The Missing Link (18 page)

Zack walked out of the office, only to find Ferdinand Dalimar still standing in the
hall.

"Don't think this links it with us, Deville," he said, before storming off.

"You mean we're not buddy-buddy now?" Zack chuckled, before realizing that for the
first time, Dalimar had actually called him by his real name.

He walked through the now empty halls back to his preschool class and opened the
door. All the children turned to look at him.

"Zacky's back!"

"Ooh, look at his eye!"

"Does it hurt?"

"Better give Zacky a lollypop, Professor Startling."

Though he might have sworn off transdimensional travel, Professor Tiberius Rizzo's
classroom still resembled the habitat of the cave crabs of the Morlpene dimension. Wide sandstone
columns arched to the curved ceiling, giving the room the appearance of the inside of a gigantic
sand dollar. Desks were clustered between small sand dunes and shells large enough for a
preschooler to crawl into for a nap, which actually happened from time to time.

The desks themselves were made of flotsam harvested from a seashore. Some were
large fragments of shells, some were of driftwood, and a few were the bleached bones of gigantic
sea creatures. The room even reeked of a beach at low tide.

Professor Rizzo scuttled about, handing back the latest assignments. Carole didn't even
bother to look at her mark, knowing it would be a borderline pass. He had taken exception to
everything she'd written or said all year, though apparently he didn't have the courage to actually
fail her.

More surprising was his reaction to Amanda Cleroux's assignment. Amanda's papers
usually evoked praise from him, but on this afternoon he slammed her assignment onto her desk,
kicking up a shower of sand in the process.

Amanda looked at the mark and gasped. "Professor, is there some sort of mistake?"

He wheeled around. Carole saw that his face was sunburnt scarlet. This must have been
a record. The class had barely begun and the man was already threatening to blow.

"Rubbish!" he sputtered. "A thought virus? I never heard of anything so
preposterous."

"What's preposterous about it?" Amanda said. "It fits with the effects of the Great
Conundrum, the Monobrain Effect and with how the Devilles and others are immune to it all."

"Monobrains are the problem, Miss Cleroux, and have always been the problem. Not
some fictitious illness."

"But--"

"Do you wish a detention in addition to a failing grade?"

"I wish you to reconsider my mark," she said with quiet persistence.

"Fine!" The man picked up her assignment and tore it in two. "Consider it reconsidered."
He handed the paper back and scuttled away.

Amanda stared at the remnants of her work, her mouth hanging open.

Carole smiled sympathetically. "Welcome to my world."

Amanda followed Carole out of the classroom, walking as if she were in a daze. "I just
can't believe it. Making me write another paper. It's just not fair."

"If you want my opinion," Carole said, "you've got two choices. Write or fight."

"Huh?"

"Take it up with principal Villers. I'm sure he'd help, but it'll only make it worse for you
next time."

Amanda seemed genuinely perplexed. "Why would it make things worse?"

"Because Rizzo will want to get even."

"But that'd be like...like... What's that monobrain word you use?"

"Revenge?"

"Yes, it'd be like Professor Rizzo wanting to get revenge, and that's so not like a
multitasker."

"But it is so like Professor Rizzo."

"It is, isn't it?" Amanda stopped abruptly, causing the students behind to bump into one
another. "Carole, are we... Is the Hub really more evolved than the Monobrain world?"

"It depends on the multitasker. If you're talking about most of the leapers I've met, than
I'd say yes. If you're talking about your average non-leaping multitasker, I'd say they're no different
from most monobrains."

"But most of us can't leap, which means..." Amanda appeared stunned. "What can we
do?"

Carole shrugged. "
You
can either write another paper, or fight for the mark you
deserve."

"Then it's fight."

"Get ready for a bumpy ride."

They parted at the stairwell, with Amanda continuing down the hall to her next class
and Carole climbing to the tower. As before, Professor Melodious Philamount was sitting on the old
chest in the middle of the room.

He sniffed. "Decided to join me today?"

"Yes."

Professor Philamount remained seated, staring mutely at her.

"I went to see Hal, okay? I waited months because of you, put up with my parents
because of you, and finally couldn't take it anymore. Because of you. And I'm glad I went. No one
saw me. No one knew."

A tiny smile played upon his lips. "No one?"

"Besides the Devilles."

"Your actions were reckless and ill-conceived. I was forced to create a fictitious story in
order to convince others that you had taken ill."

"You've turned my whole life into a fictitious story and you keep secrets from me, but
I'm expected to be an open book? How very...monobrain of you."

The professor bristled. "And what secrets would you be referring to?"

"Let's start with the Battle of Ages."

Professor Philamount's eyes grew very large.

"The fact that it's being fought right here, right now. That I'm somehow part of it. That
the Conundrum was no accident. That I'm being watched all the time, and not just by you. How
about those secrets?"

"I see." He scratched one bony knee that was poking through a rip in his pants.

Carole began to pace. "Look, I'm sorry I upset you yesterday, but you really left me no
choice."

"And was your visit profitable?"

"Very."

"Was your free-falling accurate?"

"My first landing was off a bit, probably because I was too angry to focus. Coming back
was no problem."

"And are you prepared to resume your lessons?"

"After you tell me what else you've been holding back."

Professor Philamount breathed out one long slow breath, deflating his body like a
punctured beach ball, and then slowly reinflated himself again. "There is nothing else. You know as
much as I on this particular matter."

"Whose side are you on?"

Melodious raised his eyebrows.

"In the war."

"I am on no one's side Miss Sylphwood, and I am as much in the dark about this war as
you are. I take it, that you and your witchling friend heard the entire reading?"

Carole coughed. "It wasn't on purpose. Cleopatra led me to the brew hut and I was
trying to get Mariat back to bed. But we didn't have time before you two--"

Melodious waved a hand. "The details are not important. Perhaps it is for the best. I find
all this subterfuge quite distasteful."

"But if you know nothing of the war, why are you following me?"

"I know little, but I suspect much. As I've explained, the Conundrum's effects have not
ended with the re-attachment of the Monobrain realm. Discord remains. There has to be a reason.
There must be a cause."

"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot. I was doing Soft-Walk exercises with the preschoolers
today and it got kind of boring. I drifted off my own, and I sensed something. It was only for a
moment, but I felt like I was being stabbed with a shard of ice, like before, when I was in that Dark
realm."

"Where did this occur?"

"I'm not sure."

"Could you locate it again?"

"I suppose, if it ever comes back."

"Could you try to sense it now?"

Carole sat cross-legged on the floor and focused her mind's eye. She reached out, and
there it was. An icy column of air. She came back to herself with a shudder. "Gross!"

"You know its location?"

"No, but it's definitely back."

"Perhaps a reconnoiter. Could you travel close enough to gain a useful landmark?"

"Free Fall in broad daylight?"

"An attempt after dark would defeat the purpose. We need to know where it is located.
Practice first. Be certain of your control. You must not be seen."

Carole did a few trial jumps in the room, reversing before landing and checking with the
professor each time to make certain he didn't see her.

"Good," he said. "Your technique is satisfactory. Proceed."

She focused and leaped. Strangely, as she neared the column it seemed to pull away. She
gave chase before realizing her mistake, for the iciness suddenly swept back and enveloped her in a
suffocating darkness.

Carole found herself floating, not awake yet not quite asleep. Something was preventing
her from drifting off.

"
Aieeeee..."

Someone was screaming in the distance. She concentrated on the sound and realized it
was actually quite close and quite loud. It was coming from...her. She snapped alert, and that
familiar and disgusting Thing, was pawing at her body, groping for her mind, freezing her skin.

"Not this time!" She slammed her mind shut, abandoned every connection to that place,
and leapt back to Professor Philamount.

Carole hit the floor hard. She retched again and again, until her insides felt like they
were tearing loose from her ribs. Finally, by willpower alone, she forced what bile was left back
down her throat and croaked, "Water?"

Looking extremely alarmed, Professor Philamount lifted her onto a dusty crate. "I shall
be back," he said, and rushed for the stairs.

"No! My pack." She pointed out her knapsack, sitting next to the doorway.

The professor retrieved the pack. Carole reached inside for her canteen and poured
water over her face and into her mouth. "It was him!" she finally managed.

"Him?"

"That thing from the Dark realm. That thing that tried to crush me last spring."

"That entity is here?"

"No, not exactly." Carole hugged herself to control her violent shaking. "I think that cold
spot is a type of vortex."

"A transdimensional tunnel?"

She nodded. "It led to the Dark realm. I realized too late. It grabbed me, but I got away as
soon as I could."

"It was a trap?"

"I don't know."

"But how is that possible. A tunnel without a connector?" Professor Philamount pulled
on his pointy white beard, allowing it to snap against his chin.

Carole hesitated. "I've seen something like that before."

"What do you mean?"

"A type of natural vortex. No connectors--they go one-way and only last a short
time."

"But--"

"That's how we escaped some of the realms last spring, how I knew I could take Martin
home. Besides, it makes sense if you think about it. The idea for transdimensional tunnels had to
come from somewhere."

"But a tunnel that attacks?"

"It certainly tricked me. But why?" Carole grimaced as she massaged the spasms out of
her ribcage. "If the Hub's already connected to that place, what's the point?"

"It is an easy enough matter to investigate. A look through the connector registry should
suffice." Professor Philamount cast an appraising eye at Carole. "Are you well enough to ambulate
on your own, or should I escort you to the infirmary?"

"I'll be fine." She looked at her vomit covering the floor. "Just give me a minute and I'll
clean this up."

"Leave it be," the professor said. "You are to go home and rest, Miss Sylphwood."

"But you don't even know what to look for?"

"A realm devoid of light, populated by pale, horned, bipedal creatures and ruled by an
unpleasant non-corporeal entity. I will visit later to inform you of the results of my search, as well
as to check upon the condition of your health."

Carole left the tower feeling the onset of what threatened to become a raging headache.
Luckily classes were still in session and the halls were quiet. She was thankful that the Deville's
cottage was just across the playing field. She stumbled through the front door, eased herself up the
ladder to the loft, and collapsed onto the bed.

Carole's restless sleep was broken by Lilly's scold.

"Don't kid yourself, Zack."

"Listen, the only choice I had was whether or not to throw the first punch, and I'm glad I
did. Those jerks needed be knocked down a peg or two, and at least people are talking about what I
did for a change, instead of what I can't do."

"Hotspot's bound to do something, too."

"What's the difference? He won't stop until he gets rid of us once and for all."

Carole rolled onto her side, sneezed and sat up.

"Carole?" Lilly called. "Is that you?"

"Yeah." She pressed her ribs. They were a little tender, but at least the headache was
gone.

"How long have you been home? We thought Professor Philamount was keeping you
late."

Instead of replying, she made her way down to the kitchen and slouched into the chair
next to Zack.

"You don't look so good," he said. "Really pale."

"Remember our friends from that Dark realm?"

"No way! You went back there?"

"Not on purpose. I found a vortex."

"From here?"

"Apparently. I'm waiting to see what Professor Philamount digs up. He's coming over in
a bit to fill me in."

"What about Seafeather's social?" Lilly asked.

Carole screwed up her face. "I totally forgot. Guess I'll have to meet you there later."

"Well, we'd better get going. Have to fill him in on Zack's latest blunder."

Zack sighed. "Why bother. He probably already knows. Everybody else seems to."

"Could one of you tell Runt that I won't be going back to the ruins, tonight?" Carole said
as the twins prepared to leave. "I don't want him to worry."

"I'll do it," Zack quickly volunteered.

"That'll only take you an extra ten minutes," Lilly said.

"Which means ten minutes less with Seafeather."

* * * *