Moon - New Moon Part 23

Finally, after what felt like centuries, a portion of the wall began to waver. What he saw on the other side made him blink, and he tried to figure out where it was. Not out in the woods.

"How do you know it's my world?" he demanded.

"I don't. Not for sure. But I think that's what it is."

When the wall disappeared, Rinna grabbed his arm, urging him through but kept in back of him.

"Do you have some idea of staying here?" he growled, turning to hold on to her so that he could pull her through with him.

She didn't protest, and he suspected she'd only been trying to get him to safety first. d.a.m.n the woman.

Once they stepped through, she turned to reverse the process. He also turned. Through the doorway, he saw a man's arm and leg coming around the corner of the wall.

The breath froze in his lungs, and he tensed for another battle. h.e.l.l, it seemed like very time he turned around in this world, he was fighting someone off.

What would it be like to grow up in such an environment?

To his vast relief, the wall solidified before the soldier came around the corner. Or at least Logan hoped that was what had happened.

Agonizing seconds ticked by. When the wall stayed solid, Logan breamed out a sigh. They were back in the United States of America-he hoped.

IN the bas.e.m.e.nt of the old cathedral, Calag studied the marks in the dust. The man and woman he sought had been here. They'd walked around on the ground level, then come down the stairs, probably looking for a hiding place.

But they'd come up again so that the trail was messed up.

His men were searching now. Twelve trained fighters and two with extra talents-Balfer and Darnet. He'd kept those two with him while the others spread out.

When he stood still and concentrated, he was pretty sure that the fugitives were no longer in the area. But his psychic powers were minimal, which was why he was leading a group of Falcone's soldiers rather than sitting with him at the dining room table like that old fart Avery.

Still, Balfer and Darnet had qualified at the second level of training. Not a great recommendation, but maybe good enough for his purposes.

He looked at the two men. "I think they're not here. But see if you can tell me where they went."

They both saluted, then stood still for several seconds, looking like they were listening. Darnet walked to the shelves of clothing and began fingering the garments, trying to get an impression from something one of the fugitives had touched. Balfer walked into the other room.

Calag watched him retreat, wanting to give more specific directions. But he'd learned not to interfere. He could break the man's train of thought, and some twinge of information he might have picked up might be gone.

So Calag crossed his arms and stood rigidly to keep from tapping his foot in impatience, staring at the oil lamps the fugitives had left on the shelves.

He didn't have one of those things you wore on your wrist to tell time. But he had been taught about seconds ticking by. And he had learned to count silently in his head.

He reckoned that about five minutes pa.s.sed before Balfer returned. His face was tense.

"You lost them?"

The man pressed his hands against his sides and looked down at the floor. He had been born a slave and he was always ready for punishment.

"Speak up!" Calag snapped.

"I think they went through the portal."

"Carfolian h.e.l.l!"

"Can we go after them?"

"We should get authorization. Can you send a message back to Sun Acres?"

"We're too far away for me to make the contact by myself. But I think Darnet and I can do it together."

Calag thought about his options. If he waited, they could lose the man and the woman. But Falcone had given specific orders that n.o.body was to go through a portal without authorization.

"Darnet!" Calag called. "Get in here."

The other adept came running.

"Yes, sir?"

"Lander is waiting at Falcone's residence. I want you and Balfer to send a psychic message to him immediately."

He watched the men stand so that their shoulders were touching, watched them link hands.

They might be able to get through. Or they might not. And if they couldn't, it was Calag's head on the chopping block.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

LOGAN HAD BEEN so focused on the soldier that he hadn't been paying attention to where they had landed. Then he felt Rinna's fingers grip his arm.

He swung toward her and found her staring around in wonder-and also alarm.

They appeared to be in a convenience store, the kind of place where customers dashed in for some product they needed right away. Or where they came to get coffee and a premade sandwich.

"We're safe," he told her, thinking that they had just gone from a crisis into a safe harbor. Then he reminded himself that he was the only one who had stepped into a familiar environment.

Her voice quavered as she moved closer to him and whispered. "Is this a storehouse?"

"No. It's a convenience store. There's nothing to worry about here. Why does a storehouse frighten you?"

She loosened her grip on his arm and gestured with her hand. "There's never enough of anything where I come from. Food. Medicine. Clothing. The rich can buy those things and store them for when they're needed. But they guard them jealously. And they kill if they catch you trying to raid their private stock."

"We don't have that kind of violence here. This is a place where ordinary people come to buy things they need," he said, keeping his tone rea.s.suring, trying to remind himself how strange her world had seemed to him. She must be having the same problem-in reverse. "This is a public place, not a rich man's storehouse. Anyone can come in and shop here."

She seemed to relax a little. "Like the marketplace, you mean. Only inside?"

"Yes."

She took another look at the well-stocked shelves. "And we're in the back where the merchant hides his best things and brings them out for the rich people."