Nightmare's Edge

  “But you died. I threw your body into Sarah’s Womb.”

  She lowered her head and her voice. “I did die, Nathan. I gave my life energy to your mother and the power of my physical presence to you. You now carry my eloquence and my voice, though your gift of music has always been your own.”

  “So you’re like a spirit? You can still visit me in my dreams?”

  Looking at him again, she nodded vigorously. “I wanted to visit you earlier, but either you have not slept or you have been in other worlds.”

  “Both, I think.”

  She patted his arm lovingly. “But now you are here, and I can help you.”

  “Help me? Do you know what’s going on?”

  “Oh, yes. Now that my physical body is dead, I am much freer to view whatever I wish. I once could see only through a mirror, dark and limited, but now I can see anything in this domain.”

  “This domain? You mean Earth Red?”

  “Yes, my love. But I am no longer your supplicant. Although I once lived and breathed to serve you, now you are left with only memories and dreams. I can no longer show you potential futures through mirrors or transport you while you are driving on the highway or . . .” She covered a giggle with her hand. “Or change you and Kelly into safari clothes and send you into another world.”

  Nathan smiled with her. “What can you do now?”

  “I can only offer you wisdom.” She straightened her body and unbuttoned the top of her dress, revealing a dark void. “I have already given you my heart.”

  He looked over at Kelly. She slept soundly with Daryl still nestled at her side. Up front, the two agents stared straight ahead, apparently unaware of Scarlet’s presence.

  Scarlet laughed. “They won’t bother us. They are merely part of your dream. Yet, when you awaken, you must be wary. These men might not be what they appear to be.”

  “Who do you think they are?” Nathan lowered his voice. “Why are they going with us?”

  Keeping her own voice sharp and lively, Scarlet looked at them. “I have not learned all I need to know, but if they are officers of your government, their words do not match what I would expect. One spoke to the other about Sarah and the foundation points, so I think they are well aware of our secret worlds.”

  “Cult members? Part of Sarah’s Covenant?”

  “I am not familiar with this covenant of which you speak, but I am certain these men have not been straightforward with you about what they know. I advise caution. You must learn if these agents are here to help you or hinder you.”

  “If they want to stop me, then why go through all this trouble to fly us out there?”

  “An excellent question. And I would add another: Why would a friend stay silent when he purports to convey the instrument of salvation? Would he not speak of it gladly and not hide behind a mask?”

  Nathan met Scarlet’s piercing gaze. After a few seconds, he gave her a nod. She was right. A friend wouldn’t hold back anything. If these agents were really on his side and trying to save the world, they wouldn’t be so quiet and secretive. Something was definitely wrong.

  She took his hand and enfolded it into hers. “Wisdom often has many facets and many applications, my love. Remember what I have told you. You may well need these words again.”

  “So what do I do about those guys? They have guns. Even if I could take both of them out, there’s still Barker to deal with. He’s in the cockpit.”

  “The man you call Barker seems familiar to me. He dreamed for a short while, and I listened to his unguarded thoughts. In his dream, he was dressed in a grim reaper’s black cloak, and he waved a bloody scythe, cackling about harvesting the fields of the innocent in order to rescue the world.” She scrunched her brow. “I found it rather melodramatic, but he took himself quite seriously.”

  “That sounds like something Patar would say. Could those two have teamed up for some reason?”

  “I know so little about these agents, it would be foolish to speculate without further investigation, but it would not be the first time a stalker has persuaded high-level people to render him aid.”

  “That’s true,” Nathan said, “but the gray-bearded guy I got the card from wasn’t a fan of the stalkers. He didn’t want Mictar to get your mirror or figure out how to use Quattro, but I guess he could’ve gotten together with Patar, and maybe that would explain why they’re staying quiet. They plan to wait until everyone is together. Then they’ll try to kill the other supplicants to stop interfinity.”

  “On that point, wisdom must guide you, for my knowledge is too limited to provide all the answers.”

  “There’s still the biggest question.” Nathan ran a finger along his right palm. “My hands aren’t really like this. If I’m supposed to play music that will set the cosmos in order, how can I do it when I can barely bend my fingers?”

  She kissed the center of his palm. As she lifted her head, she brushed a tear from her cheek with her finger and let it fall on the spot she kissed. “I do not know, my love, but from watching you for so long, I have learned something about you, a quality in your character that you might not even recognize yourself.”

  Her eyes wide and sparkling, she paused, apparently waiting for the obvious question.

  Nathan obliged. “What quality is that?”

  She spoke the words with reverence. “You are willing to change your mind.”

  As her sweet breath caressed his face, Nathan let her words sink in. Was she right? He did change his mind sometimes, but it usually took a lot of persuading. “Well, maybe, but how’s that supposed to heal my wounds?”

  “Such willingness heals many wounds. It reaches out to everyone you touch and helps them see what real love means. Love has nothing to do with emotions, but everything to do with sacrificing yourself for the sake of another.”

  “How is that supposed to — ”

  “Speak no more, my love.” She covered his mouth with her hand. “For now, you must rest. I feel that danger awaits you when you arrive. London’s fog will be more than a reminder of Mictar’s misty world; it will surely bring you face-to-face with the pale beast who would destroy the cosmos.”

  Her skin felt soft and cool, raising again the aroma of flowers. As the images in his mind darkened, he whispered, “When will I see you again?”

  Her voice sounded like a song. “Whenever weariness overwhelms your mind, whenever fatigue drains your body, whenever sorrows weigh down your heart, come into my world, and I will catch you in my embrace.”

  After what seemed like a few seconds of darkness, Nathan blinked open his eyes. Jet engines hummed in his ears and the smell of coffee replaced the scent of wildflowers. He swiveled his head toward the window. Kelly and Daryl were gone.

  He lunged forward and looked all around. Clara was also gone, as were the two agents up front.

  Laughter rose from the back of the plane, obviously Daryl’s. Nathan got up and walked that way, trying to steady his nearly numb legs as he rubbed his bleary eyes.

  Near the lavatory, a curtain had been drawn across the aisle, blocking his view. He slowed his pace and looked out the windows. The sky looked strange. From the east, fingers of orange invaded the purplish canopy. The moon, veiled in an odd white mist, appeared to be twice its usual size as it glided along with the airplane.

  As he approached the back, the curtain snapped open, revealing Clara. Her brow lifted, and she called out, “Nathan’s coming!”

  Daryl peeked past her, grinning. “Sorry for being so loud. My dad and I are trading Back to the Future quotes.”

  “Your father’s with you?” He gave Clara a hug and looked around the flight attendant’s food-preparation area. Kelly stood at a counter pouring coffee into a large Styrofoam cup. “Who’s flying the plane?” he asked.

  “Dad is.” Daryl showed him a phone handset attached to the wall by a cord. “He hasn’t flown trans-Atlantic in years, but since he doesn’t trust the three stooges enough to take a nap, we’re making him some high
-octane coffee.”

  Clara moved back to allow Kelly to come through. “One cup of wake-up juice on its way,” Kelly said as she walked toward the front.

  “Can you see all right?” Nathan asked.

  She glanced back, smiling. “No problem. It’s kind of hard to make a wrong turn.”

  “Where are the stooges? In the cockpit?”

  “One is,” Clara said. “The other is in the front lavatory. He’s been there a while. I learned their names while you were asleep. You met Mr. Barker. The other one in the cockpit is Dobbins, and the guy snoozing in the john is MacKinnon.”

  “Dobbins and MacKinnon. Got it.” Nathan stretched into a yawn and rubbed his eyes. “How long was I asleep?”

  Clara looked at her watch. “About five or six hours.”

  He laid a hand on his stomach. “I guess the growling down below should have told me it was a long time.”

  “We have food,” she said. “Nothing real appetizing, but it’ll do in a pinch.”

  He looked at his watch out of habit, but since he couldn’t remember what world he had last set it on, the six fifteen reading probably meant nothing. “So how long till we get to London?”

  “Victor said it normally takes about seven or eight hours, but he’s flooring it, so we only have an hour or so remaining. Since we’re heading east, we’re gaining time fast, so it will be morning when we get there.”

  “I guess I’d better eat here. We won’t have time for a restaurant.” He looked toward the front of the plane. Kelly had already delivered the coffee and was starting back, but she stopped at the lavatory and set her ear close to the door.

  Nathan watched for any sign that Kelly heard anything before turning back to Clara. “How long has MacKinnon been in there?”

  “Maybe an hour,” she said. “We think he’s sleeping. He looked really tired when he went in.”

  He looked at Clara, then at Daryl. “He’s supposed to be on duty.”

  “I told my father,” Daryl said, “but he didn’t seem to care. Dad acted kind of weird, but we weren’t about to go in there to check on the guy, and Clara said not to wake you up.”

  “I’ll check on him.” Nathan strode toward the front.

  “I can’t hear a sound,” Kelly whispered as he drew near. “Not even breathing.”

  Using his knuckles, Nathan tapped on the door three times, then waited. No answer.

  Kelly pointed at the “Occupied” sign. “It’s not lit, so it’s probably unlocked.”

  He glanced at the sign. “Then how do you know he’s still in there?”

  “We’ve been taking turns watching. I guess he could’ve slipped by us, but where would he have gone?”

  Nathan nodded and took a quick look at the cockpit entry before pushing the lavatory door open a crack. Inside, the agent sat on the toilet, fully clothed. He leaned against the back wall, his head tilted and his mouth hanging open.

  Stepping in, Nathan grabbed the agent’s wrist and checked for a pulse. Nothing. With blue lips and a motionless chest, there was no doubt about it. Trying to stay calm, he looked back at Kelly. “Better get Daryl’s father on the horn. MacKinnon’s dead.”

  “Are you sure?” She tried to look past him. “Are there any wounds?”

  “I’m sure.” He opened the agent’s jacket and checked his shirt for bloodstains. “I can’t see anything obvious, but he’s definitely not breathing.”

  As Nathan stepped out, Kelly hurried to the rear of the plane, touching the seats on each side along the way. He stared at the cockpit door. Should he knock? Maybe it would be better just to alert Victor instead of letting the other two goons know what was going on.

  Daryl jogged toward the front, while Clara and Kelly followed at a slower pace.

  “There’s a phone up here,” Daryl said. Breathless, she picked up the handset and punched a button. A second later, her brow shot up. After clearing her throat, she put on a nonchalant expression and added a matching voice. “Well, hello there, Mr. Barker. May I speak to my dad? . . . No, I just wanted to ask him a question.” She leaned against the cockpit door and rolled her eyes. “Do you mind if I ask him myself? . . . Well, yeah, you could say it’s personal. . . . Thanks.” Now tapping her foot, she looked at Nathan. “He said Dad was talking to Heathrow. He’ll be with me in a minute.”

  The cockpit door opened, knocking Daryl to the side. Dobbins, his jacket off and his white sleeves rolled up to his elbows, stepped out and reached for the lavatory door.

  Nathan slid in front of the handle. “Your partner’s in there.”

  “You sure?” Dobbins looked pale and weak as he glanced at the dark “Occupied” sign.

  “Yeah. I already looked. I guess he didn’t lock it.”

  “I’ll go to the back.” Dobbins staggered that way, bracing himself on a seatback every few rows.

  “Dad?” Daryl peeked into the cockpit. “You got a second?”

  Nathan looked over her shoulder. Inside, Victor and Barker both wore headsets and seemed quite busy as they fiddled with dashboard instruments.

  “Not really,” Victor said without looking back. He pointed out their windshield. “Do you see what we have to deal with?”

  At the horizon, bright streaks of light shot up from two sources. To the left, at about eleven o’clock in Nathan’s field of vision, the top arc of the sun appeared, the first glimpse of dawn. Then, at about one o’clock, another sunlike sphere came into view. Moving faster than its twin, the second sun revealed its entire disk before the first had shown its top half, but it seemed separated from the horizon somehow, as if drifting to the left.

  “Two suns?” Nathan asked.

  Victor took off his headset. “Apparently, but if it were true in reality, I don’t see how our planet could survive either the gravitational imbalance or the radiational shock. In any case, Heathrow is reporting widespread panic in London. We don’t have to worry about airline traffic, but getting to Buckingham Palace could be a nightmare.”

  Daryl stepped farther into the cockpit. “Are we looking through a portal, maybe? Like, we can see the other sun, but it’s not really there?”

  “Precisely.” Barker pointed toward the left-hand window. “And we can see one of the other Earths.”

  Nathan squeezed in with Daryl and looked through the window. The huge moon he had seen hovered in the brightening sky, and the mist that had veiled it earlier now appeared as clouds, partially covering blue oceans and continents of green and brown. “So is that Earth Blue or Yellow?” he whispered.

  “Judging from the rapid sunrise,” Barker said, “my guess is Yellow. Our most recent analysis calculated a time-passage ratio of four-point-seven-to-one compared to that of our Earth.” He pointed at the sun, now well past the other. “Still, it’s difficult to know. The other Earth is not spinning at the same rate as ours, so our perception of their relative positions is confusing and perhaps skewed.”

  “How do you know so much about this?” Nathan asked. “If you’re a government agent, then — ”

  “Nathan.” Daryl nudged his ribs. “MacKinnon?”

  “Oh, yeah! MacKinnon.”

  Victor slid his headset back on. “Is it important?”

  “Well,” Daryl said, “it’s a matter of life and death.” She looked back at the lavatory. “Or I guess it’s just a matter of death.”

  Victor nodded at Barker. “I think you’d better see to that.”

  “Agreed.”

  As Barker took off his headset, Nathan and Daryl backed out of the way, joining Clara and Kelly in the aisle.

  Daryl pointed at the lavatory. “Uh . . . he’s in there. But he’s no longer with us, if you get my meaning.”

  “Not unexpected.” Barker opened the door, peered inside, then closed it again. “Dobbins has likely suffered a similar fate.”

  Nathan spread his arms in front of the ladies and backed them away. “You knew he was dead?”

  “No, but I knew he would die.” Barker pulled the box of mints f
rom his pocket and shook it. “They’re slow-release, but they always work.”

  18

  THE ASSASSIN

  “You killed your own partners?” Nathan asked. “Why?”

  “Working with them was the only way to get this flight off the ground.” He withdrew a wallet from his jacket and flipped it open, revealing an FBI badge. “It’s phony, but it looks real enough to the unpracticed eye.”

  Clara pushed Nathan aside and stood toe to toe with Barker, her hands firmly planted on her hips. “Enough of this twaddle. Exactly who are you?”

  He smiled as he rubbed his cheeks and chin with his hand. “It’s quite convenient to wear a beard most of the time. All I have to do is shave to get a quick disguise.”

  “Better cool it, Clara,” Nathan said, pulling her back. “I know who he is now, and he’s not afraid to use his gun.” As he glared at Barker, a million questions stormed through Nathan’s mind, but one stayed at the forefront. How could this be the bearded gunman? He had died in the observatory. Unless . . .

  He pointed at Barker. “You’re the Earth Red version, aren’t you? It was your Earth Blue twin who died. You were the crazy gunman who chased me in Chicago and at the observatory.”

  “Good thinking, but not exactly correct. I was the gunman in Chicago who tried to shoot you from the drawbridge, but, unfortunately, I was arrested. It took my people some time to get me out of jail, so my twin, as you call him, was responsible for the other encounters.”

  Nathan bit his tongue. It would do no good to retaliate now, but he also couldn’t be too soft. He had to keep his voice firm. “So what’s this all about? Why did you try to kill Clara and me, but now you’re killing FBI agents to help me get to London?”

  “If you knew what was going on behind the scenes, you would understand. This isn’t about you at all, and it never has been. My goal has been to protect Sarah’s foundation from an assault by Mictar or anyone else. Since you were one of the few who could contact the supplicants through the mirrors, we wanted to eliminate you. If Mictar obtained one of the mirrors you used, he would have reached through it to one of the supplicants, and the power he would have gained would have made him unstoppable. But since you have successfully eluded him, and since interfinity is at hand, it’s crucial that we help you get the job done.”