by Barbara Taub
“As a matter of fact…” Gaby pulled out her notebook and flipped to a densely written page. Ignoring Leila’s groan, she listed:
If Leila inherited the jewelry from Suzanne, and Suzanne got it from Leila, where did it come from originally?
If jewelry is a closed loop —Suzanne -> Max -> Leila -> Suzanne— what happens to the loop when jewelry is formed into the Book in the 1890s?
Why does the Book need to be reformatted in the past? Why not right here and now?
What are we supposed to do with the Book?
What does the Book have to do with Null City?
What happened to Harry and the twins?
Why did Harry really want Luic in Haven?
How do we reformat the Book without Luic?
What are the other pivot points and who is responsible for them?
Why are the angels on the other side?
“I have a few questions too.” Max was still frowning. He stopped and thought for a moment. “Actually, just the one question. How do I stay with Gaby during all of this?”
GABY AND LEILA, Chapter Eighteen
1994, Provence, France
Their little villa near Aix was bursting at its seams. Thomas sniffed in contempt at the tiny kitchen, while Max insisted he couldn’t be expected to keep his promise to spoil Gaby if they had to live in a place that was smaller than his garage.
“Some people,” Gaby observed to Leila, “just can’t admit to being happy.”
“Chapels!” Leila coughed into her hand.
They had all decided the obvious next-thing was to return to Provence until Suzanne’s baby was born in order to ensure Cécile had the jewelry.
Leila and Gaby spent several days in their sunny office shutting down their little investment company and converting Prices’ Right assets into long-term annuities. Gaby was wistful as they filed papers putting the California investments into a trust for Carey and Connor, but Thomas put an arm around her and said confidently they would find her brother and sister. Leila’s eyes glowed red, and she growled that Harry better have a damn good story, or she really would allow Thomas to try the castration techniques. And Max told them he was taking them all out that night to celebrate Gaby’s birthday.
She looked startled. “My birthday isn’t until February.”
“I’ve missed too many of them.” Max smiled into her eyes. “We have a lot of celebrating to make up.”
When she entered their little bedroom, the red cocktail dress from London was spread across the bed. Next to it were shoes and a velvet box. She eyed the box nervously, but it was too long for a ring. Opening it, she found a slender ruby and diamond necklace and matching earrings.
“What do you think?” Max murmured against her ear.
She turned into his arms. “Do we have time to discuss your first car?”
There is no way, Max thought, it will ever be better than this. He looked across the table at Gaby. Her long hair was loose around her shoulders, and with the red dress and sparkling necklace, she glowed, a living flame. She was laughing at Leila’s complaints that you just couldn’t get a decent cheeseburger and fries in France and Thomas’ protestations of horror. Then she looked directly at him, her smile feeding his soul, long parched from a diet of duty and responsibility. Memorize this, his instincts urged. This will keep you warm through whatever the years bring.
Later that night, he slowly undressed her, removing the red dress and everything else until she was wearing only the jewels he’d given her. She watched him, teasing and laughing, until he opened a small velvet box to show her the ring it contained, an enormous ruby surrounded by diamonds.
She started to speak, but he held up a hand. “Please. Just let me say this. As a young man, I married a girl chosen by my parents. They chose well, and we had a good marriage that eventually led to love. But in all the years of my life, I have never been in love until I met you. Yes, we only met a few months ago. I don’t know what tomorrow or the next years will bring. It doesn’t even matter. I just want you to know I love you, and it would be everything I could ever want in life if you would be my wife.”
She was silent for so long he closed his eyes and braced himself.
“Sebastian Maximilian Georges Saint-Chappelle.” Her voice was laughter and love. He opened his eyes.
“I want a normal proposal,” she continued, “and that includes …” She looked pointedly at his legs. Max could breathe and even pretend to be appalled as he dropped to his knees. He removed the ring from the box and held it out to her with an over-the-top romantic hero flourish. “Gabrielle Parker, will you marry me?”
“Yes, Sebastian Maximilian Georges Saint-Chappelle, I will marry you.” She leaned forward until her lips were against his. “But Max—you I’ll love.”
Next morning at breakfast, Leila looked suspiciously at Max. “Why do you have that shit-eating grin on your face? It’s really not a good look for you…”
Thomas’ eyes were on Gaby. He picked up her left hand and waved it in front of Leila. While Leila screamed and grabbed Gaby in a bear hug, Thomas raised his eyebrows at Max. “I thought we talked about this. I’m not sure I approve of… Ow! Leila. Ow, ow, Gaby. Cut it out you two. Okay, okay I guess you can marry him.” He reached out to Max and shook his hand. Then Thomas snatched Gaby away from Leila and hugged her. But he whispered, “Gaby? Are you sure?”
She stepped back, took Max’s hand and said simply, “Oh yes. Yes, I’m sure.”
There was a knock on the door.
They brought out chairs from the kitchen to add to the two chairs on the shady little terrace behind the villa. Sam looked at the ring on Gaby’s finger and at Leila and Thomas sitting close and holding hands.
He sighed. “This isn’t working out the way I’d hoped,” he admitted. “I’m not sure what happened to Luic, but we’re losing our chance at the pivot point.”
“How is that possible?” Gaby’s voice was angry. One day, she thought. We don’t even get one day to just be happy? “If it’s in the past and we can take the Metro to that point, how could we run out of time?”
“The pivot point is what connects the Metro to Null City.” Sam gave her a tiny, almost sympathetic smile before shaking his head. “Because we haven’t won the capture, the connection with the Metro is … breaking down. Pretty soon Null City will be cut off completely. I don’t think we have any more time to wait. It has to be now, and we have to figure out a way to get Luic there.”
Gaby reached for Max’s hand. Leila frowned and said carefully, “I have to do one thing first. But Suzanne and Raymond aren’t back from their honeymoon yet, so I guess I’ll have to see Cécile instead. And that reminds me, Sam: why couldn’t I just give it to Raymond?”
“Raymond would destroy the world if he thought it might keep Suzanne from harm.” Sam’s words fell starkly into the silence. “If that meant making sure the jewelry could never go to Leila, I’m pretty sure he’d think it was worth it.”
“Ooh-kay.” Leila’s hand clenched tightly inside Thomas’ grasp. “Cécile it is.”
Thomas cringed. “I can’t… She might remember me… Later.”
Max snapped his gaze around to Thomas. “Remember you? From where?” They watched as he finally got it. “Thomas? Our Thomas?”
“Grandfather.” Thomas nodded to him with a weak smile.
Max’s eyes flashed to Leila. “And you’re matched to…”
Leila’s chin came up. “Suzanne and Raymond are going to be my parents.”
Max was still working things out. “So when you talked about things happening to my family…”
Time to redirect, Gaby realized. “Well, I’m not related to any of you yet. But I’m marrying Max, and that makes me Thomas’ future Grandmother-in-law, so I’m thinking you all have to do what I say.”
“You wish,” Leila complained on cue, but her eyes were grateful.
Gaby neatly ignored Max’s groan and Thomas’ snort. “In my new role as goddess and ruler of all t
hings Chapel, I’m making the executive decision to be the one to meet with Cécile. I’ll tell her as little as possible, and we’ll go straight from there to the Metro. If we get lucky, it will come for Leila again at the fountain. If not, we head to the Metro stop in Seattle. Does anyone need a passport?” Thomas raised a hand. Gaby looked at Max.
“Right, I’m on it,” he told her. “But you know, don’t you, I’m coming with you.”
She went into his arms, ignoring the thoughts nobody said out loud. Only if the Metro issues him a ticket.
Cécile Marsaut is the most self-possessed fifteen-year-old I’ve ever met, thought Gaby. Suzanne’s young sister had shown Gaby into a sunlit drawing room overlooking the gardens of Chateau Marsaut and asked if she’d like tea.
While Cécile listened with polite poise, Gaby explained the purpose of her visit. “As Raymond told you, we’re relatives. I can’t explain how we know this, but I promise that your sister is almost two months pregnant. We have to leave, but there is an important … package we’d like Suzanne’s daughter to have. We can’t leave it with Raymond because it must only go to their daughter. I know it sounds melodramatic, but if anything should happen to Suzanne and Raymond, their baby will be in danger. There is absolutely no way she will stay alive if our enemies can find her. You don’t have to believe anything I’m saying right now or even that Suzanne is pregnant with a baby girl.”
At Cécile’s small gasp, Gaby paused, but continued when the girl waved her on. “If something goes wrong, I’m begging you to allow the baby to be adopted. It’s her only chance, and I guarantee she will have a wonderful childhood. And if anything should ever … happen … to you, you have to leave instructions that the package and letters be given to Sebastian Chapel. He’ll know how to find Suzanne’s daughter.”
As Gaby’s words ran down, Cécile reached over and politely asked, “With your permission?” She took Gaby’s hand and held two fingers against her palm. Color drained from her cheeks.
“Two reasons.” She carefully released Gaby’s hand and absently scrubbed her handkerchief across her own palm. “There are two reasons I believe you. The first is that sometimes my gift lets me know when people are telling the truth, or at least what they believe is true. I know there are many things you are not telling me. But my other reason is that Suzanne told me she is pregnant. She did not tell anyone else. Not even Raymond knows it. But you do. So I’ll take the package and pray every day that I never have to use it.”
Gaby got out the velvet case and opened it to show Cécile the jewels inside. Again, Cécile looked shocked. “I don’t understand,” she said. “A man came yesterday and left the same package. He told me someone would come to explain it.” She opened the drawer of an ornate little desk and pulled out a box identical to the one Gaby held out. As she tried to work the clasp, Cécile frowned. “This worked perfectly yesterday…”
“Wait.” Gaby closed the box she held. “Now try it.”
Cécile opened her box to reveal blazing jewels identical to the ones Gaby held.
The jewelry loop! Gaby asked Cécile to tell her about the man from the day before but didn’t recognize Cécile’s description of a distinguished, middle-aged man with an Irish accent. She sat, thinking furiously, and realized that somehow the jewels had ended up where they were supposed to be: both with Leila and with Cécile. Could there be a connection with Harry’s generous Irish friend who had paid for their meal at the pancake house in Mount St. Helens all those years ago?
“There is one other thing.” Cécile had regained her poise and again spoke as if they were politely discussing the weather. “The man who left the jewelry had a message for whoever came asking about it. He said to tell you to trust in your faults, because when things are desperate, your faults will save you.”
As Gaby picked up the jewels she’d handed to Cécile and stood to leave, the younger girl took her hand again. “Will I ever see you again?” Her fingers rested lightly against Gaby’s palm.
“No.” Gaby spoke softly, knowing how much the word would tell the younger girl.
Cécile flinched and drew a shaky breath. But when she spoke, her voice was steady. “Then we must wish each other bonne chance.”
GABY AND LEILA, Chapter Nineteen
1994, Seattle
They landed at Seatac Airport under rainy Seattle skies. Max didn’t look impressed, but for the first time in her life, Gaby felt she was coming home. She looked at the mountains as their taxi took them downtown, and the sun came out, lighting up Mt. Ranier. Pointing to the mountain, she told the others, “In Seattle we say The Mountain is out today.” We say.
Because the Metro hadn’t come to them in Fontaine Hantée, they weren’t sure how long it might take to board it in Seattle. They checked into the Olympic and agreed to meet for dinner. Already mourning the upcoming loss of their jeans, Gaby insisted on a casual dinner. She was backed up by Leila, who phoned their room saying Thomas had gone down to get something to eat and she was bored. Max was taking a shower, and Gaby suggested they go for a quick run before dinner. Leila grumbled that it was already dark out, but agreed. Lacing up the new running shoes she still hadn’t broken in, Gaby left a note for Max and headed for Leila’s room.
“Let me know if you hear anything. Anything at all,” Thomas told the hotel manager. He hung up the phone just as the banging started, leaping for the door to admit Max. “Did you find them?”
Max’s mouth was a thin-lipped slash in his grim face. “Nobody saw them leave, and it’s been almost three hours.”
Thomas’ eyes were bleak. “Leila doesn’t have her little gun. But she must be alive, because…”
“Because you’re still alive.” Max gripped his shoulder briefly. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with Sam. The only thing left is to call the one person I never wanted to meet.” He picked up the room phone and told the hotel operator, “I’d like to place a call to London. It’s an emergency.” He rattled off an international number, waited a few minutes, and then said, “I need to speak to Luic. Tell him Gaby is in trouble. He can reach me back at the Olympic Hotel in Seattle.”
Three hours later, Luic knocked on the door of Max’s hotel room, now transformed into a command center. Furniture had been removed and replaced with long folding tables holding banks of phones and computers. Huge maps of the city and surrounding areas were taped to the walls and marked off into grids. Tensely, the three men introduced themselves. Thomas made no attempt to hide his suspicion. “How did you get here so fast?”
“I was already in Washington, checking out a ranch Gaby told me about.”
Fists clenched, Thomas stepped directly in front of Luic. “Did Haven take them?”
Luic’s dark blue eyes blazed. “I wish we had because then I’d know they were safe. Do you have any coffee? Then I want to hear everything, including why you did such a piss-assed job of guarding them.”
They were sitting stiffly, waiting for the coffee, when Luic spoke abruptly to Max. “I watched both of you that day at St. Helens Church in London after Gaby saw me leave. She loves you?”
“She says she does,” said Max. “And I believe her. She also says she doesn’t love you anymore. I wish I could believe that.”
Luic’s lips curved briefly in a humorless smile. “I had to keep her safe. Did you tell her you’d have done the same thing?”
“Do I look stupid?”
“No, worse. You look normal.”
Thomas lost track of the number of times he opened the door to admit soldiers, both Haven and Gift. But he was repeatedly struck by how ordinary, how human each looked. He had a weird flashback to serving as usher at a cousin’s wedding, when he’d amused himself by trying to guess whether guests would ask to be seated on the bride or the groom’s side of the church. He fared no better at predicting the soldiers’ affiliations. Whether Haven or Gift, the men and women who came to Max’s hotel room shared an air of tough, professional determination. But it was their eyes which held the great
est likeness, the guarded look of those who had spent a lifetime burying their casualties. He wondered if they were as surprised as he was by their similarities.
At first Luic and Max, adversaries for decades, kept carefully to tables on opposite sides of the room. Each conferred sotto voce with the steady stream of their own soldiers who came to report or get assignments. When necessary, they coordinated stiffly with each other, Luic’s caustic arrogance challenging Max’s arctic civility.
After about an hour, Luic growled in frustration. “Chapel! This isn’t working. It’s going to take too long to search if we divide up the city. My team has better communications, and you have more feet on the ground. You’re going to have to let me take over and coordinate as a whole.”
Max’s instinctive denial was in his eyes and his white-knuckled fists. Thomas pulled his grandfather aside. “I’ve trained with Luic. He was our top recruit, and he’s had a century since then as a general for Haven. Right now, I think he’s our best shot at getting Gaby and Leila back.” Max looked steadily at Luic, considered for a long minute, and gave a single sharp nod. The tables were pushed together. Luic reviewed the resources of teams on both sides and snapped orders. The Gift soldiers looked to Max for confirmation, and he again nodded agreement.
As the day wore on, both Gift and Haven soldiers worked warily together to coordinate the search. Luic and Sebastian were frank with each member of their respective organizations, telling them potential peace talks were jeopardized by the kidnapping and urging cooperation to find the missing women. But despite the massive resources committed to the search, almost twenty-four hours had gone by with no trace of Leila and Gaby.