Part 20 (2/2)
”Why did my father come to you?” asked Spader. ”Was he trying to warn you?”
”Yes,” Kalaloo answered quickly. ”But he also came looking for help. Our knowledge of the life cycle is far greater than the Clorans'. He wanted to know if we could do anything to help prevent such a disaster.”
Kalaloo fell silent. The big question hung in the air. Was Spader's father right? Could the answer to battling the deadly chain reaction be found right here in Faar?
”Well?” Uncle Press finally asked. ”Can you help?”
”Absolutely,” answered Kalaloo with a smile.
He pointed down to the bottom of the mountain of Faar and to the large buildings I described before.
”Those buildings contain the life of Cloral,” he explained. ”For hundreds of generations we have studied every variety of plant that exists here. To put it simply, we know how Cloral works.”
”So, what about the poisonous plants?” I asked.
”We have already a.n.a.lyzed samples of the mutated plants. We found that their cell structure was changed and their chemistry corrupted. This new fertilizer created a very complex problem, but we have the means to undo it. Even now we are preparing to send hundreds of Faarians out to the underwater farms of Cloral with a simple chemical compound that will reverse the damage. It is a large task, but we have the means. But the Clorans must stop using the fertilizer.”
”That's already happening,” said Uncle Press. ”They know the damage they've done and they're going to stop.”
Kalaloo broke out in a big smile.
”Then you are giving me wonderful news!” he said happily. ”Once the Faarians reverse the damage, the crops will be safe again!”
Kalaloo was thrilled that everything was well on the way to being put right.
But we knew differently.
Uncle Press looked worried. So did Spader. An absolute feeling of certainty came over me that made me s.h.i.+ver. I knew what the final act of this conflict was going to be.
These brilliant, ancient people held the key to saving all of Cloral. There was no doubt about what that meant. Saint Dane was going to attack Faar to prevent them from saving the territory.
The people of Faar had been protected for centuries by the waters of Cloral, but they couldn't hide any longer.
Saint Dane knew where they were, and he was coming.
I had no idea if these brave people were capable of defending themselves, but we were going to find out. I'm going to end this journal here, guys, because, whatever is going to happen, I'm sure will happen soon. This journal was written and sent to you from Faar, an amazing city of guardian angels that is hidden hundreds of feet below the waters of Cloral.
Unfortunately, it won't be safe much longer.
END OF JOURNAL #7.
Mark finished reading the journalbefore Courtney and sat down on the floor with his back leaning against his desk. Of course he feared for Bobby and Press and Spader and for the battle that was soon to erupt on Cloral. Actually, he wondered if the battle had already taken place. Was Bobby on Cloral in the past? Or was it the distant future? Or was everything happening at the same time as events here on Second Earth? The whole relative timeline thing was one of the many great mysteries of Bobby's adventures as a Traveler.
It was also tough to read about Bobby's troubles without being able to do anything about them. Not that he had any ideas. And even if he did he wasn't allowed to interfere. Not after what happened on Denduron. His entire job here was to be a librarian for Bobby's journals.
Which was the other thing that was upsetting him. As a keeper of the journals, he was doing a lousy job. He kept glancing at his watch, hoping that Courtney would hurry up and finish and get out of there before Andy Mitch.e.l.l called back to ask about reading them.
Finally Courtney finished the journal and looked up at Mark.
”Those people can't defend themselves,” she said somberly. ”From what Bobby described, they're totally peaceful.”
Mark stood up and gathered the stray pages together. ”Yeah, well, we'll see.”
”Aren't you worried?” Courtney asked.
”Of course I'm worried, but what can we do?”
Courtney dropped her head. Mark was right. There was nothing they could possibly do to help.
”It's getting late,” he added. ”I got stuff to do.”
He wanted her out of there because the phone was going to ring any second. She took the hint.
”Right,” said Courtney. ”The algebra guy.”
”Huh?” Mark didn't know what she was talking about. But a second later he remembered his lie and tried to cover.
”Right,” he said quickly. ”Algebra. Gotta help m-my friend.”
There it was again. The stutter. Mark tried not to wince.
”You okay?” she asked curiously. ”You're acting all nervous.”
”I-I'm just afraid for Bobby.
Mark hated to lie to Courtney, but he didn't know what else to do. Besides, it wasn't a total lie. Hewasafraid for Bobby.
Then the phone rang. Mark shot a look to it as if he wanted it to explode. Courtney caught this look, but didn't react.
”I'm out of here,” she said, getting up to leave. ”You'll call me when - ”
”Soon as the next journal shows up.”
Ring.The phone sounded like thunder to Mark.
”See ya,” said Courtney, and left Mark alone in his room.
Mark answered the phone before the horrible bell could stab at him anymore. ”h.e.l.lo?”
”Well?” came the dreaded voice from the other end of the line.
”Hang on,” Mark said. He glanced out of his window to make sure Courtney was gone. Moments later he saw her walking down the sidewalk, away from the house. His gut rumbled. He felt like a traitor.
”Let's meet on the Ave,” Mark then said into the phone. ”That pocket park below Garden Poultry.”
”Fifteen minutes,” snorted Mitch.e.l.l.
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