly damp and musty old little black book on the ground and decided to pick it up and open it. Inside was an address, nothing more. He thought it best to return it to its owners, so he decided to look up how to get there and cycled over. He came across a very old and rickety, but extremely fancy looking mansion, draped in black. He walked up to the large towering doors and knocked on it. Suddenly the doors creaked open and an elderly man greeted him.

"Ah, Master Brooks" he said in a musky tone, "We've been expecting you”

"Sorry sir, I’m not sure what you mean" Jeremy said slightly taken aback, "I only wanted to return this" taking out the book from his pocket and showing it to the old man.

"Well you see sir; it was deliberately left there for you to find", the old man explained.

“But I don’t understand” Jeremy replied, “what is this all about?”

“Please come in sir” the man beckoned; “it’ll all be explained in due course”

So, Jeremy reluctantly entered.

Inside the mansion was a giant marble staircase with a massive chandelier looming over it, with a gleaming ceiling. There were several doorways on either side of the room and a young lady dressed in a maid outfit standing in front of one of them.

“Oh excellent, he’s arrived” she stated, studiously walking over to him.

“Please to meet you Master Brooks” she smiled quaintly, bowing as she did so, “I’m Geraldine”

“Nice to meet you” he replied, still feeling slightly out of place, “I’m Jeremy”

“Please follow me, if you don’t mind” she said, as she maneuvered over to the door, she had previously been standing next to, “This way” she gestured

Jeremey felt he had no choice, but to do what the women asked of him, so headed over to where she was standing. She very gracefully opened the door as she ushered him inside.

As he entered the room, he saw a bespectacled old man, sitting on the end of a rather long dining table. He glanced up as Jeremy entered.

“Ah, Jeremy” he said with a quint smile, “so glad you finally made it, please take a seat”

The maid gestured to the chair, opposite where the bespectacled old man was sitting.

“Thank you, sir,” he said, as he took a seat “but what is this all about and how do you know my name?”

“All in due time, my lad” the man stated, “you see, I’m a very wealthy man, as you can probably tell. But my days will soon be numbered, and I don’t have anyone to give my vast fortunes too. I’ve been keeping an eye on you and noticed that you’re a very kind-hearted individual, why else would have you have come all this way to return my book to me”

“Well I try my best sir” he said with a smile

“Glad to hear it” he smiled back, “There aren’t many people like you in this world and we need more of them, like you. So I was hoping you would take over my inheritance for me and make the most of this vast amount of wealth I own”

“That’s extremely kind of you sir” Jeremy replied, “but I feel like I don’t even know you”

“Forgive me” he stated, “I always have a habit of forgetting to introduce myself. My name is Markus Kingston”

“Markus Kingston?!” Jeremy said in disbelief, “as in the same Markus Kingston known for his robotic engineering”

“The very same” he smiled back, “I’m glad you’ve heard of me”

“Heard of you, you’ve helped revolutionize the advance robotics’ we have today!” he exclaimed

“Yes, well, I’m getting older now and don’t really have the ability to continue my work. However, you seem like a very smart kid, how would you feel about talking over my work”

“Jeez, sir” Jeremy said in a gasp, “that would be a great privilege, but I don’t know if I’m capable of such thing”

“Nonsense” he replied, “I’ve heard all about the work you do with robotic drones”

“Thank you, sir,” Jeremy said excitedly, feeling very flattered, “I should probably go home now, my parents will probably be wondering where I am”

“Very well then” he stated, “thank you for visiting, please leave the book on the table as you leave, we’ll keep in touch”

“But how?” Jeremy inquired

“Oh, I have ways of contacting you, young sir” he smiled, beckoning him out, “good day”

With that Jeremy left the house and headed home. What a weird day it had been for him. Knowing he may come into a random stranger’s fortune one day.

Back at the mansion, the three of them were in the dining room together.

“Well, I think that went rather well” Markus said with a glimmer in his eye

“Indeed sir” said the old man, “couldn’t have gone any better, if I do say so myself”

At that moment, Markus removed his glasses. He then reached for his collar, placed his hand down his shirt and produced a flabby piece of skin. He then proceeded to reached under the skin flap and distorting his face, removing a mask to reveal a much middle-aged man underneath. The old man and maid proceeded to follow this and in turn they became a young girl and a middle-aged woman. The man who had previously been Markus Kingston proceeded to admire the mask he had just worn before turning to his fellow compatriots.

“I wonder what Jeremy will think when he realizes it’s us?” the man stated

The End