Debbon shook his head and clarified, “They’re two possible names for the same woman and, no, she never worked here. Where are you from, Ian?”
Ian’s hands scraped against one another as he began wringing them. “I don’t remember.”
“Have you found many other people here who don’t remember where they came from?”
“Only a few. It’s kind of strange, don’t you think?”
“No, it’s not strange at all, it happens more often than you know. Could you possibly introduce me to those other people? If they happen to know Vinia, it would be a tremendous help to me.”
“Why do you need to find Vinia?”
“Oh, I don’t, I already know where she is. You see, she’s been looking for someone who suffered from memory loss, and I told her I’d try to help her find him.”
“So, it’s a man you’re looking for?”
“Yes, the father of her children, actually.”
Ian’s eyebrows rose, and his eyes widened at this latest revelation. “I see. So she’s looking for someone who left her to take care of the children alone?”
“No, they were engaged, and something happened to him. It’s a mystery and it’s been a long time for her to keep wondering and waiting. I’m sure you can understand how hard this would be for her.”
“Sure, sure. I wish I could help, but the only other people I know like me are all women, so I don’t think that’d be much help after all.”
“No, probably not. I appreciate your time.” Debbon stood up and nodded cordially down to Ian. He watched as the younger man hastily rose from the chair to stand beside him. He wondered whether his family was missing him back on Earth. Since he knew at least three people were working at the facility who were displaced, he tried to decide what he should do about it.
With a nod of acknowledgment, Debbon turned to leave the room. He would have to spend some time, possibly talking with Chelesa, to decide what he should do. Even though he was First, he was loath to get involved in the other Elders’ businesses if it were going to cause too much disruption during this time where the prophecy was first and foremost in his mind.
“Do you know…?” Ian spoke hurriedly from behind the Elder, stopping as he realized he really did not know what he wanted to ask.
Debbon paused with his hand resting on the latch, turning his head back to Ian. “Do I know what, Ian?”
“I’m sorry to bother you with this. Do you know how I might get my memory back? Or the others for that matter?”
“Do you want to, then? Have you asked anyone to help you before?”
“Yes, we all have, but we were told it was unimportant.”
“Who told you that?”
“We’ve heard it from our manager, but we’ve also been told by Elder Vargen that our contributions to the company were more important than any old memories could possibly be. Do you believe the same thing, Elder Debbon?”
“No, I don’t. I’m sure you can appreciate it’s a delicate situation for me to get involved in another Elder’s business, but I’ll look into this matter, if that’s your wish, Ian.”
A look of relief passed over Ian’s face, and he smiled brightly. “I can speak for all of us that we’d like that very much. Thank you, Elder Debbon.”
He was about to leave when he realized this was probably the most opportune time he would ever have with the man. For all he knew, Elder Vargen would move Ian to another location just to keep him quiet after their meeting. Instantly making up his mind, he turned around and asked, “Would you want me to use a mind probe to see if I can unlock your memory?”
“When?” he stammered, suddenly scared, involuntarily taking a step back and feeling his legs bump against the chair he had just vacated. “I need to get back to my station in a couple of minutes. I’ve already been gone longer than my manager likes.” Looking over the older man’s shoulder, he wished he had kept his mouth shut.
“Right now would probably be best if you really want to get answers. I don’t think it’d take all that long.” He stepped closer and could see the man’s evident fear of what was to come. “I promise it won’t hurt.”
A harsh cackle of laughter spurt from Ian’s mouth. “That’s what we’ve been told before.”
“With what?” Elder Debbon wanted to get to the bottom of this quickly.
“We all underwent a lot of testing when we first came here. None of it was very comfortable. Then there’s the special tea we’ve been given over the past few anons.” He shrugged his shoulders and lifted his hands as if this explained everything.
“Special tea and testing? I don’t understand.”
“If I agree to the mind probe, then you’d know all of it instantly, right?”
“Yes, but only if you submit to it willingly. I wouldn’t ever do anything without your permission.” Debbon felt like a hypocrite even as the words came out of his mouth since he had probed all of their minds as he walked through the different departments. However, he had to admit he had only been looking for anomalies and not memories in particular. It was the only rationalization he could perceive at the time.
“Okay, then, I agree. If this will help me remember who I am and where I come from, then I think it’s worth the risk. Where do you want me?” He looked around expectantly.
“Just there in the chair will be fine. I’ll just step behind you so I can place my hands right here,” he said as he rested his hands on Ian’s head, pinkies touching his temples and his thumbs near the base of his skull. “Just close your eyes and relax. I’m looking for anything which seems out of place, which would be keeping your memories from returning. Ah! I see what you were talking about before.”
As Ian’s memories of the past couple of anons flooded into him, he could see everything the man had endured at the hands of Elder Vargen’s healers and wise-women. It soon became apparent that Vargen had employed healers to do the more distasteful sample collections, most likely knowing the wise-women would have balked at such intrusions to the patient.
The more Debbon saw, the angrier he became at the inhumane treatment the man had endured. All of these images were stored indelibly in Debbon’s mind for future use when he brought charges against the man for abusing his position. No longer was he able to turn a blind eye to what was going on in Vargen’s District, he was going to have to take action to keep these injustices from continuing.
Possibly the worst offense was the intentional use of resh in the special blend of tea Ian had been receiving every morning. The dosage was reaching a critical mass in the man’s body, slowly poisoning his organs and keeping his mind clouded and unable to recall his history. Without giving it a second thought, Debbon tied into the man’s life-line and began purifying his body of the drug. Within a few moments, he could feel the last traces of the drug seep down into the earth as he had pushed it out of Ian’s system and through his life-line.
The tension in Ian’s shoulders suddenly lessened as he finally felt human again. Debbon was easily able to read his thoughts since the drug was absent. Only another moment passed before Debbon discovered a thin shield on a portion of the man’s mind, which seemed out of place. A gentle probing of it was all that was needed for it to disintegrate. As if Debbon had released the gates in a dam, memories came flooding through the man’s mind.
Not wanting to intrude any longer than necessary, Debbon removed his hands from Ian and stepped around in front of him. He could see confusion and anger on his face as he sat in the chair across from him. “I understand what you’re feeling right now. I’d like to ask you to please remain calm and tell me what you recall.”
“Don’t you already know?” he accused rudely. Knowing he had been kept a virtual prisoner in his job made him speak more harshly than he otherwise would have.
“No, I let you have your own memories; I just facilitated their return to you. Can you tell me where you’re from now?”
“Flagstaff, Arizona. Do you know how I can get back there? My family must be sick wi
th worry for me.” The realization of how long he had been away suddenly struck him and made him even more anxious to get going.
Thinking rapidly, Debbon shook his head slightly. “I’d like to ask a favor of you, one in which I know will be quite difficult.”
“What?” Ian’s expression showed skepticism.
“I need you to stay here for a little longer for me to have a case against Elder Vargen. If I took you home right now, then what proof would I have of his wrongdoing? Can you see how important you are in getting yourself and any others like you out of here safely?”
“You mean you want me to stay here knowing what has been kept from me? Are you crazy?” Ian stood abruptly, causing his chair to tumble over behind him with the force of his movement.
“Ian, if you can’t do this for me, then can you please do it for the three women you told me about earlier? I’m sure they have families who are missing them as well, maybe even children.”
“Like my own wife and children? No, I won’t do it. I’ve got to leave today!”
“Where would you go, Ian? Don’t you realize you’re in a different dimension? It’s not like you can just walk to Earth from here; you’re going to need my help if you plan on getting out of here alive.”
That statement seemed to make the biggest impact on Ian as the shock of it registered across his expression. “A different dimension? What are you saying?” he asked as he placed his hand on the tabletop next to him so support his suddenly weak legs.
“You’re in the world of Tuala. Nobody here believes Earth is real, it’s always been a tale told to children to scare them into behaving. You can’t go around telling anyone about where you’re from without causing disastrous consequences for yourself and others like you.”
“How could it be any worse than it’s already been? I mean, I’ve been held captive here for goodness knows how long. I’ve been tested, poked, prodded, drugged, and used for my engineering expertise.”
“And now you know the truth, so you can be of help to all of us, including any other people who are being held against their will. Don’t you see? We need your help. Please?” Debbon reached over and placed his hand on the scared man’s arm deploring him to understand and agree to his request.
Ian could see how the Elder genuinely wanted to help the situation at the facility. His worry for his family on Earth was only eclipsed by the generosity of this man who had offered to help a stranger to remember what he had lost. If he refused to assist him, then he would forever feel guilty for the others left behind. He shifted his gaze away from Elder Debbon’s and looked down at the floor while he processed his options. Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a rush, he answered, “I guess I don’t have much choice in the matter. I’ll agree to stay and help you, but only if you promise to see me safely returned to my family when this is over.”
Debbon smiled brightly, nodded his agreement, and added, “I’ll do one better. I’ll put a shield of protection around you so nobody can cause you any harm as long as you remain in Tuala.”
“How does that work exactly?” Ian’s doubt was apparent in the tone of his question.
“Nothing invasive, I promise. I’ll merely use a small amount of elemy to surround you, basically making you practically invisible to any passersby. Even Elder Vargen will no longer notice you so you will be as safe as I can make you. You’ll have to do your part by keeping any references of Earth to yourself. Okay?”
“How long will this take? I mean, I want to help, but I’ve also got to think about my family back home.”
“I completely understand, and I’ll do my best to finish my investigation as soon as possible.”
“I guess that’s all of an answer I’ll be able to get. I should probably get back to my job unless I want my manager coming to look for me.”
“Just one moment,” Debbon said as he reached out a hand to keep Ian from leaving. “Let me create that shield for you.” He did not wait for any response, rather he gathered elemy from the earth and guided it to flow until it perfectly contoured Ian’s body. Staring intently into Ian’s eyes, Debbon directed the elemy to reflect back anyone’s thoughts from the outside to keep the man anonymous. Several heartbeats later, the task was complete, causing Debbon to smile with satisfaction. “There, it’s done. I’ll be in touch with you soon.”
Ian could feel the tingling sensation on his skin, which made him suddenly wary of the Elder. He wanted nothing more than to get away from this stranger, even as he knew he would later depend on him to assist him in getting home. The conflicting emotions had him moving past Debbon in a rush.
“Thank you, Ian,” Debbon spoke quietly to the man’s back.
Ian only paused slightly as he wrenched the door open. His curt nod his only outward appearance of compliance before he left the Elder behind him.
Debbon sighed as he realized what he had just done. Not only had he interfered with another Elder’s District, but he had also agreed to launch an investigation which was sure to create discord among the convocation of Elders. The timing of this mess could not have been worse. Fearing he just created another problem for himself, Debbon followed Ian out of the conference room and continued his search of the facility for any other answers to his mounting questions.
Chapter Twelve
THE STACKS OF paperwork seemed to multiply even as Rasa sat at her desk. Never before had she minded the tedious task in the past, however, since her samara had been returned, she merely wanted to ignore it all to spend her time communing with the crystal. The days seemed to run together with the amount of work the District required since her elevation to Elder status.
More than anything, she wished Elder Wilken remained alive and well, only a few steps away to offer advice and solace in her lonely world. Only Gevena offered her any break from the tedium as she would spend every meal with her and also demonstrate her newly acquired crystal skills. Wilken would have been so pleased with the young girl’s progress, which only made Rasa sigh wearily at his untimely loss.
She sat back in her chair, tipping her head so she could see the elaborate designs on the ceiling. If only she had sealed the bond with her samara on the night Wilken had given it to her, she would not have wasted so much time hunting it down all over again. Recalling the moment where Wilken had presented the box to her, she could still feel the power of it seeping through the ornate box, which had housed it for countless declans. More than once, she had wished she could be as lucky as Ahn and simply call it to her from wherever it had been spirited away to. It should have been a simpler task for her given she had already felt its signature, almost as if it had called to her blood. She chuckled at all of the time she had wasted on the search only to have Elder Senjin simply hand it to her, all carefully orchestrated by Wilken’s dying wishes.
After a few minutes of pointless reminiscing, Rasa returned her concentration to her current problems. There had to be something she could do to inspire the people’s trust in her District, given the rampant crime since her inauguration. Maybe Debbon’s idea of a conspiracy had merit. If she had to make a bet, she would say Elder Yingun would be at the heart of the plot. His perfectly timed visit did nothing to dispel her of the notion, nor his barbed comments regarding the status of her District. At the time, it had cut her to the core; however, she knew her appointment came at the recommendation of Jehoban, and His approval counted for more than any man’s appraisal of her abilities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sofia stepped out onto the beach to find it completely deserted and empty of her only hope of returning to Earth. Her heart raced both from the exertion of running flat-out to catch Willian before he left, but also from fear of what she would do next. There was always the option of returning to Vinia’s cabin and letting them know she had hidden her way into their world. She wrinkled her nose at that idea, she still wanted to know more about this place Jon called home.
Looking around one more time, she noticed a nice shady spot not too far away. She decided to
sit and think about her options before doing anything hasty, after all, how often would she get the chance to spend any time enjoying the ocean. She settled down, scooching around until the sand created a more comfortable seat, and she looked out at the water.
Since she was no longer in any hurry, she noticed the subtle differences in the colors of everything around her. The sky was a different shade of blue, the water also somehow wrong, the plants were the different shade of green, only the sand looked right, although it was so fine as to be considered powder rather than crystals.
Sofia closed her eyes and attempted to recall everything Jon had ever told her about Tuala. She suddenly came upon the name of Jehoban, the one they called God. Since she was in his land, maybe she should pray to him to ask for help and guidance. Thinking it certainly would not hurt, she closed her eyes and whispered, “Jehoban, I’ve never known you before, but I’m now in your world by accident…well, I planned on being here so I guess it wasn’t an accident…but my ride home has left without me. Please watch over me and help me stay safe. Thank you.”
She felt slightly silly, not knowing how to end the prayer or even if she had done any of it correctly. Opening her eyes, she saw all the same things surrounding her. Her hands rested on the powdery sand, absently creating designs in it with her fingertips. Her pinky touched something hard, causing her to turn her head to look. Hardly believing her eyes, she spotted a tree-of-life pendant just like the ones which all of the people from Tuala wore. Certainly, if it had been there this whole time, she would have seen it since it rested in a patch of sunlight, sparkling and shiny like it had just appeared there.
With shaking fingers, she gently picked it up to reveal the gold pendant also had an equally ornate chain attached to it. Unlike the leather band with the triplets had, this one matched the chains which Jena and Juila wore. Holding it in front of her, allowing the light to shine through the ocean-blue gemstones, she wondered if she even dared to try it on. What would happen if this were someone else’s necklace, and they came back to find her wearing it? Would they hurt her? For that matter, would the pendant hurt her if she were to be so bold as to try it on?
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