by Bryan Davis
Backing away Nathan scanned the gray cinder block walls. “Look for an open window, even just a crack.”
Daryl pointed up. “I see one on the second floor.”
“I guess whoever left it open thought it was secure,” Kelly said. “There’s no way to climb.”
Nathan strode up to the wall and pushed his fingers into a gap between two blocks. “I see a narrow ledge between the floors. If I can get up there, I might be able to stand on it and reach the sill.”
Daryl shook her head. “That’s a big ‘if,’ Spider-Man. And the ledge isn’t any wider than half a foot.”
Nathan backed off a step. “There’s got to be a way to get up there.” He looked out over the lush grassy field surrounding the building. “The lawn’s well kept, isn’t it?”
Kelly followed his gaze. “Yeah. So?”
“If they keep the landscaping equipment on site, maybe there’s an outbuilding we can search.”
“If we split up,” Kelly said, “I’m sure we can find —”
“No.” He pointed at a thin trail of pulverized leaves leading away from the building. “Looks like their mower bag has a leak. We’ll just follow the path.”
Ducking low, they ran across the lawn and stopped behind a thick clump of trees. A small metal storage shed stood between two saplings, its door open, exposing a lawn tractor parked within.
Nathan rushed inside and looked around. A stepladder leaned against one wall. That would help. A rope lay coiled on the ground. Perfect. Now he just needed something that would… a towing hook!
Marching quickly Nathan hauled the ladder. Daryl carried the rope while Kelly trotted alongside fastening one end of the rope to the hook while keeping the violin case tucked under her arm. When they arrived back at the observatory he grasped the rope near the fastening point and began swinging the hook back and forth.
“Wait!” Kelly set the violin case down. “Let me.”
“Just like shooting hoops?” he asked, passing the rope to her.
She let the hook dangle under her hand. “Not quite. But I have a good feel for throwing things.” She swung the hook back and heaved it upward. It flew into the opening and landed with a dull clank inside.
The three rushed to the wall and flattened themselves against it, gawking at the window to see if anyone would look out. Nathan shifted his stare to his violin case, out in the open where Kelly had left it. Anyone peeking out the window would see it for sure. Five seconds passed. Ten seconds. No one appeared up above.
Nathan grasped the rope and pulled hard. It held fast. “Quick! The stepladder. Then get my violin.”
After setting it up, the girls steadied the legs while he scram-bled to the top. Taking hold of the rope again, he began scaling the wall, pulling fist over fist and scraping his shoes against the concrete until he could brace his feet against the ledge. Now standing with his toes on the narrow projection and hanging on to the rope for balance, he leaped and snagged hold of the window sill, letting go of the rope to grab with both hands.
Twin gasps arose from the girls below. He could almost feel their anxiety as he muscled up to the window. Straining quietly he pulled with his arms and pushed his knees and shoes against the wall. Finally he managed to get his chest up to the sill, allowing him to slide the rest of the way in.
He stood and looked around. A long oval conference table, surrounded by plush swivel chairs, sat in the center of the dim room. A folder had been placed on the table in front of each chair, as well as a pencil and glass of water. He took a closer look. Ice floated in the glasses. A meeting was about to start.
He found the hook wedged under the window’s interior apron and jerked it free. Leaning out the opening, he reeled the line through his hands, lowering the hook toward the ground. He whisper-shouted to the girls. “I’ll try to open another window somewhere lower.”
When the hook touched down, he released the rope. As soon as the end snaked its way to the bottom, the back door on ground level creaked open. The girls quickly swung their heads toward the sound.
The security guard stepped out. Holding the door open, he nodded at Kelly and Daryl. “May I help you ladies?”
Kelly walked up to him, so close she had to angle her head upward to look him in the eye. “Could you tell us where the tour group is?” She twirled her hair around her finger, giving him a sweet, innocent smile as she swung the violin case back and forth.
“Sure. It’s almost over, though.” He glanced at Daryl. Holding the mirror against her side, she copied Kelly’s hair-twirling act, but she looked more clumsy than innocent. “How did you two get back here?” he asked.
Kelly pointed toward the side of the building and switched to a little girl voice. “We walked from that way.”
The guard squinted at the ladder. “I wonder what that’s doing there.”
Nathan pulled his head back. Now he could only listen.
“Some guy was using it a minute ago,” Kelly replied, “but he’s gone now.”
Sounds of conversation drifted in from the hallway. Nathan stiffened. People would be coming in at any second. He glanced around. A closed door at each end of the room represented his only ways of escape. But which one?
He spied a table on the right hand side of the room. A coffee pot sat near one edge next to a tray of doughnuts stacked like a pyramid. Apparently the door on that side would be the entry point. He sprang up and headed toward the opposite end of the room, picking up one of the folders on the table as he passed by. Just as the other door swung in, he quietly opened his door and slid into the hallway.
Not bothering to look back, he strode confidently down the carpeted hall. Tingles spread across his neck as he imagined a dozen eyes staring at him, but no one called for him to stop. He found a stairway door to his left and pushed it open. Once inside the stairwell, he leaned against the wall and let out the breath he had been holding for who knows how long. Now all he had to do was find the tour group without being noticed.
He crept down the stairs, stepping lightly on each one. He had to avoid Dr. Gordon’s people at all costs. Of course, Gordon was probably looking for Daryl and Kelly, too, so they had to watch their steps. Were they thinking about that? If they got caught, he’d get the mirror and violin. That would be a disaster! Would Kelly be smart enough to hide them just in case?
When he reached the lower level, he opened the door leading to the hall and looked both ways. The guard was now gone, probably still helping the girls find the tour group. He padded along the carpet toward the observation turret and found a door at the end, as well as another corridor to his right. A sign on the door’s window said, Security Level A Required. A keypad hung on the wall next to the door. He tried the knob. Locked. No surprise.
Conversation buzzed at the end of the right-hand corridor, moving closer. He ducked back into the first hall and glanced around. Ah! Restrooms! As he hustled toward the men’s room, he kicked a crumpled foil wrapper lying on the carpet just outside the ladies’ room door. He snatched it up. A Hershey’s Kiss! And another wrapper had been wedged at the corner of the Ladies nameplate. He laid a palm on the door. Should he knock or just barge in?
Chattering noises grew; no time to decide. He jerked open the door and tiptoed into the small room, listening for the slightest sound, but it seemed to be unoccupied. Hurrying to the farther of two stalls, he pushed the door open. Yes. There they were. His violin and mirror. Kelly had guessed right again.
Just as he stepped inside to pick them up, the restroom door swung open. He closed the stall and sat down, his limbs stiffening as he strained his ears.
A gruff voice called from the hallway. “Hurry it up!”
Soft footsteps padded his way. Two shoes came into view in the adjacent stall, purple and pink canvas running shoes.
Nathan tightened his throat, trying to sound like a woman. “Francesca?”
A tiny gasp echoed in the room. “Who’s there?” she whispered.
He lowered his voice to its n
ormal tone. “It’s Nathan.”
“Am I in the wrong bathroom?”
“No. I am.” He leaned closer to the partition. “Where’s Clara?”
“In the big telescope building. Some men won’t let us go, and I heard one of them say they’re looking for you. He’s the one who’s waiting for me out in the hall.”
“Yeah. I thought they’d be looking for me.”
Her voice changed to a pleading tone. “Are you going to rescue us?”
“I hope so, but you’re going to have to help.”
“What do I do?”
“When that guy takes you back to Clara, make sure he pays attention to you. I’ll be following, so you can’t let him look back.”
“Okay, but I have to go now.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you.”
“No. I mean I have to go.”
Francesca’s guard rapped on the door. “Hurry up!”
“Go ahead.” Nathan waited. As trickling sounds entered his stall, his cheeks grew warm. Never having a sister had its disadvantages.
He opened his case, creating a sharp draft that lifted a scrap of paper from the violin strings and sent it floating to the floor. He quickly folded the conference room report into a pocket inside the lid, snatched up the paper, and read the scribbled note — “Nathan, we’ll try to get into the telescope room. Meet us near the door.”
Pressing his lips tightly together, he stuffed the paper back into the case and latched it. How in the world could he possibly find them? At least he knew he had to find a door to the telescope room, but where could it be?
Francesca whispered, “I’m done.”
He set his hand on the partition as if trying to give her a pat of comfort. “I’ll give you a head start. Remember to keep him occupied.”
“Okay.”
Her pink and purple shoes shuffled out of the stall and, after a quick splash sounded from the sink, she disappeared from sight. Nathan picked up his violin and mirror and hurried to follow. Pushing the door open an inch or two, he peeked out. A heavyset man walked alongside Francesca, but the rest of the hall was empty.
Francesca suddenly crouched, holding her hands over her stomach and moaning. The guard squatted next to her. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
She moaned even louder. The guard scooped her into his arms and carried her toward the high-security door at the end of the hall.
Nathan bolted from the restroom, marching as fast as quiet steps would allow. When the guard reached the end of the hall, he set Francesca down, but when she let out another loud groan, he picked her back up.
Nathan stopped and pressed himself against the wall, now within ten feet of the door.
The man set a thick finger over the numeric pad and punched in four digits. When the door buzzed, he pulled it open and carried Francesca inside.
Nathan leaped for the door and jammed his foot in the gap just before it closed. Still using his foot, he opened the door slightly and peeked in. The guard carried Francesca down a curved hallway and, seconds later, walked out of sight.
After squeezing in, Nathan let the door close silently and followed. As the walls ahead bent gradually to his right, he used his mirror to watch the area behind him, glancing between it and the corridor as his violin case swung at his side. He slowed his pace, thinking about the possibilities that lay ahead… and behind. At least the mirror might give him some warning, but if someone showed up in the reflection, what would he do? With no doors in the hallway, there seemed to be no escape route.
The click of a door latch sounded from somewhere in front of him. He turned around and paced slowly backwards, watching the mirror again to guide his painstaking steps. When the guard appeared in the reflection, he stopped. Glancing back, he saw just walls and carpet, but the mirror still showed the guard, now closing a door and walking in his direction.
11
ECHOES FROM THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE
Nathan backed up against the wall. Time to think fast. Could he take this guy by surprise? He was pretty big, and, being a guard, he might have a gun. He set the violin case down and clenched a fist. What should he use? A leg sweep? A groin kick and a chop to the neck? He took in a deep breath. If only there was an easier way out!
After whispering a quick prayer, he let out a quiet sigh. As he settled his mind, the last words his father spoke flowed through his thoughts. If you ever get into big trouble, look in the mirror I gave you and focus on the point of danger. Nothing is more important.
He turned the mirror back toward the sounds. As the guard drew closer in the reflection, Nathan’s hands began to sweat. Biting his lip, he scolded himself. The guard wasn’t that close yet. The mirror was showing a future time dimension, right? Still, the guard’s thick biceps and thicker neck seemed more impressive than the mirror’s track record for accuracy, at least for the moment.
The guard suddenly spun an about-face and walked in the opposite direction. After a few seconds, he disappeared. The door latch sounded again, not from the mirror — for real. Would the guard head his way now?
Clumping footsteps drew closer, but the mirror showed only empty carpet.
“Arnie ! C’mere.”
The voice came from somewhere beyond the guard. The footsteps halted for a moment, then returned, but now their sound diminished.
Nathan picked up his violin and resumed his backwards walking. As he approached the door the guard had closed, nothing appeared in the reflection. Pinning the mirror to his side, he wiggled the knob gently. Locked, of course. He tapped lightly with his knuckles. “Clara? Francesca?”
“Nathan?” Clara’s breathless voice drew near. “Is that you?”
“Yes. How long have you been in there?”
“Too long.”
He wiggled the knob again. “I don’t think I can overpower the guard, so —”
“Hush and listen. Do you see a keypad by the door?”
He glanced up at the wall. “Yeah. But I didn’t see him punch in a code. I couldn’t get close enough.”
“Francesca says he covered it with his hand, so she couldn’t watch, but she heard the tones.”
He studied the telephone-style buttons. “Each number has a different tone? That’s not very secure.”
“The difference is so minute, only Francesca can detect it.”
Nathan poised his index finger over the pad. “Okay. What do I push?”
“Punch zero through nine slowly. Francesca is listening.”
His heart pounding as he watched for the guard, Nathan pressed the numbers, pausing between each one. A few seconds after he finished, Francesca called out, “Eight, four, seven, one.”
He entered the numbers. When the lock clicked, the door opened, pushed from the inside by Clara.
“Where’s Kelly?” she whispered.
“We got separated. I have to find her and another girl, a friend of hers who came with us.”
“We don’t have time to look for anyone. We have to figure out what Mictar is up to.”
He picked up his violin case. “Mictar is here? At Interfinity?”
“Follow me. It’s not safe to stand around here.” Taking Francesca’s hand, Clara bustled down the hall in the direction the guard had gone. Clara ducked into a recessed area in the wall, an alcove for an elevator, and pressed a series of numbers into the keypad by the door. “I found this code in Dr. Gordon’s office — six, six, five, three. Memorize it.”
When the door opened, the three squeezed into the one-man elevator car, making it bounce slightly. In order to fit, Nathan had to tuck his mirror at his side again and hold the violin case in front of him. Francesca, now wearing a long-sleeved red tunic with a hemline that fell past her hips, snuggled in between him and Clara.
The door closed again, leaving them with only a dim glow from a low-wattage bulb in one corner of the ceiling. “Push the button for the third floor,” Clara said. “I can’t reach it.”
Unable to see any numbers on the da
rkened buttons, Nathan shuffled forward and felt with his pinky for the third button from the bottom. As soon as he pushed it, the car jerked. Then, as the motor whined softly, they crept upward.
Clasping Nathan’s shoulder, Clara spoke into his ear. “From the conversation I overheard, they should all be gone.”
“Who are ‘they’?” he whispered.
“Mictar and his scientists.”
The car halted. “Turn around,” Clara ordered.
The three twisted in place, rubbing shoulders and elbows as a door on the opposite side slid open. They stepped out into an enormous, dome-covered chamber. Up above, shining pinpoints speckled a purplish curved ceiling, creating an evening-sky canopy that enfolded the room in twilight. A few desk lamps at workstations near the outer walls provided an adequate amount of light for exploring.
Nathan turned back to the elevator door. Since they were on the top floor, the lift ended at their level, inside a tall closet-like room that abutted the wall. Just above the door frame, a red numeral three shone from a matchbook-sized LED screen. “Mictar is a part of Interfinity?” he asked.
“He’s not on their organizational chart, but he acts like he runs the place.” She headed straight for the lighted desks where three laptop computers lay open and turned on. “I’ll tell you more in a minute. I have to figure out how the controls work before they get back. Prime sky-viewing time starts in about an hour.”
“We also have to find Kelly.” Nathan approached a large object at the center of the floor. Standing on an octagonal wooden platform, a cylindrical metal pedestal supported a huge telescope. Its wide lens pointed toward a breach in the dome — a skinny, rectangular hatch that opened to the evening sky. “I found a note from her that said she would try to be near the telescope room door.” Still hanging on to his mirror, he set down his violin case and felt the pedestal’s smooth surface. “Does this place remind you of where my parents were in the mirror?”
“I noticed that as soon as I saw this room with the tour group.” Clara pointed at a cordoned off area near a wooden door. “We were allowed to get that close, and after one of the scientists gave a talk, they cleared us out. When Francesca and I sneaked back in, they caught us and threw us in that room where you found us. If Kelly’s hanging around out there, it won’t be safe for her.”