Bev told Carson she was weary from the excitement and planned to return to the house to rest. She smiled at him then turned to walk to the house. Bev walked straight to the library. She sat in a chair and contemplated other passages she had read in Dianna’s journal.
Dianna had written about an event that she had told her aunt. Bev remembered the day she had walked along the border many years before. She watched as a man crossed through the border using a secret panel. Being curious Bev also used the opening in the panel to cross over into the Hub against Dianna’s wishes. While she was on the Hub side, a handsome young man noticed her looking in a shop window. He walked over and began a conversation with her. The young man introduced himself as Mr. Traswoir. Bev remembered walking with the man through the Hub. He pointed out different shops and places a young lady would be interested in browsing through. The young man convinced her to return to the Hub for several more dates. Bev later confessed to Dianna that she had been crossing over to the Hub to meet young Mr. Traswoir.
Dianna began asking her friends questions about the young man and his family. She continued to investigate on her own and discovered Bev and her friend would not be a good match for each other. Dianna explained her reasoning to dissuade Bev from seeing Mr. Traswoir again. Bev agreed to end the friendship.
Although she promised to no longer meet Mr. Traswoir, Bev continued to cross over to the Hub. She remembered one day in particular. It was by chance that a tall debonair young man strolled past her, as she was crossing over. She was curious about the handsome man with the nice smile. She followed him from a distance and watched as he entered a basement restaurant. She decided to continue following him inside. Bev sat at a booth and ordered a cappuccino. The young man made eye contact with her and asked if he could join her. He introduced himself as Carson Jones and offered to buy her lunch. She agreed with a smile. After lunch he invited her to join him on a tour of the Hub. He bought her flowers and asked if he could meet with her again. They made plans to meet at the same restaurant a few days later. When she returned home, Bev told Dianna about the plans she had made with Carson Jones. Dianna recognized the name. She had heard her friend once discuss him as an eligible young man she wished her daughter could meet. She gave her consent for Bev to date Carson.
Months later Carson Jones decided to court Bev. He was invited to their house to meet Dianna. When he informed Dianna of his plans to court Bev, her aunt approved. Months later Carson asked Bev to marry him. When they told Dianna of the proposal, her aunt gave her blessing. After further investigating the young man, Dianna learned that he came from old Sojourner money and his family was invested as one of the original owners of the Universal Game. As an owner of the game, Carson was able to travel the universe. The young man was also handsome and kind. It was a perfect match. Dianna arranged a special dinner to celebrate the engagement. At that time Dianna revealed to Carson that Bev was undocumented. She hoped Carson’s family would use their connections to help Bev become documented. She was fearful that her niece would one day be caught sneaking over the border and be arrested.
Carson and Bev enjoyed the time of their engagement. They toured many fascinating places around the Hub. Dianna was happy for the young couple.
Dianna explained in her journal that she made a secret appointment with Carson. During their meeting, Dianna explained about the poison a man had put in her drink during a dinner. She had been feeling ill for a long while and knew that her death was near. Carson promised that he would take care of Bev.
After Dianna’s death, the two became inseparable and decided to marry as soon as it could be arranged. Carson’s family used their connections in order to gain an audience before the Sojourners’ Council. A meeting time was scheduled and the family pleaded her case. Even though Bev did not have a birth certificate, she was Dianna Alistar’s only heir to her estate on the “Unknown” side of the border. According to the agreement the Alistar twins made with the Sojourners’ Council, they had no choice but to allow Bev to become documented.
Later Bev was offered the position as the historian to the Sojourners’ Council. During her time as historian, Bev came across an ancient Sojourner law that stated, a sorcerer or sorceress could not be documented or work in a political office because of the Xidoran Prophecy. Bev immediately sought legal advice. She was told that the Revolutionaries’ agreement made with the council protected her. It allowed her to retain her documentation, but she believed she could no longer work at a political office. Since she was expecting a child, Bev decided to take a sabbatical leave from her job as historian.
Bev thought back to the last time she saw Mr. Traswoir. She was enjoying her morning cappuccino when he approached her table. She asked him to join her. They began talking about their lives for the past years. She mentioned to Mr. Traswoir that she was now married to Carson Jones. As she mentioned Carson’s name, she saw the man nod in recognition. Thinking of that chance meeting, Bev wondered if it was Mr. Traswoir who had entered Charles’ name on the list to be the prime minister’s apprentice. He did have a seat on the council, and he was the riddle master. Bev smiled at destiny’s choice.
Bev continued to remember her life with Dianna. She wondered if she should take her aunt’s journal to Abby. Yes, that seemed like a good idea.
Chapter 74
The morning sunlight came through the window. Gabriel awoke with a start. He feared it had all been a dream, and that actually he was back in his brother’s dingy unkempt apartment late for work. He hated the rudeness of the big city. The smells of pollution always bothered his allergies. He breathed in and out. No problems with allergies here. He opened his eyes feeling different, healthier.
He wrapped up in the animal hide and looked around. Gabriel was relieved that he was still in the cabin lying on his own bed. He thought about all the people he wouldn’t miss, or should he say the others who wouldn’t miss him? He thought about the letter he had left for his on again, off again girlfriend. He had said something to the effect that he planned to be traveling around the world as a nomad with no strings attached for a while. Now he was glad she couldn’t come along with him. If she had come, he’d never get rid of her. This was all she had ever wanted and nagged him about with her grandiose dreams. The problem was he didn’t want that dream with her. She couldn’t decide exactly what she wanted. Gabriel was a construction worker by trade. When his money ran out, so did she. That suited him just fine. He was a loner anyway. Gabriel figured with his background and with a degree in engineering, he ought to be of some use around here. He couldn’t be happier than right where he was at the moment. Closing his eyes, he dozed back to sleep.
Once Gabriel decided he couldn’t sleep any longer, he rolled out of bed. Just to be certain this morning wasn’t a dream, he walked through the cabin and double-checked his surroundings. The cool smooth stone floor felt good on his tough calloused feet. He meandered from room to room. The home was even lovelier in the daylight. He opened a window in the kitchen and breathed in the fresh air. He decided it had a natural fragrant smell he hadn’t encountered before. He loved it here and had no intention of ever returning to what the other world called civilization. He’d found paradise.
Gabriel walked over to the supplies that Virgil had packed and looked through the bag. Virgil had outdone himself. He’d packed an assortment of berries, breads and meat jerky. Gabriel grabbed a morsel to eat just to take the hunger off his stomach before he went to get ready.
Gabriel dressed and picked up his walking stick. It immediately came to life and said, “Good morning, Sir.”
Gabriel frowned because its voice startled him. He cleared his throat. “Good morning. I’m new to this. I don’t know what to say to you. I just thought I’d take you with me to Virgil’s cabin this morning.”
The stick replied, “Very good, Sir.”
Gabriel nodded and headed out the door. He followed the path to Virgil’s cottage whistling along the way. Halfway to Virgil’s, he stopped and looked around. The treetops wer
e stirring. He felt as if he was being watched. The sounds Gabriel heard created an almost dizzy feeling in his head.
He whispered, “Is someone there? Come out if you are. Virgil is that you?”
His walking stick said, “Sir, pardon me, but the forest is alive. My brothers are inquiring about you and your presence. They wonder if you’ll be staying?”
Gabriel knelt down and looked at the face on the stick. He couldn’t believe he was doing this but it seemed rational, as he said, “Thank you. I thought I was being watched from the forest.” He breathed a breath of relief. “How do I communicate with them?”
The stick replied, “Through me, of course.”
Gabriel thought about his response. “Please tell them I am planning on staying, and my name is Gabriel. Is there anything else they are curious about?”
“No.”
Gabriel straightened and looked into the dense forest that surrounded the path. He pointed. “What is in that direction?”
“The buried berried bushes.”
Gabriel laughed. “The berry bushes?”
“I repeat, the buried berried bushes.”
“The bushes are buried?”
“Yes, that is why they are so named.”
“Makes sense. Can we go there?”
“Not without Virgil.”
Gabriel decided to goad the walking stick. “Why not? I’d imagine we could handle buried bushes. Can’t we?”
The stick said matter-of-factly, “I could, but you couldn’t.”
Gabriel paused then ran off the path into the direction of the buried berried bushes.
The stick let out a moan as Gabriel ran. “Watch out for the fallen limbs and roots!”
“Where’s the berry patch?”
The stick closed his eyes and said, “Beyond the flowers. Watch out for the large holes in the ground where the berried bushes are.”
Gabriel could see the row of flowers and laughed to himself as he thought: See I can do it. He ran toward the flowered bushes and tripped. The ground abruptly came right up and met his chin scraping it. Gabriel realized he couldn’t feel his body anymore. He found it was impossible to stand. Gabriel looked around and thought: Oh great, I’m going to die here. No one knows where I am. Bugs were tickling his face and he had no way to swat at them. He felt helpless as he called out. With a groan, he closed his eyes.
Gabriel had no idea how long he’d been there. An unconscious part of him heard the breeze pass through the leaves of the trees. A strong wind blew through his hair making the bugs disappear. Finally he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.
He cried out, “Virgil. Virgil.”
Suddenly Virgil’s face was next to his. “Hold on. I have an idea on how to extricate you.”
Virgil was now talking to the stick. “Why didn’t you tell him this was not a good idea?”
The stick replied, “I tried. He just started running through the forest.”
Gabriel agreed. “I did. I don’t know why I ran, except buried berried bushes intrigued me.”
Virgil said, “I can certainly understand.” Finally Virgil pulled Gabriel’s body out of harm’s way.
Gabriel began to experience pinpricks sticking his limbs as feeling rushed back. It took several minutes until he could stand on his own. When he became stronger, Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. The landscape wasn’t at all what he had previously imagined when running toward the bushes.
“I thought I saw a row of beautiful flowering bushes ahead of me. Not webs. Where did those come from?”
Virgil said, “You ran into these.”
He pulled a bug from the web and showed him. The bug had three stacked round bodies one on top of the other and sharp legs all over that helped it to move. The bug tumbled on the web to move around on the sandpaper-like fibers.
Gabriel made a disgusted face. “I didn’t see that obstacle at all.” He tried to wipe the fibers off his hand.
“Where are the flowering bushes that I saw earlier?”
Virgil replied, “I believe you saw the low webs as you were running and thought they were flowering bushes.”
“The guide told me that the buried berried bushes were beyond the flowers.”
“They are. You just ran in the wrong direction through the forest.” He pointed in another direction.
Gabriel asked, “So what is beyond this point?”
“More dense forest.”
“How did you find me?”
“Your guide sent a message through the trees.”
Gabriel had a splitting headache. He reached for his guide, expressing his gratitude for saving his life. “Thank you. I could have been here forever.”
Gabriel gently touched his chin. “Ouch. That hurts.”
Virgil said, “We will put medicine on it.”
“Once I fell I couldn’t stand up.”
Virgil pointed to the critters on the fibers. “Those guys were crawling on you.”
Gabriel shivered. “Yuck.”
“They temporarily paralyze you.”
“That’s good to know, I think.”
Gabriel brushed off his body, ran his hands through his hair and continued saying, “My guide said I shouldn’t go to the buried berried bushes by myself, why?”
“Although the forest is beautiful, as you see there are many hazards. You would be wise to learn about them before you venture out.”
“Right.”
Virgil asked, “Now would you like to find the buried berries?”
Gabriel nodded. “I didn’t come all this way to leave empty handed.”
“That’s the spirit. Follow me.”
Chapter 75
Joseph watched Nxy at the dining hall for a while. When he grew bored with the attention bestowed on Nxy by her peers, he returned to the intelligence room to catch up with Non. When Joseph walked in the room, he noticed that Non was busy working with a controller. Non acknowledged him and finished with the problem before walking with Joseph toward the information capitol to talk.
As they walked, Non congratulated Joseph on his efforts to secure the Witzenelt Collection.
Joseph shrugged. “My parents desired the collection more than me. My mother has always expressed her yearning for the Witzenelt tainted crystal collection. She’s experienced at using crystals and probably has some kind of plan for them.”
Non ignored Joseph’s comment because he already knew what was planned. He asked, “Would you like to go over some files and programs with me while we are both here?”
Joseph agreed it was a good suggestion. He was aware that Non was the man to go to for learning about the systems. No one knew the complete system and how everything linked together like he did. Joseph learned more as they worked the system side by side.
When Non’s presence was required elsewhere, Joseph left to find Nxy. He was to take her for a checkup at their medical center. He figured she’d be ready to leave the celebration by the time he arrived.
Joseph stood in the doorway of the dining hall and saw that wasn’t the case at all. The party still raged on with Nxy as the center of attention. As he walked in, the room immediately became silent with the exception of a few whispers. He walked over to where she was standing, talking to a crowd of other Passageway Thieves. They were discussing the night’s daring victory of walking away with the Witzenelt Collection. He listened to her talk for a moment before she made eye contact with him. She politely ended the conversation and they left the dining hall together.
Joseph helped Nxy into the vehicle and drove her over to the medical center for the doctor’s visit. After the examination, the doctor told them everything checked out. Both Nxy and the baby were fine. The doctor released her.
Joseph drove her home. He walked her to the front door. Nxy could tell he was upset by the earlier celebration with the clan but she ignored his pouting. She offered for him to come into the house but he declined and left.
Joseph drove through the quiet compound,
back to headquarters. He silently walked upstairs in order to avoid his parents, who were still behind the closed door of Donovan’s office. He went through the Passageway unnoticed. As soon as he exited into the law office, he went directly to his own office to check on what had occurred during the day. Seymore had left several messages for him on his technology device. Joseph looked the messages over and sorted through his mail. He highlighted one of the messages. Joseph was very interested in returning the phone call listed. When he finished looking through the messages, he left the law office to return home.
Joseph pulled into the garage and parked his sports car at an angle. He grinned. Dolores hated when he parked like that. When he did, she complained that he was inconsiderate.
Joseph strolled through the door and noticed the house seemed very quiet without Dolores and Sterling’s presence. He decided he liked it that way. He took a hot shower and put on a jogging suit. He went into his office, leaving the door wide open since no one was home to interrupt his business. Joseph sat at the desk and thought: Finally I am the ruler of my castle. I like this house with the two imbeciles gone. I can do whatever I want. Those two are constantly holding me back. Now I am in charge. He focused on the task in front of him and began devising his grand plan by putting together all the pieces of the puzzle that he’d learned so far from Donovan and Non.
Joseph realized the training from his father wasn’t by any means nearly complete enough to reach his final goal. The transformation had just begun. He’d be a fool to believe he had learned everything there was to know about their operation. Joseph knew for a fact that the most sensitive information about the family’s business had intentionally been withheld from him, but everything would soon have to be revealed if he was going to take over. All their dirty little secrets would have to come out, and when they did, he was going to be prepared to take over the operation.
The celebration around the compound continued on throughout the night. The different clans celebrated the victory in different ways. Non wasn’t naïve to the fact that parties were happening all around the facility. He knew security would keep a close watch on the clans.
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