Even so, she trusted them, these monks of the Way. As far as sheknew, they all couldn't be sword-wielding assassins genetically engineered byher father.
"Thank you."
She dipped her chin as the grey image on the intercom faded, andshe crossed from the sidewalk into the sanctuary afforded by walls two metershigh. The gate creaked behind her, locking itself into place. She kept her eyeson the stone path as it wound through well-tended gardens. She didn't dare tolook up. Chancing eye contact with a holy man out for a midnight stroll wassomething she hoped to avoid. She wanted their help. Not conversation. Nottonight.
But no one else roamed the grounds. She entered one of the manycloisters that surrounded the main temple, a simple white building withoutwindows that looked more like a giant sugar cube than anything else. Not thatthese monks imbibed much in the way of sweets or stimulants, as far as sheknew.
The first cubicle she encountered was silent. She had half-expected a welcoming committee ofsome sort, but she was glad there was none to be seen. She knocked quietly.
The door slid open on its own, and a soft light glowed from thefar corner beside the twin bed, made to geometric perfection. A hardboundBible—an actual book—lay open on a pedestal beside the table lamp.Otherwise, the cubicle lay empty.
Irena stepped inside, and the door slid shut behind her. She setHarry on the bed and tugged the comforter free to envelop him snugly, leavingonly his round face basked in the lamplight. Eyelids closed, lips twitching.The room felt warm, even though there was no heating unit that she could see.
She sat on the bed beside Harry and waited. Thankfully, herdoubts had fallen silent. No question about it. This was where they needed tobe. For now.
A few minutes of delicious peace and quiet passed before someonetapped at the door.
"Come in," she said, as if this was already her home.
The door slid aside, revealing two monks standing just outside thethreshold. Their skin was dark, their hands tucked across their midsectionsinto the sleeves of their pristine white robes. The same style as Cade's. Theresemblance tightened her frame.
"May we enter?" Broad smiles broke across their faces,flashing large, white teeth.
"Yes," she said. Hadn't she told them to come in?
They nodded and smiled, taking a step inside. Now they stoodrooted less than a meter into the room. The one who had spoken said, "Moreclothing is on the way."
"We do not expect you to dress as we do when you are outsidethese walls," added the other one. They looked like they could bebrothers. "But we would appreciate yourdoing so while you are here with us."
"Of course. Thank you." What else could she say? Shecrossed her legs self-consciously.
"Food will be provided as well. We were sent to make certainyou are comfortable." It was the first one who spoke again. "I amKuan, and this is my brother, Yeng."
Yeng bowed at the waist.
"We are from the Eastern Provinces, visiting this refuge ofthe Way for a season." He frowned at his own words. "Forgive me. Weare learning to speak Common, and at some times the words, they are notperfect."
"But we learn fast," added Yeng. He tilted his head, hisdark eyes focused on the side of Irena's neck. "We see that you have shed the implant. Areyou a follower of the Way?"
Her lips parted. Her gaze wavered. "Almost."
"The middle of the road is a good place to be run over,"Yeng quipped.
Irena humored him with a forced smile. Or the makings of one.
"Is this child your son?" asked Kuan, stepping forwardand halting himself. He bent at the waist as he gazed at the infant beside heron the bed.
"Yes," she said without reservation.
"And what is his name?"
She swallowed. "Harry...Horton." Her maiden name was asgood as any.
What about her own Harry? Could she stop the Harold Muldoon ofthis when from leaving her younger self in their bed, disappearing onhis midnight errand never to be seen again? Could she find a way to cross hispath, convince him not to go into the past?
Or did he even exist now? If only she knew where he'd gone to pickup the BackTracker in the first place. If only her thoughts would focus.
"Harry Horton," Kuan tried out the name and smiled, histeeth seeming to glow in the lamplight. "It is a pleasure to meet you,young Harry." He bowed once.
Yeng did likewise. "And the boy's father?" he ventured."Is he almost a follower of the Way as well?"
She shook her head. For some reason, she thought of the clone ofher own father. She'd never met Harry's parents. They both had passed away bythe time she met him. "No, he's...a man of science."
Kuan murmured knowingly. "I see."
She didn't know why, but she replied, "I want Harry to growup knowing the Way. I want him to make up his own mind about what he believes,when he's old enough." Absently, she touched the infant's soft cheek."I want him to know it's his choice."
"The Master has endowed us each with free will," Kuansaid.
"Every day is a choice," Yeng added. He turned assomeone approached. "Thank you," he said to the person, just out ofsight. When he faced Irena again,his arms were loaded with a pile of fresh robes. "Here you are, aspromised."
Kuan bowed and stepped back as Yeng handed them to her. "Wewill be right outside, should you be in need of anything else." Smiling,they bowed again and removed themselves from the room, leaving the door toslide shut behind them.
Irena pulled the robe on over her black dress and tied it at thewaist. Now the only skin that showed was that of her face, hands, and feettucked into her pumps. Did the monks expect her to go barefoot? Irena noticed the much smaller set of apparel meant for littleHarry, along with a plush blanket and a cloth diaper. She'd left the diaper bagin the car. Good to have extra.
She
