It took at least fifteen minutes to skirt the village, but it seemed a lot longer to Paul. Once back to the road, Paul switched off his flashlight. He told Amy and Frank, “I don’t see any soldiers, but I think we should get there A.S.A.P.” Paul led them, running, down the road, careful not to trip anyone with his staff.
Paul soon found the path to the ruins. He led them up the path, keeping them as quiet as he could. When they were close to the ruins, Paul heard two men talking in Spanish. Paul signaled Amy and Frank to be quiet. “There are two men talking, probably soldiers, at the ruins,” he whispered. “Get off the path. We’ll wait for them to leave.” Paul led them quietly to where they could sit down behind some bushes.
“Are there snakes out here?” asked Amy nervously.
Paul grinned, and answered in a whisper, “Yes, but if you see one, don’t scream.” Amy didn’t think it was funny.
They waited for 30 minutes, and then the soldiers finally left, heading up the hill. They waited until they couldn’t hear them talking any more. Paul led them cautiously into the clearing. No one was there. “This time we all go together. We just need to get out of here.”
Simon wasn’t waiting for them when they came through.
Amy suggested, “Simon must be at the campsite.”
Paul stated, “I wish we knew how to stop the bell sound?”
“Mr. New York knew how,” Frank noted.
“Let’s ask Simon about the bell,” Amy suggested
As they entered the campsite Amy saw Simon in his lounger. He looked tired, and could hardly raise his hand to greet her. She took Simon’s wrist but could hardly find a pulse. She saw that Simon was looking at her face and knew what she was thinking.
“Amy, don’t worry. I know I have little time left. Paul and Frank, you sit down too. I need to focus on a few things. I had time to think this morning. I’m not going to teach you more Galactic today; I’ve more important things to cover. Besides, you can practice from what is on that camcorder.” Frank nodded. “So, Amy, first tell me what happened?”
Amy explained to Simon what had happened in Mexico, without mentioning Mr. New York.
“Well I can solve the problem with the bell,” said Simon. “There’s a code that brings up the black dome before you enter the sequence. The bell does not sound at either end. You have to be careful with this code as you can become dizzy in the dark of the dome. It’s absolutely black in the dome, and your air can run out in time. Once you’ve used this code, and the dome is up, then tap in the sequence.”
“I don’t think that the dark will be a problem, we’ve all been on rides,” said Frank.
Simon didn’t understand, and Amy put her palm up to interrupt Frank’s explanation.
“What’s the code?” Frank asked.
“It’s 1-1-8.” Simon said.
Amy remembered this code from the video; it’s what the Mr. New York had tapped. Amy exchanged looks with Paul and Frank.
Simon continued, “Now today, I have to tell you all the sequences to reach Quenlac Three. You must memorize them. Writing them down will put my planet at risk.”
Frank was curious, “What sort of risk?”
Simon looked at them all; Amy thought he was preparing to tell them bad news, “There are bandits and slavers, out there. People who invade vulnerable planets and kill, rob, and enslave. Be careful and do not draw attention to yourselves.”
Frank protested, “Bandits and slavers?”
Simon responded, “I have been told they exist on Earth as well. The route I give you should keep you away from their worlds.”
Simon paused, looking at each of them, and then looking at the ferns behind them, “So, do all three of you agree to undertake the task I asked of you?”
Amy answered for them all, “We discussed it, and all three of us agree to go.”
“Good!” Simon relaxed back in his lounger and smiled, “Now, we need to start on the sequences for the nineteen transits that will take you to Quenlac Three. Once you’ve memorized them I will tell you about each of the planets.” Gazing at the ferns around the clearing, Simon added, “You must not tell anyone the sequences, and never record them. I have prepared the journey for you, and the journey through these pillars, archways, and yellow domes, will teach you about the Isolated Planets. It is a path that you need to follow step by step.”
Simon needed many breaks that day, so progress was slow. He gave them an explanation about the yellow domes and the pillars, telling them, “We lost most knowledge but we have relearned some. A pillar can take you to a yellow dome. Most pillars are programmed to automatically send you on to the next pillar if you tap the right sequence. They can be programmed to go through a yellow dome, this gives you more range. In a yellow dome, using the archways there, we Wayfarers once were able to pair two archways together to create an automatic journey from dome to dome. In a yellow dome, or on another pillar that is yellow, if you tap the code 1-5-1, it will always send you back to where you came from. This means you can’t be trapped there. The 1-1-1 code works in the yellow domes and on any pillar that is yellow, sending you back to the pillar you came from, wiping out the record of the sequence. Good in emergencies. Use a 1-1-3 code to clear any record of where you came from; that protects secret locations.”
There was a lot more for them to memorize during the long day.
It was dark before they finished, and Amy saw that Simon was frustrated at having to stop. They’d had to take lots of breaks; Simon was getting tired faster each day. Amy was frustrated too, there was so much more she wanted to ask. She’d left Simon a phone card, her cell number, and instructions on how to use the phone at the store. That was the best she could do in the situation, but knew it wasn’t enough. Amy felt really bad about abandoning Simon.
“One last thing,” said Simon. “Amy, I want you to use my staff.”
“But then you won’t have a staff!”
“I’ll have yours. Don’t worry; I won’t be traveling anymore. I’m too tired to argue. It’s yours now. I insist.”
Amy agreed, “OK, but it’s still yours.”
Simon agreed, “As you say, OK. When you get to Quenlac Three, you can give it to them if you want. Staff is important and after my death it will assist you.” Simon took her hand and placed it firmly on the staff on top of the ring of carvings, squeezing her hand onto the staff. There was a sharp pain, like a static zap in her palm where it gripped the staff. A splinter, Amy thought.
While Frank packed up the camcorder, Amy and Paul helped Simon into the tent and onto the bed. Simon was soon asleep. They forgot to look for sapphires, distracted by their concerns about Simon’s health.
At the pillar, Amy asked, “Now what? The soldiers could still be at the pillar.”
Paul answered, “I’ve thought about that. Sending one of us through first doesn’t make sense. If one gets caught eventually the others get caught, and two trips increases the chance of getting caught. We should all go together from now on. Three can deal with any trouble better than one.”
Frank asked, “But what if the soldiers are still there?”
Paul smiled, “I suggest that as the dome disappears we just start walking. If the soldiers are there, we just act as if we walked into the clearing. Even if they see the dome, we’ll use the code so there is no bell, we just deny it. Who will they believe; two recruits who say that three people came out of a black dome, or three people who say they walked into the clearing startling the soldiers.”
“That could work,” answered Amy. “Who would believe a story about people appearing from a black dome?”
Frank agreed, “I wouldn’t. I hardly believe it and I’ve done it!”
When they arrived it was dusk in Mexico, and Amy was happy to see that no one was in the clearing. Paul led Amy and Frank quietly up the path. The jungle was quieter in the dark, with only a few birdcalls now and then. Near the top of the path Paul stopped them, whispering, “I smell cigarette smoke!”
Amy could hear some men, complaining to each other about being left there all day.
Paul signaled for them to move quietly back down the path. “We need to go another way.”
“We’re in trouble!” Frank whispered.
Paul raised his hand, halting Frank’s panic, “Some of the people at the resort, like your aunt and uncle, go to the bonfire at the cantina closest to the resort each sunset. There should be a crowd there now. We just go back with them.”
“How do we get through the village?” asked Amy.
“We can skirt the village through the jungle or the beach,” said Paul. “OK?”
There were no objections from her or Frank, so Paul led them back down the path, through the clearing, and down to the road. They all stumbled over rocks and unseen roots on the path. As they reached the road Paul signaled them to wait as he moved carefully through the last bushes to the edge of the road. They were near enough to the beach that the surf drowned out any noise. Amy watched Paul move to the center of the road, and crouch down facing the village. She hoped he wouldn’t be seen.
Paul moved back to Amy and Frank, whispering, “There’s someone on the road at the bend before the village. They’re smoking and you can see the red tip of the cigarette. That red tip disappears when they pace back and forth. We’ll cross the road one at a time. I’ll wave when they have their back to us. We’ll use the bushes between the road and the beach for as long as we can. We'll go back by the beach, the jungle's no good. OK?”
Amy and Frank answered, “OK.”
Paul went back to the road, waited for a while, and then moved quickly to the other side. He signaled and Amy ran across. Paul waited for the person on the road to turn around again. Amy saw the red dot of the cigarette disappear, and Paul signaled to Frank to join them. They'd made it this far.
“I can’t see anything, and there’s no path. We’ll have to use the flashlights in the bushes to the beach.” Paul took off his ball cap and wrapped it around the flashlight so there was only a small patch of light on the ground; Frank did the same using his jacket.
Paul led them through the bushes, with Frank coming last shining his flashlight on Amy’s feet. They made some noise, but Amy thought that the surf would drown that out. It only took them a few minutes to reach the open area along the top of the beach. The moon wasn’t in the sky, but there was enough starlight to make their way and Amy could see the white surf on the beach.
Paul stopped them at the edge of the open area before the first cantinas. Amy saw a number of soldiers under the store lights of the store in the center of the village. In front of the cantinas, they could see all the way down the beach to where the bonfire burned.
“How do we get there?” Frank whispered to Paul.
Paul pointed to the surf, “If we go beyond the surf they can't see us. We wade past the village, and come up the beach at the bonfire.”
Frank said, “That’ll work but our tee-shirts are white or yellow, they’ll show up.”
“We could go naked,” Paul smiled, glancing at Amy, “our skins are tanned enough.”
Amy snorted, “Not likely!”
Paul laughed, “OK! OK! I wasn’t serious. We ‘boys’ can take off our tops and wade so that the water is above our shorts. Amy, you can wear my camo jacket to cover your yellow top; it’ll be hot but it’s dark enough. We’ll have to hold our bags away from the village so they don’t show up; be sure that none of the shiny parts reflect the lights.”
Paul pulled out his jacket and put it over Amy and her backpack. It was big enough to cover everything. Amy thought she should be hard to see.
Amy asked, “What about our staffs?”
“Yeah!” stated Frank. “If we float them in the water, they won’t show up.”
“OK,” Paul agreed. “We go one at a time. Just wade out until your shorts stay covered.” Frank went first. Once Frank’s shorts were under the surface, he seemed to disappear.
“Good! We can’t be seen,” said Paul. “Amy, just go straight out. Once you’re closer to Frank you’ll find him.”
Amy waded out, it was just black beyond the surf and she couldn’t see Frank. Frank called out, “Over here Amy.”
Paul followed them and they could watch him come through the surf, and he was silhouetted against the surf. Frank called him to where they stood. They could see all of the beach and its cantinas; it was hard to imagine that the people couldn’t see them. Paul led them along the beach, staying behind the surf.
Amy wondered if there were jellyfish out here, and do sharks attack at night. She decided not to ask.
Paul stopped them once they were opposite the bonfire. “Those two people,” said Paul pointing at a cantina in the middle of the beach, “I’m sure they’re the couple I told you about. See how they keep looking up and down the beach.”
“Who are they?” asked Amy.
“Likely military,” Paul answered. “Their backpacks were US military camouflage patterns. Go up the beach one at a time; that way they won’t notice us. People are going from the bonfire to the water all the time.”
“I’ll go first,” said Frank. “Aunt Gladys and Uncle Al are there. I’ll tell them the hike was longer than planned.” Frank waded through the surf, and walked up the beach to the bonfire.
* * *
“Hi Aunt, Uncle, having fun?” asked Frank.
“Where’d you come from?” said Uncle Al, looking around.
“We waded through the surf to cool off. The hike took longer than planned. Here comes Amy now.” Amy was carrying Paul’s camo jacket.
“Having a good time?” Frank asked, trying to distract them from the one at a time procession through the surf. Frank was sure that if Uncle Al saw it he’d be suspicious.
“A real nice day, except for all these soldiers about. Did they bother you?” asked Aunt Gladys.
“We saw them. What are they doing?” asked Amy.
Aunt Gladys replied before Uncle Al could, “They said they were running an exercise. Every soldier that comes along asks us our names, and asks if we are from the resort; as if we could come from somewhere else!”
Paul was up on the beach now, listening to the conversation.
Frank thought they should be safe, just part of the bonfire group now. These soldiers made him nervous.
Uncle Al changed the subject, “Enough on that, back to fun. We’ve already eaten so why don’t you head back; we’ll see you at the show.”
Frank accepted the chance to avoid any further questions, “OK Uncle, we’ll see you there.”
* * *
Al Wiseman watched them go, “What happened to the days when Frank told us everything?”
Aunt Gladys turned in her chair to look at her husband, “What hasn’t Frank told us?”
“I don’t know, but something happened that they don’t want to tell us about. Frank, Amy, and Paul have become really intense friends in a short time. A turning point in their lives, I think. Frank has already changed. You know I’ve never regretted taking Frank on. We couldn’t have our own children, and Frank, with his nose in his computer since he was eight, was an easy child to raise. A bit of a geek, but as brilliant as his father was. Having friends like Amy and Paul, it’s going to change him.” He added, laughing, “It might even improve his manners!”
Gladys looked carefully at Al; he didn't like to offer opinions, but when he did he was usually right. Gladys watched Frank, Amy, and Paul with a thoughtful expression, as they walked to the resort.
* * *
Amy, Paul, and Frank had reached the dirt road when they met a group of soldiers under the first resort lights. They were young, probably in their late teens. One asked them, in broken English, who they were, and where they were going.
Amy stepped forward, smiling, and in fluent Spanish introduced everyone, telling the soldiers that they’d been at the bonfire and were now on their way to the resort. Amy’s Spanish brought out some smiles from the soldiers, as one of them note
d down Amy’s response. Amy asked if they could proceed, and with smiles, the soldiers let them go on.
Amy stopped outside the lobby where no one could hear them. “Do we want to discuss this tonight?” asked Amy. She received no response. “Well, I’m mentally overloaded. I need some downtime tonight, so let’s just enjoy the resort’s show. How about we meet at the beach tomorrow, my parents want me to join them for a while as it’s our last day here, and then we can head for Simon’s campsite.”
“That sounds good,” Paul responded, “I’m overloaded too.”
Frank agreed, “Show tonight. After breakfast, at the beach. OK.” Frank left without even a look. Paul smiled at Amy, sharing her bewilderment at Frank’s lack of social skills, giving her a polite nod before he headed for his room.
* * *
General Hardisty entered the satellite control room. Colonel Daniel Richards approached him, saluted, and reported, “General, Sir, the second set of pulses came later than usual, and there was only one pulse this morning, and one pulse in the evening. A change in the pattern. The sweep by the Mexican army found nothing, so I don’t think we are going to have anything happen now.”
General Hardisty was angry. “Today’s operation must have tipped off the terrorists. You’ve given our awareness away!”
“There’s no reason to conclude that, Sir.”
“You didn’t handle it properly, Colonel. If we lose these terrorists now, you’ll be responsible. Here are your new orders.” General Hardisty handed him a folded sheet of paper.
Dan read it, and refrained from responding. He knew that the General had approved all the operational plans; he’d just have to fight that battle at another time. The General left without another comment. Colonel Richards could see his staff visibly relax, as if a weight had come off their shoulders. Then he smiled, realizing he was doing exactly the same thing.
He reminded himself that the General had some good points, improving his sections’ efficiency, and not to forget that.
Dan stayed in the control room, working through some paperwork he had brought with him. Later, the Captain on duty came up to his desk. “Yes, Captain?”
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