could happen on Zadaa. The Rokador are a more advanced tribe than the Batu. Now that they’re aboveground, who knows how their influence will spread? And on Eelong-the gar may have won a victory, but the klee are still way ahead of them intellectually. With the right influence, the klee could turn on the gar in a heartbeat. It’s a reverse revolution. Instead of the oppressed people rising up to tear down the elite, the elite of each territory are gathering their resources to wipe out the lower classes. Earth will be the model for others to follow.”
Patrick added, “And with each territory, Saint Dane is influencing the elite. They will have total power over their world, and Saint Dane will have total power over them. He will rule Halla.”
“Can a society exist like that?” Alder asked. “Not everyone can be a leader.”
“Of course it can’t,” I shouted. “You heard what Patrick said about Third Earth. Earth evolved into a world that was in perfect harmony with the people and the environment. Now it’s a mess. That’s what Saint Dane’s influence led to. That’s what’ll happen on every territory.”
I paced the cave nervously. “Saint Dane always said that in order to build Halla up, he would first have to tear it down. I always thought he planned some kind of superbattle with armies and bombs and whatever. It’s much more devious than that. He’s been inciting social revolution all over Halla. It never mattered that we won a battle or saved a culture, it was all about creating the environment where these revolutions could begin.”
Patrick said, “That’s exactly it. This Naymeer fellow is a revolutionary in the guise of a prophet.”
Alder asked, “He said he was the Traveler from Second Earth?”
“That’s what Saint Dane said,” Patrick answered. “So then, what am I?”
Patrick looked to the ground nervously. “You quit.” I wanted to shout in anger. I might have, but I thought it would attract a few nosy quigs. “Now Saint Dane’s using
Travelers to influence the people of the territories,” I said angrily. “First Nevva, now this Naymeer character.”
Patrick added, “I believe the turning point of Second Earth is the vote at the United Nations. Perhaps if that vote goes against Naymeer, his cult will not be handed enough influence to do any more damage.”
I looked between Alder and Patrick. My blood was boiling. “Okay, so I’m not the Traveler from Second Earth anymore? Too bad. I’m still the lead Traveler.” I walked to the quig carcass, grabbed a dado-killing rod and yanked it out of the ick. It made a sucking sound. Patrick cringed. I was beyond that.
“Here,” I said, tossing it to Alder. I grabbed the second rod, that had gone through the quig’s eye. No, that I had jammed through the quig’s eye. It came out easily, though I think that turned Patrick’s stomach again. Like I said, I was beyond that.
“Patrick, go home,” I commanded.
“What? No! I want to be where-”
“You should be on your own territory. Third Earth hasn’t hit its turning point yet. That’s where Alder and I were headed before we found you. Learn what you can about the history of Ravinia and Naymeer. A perspective from the future might help.”
“But the computers no longer exist!”
“Then research the old-fashioned way, with books and newspapers.”
“I do not believe they exist either.”
“Find them,” I snapped. “There have to be more people around like that Richard guy. You might come up with the one piece of information we’ll need to derail this whole thing.”
Patrick frowned.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, maybe a little too impatiently.
“It’s unnerving on Third Earth” was his answer. “It’s like, every time I close my eyes, the entire world changes.”
“I know. Chances are it’ll happen again. No, it better happen again.”
“Excuse me?” Patrick exclaimed, horrified.
“It’s the whole point. Once we start causing trouble on Second Earth, it should change things on Third Earth. For the better.”
Patrick wasn’t happy.
“I’m sorry, man,” I added with sympathy. “It’s where you can be the most help.”
Patrick nodded. He knew. He didn’t like it, but he knew. He looked me right in the eye and said, “Promise me one thing. When it’s getting near the end, call for me. I don’t want to be watching from the sidelines anymore.”
I had to smile. Patrick may have been a neurotic intellectual, but he was a Traveler. The good kind. He wanted to stop Saint Dane as badly as any of us. Alder and I each hugged him good-bye and watched as he stepped into the flume for his journey home.
“Third Earth,” he called out, and waited for the flume to take him. Before the light enveloped him, he looked back and said, “Remember. I want to be there at the end.”
I nodded. Though the truth was, I had no idea if I’d be able to call for him. I had no idea what to expect at home. I had no idea about anything. But I made him a promise. If I could, I would get him into the game. A moment later he was gone.
“We should get out of these bloody clothes,” Alder suggested.
I looked down at my filthy leather and fur clothes that were spattered with quig blood. Actually, it was more like they were drenched in quig blood.
“Nah, Ithink we should show up like this.”
“They will think we are savages.”
“Maybe they’re right,” I said slyly. “Let’s go make a house call.”
Iclutched my blood-encrusted dado weapon, stepped into the flume, and called out “Second Earth.”
Alder stepped next to me as the flume went hot. “I have never been to your territory,” he said. “What can I expect?”
“Iwish to heckIknew,” I said, and we were off.
The trip through the flume was jarring. The ride itself was the same as always, but the images of Halla floating in space were so dense, it was hard to make out any one vision. The truth was obvious. Halla was in chaos. Faces jumbled on top of animals on top of buildings on top of armies. It was frightening. The destinies of the territories had been mixed, that much was clear. The question was, would we be able to do damage control? As I looked out onto that horrifying show, to say that I had doubts would be a huge understatement. I didn’t think we stood any chance at all.
Thankfully, the trip was over quickly. I didn’t know how much more of that insanity I could stand. Before we landed, I realized that I didn’t know which gate we would show up at. Would it be in the basement of the Sherwood house? Or the temple that had been built around the flume in New York City? Either way, we had to be ready to deal with the security team of the guy called “Alexander Naymeer.” The guy who thought he was the Traveler from Second Earth. I wanted to meet that guy.
I really wanted to meet that guy.
The instant my feet touched ground, I knew where we were. It was dark. From what Patrick told me of the cathedral that had been built around the flume in New York, it was wide open and full of light. We were at a gate that was anything but wide open. We were in the root cellar of the Sherwood house. Naymeer’s home.
Before I had a chance to focus, I felt a jolt of something blow through my body like an electric shock. My body went rigid. My head spun. My hands went limp and I dropped the dado weapon. I was aware of activity swirling around me, but I was too stunned to react. I sensed a jumble of arms and legs and men barking orders. I tried to stand and got hit with another jolt that made me see stars. It was so violent that I was thrown off my feet. I was vaguely aware that I was being dragged along, but I couldn’t tell where, that’s how out of it I was. Most of what I’m describing now I have to think back and try to piece together. At the time I was too stunned to think. My arms were held tight. I felt myself being carried up stairs. I knew they were stairs because my feet trailed behind and banged into each step as we climbed higher. At the top a door was pushed open, and I was dragged farther along. I tried to look around, but couldn’t focus. The place looked familiar, but I was too loopy to put it together. It wasn’t until I was thrown down on the floor that I saw something that made sense.
“Bobby!” Courtney yelled, and ran over to me.
It was like a dream. I’m not sure whether it was a good dream or a nightmare. Seeing Courtney was good. She sat down next to me and threw her arms around me. Looking around at the red-shirt guards who were standing
