(1) And so it begins...

The Story of Ultima...
It started with a phone call...

*Ring*
"Hello. How may I assist you?"
"Operator? Um... yeah, I need the number for one Mason Biggs."
"Please hold."
Seconds later, "I'm sorry, but I cannot find that name in my database."
"Can you check again?"
"Sir, I already told you, that name is not in my records."
"You're positive?"
"Sir, I cannot assist you further. I'm going to transfer you to my supervisor."
"But I-"
*Click* The sound of a connection change was barely audible.
*Click, click*
A pause permeated, followed by a hissing revitalization of a dial tone.
Cursing under his breath, Jay slammed down the reciever.

He needed to get ahold of this Mason Biggs. But he'd tried everything with no luck. If only he'd asked for Mr. Biggs' phone number. Or maybe an email address. Anything would have sufficed. But Jay just had to keep true to his trust-no-one philosophy on life and turn down the job offered to him by this stranger.
When Mr. Biggs had offered him the job on a stormy Thursday afternoon at the street corner coffee shop a block down from his apartment, Jay thought it a gracious but suspicious offer. Seemingly at random, Mason Biggs had offered to hire Jay on as an assistant to Mason, who revealed himself to be an anthropologist of sorts. Mr. Biggs was looking for a companion to take care of finances and such as he trekked the globe in search of important geological and historical artifacts. However, he required that Jay start the job immediately, as Mason was preparing to leave on another expedition in less than two days.

At first, Jay was flattered, especially after Mason told him what he'd be paid. But with so many variables, like never knowing when he would get to go home for awhile, Jay concluded that this job would not be stable enough for him. Ultimately, he declined the offer, leaving him with his current desk job. Mason had made a good offer, but not worth throwing away a career that had guaranteed paychecks and opportunities for advancement.
Two days later, Jay was laid off. Now he needed a source of income and he needed it fast. He had rent to pay, food to buy, and a recently purchased car that would not pay for itself.

And now he was desperate, looking for any source of a worthwhile income.
Mason Biggs seemed to be the answer, but he was nowhere to be found.
But Jay had to keep looking. It had almost been a week since his encounter with Mason Biggs, but Jay was determined to find him.
Then Jay realized he was getting tired. With a yawn, he checked the clock on the wall across from him.

11:15 pm. Not too late, but then again, he'd barely slept since his lay-off a few days back.

But he needed to stay awake and continue the search for Mr. Biggs. He needed some coffee.
Throwing on his worn leather jacket, Jay locked his apartment door behind him. Then he headed to the coffee shop where this had all started.

---

Five minutes later, Jay entered the shop and ordered a triple shot espresso with extra creme. The attending waitress nodded and went to the counter to relay the order. As Jay stared out the windows of the shop, he noticed thick rain drops begin to slap against the glass.

Good thing I wore my jacket, he thought, letting out an exasperated sigh.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Jay saw a man in a long trench coat walking hurriedly toward the shop. Jay could not make out the man's features with the now heavy rain obstructing his view. But when the man stepped inside the shop, Jay immediately noticed the man's resemblance to Mason Biggs.

The man in the trench coat gave the shop a once-over as he removed his coat. The waitress took it from him and placed it on a nearby rack. The man was about to order, when he noticed Jay's gaze in his direction. He gave the waitress a silencing finger and walked up to Jay.

"Do you know Mason Biggs?" the man blurted out.

Jay was taken back by the outright questioning, but replied, "Yes."

"How?" the man responded impatiently.

"Who wants to know?" Jay countered.
"His son, Rufus Biggs." The sternness in the man's voice echoed throughout the shop, turning a few heads.

Decidedly with nothing to lose, Jay replied, "He offered me a job."

"Did you take it?" Rufus Biggs pressed on.

"No, " Jay paused, "and now I am regretting it."
Rufus Biggs' face displayed a mixture of confusion and relief.
"You should consider yourself lucky." Rufus began to massage his left temple.
Jay assumed Biggs Junior was stressing about something, and he was right.

"Jay... my father disappeared three days ago."

Caught off guard, Jay's mind raced.
Mason Biggs is missing? How could this happen?
Does Rufus think I'm responsible? How does he know I knew Mason?
It finally dawned on him.
"How do you know my name?"
"I...," Rufus paused, as if debating whether to answer, "...it's complicated."
Jay raised a brow intriguingly, beckoning an explanation.

"Enlighten me."