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Altered Estates
Part One--The Journey |
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Kris Robinson--a single, fortysomething, IT professional--watches a video of himself in which he learns he has been laid off.
At the clip's conclusion, Kris downs a mysterious liquid from a vial, and immediately thereafter, and quite unexpectedly,
begins to see and hear three-dimensional headshots floating in the air above him.
These beings call themselves Storytellers and say they've come to retell Kris's recent life adventure. a series of wondrous events Kris has completely forgotten. And thus, twice upon a time, the retelling of Kris's story begins. A courier arrives bringing news that Kris has been named the sole and undisputed heir to an immense fortune, a manor estate, and hereditary title by a British uncle he never knew existed. He has already received forty thousand pounds and first-class transportation vouchers to England. Stunned, Kris phones the manor estate and learns from the butler that his benefactor, Lord Hanover has already passed away . After a period of intense disbelief about his true family origins, Kris receives guidance from the Storytellers and decides, with trepidation, to make the journey, But not to worry, the Storytellers reassure, for they can recount his adventure "in the minutest detail" because they reside "outside of time." Kris flies to New York, where, quite by accident (he thinks), he encounters several individuals who claim to have known his uncle well. The following day Kris continues to England to claim his inheritance and start his new life. On the flight, the inflight magazine "just happens" to feature James Farnsworth, Hanover Estate's chief butler-administrator and a man who Kris already senses will be his chief adversary in his effort to secure his entitlement. Upon arrival, Kris immediately thrust into the center of an intense turmoil: Hanover Manor is a house divided and in an uproar--Kris's out--of--the--blue appearance comes as great a shock to the manor staff as his uncle's did to him. Not to mention the sensation Kris is causing in the British tabloid press, The Genealogical Society, the publishers of Burton's Peerage, and over at the Royal Society, UK Academy of Science. On his first night, he finds that no one can come and go because of a mighty storm that has struck the tri-county area surrounding Hanover Manor and washed out the roads. The evening is ultra strange and highly confusing with servants suddenly appearing and promising to attend to Kris's needs, then disappearing and never returning. Finally, Kris gets into his room but soon after is accosted in a comical fashion by the butler, who accuses him of being an imposter. The next morning, with the help of a remarkable 14-year-old manor resident named Christopher Robin, Kris tries to unravel all the mysteries of how he, a non-British subject, came to be blood-related to the extraordinary inventor-scientist, Lord Arthur Reynold Hanover--the archetypal eccentric British noble. And there is a more pressing concern: Lord Hanover's will and the Hanover Manor deed are missing. In their efforts to locate these documents, Kris and his new sidekick discover they're immersed in a real-life adventure game that apparently Lord Hanover arranged just before he departed. While trying to solve various puzzles and conundrums, they're assisted by Hanover's apparition, who frequently appears in mirrors, paintings and woodcarvings to offer guidance, hints and encouragement. They also uncover vital clues nearly everywhere they look--in the local newspaper, on local television, in recipes tacked up on walls, in menus presented for formal occasions, in lists of license plate numbers from the manor's collection of luxury cars, in musical notes from jingles and themes, and even in the patterns of clothing manor employees are wearing. While exploring the manor, Kris comes into possession of an amazing, futuristic gadget--a remote controller that allows him to see through paintings and observe people and activities in the rooms behind the artwork. This device enables Kris and Christopher to surreptitiously observe alliances being formed, plots hatched, illicit love affairs conducted --and thus with each passing hour the surrealism of Kris's stay intensifies. It feels like he's in a movie. In addition to Christopher, Kris makes many memorable friends--Reggie McCabe, doorman; Bruce Sherlock, pub landlord; Mildred Simmons, head housekeeper; Thomas Sutherland, headwaiter. And foes--James Farnsworth, butler; Noel Elle Leon, chef; Adrienne Van Scoy, concierge--among the manor staff. Complicating matters further is the strong infatuation Kris feels for the concierge despite her obvious disdain for him. However, as time passes the manor chauffeur, Savannah Reddy, starts to show a romantic interest in Kris and gradually he realizes he may be attracted to her as well. And then there's the receptional Penelope Stratton, another extraordinary manor beauty. To Kris, it almost seems like the young women on the staff are Hollywood starlets. Problem is, though, whose side are the chauffeur and receptionist really on? Kris and Christopher are unsure based on their surveillance of their interactions with the concierge and the butler As Kris settles in, he receives more guidance from the Storytellers and encounters more mind-blowing technology ---because the entire manor estate is equipped with special effects on the level of a Disney or Universal attraction. He also attends rollicking pub fests at night, where he eats, drinks and makes merry like, well, a lord of all he surveys should. But throughout this revelry, his longing for the concierge only intensifies. Some of the adolescent Storytellers constantly urge Kris to make a move but somehow he can't quite summon the nerve. Yet increasingly, Kris notices his mental faculties have heightened considerably. He's able to understand languages he does not speak, communicate telepathically with others, perform crowd pleasing oratory extemporaneously, and glimpse future events about to unfold. His altered state seems to spark startling interactions with servants that are, at times, deeply frightening, while at others, highly comical, and at still others, intensely erotic. Despite dogged opposition from the butler and his cohorts, Kris and Christopher burglarize the butler's officer and recover the will and the deed. Savannah shows her true colors when she braves the storm on her motorcycle in order to deliver these documents in time to be filed. Kris's claims are upheld by the British courts and revered societies; he has won the battle for succession. But soon afterwards, Lord Hanover's face appears floating face up in the spa swimming pool. He beseeches Kris to reconcile with his former foes and together discover the secret of their relationship--because it is "something important, something the world must know!" Returning to his quarters, Kris encounters a highly inebriated and disconsolate Farnsworth who accuses Kris of having "designs on his beloved." With guidance from the Storytellers, Kris is able to deflect the butler's accusations and frustration, and eventually calm him down. Back in his room, an impressaro-sounding Storyteller calls out, "Welcome to Soon! Behold a preview of your forthcomings!" After which Kris views a trailer of key events at the manor about to unfold. But none of the scenes are spoilers. He'll just have to live them fully to see how they turn out. |
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