A Pair Of Docks Part 19

Mark nodded vigorously.

"The contours of the map do match the topography here," said Dr. Ford. "Hmm, that's interesting. All accounts from witches that go over the stones report a familiarity in the landscape. Some say they're sure they haven't left this area. Others don't know. Maybe the stones can transport you in time, but not s.p.a.ce, that we're always ending up on Coventry Hill... But why would Mantis have the beaver pond labeled?"

"Maybe it's just his meeting place," said Abbey. She looked over Mark's shoulder and saw a single wild rose blossom in the briar, not yet dead in the crisp fall air.

"I've seen references to it before in the ancient texts. I never placed any importance on it. I always just a.s.sumed it was someone's initials."

Simon emerged into the center of the briar patch.

"Someone's coming down the path," he mouthed.

Abbey, Simon, and Dr. Ford all managed to find small openings in the briar to look at the path.

Abbey held her breath as the footsteps grew closer, and then a broad-shouldered man in stark white garb walked past. The moonlight glinted off the walker's red hair and she caught a glimpse of the handsome profile of her brother.

It was Caleb. The future Caleb. He was calm, but his expression was solemn. Like a human sacrifice, she thought. Her heart ached for him. She felt Simon's body lurch with surprise when he saw Caleb. She cupped her hands to her mouth to yell out, to tell him to stop, to warn him that Mantis was just down the path, but Simon clapped his own hand over her mouth and shook his head, his eyes wild. The future Caleb pa.s.sed by and walked around the upper rim of the ravine to a path behind some bushes. He began his descent into the ravine and disappeared from view.

Abbey let out her breath and turned and looked at Simon. His jaw hung open and anger creased his face. He looked at her. "You knew."

"I knew about the future Caleb," she admitted. "I met him that night I followed you and Caleb to this future. But I have no idea what he's doing here. He made me promise not to tell you I met him." And someone's trying to kill him, she thought darkly, but I can't tell you-or him-because then I might create a stupid paradox that isn't even a paradox.

"We have to get someone down there so we can hear them," said Dr. Ford. He surveyed the possibilities and then pointed his finger at Abbey. "You're the smallest. You need to sneak down there."

"Me?" said Abbey. "Can't you just put some listening ear down there like the witches in Harry Potter?"

Dr. Ford sniffed. "Hmmpf. Harry Potter. That book is stuff and nonsense. Creates totally the wrong image of witches."

"I don't like it, but he's right, Ab," said Simon. "You're the only person that might be able to get down there unseen. The sides are too steep to just walk down. I saw a goat trail of sorts on the other side of the ravine when I was out looking earlier. I might be able to lower you down the steep parts with the twine. I think it'll hold your weight. It's not going to hold mine. We'll wait right at the top to protect you if you get caught."

Protect me with what, Abbey thought sulkily.

The party made its way out of the briar and around to the other end of the ravine. Mantis, Jake, and the future Caleb had taken seats on the stumps and were conferring. Abbey's knees shook at the thought of what they might be saying, what black magic was about to be wrought, what kind of Faustian bargain Caleb was making, and what might happen if she got caught. She comforted herself with the notion that at least the future Caleb might protect her.

The path at the top of the ravine took them close to the edge of the beaver pond and the beaver's dam. It was a broad, muddy mound stubbled with sticks and branches with withered leaves hanging off the ends, turning the stream into a tiny trickle emerging from underneath. The beavers appeared to have retired for the night and the pond was quiet except for the skate of bugs on the surface.

They were about to turn back toward the ravine to find the path when Simon, who was in the lead, stopped short. Abbey crashed into him, and Dr. Ford into her. Only Mark, who was trailing, still carrying his stick, escaped unscathed. Abbey opened her mouth to say something smart when Simon extended a shaking finger toward the pond.

Just beyond the beaver dam, nestled in a slight indentation in the bank and reaching out into the pond, bleached wood shimmering silver in the moonlight, stood the sight that had stopped Simon in his tracks.

A pair of docks.

Chapter 14.

Dark Matters and False Prophets

Abbey stared. The short square docks glimmered pale and ominous, the green pond water lazily lapping against their sides. They were the docks from Mrs. Forrester's sketch. Sanome, who'd taken the lead again, slunk back behind Mark and dropped to a crouch. Dr. Ford sank to his knees, clutching at his chest. Abbey grabbed at his arm.

"Are you okay? What's going on?"

Dr. Ford nodded violently while emitting wheezing noises. He pulled an inhaler from his pocket, jammed it in his mouth, and sucked in several puffs of medicine.

"The-" he paused and took another puff, "-the docks in the ancient texts. I thought they were metaphoric. Paradox, not pair of docks. All this time..."

"Don't jump to conclusions. We don't know anything yet," said Simon. "We need to get Abbey down into the ravine. We can come back and investigate here after that." He looked at Dr. Ford. "Can you walk?"

Dr. Ford nodded and rose to his feet, slipping his inhaler back into his pocket.

Simon started down the path on the switchback that would take them back to the ravine. Abbey followed. Something bothered her about the docks-like she'd seen them before...somewhere... But where?

The path took them behind the spot where Mantis, Jake, and Caleb sat talking in the ravine. A faint trail wound its way back and forth down the brush-covered banks. It would drop Abbey into the ravine unseen, and hopefully unheard, several yards from the trio. But the trail was gravelly, with vertical sections, and Abbey tried not to imagine slipping and falling all the way to the bottom. If she was quick, the twine might hold her. But if she dangled from it for longer than a few seconds, it would fray and snap. She chewed off the end of her index fingernail as she peered over the edge. She felt the rip of the nail and skin. She shoved her hand in her pocket. The others were waiting.

"I'm going to double up the twine. If anything happens," said Simon, "if you need me, and there's time for me to come quietly, give a bird call. If it's an emergency, just scream, and we'll all come down the regular path. If you're not back in fifteen minutes, I'm coming down after you."

"Does Mantis have a familiar?" asked Abbey.

Dr. Ford looked surprised. "Well, yes...of course. Why do you ask?"

"Is it something that's going to smell me?"

Dr. Ford resumed the bleak, put-upon look he had worn since leaving the docks, as if his world had been turned upside down, and he no longer cared about the outcome of their current endeavor. "Sylvain has a praying mantis as a familiar. He keeps it in a small plastic container in his breast pocket. I doubt it'll smell you."

Abbey tied the twine around her waist twice, braced her wet sneakers against the gravel, and started to inch her way down. As she wound her way down switchbacks, Simon belayed the twine and moved along the edge of the ravine to help her in the steep sections. A cloud of dust rose up around her feet with the dislodged dirt, and larger pebbles rolled down the ravine bank. She grabbed at bushes to anchor herself and put less pressure on the twine. Her hands burned when she had to clutch the thin string to steady herself. The twine thankfully held until the final drop and then gave way with a sudden jolt. She fell to her knees on the ravine floor, biting her lip. She stifled a yelp and swallowed the blood in her mouth, her heart hammering in her chest. The creek gurgled past, just a few meters away, and the murmur of male voices drifted through the air just beyond that. They hadn't heard her fall. Abbey pulled herself together and began to creep through the underbrush. She dropped to a crawl, working her way under a bush, trying not to think about the array of creepy six- and eight-legged things that could be under there with her.

"Can you do it or not? Because if you can't, the deal's off, for obvious reasons," the older Caleb was saying.

"We can. But we can't be sure of the results. We should beta-test it. But if you're willing to promise payment even if it doesn't go completely as expected, then we can proceed," said Mantis.

"Have you alpha-tested it?" Caleb asked.

There was a long pause before Mantis replied, "Well, in theory it should work."

"I'm not risking the lives of women and children for something that should work in theory. It's in your interest to make sure that it works, because I can't provide the payment unless I'm alive and in the right spot." Abbey could hear the crunch of gravel and saw the snow-white leg of Caleb's pants as he pa.s.sed in front of her. "I'm going to gather my people and bring them here in half an hour. You test your theory while I'm gone."

"But on whom? I need a subject."

"Why not on yourself?"

"My dear friend. I'm too old a man to be subjected to that kind of stress."

Something crawled across Abbey's back. She stifled a gasp and twitched to dislodge it.

"I'm not your dear friend," Caleb said. "We have a business arrangement. Figure something out. We meet here in half an hour." Abbey heard a crunch of gravel that she a.s.sumed was Caleb heading up the path. After a few moments, she began to wriggle backward out of the bush. Footsteps approached and she froze. The greenery parted to reveal Mantis's golden-toothed smile.

"Not so fast, Ms. Sinclair. It would appear the universe has conspired to bring me my alpha-test subject."

Abbey tried to bolt, but got tangled up in some blackberry thorns, and Mantis was fast. He hooked his large hands under her armpits, and she had the queer sensation of being grasped by a stick insect. Mantis carried her back to the stump and placed her in a sitting position.

"Now, now then," said Mantis, almost clucking. "No need to run. We're all friends here. You know Jake, I understand."

"Not personally," Abbey said with a glare. "The others will be down to look for me any second."

Mantis chuckled. "Your older brother looks like he might fight for you, but the other two are pretty much a wash. I need your help. You won't be hurt, my dear girl, I promise-as long as you cooperate. I just need you and Jake to try something out for me so we can help out your brother Caleb and his people. You do want to help them, don't you? Such a pity what's happening in this future."

"What do you mean- 'what's happening in this future'? What do you need my help with?" asked Abbey. You've got to be kidding, she thought. And yet it seemed that the future Caleb truly did need something from Mantis.

Mantis clapped his hands together. "Well, as I'm sure my dear friend Dr. Ford has already told you, Jake here can go to any future. But I don't like the term 'camel'. I feel it's derogatory, and doesn't give enough emphasis to the special nature of individuals who can move between worlds."

Abbey studied Jake. He was handsome and beefy in that curly-haired, jock-like way, in his Levis and red warm-up jacket. He certainly didn't appear to be wasting away from some unknown disease. "Jake has kindly agreed to transport your brother's people to another future. We just need you to help him test whether the pa.s.sageway is open before your brother returns."

Abbey scrunched up her eyes. "Pa.s.sageway to where? And what happens if it isn't open? And more importantly, do we get to come back?"

"Of course you get to come back, dear girl. The whole thing should take five minutes, tops. You'll be there and back before you know it. We just need to confirm that Jake can, in fact, transport people. You know the stones take you between times, from the present to the future and back again. Docks take you laterally from one future to another...but only the special people like Jake here can use them. Kind of like a modern-day Moses."

Jake blanched at this, and his skin seemed chalky against his dark curls. Abbey didn't feel rea.s.sured. Sandy's words now made sense. You have to smoke on the docks. Camels used the docks. But how was this relevant to Sandy? Unless camels could rescue people from Nowhere using the docks...

"What if I don't want to help you?" Abbey suspected this was a dangerous question.

Mantis remained perfectly chipper, but he took a step closer to her so his eyes were inches from her own. His lips curved up in a satisfied manner, like a wolf that had already gorged itself on its prey. "But I think you do want to help your brother. This future is crumbling, and they can no longer find enough food to survive. He's found a solution, which he's arranged with me. But some of his own people are trying to kill him. He would want you to help him." Mantis blinked his eyes almost pleadingly, and nodded his head as if the decision had already been made, as if he were hypnotizing her.

Abbey felt herself wilting, wanting to help Caleb.

"Aha! We've got you!" Dr. Ford leapt out of the bushes followed by Simon and Mark, who each carried sharpened sticks. "We've got you red-handed, for child abduction. I'm going to report this to the authorities."

Simon pushed past Dr. Ford with a look of impatience. "Let her go, Mantis. We're evenly matched. We're armed. Someone's going to get hurt. Just let her go and we'll walk away, go home, and leave you to your business."

Abbey scanned Mantis's form for signs of a firearm. With his overcoat, it was too hard to tell.

"There's no need," said Mantis. "Abbey is going to help us."

Abbey looked at Jake, who wore a look of general bewilderment at the evening's events. She couldn't imagine he planned to kill one of them, as the emails had suggested. It was clear the future Caleb did have a business arrangement with Mantis. Her mind flicked through the emails between Mantis and Jake. It was possible they'd been discussing this very arrangement. The first email could have been talking about setting up the deal. They'd a.s.sumed 'deal with him' had meant kill him or hurt him, but it could have just referred to striking a deal. The third email had said they would take care of Sinclair at the Holding the Light event. That could refer to helping Caleb. But there was the troubling reference to hurting Sinclair. What did that mean? Abbey felt Mantis watching her, expectant. She needed more data points, and she had a feeling she was more likely to get them from Mantis than from Dr. Ford.

"She's not going to help you," Simon said.

Abbey spoke up. "Fine. I'll help. But they come, too." She pointed at Simon, Mark, and Dr. Ford.

Simon scowled at her and gave his head a tiny shake.

"Excellent. As long as they don't even think of stabbing me in the back with one of those sticks, and the little man keeps it zipped. We're creating history here, and there are people that need our help. Your part will be done in mere moments, and I'll be forever grateful for your a.s.sistance." This last was presented with a sincere, wide-eyed expression and a grave tone, as if he were addressing a venerable a.s.sembly, not a motley trio of would-be protectors.

"All right. Let's be off then. The docks await, and we don't have much time." Mantis turned and started marching up the path, before pausing and turning back to gesture for Jake and Abbey to go first. "Oh, and I do possess a weapon by the way, not to mention I'm trained in both fencing and martial arts, and of course magic, but let's not make it necessary for me to employ any of my skills." Mantis looked directly at Simon as he spoke.

Dr. Ford's eyes bulged and he opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, or maybe expectorate a lung, but Mantis held up his hand and made a zipping motion across his lips.

They walked single-file up the docks, Jake in the lead, and then Abbey, followed by Mantis. Abbey's three protectors drew up the rear with Sanome trailing and skittish, refusing to go anywhere near Mantis. Abbey sensed Simon lurching around behind Mantis, wanting to get close enough to talk to her, but uncertain about overtaking the tall man. They turned left at the top of the ravine and headed toward the beaver dam. Jake stopped in front of the docks.

Abbey found herself both drawn to and repulsed by the silvery platforms that jutted out into the dark, mirrored pond. Just like the stones, they contained an energy that tugged at her, somehow sensing her witch blood and pulsing with it through her veins, but at the same time whispering to her of a world of danger-and magic-beyond her imaginings. She'd only barely sensed it before. But it grew stronger each time they'd crossed the stones. And now it throbbed through her, and it both terrified and intrigued her.

Mantis addressed the party once again. "Abbey and Jake will use the docks to transfer to another future and then return immediately. We'll confirm that it works, and then our business here will be concluded-and you will be free to go, or remain and watch. As you wish." He nodded ceremoniously at Abbey and Jake.

"No," said Simon. "Abbey's not going."

Mantis flashed his most charming smile. "Young man, these docks are just like the stones that you're obviously not afraid of using. Your sister has agreed to help. Do you really want to condemn your brother's people to a slow and painful death in this future?"

"I've heard so much bunk in the last six hours that I have no idea whether what you're telling me is even remotely the truth," Simon said.

Dr. Ford wrinkled his forehead and c.o.c.ked his head at Simon.

Abbey felt a burst of nervous laughter at Dr. Ford's bemused expression. "It's okay, Simon. I want to help. I think it's okay."

"Abbey," started Simon.

"It's okay, Si, really."

"Take me instead," Simon said to Mantis.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer the girl. Less chance that she'll try to overpower Jake, or any tomfoolery like that."

"Please, Simon." Abbey didn't know why she was begging for this, why she was volunteering to be a human experiment. Maybe she just needed to know. This had gone too far for her to just go home and forget about it. She needed to know who was on whose side, what was happening to Caleb's people, how the stones worked, and what these futures meant. She needed data.

Inquisitive Abbey. Inquisitive Expired Abbey, she amended. That would be the likely outcome of her need to know. After all, didn't curiosity kill the cat?

She focused on Simon. "It's okay. I need to do this. I just have a feeling." When had she ever acted on a feeling? Is that what she was doing now? Maybe she was deceiving herself in thinking she was doing this for data. Maybe Mantis had cast a spell on her. Or maybe it was the docks drawing her in. Maybe the magic of the stones controlled everything, leaving those who used them to think they had free will, when they didn't.

She no longer knew. The lines between the scientific method and hunches, rationality and irrationality, and physics and witchcraft, once definitive and absolute in her mind, had become very blurred over the last three days.

Simon looked like he wanted to punch somebody, but he didn't say anything.

"All right. Let's proceed then," said Mantis.

Jake looked at the docks dubiously. "Um...how do the docks work, exactly?"

Mantis snorted in frustration. "I don't know. Just go on the dock and see what happens."

"Yes," said Jake. "I get that. But do she and I have to stand on the same dock, or different docks? Do I have to be touching her, or carrying her? Do I need to be thinking about the future we want to go to, or will we just end up there?"

Abbey gave Jake an appraising glance. Maybe he wasn't just a dumb jock.