They descended from the spiral tube into an area of rubble and heavy vegetation. Off to the right Paul could see the curved spire of the temple. Within a few minutes they had worked their way through the vegetation under the tube until they reached a roadway that was crowded with people. They crouched in the brush, then, one by one, merged into the crowd.
Paul was the last to leave the cover of vegetation, and as he stepped up onto the roadway he suddenly became aware of a weight in his pocket. He checked with his hand and felt a round disk. A Godstone?
He remembered the disk he had taken from Selmer when they'd first found them in the building by the river. At some point he must have unconsciously dropped it into his pocket.
If they catch me and find that disk. . .
He refused to let that thought go any farther. Trying to keep his jangling nerves under control, he 164
William Greenleaf
CLARION
165
followed Selmer when Jacque and Karyn angled off toward the God Wall.
Paul and Selmer worked their way along the
perimeter of the courtyard. The people from Fairhope were strangely quiet—Paul could hear only a few low murmurs among the sounds of
shuffling feet. None of them looked particularly happy to be here. Paul caught a glimpse of a young boy in a gold- and-scarlet uniform a few meters away. He averted his face and hurried past. He realized Selmer was edging over toward an open gate. Past the gate Paul could see a narrow roadway and crumbled ruins. With luck, he and Selmer should be able to carry out their task, then lose themselves in the ruins long enough to reach the access port to David's Tube.
He stopped beside a low stone bench and turned to look toward the wall. After a moment he spotted Jacque and Karyn in the crowd near the place where Sabastian hung in the straps.
Paul felt something touch his arm and jerked around.
'Easy,' Selmer said softly. 'Do you have an idea for a diversion?'
Paul stared at him. 'Don't you?'
The blank look on Selmer's face was answer
enough.
Paul looked again at the God Wall. They had rushed into this, and now his worst fears were realized. They had to do something, but they didn't have a plan. He knew they didn't have much time; a row of deacons was already beginning to form in front of the temple.
As he turned back to Selmer, he bumped into a woman in a gray shawl. He murmured an apology. She gave him a wary look, then another. She was tall and thin, with a beaked nose punctuating a suspicious-looking face.
Then Paul suddenly realized how he could create a diversion. A very good diversion, Karyn had said. He touched Selmer's elbow and whispered,
'Back me up.'
Selmer nodded. Paul thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out the round disk. The woman in the gray shawl stood only a short distance away, still eyeing him warily. He opened his hand to show her the disk.
The reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. The blood drained from her face. She took a stumbling step backward, her lips working soundlessly. Then she got her breath and released a piercing scream.
A surprised murmur broke out around them.
'It's the GodstoneF a man yelled. It took Paul a moment to realize the voice belonged to Selmer Ogram. He thrust the silver disk high up for others to see. A space widened around him. Another man shouted. Paul glanced back at the God Wall and saw that Karyn and Jacque had moved into position in front of Sabastian. Several boys in gold and scarlet were close to them, craning their necks toward the commotion at the gate.
