eye, Finn was picking his teeth after three helpings of gator stew, Krysty sat quietly beside Ryan.
'But they need you, Whitey.'
'No, I... I need you, Ryan.'
There was no doubt that the kid was a great fighter. Rough around the edges, but he would be a useful addition to them. Seven had been a good number. After Henn's death, there was a sort of vacancy.
'I don't know.'
Jak shook his head, his face vanishing beneath the white froth of his hair. 'My work's done, Ryan. My people will stay here forever now. Now the shadow's been lifted. Like a strong wind, you helped rid the land of vermin.'
'Yeah,' said Ryan, still doubtful of taking a child of fourteen into their select group.
'IfТn you don't, then you might see it hard to find that gateway you spoke of.'
'That a threat, Whitey?' asked J.B.
'More promise,' replied the kid.
Doc Tanner began to laugh at Jak's nerve. Lori joined him, then Krysty and Finn. Finally J.B. glanced at Ryan, and the two old friends also began to laugh.
So it was decided.
The farewells were brief.
Jak led them away, through the suburbs of West Lowellton, toward the edges of the swamps. The sun was shining and the neat rows of white houses looked as though their inhabitants had just slipped down to the shopping mall and would be back at any minute.
Guided by the albino, they reached the low redoubt before the sun was setting, finding it as they had left it.
The walls of seamless pale stone were tinted a gentle pink by the sun's lowering rays. Inside, it was clean and trim, and Ryan took over, leading them along the corridors. The air inside was hot and humid, and he could feel himself sweating.
'Easy as this to get in,' said Jak, his voice more subdued than usual. 'Never guessed. Folks scared of it.'
They walked through the anteroom with its serried rows of flickering lights and chattering tapes. The door of the gateway stood open, as they had left it. On the way they collected the clothes and provisions that they had earlier abandoned, and Ryan again possessed his beloved long coat with the white fur trim.
The walls of the trans-mat chamber were dark blue smoked glass, armored and thick, with the now familiar pattern of raised metal disks on both the floor and ceiling.
'Going to be like being knocked out, Whitey,' said Ryan. 'Sit down and close your eyes. When you wake, we'll be somewhere else. Don't know where. It'll be fine.'
'Sure,' said the kid.
All of them sat down, their backs against the walls. Ryan waited a moment, his hand on the door. 'Here we go,' he said, shutting it firmly.
He sat down and closed his eye, hearing the quiet voice of Jak Lauren, singing to himself.
Ryan's head began to swim as the trans-mat jump began, and the words of the old, old hymn faded from him.
His last conscious thought before the dark pool engulfed him was a hope that this time they'd find someplace that wasn't so damned hot.
