The Fourth World: Authors Definitive Edition

  Fintan breathed in deeply, and then breathed out again.

  “I have no idea,” he said. “You have to believe me.”

  “Are you sure you may not have read something about it? You’re a smart guy,” said Nizhoni. “I’m sure you read a lot.”

  “If I did, I think I’d remember,” said Fintan. “I am sure I didn’t.”

  “Why are we interrogating Fintan?” said Ayako. “He’s our friend.”

  “Sorry,” said Nizhoni. “I don’t mean to do that, I just want to be sure there is no rational explanation about how you would know these things.”

  A tear started crawling down Fintan’s cheek. “I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know.”

  She took his shoulders in his hands and embraced him to her chest in a motherly way. “I know,” she said. “I understand. You see I had the same feeling about you when I first saw you. We have met before. I just don’t know where.”

  She was crying too.

  It was a few moments before any of them could talk again.

  For once Zack was serious. “There’s more here than meets the eye, clearly. I won’t claim to understand it, but I’m your friend. Both of you. Whatever it is, we’ll get to the bottom of it. Together.”

  “Together,” said Ayako.

  Nizhoni nodded and Fintan agreed too.

  “Together,” they all repeated.

  ***

  Fintan’s condition improved rapidly and within a couple of days he was out of hospital. He got a heroes greeting back at Red Squadron dorms, and a belated ceremony was arranged for his medal reception. He hadn’t realized the winners of the friendly game got such an award.