by Brandon Mull
“What’s this?”
“The invisible keys to Uweya.”
“Really?”
“No, not really. This token confirms you a friend of the Graywater family. There is a carwash in Fresno where it can get you half off. Also, if you can reach Uweya ahead of the others, it may help you get assistance.”
“Seriously?”
William gave a nod.
“I should try to get to Uweya first? Ahead of the others?”
William settled back in his chair. “If Jonas claims Uweya, he will become the most powerful man on Earth. No exaggeration. But if you get there ahead of his people, with this token in hand, you might be able to use Uweya against him.”
“You won’t tell me how?”
“It won’t be easy,” William warned. “Use the token. This is the best I can do. I won’t tell you more.”
“Would you come with me?” Nate asked. “Maybe follow us in secret?”
William rubbed his mouth, perhaps covering a grin. “I know some secrets about the way to Uweya. Without an enhancement like yours, I could never get close. It’s all up to you.”
“Is it underwater?” Nate asked.
“I don’t believe water will be an issue.”
“Okay,” Nate said. “Thanks for the keychain.”
“Thanks for trying. It’s more than many would do.”
“You can’t give me a better clue about Uweya?”
“I sent my family away in case your employer came to me and tried to use them as leverage to get me to reveal all I know. I’ve told you all that should be told.” William extended a hand toward the door.
“’Bye,” Nate said as he exited.
“Good hunting.”
*****
Nate soared through the darkness, rising and falling, using the wind of his speed and occasional acrobatic maneuvers to keep his mind alert. It was late. He was feeling the effects of a long, taxing, uncertain day. And there was still more to accomplish.
Upon reaching the Striker, he veered north, watching for the three hills of equal height where the Hermit was supposedly hiding. He found them as described, and on the north side of the farthest hill, he discovered the mouth of a cave.
With a canister of pepper spray in hand, Nate alighted just beyond the cave entrance. The cave appeared dark and still. He wished he had Lindy with him to reveal who or what might be hiding inside.
“Hello?” Nate called. “I’m back!”
“Why bring the inflammatory agent?” a scholarly voice responded from the blackness. “Have you the Gate?”
“No Gate,” Nate confessed.
“Then why have you come? To rob me again? To take me hostage? To gloat about the end of the world?”
One of the questions made Nate particularly uncomfortable. He had come prepared to rob the Hermit again. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“I need your help,” Nate said.
“The magic words we victims hope to one day hear from our attackers.”
“It’s an emergency,” Nate said.
“I do owe you a lot of favors,” the Hermit said sarcastically. “You drove me from my home, assaulted me, scalded me, and robbed me. I’ve been praying I could find some way to repay your generosity. How can I be of service?”
“It isn’t just for me,” Nate said. “Everyone needs your help. Including you. Jonas White has the Protector.”
Still unseen in the darkness, the Hermit sighed wearily. “Of course he does.”
“He’ll be going after Uweya. I’ll probably be involved.”
“That certainly fits your profile.”
“We have to stop him.”
The Hermit laughed wildly. “You are turning understatement into an art form.”
“He has a simulacrum of me,” Nate explained.
“Now we’re talking,” the Hermit said with relish. “I’d love to get my hands on that!”
“His simulacrum of me would make it impossible for me to beat him.”
“Many things will make it impossible to beat him,” the Hermit scoffed. “If Jonas has the Gate and the Protector, his quest is essentially complete. You’ve already handed him victory. He need only claim his prize.”
“Jonas hasn’t won yet,” Nate protested. “William Graywater told me that if I reach Uweya first, I may be able to use it against Jonas.”
“You?” the Hermit mocked. “What do you know of Uweya? Now I know you’re telling tall tales. As if William Graywater would trust you!”
“His idea, not mine,” Nate insisted, digging in his pocket for the keychain. “He gave me this.” Nate held up the totem.
The Hermit offered no reply. After a long pause, he stepped out of the darkness of the cave, his skin ghastly pale beneath the moonlight.
“How did you get that?” the Hermit asked slowly.
“William gave it to me.”
“Yes,” the Hermit marveled. “It was freely given. How did you convince him?”
“I told him the truth.”
The Hermit rubbed the back of his arm roughly. He glanced around, then took a long look back at his cave. He seemed torn. “Very well. What aid do you seek?”
“I need protection from my simulacrum,” Nate said.
The Hermit stared flatly. A membrane briefly shimmered over his eyeballs. “You wish to strip me of protection?”
“I’ll bring it back,” Nate said uncomfortably.
“Like you brought the Gate back?” the Hermit erupted. “If I refuse to hand it over, do you plan to hurt me again?”
“I’m trying to save the world,” Nate sighed.
“A Simulcrist needs protection. Especially a homeless, friendless Simulcrist. I don’t have much. I don’t ask for much. I did not cause this problem. You’ve wronged me in the past. Why should I take a risk for you?”
“It won’t just be bad for me if Jonas wins,” Nate said. “It’ll be bad for you. Bad for everyone.”
The Hermit shook his head. “I’ve always been adept at avoiding attention. I keep to myself. I no longer have anything that Jonas wants.”
“Would your amulet work on me?” Nate asked.
The Hermit considered him in silence. “If freely given, I could make it work.”
“You don’t want Jonas to get Uweya,” Nate said.
“Correct. There are many people I don’t want to get Uweya. In fact, I don’t want anyone to get it. Including you. That’s why I kept the Gate with me! Then you came along and stole it! For all I know, you delivered Jonas the Protector as well.”
“I kind of did,” Nate admitted. “It wasn’t what I wanted, but he has the simulacrum of me.”
The Hermit folded his arms. “This is preposterous! You’re a hoodlum!”
Nate struggled to think of a way to convince the Hermit. He didn’t seem very concerned about others, but at least he acted interested in himself. “You’re a Simulcrist. No matter how good you are at hiding, that makes you a target. Jonas is too careful and too paranoid. He won’t rest until you’re captured or killed. With Uweya, he’ll find you no matter what necklaces you hide behind.”
The Hermit held very still. Nate held his breath. On the hillside around them, insects chirped.
“You’re right,” the Hermit finally said. “Unfair though it may be, you’re absolutely correct. Very well, I’ll lend you my charm. I lack a better option. A long shot is better than no shot.”
Nate couldn’t resist a relieved smile.
“Don’t look at me like that! This is no victory for you. My charm has been yours since I saw what William gave you. You’re in serious trouble. We all are!”
“At least we’ll have a chance,” Nate said.
The Hermit gave a halfhearted shrug. He slipped the twine over his bald head. The metallic figure eight swung gently. “Come here.”
Nate approached.
Muttering mysterious words, the Hermit looped the amulet around Nate’s neck. His breath reeked of fish. “This will shield you from simulcry.
It will be virtually impossible for a Simulcrist to perceive unless he actively works simulcry against you.”
“Thanks,” Nate said.
“Don’t thank me,” the Hermit said. “I don’t like you. It was foolish of you to take the Gate. I have zero tolerance for fools. But you happen to be the least terrible of several terrible options. If you’re willing to risk yourself to stop Jonas, I’m willing to let you assume that risk.”
“All right.”
“Don’t try to find me to return my charm. I won’t be here. If you succeed, I’ll find you. If you fail, you’ll have bigger problems than returning borrowed enchantments. Don’t fail.”
“Is there anything—”
“This is all I can do for you,” the Hermit interrupted. “I’m now unshielded. There are measures I must take. Go.”
The Hermit turned and ran off down the slope. Nate waited for a minute, listening to him crunching through the brush, then took flight.
*****
When Nate reached his house, he landed gently on the roof near his window. He had been concerned about falling asleep in midair, but now he was home. Body and mind ached for sleep. All he currently desired was to crawl into bed.
Nate had stopped by Arcadeland on his way home. It had appeared closed and quiet. There was no sign of Lindy or the other Jets. Either Jonas had let them go home or he was keeping them there. Either way, Nate had decided there was not much he could do at the moment. Exhausted, he had chosen not to worry about Jonas until morning.
Nate slid open his window, climbed through, and found Lindy waiting on his bed. She sat primly, hands folded on her lap.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“You freaked me out,” Nate said, a hand on his chest. “I’m okay. What’s up?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a small voice.
Nate froze. “Tell you what?” His mind raced to consider all the possible meanings of her question. She sounded hurt and upset.
“That I’m Belinda White.”
Nate sagged. He felt a turbulent mix of guilt, regret, frustration, and disbelief. He wiped his tired eyes with his hands. Weren’t things bad enough? How could everything keep getting worse?
“Who told you?”
“Who do you think, Nate?”
Nate sat down on the floor. How was he supposed to handle this? “What now?”
“Jonas wants me to spy on you,” Lindy said. “I told him that I would.”
“Isn’t the first rule of spying to keep it a secret?”
“Only if you’re actually going to do it.”
“Right,” Nate said sheepishly. “So you’re not here to kill me?”
“Nate!”
“What? Belinda wasn’t very nice. We tried not to mention her too much when you were around. It seemed wrong to talk about you behind your back right in front of you.”
“Thanks for being so considerate,” Lindy said with an edge to her voice.
Nate studied her. She didn’t look any more evil than before. “How are you feeling?”
“I don’t know. Angry. Confused. Ashamed. It’s a pretty big list. At first I was really mad at you guys for hiding who I am. Then I cooled down and started thinking more clearly. Now I can’t understand why you guys have been so nice to me. Didn’t I almost wreck your lives?”
“In a way, it wasn’t you,” Nate said. “You don’t act like her. You seem like an entirely different person.”
“Really?” she asked eagerly, as if she desperately wanted to believe his words.
“How much did he tell you?” Nate wondered.
“You used a Clean Slate to wipe my mind. I created it and entrusted it to you. Then you used it against me. Is that true?”
Nate nodded. “Do you know who you wanted me to use it on?”
She shook her head.
“Mr. Stott.”
“Dad?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?” Lindy whispered.
“He was competition,” Nate said. “You wanted the Fountain of Youth. Magic works better on the young. You would have become very powerful. You were trying to take over the town.”
“I wanted Uweya,” Lindy murmured numbly. “Jonas told me that was my ultimate goal.”
“We never knew about that,” Nate said. “We knew we had to stop you. Putting the Clean Slate into the water from the Fountain of Youth seemed like the only way. You became young, but you also lost your identity. I gave you some of your own medicine.”
Tears glistened in her eyes, even the false one. “You did the right thing.”
Nate got to his feet. “Lindy—”
“No. I’m not looking for sympathy. You did what you had to do. I’m glad you did it. Jonas told me that you stole my life. He promised to help me finish what I started. He said he would help me regain what I lost. But I see it a different way. You gave me a second chance, Nate. A chance to change. A chance to be better.” Her brow furrowed. “Or maybe I’m kidding myself. Maybe it’s just a matter of time.”
“Before you become evil again?”
She let out a nervous laugh. “I guess. I don’t feel any wicked urges. I don’t want to become whoever I was. I like who I am now. Everyone has been lying to me, but they had a good reason. They were kind lies. Protective lies. It’s hard to know the truth, but I’m glad I do. Everything fits now. Why dad was so worried about Arcadeland. Why you guys were so evasive about my past. I knew you guys cared about me. I knew you were my friends. But I also felt sure you were hiding something. All the little inconsistencies that nagged at me have fallen into place. At least it all makes sense now.”
Nate could not keep eye contact with her. “Sorry you found out from him.”
“He did me a favor,” Lindy said. “It probably had to be him. You guys cared about me too much. You were trying to protect me from my past. But I’m glad I know. I’m relieved the truth came out. It’s hard to face, but I needed to hear it.”
Nate felt relieved by her reaction. He wanted to give her a hug. She seemed to need one. He approached where she sat on his bed and placed a hand on her arm. “Are you okay?”
Her chin quivered. “Not really. How would you feel if you found out you used to be somebody horrible? I was afraid it would be something like this. I was afraid maybe my parents had been bad people. But the truth of it tops all of my worst fears.”
“You don’t have to go down the same path,” Nate said. “You don’t have to become who you used to be.”
Standing, Lindy threw her arms around him. Tears flowed freely. “I hope not! I hate Jonas! I hate Belinda! I don’t want to be like them!”
Nate hugged her back. “It’s okay. It’s all right.”
Lindy sniffed and ran her sleeve across her eyes. “I’m supposed to tempt you. My assignment is to test your loyalty to Jonas. I’m supposed to tell you that I learned how we can take him down. I’m supposed to lead you into a trap tonight.”
“You agreed to it?” Nate asked.
She nodded. “I agreed so I could misinform him. I acted angry that you guys had hidden my past from me. I explained that I had felt something was wrong, that you were all lying to me, that I couldn’t trust any of you. I told him I wanted to learn about my real past. He promised to help me. He promised that after obtaining Uweya he would raise me like a father.”
“What now?” Nate asked.
Lindy backed away from the embrace. “I’ll tell him that you wouldn’t take the bait. That you passed the test. I’ll tell him you decided the best way to help your friends would be to make sure you were on the winning side. I’ll tell him you warned me that we can’t beat him. I’ll tell him you want to go after Uweya.”
“Will he believe you?”
She shrugged. “I think so. We’ll see. We’re supposed to meet to go after Uweya in the morning. What do we do, Nate? I’m honestly not sure we can stop him. Did you know the others tried some sort of jailbreak tonight?”
“Yeah, I found ou
t from Mr. Stott.”
“How is he doing?” Lindy asked.
“He’s fine. He’s worried. Jonas added Trevor and Victor to his other prisoners. He’s all geared up to repel another assault.”
“He’s definitely paying more attention to security.”
Nate debated how much he should reveal about his plan. Lindy seemed to be truly on his side, but it was still hard to place full confidence in her. “We have a new strategy. We need to go after Uweya. I need to get there first. If I do, there are some things I might be able to do to stop Jonas.”
“What things?”
“I talked to William Graywater. He told me that I’d figure it out when I get there. He made it sound like this is basically our last chance.”
“We won’t be going in alone,” Lindy warned. “Jonas will be sending some of his people to secure Uweya. We’ll learn more in the morning. We’re supposed to be there early, like five-thirty. Tallah will refresh our powers. You need rest. You’re worn out. Just show up tomorrow. I’ll go convince Jonas that you’re with us.”
“I doubt he’ll believe you.”
“I’ll make him believe enough to let you come. I don’t think he trusts any of us. We’ll be chaperoned. Who knows what he might do to us with our simulacra? There might not be much we can do. But we’ll try. I should go.”
As she started toward the window, Nate gripped her upper arm. “Lindy, be careful.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Let me handle my brother. Get some sleep. We’ll both need to be at our best tomorrow.”
Lindy went and flew out the window. Nate closed it. He started pacing. Maybe it was good that Lindy had learned about her past. Or maybe the whole conversation had been an act. Maybe the trap was already closing in around him.
She had been right about one thing. He needed sleep. He could hardly think straight. He carefully set his alarm for five, then crawled into bed. His mattress and pillow had never felt more inviting. Before he could stress about anything else, he fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-One
The Gate
The approaching sunrise was beginning to bleach the horizon as Nate landed in a stumbling rush near a side door to Arcadeland. The jolt helped rouse him more than the flying had. He wiped sleep from his eyes as he knocked. Chris opened the door. He was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday.