“A world. Krishna chose to come to this world. But there are many others like it, in the sky, circling the stars you see at night.”
“That’s a strange idea. He told you this?”
“He didn’t have to tell me. I knew it long before I came to India.”
“You’re from another land. Now I understand. I have never seen a woman who looks like you. Tell me about your home.”
“It’s called Egypt, and it belongs to this world. Our culture’s more advanced than yours. We have vast farmlands and are able to feed tens of thousands. We have brilliant artists, engineers, mathematicians, and healers. We have built many wonderful cities alongside a great river called the Nile.”
“What is it you do in Egypt?”
“I’m a teacher and a priestess. I teach the young how to read and write. I also teach them about Isis, the Universal Mother.” She stopped and smiled. “But now that I’ve met Krishna, I’ll have to teach them about him as well.”
“How can you worship two gods? There can be only one.”
“Krishna says the one are the same as the many. Study the Gita. Krishna doesn’t care for our human laws. The world he comes from was old before our sun burned in the sky. We’re lucky to grasp a fraction of what he tells us.”
“That I can well believe.”
She was a bold woman. She had the nerve to pat me on the back. “You look troubled, Yaksha. What is it? Have I said something that upset you? It’s a bad habit of mine, to make fun of strangers. Of course, if you knew me better, I’d probably still make fun of you.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Umara.”
“How is it you know my name?”
“The snakes hissed it aloud when you entered the pit.”
“Your mocking grows tedious.”
“I apologize. You were most impressive that day. No man had ever challenged Krishna before.”
“I was young, I was a fool.”
“Perhaps. Kidnapping Radha was a strange way to say hello.”
“I regret that. I wish I could find her and ask her forgiveness.”
“You can’t, she’s dead.” Umara eyed me curiously. “You still haven’t told me what’s bothering you.”
“You. I’m not sure if you’re to be trusted.”
“You obviously haven’t met many strong women.”
“A strong woman doesn’t disturb me. But I find you out here in the middle of nowhere, after so many years, and you haven’t aged. You say you are from Egypt, and Krishna has already told me about a group of immortals who live there, called the Telar. He says they’re dangerous.”
“Some are. Not all.”
“Are you Telar or not?”
“I am.”
I stood and reached for the hilt of my sword. “Damn you, I knew it. I should take your head.”
“Don’t you find it more attractive attached to my body?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think. I have taken a vow. Your kind must be destroyed.”
She stared at me. “The same is true of vampires. Krishna told you to kill them all. Remember, I was there that day. I heard what he said.”
“How? He whispered in my ear.”
“Is it true or not?”
“I’ve killed thousands of vampires since that day.”
“No doubt. But I saw one the other day. She was present at the great battle. I watched her as she watched you. You saw each other, although you tried to pretend that you didn’t.” Umara paused. “Her name is Sita, if I’m not mistaken.”
I shook with anger. “She is no concern of yours!”
“She’s a vampire, and you’ve taken a vow to destroy them all. Tell me, Yaksha, with Sita so near at hand, why didn’t you spare a minute and sneak up on her and cut off her head?”
“It is . . . She’s someone I once knew.”
“Now she’s someone you must kill.”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“The time’s not right.”
“You can’t do it, can you?”
“Silence!” I yanked my sword free and put the tip to her neck. “You will not speak of her again.”
Umara was unafraid of my sword. She casually brushed the blade aside and stood. I couldn’t understand how warm her eyes were when her words were so harsh.
“I can do it for you,” she said.
“What?”
“Kill her. Help you fulfill your vow.”
“Now you speak nonsense.”
“Are you afraid I’ll do it?”
“You wouldn’t stand a chance against her. She’s stronger than she appears.”
“The same is true of me. I’m old, Yaksha, very old. You’re the first vampire, the most powerful, but I’m one of the first Telar. I’m from the beginning. The stars in the sky have changed since I was born. To me you’re but a child.”
There was strength in her words. I sensed it came from the fact she spoke the truth. My grip on my sword wavered.
“If I’m such a child, why do you speak to me?” I asked.
“I’m here to help you fulfill your vow. I’m the only one who can. Krishna spoke to me about this yesterday. He knows I’m the last of the original Telar, the only one who still knows the secret of their origin.”
“Tell me their secrets.”
“Not now. But I should warn you that a handful of the Telar know how old I am and have ordered my death. They fear me.” She paused. “But think how much more they will fear me if I return to Egypt with you.”
“Has Krishna ordered you to help me?”
Once again she shocked me. She threw her head back and laughed. “He’s never ordered me to do anything. I volunteered to help you because I want to.”
“Why?”
“It’s the right thing to do. Besides, I like you.”
“You can’t care for someone you don’t know.”
“Really?” She touched my hand that held the sword. “Are you saying you have no feelings for me?”
“We’ve only just met.”
“You only care for Sita?”
“We spent a lifetime together.”
“Fair enough. What are you going to do when the day comes that you have to kill her?”
The question filled me with pain. It was only the soothing quality of her touch that made it bearable. I realized then she was as old as she boasted. She could see right through me.
“That won’t be for a long time,” I said.
“If you want to give her that time, then let her go.”
“And leave with you?”
“Yes. And stay with me.”
I close his book and close my eyes.
I have read enough.
I’m not jealous.
I’m happy Yaksha got to be with such a wonderful soul.
TEN
In the morning, I check my cell and find three pressing messages. One is from Teri’s parents, who are now my parents. The next is from Lisa Fetch, a fringe member of our group, back in Missouri. Finally, Matt has called. God knows where he is. He wants me to call immediately.
I should call Matt first, he’s the boss now that I’m not.
But Matt intimidates me. Humans, Telar, vampires—we all put off what we don’t want to do.
I call Lisa Fetch to start. I figure hers will be the shortest call. Lisa’s a mathematician; she’s sort of hyper, smart, quick to get to the point. She’s presently teaching math at Truman College, a school Teri is supposed to return to in the next two weeks. I wonder how I’m going to get out of that commitment.
Lisa and Teri are not close, although Sita was a friend of hers, a point I have to keep in mind while talking to her. In a way, I’m surprised Lisa did not ask for Shanti, until I realize Lisa’s call is about Shanti.
“Did Sita talk to you about how the two of us puzzled over why Brutran wanted to eliminate Shanti when the girl appeared to contribute to the accuracy of the Array?” Lisa asks.
“Yes. Sita and I ta
lked about Shanti’s relationship with the IIC in Goldsmith. She said you had come up with mathematical data that proved Shanti both helped and hurt the Array.” I pause. “To be frank, it confused me a little.”
“Don’t feel bad, Teri, it confused us. Why did Brutran want Shanti dead when she was one of their most accurate psychics? That was the mystery Sita wanted me to solve. There was stuff I had discovered that I wanted to talk about at the funeral, but it didn’t seem like the time or the place. Everyone looked too bummed out. Plus I had to get back to my classes here.”
“I understand.”
“If I explain my findings to you now, can you pass them on to the others?”
“Sure.”
“Ever since you guys ran off to Europe, I’ve been studying the data the IIC fed me when I worked for them. I discovered that when Shanti joined the Array, as an individual, she gave a high percentage of correct answers. At the same time, her connection to the Array caused it to falter.”
“Why?” I ask.
“I don’t know why. I just know that it did. As soon as the IIC hired Shanti, the Array dropped four-point-three percent when it came to picking successful stocks. That might not seem like a lot, but it’s staggering when you think how many thousands of kids make up the Array.”
“Did the IIC know it was Shanti’s fault?”
“They must have thought so. They hired a hit man to kill her, didn’t they?”
“Sita told me about that guy. Marko.”
“What else did she tell you?” Lisa asks.
“She had a theory that Shanti’s goodness somehow short-circuited the Array. It was just an idea of hers, but it sounds like you’ve proved it.”
“Maybe. There was another kid who joined the Array the exact same day as Shanti. This kid also scored real high individual numbers.”
“What was the kid’s name?” I ask.
“He or she is designated by IIC’s computers as M3014. We’d have to hack into their system to get personal data on the kid. But you know what happened to my ex when he hacked into their computers.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t,” I lie.
“He got killed.”
“Oh.”
“Look, Teri, the main reason I called was to let the gang know the Array can be weakened. At the same time, I’m not a hundred percent sure Shanti’s the magic bullet we’ve been looking for.”
“Because of M3014.”
I wonder who this kid might be. I want to find him.
“Right,” Lisa says. “I’m sorry I can’t give you guys a conclusive answer. But I’ll keep studying the data, see what I can come up with.”
“I’ll tell the others you’re working on it.”
Lisa hesitates. “How is everyone doing without Sita?”
“It’s rough. She was our leader. I’m not saying Matt’s not doing a good job, but it’s not the same.”
“I understand. Stay in touch. I still want to bring that bitch Brutran down.”
“Don’t we all,” I say.
Mr. and Mrs. Raine are up next. I procrastinate ten minutes before making the call. I feel like I’m screwing with my own mind when I talk to them. This won’t be the first time since I took over her body, but I can’t say I’ve gotten used to it. I have all of Teri’s memories inside. I can recall every birthday party they ever threw me.
Dad’s what people call “salt of the earth.” He works as an engineer at a local aluminum factory. Mom’s soft-spoken. She takes care of the house and spends a lot of time helping at church. They couldn’t be more harmless, or more divorced from the world I live in. That’s why they sound upset on their message. It seems Detective William Treach has called and is looking for me. Just what I need.
“The detective told us you left town without telling him where you were going,” my father says after I explain the misunderstanding about room-service Ken. My mother is on the line as well but generally lets Dad do the talking when it’s important.
Damn! My hypnotic suggestion didn’t work.
“I don’t have to report to him,” I say. “I gave him a full statement about what happened at the hotel. And I warned him I wasn’t going to be staying in Denver. I don’t know why he keeps bothering me.”
“He said he’s going to keep calling us until you call him.”
“Did he say why?”
“He’s always polite, always brief. But he’s firm. He doesn’t sound like the kind of man you want to get on the wrong side of. Call him, I’m sure it’s just a formality.”
“I don’t know. I wonder if I should speak to a lawyer first.”
“What do you need with a lawyer?”
“I didn’t say I needed one. I’m saying I’m tired of this detective. This guy named Ken disappears and the cops don’t have a suspect so they go after me because I just won a gold medal. That way they automatically get their face on TV.”
“Detective Treach doesn’t sound like that kind of person.”
“Well, you might be right.” I dislike putting Detective Treach down, because I happen to like the man.
“Do you want me to call Fritz Chandler for you?” Dad asks.
Fritz is an old friend of the family, a lawyer from church. He can set up a living trust and help with a DUI, but he’s way out of his league when it comes to a murder case, which is what this is, even if my parents can’t see it.
“Let me think about it,” I say.
“You’re a big girl, you take care of it.” My dad often defaults to that line when he doesn’t know what else to say. “The agencies keep calling as well. ICM, CAA, and William Morris Endeavor all want to represent you. They think you’ve got to strike while you’re hot. But they say you’re not returning their calls, either.”
“The Olympics were only two weeks ago. People haven’t forgotten me. They’re pushing for me to call because they’re in competition with each other. That’s good, I’m flattered. But I’m not sure if I want to go that way. Selling shoes and cereal on TV. What kind of doctor does that?”
“The endorsement money could pay for medical school.”
“I know. I haven’t dismissed the idea. I just want to take it slow is all.”
My mother finally speaks. “Is this the best time to be traveling all over the country with Matt? You know Mayor Spender still wants to throw you a town party. He wants to give you the key to the city. That’s an honor, Teri. I think you should come home.”
“I will. But I promised Matt this time together before the games, when I was training night and day and hardly talking to him. I owe him, Mom. And I need this time to unwind. Really, I’m having a great time. Just be patient with me. I’ll be home soon.”
That’s good enough to pacify them. After hanging up, though, I realize I have to stop Detective Treach from calling. I wonder what state of mind the detective and his wife are in. I worry I might have started a “loop” in one of their brains, where they fixate on an idea and keep repeating it to whoever happens to be nearby. At the hospital, Sandy had shown definite signs of looping.
I decide to give the cop a call and feel him out.
“Detective Treach. This is Teri Raine. I heard you were looking for me. What’s up?”
“Teri, thanks for calling. I appreciate it. How’s all the newfound celebrity treating you?”
“Fine,” I say, already worried about the man. He only has to say a few words for me to know he sounds tentative, like something’s bothering him that he can’t explain.
“Good, I’m glad. The reason I called, well, it’s sort of complicated. You know about the young man who disappeared at the hotel?”
“Sure. Has he turned up yet?”
“No. And it’s beginning to look like he’s not going to, if you get my drift. But he’s not the reason I called. I no longer think you had anything to do with his disappearance. I’m sure of that.”
Shit, I think. The detective is repeating word for word the suggestion I placed in his mind. Not a good sign.
“Why d
id you call?” I ask.
“There’s another man, his name is Gary Stevens. He works with my wife at her hospital. He’s in charge of their blood supply. The other night, at work, he says he saw someone who matches your description.”
“When?”
“The day we met.”
“Detective Treach, I don’t know your wife or this Gary Stevens.”
Detective Treach sounds embarrassed and confused. “I believe you. I told him that my wife’s never met you and she’s certainly never been to the hospital with you.”
“This hospital must have some sort of security.”
“We have a problem in that area as well. That night, the man in charge of the security cameras was knocked unconscious and his digital records were removed. When we add to that Gary Stevens’s accusation that you assaulted him, just before you stole a large quantity of blood, then we have a problem.”
I chuckle lightly. “This is getting more complicated all the time. Does Gary Stevens say your wife stole blood as well?”
“He says she helped you steal it, which is of course ridiculous. My wife would never do such a thing. The entire case is a mystery, but I’m still required to investigate it, especially since my wife stands accused.”
“This is obviously a case of mistaken identity. I’m not a vampire. I have no need to go around stealing blood.”
“My partner’s working on the case as well. He’s sitting across from me right now. He’d like to talk to you. It’s his understanding that many endurance athletes do what’s called ‘blood doping.’ They store up their blood months before a big race and then inject it into their veins to boost their red blood-cell count. It’s supposed to heighten their endurance. I’m sure you’ve heard about the procedure.”
“Sure. I know athletes who’ve done it. But they withdraw their own blood before a major event like the Olympics. They don’t just stroll into your local hospital and steal a few gallons of strangers’ blood and inject it. If the blood types didn’t match, it would probably kill them.”
“That’s exactly what I told them. That the hospital’s blood couldn’t possibly help you. But that’s the only motivation they can come up with for why you might have wanted the blood.”
“Lieutenant Treach, to be blunt, it doesn’t sound like Gary Stevens or the hospital has a shred of proof that your wife or I was involved in this theft. For that reason, I’m not going to worry about it. I suggest you do the same.”