Maya felt like a child wrapped up in the blanket, but she sat quietly as the men left the beach and climbed up the steps to the deck. Gabriel stood near the railing while Hollis grinned and approached her. “Maya! How you feeling? We didn’t think you’d wake up for a few days.”
“I’m all right. We need to contact Linden.”
“I already did that from a cybercafé in Boston. He’ll send money to three different locations in New England.”
“Is that all he said?”
“According to Linden, Sparrow’s son has disappeared. I guess the Tabula found out that he was-”
Vicki interrupted. “Let’s make some coffee, Hollis.”
“I don’t want any.”
“Other people might.” There was a slight change in Vicki’s voice that reminded Maya of the soft pressure from someone’s hand. Hollis appeared to get the message.
“Right. Of course. Fresh coffee.” Hollis glanced back at Gabriel, and then followed Vicki into the house.
Now they were alone, but Gabriel still didn’t speak. A flock of seabirds appeared in the distance, the black specks circling into a tight funnel that slowly began to descend to the earth.
“Dr. Lewis said you’ll be able to walk in a month or so. You’re lucky that the bullet didn’t shatter the bone.”
“We can’t stay here that long,” Maya said.
“Vicki has a lot of contacts through her church and Hollis knows people from the martial arts world. I think we’ll have plenty of places to hide until we get false ID cards and passports.”
“Then we should leave the United States.”
“I’m not sure about that. People want to believe there’s a tropical island or a cave in the mountains where you can hide, but that’s not true anymore. Like it or not, we’re all connected to one another.”
“The Tabula will be searching for you.”
“Yes. And my brother will be helping them.” Gabriel sat beside her, looking tired and sad. “When we were growing up, I felt like Michael and I were fighting the whole world together. I would have done anything for my brother. I trusted him completely.”
Maya remembered the dream of the Underground-her father’s sadness-and allowed herself to feel pity for another human being. She offered her hand and Gabriel held it tightly. His warm skin touched her coldness; she felt transformed. It wasn’t happiness. No, happiness was a childish, temporary illusion. The pain within her melted away and she felt like the two of them had created a center, a constancy, a whole.
“I don’t know if my father is still alive, and Michael has turned against me,” Gabriel said. “But I feel connected to you, Maya. You’re important to me.”
He looked at her with an intense energy in his eyes, then let go of her hand and stood up quickly. Their closeness was painful; it felt as if they had crossed a line.
Alone and unprotected, Gabriel walked back down the steps to the sand. Maya remained on the deck, trying to control her feelings. If she wanted to protect this Traveler, then she couldn’t allow herself to care for him. Any emotion would only make her hesitant and vulnerable. If she allowed that weakness, she might lose him forever.
Help me, she thought. It was the first time she had ever prayed. Please help me. Show me what I need to do.
A cold wind touched her black hair and she felt a quickness in her body, a gathering strength. So many people drifted through their lives, acting out roles for others and not recognizing their true destinies. All the doubts and hesitations she felt in London had vanished. Maya knew who she was: a Harlequin. Yes, it would be difficult, but she would stay with Gabriel.
She sat up slightly and looked toward the ocean. The flock of seabirds was resting on the beach and, as the Traveler approached them, they rose up to heaven, keening and calling to each other.
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The Traveler fr-1 Page 44