Part 16 (2/2)
Mark continued to stand, but at least the spray of pastrami stopped.
”Maybe you can just sit down and we can talk about this,” said Simon. ”If Dr. Ford was with you in your future that might be good news. Maybe Dr. Ford knows how to stop you from doing what you were going to do.”
Mark sagged into his seat as if he were a p.r.i.c.ked balloon. He lowered his head into his arms and sat silently, as if his screamed p.r.o.nouncements had exhausted him.
”I need the map,” he said. ”The map of Coventry Hill.”
Simon sighed. ”Okay, Mark, we've talked about the map. You can trace the one at Dr. Ford's office tomorrow. It's no big deal.”
Caleb checked his watch. ”It's quarter to six. We've got to go.”
n.o.body stood though. Dr. Ford remained huddled in the back of the booth, relaxing only fractionally, his chipper demeanor replaced by a darker, almost sulky, expression.
Mark's mention of the splas.h.i.+ng in his future had sent a jolt of fear down Abbey's back. The splash of beaver tails in Caleb's future, the splash that could be the backdrop to Caleb's death. She had to stop it somehow. But something nagged at her.
”Dr. Ford, the futures we saw. They were so different-the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, the desert, the dark forest-and yet there was a similar feeling to all of them. But how could they all be the future? How could there be a future with deserts and s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps and dark forests coexisting? Unless we were in wildly different parts of the world...”
Dr. Ford sat up a little bit straighter and gave off the vague impression of preening. ”There are two competing theories about the stones. The first is that the stones lead to parallel futures-that all the futures we see come true, but not necessarily in this universe. Then there is the theory that they lead to possible futures, which I've already explained; they show what could happen, but not necessarily what will happen.”
”Well, which is it?”
”I don't know.”
Abbey felt herself grow impatient. ”How don't you know? You're the Guardian.”
”Young lady. We're talking about magical stones made over four hundred years ago. I can't be expected to know everything. I've written a very well-received paper about it.”
”Okay, but what did your future show? Did it come true?”
Dr. Ford remained silent, flipping a sugar package from the container on the table over and over in his hand.
Abbey had a sudden sickish realization. ”You've never been through the stones, have you? You don't know whether your future came true because you've never seen it.”
Dr. Ford stood up. ”I think it's time to go. You children have to be home very shortly.”
”Please, Dr. Ford. Just tell us,” said Abbey.
Dr. Ford sat back down. ”I know a lot about the stones from a theoretical perspective.” He paused. ”But no, I've never crossed over the stones.”
”Why?” asked Abbey.
Dr. Ford looked out the window and furrowed his lips in on each other so that his mouth formed a tight thin line. ”Because...because the stones are not to be trifled with. My father was much like Mantis, using the stones to his own ends. It worked well for him for a while. He made good choices in the stock market. He understood and exploited every talent he had. We were well-to-do, well respected in the community...and then one day he didn't come home. He broke one of the rules, I expect. And that was it. Call me conservative, but I've never seen the risk as being worth it.”
”How did you become the Guardian, then?” asked Simon.
Dr. Ford gave a weak laugh. ”When I say there aren't many of us witches left, I meant it. Besides me, Francis, and Sylvain, there are really only a few others. When the job was vacated by its former occupant, I was the only one that applied.” He cleared his throat, signaling the end of this particular discussion. ”Are we agreed? No using the stones until we have a plan. Not that you can, anyway. The good news is that with Francis in the hospital, Mantis can't use them either.”
Abbey, Caleb, and Simon exchanged glances. Evidently none of them wanted to tell Dr. Ford about their theory that Mark might be the Energy.
Simon stood up. ”We've got to go.”
They rose from the table and filed out to the car. They drove home in silence; the tick of the turn signal grated on Abbey's nerves. She'd wanted Dr. Ford to be able to help them, to have all the answers, to take control, and to relieve them of the responsibility of having to deal with all this themselves. And now he just seemed like a little man, and Abbey hovered dangerously close to angry tears because of it.
The cars splayed up and down the street outside their house. The party appeared to be in full swing. Abbey ran her eyes up and down the rows. A blue and silver Jag was among them. The deceleration of the SUV indicated that Dr. Ford had also spotted the Jag. He pulled into a side street a block away from the house and parked.
”Sylvain is here. Is he a close friend of your parents?”
”I don't know,” Caleb said. ”I don't think so. But Mom has lots of work a.s.sociates and campaign supporters. She's running for mayor you know...Marian Beckham. You must've seen her in the paper.”
Dr. Ford's voice bordered on snappish. ”I know who your mother is. Francis told me, and of course everyone knows about her bid to stop the Salisbury Swamp development.”
”Oh yeah...that,” said Caleb. ”She's a pretty avid environmentalist.”
Dr. Ford sighed and pressed his finger to his nose. ”Mantis is involved in a lot of things that make him look like a community leader. He may be attending on that basis, but it looks suspicious. Do you feel comfortable going in there by yourselves?”
”We have to go in. Mom already called my cell phone about an hour ago,” said Simon. ”I didn't pick up. It must've been while Mark and I were going through the Jag. We'll be safe with Mom and Dad there. But I'm not sure about Mark. Mantis is obviously looking for him. Maybe you could watch over Mark until the party's over. We can go blend in, stay in the open where Mantis can't get to us, and see what we can get from him.”
Dr. Ford and Mark surveyed each other like they couldn't imagine a worse suggestion. Dr. Ford cleared his throat. ”I'm sure Mark will be fine. As you say, your Mom and Dad will be there.”
”You don't understand, Dr. Ford,” Caleb said. ”We think Mark is the Energy, too.”
”Impossible,” said Dr. Ford. ”There can be only one Energy.”
”The stones weren't working while Mark was at the halfway house, and suddenly when he came back they were working. That's when we went to Nowhere.”
”I can't believe it,” Dr. Ford muttered. ”She didn't tell me. Young man, has your mother given you an animal in the past few years. A pet?”
Mark had been busy drawing some sort of map on the back of the paradox diagram Mrs. Forrester had given them. He looked up, startled. ”She gave me a cat and a Garmin Forerunner 405 watch with GPS for my twenty-first birthday.”
”Hmm, that's probably it then. The transference.”
”In fact,” said Caleb, ”wouldn't it be best if you take Mark away from here, so Mantis can't use the stones tonight?”
Dr. Ford swiveled his head to take in the full expanse of Mark in the backseat. ”Yes. You're probably right. I'll take Mark for a drive. I don't think I can keep him all night, though. My condo is very small. Let's reconvene in three hours and figure out what to do with him.”
The two men made a curious sight in the mini-SUV as Abbey, Caleb, and Simon walked away.
Dr. Ford sat in the driver's seat, his wiry white hair almost vibrating.
Mark remained in the back, his arms folded across his girth.
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