The Black

by D. J. MacHale

  She held up her hand and let out a sharp whistle. I stopped.

  The dogs did too. They were seconds away from tearing my butt apart in a furious rage, but instantly stopped running and sat down on the top of the stairs, whimpering like puppies. The girl swept her hand out to the side and the three dogs obediently turned and scampered back down the stairs.

  "Thanks for that," I said.

  She didn't react. Her eyes were locked on mine. This girl didn't like me. I guess there were a lot of reasons for that. I decided to try and win her over.

  "My name's Coop," I said, all friendly. "I didn't catch your name."

  "Because I did not throw it at you."

  "Right. Well, thanks for calling off the hounds. I guess I'll be going now."

  I made a move to leave but—

  "Stop," she commanded.

  I stopped.

  "Yeah," I said, wincing. "Didn't think it would be that easy."

  "Why did you come back?"

  "To visit Ree," I lied. "She's my best friend's mom. Did you know that? Adeipho's your dad, right? He seems like a pretty cool—"

  "Liar," she spat.

  So much for charm.

  "Whatever. Believe what you want. Obviously I shouldn't have come here, so I'll just take off."

  "Come with me," she said. "My father would like to know that you have returned, and this time you will not have Ree to protect you."

  I laughed, trying to keep it casual. "No, thanks. I'll pass on that."

  "You had the advantage the last time we met," she said. "You had a weapon and I did not."

  She walked closer. The last time we'd met she attacked me like a wild animal. Now she was moving with control. And confidence. I expected to have to fight my way to the crucible but didn't think it was going to be with this girl again. There were worse options. The dogs were gone and she didn't have a black sword. If I could take her out, I'd be back in business. Things were looking up…

  . . . for about three seconds. She took a step closer, getting to within a few feet, then turned her back on me. That threw me. I had no idea what she was doing until I felt her heel driving into my chin. Hard. She had set herself up for a perfect back kick and I wasn't ready for it. My head snapped back and my ears rang. I threw up my arms out of instinct and managed to block the crescent kick to my head she followed with. I was lucky, but not for long. She quickly followed with another crescent kick using her other leg. The blade of her foot caught my head from the side and snapped it the opposite way. The girl knew what she was doing. When she attacked me before she was trying to confuse me and keep me from using the black sword. This time she had no such fear.

  I backpedaled a few steps to give myself enough time to get my defenses up but she moved right with me. Now I was the one who started swinging wildly. She knocked away each one of my desperate punches and countered with short, sharp jabs to my chest, my head, my stomach—pretty much anywhere that would hurt. I was in trouble, but getting a beating was the least of my worries. If this girl took me down and brought me to her father, I'd be done and so would Marsh. The thought gave me new energy. Desperation will do that. I launched myself toward her. There was no finesse or technique about it. I had to use the only advantage I had, my size and strength. She landed a few shots to my head but I took them and kept going for her. She realized, too late, that I would not be denied. She turned to run but I wrapped my arms around her and twisted, sending us both crashing to the hard floor. We hit and bounced but I kept her in a bear hug, pinning her arms. If I let go, I knew she'd attack again. It was like wrestling with a shark. If you let it go, it would eat you.

  She struggled but I held tight, until I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I looked up to see Adeipho, her father, standing over me with his foot on my neck and the tip of his black sword inches from my throat.

  "Release her," he commanded coldly.

  I felt the girl relax. The fight was over. I let her go and she rolled away quickly to stand by her father. I, on the other hand, wasn't so quick to get up.

  "I knew you would be back," Adeipho said. "Ree is far too trusting."

  "Where is she?" I asked.

  "Not here," Adeipho answered. "That will make this easier."

  I didn't like the sound of that. I still didn't move, not with that killer sword so close to my neck.

  "Damon won't stop," I said. "Sooner or later he's going to get the poleax."

  "And he will not have you to help him," Adeipho said. I liked the sound of that even less.

  "I'm not trying to help him," I said. "I'm just trying to protect my friend. Ree's son."

  "As I am protecting the Light. Which is why you must be destroyed."

  I rolled away and sat up. I had some wild idea of making a fight out of it, but as soon as I looked back at Adeipho, I saw that was impossible. He wasn't alone. There were ten of his Guardians surrounding him.

  "Remember," I said feebly. "I could have destroyed your daughter."

  "And I allowed you to live. That scale is balanced."

  "I'm not with Damon!" I insisted. "I want to stop him as much as you do."

  "That is quite noble," Adeipho said. "Then you will understand why your spirit must be destroyed."

  "No! That's a mistake."

  Adeipho took a step toward me and raised his sword. There was no use running. My luck was finally gone.

  "Leave him alone!" came a familiar voice from across the terminal floor.

  I hoped it was Ree coming to save my butt a second time.

  It wasn't. Everyone turned to see that someone was clinging to the brass clock frame on top of the information booth. She held on to the frame with one hand. In her other hand . . . was the crucible. I was never so happy to find out that somebody didn't do what I'd asked them to do.

  "Maggie!" I called out.

  "Get away from him or I'll break it," Maggie commanded.

  "Give that to me!" Adeipho screamed in horror.

  Adeipho pushed his way through the Guardians, headed for Maggie. Maggie's response was to hold the crucible out over the floor.

  "I'll drop it," she warned.

  Adeipho froze.

  I skirted around the group and walked to the information booth. Looking up at Maggie, I said, "I told you not to follow me."

  "I'm not a good listener."

  "I like that about you."

  I helped her down from the booth while she kept her eyes on the Guardians. They were like a pack of angry wolves who were ready to pounce at the first opening.

  "You cannot do this," Adeipho pleaded. "You must understand what Damon is capable of."

  "I'm thinking you're the one who doesn't know what he's capable of," I said. "While you're all here watching the Rift, he's been wreaking havoc in the Light."

  "That cannot be," Adeipho's daughter said. "He has not gone through the Rift."

  "But his spirit is getting stronger," I shot back. "If he gets the poleax, this crucible will be worthless and so will the Rift."

  "Tell me what you want," Adeipho cried. "Anything. I will obey."

  "Tell Ree that I've got this and I'm not giving it up."

  "You will be leaving the Rift unprotected," Adeipho cautioned.

  "No, you and your Guardians are here. I think it's time you guys finished what you started and took Damon out. Are you ready for that?"

  Adeipho didn't have an answer but he definitely didn't look happy about the idea.

  "Don't follow us," I warned.

  I took Maggie by the hand and we backed away from the group of Guardians.

  "Where are you going?" he asked.

  "Tell Ree what I said. She's the only one I'll talk to."

  I pulled Maggie toward the exit on the far side of the terminal.

  "Are you sure about this?" she whispered.

  "No."

  We walked slowly until we passed under the giant Kodak display and left the main concourse.

  "Let's go," I said, and started running.

  We didn
't stop until we had left the terminal and reached the edge of Ree's vision.

  "Where are we going?" Maggie asked.

  "Your vision," I answered. "They don't know who you are."

  Seconds later we stepped through the swirling cloud of color and found ourselves on Maggie's porch. I immediately noticed that things had changed. It was still her house, but the sky was no longer gray and gloomy. The trees were covered with small green buds that were warmed by a brilliant yellow sun. Maggie's vision had changed for the better. I had to believe her future was going to change as well.

  I looked to her and smiled. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

  "Thanks to you," she said.

  "Why are you still here?" I asked. "I mean, now that the truth is out."

  "I don't think the truth matters as much as how I deal with it," she said. "Maybe I haven't done enough to earn my way out."

  "Well, you sure helped me. That should count."

  "I didn't do it for my sake," she said, then dropped her eyes. "I'm sorry about your grandfather."

  "If anybody should be sorry, it's him," I replied. "He owes you."

  "No, he doesn't. People do what they have to do."

  "That's what he said. Maybe he's right. People have to take care of themselves first and to hell with everybody else."

  "I don't believe that," she said. "And neither do you."

  "But I do. Isn't that what the Black is all about? Taking care of yourself?"

  "Then, why did you look out for me?" she asked.

  I shrugged. "It just happened."

  "No, it didn't. You were concerned about me and that's why you questioned Collette. And it's why you're looking out for your friend in the Light. I'm sorry that your grandfather disappointed you, but that doesn't change who you are."

  "Maybe not," I said. "But it does change how I operate. I'm going to beat this Damon guy, but on my terms. Now that I've got the crucible, I'm in control."

  Maggie frowned. "There's a difference between control and arrogance."

  "I'm not arrogant. I'm confident."

  "No, you're cocky. This isn't a game, Cooper. There's a lot at stake."

  "Which is why I'm going to do things my way from now on." I held up the crucible. "Thanks to you."

  "So, what do we do now?"

  "Not we," I said quickly. "I don't want you following me anymore. You're on the verge of getting out of here. Hanging with me could send you in a completely different direction."

  "Or maybe helping you is the last thing I have to do to earn my way out," she said with certainty.

  I really liked Maggie. She had been through so much, most of it because of my grandfather. I wasn't about to let anything bad happen to her again. I held her shoulders and she looked up at me with those huge brown eyes.

  "I wish we could have met at a different time. Or place. Or vision."

  "Or maybe this is exactly what should have happened," she said.

  I leaned down and kissed her. She was so fragile. I would do anything to protect her. Keeping her away from me seemed like the best way to do it. The kiss lasted a long time. It had to. It would probably be our last. Finally I pulled away and saw that she was crying.

  "Where are you going to go?" she asked.

  "I'm not telling. Good-bye, Maggie. Thank you."

  As we stood on that porch, I had to wonder if we'd ever see each other again. In any life. It took some willpower, but I let go of her and turned to walk down the porch stairs.

  I didn't get far.

  Standing at the bottom was Ree.

  "Then, tell me where you're going, Cooper," she said. She was clutching a black sword.

  25

  "I thought you couldn't see outside of your vision?" I asked.

  "I said we can't see into the Light. The Black is another matter."

  I quickly held out the crucible to let her know I had it. She didn't flinch. She already knew.

  "Taking that was a mistake," she said. "Do you understand what would happen if it broke?"

  "I know what'll happen if I don't do anything," I shot back. "Your Guardians aren't trying to stop Damon and neither are the Watchers. So where does that leave us?"

  Ree sighed and put away the sword. "The Watchers are a higher form of life, Cooper. They don't deal in conflict the way we know it. They wait until a spirit has evolved enough to join them, or proves they have no hope of reaching that level before they intervene."

  "So they want all us lower life forms to duke it out on our own," I said.

  "That's right. We're all guided by our own free will, even Damon. And besides, as long as Damon has the kind of power he's shown, they would never put themselves at risk by forcibly pushing him into the Blood."

  "Translation . . . they're afraid of him because of the black swords," I said.

  "Of course, and they should be. Destroying a spirit in the Black is tragedy enough. Destroying an evolved life form would be catastrophic. So they don't give him a chance."

  "That's not good enough," I said. "He's going to find the poleax, Ree. Maybe now or maybe a hundred years from now. Or a thousand years. He's not going to give up. And when he does, nobody will be safe, including the Watchers. You can't sit back and react to what he does anymore."

  "And if you break that third crucible, it'll only get worse," she countered.

  "I don't want to break it. I want to use it."

  "For what?" she said with surprise.

  "To force the Guardians to take him on."

  Ree stared at me with disbelief. "You want us to fight Damon?"

  "Absolutely!" I replied. "I've seen his soldiers. They're a bunch of drones. Adeipho's guys are way more organized. Heck, even his daughter kicked my ass. The Guardians would wipe them out."

  "We aren't executioners," she said with finality.

  "Great. Nobody wants a fight . . . you, Adeipho, the Watchers . . . but Damon sure does. So while you're all sitting around hoping he goes away, he's doing everything he can to get more power. If you don't do something to stop him, you won't have to worry about guarding the Rift from inside the Black because he'll be coming at you from the other side."

  I saw Ree's jaw muscles working.

  "And what will you do, Cooper? You think the threat of breaking the crucible is enough to force us into this battle?"

  "I don't know. Maybe. But if breaking this gives him more power, then you'd be crazy to push me there."

  "And you're crazy for even thinking about breaking it!" she shouted.

  I'd never seen Mrs. Seaver so angry. I didn't like it. Neither did Maggie. She walked up behind me and held my arm.

  "Then, do something!" I shouted back. "Have Adeipho rally his soldiers and end this. Adeipho knows how dangerous Damon is. I can't believe he wouldn't be willing to do what's right and finish the job."

  Ree shook her head in frustration. "You can't do this, Cooper. You can't be the kid you've always been, jumping in with both feet and worrying about the consequences after. You aren't playing army with Marsh. We're talking about the balance between life and death. Between the physical and the spiritual. The Guardians are the only thing that stands between Damon and chaos. Without us, there would be nothing to stop him from tearing apart the very fabric of existence."

  "From what I've seen, that's going to happen anyway," I said.

  "And what if we fail?" she screamed. "Do you really want to be the one who brought about the collapse of humanity?"

  "Don't put this on me," I shot right back. "Things would have gone on like this forever if you hadn't uncovered the Rift and broken that first crucible. This is on you, Ree."

  I hated to slam her like that, but I had to get through to her somehow. We stood staring at each other, neither wanting to give in.

  A familiar voice broke the tension. "This is marvelous! Who will triumph in this battle of wills?"

  All three of us looked toward Gramps' house to see Damon leaning on the fence.

  "Such fire!" he bellowed. "Such passi
on! I apologize if I ever doubted you, Foley. When I selected you, I chose wisely."

  Seeing him was a shock, to say the least. He strolled casually toward us with a big smile.

  "And you must be Ree," he exclaimed. "You have been hiding for so long I thought we might never meet. I have so enjoyed spending time with your son."

  Ree spun toward him and reached for her sword. Damon was faster. He pulled his own black sword from its sheath. "That would be foolish," he warned. "I do not doubt your bravery, but you would be no match for me in battle."

  "Don't bet on that," I said.

  Reluctantly Ree took her hand off the sword.

  "Now," he said, turning his attention to me, "I am pleased to see you have fulfilled your part of our bargain."

  "What bargain?" Ree asked.

  "I told you," I answered quickly. "He said he'd leave Marsh alone if I broke the crucible."

  "Not only that!" Damon said indignantly. "I promised you your life back." He looked to Ree and added conspiratorially, "He was particularly tempted by that offer."

  Ree shot me a look. "Is that true?"

  "Well, yeah. But that's not why I took the crucible. I told you I—"

  Ree threw her hand up, cutting me off. I felt her disappointment and anger. "You always find a way out of trouble, don't you, Coop?"

  "It's not like that!" I insisted. "Yeah, he promised my life back but I didn't even believe it was possible."

  "Until you found out about the Rift," she declared.

  "Yes! I mean, no! I'm not trying to help this guy."

  "Yet you have taken the crucible as I asked," Damon said smugly. "Now please, would you be so kind as to crush it?"

  I took a step back from both of them and held the crucible up.

  "I'll take off and neither of you will see it again," I warned. "With the crucible gone it'll force this thing to an end."

  "Not true," Damon said. "Take the crucible and I will finish your friend." He looked to Ree and added, "Your son."

  "He isn't part of this," Ree growled through clenched teeth.

  Damon chuckled. "There is no soul, living or dead, who is not a part of this."