That pretty much covered all the points I didn’t know how to bring up with him. That was easy. The question was, did I believe him?
“You need me, Pendragon,” Spader added.
That brings me to where I am right now, sitting in my quarters on Grallion, writing this journal. Tomorrow, Spader and I are going to leave. Our destination: Veelox. Whateverthatis.
Writing this all down was hard, but believe it or not, it’s made me feel a little better. Looking back on the events that led to the salvation of Cloral made me realize how important our mission is. Uncle Press always told me this, but it took seeing it for myself, again, to understand. I have no idea what we’ll find on Veelox, or how we should begin hunting for Saint Dane. I guarantee he won’t be walking around with a sign saying: hi, bobby, hereiam! I’m sure he’ll take on some disguise and be working his evil magic just as he did with Denduron and Cloral. The biggest difference will be that I won’t have As I finish writing this journal, I have to say how Uncle Press’s last words are really helping keep my head together. He said, no, he promisedthat we would be together again. I’m not sure how that’s possible, besides meeting up in heaven or something. But I don’t think that’s what he meant. The more I think about it, the more I realize he was talking about actually being together again. For real. In this lifetime.
Of course, that raises the biggest question of all. Where exactly is here? For that matter, when is now? That all depends on what territory you happen to be on. For the first time I’m beginning to see some amazing possibilities. I wonder how many territories there are? Are they all like the ones we’ve been on so far, or is it possible to flume into a whole ‘nother plane of existence? The potential is incredibly exciting, and makes my head hurt.
This is where I will end it, guys. I’ll send this off to you and then get some sleep. Please know that I miss you both. I hope I can get back there soon. Thank you again for reading my journals and keeping them safe. You are the light of reality in my otherwise dark and confused new life.
Hobey-ho.
Bobby.
END OF JOURNAL #8
Mark and Courtney rodein the back of a black-and-white police cruiser on their way to the Stony Brook Police Station. They had been picked up at Mark’s house by a nice cop named Officer Wilson. When he showed up at the door, Mark half expected him to say: “You’re under arrest, slimeball!” and slap the cuffs on him. But that didn’t happen. He was all friendly and as they rode along he even offered to put the siren on for them. Mark had to fight back the urge to say: “Yeah, go for it!” The kid in him thought it would be cool, but this was serious business, not time for fun. It also didn’t help that Courtney gave him a sharp look that said: “If you say yes to the siren, I’ll clock you.” They rode in silence.
Both were a little bit stunned. They had finished reading Bobby’s last journal and had just learned that Press was dead. They had met Press a few times and gotten to know him better through Bobby’s journals. Hearing about his tragic death was a shock. Of course it helped that Bobby and company had kicked some serious butt on Cloral. It took some of the sting away. They were already anticipating what they would hear from the territory of Veelox. But riding above these thoughts was the reality they faced in their own world, here and now.
Mark had a pretty good idea why Captain Hirsch had called them. It was about the journals Andy Mitchell had stolen. He was sure that Mitchell had turned them in to the police to get the reward. Why else would Captain Hirsch want them to come in?
Mark and Courtney had met the captain months before. They were the first ones to alert the police that Bobby and his family were missing. But since that meeting, they learned the truth about what had happened to Bobby through his journals. Though they didn’t have any idea where the Pendragons had gone, they knew nowwhythey had disappeared. They were here to raise Bobby to become a Traveler, and their job was complete. That’s why they left to go… somewhere.
Mark and Courtney never told the police what they knew. It was just too unbelievable. They were afraid they would be locked up in some hospital for the mentally deranged, or become suspects in the investigation they started themselves. Worse, they were afraid if people found out about the truth, it would make it harder for the Travelers to complete their mission — especially when it brought them here to Second Earth. So after lots of discussion and thought, Mark and Courtney decided to keep the truth a secret.
But now, with Andy Mitchell bringing the journals to the police, it was possible this whole thing could blow up in their faces.
Those were the worries going through Mark’s mind as Officer Wilson pulled into the parking lot of the Stony Brook Police Station. Both he and Courtney tried to act all casual, as if nothing were wrong. They had to be very careful about what they said to the police, or they could find themselves in deep trouble.
Officer Wilson led them through the precinct and had them wait in the same conference room where they first met with Captain Hirsch months before.
The room was empty except for two thick file folders sitting on the end of the long conference table. Both Mark and Courtney had a pretty good idea of what was in those folders. It was the reason they were here. They gave each other a look, but didn’t say a word. There was no way to know if they were being watched and listened to from behind the two-way mirror that ran the length of one wall. Mark wondered what was going through Courtney’s mind. She looked pretty calm. That was good. She would have to be calm for both of them, because Mark wanted to hurl.
“Hi, guys. Thanks for coming in,” said Captain Hirsch as he walked quickly into the room. “Sit down, please.”
Mark and Courtney took seats next to each other on one side of the conference table. Captain Hirsch sat down at the far end, in front of the two file folders. He was dressed in his usual gray business suit, with his tie loose around his neck. Mark wondered if he slept in that suit. Hirsch looked to Mark, then to Courtney, as if he wanted them to say something. They didn’t.
“So, you both know Andy Mitchell?”
“Yes,” they both said.
“What do you think of him?”
Mark wanted to say he thought Mitchell was an obnoxious slug, but he didn’t want Hirsch to think he had a negative attitude.
Courtney said, “He’s an obnoxious slug.”
Obviously, Courtney couldn’t care less about what other people thought of her attitude.
Hirsch nodded. He then reached for one of the file folders.
“This look familiar?” he asked, as he pulled something out and held it up for them to see. It was the first page of Bobby’s first journal. It lookedveryfamiliar. Courtney shot a look to Mark. Mark had to stay cool, even though his worst fear had come true. It was official. Mitchell had turned the journals in. Mark had kept the journals rolled up and tied with a cord, the way Bobby had sent them. Mitchell must’ve flattened them out and stacked them up so they could fit in a folder. Mark hated Mitchell all the more for being so disrespectful.
“Yeah, it’s familiar,” said Mark, trying not to appear angry.
“It sure is,” added Courtney, sounding a little bit more upset than Mark would have liked. He was afraid Courtney would go ballistic when she saw the journals, but thankfully, she didn’t.
Captain Hirsch put the page back in the folder.
“Andy Mitchell brought this in about an hour ago,” he said. “He’s still here. I’d like to have him join us.”
“He’s here?” said Mark with surprise. “Now?”
“Yeah. Is it okay?” Hirsch asked.
“Sure,” said Courtney. “Bring the slime in.”
Captain Hirsch nodded to the mirror, which meant they were being watched. That was a totally creepy feeling. A few seconds later the door opened and Andy Mitchell strode in looking like a guy who had just won the lottery. He walked all cocky and had a smug smile on his face. When he saw Mark and Courtney, the smile fell off. But he got his act back together quickly.
“Man, that was fast,” he said with a sneer. He then said to Mark and Courtney, “You guys feeling the heat yet?” He snorted and gave an obnoxious laugh.
“Sit down please, Andy,” said Hirsch.
