The Clock Winked (The Sagittan Chronicles Book 2) (22 page)

He lowered the map and skipped down the stairs into Quin’s
living room.

“This way.”
Quin led them through
the kitchen and into the exit pod, a small, elevator-style room with a sliding
door that allowed those inside the house to exit the rotating house. The
environmentally-conscious design caused the house to move depending on the
direction of the sun both for power and to control the internal temperature.

“You have a pod rail!” Auvek exclaimed. “And the spin factor
energy grid!”

“I’ve only heard about these,” Salve chimed in. “They’re
extremely expensive!”

“Not when your father invented them,” John stated, clapping
his hands cheerfully.

“Modern contraptions,” Aunt Llewellyn said. “I don’t even
understand what it’s for. What’s wrong with a regular door, might I ask?”

“It’s not about the door,” John answered. “It’s about
conservation. This house rotates towards the sun in the winter and away from
the sun in the summer to heat and cool the house naturally, with as little fuel
consumption as possible. The exit pod just makes it so you can always exit the
rotating house, regardless of where it faces.

“It seems silly,” Aunt Llewellyn insisted. “I like my door
just fine.”

The five stepped into the early morning air as the exit pod
door slid open.

“It stopped raining,” Auvek said.

They stood and watched as Quin pulled his pomobile out of
the garage and pressed a series of buttons which caused it to expand slowly,
forming more seats for the extra passengers. It looked a bit like a turtle
sticking its head out from five places at once; then as the pomobile settled,
the turtle’s shell expanded to encompass all the extra heads.

“You,” said John, turning to Salve. “Stay.”

Salve watched mournfully as they piled into the pomobile,
and took off down the streets of Pomegranate City towards the edges of the
Elusion Fields. As the car disappeared into the gloomy morning light, Salve
glanced at his watch, smiled slyly to himself, and jogged back towards
downtown.

*****

The cement slab structure stood three or three and a half
feet tall. Bronwyn could see straight across the flat part to the trees beyond.
Towards one edge, a short, stocky building stood overlooking the maze. A ladder
sprung from the center of the clock and rose straight into the air,
disappearing into the dark fog above. A thin light made the face of the
clock, that
looked upwards into dark morning sky, glow.

“Why is the fog so weird?” Bronwyn asked. “Isn’t fog
usually, you know, on the ground?”

“This fog is artificial, Mistress Bronwyn,” Simon explained.
“There is a fog machine that Lake Oliphant developed many years ago designed to
hide the clock from aerial photography and satellite imaging. Lake Oliphant
also designed me. He is an excellent engineer.”

Bronwyn smiled just a little. “I bet. So what do I do? Go in
the building?”

“Well, there is one more message for you,” Simon said.
“On the disk.
We didn’t have time before. There was also a
virus, which I erased. Would you like to see the message?”

Bronwyn swung to face him. “Yes,” she stated emphatically.

Simon held the disk between his fingers. Bronwyn’s mother
appeared. Dwight was nowhere to be seen.

“Bronwyn,” she said. “I am worried about you. Aunt Llewellyn
will take good care of you and protect you.” The holographic figure glanced
around and a worried expression crossed her face. “There are two things you
should know. The first is this: climb the ladder, dear. Whatever happens, climb
the ladder and jump. You know the story. The second thing is harder to say, and
I hope that you will forgive us one day—I love you more than anything. But
Bronwyn, when we left you, we left you because—”

A loud static broke into the message. Her mother’s figure
fizzled out.

“No!” Bronwyn exclaimed. “Where did she go? What did the
rest of the message say?”

“I’m sorry, that’s all there was,” Simon replied. “I’m
sorry.”

Bronwyn took a deep breath. Then she took another. She
scowled. “I’m going to do it.”

She swung her legs up onto the clock.

“I’m going to do it. Make sure no one shoots me, Simon. Oh,
and stick that into the slot at twelve.”

“I will, Mistress,” Simon said, scampering away.

She strode towards the ladder, looked up into the fog, took
a deep breath, and pulled herself onto the first rung.

*****

The ground grew flatter in all directions, and a variety of
grasses sprouted everywhere, growing together in large mats that covered the
ground. Pink and blue flowers peeked through the blanket of green, and the
ocean sparkled on the other side of the planet, redirecting the sunlight back
towards the hungry plants.

“Beautiful morning,” Auvek said, looking out the window. As
the countryside passed by, the day seemed to grow brighter; then, they drove
into a bank of fog, and once again it was dark.

“That was nice, seeing the sparkling ocean,” Aunt Llewellyn
agreed.

“Almost there,” John said. “Do we know what we’re going to
do when we get there?”

“I’m going to march in and collect my niece, and then we can
be on our way, of course,” said Aunt Llewellyn.

“I don’t think that will work.” John shook his head and
tightened his tie. “These are not friendly people we’re dealing with. They’re
more likely to tie you up in a room and leave you there. Or just shoot you and
be done with it.”

“But we could try it,” Auvek replied.
“Just
not all of us.
Like, maybe Aunt Llewellyn and Quin, posing as her body
guard, could go in, and then the two of us could try to sneak around the back.
That way, if they get stuck, we’ll still have a chance.”

“John, you pose as her lawyer,” Quin said. “I’ll take
Auvek.”

“What kind of insane lawyer would march into Rathead’s den?”
Auvek asked.

Quin turned his head and looked at John for a moment and
blinked. John chuckled.

“Right,” John replied.
“The kind that
Auntie, here, would hire.”

“You could also be her chauffer,” Auvek said. “Rich people
get to have those sometimes.”

“Oh yeah, you have one of those, Quin,” John said. “Why
didn’t we get him to drive?”

“Unnecessary risk,” Quin stated. He pulled over. “John, you
drive. Aunt Llewellyn, sit in the front seat. Drop us off before the house.”

One Chinese fire drill later, John said, “I hate driving.”

At that moment, three other vehicles raced by them on the
road, a black one, a blue one, and another black one.

“Hey, they’re speeding,” John said, and pulled out.

“I wonder where they’re going,” Auvek said. “There aren’t other
people out here.”

By the time they arrived at the end of the road, the clouds
had parted, leaving a crack of light in the otherwise obfuscated sky. Vibrantly
pink fire flickered along the edges of the clouds, burning a
hole
big enough for the rising sun to drop right through.

John stopped the pomobile next to a road labeled “Legend
Lane.” The old wooden sign swung from its post with one nail, and streaks of
black mold nearly obliterated the second word.

Quin and Auvek climbed out and watched as the car drove away
into the morning dusk.

The next words that popped into John’s eyes read “Musk
Estate.” He pulled up to the guard house.

“Llewellyn Braxton, here to collect my niece, Bronwyn.
Please let us through,” Aunt Llewellyn said, leaning over John and looking
directly at the guard.

“Yes ma’am,” the guard said. “Please drive up to the front
door.”

The long driveway stretched out under their tires which
thumped over the round grey stones. Tucked romantically in a copse of trees,
the house emanated a warm glow from the windows. John stopped the car in front
of the door; Aunt Llewellyn climbed from the vehicle, straightened her
voluptuous hat, and strode confidently up the walkway.

The door opened slowly.

“Butler!” Aunt Llewellyn exclaimed. “What are you doing
here?”

“Looking for Bronwyn, ma’am.
I
presume you are doing the same?”

“Why yes, of course. Is she here?”

“Hello, ma’am,” said Jameson Musk, peeking around Butler’s
shoulder. “Please, come in. Butler was just asking after Ms. Bronwyn. Please
rest assured we are doing everything possible to find her. Who is your friend?”

“This is my lawyer,” Aunt Llewellyn replied. “John. Now, may
we please have a seat?”

“But of course. Butler, I put the kettle on. Could you bring
the tea in?”

Butler disappeared through a door.

“Aiiiiiee!”
A scream sounded from
the hallway as Samson Lebron came barreling into the room through a different
door and flew past the group. “Coming through, coming through!” he yelled,
pushing past them and onto the front porch. As soon as he had exited the house,
he tripped and thumped down the steps onto the walkway.

“My apologies,” Jameson Musk replied. “He’s staying here
temporarily to… well, get better. He has a mental illness – he suffers from
stress and prolonged exposure to outer space.” He looked at the door Samson had
come from. There Rathead stood, holding a gun. He quickly slipped it into a
pocket; Llewellyn took a sharp breath when she saw him.

“Much apology,” he said, bowing slightly to Aunt Llewellyn.
“I find my patient. He not well, as see you. We will bother not again.”

“This is like Central Station,” Aunt Llewellyn said
haughtily. “I trust that we will not end up insane and running through your
house like maniacs at four-o-clock in the morning!”

“I should think not, ma’am,” Jameson said.

Butler reappeared a moment later carrying a tray with
several cups and a teapot.

A gunshot rang out in the front yard. Aunt Llewellyn gasped.
“Am I in danger?”

“Of course not!”
Musk stood and
began to pour tea from the pot which steamed on the mantle. Butler gently took
the pot away and escorted Jameson to his seat. “I’m sure everything is fine.
Please, don’t worry.”

“Well, then,” she huffed. “Please bring Bronwyn here
immediately, or I will launch an investigation on this estate so invasive that
you will not even be able to blink without me finding out!”

“Alas, she isn’t here,” he replied. “I wish I could help
you, but I can honestly say that I don’t know where she is. What led you here?
Perhaps that will give us a clue.”

Butler handed Jameson his cup. He took a long swig.

“She... she...” Aunt Llewellyn stuttered. She looked at
John.

“I’m sorry, it is not in the best interest of my client to
reveal that information,” John stated clearly. “Would you mind if we looked
around the premises, particularly outside? She is young and this may have been
a prank, you understand.”

“You do realize that it is not even five in the morning,
sir?” Jameson Musk asked in a slightly irritated tone of voice. “If you wish to
search the premises, you must return with a warrant.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Musk,” Aunt Llewellyn said, leaning back in
her chair. “I’m so sorry to bother you. I’ve been so worried about her I didn’t
even think about the time. I’ve been up all night, looking. Would you mind if I
rested here just for a moment?”

“Of course not,” Musk answered. “Would you like some tea?”
He gestured to the pot which sat steaming on the tray.

“Oh, that would be wonderful. I’ve heard that you have some
lovely maze gardens. Perhaps I could look at them out the back window while I relax.
I read the article about you in Gardening and Goiters last month.”

Jameson Musk’s face broke into a broad smile. “Yes, I’m
quite proud of my maze gardens. They’re so large no one can get all the way
through them during daylight, so I had to put an extra exit in so my guests
could at least get a taste. Perhaps if the fog clears before your departure I
can show you from the window.”

“That would be lovely,” Aunt Llewellyn said, and leaned back
holding her mug of tea tightly in her grasp.

*****

“I hate trees,” Auvek complained. “They’re so much better
once they’ve been turned into paper.”

“No talking,” Quin commanded. “They could to hear us coming.”

The dark forest was wet and clingy, reaching out with
branches and wet leaves to hold them back and slow their progress. Soft dirt
gave way beneath their feet, and slippery logs sent them flying forward. Quin
managed to stay upright for the walk, but Auvek seemed to fall down every other
step, with his arms and legs flailing in all directions.

“A clearing up ahead,” Quin whispered.

“What time is it?” Auvek whispered back.

“Almost four-thirty,” Quin replied.

They moved quietly and slowly towards the clearing. Light
from behind the morning sun shone dimly through the thick cloud cover. As they
neared the edge of the clearing, they could see a large barbed wire fence
rising from the dirt.

“We must be close,” Quin whispered. He peered out into the
clearing, checking for guards. No one was there.

“What do we do now?” Auvek stepped out away from those
trees. “Thank goodness for not being in the trees! Ah! There’s a spider on me!”
He began to jump around, slapping at his shoulder.

“Hush!” Quin hissed.

He strode up to the fence with Auvek following closely
behind. “This is clearly a security gate,” he stated. He began to examine the
mechanism closely. “…and it’s…”

Auvek reached out and touched it; immediately a loud buzzing
filled the air and he leaped backwards away from the fence, tripping over his
own feet, and landing solidly on the dirt. He began to convulse on the ground,
grabbing at his hand and yelling.

“…electric.”
Quin rolled his eyes
and kicked Auvek. “You’re fine,” he said bluntly. “Now get up.”

“But I got electrocuted!” Auvek protested, rolling away from
Quin’s foot.