“Me neither. But I battled some terrifyingly similar monsters in AstroBlastersVII last night. These look even scarier,” Lewis said, taking a slow step backward, nearly toppling a potted sapling.
“Do you think they can smell fear?” Tessa whimpered.
“Oops.” Lewis shrugged. “That’s not fear. That was me. Sorry.”
The wolves hunched down into predatorial position, getting ready to pounce.
Maeve’s voice was quiet but firm. “On my count … three … two …”
Before she could finish, Tessa screamed, “Run!”
The kids flew through the Arboretum and back into the main lobby, sprinting as fast as their legs would take them. The wolves drew nearer and nearer. The kids no longer worried about staying hidden; their only concern was staying alive.
They bolted through a crowd of bewildered constituents, toppled a cluster of biobots. They shoved a yellow hoverdisc aside, scattering a pallet of joule springs and spools of data cables. The beasts yipped and howled, savoring the thrill of the chase.
“I’ll distract them. You find Duna!” Isaiah shouted as he peeled off from the group, running toward Gate Hall.
“Isaiah! No!” Maeve called. “We have to stick together!”
The kids zigzagged and ran to catch up with Isaiah.
“For once I’m grateful for all those track practices,” Lewis said, his long legs propelling him forward.
“There he is!” Tessa shouted, catching a glimpse of Isaiah around the corner.
“Run faster!” Maeve screamed. “They’re gaining on us!” She could hear the beasts’ awful snarls. She could smell their rancid breath.
Lewis sped down the hall, skidding and knocking into a refreshment cart. Cups and saucers smashed to pieces. Scalding licorice tartea sloshed across the floor. The beasts slipped on the sticky liquid, their paws burning, their legs splaying.
The kids finally caught up with Isaiah. Together, they tore through Gate Hall, putting distance between themselves and the wolves. They rounded the bend, then suddenly came to a halt, their path blocked by a formidable wall. A sign across the front read: Restricted Access. This portion of Gate Hall closed for repairs. (PS—It was the Earthlings’ fault.)
“Fantastic,” Dev panted, catching his breath.
The kids backed into the corner. They pushed on the wall. It wouldn’t budge.
“We’re trapped!” Tessa cried.
The pack of beasts advanced, their gait slowing. One of them limped, licking its wounds. The others barked, revealing fangs dripping with saliva. The kids had no weapons, nothing to throw or fight with other than their bare hands.
Isaiah reached out and grabbed the handle of the nearest door, looking for an escape route.
“You don’t know where that leads!” Maeve said.
“Pretty sure anything is better than being eaten, which is what’s gonna happen if we don’t do something!” He twisted the handle but it was locked. He pounded his fist on the door, yelling for help.
The beasts lowered their heads, stepping closer, stalking their prey. The kids stumbled. Lewis tripped and fell to the floor, pulling the others down with him. They crawled backward on their hands and knees until their bodies were pressed against the locked door.
The beasts’ amber eyes glowed, their forked tongues flicking the air hungrily. They bayed, howling their hunting call.
Lewis reached out and grabbed Maeve’s hand. She looked at him, her face stricken with a mess of emotion. She squeezed his hand back, then reached out and grabbed Tessa’s hand. Tessa reached for Dev. Dev reached for Isaiah. One by one, they all linked hands. The beasts howled again. The kids flinched, feeling the beasts’ hot breath on their faces.
A shrill whistle pierced the air. The slobbering wolves stilled, their ears pressed to the sides of their skulls, their tails dropping between their legs.
Shro appeared down the hall. He shouted a command and whistled again. He marched forward, his heavy boots clacking loudly on the floor. He stopped a few feet from the children and snapped his fingers. The beasts whimpered and retreated behind his powerful legs.
“Oh, thank goodness.” Tessa slumped back, a wave of relief washing over her.
“Are we happy to see you!” Lewis said with a wide, grateful smile.
Shro chuckled. “I wish I could say the same.” His expression shifted, hardening into a bitter scowl. His eyes revealed a darkness that sent shivers down their spines.
68
STATION LIMINUS
Shro strode from side to side, looking the cowering cadets up and down. “I can’t decide what would be more satisfying: to see you humiliated in front of the entire council, released into darkspace, or devoured by my trusty companions here.” He stopped and tapped a finger to his sinewy chin. “Hmm, decisions, decisions.”
Tessa, Dev, Lewis, Isaiah, and Maeve huddled together on the floor. “You agreed that our musical abilities might be helpful. Why are you so angry? What did we do wrong now?” Dev asked, trembling.
Shro stepped closer, his shadow falling over them like a death sentence. “Aside from the distractions, the disruptions, and the destruction?”
“The Menagerie incident was a misunderstanding. We told the council already, we didn’t mean to cause any harm,” Maeve said firmly.
“Oh, I’m sure you didn’t.” Shro sneered. “And yet, by traveling here, you interfered with something much larger than you could possibly imagine.”
“Like what? Some plot to take over the entire multiverse?” Lewis said sarcastically.
Shro blinked, his carmine skin turning a deeper shade of red.
“Hold up—you’re not actually planning to do that, are you? What are you, from Dim8 or something? Duna told us all about that drama.” Lewis almost laughed, but Shro’s frigid expression stopped him.
Shro clenched his jaw. “The Empyrean One will rule the multiverse one day. Planet Earth’s degradation was the perfect cover for our experiments.”
Dev stared. “Your what?
“Under the direction of the Empyrean One herself, my associates and I have been using your planet as a large-scale laboratory to nurture a very unique strain of Cataclysmosis, a highly contagious, destructive virus. It’s been incubating on Earth for quite some time now.” He arched an eyebrow. “Perhaps you’ve noticed some anomalous planetary behaviors? Quivers? Shivers? Flickers, per chance?”
“Seriously? You caused those?”
“Well, I can’t take all the credit. You humans helped expedite the process, of course, with your reckless use of resources.” Shro smirked. “The quivers and flickers are side effects of the virus as it matures, deep beneath your planet’s crust.”
The kids stared back, openmouthed.
“How did you manage to do that?” Dev asked.
Shro flashed a self-satisfied smile. “It was quite easy. We infiltrated one of your larger energy corporations and subverted their mining and drilling operations.” Shro stepped closer, the wolves whining behind him.
“Once the virus is ready, we will release pathogens into the atmosphere, where they’ll get sucked through dimensional tears and spread throughout the multiverse, infecting planet after planet. An unstoppable ripple effect will ensue.”
“Wait, what tears are you talking about?” Dev asked.
“Our team has been hard at work, strategically puncturing your dimensional membrane for the past several years. That hole in the ozone layer? The one that exacerbated the warming effect and melted the majority of your ice caps? That was us.” He beamed with pride.
“Why would anyone want to rule a bunch of sick planets?” Lewis asked.
“The Empyrean One will not only be ruler but savior of the multiverse. She will be revered. Celebrated. Worshipped. Altars will be constructed in her honor.”
“How do you figure?” Maeve frowned. “Everyone will despise her.”
“Very much the opposite. You see, Cataclysmosis is nearly impossible to cure. Only the Empyrean One possesses the antidote. The
refore, she possesses immeasurable power. The multiverse will be in the palm of her hands, at her mercy. And those of us who help her will rise at her side.”
“How do you plan to release the virus?” Tessa asked, horrified.
“That is our biggest challenge.” Shro clamped his hands together. “In order to activate and release the pathogens, we must exert a compressive force on the entire planetary body.” He cracked his knuckles.
Dev cringed. “Like compactification?”
“Precisely. My, you Earthlings are a quick study.” Shro winked wickedly. “The virus must appear to originate wholly from Dim14. Your insipid Earthling civilization will be our scapegoat.” He looked down at the pin on his lapel, the symbol of the MAC. “But a compactification cannot occur without the council’s support.”
“They’ll never agree to that,” Maeve said defiantly.
“I beg to differ. Thanks to the destruction you caused during your short stay on Station Liminus, I’m confident I can now easily convince the council to reverse their earlier aid package and compactify your planet in a more expedient time frame.” He laughed again, enjoying himself far too much. He clapped. “Congratulations. You’ve successfully doomed yourselves and all the people you love.”
Dev fought back tears. “What if the real Earthling envoys had traveled here? The smart, special ones. Could they have stopped this?” he asked, riddled with guilt and despair.
“Ah.” Shro pursed his lips. “You five miscreants clearly weren’t our first choice, but in some ways, you made things easier for the Empyrean One. You see, the so-called elite Earthlings weren’t actually skilled or special. One of my associates, working as a mole, simply auctioned off once-in-a-lifetime trips to the highest bidders. We contacted rich, morally corrupt individuals—oligarchs, oil barons, warlords—who agreed to persuade the council in favor of compactification, in exchange for safe passage to an exclusive paradise in Dim8.”
“Dim8 doesn’t even exist anymore,” Tessa said, fidgeting with her shirt sleeve. “What about Mr. Finto? Does he know about this?”
Shro snorted. “Finto was merely a pawn. And according to my associate, he is no longer with us. It seems he couldn’t handle the rigors of dimensional diplomacy or Transfer.”
Tessa took a deep breath. “So, it was all a scam? You lied to Ignatia and the whole Multiverse Allied Council?”
“Yes, indeed. So many delicious lies. So much delectable deceit.” Shro rubbed his palms together. Heeling behind his muscular legs, the six-headed wolves whined. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?” He scratched one under the chin. Its tail wagged. “Waiting so patiently for your supper, eh?” He watched the kids squirm, an evil glint in his eye.
“Please, don’t do this!” Maeve begged.
Isaiah turned around and banged his fist on the nearest door. He wrenched the handle and cried for help once more, to no avail.
“Keeping you alive is far too risky.” Shro snapped his fingers. “Especially now that I’ve told you so very much.” The beasts fanned out around the kids. They pawed at the ground, growling.
The cadets held tightly to one another, no escape in sight.
Shro put his fingers in his mouth, ready to whistle the attack signal, when the door behind the kids flew open.
An arm reached out, gripped Isaiah around the waist and yanked him backward, sending him tumbling out of Gate Hall. Linked together, hand in hand, the other kids were dragged through the open door. They free-fell into black nothingness, out of reach.
Shro bellowed; the wolves howled. Before they could follow across the Threshold, the door slammed shut. A burst of fluorescent quantum lightning crackled. The door morphed, disappeared.
The cadets screamed, falling down, down, down.
They dissolved into pixels and atoms and stardust.
And then they were gone.
69
L’ORESS
A gull screeched, diving into the surf with a splash.
Isaiah blinked up at a cerulean sky. His bones ached, his stomach twisted with nausea. His ears felt like they’d been stuffed with cotton. Somewhere in the distance, he heard the gentle lap of waves, the soft rustle of palm fronds.
“My nephew,” a gentle voice said. “We are together again.”
“Uncle Ming?” Isaiah said, his head spinning.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Am I asleep? Am I dreaming?” Isaiah licked his lips, tasting salt and blood.
“No, you are very much awake.” Ming placed a gentle hand on Isaiah’s elbow, helping him sit up.
Isaiah rubbed his eyes. His uncle’s face came into focus. The man’s skin was tanned and weathered, his features muddled and hazy. His clothing was tattered, his hair grayer than Isaiah remembered. But it was him. They hugged. Isaiah couldn’t believe it. His heart felt like it might explode.
“Uncle Ming!” He hugged his uncle tighter, then pulled away. “I’m so happy to see you, but I’m so confused. Where are we?”
“We’re on L’oress, a peaceful, idyllic planet in Dim1.”
“Okay, but what are you doing here? Where are my—?” Panicked, Isaiah looked around. He heaved a sigh of relief when he spotted Tessa, Lewis, Maeve, and Dev walking across the beach, shaking sand from their clothes, shoes, and hair.
“Uncle Ming, these are my friends,” Isaiah said, standing up to introduce the others.
Lewis squinted in the bright sunlight. “Is this, like, heaven or something? Are we dead?”
“No. Thanks to my uncle, we’re alive.” Isaiah turned to Uncle Ming. “You saved us.”
Ming smiled. “I heard rumors that young Earthlings had arrived on the Station. I hoped it might be you, Isaiah. But I could not be sure. So I ventured across the Threshold one more time, even though the trip takes quite a toll on me.” He sighed, his smile fading. “I slipped into Gate Hall one evening to look for you, but I was chased away by those bothersome guards.”
“That was you?” Isaiah said, his heart thrumming. “You’re the Traveler?”
Ming chuckled softly. “Is that what they call me?” He shrugged bashfully. “I have become a bit of an interdimensional nomad, a restless wanderer.” He sat down in the sand, clearly exhausted. He let the waves wet his feet. “But not by choice.”
“What do you mean?” Isaiah asked, sitting beside him. The others gathered round.
“For whatever reason, I am stuck here in the multiverse.” Ming looked around at the beautiful beach. “It’s not a bad place to be, I suppose. But it’s not home.” He turned to Isaiah. “It is so good to see you. I have missed you and your mother every single day.”
Isaiah swallowed. “Everyone back home thought you died.” His throat felt raw. “Except me.”
Ming pulled him close. “I would have come back if I could. I tried. Countless times. Which is why I look like this.” He touched his wizened face; he looked as though he had aged a decade in the year or so that he’d been gone. “No matter how many doors I opened in Gate Hall, none of them led me home.”
Ming reached over and plucked a stone from the sand. He skipped it across the surface of the water. “It pained me tremendously to be apart from you. I can’t imagine how much your mother worried. But after I stumbled through that dimensional Rip in the Philippines, I was never able to find a way back.”
Isaiah wiped his eyes. He knew his uncle would never have abandoned them.
“How did you piece together the clues I left in my letters?” Ming asked.
“I didn’t,” Isaiah said, thinking of his journal. “I couldn’t figure the letters out. Zoey and I read them a million times, but we never made any big breakthroughs. Everyone told me they were nonsense.”
“Well, they were,” Ming laughed. “Somewhat. I encrypted them. I only trusted you and your mother with the information. I created a cipher, a way to crack the encoded messages, but I got lost before I could send it to you.” He paused. “Wait … if my letters didn’t lead you to a portal, how did all of you get here?”
>
Lewis grimaced. “Long story. Mostly my fault.”
“One of my dad’s colleagues went rogue and constructed a quantum collider,” Dev said, not wanting Lewis to feel bad. “We activated it and ended up at Station Liminus.”
“Interesting,” said Ming thoughtfully.
“It was an accident … a series of coincidences … I don’t know …” Isaiah looked around. They were on a beach more beautiful than any postcard. Every color was saturated, the intensity amplified. The water was crystal clear, the sky cloudless.
Ming nodded. “The multiverse contains just as many mysteries as dimensions.” He pulled something from his pocket. It was the size and shape of an index card but made of plastic, printed with a complex table of symbols, letters, and numbers. “You may not have needed my letters to cross the Threshold, but they may come in handy in the future. Here.” He gave Isaiah the cipher.
“I was on assignment two years ago, photographing a fishing village in Vietnam when I stumbled upon a suspicious-looking off-shore drilling operation,” Ming explained. “I did some investigating and discovered it was an EnerCor rig. The fishermen told me that when the rig arrived—seemingly overnight—nearly all the fish disappeared, and the underwater currents became erratic.
“When word got out, a self-proclaimed global watchdog group called the World Intelligence Agency intervened. I hoped they would dismantle the rig and restore the fishing shoals, but instead they paid the fisherman to keep quiet. It was concerning, but I was so busy with work that I didn’t have time to think about it too much.
“Then, on my next assignment, all the way across the globe in Peru, I discovered a similar story. This time, the locals reported even stranger incidences, like WIO agents materializing out of thin air, and unexplained energy surges. The whole thing felt … off. I started tracking and mapping EnerCor sites, which I began to suspect linked Earth to some sort of parallel or alternate dimension. I worried that if EnerCor or WIO agents caught on to my investigation, they might try to silence me. So I wrote everything down and sent it to you.”
Isaiah thanked his uncle and carefully slipped the cipher into his back pocket with the compressed regenerex cube. His pulse raced as he considered everything his uncle had just told them. He quickly filled his uncle in on Shro’s plans, connecting the two parts of the story.
Mission Multiverse Page 24
