“Forty-seven Earth years,” the Calculan at the computer interjected.
“Forty-seven Earth years,” Equa repeated. “And during that time, we can increase our own military might enough to improve our chances of defeating the Rüstov by ourselves. At the very least, we will be able to hold them off long enough to fall back to a new position and buy ourselves more time to make a final stand against them at some point in the future.”
“You’re just gonna kick the can down the road and hope for the best?” Roka asked. “That’s your plan?”
The ambassador grumbled with annoyance. “Nothing is keeping you here, Mr. Roka,” Equa said, ignoring the question. “You gained your freedom as a result of all this. If I were you, I would do the smart thing and leave while you still can.”
“It’s Captain Roka, thank you, and I’ve never done the smart thing in my life. I’m not gonna start now.”
Ambassador Equa turned away from Roka. “If memory serves, that’s the kind of thinking that got you put in prison.”
“Your bureaucratic nonsense got me put in prison, you bean-counting freak.”
“That will do, Captain Roka,” Prime said, holding up a hand.
“Don’t worry about offending them,” Roka told Prime. “They only care about their precious numbers. It doesn’t matter how nicely you ask them, the only way they’re going to stay is if that stupid equation up there tells them they need us.”
Hypnova pulled Roka back before he said something he really meant. Meanwhile, Trea had split into what Jack assumed were her three hyperintelligent selves. They were all trying to make sense of the Calcluan equations. Judging by their expressions, Jack guessed they weren’t having much success.
“Ambassador Equa,” one of the Treas began. “I can be pretty smart when I need to be, but I can’t even pretend to understand all the different variables you’ve factored into this decision.”
“So we’re not going to argue with you about that,” the second Trea cut in.
“Right, we’re not,” the first Trea continued. “But even if we accept all the assumptions inherent in your equation . . .”
“Which we don’t,” the third Trea interjected.
The first Trea sighed and pulled herself together, putting an end to the interruptions. “The odds you seem to prefer are not significantly better.”
“No, but they are better and that’s all that matters to us.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Stendeval told the ambassador. “No equation can measure a child’s potential. Our best chance of defeating the Rüstov is right here in this room. I wonder, have you ever considered the possibility that you’re wrong?”
Ambassador Equa leaned toward Stendeval. “Have you?”
Jack was pretty sure that Stendeval had never once doubted him, but with everything that was going on, he had enough doubts for the both of them. Almost as many as there were people in the crowd forming outside. Jack looked out the window and saw Jonas Smart leading an angry mob into Galaxis.
“Jack Blank, we know you’re in there!” he called out on a loudspeaker.
Smart’s voice shook the room. Everyone spun around to face the window and look outside. Jack gritted his teeth. The last time someone had yelled those words at him, he was hiding out in the library stacks at St. Barnaby’s. Back then all he wanted to do was keep his head down and not get caught. Things were different now. Jack was tired of hiding. When he saw Smart, he thought of Jazen and made a fist so tight that his knuckles cracked.
Jack looked out the window with the others. It was just before dawn, but Smart had assembled an impressive crowd. He was there with Hovarth and his men, people from Hightown, and of course, an army of WarHawks. A giant holo-screen projected Smart’s image into the air so that all his followers could see him, no matter how far back they stood in the crowd.
“Typical Smart,” Midknight said. “He can’t go anywhere without bringing a giant billboard to put his face on.”
Blue slid open a glass door that led out onto a balcony. “I might have to pound that face until he lets my friend go.”
No sooner had Blue opened the door than a trio of WarHawks flew up to it. A captain of the Valorian Guard appeared at Prime’s side. “Sir, the Garrison has been surrounded by Smart’s WarHawks.”
“Surrounded!” Prime balled up his fists.
“Circleman Prime,” the lead WarHawk’s robotic voice announced. “I come bearing a message from Jonas Smart.”
“And you may deliver my reply.” Prime’s hands lit up with energy, and the WarHawk went flying backward, falling out of the sky. It hit the ground hard and broke apart, its head rolling across the street to rest at the feet of Jonas Smart.
“I see we’ve gotten your attention, Circleman Prime,” Smart said.
“Jonas Smart!” Prime bellowed. “What gives you the right to surround my home?”
“We have every right to do what is necessary to protect ourselves against the Rüstov, “ Smart shot back. “We will not be threatened by your decision to safeguard the enemy’s ultimate weapon!” Smart motioned to Hovarth. “As you can see, Varagog Village stands with Hightown. If you continue to harbor Jack, you will be branded an enemy of the state, just like the Mechas. This Garrison is under siege until you surrender him to us.” The crowd cheered. Prime simmered.
“Get the men ready,” Prime told the Valorian captain. “We’re going out there.”
“Prime, don’t,” Stendeval said. “This is not the way to convince the Calculans that we aren’t at war with each other.”
Prime took a deep breath. “I know of only one way to respond to threats, Stendeval.”
“Don’t take the bait,” Stendeval told Prime. “We gain nothing by fighting each other. We need to bring people together.”
“How do you propose we do that?” Roka asked. “That’s not exactly Jack’s fan club down there, you know.”
“There are always alternatives,” Stendeval said. “That’s what our imaginations are for.”
“I will not cower in my home while Jonas Smart parades his mechanical soldiers outside my door,” Prime said.
Jack looked around at Smart’s show of force. As far as Jack was concerned, the WarHawks were the least of their problems. He was about to say so when Clarkston Noteworthy fought his way out from the back of the crowd and marched up to Smart. “What do you think you’re doing?” Noteworthy demanded.
“I’m simply trying to ensure the future of the Imagine Nation,” Smart replied. “It’s good of you to finally join us. I hope we’re not keeping you from something less important.”
Noteworthy scowled at Smart and Hovarth. “Hovarth, I’ll thank you to conduct borough matters with me in the future.” He pointed a finger in Smart’s face. “I’m the Circleman now, Jonas. I speak for Hightown, not you!”
Their confrontation played out on the giant holo-screen Smart had brought with him, which was just the way he wanted it. “You can’t speak for Hightown when it comes to Jack, Clarkston. You’re too close to the situation. Too emotionally attached.”
“Emotionally attached!” Noteworthy repeated. “Really. And why, pray tell, is that?”
“It’s simple.” Smart grinned. “Jack Blank is your son.”
CHAPTER
12
Smart Bombs
Just like that, Jack’s world blew up. “What?” he shouted, and clutched the balcony railing. Smart’s statement nearly knocked him right out the open window.
Down on the ground, Noteworthy was even more shocked than Jack. “How dare you?” he shot back. “HOW DARE YOU! My son is dead. You know full well we lost him during the last invasion.”
Smart grinned. “You’d like to believe that, I’m sure. No doubt you’re wishing that was the case right now, but he’s alive and well. He’s right up there, and unless we do something about it, he’s going to kill us all.”
Smart’s calm demeanor was the antithesis of Noteworthy’s fiery rage, which infuriated the socialite Cir
cleman even more.
“That’s a lie! You’re lying!”
“On the contrary, I have proof,” Smart said, holding up a glowing sheet of SmartPaper. “It think it’s time the truth be told. I have in my hand a backup copy of Jack Blank’s history file, direct from the Hall of Records. The blood drop inside it that identified Jack’s Rüstov infection corrupted the file when he first came here, but over time I have been able to restore the lost data in this file, byte by byte.”
The crowd murmured, clearly impressed with his achievement. Jack knew it was all a lie. Smart had hidden the truth about Jack’s family name back when he first arrived in Empire City. He’d done it because it made him a mystery. As long as Jack was a mystery, he was a potential threat and something to be scared of. Smart had risen to power by fighting Rüstov threats, and he held on to it for so many years by reminding people to be afraid of them.
“When I finally analyzed Jack’s digitized blood drop, I was able to identify a positive match with the Noteworthy family’s DNA.” Smart handed the paper to Noteworthy. “See for yourself, Clarkston. It’s all right there.”
The crowd gasped as Noteworthy read over the paper.
Jack couldn’t believe his ears. A year ago, the Rüstov agent Glave had led him on with promises of meeting his father, only to blindside him with the revelation that he had actually meant Khalix’s father, the Magus. This time, Jack was getting sucker punched right from the start. Noteworthy was his father? Noteworthy? It couldn’t be. He prayed that Smart was lying. Noteworthy took the news just as hard.
“This doesn’t prove anything! A document written on SmartPaper that you say is genuine?” He threw the paper back at Smart. “It’s a forgery.”
The Calculans didn’t seem to think so. They keyed up a facial-recognition program using pictures of Noteworthy and Jack and found enough points of similarity to support Smart’s claims. According to their calculations, there was a 100 percent probability that Jack and Noteworthy were related. Jack was speechless. One hundred percent? They didn’t even think there was a 100 percent chance he’d turn into Revile!
Jack stepped back from the window completely devastated. He already had enough trouble figuring out who he was now that the Rüstov had turned his own mind and body against him. This was the last thing he needed. To find out about his family like this, and find out that Noteworthy was his father . . . it was terrible. But if anyone was in a position to know who his parents were, it was Smart. It made sense that he didn’t go public with Jack’s Noteworthy lineage back when everybody considered him to be a hero. Back then it would have helped Clarkston Noteworthy to be associated with Jack. Now that Jack was public enemy number one again, Smart could use what he knew to get back at the man who took his seat on the Inner Circle.
“Don’t act so surprised, Clarkston,” Smart said. “Deep down you knew, I’m sure.” He looked up at Jack. “My hypothesis is that he suspected you were his son shortly after you returned, but decided to remain silent. Given your condition, you don’t exactly fit the Noteworthy pedigree.” Smart turned back to Noteworthy. “I’m right, aren’t I? You wouldn’t let a Rüstov agent poison your family tree. You’d put the Noteworthy name first, even before your own son. Don’t apologize. It’s quite understandable.”
Smart’s observation ground salt into Jack’s wounds. It was entirely possible that Noteworthy suspected Jack was his son and never said anything. The bump in popularity he would have gotten from being revealed as Jack’s father would not have outweighed his desire to protect the Noteworthy name. It was more than possible, actually. It was likely. The socialite Circleman had once told Jack that no matter what good he did in the world, he’d always be tainted by his connection to the Rüstov. Jack hated to think that Noteworthy might be his father, but it made too much sense. Too many puzzle pieces fit neatly into place for it to be a lie.
Noteworthy’s hands lit up with green electric flames. The glowing fire settled into the form of two energy glaves, which he brandished in front of Smart. “Of the two of us, I’m not the one who needs to apologize. Jack is not my son. Call him that again and it’s going to be the last thing you ever say.”
Smart put his hands up. “It’s the truth. I don’t know what you want me to do about it. He’s your son.”
Noteworthy didn’t wait. He swung both glaves at Smart before he finished his sentence. Smart didn’t flinch. His WarHawks rushed forward to shield him. Noteworthy lunged at Smart, and Hovarth got in between them. Jack was taken aback by Noteworthy’s violent reaction. In all the times he had dreamed about meeting his mother or father, the imaginary reunion had never played out anything like this.
Allegra touched Jack’s shoulder. “Don’t let this get to you, Jack. We don’t know if it’s true.”
“She’s right,” Blue agreed. “Smart’s just using you to make Noteworthy look bad.”
Jack swallowed hard and looked at the image of his face, side by side with Noteworthy’s. “Yep. Being related to me would do the trick.”
Blue’s face fell. “Jack, I didn’t mean . . .”
“It’s okay, Blue. I know what you meant. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean Smart is lying.”
Jack’s Rüstov-infected eye tingled, and he felt a shooting pain in his sinuses. He grabbed the bridge of his nose and squeezed.
“Jack, I know this is hard, but now is not the time for this discussion,” Stendeval said. “It’s a distraction you can’t afford.”
“Stendeval is right,” Hypnova said. “This isn’t as bad as it seems.”
Jack let go of his nose and nodded with a grim realization: If history had taught him anything, the situation was probably much, much worse.
“Enough!” Hovarth said, pulling Noteworthy back and separating him from Smart. “I don’t care if Jack is your son or not, Clarkston. It doesn’t change what needs to be done about him.” He looked up at Jack. “What say you, boy? Are you going to surrender, or are you going to keep thinking only of yourself?”
Before Jack had a chance to open his mouth, Blue answered for him. “Nobody’s surrenderin’ nothing! And you’re going to let my partner go, Smart, or I’m gonna come down there and bust some heads!”
“Commander Knight is exactly where he belongs,” Smart replied. “You’re talking about the Mecha who brought us the boy destined to destroy us—something I can prove will happen if Jack lives.” Smart snapped his fingers, and his image on the holo-screen was replaced by the words “Loading TimeScope Footage.”
“You all know of my wondrous device, the TimeScope,” Smart boasted. “I’ve used it to bring the Imagine Nation countless innovations by looking through the lens of time into tomorrow. But the future is not always filled with promise. See what it holds for Jack Blank and, by extension, all of us!”
“What now?” Jack wondered aloud as a task bar on the holo-screen slowly climbed from 0 toward 100 percent.
The Calculans came out on the balcony and took up places at the railing. “Ambassador Equa,” Smart said, offering a slight bow to the Calculan diplomat. “I don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind about leaving, have you?”
Equa rotated his head from side to side, surprising no one. Smart shrugged at the response. “I’m afraid this won’t help.”
Jack gripped the railing and stared at the screen as Smart’s video played. He saw himself, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing now. Jack recognized the setting. It was SmartTower. He was standing in Smart’s personal lab. He leaned back like he was fainting, but as he fell he was caught by an invisible force and began to float. The red crystal circle in his chest glowed bright enough to burn away his shirt, and as the flames ate away at his clothing, metal poured out of his chest. It overran his body like weeds taking over a garden in a time-lapse video. Jack shuddered as he watched himself change into Revile.
“Don’t turn away, Jack,” Khalix whispered, creeping into Jack’s brain. “You need to see this.”
Jack felt sick, but he couldn’t have turned
away if he tried. It was just like he’d always imagined. His worst fears were playing out before his very eyes. It was like watching the moment of his own death. The images on the screen froze, and the word “Buffering” appeared. The onscreen task bar quickly ran to 100 percent once more, and when the TimeScope footage returned, Jack was blasting a hole in the wall of SmartTower. He flew out to where the Calculans’ army of drone fighters were docked. Everyone watched in horror as Jack, now fully transformed into Revile, systematically destroyed the Calculan fleet.
“That’s definitely not going to help convince the Calculans to stay,” Lorem said.
The Calculans looked at each other in alarm. The two junior delegates hurried back to their holo-computer and started adjusting odds. The probability of successfully fending off the Rüstov plummeted as the images of Jack destroying the fleet played on.
“Is it any wonder the Calculans won’t stand with us?” Smart asked. “Their planetary host has offered sanctuary to the very person who will destroy their fleet!” The crowd around Smart roared with outrage. He fed off their energy. “Take a good look, Empire City. The closer the future is, the clearer the images in the TimeScope are. These things are going to happen unless we stop them. We want the boy, Prime. Give him to us!”
The crowd seemed nearly out of control, but Prime was not shaken. “What I will give you is ten seconds to remove yourself from my door. Starting now.”
“Not without Jack!” the people shouted.
“Traitor!”
“Whose side are you on?”
The people in the crowd continued to hurl insults, and Smart grinned up at Prime. It was clear he was holding all the cards in this standoff. Jack forced himself to stop looking at the images of himself as Revile. The TimeScope footage scared him. Jack remembered what happened when he first came to the Imagine Nation. Smart had looked into his TimeScope and found visions of Revile alive in Empire City. Those visions had come true. Jack had had to fight Revile on the roof of SmartTower and again on Wrekzaw Isle. What if Smart’s latest future forecast was accurate as well? It hurt to think about—literally. The shooting pains in Jack’s head returned, this time stronger than before.
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