“It’s James!” hissed Sera, poking Riq with her elbow.
Riq’s face broke into a wide smile. “Hey! I didn’t expect to see you!”
James gave each of the time travelers a hug as Harriet Tubman watched.
“Do you have a few minutes?” she asked.
Riq smiled again. “I think we can spare a few.”
“So,” Dak began. “We last saw you in eighteen-fifty.”
“Or as I like to remember it, eighteen-abibble,” Harriet said. She smiled.
Dak grinned back. “Nicely played. Hey, does that mean my little phrase caught on? Is everybody saying it now?”
Harriet shook her head. “No. No one is.”
“Oh.” Dak glanced at Sera, who just shook her head and laughed. “Okay, so what happened after we saw you?”
“Well, Mr. Thomas Garrett immediately let me know I might expect to see you today,” Harriet said, eyes merry. “So I made a note to remind myself and kept it in my hat all these years. And I just knew James would want to see you, too, so I let him know and he came down from Canada.”
“That’s right,” James said with a smile.
Harriet recounted her trip aboard the train to freedom, with Kissy, James, and the baby inside the crate, and Harriet, John, and the other Hystorians causing distractions whenever the baby cried or James couldn’t contain his own frustration at being in one more confined space. “James was a pistol on that trip, the poor boy, but he’s grateful to have taken it,” she said. “He remembers it well; don’t you, dear?”
“Like it happened yesterday,” James said. “But what I really remember is being sad that you weren’t there in Canada. Nobody was able to play the horseback game as well as you — they all tired out too fast,” he said with a laugh. “I talked about you to anyone who would listen. I called you my best friend. I’m pretty sure the other kids thought you were imaginary, but Mom always told me I’d see you again.”
Riq didn’t know what to say. He laughed hard so he could pretend like his misty eyes were from laughter. “I remember it like it was yesterday, too,” he said, rubbing his back. “In fact, it was yesterday. I’m still sore.”
Sera narrowed her eyes at Riq. She tapped her fingers on her knee as he wiped his eyes. He had a feeling she suspected something. She flashed him a sympathetic smile, and said to Harriet, “Tell us about the Underground Railroad. Did it continue?”
Harriet nodded her head, almost in wonder. “Yes, the Underground Railroad continued, to the utter consternation of the SQ. The harder they worked to stop us, the harder we fought to keep it going. And it grew. Slaves escaped, told their stories, and word got out about the true situation in the South. I went back and forth to personally guide as many slaves as I could to freedom. And of course, my friend Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book really started jaws a-wagging.”
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin?” Dak guessed.
“That’s right. And your friend Gamaliel, God rest his soul, was the first to publish it.”
The three time travelers gasped in unison. “Rest his soul?” Sera said quietly.
Harriet nodded sadly. “He never lived to see emancipation. But he fought for it until his last breath.” She added, “Thomas Garrett is gone, too. He’d become such a dear friend — helping hundreds more slaves after you left. It seems he’d received a very, very generous” — she glanced sidelong at Sera — “anonymous donation. It kept him in business for years to come.”
Sera bit her lip in silent glee. Riq knew she must have had something to do with that. But she only said, “Oh? How nice.”
“Any chance there was a president named Lincoln?” Dak asked.
“Yes, indeed. He was decent, though I had to give him a piece of my mind a time or two about allowing slavery to continue in the South.” She frowned. “Took us a few years of war to convince him.”
“So there was a civil war?” Dak asked. “When did it start?”
“Oh yes, there was a civil war. Eighteen sixty-one to eighteen sixty-five. It was tough and it was messy, but the abolitionists won in the end.”
“Only four years?” Dak said. “That’s better than fifteen, but . . .”
“I know,” said Sera. “I was hoping it wouldn’t happen at all.”
James nodded. “Everything was demolished — all through that land we traveled from Cambridge on north, and all over the country. Aunt Minty was in the middle of it all. As a conductor for the Underground Railroad for eight years, she made over a dozen trips into slave territory to rescue fugitives. She was a nurse for the injured, a recruiter of over five hundred slaves to be soldiers for the North, and even a Union spy.”
Harriet only smiled.
“Wow, a spy?” Riq said with a grin. “My grandma Phoebe would be —” He stopped abruptly and took in a sharp breath. Then he stood up and walked to the window. “Never mind. I’m sorry.”
Harriet and James shared a quiet look, and then James got up and followed Riq to the window while Harriet ushered Dak and Sera to the kitchen for some stew.
At the window, James put his hand on Riq’s shoulder. “We really are related, aren’t we?”
Riq leaned forward, gripping his head in his hands. He swallowed hard. And then he shook his head. “I don’t know,” he whispered. “I don’t know anything anymore.”
They stood in silence for a long moment. “Thank you for saving my life,” James whispered. “I grew up free and happy because of you. No matter what, you will always be my brother.”
All Riq could do was nod. “Thanks,” he choked out. “That means more than you know.”
After a moment, Riq wiped his face with his hands, took a deep breath, and smiled. He and James walked into the kitchen and sat with Sera and Dak in front of steaming bowls of stew. He could feel Sera’s eyes on him.
“Whatever happened to Ilsa?” Dak asked.
Harriet frowned. “She disappeared after you did,” she said. “People said she’d gone insane. But every now and then I get a strange feeling coming over me, like she’s got me in her crosshairs. Like if I turned my head an inch more, I’d see her wild red hair disappearing around a corner.” Harriet tapped her lips thoughtfully. “The woman clearly made an impression on me. But that’s all in my imagination, I’m sure.”
“The SQ has eyes and ears everywhere,” Sera said, remembering what Brint and Mari had told them. “You’ve done so much to weaken them — I’m sure they’re tracking you, and I’m sure they’re really mad. Be careful, Ms. Tubman.”
Harriet only laughed. “The SQ ain’t never caught me yet.”
When Riq and the others rose to leave, James and Harriet embraced them all one by one. “You were an inspiration to us all in a dark, dark time — not just for African-American rights, but for women’s rights, too. Whatever you said to my friend Susan B. Anthony really got her going. Thank you for your service to the Hystorians,” Harriet said, “and for your great sacrifices.” She gave Riq a look that could only come from a battered hero like Harriet. “Whatever they may be.”
Sera led Dak and Riq out of Harriet Tubman’s home the traditional way, through the front door, to catch one more glimpse of the nineteenth century while Riq used the SQuare, working out the puzzle for the next Break.
“You know what would be fun?” Sera said as they strolled along. “Going to some tropical island with lots of food and soap and toothbrushes, where the Break could only be fixed by us taking a vacation.”
“Boring,” Dak said. “I want to go back to Paris.”
“What? Not the Vikings again!”
“No, not 885. Late 1700s kind of Paris.”
Riq tuned in as he worked the SQuare. “Why there?”
Sera laughed. “I know why,” she said. “He wants to get another bottle of soda.”
“So what? I’m a collector!”
Riq shook his head and turned back to the SQuare. “Well,” he said, “you may get your island getaway, Sera.”
Sera gasped. “Really? Are you serious? Where
! Tahiti? Barbados? Canary Islands? New Zealand? Tell me!” She gripped his arm. “Come on!”
Riq flashed a grin. “Hmm, so very close. How about this — ready? Are you sitting down?”
Sera shook his arm. “Of course not. We’re walking, dog breath.”
“Well?” Dak asked, impatient.
“Okay,” Riq said. “Picture this: gorgeous sunrise over the water on a steamy —”
“Just tell me!” Sera said. “Ooh, I can feel the sand between my toes now.”
“That’s probably just silt in your socks from the Chesapeake Bay,” Dak remarked.
Riq’s eyes danced for the first time in days. “Okay, okay. We’re going to Japan. Not exactly tropical, but it’s an island. And there will be samurai. And maybe ninjas. The clue’s a little unclear on that point.”
Sera’s jaw dropped. Dak’s did, too. And then he grinned and pumped the air with his fist. “Yes!”
“Oy,” Sera said, shaking her head. “I hate my life right now. I really do. That was pretty stinking mean, Riq.”
“You’re just so fun to tease,” Riq said.
They rounded the corner where a stately farmhouse stood, a large cornfield behind it. This time the stalks were vibrant green and only knee high. Sera reluctantly pulled out the Infinity Ring and began to program the year and the location coordinates.
“Don’t forget to factor in Groundhog Day,” Dak deadpanned.
Groundhog Day. The term made Sera’s stomach clench when she realized what Dak was referring to — her time warp with Ilsa.
Sera hadn’t told them the truth about that.
And the truth was: She’d made a horrible mistake with her calculations.
She’d seen the Cataclysm with her own eyes.
Get a grip, Froste! she told herself, determined not to let the stress show. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Dak or Riq what she had witnessed. She would just have to be strong enough to carry that particular burden alone.
As she finished the last few calculations, the door of the farmhouse burst open and a towering, chiseled-faced woman with white hair — and red undertones — came charging out at them.
The three time travelers looked at one another wearily.
“Annnd our lives would just not be complete without a visit from Ilsa,” Sera muttered.
“Man, Mr. Garrett could not keep a secret,” Dak said.
“She does look a little crazy,” Riq added.
I think I know why, Sera thought. But she kept it to herself. “Grab hold, boys. We’re five, four, three, two, one, and —”
Gone.
Turn the page for your Hystorian’s Guide to feudal Japan.
Ninja assassins are chasing you! Use all your training to save Tokugawa Ieyasu in the action-packed Infinity Ring game. This is your strategy guide for staying alive.
Unlock the full game at:
infinityring.com
You’re about to face one of your toughest challenges yet: a dangerous journey through enemy terrain, with SQ ninjas giving chase.
We believe warrior Tokugawa Ieyasu could have been the one to unify Japan and bring about a period of peace and prosperity, free from the influence of the SQ. Instead, while traveling through hostile territory in 1582, Tokugawa was caught by an SQ ambush — and killed. Hundreds of years of civil war followed.
You must get Tokugawa to safety, so he can fulfill his destiny as the unifier of Japan!
— Arin
We hate to ask you to do the impossible, but you must be prepared for a foe that is a master of disguise, can move silently and invisibly, and can strike with precision and dangerous force: SQ ninjas.
While many ninjas used their skills for noble causes, there was one corrupt branch loyal to the SQ, and they used their order’s stealth and trickery to achieve evil ends. It is this group that wanted to assassinate Tokugawa Ieyasu. And if you don’t stop them — they will succeed.
SQ ninjas are trying to assassinate the future shogun of Japan! Play as Dak, Sera, and Riq as they race to save him — and the future of the country.
Log on now to join the ranks of the samurai.
Fix the past. Save the future.
infinityring.com
Dak, Sera, and Riq are stranded in the time of the Ancient Mayans! What mystery will they uncover — and how will it change their mission forever?
Includes an all-new, top secret Hystorian’s Guide — which unlocks the next episode of the Infinity Ring game.
Turn the page for a sneak peek!
infinityring.com
Below is a sneak peek from Infinity Ring Book 4: Curse of the Ancients by Matt de la Peña.
RIQ STRAINED to keep a tight grip under both of Dak’s arms as he helped carry him through the surging storm. Itchik and another man had his feet. He watched Sera hurrying alongside them, holding a blanket over Dak’s face so he wouldn’t drown in the falling rain. “Dak!” she kept shouting. “Can you hear me, Dak? It’s Sera! Please look at me, Dak!”
But Dak wasn’t looking at anyone.
He was out cold.
Riq had never seen anyone take such a nasty blow in his life.
As they moved past the temple, a sudden gust of wind knocked them all over into the mud. Riq and the two Mayan men scrambled to their feet, quickly lifting Dak back up and continuing away from the village, toward the hills on the outskirts of town. The women, children, and elders from the hut were several paces ahead already, holding on to one another, leaning into the teeth of the storm.
Riq winced as he slowly moved through the mud with Dak. His leg was killing him. He’d been struck in the knee by a falling board when the roof of the hut had collapsed. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could go on. But every time he thought of asking for a rest, he would picture Dak pushing that little girl out of the way, taking the brunt of the wall’s impact on his own head and back.
He’d saved her life.
Remembering this fact always gave Riq the shot of adrenaline he needed to fight through the pain and fatigue.
They carried Dak uphill over fallen trees, through knee-high puddles of rain, and across long stretches of quicksand-like mud. Eventually they approached the mouth of a large cave, where several Mayan warriors were perched on large boulders watching the storm.
Itchik shouted at the men, “Get Jasaw immediately! We must help this boy!”
Two of the warriors darted inside the cave. The rest leaped down from the boulders, into the rain, and helped carry Dak’s limp body up to the cave’s broad opening.
Riq was relieved of his grip on Dak once they got inside. He watched Itchik and the others carry Dak across the dimly lit cave, Sera trailing closely behind. It took Riq’s eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dull candlelight, but once he could see, he was taken aback. Several hundred Mayas were spread out on blankets across the uneven floor of the cave. Some were sleeping. Others were sitting together in small groups, chanting. A few turned to look him over.
A man wearing a headdress pointed the men carrying Dak toward a large hanging blanket, set up like a screen for privacy. Riq knew this must be the man Itchik had referred to as Jasaw, and he hurried to catch up. When he ducked behind the blanket, he saw the men lowering Dak onto a cot. There were other patients on cots nearby. Riq was relieved they’d made it out of the storm, to a place where Dak might get help, and only now did he reach down to massage his aching knee. When he brought his fingers back up to his face, he saw blood. The board had cut him.
Riq moved toward Dak’s cot, nodding to the men who had helped carry Dak as they left.
“Who are you anyway?” Sera was asking the man looking over Dak’s wounds.
“I am Jasaw,” he said without looking up. “The ahmen, medicine man, of our village. Your friend is very hurt.”
“And how do you know how hurt he is?” Sera said. “It’s not like you’re a real doctor.”
“What is ‘doctor’?” Jasaw said, looking up at her.
Riq placed his hand on Sera’s arm
to try to calm her down. “How bad are his injuries?” he asked Jasaw.
The man turned his focus back to Dak and shook his head. He ran his hands lightly over Dak’s face and neck, and then left them hovering over his eyes, as if he was trying to read something through his palms. Then he leaned an ear against Dak’s chest. “Something has struck your friend on the head, yes?”
Riq and Sera both nodded.
“He is breathing normally, but I fear his brain may swell, which would be very bad.” Riq watched the man grind up several different kinds of herbs, stir them into a liquid that looked like wine, and drip some of the concoction onto Dak’s tongue. Then he rubbed his hands together and touched Dak’s head and back. “No broken bones,” he said.
“How do you know?” Sera said. “You don’t have an X-ray machine. You don’t have anything!”
“Sera,” Riq said. “He’s doing the best he can.”
“I have what I need,” Jasaw said.
Sera turned to Riq. “We have to get him to a hospital. Now.” Riq could see the fear flickering in Sera’s eyes.
“But Itchik says he’s the best,” Riq told her.
“The best what?” Sera said. “The best mystic?”
“Healer.”
“Dak needs a real doctor,” Sera said. “You saw that wall fall on him.”
Riq rubbed Sera’s shoulder. “We can’t chance warping out of here with Dak unconscious. You said it yourself: It’s getting harder and harder on our bodies. We have to wait until he’s stronger.”
Jasaw was now pushing his hands up Dak’s chest, toward his face.
“What are you doing?” Sera asked him.
“Ridding the body of evil spirits,” Jasaw said without looking up.
Sera shot Riq a desperate look. “I’m staying right here,” she said. “All night. I’m making sure he takes care of Dak.”
Jasaw burned a plant-based incense over Dak’s body. The smell was strong. Riq knew Sera didn’t believe in anything spiritual like this. She believed in hard science. But this was Dak’s only hope.