Turncoat

by Deborah Chester

  The light surrounding him dimmed, and some of the energy field flowed around Leon.

  “Fool!” said Qwip. “You cannot be rid of me that easily.”

  This time instead of splitting into multiples, Qwip grew, expanding and growing brighter until it almost filled the cellar. The lantern went out. The lack of oxygen made Noel’s head spin. He gasped for air, little dots dancing in front of his eyes, and felt his legs weakening beneath him. But he’d rather suffocate than give in.

  With a pop, Qwip vanished. Air rushed back into the cellar, and the lantern resumed burning. Noel sank to his knees, gulping in breath after breath until he started coughing. He felt hot and weak.

  “LOC, deactivate,” he said wearily.

  The blue light faded. He sat there a long time on the damp floor, waiting for the agony in his hand to fade.

  When he finally felt capable of functioning again, he drew in a ragged breath and poked Leon in the ribs.

  “Wake up,” he said. “Come on, come on. I need you.”

  Leon came round slowly, groaning.

  “Stop it and snap awake,” said Noel. He drew up his knees and rested his throbbing forearm on them. His hand seemed to hurt less when it was elevated.

  Leon finally sat up, holding his head in his hands. He looked bleary-eyed, and there was a trickle of blood running from his nostrils.

  “You okay?” asked Noel.

  Leon shook his head.

  “Well, pull yourself together! We’ve got to get busy.”

  “Leave me alone,” said Leon in a shaking voice. He hunched away.

  Noel glared at him. “I need your help.”

  Leon put his hands over his ears and refused to look at him.

  “Poor little you,” said Noel harshly. “Possessed by a goblin from another dimension. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

  “It didn’t happen to you,” said Leon unsteadily.

  “Look, in other circumstances I’d let you have the shakes, but I need your help.”

  “Do it yourself,” said Leon with a sniff.

  Noel stared at the wall. “I don’t think I can,” he said hollowly.

  That forced Leon to look at him. “What is it?”

  “I’ve got to question the LOC,” said Noel, his own courage shrinking as he spoke. “I need it to run an analysis of what happened last night. I need to know if we can still perform a recall.”

  Leon stared at him in astonishment. “You nearly blew yourself up. The LOC wouldn’t take you into the time stream, remember?”

  “It wouldn’t take Qwip.”

  Leon shuddered. “I’m glad,” he said unconvincingly. “It would have been the end of me.”

  “And if we stay here, so will Qwip and others like it. Whatever it is!”

  “It’s loathsome,” said Leon. “You think I’m a monster, but it’s—”

  “I know.”

  “No, you don’t! You can’t. It’s foul, sickening. It wants—” Leon gasped and drew his hand across his mouth. “I asked you for help, last night. I asked you to help me, and you didn’t.”

  “I couldn’t get it out of you,” said Noel gently. “I didn’t know how.”

  “Easy to say now!” cried Leon. “You didn’t believe me.”

  “I didn’t understand. I do now.”

  “You wouldn’t help me. Why should I help you?”

  “Because you know we have to do this. Because you don’t want Qwip to come back.”

  “That’s not fair,” said Leon.

  “I’m sorry. None of this is fair.”

  “I don’t want to die.”

  “Leon, all I need to do is talk to my LOC.”

  “Then do it! You don’t need me for that.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “It’s a trick.”

  “No.”

  “You’re always full of tricks.”

  “Now who’s lying?”

  Leon glared wildly at him, close to hysterics. “I won’t! Leave me alone.”

  Silence fell between them. Noel got to his feet and walked around. “It hurts every time I activate the LOC,” he said. “Worse, each time. I don’t think I can do it by myself again. I—” He swallowed hard. “I need you to enter my mind and make me forget the pain. You’re a telepath. You can do something like that, can’t you?”

  When he looked around, he found Leon staring at him in astonishment.

  “Me?” said Leon. “In contact—direct contact—with your mind? You’d never trust me that far.”

  “I have to.”

  Leon laughed, a mirthless, grating sound. “I don’t believe you.”

  Noel just stared at him.

  “It can’t be done. I can’t contact you. I never could.”

  “You could try.”

  “It doesn’t work, I tell you.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I’ve tried, damn you! I’ve tried! And there’s nothing. I can’t even sense you that way.”

  “But if I let you. If you told me how to let down my guard, and I let you in?”

  Leon stared at him. “You’re mad.”

  Noel couldn’t meet his gaze. He didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. “Then I guess we’re finished.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’re here, forever. Until we’re old. Until we die.”

  Hope lit Leon’s eyes. “You mean it?”

  Noel nodded.

  “We can stay?”

  “We have no choice.”

  “What about automatic recall?”

  Noel shrugged. “I don’t know if it works anymore. Qwip tampered with the LOC. I’ve had it effecting self-repairs. I thought it was going to work last night, but Qwip’s presence triggered the safety override. I can’t access it without your help. I can’t—”

  He forced himself to look up. “Will…will you help me take it off?”

  “But you can’t remove it!” said Leon, shocked. “Your conditioning.”

  Noel peeled off the bandages and held out his hand.

  Leon whistled softly. “Agony to wear it. Conditioned against taking it off. Are you sure?”

  Noel found he was shaking. “I—I can’t answer that question.”

  He sat down abruptly and rested his head on his knees.

  “Noel,” said Leon in concern. He touched Noel’s shoulder hesitantly. He had never touched Noel in kindness before. Before Noel realized it, a lump had filled his throat. He’d never failed like this in his life. Now, everything he’d fought for, believed in, was gone, ruined.

  “Noel, don’t,” said Leon. “What you feel is coming to me. I don’t want it. I don’t—”

  He broke off and knelt before Noel, gripping his shoulders. “All right!” he said roughly. “Damn you, I’ll do it. I’ll try anyway.”

  Not believing him, Noel slowly raised his head. His face was wet, but oddly enough it was Leon who looked ashamed.

  “It’s no good staying here with those Qwip things around,” said Leon. “Tell me what to do.”

  Noel coughed and wiped his face. Leon brought him another mug of cider, and he drank it thirstily.

  “Thanks.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” said Leon. “I told you I don’t like this. It won’t work.”

  “It’s worth a try.”

  “You’re a fool to trust me.”

  Noel met his eyes, so similar to his own yet so alien. “I know. How do we start?”

  “Relax. Make your mind a blank.”

  Noel shut his eyes and tried to soothe his racing thoughts. It wasn’t as easy to relax as he wanted. He was scared.

  He coughed, and Leon jumped.

  “Dammit, be quiet! How can I concentrate?”

  “Sorry,” said Noel. It was getting harder all the time to breathe, but this time it wasn’t because Qwip was stealing the oxygen.

  He shut his eyes and waited. There was nothing for a long while and then he felt a pressure, like a headache that was coming, not here ye
t, not painful yet, but coming. He frowned, and tried not to resist.

  “I hate this,” said Leon in his mind.

  The words boomed inside Noel’s head, much too loud. He winced, and Leon nearly slipped away.

  “Be still!” commanded Leon.

  “Can you block the pain?”

  “How about this?”

  Noel waited. “What?”

  “Did you feel it?”

  “Feel what?”

  “I just gripped your injured hand and tried to pull off the LOC. Didn’t you feel it?”

  “No.”

  Leon sighed. “Then I guess you’d better get started.”

  Noel swallowed, but his mouth still felt dry. “LOC,” he said slowly, “activate.”

  Chapter 10

  The lantern was growing dim by the time there came a furtive scratching at the cellar door. The bolt slid back, and a scared-looking Robert slipped inside.

  “I can’t stay long,” he said breathlessly. “I’ve come to get the men some cider, and I brought you some food.”

  He pulled a packet of meat and bread from beneath his coat and laid it on the table.

  Noel, sitting on some old feed sacks in the corner, raised his head wearily. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely.

  “You don’t look a bit well,” said Robert. “ ’Pon my soul, you don’t. Nor you, Lieutenant.”

  “Go to hell,” said Leon.

  Robert stepped back. “Well, I—”

  “Don’t mind him,” said Noel, holding back a cough. “We haven’t had a nice day.”

  Robert sighed. “Nor have we, for that matter. Sally is at her wit’s end with this party tonight. I told her she ought to cancel it. It’s just too dangerous, but she says she doesn’t care. They’ve planned it too long.”

  “Planned what?” asked Noel.

  Robert glanced at Leon, then cut his eyes back to Noel and shook his head.

  Leon laughed. “Oh, speak out, boy. I know about the plot. You might as well tell Noel too.”

  “I haven’t told anyone, sir,” said Robert stiffly. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

  Leon shot Noel a bloodshot look. For a moment his loathing was overlaid with sardonic amusement. “Sally Crewe is holding a ball tonight in honor of Major Burton. While the regiment is here, dancing with all the pretty girls, the local resistance group will meet in the barn with some of Washington’s people.”

  Robert gasped, and one look at his white face told Noel it was true.

  “Indeed, no, sir! Sally’s a Tory. She’s loyal to King George and England.”

  “Poppycock, to use the local phrase,” said Leon with a halfhearted sneer. “If anything is leaked, Sally Crewe has an airtight alibi, right in the arms of her beloved major.”

  “He’s not so beloved today,” said Robert bitterly. “Not after he set these guards on us.”

  “Of course Sally was going to whisper a betrayal in the ear of her major, wasn’t she, boy?” said Leon. “Roping up the conspirators in one neat package.”

  “No!” said Robert in outrage. “She’d never do anything that shabby, that is, if what you said is true, which it isn’t.”

  “Oh, Robert, Robert,” sighed Leon. “I tell you we know it all.”

  Robert stood there, struggling manfully not to let his fear get the better of him.

  Noel frowned at his duplicate. “Stop baiting the boy. You’re scaring him.”

  “Why shouldn’t he be scared?” retorted Leon. “I’m scared. You’re scared. The whole bloody world should be scared.”

  Robert stared at Leon.

  “Don’t mind him,” said Noel, feeling obliged to soothe the boy. Only he was too tired to care very much. He liked Robert, but right now the boy was an annoyance, and Leon was even more of one. It had been a mistake to ask for Leon’s help. If he’d been thinking more clearly at the time, he wouldn’t have done it. Now he had a bad taste in his mouth that lingered, and too much regret.

  “But sir,” said Robert, “if the major knows all this, then we’re—”

  “Relax,” said Noel. “My twin hasn’t told the major anything.”

  “But Burton knows,” said Robert in anguish. “I tried to warn Sally she could be caught, but—”

  “Caught at what, betraying the Americans? That’s her duty, isn’t it?” asked Leon sharply.

  His eyes narrowed, and Robert’s face went blank.

  Noel got up and staggered between them. “Stop it!” he said angrily. “Don’t you dare read the boy’s thoughts!”

  Leon’s expression grew surly. “Why shouldn’t I? I’ve been in yours. You whimpered and pleaded until I did that. What’s the difference?”

  “You know very well what the difference is,” said Noel tightly. “Don’t do it again.”

  Leon hissed and turned his face away.

  Yes, thought Noel bleakly. It had been a big mistake. The intimacy was more sour and bitter than ever.

  Robert swayed as Leon’s mind released his.

  Noel gripped Robert’s arm. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” Robert rubbed his forehead in bewilderment. “What happened? I felt all fuzzy and confused suddenly.”

  “Yes, well, you’ve been upset over your sister. Try not to worry so much,” said Noel, patting his shoulder. “You’d better take your cider now before they wonder where you are.”

  “Yes, I—I will,” said Robert. He picked up the jug and held it pressed against his chest. “Can you help her, sir?”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. I’m afraid the major has turned against her, if he ever liked her at all. He could implicate her even if she does betray Washington’s agent to him.”

  The trust in the boy’s eyes was as disconcerting as his appeal.

  “She doesn’t trust me,” Noel said as gently as he could.

  “She doesn’t trust anybody,” said Robert. “She used to. She used to be on the patriots’ side. Back then she just pretended to like the British. But that was before Major Burton was assigned here, and everything changed.”

  “Triple agent,” said Leon scornfully.

  Robert turned red.

  “Ignore him,” said Noel.

  “But he’s the major’s adjutant,” whispered Robert.

  “Not anymore. Run along.”

  “But what are we to do?”

  “I’ll think of something. Go on.”

  Leon stood up. “And don’t lock the door again.”

  Robert looked more upset. “But Sally said it was safer for you.”

  “Don’t,” said Leon.

  Robert’s gaze dropped from his. “All right.” He started out, then glanced back at Noel. “Please help her, sir. If you can.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Robert nodded and hurried away. Noel closed the door.

  “Help her?” said Leon with scorn. “How? You can’t even help yourself.”

  Noel glared at him. “I told you not to tamper with the boy’s mind.”

  Leon shrugged. “Why should we be locked in here like rats? I’m tired of it.”

  “This is as good a place to wait for the LOC to effect self-repair as any.”

  “Hours, it said.” Leon laughed scornfully. “You’re a fool to keep hoping.”

  He’d been sulking ever since they broke mental contact. It was as though he’d finally accepted the fact that Noel would never give up on trying to take him back.

  “Do you want some food?” asked Noel.

  “Why? So you can tell me how good it tastes?” Leon flung himself around and picked up his coat. “I’m getting out of here.”

  “Don’t be stupid,” said Noel. “You know Qwip is out there somewhere. It could have possessed one of the soldiers. Maybe Sally or one of her servants. It would rather have you or me, though. Why give it the opportunity until we’re ready?”

  “You mean until you’re ready,” Leon said with a sneer. “The LOC can do repairs all day long, and you still aren’t going to get bac
k. It won’t work. It can never work. You say we have to be recombined, well, weren’t we? The last time? We went through the time stream together, didn’t we, and it ripped us apart again. That’s because we’re not supposed to be together. Your theory is wrong. It always was. I’m not a part of you. I’m a copy of you. You’re not less than whole without me. You couldn’t function if that were true. I’m just a reflection, that’s all. Why can’t you accept that?”

  “Maybe I can,” said Noel slowly. “But I still know the time anomaly happened because we were in different centuries. We have to be together. If not recombined, then at the same point in history.”

  “And if we stay here, we have Qwip to deal with,” said Leon bitterly. He paced back and forth like a caged animal. “Even if your LOC can reestablish contact with the time portal, there’s no guarantee of success. You’re crazy if you try again.”

  “You know I will.”

  “Not with me.”

  “Leon, we can argue till sundown and it won’t change anything. I’m entering the time stream as soon as the LOC is ready. And I’ll make you go with me.”

  “Hah!”

  “Don’t you want to stop Qwip?”

  Leon stopped with his hand on the door. His shoulders were rigid. “I,” he said softly, “am going to let Qwip have what he wants.”

  “Leon, no!”

  “Why not?” asked Leon, glancing at him. “Don’t forget I was in your thoughts. I know all about your encounter with the thing between dimensions. Qwip told you he wanted us recombined. Qwip told you he was on your side. But it’s a lie. He proved that today.”

  “Exactly. We can’t trust him. And there’s no telling what will happen if—”

  “Get this straight,” broke in Leon. “I don’t care what happens.”

  Noel frowned. “But you must. Leon—”

  Shaking his head, Leon opened the cellar door.

  Noel threw himself across the room and slammed it shut. Breathless from even that minor exertion, he choked back a cough and gripped Leon by the arm. “Don’t be a fool. You—”

  Leon pushed him roughly away. “Get off me.”

  He and Noel coughed in unison.

  “See?” said Leon furiously. “You’re absorbing me again, making me feel what you feel. I can’t stay with you. I won’t suffer with you. I have to get away.”

  “Leon—”