The Navel of the World

by P. J. Hoover

  Nathan took the lumitube and studied it. “Wonderful. Just wonderful. This is in excellent condition. Where in the world did you get it?”

  None of your business, Benjamin thought as he stuffed the lumitube back into his pocket. He felt the small metal box with the thing they’d gotten back in Geros in there, too, so he switched the lumitube to the other pocket. If he wasn’t supposed to touch the thing, he didn’t want to take any chances. “Just at some shop downtown.”

  “I hope whoever sold it doesn’t get caught,” Nathan said. “Anyway, Benjamin, I was hoping to be able to speak to you.” He looked at everyone else. “Privately.”

  Benjamin shrugged. “Sure, I guess so. I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute.”

  After Andy, Gary, Heidi, and Iva walked away, Benjamin turned to Nathan. What did he want this time? Had he figured out they’d gotten a copy of the record? Had he realized they’d recycled more records than they’d filed? “What’s up?”

  Nathan leaned close. “Your father is worried about you.”

  “Worried about what?” Benjamin asked. “I’m fine.”

  “He’s worried there may be people exerting a negative influence on you.”

  Instantly defenses went up around Benjamin’s mind. Whatever he and the members of the Alliance may think—whoever they thought was evil—was none of Nathan Nyx’s business. Why did his dad trust this guy so much? Was there something his dad knew that he didn’t?

  “Who would be exerting a negative influence on me?” Benjamin asked, hoping his voice sounded calmer than he felt.

  “He’s not sure,” Nathan said. “Have you met anyone new this year? Anyone who’s trying to get close to you?”

  “Of course I’ve met new people,” Benjamin said. “I have new kids in my classes, new teachers.”

  “Benjamin, the enemy could be anywhere,” Nathan said.

  Had his dad told Nathan that Benjamin was adopted? Or that he didn’t know who his birth parents were?

  “What enemy, Nathan?” Benjamin asked. “Why would I have any enemies?”

  “Benjamin, your father asked me to keep an eye out for you,” Nathan said. “I’m smart enough to realize you’re important, and others will be smart enough, too. Your father sent me to warn you to be careful who you trust. Nothing happens by coincidence, Benjamin. There are no chance encounters.”

  Benjamin’s mind flew to Morpheus Midas and Walker Pan. Then to Leena Teasag. Joey Duncan even crept into his mind. He shook his head. “What am I supposed to do? Stop going to classes and barricade myself in my dorm room?”

  “No, of course not,” Nathan said. “Just heed the warning. Friends may not really be friends after all.”

  “Thanks for the positive words, Nathan.” What an idiotic thing for Nathan to say. “I think it’s time I go catch up with my friends. Unless of course they’re spying on us right now and planning their next chance encounter.” Benjamin started walking away, leaving Nathan in the corridor.

  As Benjamin walked, he tried to put Nathan Nyx out of his mind. Unsuccessfully. The last thing Benjamin needed right now were doubts about his friends.

  Why did his dad keep sending Nathan on these little errands anyway? And his dad had asked Nathan to keep an eye out for him. Nathan had been fine when he gave Benjamin the credit account and the access codes to Geros, but now he was just annoying. Benjamin kept forgetting to mention it to his dad when he talked to him on the telecom; things just always were so rushed. Next time he would remember to say something for sure.

  When Benjamin caught up to his friends, they’d decided to split for the day. Gary insisted on going to one of the libraries attached to the Ruling Hall to research Greek history. Iva headed down to the telegnostic levels to practice. Heidi decided to head off to the Crags by herself. And Benjamin didn’t feel like doing any of those. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t have minded hanging out with Heidi, but she had said alone. So he and Andy decided to wander around the city for the rest of the day.

  “So really, Benjamin, who gets to time travel next weekend?” Andy asked.

  Benjamin didn’t say anything at first. Sure, he’d been thinking about it, but he’d been trying to keep his thoughts quiet. They walked down Mu Way, heading nowhere in general. It was only after Andy stopped and stared at him that he finally replied. “We’re talking about three thousand years ago,” Benjamin said. “Don’t you dare tell Heidi or Iva I said this, but I’m scared for either of them to travel that far back in time when we have no idea what to expect.”

  Andy made a victory sign with his arm. “Yes!”

  “I know, I know. Convenient for you,” Benjamin said. “But I’m serious. Do you know what was happening back in ancient Greece three thousand years ago?”

  “Gary’s the right person to answer that,” Andy said. “That’s why he’s at the library.”

  “Well it’s a good thing Gary will be going, too,” Benjamin said. “What I’m talking about is the Trojan War. That’s what was happening three thousand years ago.”

  “You’re telling me we’re going to time travel back to the Trojan War?” Andy said.

  Benjamin nodded.

  “Like with Homer and Odysseus and Achilles?” Andy asked.

  Benjamin nodded again.

  “And with the Trojan Horse and everything?”

  Benjamin continued nodding.

  “Awesome!” Andy said. “We get to go back in time and witness one of the most famous wars ever.”

  “And one of the most ruthless and bloody wars ever,” Benjamin said.

  “Oh.”

  “So now you can see why there’s really no choice but for it to just be you and me and Gary,” Benjamin said.

  “Iva and Heidi are gonna be furious,” Andy said. “Especially if they find out your reasoning.”

  “I’m just not going to tell them,” Benjamin said.

  “How in the world are you going to keep Heidi from reading your mind?”

  “I haven’t figured that out yet,” Benjamin said. “I don’t think I can hold a mind block from now until next Saturday straight.”

  Andy laughed. “Then you better prepare yourself for their wrath.”

  Benjamin sighed. “Yeah, I know. Just something else to look forward to.”

  CHAPTER 17

  Benjamin Sees a Familiar Face in Delphi

  Sunday relaxation was not on the menu. Just after breakfast, the location for the day’s archaeological dig was transmitted to their heads-up displays.

  Iva shot up from her chair. “Awesome! We’re going to Delphi!”

  “In Greece?” Benjamin asked.

  Iva gave him the you-are-an-idiot look. “Of course in Greece.”

  “Hey isn’t Delphi the place where Kronos puked that stone up?” Heidi said.

  “What?” Andy said.

  Gary nodded before Heidi had a chance to respond. “You know—what we learned about in lecture. Kronos thought it was one of his kids. Mr. Hermes called it the Navel of the World.”

  Andy yawned. “I don’t remember that.”

  “That’s because you were sleeping,” Iva said.

  “I remember,” Benjamin said. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

  “You know Delphi was the most telegnostic place ever,” Iva said. “The most famous oracles in ancient times—well normal earth ancient times—used to live at Delphi and work for the god Apollo. People came from everywhere to see what the oracles would say.”

  “Yeah, in ancient times on Earth oracles were super respected,” Heidi added.

  “But didn’t oracles used to look for the future in pig intestines?” Gary asked.

  “Maybe the ones who weren’t telegens. No true telegnostic would need to sacrifice an animal to see a possible future.” Iva danced back and forth in place. “Let’s go already.”

  From the minute they arrived at Delphi, Iva’s eyes grew as big as saucers. She could hardly stand still.

  Their teacher Sci Omega stood by a temple when they arrived. Ryan Jordan and
Julie Macfarlane teleported there holding hands. Following closely were Jonathan Sheehan and Suneeta Manvar, definitely not holding hands. Julie glared at Iva as she walked by, but Iva didn’t notice. Her eyes had narrowed, and Benjamin saw that Jonathan caught her eye and smirked as he walked by. Iva shook her head and looked away. Was he still spying on her dreams? Benjamin felt his blood heat up as he thought about it, but what could he do? He wasn’t supposed to know.

  “You all need to stay within the boundaries of Delphi.” Sci’s blue eyes bore into them as he spoke. “Also, we went over this in class, but I need to say it again. The forbidden doorway is off limits. It’s secured shut, so please don’t try to pry it open; you’ll only trigger an alarm.” He looked right at Andy. “If you need anything, I’ll be in the arena.” He teleported away without another word.

  Iva sighed. “I think I’ll just wander around on my own for a little bit.” She barely got it out before walking away. But Benjamin did notice she walked the opposite direction from Jonathan.

  “I guess she wants to feel the experience.” Heidi turned to the guys. “So where to?”

  Benjamin looked at Andy, and they both smiled.

  “Where else?” Andy said. “Let’s go check out the forbidden doorway.”

  Benjamin didn’t look at Gary; he didn’t want to listen to the argument, but it came anyway.

  Gary put his hands on his hips. “You heard what Sci Omega just said. The forbidden doorway is off limits.”

  But Andy had already started walking, and Heidi and Benjamin quickly followed. Benjamin turned to look just in time to see Gary shake his head, sigh, and then run to catch up.

  The forbidden doorway was hidden in an underground temple near the top of a hill, and it was in near perfect shape.

  “So this is how Atlantians really used to sneak out of the barrier shield around Atlantis?” Heidi asked.

  Gary looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching. “This is just one of many doors. The leaders of Lemuria sometimes find these doorways scattered around Earth even now.”

  “It’s no wonder agents from Atlantis can still get free of the dome,” Andy said. “These doors are virtually undetectable.”

  Benjamin looked at Andy. How in the world did Andy know something like that?

  Andy shrugged. “We learned all about these doors in agent training. Sometimes Lemurian agents need to use them.” He gave the door a final look. “Let’s go check out the stone Kronos puked up. That sounds pretty cool.”

  “And pretty fitting,” Benjamin said.

  “It’s actually in the museum now.” Heidi started walking back down the hill. “But according to the map, it used to be down there in the center of the temple.”

  “You know Kronos didn’t actually puke the stone up here,” Gary said. “It’s told that once he did throw it up, Zeus saved it and then used it to mark the center of the world.”

  “How would he know this was the center of the world?” Andy asked as they started after Heidi.

  “He released two eagles from Mount Olympus which flew in opposite directions and met here at Delphi,” Gary said. “He placed the stone here as the mark for the center of the world.”

  “Hence the name ‘The Navel of the World’, right?” Benjamin asked.

  “Exactly,” Heidi said, overhearing the conversation.

  “The stone is also called the Omphalos, which actually means navel,” Gary added.

  “Really, Gary, where do you get all this information?” Andy asked.

  “I read about it,” Gary said. “It’s also interesting to know that before Apollo set up his oracle here, it was occupied by a goddess named Ge. Apollo had to kill her son, a giant snake god named Pytho to claim Delphi.”

  “Anything else interesting?” Andy asked. Benjamin could tell Andy couldn’t have cared less. Since leaving the forbidden doorway, all Andy seemed to be doing was craning his neck around looking for Iva.

  “I think it’s interesting, Gary,” Heidi said. “When did Apollo set up his oracle here?”

  “Earth history only records Apollo’s site here from the eight century BC, but Lemurian history puts it here much earlier than that, probably around the twentieth century BC,” Gary said. “I’d be willing to trust the Lemurian records.”

  “So where in Ancient Greece will we be traveling back to?” Heidi asked.

  Benjamin tightened his mind shield—keeping Heidi out. “Troy. And we haven’t decided who’s going yet.”

  “I know,” Heidi said. “But I guess it would probably only be fair if Andy and Iva went along with you this time.”

  Benjamin nodded. “Good point.” He kept the mind block solid which was becoming a permanent fixture around his thoughts.

  “Speaking of which, let’s find Iva,” Andy said. “Maybe she can make some divine predictions on the future for us.”

  Benjamin walked a little farther when he looked down and saw Heidi’s ugly, green star on the ground—the one she’d gotten from the past. He bent down to pick it up. Man, it was ugly. Why had she bought this thing?

  “Hey, Heidi,” he called ahead to her.

  She turned to look.

  “You dropped this.” He held it out. The black rope it hung on had broken.

  “Oh! My pendant.” She reached to her neck. “It must’ve fallen off.”

  “You almost lost it,” Benjamin said.

  “And that would have been a real pity,” Andy added.

  Heidi glared at Andy. “Can you hold it for me? These pants don’t have any pockets.”

  “Sure,” Benjamin said, cramming it into his front pocket.

  They kept walking, looking around. It was in the back of a temple that they finally found Iva—cross-legged with her eyes closed.

  Andy sat down next to her. “What are you doing?”

  Her eyes snapped open, and she shot him a dirty look. “Well, what I was doing before I was interrupted was communing with the stones around me.”

  They all just stared at her. Then Benjamin, Andy, and Gary busted out laughing.

  “And how exactly were you doing that?” Gary asked.

  Iva rolled her eyes. “Don’t you guys ever listen? Sci Omega spent like an hour last week explaining how the earth stores memories of everything that goes on around it. I was listening to the stones.”

  “Oh yeah,” Gary said. “Now I remember. I figured he was making up the whole thing.”

  “I can tell you with certainty that he was not making it up,” Iva said. “Probably only those gifted in telepathy or telegnosis would understand.”

  “Maybe I should try.” Heidi sat down across from Iva. “Actually Josh and I were talking just the other day about nonvolatile memories in inanimate objects. He’s very talented at retrieving not only actual memories but the feelings associated with them. He’s a very empathic person you know.”

  “No, I didn’t know,” Benjamin said. “Do you and Josh actually listen in class or do you just talk?”

  “Of course we listen,” Heidi said. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Oh, well it’s just that you’re always talking about all these things you and Josh talk about,” Benjamin replied.

  “We do talk every day after class you know,” Heidi said.

  “Yes, I know,” Benjamin said.

  “Hey, why don’t you all give it a try,” Iva said. “Maybe someone will be able to sense something.”

  “Maybe.” Gary sat down.

  Benjamin sat, and immediately felt the big, ugly star pendant in his pocket, cutting into his leg. He stood up and took it out of his pocket and sat back down.

  Andy turned to Iva. “So what am I supposed to do?”

  Iva closed her eyes and placed her hand on Andy’s; his eyes shot open.

  “Close your eyes, and open your mind,” she said. “Listen for anything—thoughts, emotions, voices. But whatever you do, try not to say anything for at least five minutes.”

  Benjamin did what she said and closed his eyes. In o
rder to really open his mind, he needed to lower some of the shielding around it. He didn’t want to be so vulnerable but really didn’t have much choice. He relaxed his mind and thought about his surroundings. Images began to fill his thoughts. He could see multitudes of people from all walks of life. Some dressed and manicured perfectly; others with clothes hanging by threads. And all of them were coming to Delphi.

  In his mind what had before been ruined remains was now a thriving though secluded city. The temples were perfect, gilded in brilliant colors—gold, red, blue. He saw the temple they sat in now, but instead of a crumbling floor, it was covered in a complicated mosaic of a sun, polished to a shine. A solitary female in a white dress walked alone. She had her eyes closed and her long, dark hair hung down straight around her head. A jeweled necklace was woven into her hair, and bracelets adorned her arms.

  There was something familiar about her, but Benjamin couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She walked with purpose heading out of the temple. He could read her thoughts and knew this girl was heading to the oracle’s seat to prophesize for the throng of people gathering outside.

  But just before exiting the temple, she stopped. Her eyes snapped open, and she turned and looked Benjamin directly in the face.

  Iva!

  With a small, forced smile, she closed her eyes again and left the temple. Benjamin couldn’t take his eyes off her. His hands felt hot and sweaty. He watched as she walked down the slope to the dais where the oracle sat. The large Omphalos—the Navel of the World—sat on the grass in front of her. What in the world was she doing here, back in ancient Greece at Delphi? He kept watching, but she didn’t turn back.

  And then Benjamin realized his hands weren’t just hot. They were burning. He could smell his skin starting to singe. He snapped his eyes open, breaking from the trance. The ugly green pendant was red hot in his hands. He threw it across the room where it hit against the wall and started smoking.

  “Benjamin!” Heidi moved over to him. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” he lied. His hands hurt like he’d juggled hot coals, and his head pounded from the rush of blood. What had just happened?