The Trap Door

by Lisa McMann

  Riq, forgetting not only where he was but also what year he was in, took a moment to get his bearings. Then he realized they weren’t moving. He sat up and shook his fuzzy brain. “Okay, buddy,” he said. “Shh, now. I’ll find you something to eat. But we’ve got to be quiet.”

  “I don’t want to be quiet. Where’s my mama?”

  “We’re going to see her right now.” Riq peered out the back of the wagon and then hopped out. “Come on,” he whispered.

  James stopped fussing and climbed out, jumping to the ground.

  “Follow me,” Riq said. He snuck around to the road’s edge and began walking uphill like he had a purpose, even though he’d completely lost his bearings.

  A stray chicken clucked at him from the side of the road. Riq glanced around, and then lunged at it. It jumped and skittered around him. Riq tried again, this time managing to scoop it up so it would look like he was delivering something. The chicken flapped and squawked, and Riq almost dropped it, but then it settled down. Riq carried it like a football. His heart pounded. There were white people and black people moving about in buggies and on foot. “Are you still behind me?” he said once, his eyes never leaving the road, constantly scanning the area for anyone who looked like they’d be dangerous or threatening.

  “Yes, sir,” James said. He kicked a stone, and it hit Riq in the leg.

  “Good job,” Riq said. “You’re doing great, buddy. Don’t kick any more stones, though. Please.” He wished the chicken would lay an egg so he could eat it. His stomach twisted with hunger.

  When they reached a cross street, Riq saw a black boy about his age. “Where’s Federal Hill?” he asked in a low voice.

  The boy looked at Riq. “You’re standing on it,” he said.

  “And the lookout spot is . . . ?”

  The boy pointed up to the top of the hill.

  Riq scanned the horizon and saw his destination. His heart surged. “Here, have a chicken,” he said, handing the animal to the startled boy. And then he reached his hand back and looked down at his traveling companion. He smiled. “Come on, James. Let’s go find your mama.”

  James grabbed Riq’s hand and together they ran the hundred yards up the hill as fast as they could go. As they approached the observatory, young James broke from Riq’s grasp and sprinted ahead.

  If there had been a war, Gamaliel Bailey, Dak, and Sera would have fit right in with those who returned injured. Gamaliel with his bandaged head sat beside the two kids, one who was dressed like a sailor but carried dripping Quaker woman’s garb, and the other who was curled up after being socked in the gut by a thug. They were a sight to behold.

  After they’d said their good-byes to the crew of the cutter, Gamaliel had guided them to the stables where his horse and buggy waited. They had all climbed in and with a soft-spoken command they were off at a brisk pace to Baltimore.

  After a time, Gamaliel nudged Dak. “We’re nearly there,” he said. As the buggy began its journey up the hill, the weak December sun shone through the clouds, and the air was not quite as brisk as it had been. Sera stretched and rerolled her pant legs, tucking them inside her boots so she didn’t trip once they were ready to get out of the buggy. She pulled the shawl close around her shoulders, knowing she looked like a total weirdo, but she didn’t care. In fact, nothing that had happened to her was on her mind now. She was focused on Riq, hoping nothing bad had happened to him. It would be so typical for something else to go wrong right about now.

  Gamaliel stopped the buggy and the three climbed out. Gamaliel tied the reins to the hitching post. Sera looked at Dak, Dak looked at Sera, and both of them crossed their fingers. Leaving Gammy behind, they ran the rest of the way up the hill to the observatory, dread twisting in the pit of Sera’s stomach at every step.

  When they neared the meeting spot, Sera squealed. “Riq!” She tore ahead of Dak and tackled her friend, knocking him to the ground.

  “Watch the nose!” he said. He took one look at her and started laughing. “I don’t even want to know what happened to you,” he said. When Dak joined the party on the hill, Riq gave them both a smile — one of the most genuine smiles they had ever seen on him. He reached out and slung his arms around their shoulders. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you guys,” he said. But his smile quickly faded. “Now we just need to find Kissy and John.”

  STANDING TOGETHER on Federal Hill, Sera introduced Gamaliel to Riq, but Riq could barely concentrate enough to shake hands with the man. Where are they? he wondered.

  He trained his eyes on the bay below, straining to see any sign of Kissy or John. Absently, he recounted to the others what had happened to him and how he came to be traveling with James.

  Meanwhile, Gamaliel went in search of breakfast for everyone. After the man returned with food, he stationed himself as a guard, keeping an eye out for SQ and slave traders. After a time, he spoke. “Perhaps we should find a safer place to wait.”

  Riq frowned, scanning the area as people walked here and there. He knew the Hystorian was right — he and James weren’t safe out in the open like this. But he couldn’t go back on his last words to Kissy. He couldn’t risk them missing each other. “No,” he said, determined. “I promised her we’d be here. We can’t leave. There’s no way she won’t be here.”

  On the inside, Riq’s confidence crumbled. He could think of two things that could stop her. He looked at James, who’d been collecting sticks and brown crunchy leaves and rotting acorn caps. The boy squatted in the dirt, making a fort out of his supplies. Riq leaned over and wiped a smudge of dirt from James’s face. What have I done?

  Dak sat down to play with the boy while Sera joined Riq on the lookout for the missing parents. Riq couldn’t stand still. What if something had happened to Kissy and John? What on earth was Riq supposed to do with James if they didn’t show up?

  Riq felt Sera’s hand on his arm. He stopped pacing.

  “I’m sure they’re coming,” she said.

  Riq shook his head and looked at her, his nose throbbing, his body exhausted. “I’m just . . . I’m afraid I made a really big mistake. And I’m not sure . . . what . . . to do. . . .” He swallowed hard and massaged his temples, trying to hide his pooling eyes. “I shouldn’t have insisted on going with them. If I’d just stayed with you guys and the Hystorian . . .”

  “Then James would have been left alone on shore and captured by those slave traders, and he’d never see his parents again.” Sera folded her arms. “Is that what you want? You’d rather just not have to deal with him? Because the Hystorian quest is so much more important?” Her eyes flared.

  “No!” Riq felt heat rising to his face. “That’s not it at all. I’m just not sure what we’re supposed to do now. I messed everything up.”

  “Well,” Sera said, “it seems to me you did something right. And I’m not worried.” Her voice grew thick. “Parents have a way of finding their children. Even when it seems impossible. I’m just sure of it.” She turned away and blinked rapidly.

  Riq was quiet. He thought of Dak’s parents whizzing through time, shoving the key into Dak’s hand before they disappeared, trying their best to help their son even when they needed help themselves. And he thought of Sera, whose Remnants had her convinced of the bond she shared with a mother and father she never knew. And then he thought of his parents. After a moment he scraped the ground with his shoe. “Yeah,” he said. “Maybe.”

  “She’ll be here,” Sera said again. “If she doesn’t come, then there’s no hope for any of us.”

  You don’t know how right you are, Riq thought.

  A short while later, a timid-looking woman with dark brown skin approached. She looked at James, and then turned to Riq.

  “May we help you?” Riq asked. He felt a surge of hope — maybe this woman knew where Kissy was.

  “I’m looking for Riq.”

  “That’s me.”

  She pointed at the boy. “That James?”

  “Maybe. Why?”


  “Kessiah sent me to give you a message,” the woman said.

  Riq’s eyes widened. “What is it?”

  “I’m to tell you she’s found Aunt Harriet and wishes you to meet her in Wilmington. She has sent a wagon to collect you.” The woman looked up. “Come with me. I’ll take you there.”

  “Is she okay?” Sera asked. “Is everything all right?”

  “She’s fine,” the woman said. “She said not to worry. Just come.”

  “Where in Wilmington?” Dak asked, eyes narrowed.

  The woman rattled off the response as if she’d been expecting the question. “The home of Aunt Harriet’s Quaker friend, Thomas Garrett.”

  Gamaliel harrumphed, catching Riq’s attention. The man’s brow was furrowed and he shifted uneasily. Riq caught his eye and the two exchanged a look before Riq turned back to the woman.

  “Kessiah said that?”

  “Yes.”

  “And she’s with Aunt Harriet?”

  “Yes,” she said with a huff. “Now, if you’ll please follow me.”

  “It will be our pleasure,” said Gamaliel.

  The woman shook her head. “Just the two, James and Riq — they’re all I’m supposed to collect,” she said, looking at the Latina and the Caucasian of the group, and eyeing Gamaliel suspiciously.

  “Oh,” Dak said. “We’re all family. Aunt Harriet won’t mind.”

  The woman looked confused, but said nothing. “I’m not sure they’re expecting so many . . . for dinner.”

  “We don’t eat much,” Sera said.

  The woman knew when she was beat. She turned to walk down the hill, glancing behind her to check that the group was following.

  Riq had an idea. He let Gamaliel round up James and walk ahead with the woman, while he fell back into step with Dak and Sera. In a low voice, he began speaking in Tlingit. Immediately, Dak and Sera’s earpieces, which they hadn’t used at all in this era, clicked in to the language and translated.

  “Something isn’t right, you two. Kissy calls her aunt Minty, not Harriet. And I don’t believe for a second that she’d go on ahead to Wilmington without James.”

  “You think she’s in trouble?” asked Dak. His translator tooth cap did its job translating the words to Tlingit.

  Riq nodded. “Someone must have captured Kissy and John, and discovered they were headed here. Now they’re after James and me, so they can sell us all over again.”

  “Too bad they didn’t count on us,” Sera said.

  “Exactly,” Riq said. “I say we pretend like we buy her story, and when we get there, we’ll barge in and throw a wrench in their operation. With any luck, we’ll catch an SQ agent and be able to learn something about their larger plan. It can be our first step in getting the Underground Railroad back on its tracks before it derails for good.”

  “Great plan,” Sera said.

  “Agreed,” said Dak.

  The three shared a grin. It was good to be back together at last.

  THE TRIP to Wilmington would take most of the day. On the way, James took an immediate liking to their escort and began talking to her nonstop, now that he was finally allowed to talk as much and as loudly as he wanted. Meanwhile, Sera, Dak, and Riq found a spot in the wagon as far away as possible and they continued their quiet conversation in Tlingit.

  “I spoke with Gammy. He says Thomas Garrett really does live in Wilmington. He’s legit,” Sera reported.

  “Does he know what Mr. Garrett looks like?” Dak asked.

  “Totally.”

  “Rock on. So we’ll know right away if we’re dealing with a phony. I’d sure hate to tackle the wrong guy.”

  “Well, the real Mr. Garrett sounds amazing!” Sera said with a wide grin. “He has this huge house and he gets into trouble all the time for hiding slaves there. In court, he said something like ‘you can put me in jail and take all my money, but I’m still going to keep helping people who need help.’ He’s had to pay a pantsload of fines and he just keeps going! Or at least he did,” Sera said, and she turned serious again. “He’s one of the Hystorians that nobody’s heard from in days.”

  “That is so not cool,” said Riq.

  “But you know what definitely is cool?” Sera asked. “It’s so amazing that you found your family, Riq, and got to spend some time with them.” She looked at her hands. “I guess I’m a little jealous.”

  Riq flashed a small smile and let out a sigh. “Don’t be.” He felt a pain in his heart, and for the briefest of moments, he longed to share his personal fears with the other two. But he couldn’t, and soon the moment passed, which was for the best. He didn’t want anyone trying to talk him out of doing the right thing.

  Not feeling like talking much anymore, he lay down on his side and closed his eyes. “We should all get some sleep while we have the chance.”

  When they arrived, it was early evening. The time travelers got out of the wagon, and James jumped and ran around outside in the open air, entirely fed up with being forced into so many tight places for the past two days. Riq marveled at the boy’s energy.

  Finally, they all approached the stately home of Thomas Garrett. When they knocked on the door, they were met by a tall, pale woman. Her hair was flaming red, and her lips the color of an oil slick.

  Riq sucked in a breath.

  “Welcome,” she said, sounding totally unwelcoming. “I am Ilsa.” Her voice was colder than the Chesapeake Bay.

  As she ushered them inside and dismissed the woman who’d led them from Federal Hill, Riq spoke under his breath to Sera and Dak. And since all the Tlingit tongue clicking was getting old, this time he spoke in Russian. “She’s the spitting image of Tilda — the Lady in Red.”

  “The one who wants to take over the SQ?” Sera said. “But how’d she get here without a —”

  “Shh,” Riq said. “I don’t think it is her. She just looks like her.”

  “Is it too late to change our minds about this?” Dak whispered.

  The red-haired woman folded her arms and leaned toward the three. “Yes,” she said in perfect Russian. “As a matter of fact, it is too late.” She switched back to English. “Gentlemen,” she called out.

  Riq heard the door close behind him.

  “Yes, ma’am,” rang out a choir of voices.

  “It appears your hunches were correct.” She looked at Gamaliel. “And you’ve also managed to bring me the next Hystorian on my list. How convenient.”

  Slowly, they all turned around to find Hake, Stuckey, and several other SQ agents circling them like a pack of starving wolves.

  DAK PRIDED himself on being smart. But it sure didn’t seem as if being smart was enough to keep him from walking into traps every other day.

  He’d assumed they’d be up against a single undercover SQ agent, like the fake Mrs. Beeson. He’d assumed they’d have the advantage and that surprise would be on their side. He’d assumed wrong.

  But he was smart enough to know when they were beat. As much as he wanted to fight, they didn’t have a chance.

  Ilsa knew it, too. She smiled an evil smile. “Hake, Stuckey, take the darling Bowley boy to the cellar to wait with the other auction items,” she said, voice dripping with contempt. She held up a finger and tapped it to her black lips. “On second thought, let’s not give them the satisfaction of seeing the boy. Instead, take them all to the holding room, while I alert my colleagues to the good news of the time travelers’ arrival. Most of them have begun their journey here already, so it won’t be long. Then we’ll have tea and learn about all their little secrets.” She laughed a sinister laugh.

  James looked scared. Dak tried to reassure him with a strained smile and a wink. “Just stick close to us, buddy,” he whispered.

  “How are you jerks even here?” Sera asked as Hake grabbed her by the arms. “You attacked us in public! You should be in jail.”

  Ilsa clucked her tongue. “They were acting within the law in their pursuit of stolen property. Under the Fugitive Slave Act, it’s
all of you who are the criminals.”

  Stuckey took the satchel from Sera’s belt while Dak dropped his eyes to the ground. “Man, I really hate this time period,” he mumbled.

  As one of the burly agents rough-armed him down the hallway, Riq glanced around, taking in whatever he could. The house was large, but there was hardly any furniture, which made all the rooms they passed look the same. Soon they reached a locked door. Riq could hear muffled sounds coming from the other side of it. One of Ilsa’s cronies pulled his set of keys from his belt and unlocked the door, and Riq and the others were dragged inside.

  What they saw shocked them. All along the walls of the unfurnished sitting room stood more than a dozen men and women. There were Quakers next to collared priests, Nanticoke Indians next to Pennsylvania Dutch. Their skin colors ranged from darkest dark to palest pale — it was a true American melting pot. Riq might have choked up at the sight of it, if it weren’t for one little thing: Each person in the room was shackled to the wall and gagged.

  Riq felt his eyes grow wide as he looked at all the faces in the room, and wider still when the Time Wardens pulled more shackles and gags from a tiny closet.

  “Come now,” said Gamaliel. “Is it necessary to shackle the children?”

  Stuckey rubbed his chest where Sera had kicked him only a day before. “It’s necessary. But it’s also a pleasure.”

  There was nothing they could do. Riq watched as his friends were shackled to a bar that ran the length of the far wall. He was the last to be tied down. He hadn’t missed the feeling of chains around his wrists. And the gag made it that much worse.

  The Time Wardens checked the shackles to make sure they were secure, and then they stalked back out of the room, closing the door behind them.

  Dak made a number of muffled noises as he appeared to recognize a few people, trying to shout out their names, but everything he said sounded like “Woowoo woo! Hawweewa eehee oo!”