The Traveler

26

When Maya woke up the next morning she saw a black cat with a white throat sitting on the dresser. “What do you want?” she whispered, but didn’t get an answer. The cat jumped down onto the floor, glided through the doorway, and left her alone.

She heard voices and peered out the bedroom window. Hollis and Gabriel were standing in the driveway, inspecting the damaged motorcycle. Buying a new tire meant a monetary transaction and contact with a business that was connected to the Vast Machine. The Tabula would know all about the damaged bike and activate their computer search programs to monitor motorcycle tire sales in the Los Angeles area.

Considering her next move, she went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. The finger shields that had gotten her through United States immigration were starting to peel off her index fingers like dead skin. She got dressed, strapped both knives onto her arms, and checked her other weapons. The black cat reappeared when she left the bathroom and led her into the hallway. Vicki was washing dishes in the sink.

“I see you met Garvey.”

“Is that his name?”

“Yes. He doesn’t like to be touched, and he doesn’t purr. I don’t think that’s normal.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Maya said. “I never had a pet.”

There was a coffeemaker on the counter. Maya poured coffee into a bright yellow mug and mixed in some cream.

“I just made some corn bread. Are you hungry?”

“Definitely.”

Vicki cut a thick slice of corn bread and placed it in a bowl. The two young women sat together at the table. Maya smeared some butter on the corn bread, and then added a spoonful of blackberry jam. The first bite was delicious and she felt a moment of unexpected pleasure. Everything in the kitchen was clean and organized. Patches of sunlight glowed on the green linoleum floor. Although Hollis had broken away from the church, a framed photograph of Isaac T. Jones hung on the wall beside the refrigerator.

“Hollis is going to buy some motorcycle parts,” Vicki said. “But he wants Gabriel to keep out of sight and stay here.”

Maya nodded as she swallowed her corn bread. “That’s a good plan.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I’m not quite sure. I need to contact my friend in Europe.”

Vicki picked up the dirty dishes and took them over to the sink. “Do you think the Tabula know that Hollis was driving yesterday?”

“Maybe. It depends what those three riders saw as we passed them.”

“And what will happen if they learn about Hollis?”

Maya’s voice was deliberately flat and unemotional. “They’ll try to capture him, torture him for information, and kill him.”

Vicki turned with a dish towel in her hand. “That’s what I told Hollis, but he made a joke about it. He said he’s always looking for new sparring partners.”

“I think Hollis can protect himself, Vicki. He’s a very good fighter.”

“He’s much too confident. I think he should…”

The screen door squeaked open and Hollis strolled in. “Okay. I’ve got my shopping list.” He smiled at Vicki. “Why don’t you come with me? We’ll buy a new tire and pick up some food for lunch.”

“Do you need money?” Maya asked.

“You got any?”

Maya reached into her pocket and pulled out some twenty-dollar bills. “Use cash. After you buy the tire, leave the store right away.”

“No reason to hang around.”

“Avoid stores with surveillance cameras in the parking lot. The cameras are able to photograph license plate numbers.”

Maya watched Vicki and Hollis leave. Gabriel was still outside in the driveway, pulling the tire off the motorcycle’s wheel rim. Maya made sure the gate was closed, concealing Gabriel from anyone driving down the street. She thought about discussing the next step with him, but decided that she needed to talk to Linden first. Gabriel had seemed overwhelmed by everything she had told him yesterday. He probably needed some time to think it over.

Maya returned to the bedroom, switched on her laptop computer, and got onto the Internet with her satellite phone. Linden was either asleep or away from his computer. It took her an hour to find him and follow him to a safe conversation room. Using soft language that wouldn’t trigger Carnivore, she described what had happened.

“Our business competitors responded with aggressive marketing tactics. Right now I’m at my employee’s house with our new associate.” Maya used a code based on random prime numbers and gave Linden the address to the house.

The French Harlequin didn’t answer and after a few minutes she typed: “Understand?”

“Does our new associate have the ability to travel to distant locations?”

“Not at this time.”

“Do you see any indications of that ability?”

“No. He’s just an ordinary citizen.”

“You must introduce him to a teacher who can evaluate his power.”

“Not our responsibility,” Maya typed. Harlequins were only supposed to find and protect Travelers. They didn’t get involved in anyone’s spiritual journey.

Once again, there was a delay of several minutes as Linden appeared to be considering his response. Finally words began to appear on the computer screen. “Our competitors have gained control of the older brother and have flown him to a research facility near New York City. They plan to evaluate his ability and train him. At this point, we don’t know their larger objective. But we must use all our resources to oppose them.”

“And our new associate is our main resource?”

“Correct. A race has started. At this moment, our competitors are winning.”

“What if he won’t cooperate?”

“Use any means necessary to change his mind. A teacher is living in the southwestern United States, protected by a community of friends. Take the associate to this location in three days. During this time, I will contact our friends and tell them that you’re coming. Your destination is…” Another pause and then a long set of coded numbers appeared on the screen.

“Confirm transmission,” Linden typed.

Maya didn’t answer.

The words appeared again, this time in capital letters that demanded her agreement. “CONFIRM TRANSMISSION.”

Don’t answer him, Maya told herself. She considered leaving the house and taking Gabriel across the border into Mexico. That was the safe thing to do. A few seconds passed, then she placed her fingers on the computer keyboard and typed slowly. “Information received.”

The screen went blank and Linden’s presence disappeared. Maya decoded the numbers with her computer and discovered that she was supposed to travel to a town called San Lucas in southern Arizona. And what will happen there? New enemies? Another confrontation? She knew that the Tabula would be looking for them using the full power of the Vast Machine.

She returned to the kitchen and opened the screen door. Gabriel sat on the driveway next to the motorcycle. He had found a coat hanger, straightened it out, and bent one end of the metal rod. Now he was using this improvised tool to make sure the rear wheel axle was properly aligned.

“Gabriel, I’d like to look at the sword you’re carrying.”

“Go ahead. It’s sticking out of my knapsack. I left it next to the couch in the living room.”

She remained in the doorway, not knowing what to say. He didn’t seem to realize the disrespect he was showing toward his weapon.

Gabriel stopped working. “What’s wrong?”

“This particular sword is very special. It’s best if you handed it to me yourself.”

He looked surprised, then smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Sure. If that’s what you want. Give me a minute.”

Maya brought her suitcase into the living room and sat on the couch. She heard water running through the plumbing as Gabriel washed the grease off his hands in the kitchen. When he entered the living room, he stared at her as if she were a crazy person who might attack him. Maya realized that the outline of her knives was visible beneath the sleeves of the cotton pullover.

Thorn had warned her about the awkward relationship between Harlequins and Travelers. Just because Harlequins risked their lives to defend Travelers didn’t mean the two groups liked each other. People who crossed over into different realms usually became more spiritual. But Harlequins would always remain earthbound, tainted by the death and violence of the Fourth Realm.

When Maya was fourteen years old, she traveled through Eastern Europe with Mother Blessing. The moment the Irish Harlequin gave a command, both citizens and drones jumped to obey her. Yes, madam. Of course, madam. We hope there aren’t any problems. Mother Blessing had stepped over some kind of line, and people sensed it immediately. Maya realized that she still wasn’t strong enough to have that kind of power.

Gabriel went to the knapsack and took out the sword-still in its black lacquer scabbard. He presented it to Maya with two hands.

She felt the sword’s perfect balance and knew immediately that it was a special weapon. The ray-skin hilt was wrapped in thread with a fitting of dark green jade.

“My father passed this on to your father when you were a child.”

“I don’t remember that,” Gabriel said. “It was always around when I was growing up.”

Holding the scabbard on her knee, Maya drew the sword slowly, then held it up and stared down the length of the blade. This was a tachi-style sword, a weapon meant to be worn with the edge downward. The shape was perfect, but the real beauty was shown in the hamon, the border between the tempered edge of the blade and the untempered metal of the rest of the sword. The bright areas of the steel, called the nie, contrasted with a soft pearl-white haze. It reminded Maya of patches of ground among a light spring snow.

“Why is this sword so important?” Gabriel asked.

“It was used by Sparrow, a Japanese Harlequin. He was the only Harlequin left in Japan: the last survivor of a noble tradition. Sparrow was known for his courage and resourcefulness. Then he allowed a weakness in his life.”

“What was that?”

“He fell in love with a young college student. Yakuza working for the Tabula found out and kidnapped this woman. When Sparrow tried to rescue her, he was killed.”

“Then how did the sword get to America?”

“My father tracked down the college student. She was pregnant and hiding from the Yakuza. He helped her flee to America and she allowed him to take the sword.”

“If this particular thing was so important, then why didn’t your father keep it?”

“It’s a talisman. That means that it’s very old and contains its own power. A talisman can be an amulet or a mirror-or a sword. Travelers can take talismans with them when they cross over to another realm.”

“So that’s why we ended up owning it.”

“You can’t own a talisman, Gabriel. Its power exists independently of human greed and desire. We can only use a talisman or pass it on to someone else.” Maya looked again at the edge of the sword. “This particular talisman needs to be cleaned and oiled. If you don’t mind…”

“Sure. Go ahead.” Gabriel looked embarrassed. “I didn’t spend time polishing it.”

Maya had brought along supplies to maintain her own sword. Reaching into her suitcase, she picked up a piece of soft hosho paper made from the inner bark of a mulberry tree. Willow had taught her how to treat a weapon with respect. She tilted the sword slightly and began to wipe the dirt and smudge marks off the blade.

“I’ve got some bad news, Gabriel. A few minutes ago I contacted another Harlequin through the Internet. My friend has a spy inside the Tabula organization and he confirms that they’ve captured your brother.”

Gabriel leaned forward in his chair. “What can we do?” he asked. “Where are they holding him?”

“He’s being kept at a guarded research facility near New York City. Even if I knew the location, it would be difficult to free him.”

“Why can’t we contact the police?”

“The average policeman might be honest, but that doesn’t help our cause. Our enemies are able to manipulate the Vast Machine-the worldwide system of computers that monitors and controls our society.”

Gabriel nodded. “My parents called it the Grid.”

“The Tabula can break into police computers and insert false reports. They’ve probably placed a message into the system that you and I are wanted for murder.”

“All right, forget about the police. Let’s go to where they’re keeping Michael.”

“I’m just one person, Gabriel. I’ve hired Hollis to fight, but I don’t know if he’s reliable. My father used to call fighters ‘swords.’ It’s just a different way to count up the people on your side. Right now, I don’t have enough swords to attack a research facility defended by the Tabula.”

“We’ve got to help my brother.”

“I don’t think they’ll kill him. The Tabula have a plan that involves something called a quantum computer and the use of a Traveler. They want to train your brother to cross over into other realms. All this is new. I don’t know how they’re going to do it. Travelers are usually taught by someone called a Pathfinder.”

“What’s that?”

“Give me a minute and I’ll explain…”

Maya checked the blade again and saw a few small scratches and pits in the metal. Only a Japanese expert called a togishi could sharpen this weapon. All she could do was cover the blade with oil so that it wouldn’t rust. Picking up a small brown bottle, she poured oil of cloves on some cotton gauze. The sweet smell of cloves filled the room as she gently wiped the blade. For a second, she knew something with complete certainty. This sword was very powerful. It had killed and would kill again.

“A Pathfinder is a special kind of teacher. Usually it’s a person with spiritual training. Pathfinders aren’t Travelers-they can’t cross over into other realms-but they can help someone who has the gift.”

“And where do you find them?”

“My friend has given me the location of a Pathfinder living in Arizona. This person will find out if you have the power.”

“What I really want to do is fix my motorcycle and get out of here.”

“That would be foolish. Without my protection, the Tabula would eventually find you.”

“I don’t need anybody’s protection, Maya. I’ve stayed off the Grid for most of my life.”

“But now they’re looking for you with all their resources and power. You don’t understand what they can do.”

Gabriel looked angry. “I saw what happened to my father. The Harlequins didn’t save us. Nobody did.”

“I think you should come with me.”

“Why? What’s the point?”

Still holding the sword, she spoke slowly, remembering what Thorn had taught her. “Some people believe that the natural tendency of mankind is to be intolerant, hateful, and cruel. The powerful want to hold on to their position and they will destroy anyone who challenges them.”

“That seems pretty clear,” Gabriel said.

“The urge to control others is very strong, but the desire for freedom and the ability to show compassion will always survive. Darkness is everywhere, but Light still appears.”

“And you believe this is because of the Travelers?”

“They appear in every generation. The Travelers leave this world and then return to help others. They inspire humanity, give us new ideas, and lead us forward-”

“Maybe my father was one of these people, but that doesn’t mean that Michael and I have the same ability. I’m not going to Arizona to meet this teacher. I want to find Michael and help him escape.”

Gabriel glanced at the doorway as if he’d already decided to leave. Maya tried to find the calmness she felt when fighting. She had to say the right thing or he would run away.

“Perhaps you’ll find your brother in another realm.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I can’t promise anything. If you’re both Travelers, it could happen. The Tabula are going to teach Michael how to cross over.”

Gabriel looked her straight in the eyes. For a moment, she was startled by his courage and strength. Then he lowered his head and, once again, became an ordinary young man wearing jeans and a faded T-shirt.

“Maybe you’re lying to me,” he said quietly.

“You’ll just have to take that risk.”

“If we go to Arizona, are you sure we’re going to find this Pathfinder?”

Maya nodded. “He lives near a town called San Lucas.”

“I’ll go there and meet this person. Then I’ll decide what I’m going to do.”

He stood up quickly and left the room. Maya remained on the couch with the jade sword. The blade was oiled perfectly and the steel flashed as she swung the sword through the air. Put it away, she told herself. Hide its power in the darkness.

VOICES CAME FROM the kitchen. Stepping softly so that the wooden floor wouldn’t creak, Maya entered the dining room and peered through a crack in the door. Hollis and Vicki had returned. They were preparing lunch while they gossiped about their church. Apparently two old women had argued about who could bake the best wedding cake, and the congregation had taken sides.

“So when my cousin picked Miss Anne to bake her cake, Miss Grace came to the reception and pretended to get sick eating it.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. But I am surprised she didn’t slip a dead cockroach into the cake batter.”

They both laughed at the same time. Hollis smiled at Vicki, and then looked away quickly. Maya made the floor creak to let them know she was in the next room, waited a few seconds, and entered the kitchen. “I talked to Gabriel. He’ll put the new tire on and we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

“Where are you going?” Hollis asked.

“Away from Los Angeles. That’s all you need to know.”

“Okay. That’s your choice.” Hollis shrugged his shoulders. “Can you give me any information at all?”

Maya sat down at the kitchen table. “It’s a security risk to use checks or make bank account transfers. The Tabula have gotten very skillful at monitoring things like that. In a few days, you’ll get a magazine or a catalog in an envelope with a German postmark. Hundred-dollar bills will be hidden in the pages. It might take two or three deliveries, but we’ll pay you $5,000.”

“That’s too much money,” Hollis said. “It was a thousand dollars a day and I’ve only been helping you for two days.”

Maya wondered if Hollis would have said the same thing without Vicki watching him. If you liked another person, that made you foolish and vulnerable. Hollis wanted to look noble in front of this young woman.

“You helped me find Gabriel. I’m paying you for your services.”

“And that’s it?”

“Yes. The contract is canceled.”

“Come on, Maya. The Tabula aren’t going to give up. They’ll keep looking for you and Gabriel. If you really want to confuse them, you should give out some false information. Make it look like you’re still in Los Angeles.”

“And how would you do that?”

“I’ve got a few ideas.” Hollis glanced at Vicki. Yes, she was watching him. “You Harlequins are paying me $5,000. So I’ll give you three more days of work.”