“But I can help. I’ve studied stuff like this all my life!”
“How could you study dimensional travel?”
Daryl bit her lip. “I … uh … well …”
A deep voice entered the hallway. “You can tell them, Daryl.” A tall man wearing a dark blazer rounded the corner, his eyes trained on the three teenagers. “They already know about Interfinity.”
Nathan stared at the newcomer. As he drew closer, his piercing eyes and a pulsing vein on his forehead clarified. Dr. Gordon.
9
A NEW ALLY
“Dr. Gordon!” Daryl pushed past Nathan and extended her hand. “Why are you here?”
He took Daryl’s hand and shook it politely. “Because you told me about the new student. He fit the profile.”
Nathan scanned Dr. Gordon’s cheek. His skin was smooth, no sign of the cut he had suffered only a day earlier. “What profile?”
“I know who you are, Nathan. Daryl alerted me to your presence on Friday when you registered under a false name.”
Kelly stared at Daryl, her expression hardening.
Dr. Gordon waved his hand at Kelly. “No need to pour wrath on your friend. I am the head of research and development at Interfinity Labs. We handpick the brightest students in the country to come to my seminars. When Nathan’s father was murdered, I knew Nathan would go into hiding, so I asked my seminar graduates to be on the lookout for a new arrival in their schools. I told them that finding Nathan was a life or death emergency so Daryl’s actions were not treacherous in the least.”
Kelly bent toward Daryl. While the two girls chattered in buzzing whispers too quiet to be heard, Nathan eyed the breast pocket on Dr. Gordon’s blazer. It carried an emblem embroidered in gold, three infinity symbols, just like the one he wore when he was with Mictar. “You’re right about life and death,” Nathan said, glancing around for escape routes. “One of the people looking for me tried to kill me.”
Dr. Gordon sighed. “Yes, my competition is quite aggressive.”
Balling his fist, Nathan squared his shoulders. “Why is it that one member of your ‘competition’ looks very familiar to me?”
“I know why you are guarding your words. All I can say is that I am not who you think me to be. We can discuss the particulars at my office near Chicago, but it’s important that we go there immediately. There is much to be done and very little time to do it.”
“I can’t go with you. My parents’ funeral is tomorrow.”
“Yes, I know. I will arrange for overnight accommodations at my expense, and I will get you to the funeral service on time.”
Nathan peeked at Kelly. She and Daryl had finally stopped their whispering. As he looked back at Gordon, he tried to put on a casual front. “I have to go home first and pack some stuff.”
“Very well. I will give you a ride home.”
Kelly set her hands on her hips. “Now, wait just a minute. I’m not about to let a stranger come to my house. You talk a good talk, and you have a cute emblem on your bellhop blazer, but that doesn’t mean you’re anyone we can trust.” She nudged Daryl with her elbow.
Standing straight, Daryl cleared her throat. “I’ll go home with them, and I’ll make sure they come back here.”
Dr. Gordon shook his head. “That won’t be good enough, Daryl. At this point, I’m afraid I’ll have to insist on both of them coming with me. I have to make sure —”
Kelly pointed at Daryl, raising her voice to a shout. “I know you, you little vamp! You just want to hone in on my new boyfriend!”
Daryl pushed Kelly’s chest, shoving her back into Nathan’s arms. “You don’t have the brains to compete with me, you dumb jock!”
Nathan helped Kelly regain her balance. “Let’s just go and —”
She twirled and shook a finger at him, now screaming right in his face. “Stay out of this!” She then whispered. “Play along.”
A bell sounded, signaling the end of the period. Students began pouring out of their classrooms. As Nathan stepped in front of Dr. Gordon, Kelly spun back to Daryl, shouting again. “Don’t call me a jock, you cyberspace geek. I’ll —”
“Cat fight!” a lanky boy yelled. Within seconds, kids of all shapes and sizes surrounded the battling females, who now stood glaring at each other with their fists clenched.
A muscular male teacher pushed through the crowd, shouting, “What’s going on here?”
Kelly thrust her finger toward Dr. Gordon. “Mr. Ryan, this pervert tried to kidnap me!”
As excited chatter buzzed through the corridor, Kelly continued, her voice now meek and trembling. “When I came out of the bathroom, he was there! He said I had to go with him.”
Mr. Ryan grabbed Dr. Gordon’s forearm. “Let’s take a walk to the office.”
Dr. Gordon tried to shake free, but the teacher’s grip tightened.
“This is absurd. I assure you —”
“Just shut up and come with me.” As he pushed Dr. Gordon along, the crowd of students funneled behind them. “Kelly,” Mr. Ryan called, looking back. “Meet us in the office. We’ll need your statement.”
Kelly grabbed Daryl’s hand and squeezed against a row of lockers, waiting for the students to disperse.
Daryl touched a button on Kelly’s shirt. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. You did great.”
Daryl folded her hands and renewed her begging stance. “Now you’re taking me with you to the other dimension, right? I mean, I’m not sure what to believe about Dr. Gordon, but I did what you wanted. Don’t leave me here to face him when they let him go.”
“Yeah. I guess I promised, didn’t I?” Kelly tugged Nathan’s sleeve. “We’d better hustle before they figure out what happened.”
A new voice sounded from the restroom alcove. “What did happen, Kelly Clark?” Steven emerged. “I know when you’re putting on a show, and that was one of your better performances.”
“Buzz off, Steven.” She turned toward the exit. “We’re in a hurry.”
Grabbing Kelly’s arm, Steven jerked her toward him. “Not so fast. I want to know what’s going on.”
Nathan pulled Kelly free and stepped between her and Steven. “You heard the lady,” he said, looking up at the taller boy. “Buzz off!”
Steven wrapped his long fingers around Nathan’s throat and pushed him against the lockers. “A lady?” he repeated, laughing. “She’s got you fooled.”
“Steven!” Kelly pushed him, but he didn’t budge. “Just stop it.”
Nathan squeezed out a choked, “Get in the car. I’ll meet you outside.”
“But —”
He slowly curled his fingers into a fist. “Just do it!”
While Daryl collected Nathan’s violin, Kelly picked up his backpack, and the two ran down the hall. “Don’t hurt him too badly!” Kelly called as she turned the corner.
Steven laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t.” When they were out of sight, his grip loosened. “I could hurt you real bad, but I’m going to give you a break … this time. I don’t want Kelly mad at me.”
Nathan glared at him. “When she said not to hurt him, she wasn’t talking to you.”
Steven released Nathan and backed away, laughing. “That’s pretty funny. Like you could hurt me.”
“Look,” Nathan said, his throat aching. “I’m not trying to steal anyone’s girlfriend. We just live —”
“Yeah, I know the story. I’m not stupid. She’s like your sister now, right? You gotta stand up for her, right?” He poked Nathan in the chest with his finger. “You got guts.”
“Thanks.” Nathan massaged his throat and sidestepped away. “Well, I have to go.”
As he jogged down the hall, Steven called, “Hey, that Daryl’s not a bad-looking girl. She’s a real brainy type, but she’s cool. You might want to check her out.”
Nathan rushed toward the main entrance. He would have to pass by the office, a dangerous gauntlet, since Mr. Ryan and Dr. Gordon would be there, but t
he student drop-off site was the only place he knew to go. Gordon was sure to be raising a ruckus, so he had to get by in a hurry.
As he approached the throng of students gathered in the rotunda, Nathan slouched and tried to blend into the crowd. Just as he passed the office door and quick-stepped toward the exit, Dr. Gordon shouted, “There he is! That’s Nathan Shepherd!”
Nathan burst outside and sprinted past the flagpole. He stopped at the curb and spotted Kelly’s Toyota idling in the parking lot. Squealing its tires, the Camry zoomed toward him. He looked back at the school. Mr. Ryan had just opened the door and spied him. Raising his hand, the athletic teacher leaped into a rapid jog. “Hold it right there!”
Kelly skidded to a stop. The passenger door flung open, and Nathan dove headlong across the front seats. His stomach landed on the console’s glove box, his legs stretched across Daryl’s, and his head flopped face down into Kelly’s lap. Jerking his body, he twisted around until his face pointed upward and his bottom slid in between the glove and gear boxes. Heat scorched his ears. “Sorry about that.”
Kelly pinned him with an elbow and set her hand on the gear shift. “Just cool it! You’re fine!”
Mr. Ryan grabbed the door handle. “Don’t you dare take off —”
“Gotta run!” Kelly stomped the gas pedal. The Camry shot away like a rocket, ripping the handle out of Mr. Ryan’s grip. Daryl pulled the door closed and began laughing, shaking Nathan’s legs as her spasms pulsed so hard she could barely breathe.
Kelly tried not to laugh, but as she held her breath, her stomach contractions jiggled Nathan’s head.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, now looking straight up at Kelly through the gap between her arms.
A wide grin spread across her face. “Oh … nothing.”
“You are!” Daryl cried. As she tried to stifle her laughs, her cheeks turned redder than her hair. “You’re so embarrassed!”
The heat spread to Nathan’s cheeks. “Well, I’m not used to being in that position.”
“That’s perfect!” Daryl clapped her hands. “That’s so perfect!”
Kelly lifted his shoulder. “You can get up now. I didn’t want you in my way when I peeled out.”
He sat upright and slid over the glove box toward the back-seat, trying to keep his balance as the car swept around a curve. “What’s so perfect?”
“You are,” Daryl said. “I didn’t think such old-fashioned guys existed anymore!”
“Old-fashioned? “Nathan seated himself in the rear between his backpack and violin case but kept a shoe on the glove box. “I’ve been called that before.”
“You had it right the first time,” Kelly said, tugging on one of his laces. “Perfect is the best word. He’s a perfect gentleman.”
“Thanks … I guess.”
“No problem.” She glanced back at him. “I see you got away from Steven. You didn’t hurt him, did you? I mean, the way he was standing you could’ve easily —
“Let’s just say we came to an understanding.” He looked out the windshield, trying to recognize the surroundings, but everything zipped by too fast. “So, where are we heading?”
“My house real quick, then I thought Chicago would be best — catch up with Clara and see what’s going on at Interfinity. It won’t take long for Dr. Gordon to figure out where we live, so we’d better grab some stuff and hit the road.”
“What about Daryl? Won’t she need some clothes?”
“I’ll pack extra for her. She’s borrowed my clothes before.”
Daryl touched Kelly’s shoulder. “You got a fresh toothbrush I can borrow? I’ll share jeans, underwear, and soda straws, but I gotta have my own toothbrush.”
“Not a problem.”
Nathan leaned forward, trying to catch Kelly’s attention in her rearview mirror. “What did you hear when we were in the stall?”
“I’ll tell you later.” Their gazes locked in the narrow mirror. Her eyes seemed warm and sympathetic. “It’s kind of … personal. It won’t change anything if we wait a little while.”
He reached into the front pocket of his backpack and pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll call Clara and get her up to speed.”
“Be sure to tell her about Dr. Gordon. Hell probably head back to Interfinity.”
He punched in her number and waited through the trill. After the third ring, her familiar voice buzzed through the earpiece. “Yes, Nathan?”
“Where are you? At Interfinity?”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “We are. Francesca and I are playing tourist. We blended into a school group’s guided tour. I’m looking for a chance to sneak away maybe get into the offices when they close.”
“Make sure you look for Dr. Gordon’s office. He’s the head of R&D, and he was at the high school looking for me, so he can’t possibly get back there in time to walk in on you. I’ll tell you more later, but we need to stay away from him no matter what.”
“Great information. Why was he looking for you?”
“Not just looking. He was going to make me come back with him to his office, but Kelly and I got away.” As they approached a sharp curve, Nathan checked the speedometer. Kelly showed no sign of dropping under fifty-five. “We’re getting ready to come to Chicago,” he continued, clutching the seat in front of him, “because Gordon’s sure to find out where we live, and we have to come to the funeral anyway.”
“We’ll figure out a place to meet. You have your ATM card, right?”
As the Toyota careened around the bend, he lurched to the side and draped his arm over his backpack. “I got it right here,” he grunted.
“Then you have plenty of money. Be sure to take care of all the expenses.”
“Gotcha.”
“Don’t call again,” Clara warned. “I’ll estimate the time of your arrival and call you. I’m sure you can find Interfinity’s address on the Internet. The observatory is northwest of the city.”
“No problem. We’ll see you in a few hours.” He slapped the phone closed.
As the Camry roared down the country highway Kelly explained their story to Daryl, cutting out enough details to keep it short. Nathan added what happened to him when he first saw his parents in the coffins and the subsequent pursuit by the gunman in the Mustang. He finished with his suspicions about Dr. Gordon. “The guy who chased us looked exactly like him, except, when he showed up at school, he didn’t have a cut on his cheek. So until I know otherwise, he’s a murderer in my book.”
Daryl interlaced her fingers behind her head. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m coming along. Let me tell you what I know.”
“Cool your jets.” Kelly pressed the brakes and skidded into a turn down their cornfield-bordered road. “Let’s get our stuff. You can tell us the rest on the way to Chicago.”
After pushing the garage opener, Kelly zoomed inside, barely fitting the car under the rising door. Screeching to a halt, she jumped out and ran into the house. Nathan slid on his back-pack and followed Daryl through the laundry area, across the kitchen, and into the formal living room.
Kelly pointed down the hall. “Daryl, you first in the bathroom. No potty breaks if we can help it.”
When Daryl trotted away, Kelly pulled Nathan close. “When you played in the stall, I heard your mother and father talking.” She breathed a gentle sigh. “Nathan, I’ve never heard anything like it. They were so sweet.”
Nathan dipped his head. “Yeah … I know.”
“Anyway, your father said he was being tortured to draw you to their dimension. They think someone called Simon is behind it, but they’re not sure.”
“But Dr. Simon is dead. How could that be?”
“Your parents are dead, too, but they still seem to be talking.”
The sound of a toilet flushing came from down the hall, followed by a closing door. Kelly glanced that way and sped through her words. “They’re worried about you. Something’s gone wrong in their plan, and if you follow the clues they’ve left behind, you coul
d be in big trouble. Apparently, Simon set some kind of trap for you. He thinks you’ll respond to your father’s suffering and come to help him.”
Daryl peeked around the corner. “That sounds like The Empire Strikes Back. Darth Vader tortured Han Solo to get Luke to show up. That was a trap, too.”
“I remember,” Nathan said. “Luke went anyway.”
Daryl flashed a thumbs up. “He had to go no matter what. That’s what heroes do.” Angling her thumb toward the hall, she grinned. “Speaking of having to go, who’s next in the bathroom?”
Kelly pushed Nathan’s backpack. “You go. I already went.”
“In the guys’ bathroom at school?”
“Why not? They all work the same.” She pushed him again. “Hurry! I’ll get my stuff packed.”
Nathan rushed through his bathroom stop, picking up his toothbrush on the way out. When he got back to his bedroom, he flipped on his desk lamp and laptop computer, threw his suitcase on the bed, and hurriedly packed it. He glanced at the mirror on the wall. Everything seemed normal. The trunk was closed. The lights stayed constant.
He pulled open a desk drawer and lifted out his father’s camera by its strap. No sense in leaving it behind for Gordon to steal. He laid it gently among his clothes, and, after zipping his suitcase, he slid into his chair and opened the browser. Interfinity was easy to find. He pulled the observatory’s address up on a map. Just as he clicked on the print button, Kelly bustled into the room, a duffle bag strap over her shoulder.
“You ready?” she asked.
He nodded at the suitcase on the bed. “Yeah. I just sent a map to the printer.”
She set her bag down. “I’ll get it. Daryl’s already in the garage.”
Nathan packed his laptop and grabbed his suitcase, but he couldn’t resist another look at the mirror. Still normal — a perfect reflection. This would be his last chance to see the big mirror for quite a while. Might it be able to show images his little corner section couldn’t?
Moving quickly, he slid off his backpack, fished out the mirror, and reapplied it in the blank corner section. It stuck in place and once again sent a shimmer of light across the glass. He pulled his new violin from under the bed and took it out of its case. Then, with a few quick strokes, he played part of a Sibelius piece that had been running through his head, “Finlandia.”