"THE STONE COUNCIL" "Irkutsk, Eastern Siberia" "Wait here." "Thank you." "Mrs. Weber told me you were raised in an orphanage." "More like an institution." "After my parents died, Sybille couldn't take me in but she was always there for me." "He was abandoned barely 2 months old." "We found him on the clinic doorstep, very anemic, but he quickly recovered." "Who chose his name?" "It was on the pendant round his neck." "Liu-San..." "It's cute." "Where's Liu-San?" "Thanks." "You have a visitor." "You can pick him up." "Liu-San, you have to get up." "Come on, it's time." " You're not eating?" " I'm not very hungry." "What are you doing?" "Paris, 12th September" "I heard you scream last night." "What do you mean?" "In the forest." "I think we were in the same dream, mom." "With the beast." "What beast?" "I didn't see any beast." "Anyway..." "I know, nightmares aren't for real." "Miss Siprien?" "Irena Bordjin." "The Consul has heard great things about your company." " Have you been interpreting long?" " 10 years." "That's how long it took me to learn French." "Why did you choose Russian?" "My mother was born in Kiev." "My father's Italian." "I went to Rome once." "It's a beautiful city." "Laura!" " What are you doing here?" " A meeting nearby." " How did it go at the Consulate?" " Fine." "Great." "Got time for a drink?" "I'm picking Liu-San up at school." "I'll drive you." "My car's just there." "The subway's faster." "How is Liu-San?" "Good." "And Clarisse?" "What about her?" "I wanted you to know you can come back any time." "I have to go, Lucas." " Mom?" " Yes." " How long do bears live?" " I don't know, why?" "Just wondering." "What the heck is that?" "Did you fall at school?" "Did you burn yourself?" "Does it hurt?" "You think it's serious?" "Of course not, don't worry." "Clarisse?" "Here..." "For Liu-San." "What is it?" "A digital recorder." "You give it to him." " You're not staying?" " I can't." "I fly out tomorrow for 2 days." "When do I meet your boyfriend?" "I don't know." "I get the impression we have to learn to live apart before we live together." "He thinks he's the man for the job." "And you?" "5 years older, unmarried..." "I'm not sure." "When did it appear?" "About 3 days ago." "You can get dressed, Liu-San." "Don't worry, it's just a bump." "If it's not gone in a week, give me a call." "Anything else?" "We've been having trouble sleeping." "Liu-San and I both have strange dreams." "What kind of dreams?" "That wake you up in the middle of the night." "Anything worrying you?" "No." "So, it'll pass." " Goodbye." " Goodbye, Laura." "The mark has appeared." "Miss Siprien?" "My name's Sergei Makov." "I've replaced Irena Bordjin, who's on sick leave." "Here's my card." " Nothing serious, I hope." " I don't think so." "How are the lessons going?" "Fine, thanks." "Where'd you learn Russian?" "Langues-O in Paris." "I studied there, too." "Perhaps we already met." "Possibly." "Why did you choose Paris?" "I won a scholarship to do my thesis in France." " Well..." " See you around." "This is Lucas." "Can you talk?" "Not really." "I'm in a museum." "The Heidelberg dates have changed." " You fly to Germany in 48 hours." " 48 hours?" "You're the best I have." "No one else can do it." "I'll find cover for the Consul." "I don't know if Sybille can take Liu-San." "She'll be delighted to." "Gotta go, the phone's ringing..." "Have you seen a little boy?" "With a green jacket?" "You gave me the fright of my life!" "Mom, what do bears eat?" "Little boys!" "I have to go away soon." "For work." "Did Lucas ask you?" "You've made up?" "We work together." "You know that." "Will you be away long?" "3 days." "I'll take you to Sybille's on Tuesday and pick you up Saturday." "That makes 4 days." "I'd rather not stay with her." "Why?" "She's sick." "What are you talking about?" "Where'd you get this?" "A friend lent me it." "You could hurt yourself!" "Sleep now..." "Anything else?" "We've been having trouble sleeping." "Liu-San and I both have strange dreams." "What kind of dreams?" "That wake you up in the middle of the night." "Anything worrying you?" "No." "So, it'll pass." "I saw the Watcher." "I know where the chosen one is." "They must be stopped." "The Council must not take place." "My career in research has taken me into the fascinating world of hypotheses, but nothing matters as much to me as this Foundation." "Since its creation, thanks to our Research department and sponsors, we have opened 8 clinics in Asia." "Last year, over 170 children found a family in Europe..." "Excuse me, it's the emotion." "The efforts of dozens of volunteers and your constant support mean that next year even more will find a future." "Are you sure it's no hassle?" "Not at all, on the contrary." "We've lots to talk about, huh?" " I hardly see you anymore." " Life's been chaotic lately." "You could have moved in with me." "I'm never there." "You've done enough." "I think I'll quit soon." "It's not official but the Foundation is no longer my priority." "I feel I've taken it as far as I can." "What will you do?" "Continue my neuro-psychology research with a few friends." "The human mind hasn't given up all its secrets." "Excuse me, but duty calls." "We'll talk when you come over." "Laura?" "I have your ticket for Heidelberg." "So?" "Have you seen the time?" " Can I bring it over?" " No way!" " We need to talk..." " There's nothing to say." "There is..." "What's wrong?" "I dreamed I was dead." "It's over, sweetheart, everything's fine." "14th September" "I heard you won't be completing the course." "I have to go away for a few days." "That doesn't leave me much time to buy you dinner." "Thanks, but I'll be out of town all week." "Next week?" "I know dinner isn't easy when you have a young son." "And I guess it's a bit heavy for..." "How'd you know I have a son?" "You told me, didn't you?" "No." "Maybe I read it in your file." "There's always the Embassy canteen..." "Another time maybe." "Are you sulking?" "Look at me." "How can we be sure what day I was born?" "It says on your birth certificate." "How did they know?" "I was a baby when they found me." "They must have found out the exact day." "What about you?" "That's different." "When my parents died, I was 2." "They knew when and where I was born." "Maybe they just picked any old day for me." "What have they been teaching you at school?" "I lost Liu-San in a forest." "I heard him calling but I couldn't see him." "Fear of leaving him with me?" "No." "The scary thing is we have the same dream at the same time." "Is that new for you two?" "Yes." "You may find this strange but... research suggests living beings are linked by currents of energy." "That would explain why some people can sense when a loved one dies far away." "So Liu-San and I are connected in some way?" "You know, in some cultures, dreams are considered an integral part of real life." "They are played out in a world devoid of material things or physical energy, but made up of fields of consciousness." "That contradicts official science." "Fortunately, reality goes beyond our beliefs." "There's something else, isn't there?" "Liu-San keeps asking me strange questions." "My break-up with Lucas has complicated things." "He's a wonderful little boy." "He'll soon put it all behind him." "Stay with me..." "I won't be gone for very long." "I promise." "3 days apart isn't the end of the world." "4 days." "Don't worry, it'll be fine." "Mom?" " What the heck?" " I didn't want to stay there." "I can't take you." "Please, mom!" " Why?" " Watch out!" "Help!" "He suffered severe cerebral trauma." "The frontal lobe may be damaged." "When will he wake up?" "I don't know." "What's going on?" "Did you scream?" "There was a snake!" "Right there..." "On me." "I saw it, I swear I did!" "First room on the right." "16th September" "Miss Siprien?" "Inspector Neves." "A man was murdered in the parking lot." "Please follow me, you may be able to identify the victim." "I heard about your son." "I hope he gets better soon." "It occurred about an hour ago." "Are you OK?" "What happened?" "Did you know him?" "It's Dr. Vonkel." "My doctor." "What was he doing here?" "I've no idea." "You didn't call him?" "No." "Somebody told him your son was here." "I don't know..." "I haven't told anyone." "You have no one to tell?" "He had a note with your son's room number on it." "Last night, your son's condition was critical." "This morning, he seems out of danger." "We must wait for him to wake to determine long-term damage." "Then, there's the mark on his chest." "When did that appear?" "About a week ago." "His doctor wasn't alarmed." "You mean the person who..." "About last night, the episode with the snake..." "A nightmare, that's all." "The accident was my fault." "I should have checked he was in his bedroom." "When I was driving, I saw..." "What?" "Nothing." "Liu-San will pull through." "That's the main thing." "The police think I called Dr. Vonkel last night." "Well?" "I didn't call anyone." "Thanks for coming for me." "I can stay, if you want." "Thanks but I prefer to be alone." "You've reached Clarisse and Laura." "Leave a message." "Hi, Laura, it's Sergei Makov from the Consulate." "I was wondering if..." "I mean, I heard about your accident." "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." "What's wrong?" " When did you get home?" " Just now, why?" "What's the matter?" "He killed Vonkel." "And the child?" "Very good." "You ever wonder about Vonkel's treatment of your son?" "No." "How did you meet him?" "About 15 years ago... after I did some blood tests, he became my doctor." "Then Liu-San's." "Why'd you adopt?" "I had no choice." "I know it's not easy but..." "The tests showed I couldn't have children." "I underwent treatment for several years." "Prescribed by Dr. Vonkel?" "The security guy saw an Asian man in the parking lot." "So?" "You know where Liu-San was born?" "Not exactly." "He was found aged 2 months." "It could've been anywhere in south-east Asia." "Tell me about your accident." "A dog ran across the road." "I swerved to avoid it and lost control of the car." "A dog, why not?" "It's probably a central Asian dialect." "Could you translate it?" "No... but I have a conference soon." "If you like, I'll take a copy with me." "I'd appreciate that." "Everything OK?" "Lack of sleep." "What about Bruner?" "Who's that?" "A Russian ethno-linguist, specializing on Asia." "He used to teach here but I haven't heard of him for years." "Bruner lived in Mongolia for many years." "After that, he settled in France." "He wrote "Eternal Man", a work of reference on one of the last nomadic tribes, the Tsevens." "We must have it in the library." "The last few chapters are so mystical, it's hard to grasp what he's trying to say." "Anton Bruner Eternal Man" "Liu-San may have heard the language before he was abandoned." "In his book, Bruner mentions an ancient ceremony when Tseven sorcerers left their bodies to take on an animal form." "Don't tell me you believe that." "Those are just fairy tales." "Laura, it's nonsense." "It's not just the book." "It wasn't a dog I saw before the accident." "It was an eagle." "I nearly killed my son swerving to avoid an eagle." "But you didn't kill him." "He's out of danger." "In his room, I saw a snake." "At the same time, Vonkel was murdered in the parking lot." "Don't you think you should get help?" "We must leave the field of pure abstraction and accept the idea that reality goes beyond our beliefs." "Hello, is that the Irkutsk clinic?" "Yes." "I'd like to speak with the director." "I adopted a child a few years ago and I'd like some information about his origins." "There was a fire at the clinic." "Unfortunately, Mrs. Traven was killed." "I'm very sorry." "Sergei Makov." "Leave a message." "Sergei?" "This is Laura Siprien." "I have a favor to ask you." "18th September" "How is he?" "The doctor's quite optimistic." "A detective called at the office." "He asked me all about you." "About us." "Ever since that mark appeared, I see things..." "Whatever you've got into your head, it's making you ill." "What's going on?" "Tell me." "Nobody can be sure of your son's origins." "The fire destroyed the clinic's archives." "To get a child out of a country, sometimes you bend the rules." "Money paid to fixers doesn't appear in the books but it's standard practice." "The Foundation may get into trouble?" "Possibly." "At the time, we embellished your file to facilitate the process." "In fact, we said you were married." "I didn't know." "This is a backdated copy of your application." "I need you to sign." "It's nothing, I often get these." "Why do you want to see him?" "Before the accident, in his sleep, my son talked in an Asian dialect he never learned." "I think Anton Bruner can help me translate it." "Until the 80s, we had all our nationals' addresses on file." "But he's different." "His file is "sensitive"." "Which means?" "I never gave you his address." "What do you know about him?" "Brilliant university career." "Worked for the Research Ministry until 1982 when he skipped the country and moved to France." "How's your son?" "Better." "And you?" "I'm OK." "If I can do anything else..." "Thanks." "Mr. Bruner?" "Stop the Council!" "Take this... and save the Watcher." "His name's Barsal Thalik." "Flew in from Mongolia 4 days ago." "He killed Vonkel and Bruner with this." "I'd seen Bruner before." "When I adopted Liu-San 7 years ago in Irkutsk, he was there." "Are you sure?" "What was he doing there?" "I've no idea." "This guy..." "Thalik..." "Can I see him?" "He tried to warn me." "I think my son is in danger." "For now, just go home." "Don't try anything on your own again." "This is Sergei." "I need to talk to you." "It's about Anton Bruner." "6 p.m. at the Consulate?" "OK." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "See you then." "Can you hear me?" "He arrived here at death's door." "Next day, his wounds had healed and now he's out of his coma." "I'm delighted for your son but his recovery raises many questions." "He's better." "For me, that's the main thing." "We're doing more tests." "The others were very surprising." "When can he leave?" "Soon." "I'd like to understand." "I've never seen a recovery like your son's." "He says he killed some animals, not people." "He says it's vital to save the boy." "30 years ago, my parents died in a car accident while on a scientific mission somewhere in Russia." "I want to know how they wound up on this photo with Bruner and Dr. Vonkel." "In 1975," "Bruner worked on a secret program for the Soviet Defense Dept." "The aim was to explore paranormal phenomena for potential military applications." "Why him?" "There'd been a nuclear incident at a research facility in northern Mongolia." "A number of workers were exposed to radiation." "Those who were of Tseven origin returned to their village." "They came back cured a few weeks later." "The workers who stayed all died." "Where do my parents fit in?" "The authorities asked Bruner to investigate these strange cures." "He recruited scientists devoted to the cause." "Your parents and Vonkel were among them." "As well as a French neurobiologist..." "Sybille Weber." "They never completed their report." "They moved to France and set up the Inyt Foundation." "How long have you known?" "I'm a simple Embassy official." "I obey orders." "This is about my life." "And my son's life." "Laura, wait!" "You've reached Sybille Weber, please leave a message." "Sybille, it's Laura." "Call me." "This is Neves." "I got your message." "I'll call back later." "20th September" "You've reached Clarisse and Laura, leave a message." "This is Perrone from Langues-O." "I'll try again later." "Miss Siprien?" "Is this a bad time?" "I played your recording to a colleague..." "It's a Mongol dialect, called Tseven." "The voice says something like, "Mommy, find me."" "Then something about a ceremony," ""the stone council"." "At the end, he mentions a date, the 23rd of September." "Where's my son?" "At Grace Hospital." "You asked for him to be transferred." "I never did!" "Mrs. Weber picked him up an hour ago." "That's impossible." "My accident was planned to get me out of the way." "They'd no idea Liu-San was in the car." "Why would they abduct him?" "Did Inspector Langlois speak to Thalik?" "Let me see him." "He might know where my son is." "Thalik died last night." "Look, Langlois will be here soon." "Neves..." "Excuse me." "In his book," "Bruner mentions an ancient ceremony when Tseven sorcerers left their bodies to take on an animal form." "Did you know him?" "It's Dr. Vonkel, my doctor." "Bruner lived in Mongolia for many years." "After that, he settled in France." "He wrote "Eternal Man"..." "Sergei?" "This is Laura." " My son's been kidnapped." " What?" "I don't have much time." "The facility where my parents worked." "Was it near Lake Tsagai?" " What's up?" " Sybille's kidnapped Liu-San." "What?" "I know where she's taken him." "This is absurd." "Give this letter to Inspector Neves." "His number's inside." "Where are you going?" "I won't let you go in this state." "Sit down..." "Stay there." "There must be an explanation." "I'm sure she'll bring Liu-San back." "Police captain Philippe Langlois has been found murdered at his home" "I think we were in the same dream, mom." "In the forest." "With the beast." "Did you travel alone?" "Yes." "Are you sure?" "Why?" "That taxi's followed us all the way from the airport." "What do you want to go there for?" "It's a no-go area." "Since the accident, it's been sealed off." "Nobody will agree to take you." "I have to get there." "It's very important." "There is one guy up there, but he'll charge you a lot more." "When do we leave?" "Come back in one hour." "Thank you." "Is there another way out?" "Are you OK?" "What are you doing here?" "Don't move." "I tailed you from the airport." "We believe you're here because of what we're after." ""We"?" "Russian Intelligence had no idea what happened at the facility." "And then Dr. Vonkel contacted us a few months ago." "He offered us a deal... for Sybille and the others." "She's here." "With my son." "She needs him for a ceremony, the stone council." "I won't leave here without him." "I have to inform my superiors." "Within a few days..." "We have less than 48 hours." "What's that?" "An obo." "People tie ribbons to it to thank the spirits." "We leave at dawn and arrive at dusk." "Can't we go any faster?" "No, the road's been closed for years." "Did other westerners come through recently?" "If they had, they'd have hired me." "Unless they know the area already." "I have to go back." "If you want me to pick you up, give me a call, OK?" "Thanks." "Why you headed there?" "Have you heard of the "Stone Council"?" "Of course, I'm a Tseven." "It's a ceremony performed by some sorcerers." "Does it involve the "Watcher"?" "In our tradition, the Watcher is a chosen one with healing powers." "Only one is born every century." "During the Stone Council, evil sorcerers called up their totem animal to hunt the Watcher." "If one of them succeeded in killing him, he became immortal." "How did you know who was a Watcher?" "Around age 7, when his powers became apparent, a mark appeared on his body." "There." "Those are fairy tales, you know." "You don't believe them?" "I respect my ancestors... but I went to school." "I believe in this!" "Why are you here?" "I told you." "There's something else." "Something you're not telling me." "You don't trust me anymore?" "Why did you give me Bruner's address?" "I followed you to his house." "I'd have intervened if the police hadn't." "We want to know what happened at the facility." "And I want to help you find your son." "Tell me they won't hurt him." "Laura, wait!" "Drop your gun." "In any case, they were expecting you." "It's all over, Laura!" "I have her." "Where's Liu-San?" "Follow me." "Your mommy's here." "You won't hurt her, will you?" "That depends on you." "How could you?" "They needed a mother nobody would miss." "I was to watch you until the mark appeared." "But the situation evolved." " Evolved?" " Your friend Clarisse took over." "What do you mean?" "We were Bruner and Sybille's students." "You're deranged!" "What will you do to Liu-San?" " I'm begging you..." " Keep moving!" "Where's my son?" "Your parents wanted the same thing as me." "They were with us." "You're lying." "Their betrayal left us no choice." "You killed them!" "We found the man who cured the Tsevens after the accident at the facility." "We forced him to initiate us and empower us to call up our totem animals." "He said a Watcher would be born 30 years on." "You're crazy!" "Liu-San isn't..." "He is!" "And you know it." "All those years, we awaited his birth, then we took him." "His sacrifice will round off the Stone Council." "Lucas, please..." "What about the Russian?" "Don't kill him." "I want to know what Vonkel told them." "And Laura?" "Later." "Will you be OK?" "I didn't resist the disease so long to fail now." "Fetch the child." "You've no idea what this is about." "Sorry about the kicks." "I should try harder." "Let's get serious now, agreed?" "You better agree or I'll put a bullet through your knee." "Got it?" "How long had Vonkel been talking?" "What did you offer him for the kid?" "Drop your gun!" "What are you doing here?" " Give me that." " Stop!" "Give me the gun." "Come on..." "Drop it." "Then release him." "He lied to you." "He used you." "Where'd you think they'll send Liu-San if they get hold of him?" "His death will make us immortal." "Do as I say." "Now tell me where my son is." "It's too late, Laura." "Move it!" "Are you OK?" "Stop!" "You got contaminated in the basement." "You will die." "So will you!" "The Council isn't over." "I've waited too long." "Come with me to get help!" "Come on!" "What happened?" "He came back for us." "Are you OK?" "The old man..." "He cured me." "What old man?" "The authorities searched for bodies where you said." "Without success." "We'll consider Sybille Weber and Lucas Berger missing persons." "Perhaps the Tsevens moved the bodies." "The area has been uninhabited for years." "You don't believe me?" "You're in deep shock, miss." "Your tickets." "Tomorrow, you'll be in Paris." "I'll ask a driver to take you to the airport in one hour." "Can you call the driver?" "I need him in one hour." "It's to drive Miss Siprien to the airport." "The Tseven elder you mentioned, who cured you supposedly..." "He did exist." "His name was Urmas Sizak." "He was the chief of the last Tseven tribe but he died over 30 years ago after the accident at the research facility." "I said in my report that I lost you in Ulan-Bator." "But they won't give up." "What will you do?" "I have to fly to Moscow." "Maybe when I get back, I can buy you dinner at last." "Take care of yourself." "What's wrong?" "Don't worry, come on." "We mustn't get in the car, mom." "The border's an hour's ride away." "Thank you." "Good luck." "I didn't tell mom but since yesterday," "I see things even when I'm not asleep." "Things that haven't happened yet." "We'll never go home because I know they won't forget me." "And that scares me."