Notes on a Disappearance

Excerpt from the Boston Globe January, 26 1874 Society Page:
Radcliffe - Fontescue Nuptials postponed indefinitely. The event, scheduled upon successful return of Adventurer Reginald Radcliffe, to Penelope Fontescue has been postponed. Commodore Gerald Fontescue regrets to announce that Radcliffe has not yet returned and his whereabouts remain unknown. Radcliffe disappeared on assignment last week along with an entire squad of Coalition soldiers and his young ward, Jeremiah Rickets.
Search parties have not found any sign of them and abduction has not been ruled out. The Globe will update this story as further details develop.

From the correspondence of Doctor Henry Glass and Gianni Herbert:
Gianni,
I hope that this note finds you well. We are all hoping that you will come to visit us at the Monmouth lab soon. We have been doing amazing things with slow-time and short term time reversal. I know your interests lie more in theoretical work, but I have a few things I could show you that would leave you breathless.
My staff have been on edge about security, lately. It seems as if we might have an impostor with us. Stevens is the most likely suspect. I’ve discovered some discrepancies in his resume that he will have to resolve.
I’m afraid that I do not have any news regarding Reginald, as of yet. The Council keeps denying me access to the scene, and I have yet to find a good reason for them to do so. I’m afraid I will have to take matters into my own hands here, Council’s blessing or no.
I have filed another appeal. If they do not respond favorably I shall pack up my equipment and attempt to find him myself. Do not try to dissuade me. I must know. They have a week to decide. There is no shortage of adventuring spirit in the Glass line. They will discover that soon enough.
I wish I could write you under more pleasant circumstances, but life is what happens when we make other plans as someone wiser in the ways of philosophy once said.
I am afraid I must cut this short as I have promised to escort Lady Dunham to Chatham today. I do hope you will visit us here before the week is up.
Your friend,
Henry

Henry,
It is fortuitous that your letter arrived here today, as I have business in Monmouth in a few days. I hope that your trip to Chatham was pleasant. I know that Lady Dunham has wanted to go for some time now.
As to Reginald; I know you don’t want to hear this. I don’t want to say it. I don’t want you to get your hopes too high. There’s a very good chance that he is dead. The report I read this morning mentions that Delta’s airship had crashed thirty miles from the operational area. Someone activated the self destruct and only one whirly was missing. There was no further information.
Do me a favor and erase this as soon as you read it. My source only told me to get you to let up on the council. This is serious, Henry. There’s no legal obligation, naturally, but having an entire competition go missing is a huge public nightmare for them. They would rather this resolve itself, or have everyone forget. To that end they will probably approve your request. If they do, I’m going with you. Maybe it will be like it was at Harvard. We’ll stumble on the answer and everyone will call us geniuses.
I do hope that Old Reg is safe. If he is, I know we can find him.
Gianni

P.S. Have you sorted your little security problem?

Internal Council MEMO: Department of Artifacts and Recovery:

RE: MARCURIO’S MIRROR PROJECT - CURRENT STATUS
CC: ALL WITH LEVEL 3 AND ABOVE SECURITY CLEARANCE
PRINCIPLES ARE STILL MISSING.
AS WE HAVE ALREADY SENT THREE SEARCH TEAMS TO FIND THEM, AND THE DEADLINE IS COMING UP FOR THE COMPLETION OF ACTIVITIES, BE ADVISED THAT THE COUNCIL IS PREPARED TO WRITE OFF EXPENSES FOR ANY AND ALL EXPEDITIONS TO RECOVER. PLEASE REFER TO [REDACTED] FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. [REDACTED]
SIGNED
[REDACTED]
Letter to Dr. Henry Glass January, 26 1874
Dr. Glass,
I must confess that I am the one who betrayed you. Stevens never would have done that. His resume on file is a forgery as I do not doubt you have discovered by now. I was the one who placed it there to throw you from my scent.
Ayres’ henchmen approached me with a briefcase full of gold. I did not ask where they got the money. I only asked what I needed to do. It seemed so harmless.
I’ve needed money for so long that I jumped at the chance to replace the inner workings of your Restore Button with useless wadding and a homing device. I had no idea that Radcliffe would not come back from his expedition due to my actions. I might still have done it, but I don’t feel good about it.
By the time you receive this, I will be gone. Do not try to find me. I am dead to the world and about to be reborn.
Your former employee,
James Conley
Entry from an Unsigned Journal found aboard a derelict schooner dated February 1, 1874:
It is up to me now. I’ve just received word that there is to be a civilian expedition to suss out what happened to Jeremiah and the rest. I should have never left him with Reginald, but there was too much at stake if he had stayed with me.
The mission is complete. It has been for six months. I just haven’t had the strength yet to face him. I can explain myself and take the consequences. I hope tha2t he can forgive me. I don’t know if I can forgive myself. What I’ve done so far has stained my conscience beyond all repair. I have ripped out and burned all journal entries relating to my unpleasant tasks. I should burn the whole thing, but habit forces me to keep writing as if to reassure myself of my humanity.
I’m going, if not just to find Jeremiah, but to put my mind to rest. Glass will have to deal with me tagging along, whether he wants to or not.
All pages leading up to this entry and after it, are burnt to ash.