Nemecene: The Epoch of Redress (24 page)

Day 31: Late Afternoon

N
ow, my turn. Brush, tresses, dreamcatcher, jewel? Jewel? Jewel?...

What's taking Keet so long? Juicy. I can see him through the keyhole. Hehehe.

"Hang, Eli. Almost done."

Ah. The mouthy yet ineffective little protector strikes terror in the unsuspecting visitor. Here comes Keet. "It's about time, pup. Whoops, slap me." Ouch. He's annoyed. "Stitch is looking for her."

"Who? Sparky, sit."

"Impressive. He can now sit on intruders' feet." Time to cuddle the little yapper. "The woman in the mirror. I gave him the frame from the flashes. He put a sketch out."

"But you already know who she is, don't you, Eli?"

Part of me does, but secretly hopes I am wrong. "Then why hasn't Father shown up?" Keet is scrunching his face. It doesn't make sense to him either, unless… "Do you suppose he
knows
her?"

"We have no proof either way. We'll need to see what comes back from the maze."

I agree. We must focus on getting through all these… What the! "Did you transport your entire bedroom here?" There is no way two shelves will be enough. "I can't believe you brought
more
stuff. How did they get past Father?"

"It was worth the risk. I was bending in this empty space." Empty? He already had enough books to make furniture.

Just have to shake my head. "Sure. I see that all of these are absolutely essential, especially this one.
How To Survive an Avalanche
? In case you haven't noticed, it's a little warm out there." He snatches it from my hands and sneers. "Stitch says all the missing children were the same age. Nine. Just like Mashrin. He's still looking for details on their families, but nothing so far."

"I know, Eli. He commed me the day after we went to the restricted sector. He also discovered that Mashrin's body is now in GHU hands. I assumed he'd told you already, otherwise I would have—"

"Well, he didn't!" Oh, don't be a baby. It's a good thing that Stitch can trust Keet now. Better ease a bit. "Just make sure you check with me next time, eh?"

He nods apologetically. "What about Caroline? I'd rather like to know how she came across those shafts."

"So would I. I forgot to tell you I ran into her the day after. She was leaving O'Leary Hall, crying. She said she was expelled but wouldn't tell me why. She just assalammed. The counsellor was watching from his window. When you and Stitch were in the washroom, she told me she knew the Pramam's advisor. He was the redhead the officials were talking to."

Crap! I should have kept that one to myself. Here it comes.

"Are you bent? Why didn't you tell me? He's seen you now and—"

"Ease, Keet. Caroline doesn't know anything, and Stitch took care of my picture. Right. Let's get focused." He still needs to get up for work tomorrow. What a mess!

"I still don't see why you think we need to go through all of these. They're just books, Eli."

"Well, maybe there's something Mother hid there for us to find. Let's start with the ones she used to obsess over in the hospital." I have to believe that she wasn't crazy, that maybe now that I'm starting to drift as well, it might trigger something. He's complying, which is better than resistance. "I'll take this pile. Look for scribbles, notes, missing pages, creases, anything."

This may look like a heap of random literature, but he's organized it in sections. Here we go: Chopra, Tolle, Hicks, Braden, Zukav, Vitale, McTaggart, Gardener, Hoff, Emoto, Cannon, Klemmer, Schwartz, Eden, Tonay, Ming-Dao, Ali, Mathers, Griffith, James, Carus, Chamberlain… Mother read each of these too many times to single one of them out. I wonder if she found what she was looking for. The Ministry would not likely approve of these.

"Does the curator know you have these?"

"No. The philosophies aren't exactly condoned. You think that's what they are after?"

"I doubt it. Mother would have been stripped of them." The shelves are almost full. "What about your stack? Anything suspicious with your favorite historians, except that one's whip of course? Ancient civilizations? And those?"

"Nothing either. Just some water damage. The transfer chest must have had a weak seal."

Odd. That would be so unlike the Gadlins. "Well, then, what's left?"

"Just random fiction: Tolkien, Rowling, Shakespeare, Stevenson, Rice, Christie, Verne, Lucas, Whedon, Stewart... All clean. And then our board game over there in the niche. My clothes. Hey, stop shaking it."

Nothing in it anyway. Even the drawers have no unusual markings. Something is missing I can tell. He keeps checking his tunics.

"I was positive I packed it. The one I wore at graduation?"

"Maybe you gifted it to your date as a keepsake." Hehehe.

"Very funny. And you?"

"I
had
one."

"A stretch rodent?"

That deserves a snare. At least Squiggles was sentient. Keet brought a hologirl. Come on. Hold it together. No more tears. It's not your fault he was snapped up by a predator. Yuck. This puppy is like a mini-sentinel. My face is soaked. I should have a wipe in my pocket right... What?

"Where did you get that?"

I've seen this before, but where? Oh no. This was in her pocket at the medical lab. But I left it there, didn't I? "I don't know. It was in Mashrin's pocket."

He has saucer eyes now. "You took it?"

"Of course not. I didn't want any evidence pointing to us. If they find me with this, then I'm jam. They'll think I did it. And the guard? I have no alibi. They saw me at the daze." Calm down, girl. It's all mere speculation. "It wasn't in my pocket this morning. I'm positive."

Keet is squinting at me like he does when I'm having an episode. He doesn't believe me.

"I did
not
take it. Don't you think I would remember?" Maybe not the most persuasive argument. I'm confused. Who's talking?

"Eli...Eli. It's juicy. Let's think about this. If that's in fact the case then—"

"It is."

He's annoyed I just cut him off again. "Then, the only plausible explanation is that someone put it there in Tir-na-nog Square. It could have been anyone, especially with the chaos."

"Well, it had to be someone who wants me trapped and who saw Mashrin after we broke in. Or …" I hope he's not thinking what I am.

"Let's not jump to conclusions." But he is.

A sinking feeling is coming over me, and Keet is looking demoralized. "I'll take another pass through the books. You get some sleep, Keet." I have the morning off. "Come here, Sparky." We can cuddle in the corner together. I miss my Squiggles.

"Good night. Eli. Don't stay up too late."

I can use the moonlight. I'll start with Joe, it's slightly more worn than the others: cleaning, cleaning, cleaning…

I'm here. Don't leave. Mother. "Nooooooooo…"

"Eli. It's just a dream."

I thought I was getting better. They're back. "Make them stop, Keet." He would if he could. I feel so helpless.

"We will. Dr. Tenille will have some answers. Here, dry your eyes. Did you get any sleep at all?" He leans over and walks me to his bed. "Get a little more rest. I'll comm you before the fog lifts." It will do me good.

Oh right. Keet. "I'm awake. I feel much better."

"That's a relief. The social is over. You can come through the back, fewer people to bump into. Good luck with the interview."

"Thanks."

Quite honestly, I am nervous. Am I absolutely prepared for the answers to my questions? What if there is no cure, what happens next? Ridiculous. I'm sitting here paralyzed by negativity. Where has my boldness gone? Pat my little friend, out the crypt, and through the archives, quick. I seem to have a feel for this place now. Juicy. No more bruises in the mist. Ouch! Spoke too soon. That's going to leave a mark. Strike that thought. I don't need any more of those. I feel the openness. I'm in the Great Hall and almost out. Is something behind me? Turn around. Those eyes!

Ouch! My head. Where am I? It's so bright. The window. The sun is out. Creeps! Oh good. Just the shag. Will you leave my toes alone? Why did I take my shoes off anyway? I think I've been daydreaming. Snap back. Oh right. My turn. What did I bring from home? Brush, tresses, dreamcatcher, jewel? Jewel? Jewel? Anything but that. Where is it? I can't find it anywhere. Stop snapping, shelf! Did I wear it to the daze? No. I thought about it but I left it. I am feeling very faint right now. But how could anyone get in here? Stitch did a scan on my room and said there was some sort of field around it, that no one could see or get inside it without my secure band. I'm getting that sinking feeling again. I have to comm Keet.

"Keet. I just...I just...I can't find it." I can't help it anymore. It's just too heartbreaking.

"What? Talk to me. Everything will be fine. We'll find it. Take your time. Just breathe. So, what are we looking for?"

I want to believe, but I just can't see. "Mother's jewel."

Dead silence.

Here I go again. Mother, I feel so guilty. I should have left it with Father. At least no one would have found it through the clutter in her room.

"Eli, I am soooooo sorry. I know how precious it is to you. To me as well, and to her." I can hear him trying to hide his pain. "Let me see what I can find out. We might need Stitch to sketch it as well."

"But—"

"We don't know for certain. Don't mention the granite piece and—"

"I saw her. I saw her eyes in the fog."

"You mean...today?" He is quivering.

"Yes. Just outside the Great Hall, by the arch, on my way back. I don't remember how I got here. I just ran. She was waiting, I know it."

I can almost hear his heart pounding. "You blacked out again? Be extra careful. We don't know what her motives are yet. Keep your rubber on. There's a beacon on it."

Oh, the little brat. The bracelet. That's how they trailed Caroline and me.

"Stitch is tracing us?"

The notion doesn't seem to be disturbing him much. "He's not hiding the fact. Well, not from me anyway. Besides, we can trace him as well. We're all linked."

That's no more comforting to me, but I guess it does have its advantages. I'm yay with it then. "Juicy then. Oh, crap. I'm meeting my study partner, Jacinta, in a few minutes at the Nook. I'm off."