The Fourth Sage (The Circularity Saga) (22 page)

Yes. His name is Sam. Samuel Eikenboom. He brought us here.

I have many things to show you. Maybe you can make sense of it all. For I cannot
. Born-of-Night's thought echoes in Aries’s mind as the hawk takes flight again. They turn the corner and arrive in a large open area. About twenty mattresses, in all stages of deterioration, are dotted across the floor, ten on either side of a walkway in the middle, leading toward the back of the room. Some of the mattresses have children on them, either playing or sleeping or watching their visitors.

When Aries and the others enter, the children get up and follow them toward the back. Another boy takes Aries’s other hand. He doesn't smile but his expression isn't unfriendly either.

"You're the girl from the picture," he says.

"Shush, Tuari," Mila says to him. Then she looks up at Aries. "I apologize for his rude behavior.”

"It's alright," Aries replies. "But what does he mean by that?"

"I think he means that you're the girl from the drawing."

"The drawing?"

"Yes. I'm sure Mrs. Abernethy wants you to see it too."

"Who drew it?"

Mila doesn't answer right away.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me. I'm sure, Mrs. Aber—"

"It was me. I drew it," Mila says.

Before Aries can reply, they arrive at a smaller area that holds several large shelves with food containers neatly stacked onto them. A single mattress is tucked away into a corner.

"Wait here," Mila says, as she lets go of Aries’s hand and walks into another room. After a while, she and several older children come out, followed by the woman she saw through Born-of-Night's eyes. As they approach, everyone in the room quietens. All eyes are on her. She stops a few feet before Aries and the others.

"My name is Tevis. Tevis Abernethy. We welcome you to our home," she says. Her voice is formal and deeper than Aries expected. "What is ours is yours. We don't have much but what we have we will gladly share with you…" While she speaks, her eyes fill with tears and the last few words trail off as she wavers, trying to keep her balance. Ty, who stands closest, catches her and she holds onto him as he leads her to the mattress in the corner.

"Mila, can you bring us some water?" Aries asks. Mila looks at Ms. Abernethy and when she nods, Mila disappears into another room.

"I cannot tell you how glad I am that you are here," is all she can say. She repeats it several times until Mila comes back with the water.

Aries kneels beside her, waiting until she has finished drinking. "I have many questions," Tevis says.

"Us, too," Aries answers. And when Tevis doesn't reply, she asks, "Do you remember me?"

"I... I'm not sure. Let me see you." She holds a candle toward Aries’s face. Her fingers trace her features. "I don't think so."

"I saw you in the hospital when I had re-co surgery. You walked by my bed several times. I was six at the time."

"It makes sense that I don't recognize you. Your face was probably covered in bandages."

"True," Aries replies.

"But somebody here certainly recognizes you. I just don't know from where. Mila, show us your drawing."

"Okay," Mila answers.

When Tevis begins to stand, three children go to her immediately and help her.

"Thank you," she says.

"Come!" Mila takes Aries by the hand and the rest of them follow her through a doorway into another room.

At first, Aries can't make out the dark shapes on the walls. But when they get closer, she sees that the walls are covered with drawings—Most of them done with charcoal, some with a few dots of color. They are mainly portraits, sometimes showing one person, at others two or three together. A name is written under each one.

"Those are the families of the children who came here," Tevis says. "We want to remember them until... until we see them again."

"In this room, we are all together," Mila says, as she leads Aries to the first drawing. It shows a slightly larger than life-size rendition of two people's heads and faces—a man with long, curly hair and a woman next to him. "This is Tuari's mom and dad. You've met him before."

"That's astounding," Ty says. "The proportions and details... You drew all this?"

"Yes," Mila answers.

"How old are you?"

"I'm going to be thirteen."

"But how did you... do you know Tuari's parents?" Ty asks.

"No. I don't need to know them. I can see them in my mind. I can draw one of your wife for you if you'd like."

"Mila!" Tevis must have seen Ty's reaction.

"I'm sorry. So sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"It's quite alright," Ty answers.

"You never told me you have a wife," Aries says.

"I... she died. Eighteen years ago."

For a moment there is silence between them.

"I'm sorry," Tevis says. "And I apologize for Mila. She did not know—"

"Of course not," Ty smiles at Mila. He gets on one knee in front of her. "You know what? I will take you up on it. Maybe you can draw her for me."

"I will," Mila answers, smiling widely.

"But now, we'd like for you to show us the rest of the drawings," Ty says.

"Okay," Mila answers, visibly excited. She takes them to the image next to Tuari's parents and from there to the next one. "This is Darco's mother, grandmother, and grandfather. Here is Jeremiah's brother and father. This is Amber's dad."

One by one, they take in all the drawings until they come to the last one. It shows Aries from the back, her head turned toward Born-of-Night, who sits on her left shoulder. From the slightly flattened nose to the ponytail, it's clearly her.

"When did you draw this?" Aries asks.

"Four nights ago, when the hawk came here for the first time. I... I saw you when I looked at her."

"That must have been when I was... when they held me..."

"Children, I need to talk to our new friends." Tevis must have seen Aries’s pleading look. "Can you go and prepare quarters for them for the night? And fetch something to eat as well."

"Yes, Mrs. Abernethy," Tuari replies. "Come on," he says to the rest of the kids. They follow him quietly through the doorway.

"Sam, get us something to sit on, will you? I'll be right back." Sam has already grabbed several boxes from one of the corners and now places them in the middle of the room. A fifth box serves as a small table in the center. Tevis returns as Aries and Ty sit. She carries a glass bottle and a few beat-up tin cups.

"I use this for disinfection usually. Today we shall drink it." With that she uncorks the bottle and pours a small amount into every cup. "Sam got this for us."

Sam nods while they lift their cups in the air.

"To new friends. To most... most welcome friends," she says, and drinks the contents at once.

"To new friends. And old ones." With that, Sam drinks his portion. A deep guttural sound escapes his mouth when he's done.

"That good, huh?" Ty says with a smile. "To Sam, for bringing us here. To you, Tevis Abernethy, for welcoming us into your home. To you, Aries Egan, for coming back to the living." They look at each other. Then he swallows the brandy.

"Yes. It is that good," he says.

"I've never had anything like this before. It smells terrible," Aries says. "To friends, old and new." She drinks the contents of the cup in one fell swoop. For a moment they all look at her in anticipation. Then she begins to cough, her eyes tearing, her face bright red.

"Are you okay?" Ty asks, with a smile that turns into laughter.

"I-I will be," Aries stutters, in between her own laughing and two more coughing fits.

"Good stuff," Sam says.

"Indeed," Ty replies. When he looks at Tevis, his face becomes serious again. "How did you survive down here for so long?"

Before she can answer, Mila and Tuari return with three plates. They have crackers and bean paste on them. Aries remembers the power bar and reaches into her coveralls. She hands it to Mila who looks briefly at Tevis and then back at Aries. "I'm sorry. I can't..."

Aries can see the conflict in Mila's face. "It's okay. You can take it. It's quite tasty."

"She won't take it," Tevis says.

"Why not?" Aries asks.

"Because she can't share it with everyone," Tevis replies.

"So sorry," Aries says to Mila. "I didn't know..."

"It's okay," Mila smiles, and she and Tuari leave.

Tevis pours herself another drink. "This is how I made it."

"Come again?" Ty asks.

"You asked how we survived down here. It's because of the children. Without them, I would be long gone. They are special, all in their own way. Some of them are extraordinarily gifted, and not only artistically. Others are just very smart."

"Why are they here?" Aries asks. "Sam mentioned something but I didn't quite understand it."

"They are here for the simple reason that they do not fit into the corporate mold of leadership."

"But they're gifted. Why don't they fit?"

"Because they take care of one another," Tevis says. "They are here for one another. There is no competition between them. Each of them holds the rest in the highest regard. Unfortunately, none of those traits are listed in the Corporation's outline for leadership characteristics."

"They can't use them." Ty says.

"No. They cannot." Tevis replies. She looks from Ty to Aries and back to Ty. "Why did you two come here? Don't misunderstand me, for I am most grateful for your company. But we have nothing to give you except refuge, and that might be limited."

Aries exchanges a glance with Ty. She has dreaded this moment, the moment she would have to explain the reasoning behind following Born-of-Night's urgings to reach the Forgotten Floors. In her mind she begins to form an answer that hopefully won't make her sound crazy.

"Aries," Tevis says. "Speak your mind. You're among friends."

Sam smiles slightly, as if remembering Aries’s own words to him only a few hours earlier.

"The truth is, I don't know," she says. "I don't know why we're here. It seems foolish, now that I think of it. We put you and Sam and the children in danger. We have brought a fight to you that you're not meant to fight. I'm sorry. I don't know why we're here."

For a few moments there is silence in the room. Aries is so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she doesn't see him at first. A boy of about fifteen stands in the doorway. When Tevis follows Aries's gaze and sees him, she waves him closer.

"Aries, you have not brought a fight to us that I am not willing to take on. Look at us. We truly have been forgotten. I am at once mother and father, teacher and friend, to a group of extraordinary children. But they left us, left us to rot down here in this place of darkness and it breaks my heart to stand by and watch them grow and to not be able to do anything for them other than to somehow keep them alive. That's not enough. That's no longer enough..."

Tevis’s voice trails off when the boy arrives at her side. He begins to sign to her. She shakes her head. He repeats the same signs. Tevis shakes her head again. When he starts again, she makes a sign with her hands. He stops, looks guiltily to the floor. She takes his hand, squeezes it.

"This is Max. He's deaf." She signs to him while she talks. "He is my son. I didn't give birth to him but he is, for all intents and purposes, my own."

A smile crosses Max's face.

"Aries, why don't you tell us how you got here?" Tevis faces Aries, signing to Max at the same time.

Aries looks around. She’s never felt more foolish than at this moment. What good would it do? It is as if she realizes the full extent of her embarrassment over her coming here. Ty nods slightly. Max smiles encouragingly.

Where are you?
Aries thinks.

I'm on my way,
Born-of-Night answers.

"For the last few months," she begins. "Every night, I dreamed that I could fly. I saw the night sky above me and the land below. I felt the wind and the cool air on me. It was as if I was really there. I’d never... felt anything like it in my life..."

As Aries speaks, she realizes that in order for her to make sense, she needs to go back further. She had hoped not to have to go there but looking at Max and Sam she begins to get an inkling of the notion that their past has not been any easier than hers, by any measure. Max begins to sign something.

"It's okay to be afraid," Tevis says, while looking at Max. "We won't let anything happen to you." Max smiles. Aries can't help but do the same. Then her face becomes serious again.

"When my parents died four years ago, I became a Ward of the State," she says. Then she begins to speak about the time after her parents' deaths and her move to Tier One, her hacking onto the mainframe computer and stealing one hour of privacy for herself every day. She mentions discovering the air ducts and roaming parts of the building at night. She looks guiltily at Ty, mainly for not telling him about it. He merely grins at her while shaking his head. She tells the story of when she first met Ty, after accepting the four-year contract in Electrical.