by Peter Telep
I think so. I grab Meeka’s hand.
“I’m here,” she says.
“You’re not a mask?”
“Hell no.”
I sigh so deeply it hurts.
Okay, everything I just saw happened while we were jumping through the portal. It wasn’t real. It was one of those weird visions where my imagination runs wild. I’ve experienced this before when we jumped back to Earth.
All around us, people groan and whisper, the grren purr softly, water trickles, and footfalls thump through more sand. Flashlights strike my eyes as Meeka and I sit up.
Tommy appears from behind the glare. “Y’all are a sight for sore eyes.”
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“For a Marine stuffed with alien parts, I ain’t doing too bad. And thanks for the taxi ride down. But honestly? It’s been one hell of a day. I hope tomorrow’s better.”
He offers his hand to Meeka, helping her up first because he’s old school, and then she helps me to my feet.
I hang on to her as we wait for the dizziness to pass. My ears are popping, and she says that hers are as well.
My mother hurries over, and even in the dim light, she looks… really good. Even her hair seems shinier. She hugs me deeply.
I choke up and whisper, “Dad’s gone.”
“I know…”
Steffanie approaches, shaking her head. “Got some bad news from Joshua’s people. They heard some of the nomads we rescued jumped back to the Palladium.”
“And they got a little surprise,” Meeka says. “Despers own it now.”
“They’re gonna take it back,” Steffanie says. “And they’re planning to recruit some of the Galleons to help them.”
I curse under my breath. “So all we did is start a war.”
“Centennial needs a new leader,” Steffanie says, raising her brows at Meeka. “Someone who can bring the nomads and the Monkshood together.”
“Don’t look at me,” Meeka says.
Steffanie widens her eyes “I’m looking at you, Princess.”
“Hey, guys,” Wexx says, having trouble meeting our gazes. “I guess I screwed up.”
“We’ll talk later,” Meeka warns him.
“I want to know right now… what did you do?” I ask.
He sighs. “Pretty much what you’d expect. I stole the neutralizer. Got everyone off the drugs. And then we all got taken by the masks.”
“Did you hurt Zach?” I demand.
“He’s fine. We didn’t touch him. And he might be the only Floran on Earth right now.”
Little Rose with the black beanie rushes up beside him, breathless and wired like she’s had caffeine for the first time. “I didn’t want to go with them,” she says. “But now I’m so glad I did.”
I’ve never seen her smile. It’s amazing.
“They cured her,” Wexx says. “I guess they need healthy bodies inside their ship, so if you’re real sick, they fix you up, but if you’re just missing a leg, they don’t care.”
“Rose, you look awesome,” Meeka says, taking the girl’s hands in her own.
“And I heard you’re a princess!”
“Hey, guys?” Keane calls from across the office. “Something’s going on up there…” He points through the gaping hole in the ceiling.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
Galleon is all but gone, except for the mask at its core, but that face looks huge in the night sky, at least ten times bigger than Earth’s moon. It’s glowing more brightly now—
Until it flashes across the stars…
And disappears.
I jump into my persona and then leap as high into orbit as I can without joining the healing wreath. I don’t want any interference. I’m still pretty far away from the ship’s last location, but I manage to pick up the Armadis’s trrune.
They jumped into orbit around another planet.
But it’s not Earth.
It’s much too green, has smaller oceans, and I count at least six moons covered in craters.
Solomon lied? What the hell? I return to my body.
“They didn’t go to Earth,” I mutter. “They jumped some place else.”
“What’re you talking about?” Tommy asks.
I tell everyone what happened in Brandalynn.
“Well, then, we need to fix up this engine and find them,” Tommy says.
“But how?” I ask. “We have the parts, but I can’t fix the engine. Can you? And my grandmother’s the only one who knows how to stop the masks.”
Keane comes forward, unable to meet my gaze. “I think she knew she was going to die.”
“What?” I ask.
“Brandalynn. Your grandmother. I think she knew it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because…” Keane projects his persona.
But it’s not him.
It’s my grandmother’s immortal, and her eyes light up as she recognizes us.
“She gave it to you?” I gasp.
“Remember, Doc, we’re related. All three of us. She came to me while you were busy on the ship. One day you’ll learn to multitask.”
I move closer to the immortal. “Grandma, can you help us fix the engine?”
“Docherty, you need to revise your question,” she says.
“I do?”
“What you’re asking is if I included information on how to fix the engine within my immortal. And the answer is a resounding yes.”
“That’s awesome.”
“I helped your father construct our own simultaneity vortex. But remember, you carry your father’s immortal, and he can help you, too, as can Hollis, whose immortal you also carry. I would urge you to think harder about how to solve problems by using the resources at your disposal.”
“Wow, she’s all formal and chatty,” Keane says.
“Yeah, maybe she thought the scientist part of herself would be more helpful, so she jammed up her immortal with all that professor stuff.”
Keane shrugs. “Well, if she starts giving us homework…”
I grin and face her. “So Grandma, the Armadis jumped to another planet. It’s really green, with a lot of moons.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. They’ve gone to Halsparr.”
“Why?”
“They’re looking for the queen robe.”
“You mean that robe you threw at the masks?”
“Actually, that was a sixrobe that belonged to the A.I.’s persona, and you can only use them once. However, if the Galleons acquire a queen robe, they’ll use her to protect the Armadis and force her to produce more sixrobes. If that happens, we can’t stop them.”
“So we get to Halsparr, hit ‘em hard, and make sure they don’t get their hands on that queen.”
“Yes, but not without your own weapons. You’ll find them at the labs in Larkspur and Faldareach. The Galleons don’t know about them.”
“But my father said you never got inside.”
She hesitates. “Trust me. We just know the weapons are there. And you need to get them right now.”
“Okay, but I’m still confused. Solomon told me they were going to Earth.”
“Eventually they will. But he’s just a mask. He doesn’t know all their plans. Right now they’re weak, and they need to rebuild their ship and protect it.”
Meeka arrives at my shoulder, holding up a small a cube made of black glass. It’s about the size a tennis ball, with no visible switches. “Maybe these can help us get into the labs?”
“What is that?” I ask.
“On that reader are copies of every record we found,” my grandmother says. “Keane and Steffanie have them, too. And yes, you might need them.”
Keane raises a hand. “Are we rushing off on another road trip? Because I’m about to collapse.”
“Me too,” Steffanie says.
“Doc, can I talk to you for a second?” Hedera asks, her persona floating above her palm. “In private?”
I gesture to Keane, who pulls back
my grandmother’s immortal. “We’ll finish this later,” he says. “If the universe doesn’t fall apart first.”
I follow Hedera back near the engine, where she and Rattle glance over at Grace.
“We talked to your mother,” she says. “The Galleons put a wreath in her body. They put one in Tommy, too.”
“I know, but we gave them drugs and turned them off to keep them safe. But the truth is, we don’t know if they even work. I don’t trust anything Solomon says.”
“I get that, but if they do work, then maybe the Galleons can fix us. Plus they have advanced medical knowledge. They cured Grace’s cancer. Maybe they can fix my voice.”
“They won’t.”
“How do you know? They’re not all bad, are they? What about Julie? Can she help?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if you don’t mind, we’d like stick around and see where this goes.”
“That’s up to you, but this time I can’t make any promises. None at all.”
She glances overs at Keane. “That’s okay.”
I smile. “He’s trouble.”
“That’s why I like him.”
I grin weakly. “Yeah…”
Her own smile vanishes as she looks over my shoulder. “Uh, Doc, you’d better turn around.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Before I can see what she’s talking about—
Someone seizes my hand.
And two things happen at once: I jump into my persona and connect with Keane and the girls in the Hood—
To protect myself.
And then, whoa, Keane yells for me to multitask, and I actually do it, dividing my essence into two parts.
And now my senses go into overload as I realize what’s happening and make a conscious decision to connect in my body and in my persona…
I squint at bright sunshine and frown over different air, lighter gravity, and absolute silence.
I’m here in my body…
Back in Julie’s bedroom on Earth.
She stands there in her armor, reaching into her jewelry box to remove the charm bracelet I gave her. She’s crying as she puts it on her glowing wrist. “I kept it.”
I can barely talk. “And I still have something else to give you...”
“I know, but I can’t take it… because I’m a mask.”
“I promised your mother.”
“Doc, there’s nothing I can do.”
“I feel horrible.”
Frustrated, she reaches back with both hands and runs fingers through her hair. “Why did you have to be so young and stupid?”
“What?”
“Don’t you get it? I wanted to love you, but you were so immature.”
“Are you serious?”
“Look, I’m just freaking out. It’s not fair, you know? I thought one day you’d catch up.”
I flash an ugly smile. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s not too late. Come with me.”
I take a step back. “Did they send you?”
“They don’t even know I’m here, not yet, anyway. Just listen. We can do this, but we need you.”
I draw back my head. “Need me for what?”
“If you come with me, I’ll get you there. And if this works, we’ll be together.”
“I’m not turning into one of you.”
“You won’t have to. Please, just trust me. It’s the only way we’ll survive.”
Back in the Hood, we all sit at a high top table, where I show the others what’s going on.
“She’s lying!” Meeka cries.
“Don’t go with her,” Steffanie says.
“I bet it’s not even her,” Keane says. “It’s her father!”
Back in the bedroom, I stare at Julie’s tear-filled eyes.
“You don’t believe me,” she says.
“How do I know it’s even you?”
I shiver as she puts her hands on my shoulders. “Doc, I’m not a monster.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“I’m telling you, it’s me.”
“Yeah, but maybe someone read your memories.”
“Come on, Doc, please.” She flinches and begins to lose her breath. “If you want, I can take you back and show you everything.”
I choke up. “Julie, I’m sorry, but—”
“But what? You need more proof? Then maybe actions speak louder than words.”
She tilts her head and moves in for a kiss.
Back in the Hood, Keane shouts, “Bro, do not accept that rose! Get out of there!”
“He’s right,” Steffanie hollers.
“They’re using her to get to you,” Meeka snaps.
Julie’s lips come within inches of mine. Inches.
Her bedroom walls tighten around us.
Meanwhile in the Hood, Keane compares my situation to the most dramatic episode of The Bachelor ever. Steffanie tells him to shut up.
Meeka grabs my hand. “Don’t make any deals.”
I look at her. “I won’t.”
But what if Julie’s telling the truth?
What if we can’t stop the Galleons without her?
Then again, what if their Armadis is controlling her? They’re supposed to be the most powerful force that’s ever existed—
Unless Solomon lied about them, too. My grandmother said our attack on the Armadis’s ship weakened the Lords and Ladies of Galleon. Maybe they can’t fully control Julie yet... Or maybe she’s really Solomon in disguise. He’s done this before, and I’m sure he’ll do it again.
Still, everything I know says this is Julie. I can feel it.
But she admitted she needs me in order to break free of the Armadis. Maybe she’s using me to do just that.
There’s one other thing, too. Now that Julie’s a mask, her persona doesn’t breathe or have warm skin like ours. There’s just cold air between us. Like death.
I never noticed this before. Maybe I didn’t want to.
As much as it hurts, it’s time to put an end to this.
I step back from her and raise my hands.
Back in the Hood, Keane and the girls cheer.
Julie opens her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything.”
“Doc, it’s not just about us anymore. Please, come on, you have to believe me.”
“I can’t.”
Her eyes narrow, and then she glances over her shoulder, as if expecting someone. “We don’t have time for this.”
“You sound like my father. Just do what I say, and we’ll talk about it later.”
“Listen to me. We have to go!”
“Oh, no problem. I’ll just leave with you.”
She looks wounded. “You don’t love me anymore?”
“Love you? Do you realize what that sounds like? If you want to trick me into helping you, you have to do way better than that.”
Her gaze drifts past me to the doorway, as though we’re being watched. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything, but you have to promise you won’t judge me.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Doc, the Armadis. It’s not what you think. So here’s the first thing…”
She trails off as a strange look comes over her face.
And then her body—I mean her glowing persona in heavy white armor—starts crawling with veins of blue energy that erupt from the seams of her breast plates.
With a shiver, she starts scratching at herself like she’s being attacked by a swarm of bees—
And then she’s thrown across the room, crashing into the wall and destroying the sheetrock.
I whip around, but there’s no one behind us.
When I look back, Julie’s on her knees and reaching for me through the dust cloud, screaming my name…
And then she vanishes in a column of blue static.
I’m alone, standing in absolute silence. The stench of fried electronics fills the room. Smoke dissolves between me and the window.
“Julie?”
I glance toward the ceiling, wondering if she’s out there, somewhere, trying to hear me, trying to get back…
But there’s nothing.
I show Keane and the girls what happened.
And then I try to pull back my persona, but I can’t. It’s just too far away. I tell them what’s happening.
Meeka bolts up from the table. Her stool crashes to the floor behind her. “Get out of there!”
“But what if she comes back?” I ask.
“What if she doesn’t?” Keane asks. “Uh, hello, your body is on Earth and your persona is like a trillion miles away here on Flora!”
“Doc, listen to them,” Steffanie says. “Just go! You need to find Zach. You need to get to your father’s engine!”
I glance around the room. “Aw, no. Maybe you’re right. Maybe she’s not coming back. Maybe this was the trap.”
“Yeah, and now you have less than four hours to get your persona back in your body,” Meeka says.
“I know, I know. Otherwise, I’m dead.”
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN…
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