The Navel of the World

by P. J. Hoover

  “Yeah, I know,” Benjamin said. “It’s kind of hard to believe.”

  “This is nothing like Lemuria a thousand years ago,” she said.

  Andy chuckled. “Wouldn’t it really be Lemuria two thousand years from now?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Maybe we should look around,” Iva said.

  Benjamin shook his head. “No, don’t wander. We need to stick together like glue.”

  “And whatever you do, don’t lose the TPT,” Heidi added.

  “It’s fine. I have it in my pocket,” Benjamin said.

  Benjamin had to admit it. Ananya’s warning did have his stomach in knots. Would someone be left behind? But how could anything go wrong? It seemed so straightforward.

  Iva went first, leading them out of the inner temple. She walked around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Andy ran into the back of her.

  “Why’d ya stop?” Andy followed her gaze to the side of the temple where two figures sat lounging against the wall. “Oh.”

  “Hey, Hexer!” Benjamin said. “Looks like you were right.”

  Hexer sat on the grass with another man, probably over twenty years old, but stood when he saw them. “Hello, strangers,” he said. “Do we know each other?”

  “Of course we do,” Andy said. “We just saw you again a couple weeks ago.”

  Hexer shook his head. “Were you fighting in the war? I don’t remember seeing you.”

  “Hexer wouldn’t know us yet,” Benjamin said.

  “This is the first time Hexer meets us,” Iva added.

  “Isn’t it your first time meeting me?” Hexer asked.

  “No, actually it’s me and Andy’s third time and their second time.” Benjamin motioned to Heidi and Iva.

  Hexer narrowed his eyes. “And how exactly is that possible.”

  “Because we’re from Lemuria,” Benjamin replied silently.

  “What are you doing here?” Hexer asked, and Benjamin noticed his hand went to his sword.

  “Don’t worry,” Iva said. “We’re friends.”

  “Yeah. We came back to get my brother,” Benjamin said. “You said he’d be here, but I don’t see him.”

  “We’re the only ones here.” Hexer motioned to the man next to him.

  “Hi,” the man said. “My name is Koriakos, but everyone calls me Cory.”

  Benjamin felt his mouth fall open, and he didn’t even try to stop it. He had no idea how to respond. This man, who called himself Cory, was easily as old as Joey Duncan. At least ten years older than Benjamin.

  “But…but…how is that possible?” Benjamin asked. “We’re the same age.”

  Cory laughed. “We don’t look the same age. And I’m pretty sure I don’t have a brother. Do I?” he asked Hexer.

  Hexer shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

  “That’s because you couldn’t be told,” Benjamin said. “None of our guardians could be told.”

  That did it. Hexer pulled his sword out so Benjamin could see the glint of metal. “How do you know I’m a guardian? Nobody knows that.”

  Benjamin tried to ignore the sword. Wouldn’t Hexer have mentioned if this had come to blows? “Helios knows. And I know,” Benjamin said.

  “And we obviously mistimed something, Benjamin, because your twin brother is probably ten years older than you,” Andy said.

  “Twins?” Cory said. “I have a twin brother?”

  “Actually we’re two of triplets. We have another brother out there somewhere,” Benjamin said.

  “Maybe we should just start from the beginning,” Iva said. “There’s a lot of things that need to be explained.”

  “Where does the story begin?” Cory asked.

  “How about three thousand years from now minus fifteen years,” Heidi suggested.

  Benjamin told Hexer and Cory everything he could think of. He relayed his discovery of the world of Lemuria, the finding of the Emerald Tablet, and the prophecy. He told of Kenias Burton, his own guardian who had turned against him and tried to bring down the shields. He told of his increasing powers, of Helios and Selene, and of the three keys and their power to destroy the shields. Hexer and Cory sat rapt, not daring to interrupt. When Benjamin finished, the questions began.

  Cory bunched up his forehead. “So just to clarify, we’re really two of triplets, and our mother is dead.”

  Benjamin nodded his head.

  “So where is our other brother?” Cory asked.

  “That’s what we need to find out,” Benjamin said. “But as long as we stick together, the shields should stay up. The prophecy said two of the three would be needed to bring down the shields.”

  “What about our father?” Cory asked. “Where is he?”

  “Helios thinks he’s in Atlantis hiding,” Benjamin said.

  “And Helios is right, though he’s not hiding,” a voice said. They all turned as a figure stepped from behind a column. “And thank you for the wonderful story, Benjamin,” the familiar voice said. “Your father would be pleased if he were here to listen to it himself.”

  “Nathan?” Benjamin asked. “What are you doing here?” This guy turned up everywhere. Even three thousand years in the past. Talk about extreme.

  “Keeping an eye on you,” Nathan Nyx said. “Just like I’m supposed to. Just like your father wanted me to.”

  A thousand loose pieces came together in Benjamin’s mind and clicked. His father wondering if he took something from Wondersky City. His father giving him a special line of credit. His father telling him someone was spying on him. His real father would never mind his business like that.

  “You liar!” Benjamin said. “You’ve been deceiving me and my dad this whole time. You don’t really work for my dad.”

  “Of course I do, Benjamin,” Nathan said. “I work for both of your dads. I think you father—your biological father—will be happy with all the information you’ve managed to collect. And I’ve never lied to you. I resent that statement.”

  “You deliberately misled me. And probably my dad also.”

  “You interpreted my remarks how you wanted to,” Nathan said. “But I’m afraid with all the information you’ve collected, I can’t allow you to travel back to the present. You would cause way too much damage.”

  Andy took a step forward. “You can’t stop us, Nathan.”

  “You’ve misjudged me,” Nathan said. “A common mistake. I’m a more powerful telegen than any of you could ever dream of being. Just be good little children and wait here in the past. We’ll come back and get you when we’re ready to bring down the shields.”

  “Mr. Burton couldn’t bring them down last year, and you won’t be able to do it either,” Benjamin said.

  “Kenias Burton was a fool,” Nathan said. “Convincing him to join our cause couldn’t have been easier. He was a spineless, powerless puppet. The only reason we even let him join us was because we figured the child he guarded must have been one of the three. He played his part perfectly—every predictable bit of it.”

  Had Mr. Burton really been a puppet, used as they wanted to use Benjamin himself? Benjamin felt himself actually feeling sorry for Mr. Burton, the man who had tried to convince him to destroy the barrier strength shields. Yet he knew this was a ridiculous thought. Mr. Burton had tried to destroy everything, and had very nearly succeeded.

  Benjamin realized this whole thing was a race. He had to get back to Lemuria before Nathan. “Nathan, I’d love to stay and chat, but we’re going back now.” He reached down to his pocket for the TPT. And stopped.

  “I can’t let any of you return just now.” Nathan smiled when he saw the shocked look on Benjamin’s face. “Oh, were you looking for something in your pocket? Something shiny and green that’s looks something like this?” He held up the emerald green lingam telemagnifier. With a laugh, he dropped it to the floor where it shattered. Picking up his foot, he ground the individual pieces of the lingam into the hard stone beneath.

  CHAPTER 2
7

  Achilles Is Out

  Benjamin watched as their ticket back to the present was pulverized before his eyes. But before he could say anything, Nathan Nyx vanished, leaving nothing but the emerald dust on the stone floor.

  “Where did he go?” Andy asked.

  Heidi threw her arms up. “He teleported away. And with him our way back.”

  Hexer stood staring at the spot where Nathan had been, his hand still on his sword. “Who was that man?”

  “He works for my dad,” Benjamin said. “We met him earlier this year when we were working at his office.”

  “Our dad?” Cory asked.

  “No. My dad,” Benjamin said. “The one I’ve lived with my entire life.”

  Cory put his hands to his forehead. “So who lives in Atlantis?”

  “Our biological father,” Benjamin said.

  “Nathan was a double agent.” Andy gritted his teeth. “He was playing both sides.”

  “I can’t believe my dad trusted him,” Benjamin said. “Remember he was the number one guy at the office?”

  “Yeah, I remember.” Andy glanced around at the war grounds. “You know this has been really fun and everything, but what are we supposed to do now? We’re stuck here three thousand years in the past.”

  “And now there’s six of us to time travel back to normal time,” Benjamin said.

  “Is this abnormal time?” Cory asked.

  Benjamin looked off in the distance at the Trojan War. He could see the fighting and hear the sounds of battle. “We’re in the middle of The Iliad. That’s abnormal.”

  “The Iliad?” Cory said.

  “Yeah,” Andy said. “I think if we waited around here long enough, we’d see the Cyclops.”

  “Oh, no, he actually lives on his own island in the middle of the Aegean Sea,” Cory said.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Heidi asked.

  Cory shook his head. “No, not kidding. We teleported over to see him one time. Hexer says he’s just a genetic engineering experiment gone bad.”

  “Wouldn’t Gary like to see that?” Benjamin looked down at the dust from the lingam TPT and sighed. “Do you think the dust will have time traveling effects?”

  In answer, the wind picked up and blew the majority of the green powder away.

  Iva shook her head. “We need another way.”

  Andy looked at her in challenge. “Do you have any suggestions?”

  “Sure,” Iva said. “We find a new place of worship for Kronos.”

  “Of course.” Benjamin hit his forehead with his palm. “That’s so easy.”

  “Too easy,” Heidi said.

  “Why?” Benjamin asked.

  “Can you tell me where there’s a temple of Kronos now?” she asked. “Can you tell me what day is Saturday?”

  “Saturday?” Cory said.

  Which Benjamin took as a bad sign. But maybe Kronos wasn’t so concerned with days of the week back in this time. An idea sprang to Benjamin’s mind. “I’m not sure on the day, but as far as the temple goes—”

  “No way,” Andy said.

  “I know no way,” Benjamin said. “I’m just saying—it is a temple of Kronos.”

  “What?” Iva asked.

  “They’re talking about Achilles hideout,” Hexer said. “It’s a temple to Kronos.”

  “And you don’t think Achilles would let us in to look for a TPT?” Heidi asked.

  Cory actually started laughing.

  Heidi looked at him like he was nuts. “What’s so funny? What if we asked nicely?”

  “Maybe after he made you his concubine,” Cory said. “Have you ever met Achilles?”

  She shook her head no.

  “He kidnapped us last time.” Benjamin’s thoughts went to the exchange they’d made. “He’s a telegen, and I don’t think he’s from Lemuria.” And then his mind flew to what Ananya had given him back in India. The life force disk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the metal box, and when he opened it, he saw the golden disk he’d traded with Achilles.

  “What’s that?” Cory leaned closer.

  Benjamin shrugged. “Something Achilles wants pretty bad.”

  “So we’re going to give it to him?” Hexer asked.

  Benjamin shook his head even as his mind melded around the idea forming there. “No. But before we leave, I need to teleport to Geros and hide it there.”

  “So Achilles is out,” Andy said. “What does that leave?”

  Heidi looked back toward the battle. “Are there any other temples around?”

  “I can think of one,” Iva said.

  They all turned to face her.

  “And that is…?” Andy said.

  “The Navel of the World.”

  “Delphi?” Hexer said.

  Iva nodded. “Delphi. The City of the Oracles. In Greece.”

  Benjamin smiled. “Of course. And that’s so close. We can teleport over there and use the Navel.”

  Heidi bit her lower lip. “And we better go soon.” In the distance, the sounds of war had increased, matching the darkening sky.

  Benjamin looked at Hexer and Cory. “Can you both teleport?”

  Cory nodded.

  Hexer shook his head. “I’m not going with you.”

  Cory turned quickly to his guardian. “What do you mean? You can teleport. You have to go.”

  But Hexer sighed. “No, Cory. This is where we part ways.”

  “But why?”

  “You heard Benjamin and Andy. They see me here in a few weeks. If I leave now, that’ll never happen. And if that never happens, then maybe they’ll never find out when they really need to return to get you.” Hexer put his hand on Cory’s shoulder. “It’s time for us to separate. You have been the best son I could have ever asked for.”

  The blood drained from Cory’s face. “But they could be wrong. Or things may still happen as they should even if you return with us now.”

  Hexer shook his head. “I’m not willing to take that chance. Someone will come for me, and I’ll return to the future. You’re more than able to venture out on your own.” And then Hexer embraced Cory in a strong hug, compelling Benjamin and his friends to remain silent—nobody wanting to break up the moment. Benjamin wondered how long it would be before Hexer and Cory would see each other again—if ever.

  “Thank you for everything.” Cory’s voice quivered just the smallest amount as he spoke. “You have been like a father to me.”

  “And you a son.” Hexer backed off from the embrace. “Now, you need to get going. We can’t risk anything going wrong.”

  Cory’s ashen face pained Benjamin. He thought of how he would feel if he were to never see his parents again.

  Hexer stepped back a few paces. “I’ll make it easy for you and just walk away.” He turned and began to move. “Until we meet again.” Quickening his pace, he never looked back.

  CHAPTER 28

  Cory Learns About the Trojan Horse

  Cory watched Hexer until he reached the tents at the far boundary of the camp. “Does he return safely? Will he really get out of this horrible war?”

  Benjamin nodded. “Yeah. We watched Hexer teleport away.”

  Cory sighed with relief. “He’s the only father I’ve ever known. My parents were killed when I was a baby.”

  “That’s what Hexer told us a couple weeks ago,” Andy said.

  “I hate to be the one to put a damper on things, but we need to get out of here,” Heidi said. “I don’t want to meet Achilles.”

  Apparently she’d taken the concubine threat to heart.

  Cory pulled his eyes away from the direction Hexer had gone. “You’re right. We need to go. With as crazy as everything is around this war, even this temple’s not sacred any more. Do you guys know the way to Delphi?”

  Iva nodded. “We went on an archaeological dig a while back.”

  “Really?” Cory said. “Delphi isn’t an active oracle city in your time?”

  Iva actually laughed. �
�Not hardly. It’s been gone for over two thousand years.”

  “Yeah, humans don’t really put much credibility in oracles anymore.” Andy managed to avoid the glare Iva shot him.

  Cory looked like he’d missed a punch line. “So how do people know their futures?”

  “They don’t,” Heidi said. “Have you been to Delphi?”

  “Once about ten years ago,” Cory said. “The Spartan army was fighting Athens, and we were pretty close. Hexer insisted we teleport over and visit.”

  “Did the oracles read your future?” Iva asked.

  “Sort of,” Cory said, “but it’s the weirdest thing. I can’t remember what they said.”

  Iva pursed her lips. “They must’ve placed a block on your mind.”

  “Why?” Benjamin asked. Had the oracles seen something about the triplets or the keys of Shambhala in Cory’s future?

  “I don’t know,” Iva said. “But it may be important.”

  “Then we need to get the mind block removed,” Benjamin said. “Let’s go. But I’ll meet you guys there. I need to go to Geros first.”

  Geros took a good two hours, what with having to sneak into the Ruling Hall, travel down the lift tube, and figure out how to get the picture to store the life force disk. That was going to be the hard part until he conveniently ran into a Nogical named Lulu who claimed to know Jack. Lulu claimed Jack had sent her from the future, and before Benjamin had time to ask any more about it, she’d taken the disk, hidden it in the picture, and was just about to teleport away when Benjamin stopped her.

  “Wait!” Benjamin said.

  Lulu put her hands on her little hips. “What?”

  “I need one more thing.”

  She narrowed her eyes and tried to look put-upon. Benjamin almost laughed, but didn’t want to make her mad. He really did need her help.

  “What else could you possibly need?” Lulu said. “I’ve already missed lunch to come back here.”

  “I need you to make a record for me.”

  “A record?” Lulu said. And then her eyes lit up. “Oh, yeah. A record. Jack mentioned that.”

  Benjamin smiled. “So you’ll do it?”