The Pilgrims of Rayne (36 page)

As horrible as she felt, Courtney also felt a glimmer of hope. Mark was not a villain. He had not put in with Saint Dane. What he had done was for a noble purpose. Mark was still Mark. Better still, he had not yet introduced Forge to the territory. The flume had sent her where she needed to be, when she needed to be there. There was still time to stop him. But to do that, she was going to have to present him with some horrible truths. She knelt down by Mark and took his hands.

“Listen to me, Mark,” Courtney began. “I understand why you're doing this. I can't imagine where my head would be if I suddenly lost my parents. I wouldn't be thinking straight either. If somebody threw me a lifeline and said they'd make it all better, man, I'd grab it. This isn't your fault.”

“Fault?” Mark said with surprise. “I don't understand.”

Courtney took a breath and continued. “You've been lied to. Big-time. Like all good lies, there's just enough truth to make it seem plausible. Yes, the Travelers lost Quillan. Yes, your parents
died in that crash. And yes, by bringing Forge technology to First Earth, you can change the future of Second Earth. But that's where the truth takes a very different course than what you were told.”

Mark stared right into Courtney's eyes, hanging on her every word.

“I don't know how I'm going to tell you this,” she said nervously.

“Just tell me.”

“Mark, Andy Mitchell is Saint Dane. He has been ever since we've known him. He worked his way into your life and became your friend so the two of you could create Forge and do exactly what you're doing with it. But it won't save Second Earth, Mark. Forge technology is going to start a chain of events that will lead to the creation of a force that Saint Dane will use to crush Halla. It was his plan from the beginning, Mark. Nevva Winter isn't your friend. She's a Traveler, but she helped Saint Dane win Quillan. I wish I had Bobby's journals here to show you. Nevva Winter is a traitor. The two of them have fooled you into believing that what you're doing is right, but it couldn't be more wrong.”

Mark looked at the ground. Courtney couldn't imagine what he was going through. She hated to have to tell him that way.

“Why are you saying all this?” he finally asked.

“Because you have to know. I'm sorry.”

“But you're wrong.” Mark jumped up and paced to the far side of the room.

“I'm not!” Courtney countered. “I know this is hard to take, but it's the truth. The day after your parents died, I did what you asked me and went to the flume, remember? Something happened while I was there. Mark, I know how Forge is going to change Second Earth. I've seen it. You accelerated the evolution of technology. Things aren't the same. But there's one thing that didn't change.”

“What's that?” Mark asked.

Courtney hesitated. She wanted to say it gently, but realized Mark needed convincing, so she didn't pull her punches. “Your parents were still dead, Mark. What you did here on First Earth, what you're
about
to do on First Earth didn't change that. They're gone.”

Mark kept staring at the deck.

“That's your proof that Nevva lied to you,” Courtney continued. “Your parents will not be saved. They tricked you the way Saint Dane has tricked so many others. They tempted you with the promise of saving Second Earth. Of helping Bobby. Of protecting Halla, and of bringing your parents back from the dead. None of that will happen.”

Mark shifted. Courtney thought he was starting to sweat.

“But it's not too late!” she exclaimed encouragingly. “That's why I'm here. Now that you know the truth, you can stop it. You can put Halla back on its natural course. Right here. Right now.”

Mark wiped his eyes. Courtney thought he was containing his emotions pretty well, considering what she had just laid on him.

“I don't understand,” he said in a very small voice.

“Ask me,” Courtney implored. “Anything. I know it all.”

Mark looked at her with red eyes. “I don't understand why you're lying to me.”

Courtney was rocked. Her mouth hung open. “I—I'm not,” she stammered. “Why would you believe Nevva Winter over me?”

“Mark?” came a woman's voice from outside the door.

Courtney recognized the voice, but couldn't place it.

“Come on in,” Mark called.

Two people stepped into the ward. When she saw them, Courtney nearly fainted. Her head actually went light. She didn't understand what she was seeing. It made no sense. Her legs buckled and she sat down on the edge of the bunk.

“I was just leaving,” Mark told the new visitors.

Courtney looked up at the man and the woman who stood beside Mark. The man wore a tuxedo, the woman was dressed in an evening gown. They looked totally normal, and absolutely impossible.

“We know, Courtney,” the woman said kindly, sensing her confusion. “We know everything. Mark explained it all. The Travelers, the territories, and what happened to Bobby Pendragon.”

The man added, “We're proud of you, Courtney. We know you've been under a lot of stress with the accident and all. When we get to London, we'll make sure that all the charges are dropped, and we'll pay for your passage. All we want is for you and Mark to finish what you started, and help Bobby stop Saint Dane.”

The woman added, “Bobby needs you. Halla needs you. Try to get some rest.”

Courtney was speechless. Her brain was doing its best to reject the fact that standing before her were Mr. and Mrs. Dimond. Mark's parents. Alive. On First Earth.

“We'll check on you tomorrow morning,” said Mrs. Dimond.

“Good night,” Mr. Dimond added.

They left, leaving Mark alone with Courtney. Mark looked at her like a disapproving parent. “Maybe tomorrow you'll explain to me what's really going on.”

He left and closed the door behind him. The screeching sound of the lock being thrown echoed through the spartan infirmary. Courtney didn't move. Everything she believed to be true had just been turned inside out. She probably would have sat that way all night, if she hadn't been nudged back to life by a twitching on her finger.

Her ring was activating.

Bobby's next journal was about to arrive.

IBARA

I
'm ready to explode.

All I can do is wait. It's killing me. The next few hours will determine the future of Ibara. Of Veelox. Of Halla. It's like waiting for a storm that's slowly creeping closer. You know it's going to hit but there's no way of knowing when. Or where. I want it to hit soon, because I'm ready to hit back. Hard. The last few days I've spent getting ready. Days? Did I say “days”? I have no idea how long it's been since Siry and I came back to Ibara after escaping from Rubic City. Has it been days? Or weeks? I know that makes no sense. After you read this journal, it will.

Courtney, as I'm writing this, I have to believe you haven't found Mark. Or maybe you did, and it didn't make any difference. What's about to happen on Ibara now seems inevitable. I'm ready. I am
so
ready. I can't predict how things are going to go, but if we lose Ibara, it won't be because we didn't try. No way. Right now I'm so charged up, I can't wait for it to begin. I want to make some noise. It's taking all my concentration to sit still and write this journal. It's an important one. Courtney,
when I write to you next, assuming I'm able to write to you again, the future of Halla will be determined. Saint Dane will either be finished, or the Convergence will have begun. Either way, I want you to know why I've done what I've done. I'm playing by Saint Dane's rules now. Which means I'm not playing by any rules. I didn't see any other way. Hopefully, when the dust settles, Halla will be safe once and for all.

Until then, it's going to get ugly.

Let me take you back to the night when Siry and I drove the skimmer to Ibara from Rubic City. Like I said, I don't know if that was a few days ago, or a few months ago. Time has lost all meaning for me.

As I wrote, Siry and I landed after dark. We pulled the skimmer into the dense growth just off a quiet, rocky beach and covered it with palm fronds. From there we made our way through the jungle to the Jakill clearing. Seeing the empty clearing in the moonlight was eerie, and sad. This was a place that was full of energy and hope. Now it felt more like a memorial to failed dreams. I could only imagine how Siry felt. His dreams had been crushed. His friends were gone. I had to keep him focused and moving forward. There would be time to grieve later. There was always time to grieve.

We needed to rest. There was some food left around, so we ate what we could. I didn't have much of an appetite. Fear of impending doom will do that. But I ate. Who knew when we'd get another chance? I also finished my previous journal. Again, who knew when I'd get another chance? I'm guessing we sat in the clearing for about three hours. Neither of us slept. The adrenaline was rushing too hard.

“This is dumb,” I finally said. “I don't know about you, but I'm too pumped to sleep. We've gotta get to the tribunal and warn them of the attack.”

“That won't be easy,” Siry said. “We're outlaws. They may lock us up before we get the chance to say a word.”

“So how do we get to them?” I asked.

“Telleo,” Siry said with confidence. “If anybody can get Genj's ear, it's his daughter.”

“Will she do it?”

“I know she will,” Siry replied. Siry gave me a grave look. “Pendragon, we have to do everything we can to stop them.”

“We will,” I said, trying to sound positive.

We made our way back toward the village, guided by moonlight. We ran along narrow jungle paths. I kept my eyes on Siry. If he jumped, I jumped. If he ducked, I ducked. I stumbled and fell only once. When we hit the beach, Siry slowed down and kept to the jungle line. It was a few hours before sunrise. The village was asleep. It was the perfect time for us to get to Telleo. Siry led me past the hut where I had first woken up on Ibara, through the dark village, toward Tribunal Mountain. We finally stopped at a small hut not far from the central meeting area where Telleo and I had danced during the Festival of Zelin. Zelin. Was that some centuries-old version of Zetlin?

Siry gestured at it as if to say, “This is where she lives.” He put his finger to his lips in a “shush” gesture, then entered the hut.

The small hut had a few pieces of bamboo furniture and lots of cut flowers. Telleo liked to surround herself with beautiful things. I followed Siry as he moved quickly and stealthily through the first room and into the second. There Telleo lay sleeping on her low bed. She wore the same type of clothes to sleep as she wore during the day. Siry knelt quietly by her bedside. Telleo turned in her sleep. Siry quickly but gently clamped one hand near her mouth and nudged her arm.

“Telleo,” he whispered.

Telleo lazily opened her eyes halfway and stared at him in a sleepy haze. Then, as if shot with an electric current, her eyes blew wide open in shock. She sat up, ready to scream. Siry was prepared. He gently held his hand over her mouth.

“It's okay,” he whispered soothingly. “It's me and Pendragon.”

Telleo recognized him, but didn't relax. At first I thought she was having trouble waking up and shaking off what must have seemed like a nightmare because she kept shaking her head no.

“It's okay,” he assured her.

Telleo grabbed Siry's hand and pulled it away from her mouth. She looked terrified. “It's not okay!” she whispered with force.

“It's all right,” Siry whispered soothingly. “We need your help.”

“You need to get out of here!” she whispered quickly. “They've been watching my hut since you left.”

Uh-oh. Telleo's house was under surveillance. That's why she wanted us out, not because we frightened her.

“Go!” she commanded, getting up. “Go back to the jungle before you are—”

“Arrested?” came a bold voice from the doorway to the first room.

Siry and I spun to see several security guards. They were as intimidating as I'd remembered, with their long hair and their heavy clubs strapped to their waists. Or in some cases, held tight in their hands, ready to bean us if we made a move.

Siry thought faster than I did and turned back to Telleo. “Ibara is in danger,” he said quickly. “That's why we came back, to warn everyone. We need to speak with the tribunal.”

The security force made a move toward us. I didn't fight them. They had us.

“He's serious, Telleo,” I said. “We need to speak with your father.”

“Stop!” Telleo ordered the security force.

They didn't. They grabbed us roughly, twisting our arms behind our backs.

“I said stop!” Telleo demanded. She pulled one of the goons away from me.

“Please, Telleo,” the guy said. “They are thieves and pirates. Let us do our job.”

We stood there awkwardly. They wanted to arrest us, but it didn't look like they wanted to go against the daughter of the chief minister, either. Telleo walked right up to me and looked me in the eye. “What kind of danger is Ibara in?”

“The island is going to be attacked,” I said. “We think most of the Jakills are dead. If we don't get to your father and warn him, the whole island might end up the same way.”

I saw the surprise and horror in her eyes. “Is this true?” she asked Siry.

Siry nodded. “I think they're all dead, Telleo. We found the truth and it's a nightmare. We have to see Genj.”

Telleo looked numb. The security goons didn't look much better. Telleo said to them, “I'm not asking you to let them go. I'm asking you to bring them to the tribunal. With me. I'll take responsibility.”

The security guys exchanged nervous looks.

“Arrest them,” Telleo added. “Do your job. Just let me bring them to the tribunal to tell their story. If they have something to say that will help Ibara, my father should hear it. If they're telling the truth, you don't want to be responsible for keeping it from them.”

Several of them looked at the one guy who was holding Siry. My guess was he was the boss.

“All right,” he said reluctantly. “But if this is a trick—”

“You're going to wish this were a trick,” I said bluntly.

Telleo took charge by boldly walking out the door. The others weren't so sure what to do.

“Hurry!” Telleo shouted from the next room.

Obediently the security goons pushed us out, and we were on our way to Tribunal Mountain. I heard the sounds of birds waking up to start the new day. Sunrise wouldn't be far behind. I worried that along with it would come tens of thousands of dados and complete havoc. When we got to the mountain, Telleo left us alone with the security force in one of the lower-level cavern rooms and went to rouse the tribunal. It was an awkward few minutes. Siry and I sat along one wall, while six security thugs stood across from us with their arms folded, staring. To them we were dirt. They weren't going to like us any better after they heard our story. Too bad for them.

Telleo wasn't gone long. She ran back into the room excited and out of breath. “They'll see you,” she announced. “Right now.”

“They're here already?” I asked. “Isn't it a little early?”

Telleo's eyes were wide with excitement. “It's an incredible day,” she said. “I had no idea!”

“What's going on?” Siry asked.

“Come and see,” she said, and hurried off.

We started to follow but were quickly grabbed by the security force. They kept us under control as we followed Telleo. I didn't fight. Truth be told, we deserved this kind of treatment. We
were
thieves and pirates. I was just happy to know we were going to get the chance to talk to the tribunal. We traveled the same route up the stone stairs that I'd taken
several days before. The routine was the same. The guards kept us on the far end of the large, cavernlike room until the three members of the tribunal called for us. We had only been in the cavern a few seconds when Genj and the other two women of the tribunal came hurrying across the large space, headed for their seats in the dead center of the room. As he walked, Genj gestured for us to be brought forward. The security guys gave us a shove, and we were on our way. The tribunal sat down and stared at us. They looked anxious, as if we had pulled them away from something important. I wasn't sure if I should talk or wait until I was asked. Telleo stepped forward and kicked things off.

“I know what you think of these boys,” she began. “They stole a valuable ship.”

Drea, the freckled woman on the tribunal, interjected, “You have no idea just how valuable that ship was.”

“I agree,” Telleo said. “But whatever you think of their methods, I believe they have discovered something that is vital to the future of Ibara, and today's success.”

Today's success? What the heck did that mean? Something big was going on, but what? The tribunal continued to stare at us skeptically. I'm embarrassed to admit that my brain froze. I guess it was because I put myself in their position and imagined what it would be like to hear what I was about to say. I didn't know what to do. Should I just blurt out that an army of deadly robots from another territory was headed to their island on Jet Skis, ready to overrun the place? How could they possibly believe that? It all suddenly seemed so futile.

Luckily, Siry didn't have the same problem. “The ship we stole is on the bottom of the ocean. All my friends are dead.”

The tribunal snapped a look at him. He had definitely gotten their attention. The last time we stood there, Siry was
belligerent and obnoxious. Now he sounded about as deadly serious as, well, as the situation was.

“All we wanted was to learn the truth about our home and our lives,” Siry continued with passion. “I'm sorry to say that we found it. I don't want my friends to have died for nothing. The best thing I can do to honor their memory is to stand here today and tell you that we learned Ibara is in deep trouble.”

The members of the tribunal exchanged looks.

“Leave them here,” Genj ordered the security team.

“But sir!” the big one protested.

“We'll be fine,” Genj assured him. “Keep your men down below. We'll call if we need you.”

Once again the security team exchanged nervous looks.

“Go!” Genj ordered.

They backed off quickly, nearly bumping into one another. They left the cavern, though I was sure they were waiting just beyond the entryway. The old man looked between the two of us and took a tired breath.

“So,” he asked. “Did you find Rubic City?”

You could have knocked me over. Siry looked as stunned as I felt.

“What is Rubic City?” Telleo asked, as confused as I was, but for different reasons.

Genj stood and paced behind his chair. He looked troubled. He had no idea just how troubled he was about to be.

“You went in search of the truth,” Genj said. “A truth that has been kept from the people of Ibara for centuries.”

“You admit it?” Siry asked, stunned. “You admit keeping the secrets of our past from your people?”

“It was necessary,” Genj replied.

“Necessary?” Siry shouted. “What about all those who
questioned you? The people who disappeared? Was it necessary for them to die?”

“Why do you assume they're dead?” the dark woman, Moman, asked.

“Because they're gone!” Siry snapped. “You can't tell me they're not dead. Or stuck in some dungeon to keep them from causing trouble.”

“Would you like to see them?” Drea asked.

Siry froze. He had no comeback for that.

I shot a look at Telleo and asked, “Do you know what's going on?”

“A little, yes,” she said. “It's wonderful.”

“Wonderful?” Siry blurted out. He was as confused as I was.

Genj said, “This is a day that Remudi worked for as hard and tirelessly as anyone. I could say he dedicated his life to it.” He looked to Siry and said, “Would you like to see the greatness your father helped achieve?”