Next to them was Dad.
I paused for an instant in the doorway of the auditorium. I guess I felt a little shy. But then Dad opened his arms and I raced into them.
Forty
ALESSA
THE RIVERBOAT SPACE STATION
2012
BRITZKY nudged me with an elbow and pointed at a tall woman storming into the auditorium at the head of a pack of tough-looking people with guns.
“Who’s in charge here?” she shouted.
Tom and his dad unhugged and Dr. Traum said, “They are in charge,” pointing to the colored shapes on the stage. “The Supreme Council of the Primary People.”
The woman said, “I am the director of the National Security Agency’s Bureau of Unidentified Flying Objects and Extraterrestrial Life Forms.” She waited for all that to sink in. Then she said, “And I am a special envoy from the president of the United States.”
“You are welcome,” said Dr. Traum. “But first, no weapons are permitted here. Please put down your guns.”
“That’s not going to happen,” said the director.
“I must insist,” said Dr. Traum.
“Insisting would be a mistake,” said the director.
It was a tense moment.
Dr. Traum looked at Tom, who looked at his dad, who nodded.
Tom swept his eyes across the guards. They began screaming and throwing their guns away as if they had turned into . . . snakes!
Britzky and I grinned at each other. I said, “Great twin minds with a single thought.”
“Snakes are getting old,” said Britzky. “Hope they have some other ideas.”
Tom looked at us. I could almost feel him asking us to get the guns out of the room before the guards figured out the snakes were only in their imagination. Britzky must have gotten the same message, because we both hurried over, scooped up the guns, and dumped them outside the auditorium.
When we got back, Tom and his dad gave us the thumbs-up. Dr. Traum was gesturing at the director. “Please, be seated.”
She didn’t look so sure of herself now. She turned and I spotted the Lump right behind her. They looked at each other, then the woman nodded, and they took seats in the front row. So the Lump was working for the government. We had figured that.
“There’s Ronnie,” whispered Britzky.
Ronnie was in the back of the auditorium, looking small and scared. I waved to him. He hurried over, looking grateful. I gave him a hug. I was surprised how easily Ronnie let me do it. He’d always seemed like a guy who hated to be hugged. He shook hands with Britzky. They almost hugged. When we sat down, Buddy jumped into Ronnie’s lap and licked my hand, then Britzky’s. What a family!
Dr. Traum raised his hands. “The Supreme Council of the Primary People has assembled to make its final decision on the termination of the Earths.”
The director looked confused. “Earths?”
Dr. Traum said, “There are two planet Earths. The Primary People created a second Earth, a half century younger than the first, as an experiment.”
“That’s nonsense,” said the director. “It took billions of years for Earth to evolve.”
“That’s true,” said Dr. Traum. “And it took us only one hundred years to clone it.”
“These . . . creatures are insane,” said the director to the Lump, who looked as if he was trying to hush her up. She glared at him.
The stage began to vibrate as the shapes on the grandstand shimmered, melted into one another, then slowly shook back to their original colors and shapes.
Dr. Traum said, “The Council wants to know: Why are you here?”
“It is our intention,” said the director, “to form an interplanetary alliance between Homeplace and Earth. Or the Earths, if you will.”
Dr. Traum gave her his cold smile. “What can you offer us besides extreme weather, unstable governments, and the possibility of nuclear explosions?”
“Goodwill and peace,’” the director said.
The grandstand erupted in laughter.
“The Council finds that ridiculous,” said Dr. Traum. “There has rarely been peace on your warlike planets.”
“Peace between my planet and yours,” said the director. “Otherwise, we would have to regard you as hostile and we would be prepared to blast Homeplace out of the sky.”
“That unfriendly attitude is exactly why the Council is considering when to destroy the Earths,” said Dr. Traum. “For the good of the universe.”
The laughter got nastier as the colors and shapes on the grandstand merged into a Crayola pudding.
Britzky was shivering.
“Are you okay?” I whispered.
“I’m great,” he whispered back. “This is like being inside history, like standing there while the Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution.”
“Except this could get us dead,” I said.
“Those were pretty dangerous times, too,” said Britzky.
The director said, “Let me be completely honest. It’s no secret that Earth is in trouble. Extreme weather will eventually make our planet unable to sustain life. Therefore, the American people would like to enter into a relationship with the Primary People. We hope we might be able to share your planet when we are no longer able to live on ours.”
“Let me ask you again,” said Dr. Traum. “What can you possibly offer us?”
“We can offer you continued existence,” said the director. “You can accept our offer or suffer the consequences.”
“Threats,” said Dr. Traum, “from the bully of the universe.”
The grandstand on stage went berserko. There was screaming and barking as the colors spun like a kaleidoscope.
“I figured it out,” whispered Britzky. “They’re holograms. The real Primary People must be somewhere else. Maybe on Homeplace.”
“How do you know stuff like that?” I was impressed.
“Like I told you, everything’s online,” he said. “If you know where to look.”
Dr. Traum said, “As you can see, the Council is not amused. It will adjourn now to decide how soon to destroy the Earths.”
Forty-one
EDDIE
THE RIVERBOAT SPACE STATION
2012
DAD had pushed me into a library! Four walls covered with books, floor to ceiling. Why couldn’t it have been a gym? If I had to wait all by myself, I’d rather be shooting hoops. It’s not that I hate books. A book just doesn’t fit into my hands the way a ball does. No secret—I’m not a great reader. I have trouble keeping my mind on the words.
There was a table and chair in the middle of the room. There was an open book on the table. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.
I walked around the room. Maybe I could find a sports book. No luck. There were history books and famous novels I had heard of in school, such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Grapes of Wrath, and lots of books in different languages. There were shelves and shelves of books by Twain.
I went back to the table and looked at Tom Sawyer.
Chapter One
“TOM!”
No answer.
“TOM!”
No answer.
“What’s gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!”
The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style,” not service—she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well.
She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
“Well, I lay if I get hold of you I’ll—”
It wasn’t that bad, I guess, sort of old-timey and slow. But I didn’t feel like reading right then.
I put the book down and put my ear against the door. I could hear some yelling out there, but I couldn’t make it out. I tried to tune in Tom bu
t got no answer. Just like the old lady in the book.
I returned to the pages. There was something tucked into the back. A comic book! A Classics Illustrated version of Tom Sawyer.
When I picked it up, a piece of paper fluttered out.
It was a letter. To me! From Dad!
Dear Eddie,
I know you’ll read this and that’s a beginning.
I know you’ve never thought of yourself as much of a reader, and that could be my fault. We loved playing ball together so much, we didn’t spend enough time reading together. I hope we get a chance to work on that. Meanwhile, I think two good books for you to read are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I know you’ve read the first page of Tom Sawyer, and I bet you thought to yourself that it wasn’t so bad but kind of old-fashioned and slow, and you put it down. I’d like you to try it again. But first, let me tell you a little about the story to get you started.
Tom Sawyer is a goodhearted boy who likes to act bad. He’s pretty tricky. One time he has to whitewash a fence and he persuades the kids in town to do it—and they pay him to do it, too! He gets to go to his own funeral. He solves a murder, finds buried treasure, and has all kinds of dangerous adventures.
Maybe Tom Sawyer reminds you of your brother, Tom. You’ll enjoy the book. And the best part is that there’s a second book—even better, I think—about Tom’s best pal, a brave kid named Huckleberry Finn, who reminds me of you!
Hope you enjoy your reading. We’ll do some together soon.
Love,
Dad
I read the letter twice. I’d never gotten a letter from Dad before. He used to call home every night when he was on the road coaching basketball and tell me about where he was and what he was doing. But he’d never written. The letter made me feel close to him. He did care about us. Dad and I had barely talked when we’d hugged a little while ago. He told me how proud he was of me and we just held on.
I liked the idea that we’d be doing some reading together soon. I decided to read both books, even if it was going to be hard. I knew I could do it. I had been a lousy foul-shooter until I’d started practicing seriously every single day. I started on the comic-book version of Tom Sawyer first, figuring it would help me with the real version. When I neared the end, I realized I was actually enjoying reading for the first time in my life.
Bang! The door burst open and Tom ran in. Dad was right behind him.
Group hug.
It was Dad who pushed us apart. “Not much time. The Council is about to come back with a date on which to destroy the Earths. We have one chance to persuade them not to, and it’ll take you boys making a speech.”
“To say what?” said Tom.
“That’s up to you,” said Dad. “You need to convince them to spare the Earths, or at least give earthlings more time to make their planets better.”
“Both of us?” I asked, hoping it would be Tom.
“Only one of you can go out,” said Dad. “We don’t want the human beings to know there are two of you. But you can work together, transmitting.”
“Let Tom go out,” I said. “He’s smarter.”
“Let Eddie go,” said Tom. “Dr. Traum likes him better.”
“Dr. Traum likes you both,” said Dad. “But I think Eddie should go out. He’s had a lot of public-speaking experience lately. Tom can stay here and come up with good ideas. Nothing beats twins working together. Twin powers.”
Forty-two
TOM
THE RIVERBOAT SPACE STATION
2012
IT took a lot of energy to imagine a peephole in the library door. But not as much as it had taken me a few days ago to bore through a trailer wall to see a fat guy reading a fishing magazine on the toilet.
My powers were improving!
Eddie was standing in front of the auditorium, looking up at the stage. We had swapped clothes, fast, so the director and the Lump wouldn’t catch on. Dr. Traum stood in front of a closed curtain, looking down at Eddie. It looked like a staring contest, but I figured they were transmitting. I tuned in.
The Council is angry, Eddie. You’ll have one chance to convince them to postpone the Earths’ death sentence.
I’m ready, Dr. Traum.
Good old Give-Me-the-Ball Eddie. But I could tell he wasn’t all that sure of himself. His jaw was tight so his teeth wouldn’t chatter, and his legs were locked so his knees wouldn’t quiver. Not like hoops, huh?
What’s wrong with you, Tom? Think Dad should have sent you out instead? You suggested Eddie. Get on the team. Give him a pat.
You can do it, big guy, I transmitted to Eddie.
Thanks, bro.
He needed that. It felt good to be his coach, especially for something important, not sports.
Dad was standing in a corner, smiling and nodding. He was hearing us. In the seats behind Eddie were Alessa, Britzky, Ronnie, that dog, and that bigger dirty dog, the Lump, next to the director of that NSA bureau. I was trying to probe their minds when the curtain rose.
The Council was on the grandstand again, green and red and purple pulsing and buzzing. They were holograms, I figured. The real Primary People must have been up on Homeplace.
Dr. Traum said, “Before you announce your decision, members of the Council, I have an appeal. Tom Canty requests an opportunity to speak to you.”
The colors on the grandstand shifted and melted together. “We have made our decision!”
I sent Eddie some strong, positive vibrations. Come out swinging!
“Wait a minute!” shouted Eddie. “You’ve got to hear me out.”
You could see the grandstand rattle. The Council was not used to being ordered around. There was a loud “Why?”
“Because you don’t have any right to just create something and then walk away from it.”
The Council didn’t like that. The colors mixed and got darker. The buzzing grew louder.
Hit ’em again, Eddie. Tell ’em they have to take responsibility.
“You guys have to take responsibility for your actions. You’re putting all the blame on human beings when you should take some yourself.”
That struck home. The buzzing faded away. “Speak!”
“I grew up on what you call EarthTwo, but for us it was the only Earth. It’s 1958 there now, and we’re just starting to think about the problems that EarthOne is dealing with in 2012.”
Even Dr. Traum was nodding Eddie on. Whose side was that guy on?
“I don’t think you really helped us enough,” said Eddie. “You take credit for EarthTwo, okay, but was it just an experiment for you? How can you do all the stuff you did and then not make sure it works out for people?
“Dad taught me that I have to be accountable for everything I do. He must have learned that from you guys, his people, the Primary People.”
Way to go, bro.
It was quiet in the auditorium except for Eddie’s breathing. It takes a lot of energy to make a speech like that.
The grandstand sounded meek. “What do you want us to do?”
What do we want them to do, Tom?
It’s their problem, Eddie.
“I don’t know—I’m not smart enough,” said Eddie. “But my dad is. And you guys have to be pretty smart, with all you’ve done. I know you can figure out how to deal with extreme weather and nukes.”
SNAP.
The figures on the stage vanished, sucked into a single spot of light that blinked and went dark like a TV set shutting down.
Dr. Traum stood alone on the stage. “The Council has reconvened to reconsider its vote. Well done, young man.”
You’re a monster, Eddie—you did great.
We did great, Tommy. Thanks for the coaching.
What a humble guy. I was so proud of him. I felt bad for feeling jealous. And for thinking that he’d need me to supply all his words.
Dad, Alessa, Britzky, and Ronnie surrounded Eddie, grabbing and hugging him. The dog kept trying to jump up on him.
I wished I could be with them. But not as long as the Lump, the director, and the Friendship One crew were out there.
They were all standing around the Lump, who was staring at a screen in his hand. I imagined a surveillance camera over his shoulder to get a peek at it.
Uh-oh.
What looked like black spaceships were heading toward us.
Suddenly I knew what I needed to do and who I needed to help me.
Forty-three
RONNIE
THE RIVERBOAT SPACE STATION
2012
BUDDY went bananas when the twins changed places again. Eddie went back into the library and a few minutes later Tom came out wearing Eddie’s clothes, which were a little loose on him. I wondered if anyone besides me could tell. Buddy was growling and squirming. I had to hold him tight. The director and the Lump didn’t seem to notice the switch. They were too busy huddled in a corner, looking at a little screen. Something was up. I had a bad feeling.
Dr. Traum said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Council will be occupied for a while. There is food in the adjoining room.” He waved his arm toward a door in the back of the auditorium. Britzky and Alessa took off toward it.
Tom tapped my arm and jerked his head toward the door that led to the docking bay. When I followed him, Buddy squirted out of my arms and ran to the library door, scratching at it.
“He’ll be okay,” Tom whispered. “Eddie’ll come out after we’re gone.”
“Gone where?”
Tom just walked faster. My bad feeling grew into an icy ball in my stomach, but I kept following Tom. He had saved me. I trusted him.
Nobody stopped us as we hurried through the tube to Friendship One. Once we were on the threshold of the blue spaceship, a guard blocked our way until Tom stared at him. The guard finally stepped aside and smiled at us. When we got to the bridge, the pilot stood up.
The Twin Powers Page 11