“Good to see you too, Aja,” I shot back. “This is Loor. Loor, Aja.”
Aja gave Loor an up and down once-over. She then said, “Is Loor a man’s name or a woman’s name?” Ouch.
Loor answered, “It is the name of a legendary hero on Zadaa. A woman.”
“Really?” Aja said. “What did she do that was so heroic?”
“She killed her enemies and ate them.”
Aja’s eyes opened in shock. She turned forward and clutched the wheel of the vehicle nervously. Loor looked at me and winked. She was kidding. Great. That’s all I needed.
“Let’s get to the pyramid,” I said, and hopped in next to Aja. Loor climbed in back and we pedaled our way back to Lifelight.
On the way I filled Loor in on everything about Lifelight that I hadn’t explained before. I wanted her as prepared as possible, because there were bound to be plenty of surprises along the way. I kept expecting Aja to correct my descriptions, but I think she was too scared to speak. Just as well.
After a few minutes of my lecture, Loor put her hand up to stop me.
“Am I going too fast?” I asked.
“You must understand, Pendragon,” Loor said. “The things you describe are beyond my imagination. You talk of computers and codes like they are as normal as air and water.”
Aja scoffed and rolled her eyes. I wanted to smack her.
“If Aja is as smart as you say she is, then I trust she will take care of us and get us to where we should be. I do not need to know all the details. My trust is with Aja.”
I looked to Aja for her reaction. Aja looked to me and I saw the surprise on her face. She even let out a little smile.
“Thank you, Loor,” Aja said. I think she meant it too.
“For what?” Loor asked.
“For trusting me… and for coming. We really need you.” We had reached an understanding. And we were under way.
This is where I’m going to end the journal, guys. While Aja prepped Lifelight for our dual jump into Zetlin’s fantasy, I took the time to finish this. I’ll send it to you with a reminder that you might be contacted by somebody named Evangeline. If you’re serious about wanting to be acolytes, you’re going to get the chance.
I have no idea what to expect when Loor and I make this trip back into Lifelight. Finding Dr. Zetlin will probably be the easy part. Finding his deepest fears is what I’m worried about. But having Loor with me gives me all sorts of confidence. It’s great that we’re together again.
Be safe and think about me every once in a while. I’ll catch you on the other side.
END OF THE JOURNAL # 4
SECOND EARTH
Bobby’s image vanished.
Courtney and Mark kept staring at the empty space where the hologram used to be. Neither were sure of what to say or do next.
Then Dorney started to laugh. It started out as a chuckle, grew into a belly laugh, and finally changed into a wheezing, uncontrolled, coughing fit. Courtney jumped up and got a glass of water. Dorney took it gratefully and gulped it down.
“You all right?” Courtney asked as she sat back down next to Mark.
Dorney cleared his throat, took a deep breath. He was fine. “What’s so funny?” Mark asked.
“Just like his uncle, that one,” Dorney said with a smile. “Always jumping out of one frying pan into another one that’s even hotter.”
Mark glanced at the metal boxes that held Press’s journals. “Can we read some?” he asked.
The smile fell from Dorney’s face. He glanced over at the journals, then back to Mark and Courtney. “Depends.”
“On what?” asked Courtney.
“On whether or not I like what you have to tell me.”
“We’re here for Bobby” Mark exclaimed. “You heard what Bobby said to Evangeline.”
“Evangeline?” he scoffed. “If the devil himself told that lady he was misunderstood, she’d invite him in for tea.”
“You know her?” Courtney asked in shock.
“How do you think I knew to send you my address?”
“But she’s from-“
“Veelox, yeah. So what?”
“But, you said you weren’t a Traveler,” Mark said.
“I’m not! Are you thick or something?”
Courtney and Mark were dumbfounded.
“I’m s-sorry if we’re being dense,” Mark said. “But I thought only Travelers could fly through the flumes. If you’re not a Traveler, how could you know somebody from another territory?”
Dorney stared at them for a moment, as if debating about whether or not to answer. Finally he held up his hand-the hand with his Traveler ring.
“It’s the rings,” he said. “It’s all about the rings.”
Mark and Courtney sat there patiently, waiting for Dorney to explain. But he didn’t. Instead he pushed himself out of the easy chair with a grunt and began moving the metal boxes with Press’s journals in them back into the cabinet.
“I was a practical guy,” Dorney finally said, sounding serious. “I always thought that everything had its place. B always came after A. Two always followed one. But then Press Tilton came into my life. He opened my eyes, so to speak, and I began to realize there was something else going on. Something bigger than me and my safe little life. I don’t mind telling you, it scared me. All this business about fluming and territories that exist in different times-it’s enough to make a fella want to lock his door and never poke his nose out again.”
Mark and Courtney nodded. They knew how he felt.
“But what scares me even more,” Dorney continued, “is that somebody out there is causing problems. Knowing Saint Dane is trying to make it all fall down has kept me from getting a good night’s sleep in near ten years. Only thing that gives me a little piece of mind is knowing the Travelers are trying to stop him. That’s why I’m an acolyte. I do what I can to help the good guys.”
Dorney put the last of the metal boxes into the cabinet, then closed and locked it.
“Trouble is, I’m getting too old for this. Now that Press is gone, I’m not so sure I’ve got the energy. That brings me to you two. Pendragon seems to trust you. Question is, should I?”
“We told you!” Courtney shouted defensively. “Bobby is our friend and-“
Mark put a hand on her arm to quiet her down.
“You’re right,” Mark said calmly. “You don’t know us. All we can say is that we’re just as freaked out about Saint Dane as you are. Besides that, you’ve gotta trust that Bobby knows what he’s talking about.”
Dorney looked between the two of them. Finally he shrugged and said, “Don’t matter anyway. It ain’t my choice.”
“What does that mean?” asked Courtney. “Whose choice is it?”
Dorney shuffled toward the front door. “Go home,” he said.
Both Mark and Courtney jumped up in surprise.
“Mr. D-Dorney,” Mark stuttered, “we came here because we wanted to learn about being acolytes. You can’t throw us out.”
Dorney opened the door and stood to the side. “I can do whatever I please,” he said. “Truth is, you two ain’t ready.”
“But w-we are!” Mark protested.
