Chapter 45
Brainpower
The Void was a monster now.
Sato and his troops had retreated to the edge of the forest, watching the gray mass continue to grow.
There was nothing left of Mistress Jane’s castle. The churning, spinning cloud was now two or three miles wide, its edges a chaotic dance of lightning and boiling tendrils of gray mist. The vortex was probably half a mile tall, blocking out the sun. Thunder pounded the air, and the darkness of a heavy storm cast a gloomy mood over everything.
No one could have felt it any deeper than Sato. There were things to learn here. Terrible, awful things. He had to talk to Master George, tell him about the centipede experiment.
“Tollaseat!” he called out.
The man was a few dozen feet away, but came running. When he pulled up at Sato’s side, he looked haggard and exhausted.
“Yes, Captain?” he asked.
Sato took one last glance at the growing Void, hoping he’d never have to see it again. How were they supposed to fight such a thing? They needed brainpower.
“Let’s get everybody deeper into the woods,” he said, hearing the defeat in his own voice. “I’ll contact Master George and have him wink us somewhere safe. We’re done here.”
Tick lay in the dark, staring up at a ceiling he couldn’t see. Chu had put him in a room with no windows and then turned off the lights. Just to make him angry, probably. Just to show him who was in control. It obviously still rankled the man that a teenager had more power than he did.
What a mess. Tick’s chest hurt from holding in so much stress and despair. He longed for those few moments after escaping the Nonex, seeing his mom and sister, thinking that maybe all would be right in the world again. How wrong he’d been.
As if the Void weren’t enough of a problem, he’d been captured by a man insane with the lust for power. Chu had explained to him a few things, had even shown him a video feed using a Spinner on the screen in the auditorium. It basically boiled down to one simple fact: Chu wanted to harness the incredible amounts of energy he believed emanated from the Void currently devouring the Thirteenth Reality, then use it to meld himself—and, evidently, Mistress Jane—with Reality itself. It sounded similar to what Tick had accidentally done to Mistress Jane—melding her with Dark Infinity—so long ago.
Chu claimed that once he’d accomplished that task, it would be easy for him to stop the Void and force it to return to the Fourth Dimension. Then he and Jane would use their godlike powers to rule the Realities in a way no one would have thought possible. It was such an impossible idea that Tick couldn’t even grasp it. And he highly doubted those two actually trusted each other. Each one of them probably thought there’d only be one left to rule in the end. Each one probably saw the other only as a means to an end.
But Tick was scared. He knew better than to underestimate Reginald Chu. The man was psycho, but he was a scientist through and through. There was no way he’d pretend he could do magical things. If Chu thought this scheme was possible, then it probably was possible. And that turned Tick’s fear into terror.
He tried to rest up. He needed to be ready when the time came to act.
Chapter 46
A Little Help, Here
Mistress Jane was exhausted. Not physically—she’d gotten plenty of sleep over the last couple of days inside her apartment—but her mind was spent from all the research. Every waking moment, she had been poring through her old notes, her computer files, her books. She needed to know everything about the Fourth Dimension, and the Void that had once been trapped within it, before she went to Chu’s rebuilt headquarters.
She’d winked herself to a lonely mountaintop in the Thirteenth Reality, a place where she’d come before to meditate and scheme. Two things she did very well and needed to do now. But the main reason she’d chosen the location was so she could see the latest developments of the Void that had ripped her beloved castle to pieces, and, by the looks of it, had proceeded to eat the remains as well. The enormous spinning cloud of gray mist looked almost peaceful from this far away, the thunder just a low rumble rolling across the land. But she knew the Void was terrible, without compassion.
It would grow. And it would destroy. And once this world was gone, the other Realities would follow. The energy and power of the Void was a thing of awe, a thing that would make most people cower and shake with fear. But not her. She’d had her moment of doubt, and it had passed. Now she was here, facing the beast that threatened to destroy everything she’d devoted her life to. She faced it, and saw only opportunity now. Opportunity to build the Utopia of which she’d always dreamed.
Power. Energy. Unlimited.
There was a way to capture that, to harness it. To divert it from its current path and use it for better purposes. But she needed help, at least for now.
Yes, with some help, she could do great things with this Void of Mist and Thunder. This Void that represented the pure power of creation. Great things indeed.
It was time to reunite with Reginald Chu and Atticus Higginbottom.
Paul was pretty sure he could’ve talked Master George into taking a risk and pushing that green button, but they were interrupted. Rutger, waddling and sweating like never before, burst into the room, his words spilling out between ragged breaths.
“Good grief . . . people!” he shouted. “Why . . . it took me . . . forever . . . to find you!”
George shot up from his chair and asked what was wrong. Eventually Rutger managed to say that Sato had made contact with headquarters, asking for a good spot of Chi’karda in the Forest of Plague. Rutger, with the help of Mothball and Sally, had been able to wink Sato and the rest of the Fifth Army out of the Thirteenth Reality, and now most of them were down in the valley of the Grand Canyon, washing in the river, eating some much-needed food, resting, and recovering.
Paul sat with Sofia on the couch in George’s office, waiting for the old man to return with Sato and the other Realitants. They needed to hear the entire story, and their leader said he wanted to wait until everyone was gathered to do it. But Paul had heard enough of the tidbits to have a sickness in his belly. The Void growing bigger, more soldiers dying, something about a blue light that turned things into monsters.
Yeah, none of that sounded too good.
Sofia’s knees were bouncing.
“Hey,” Paul said to her. “Chill. We’re going to figure out all this junk. You’ll see.”
She stopped moving, and her face flushed red as if embarrassed. “I’m not nervous.”
“Yeah, right.”
“And you’re not? You just want to chill, huh?”
Paul shrugged. “I have a good feeling about this box and its button. About the Karma thing. I mean, that’s the definition of Karma! The Realitants have always been good, trying to do what’s right. And now things are going to come around for us. We’re going to get some help from the cosmos, or Karma, or whatever you wanna call it. All we have to do is push that button.”
Sofia scooted away on the couch to face him, flashing her standard glare. “Seriously? You think the world’s so simple that you can push a button on a tiny box, and everything will be all better? You thought you were smart enough to join the Realitants?” She folded her arms and looked away. “Unbelievable.”
It surprised him how much his feelings were hurt. “I’m just trying to show some hope here. There has to be a reason for that box, right? It’s supposed to scientifically channel Karma matter. But to me, it’s Karma that we even have it in the first place. What’s wrong with a little hope? Geez.”
Sofia was suddenly at his side, pulling him into a fierce hug, crying into his shoulder and shaking with sobs. When he recovered from his shock, he hugged back, patting her uncertainly.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Somehow it’s going to be okay. Trust your old Uncle Paul.”
She pulled away and laughed over her sniffles. “Uncle Paul? Please don’t ever call yourself that again.” She wiped at
her eyes and nose then cleaned her hands on her pants, which somehow made Paul like her just a little bit more.
“You can call me whatever you want.”
“Oh, man, I’m so embarrassed. I can’t remember the last time I broke down like that.”
“Please, girl,” Paul said. “You’ve been the toughest one out of all of us. Or did you forget your little jaunt through Chu’s mountain building while the whole thing was falling down, saving Tick, then pulling him out at the last second? You can cry all you want—no one’s gonna say boo.”
“It just all hit me at once.” She’d stopped crying, fully composed just like that, but with puffy red eyes to show for it. “Seems like we can’t get ahead before the next bad, awful, terrible thing happens. And now Tick’s missing. Again. And we still don’t know how to stop this stupid Void of Mist and Thunder.”
Paul had absolutely no idea what to say to make her feel better. Or how to make himself feel better. “I just . . . I don’t know. Tick can take care of himself—I’m not as worried about him anymore. Maybe he just wanted to be with his family for a while. Or if he’s in trouble, he’ll get out of it. As for our other problems . . . well, all we can do is hope for something. Right? Karma. A breakthrough. A brilliant idea. Maybe the Fourth Dimension will call and make the Void go home.”
Sofia laughed again. “I vote for that last one.”
She’d just spoken when the door opened and Master George came through, Muffintops perched on his shoulder like a parrot on an old sea pirate. Paul didn’t know if it looked creepy or hilarious. Mothball came next, then Rutger—his face red from the exertion of coming up from the canyon floor, even though it was mostly via elevator—then Sally. Finally, Sato, who had cleaned up and eaten but still looked like he’d been dragged down a mountain by a billy goat.
Sofia jumped off the couch and gave him a hug. He didn’t respond much, his eyes cast to the floor.
Man, Paul thought. That is one haunted dude. “Hey,” he said. “I’m glad you made it back safely.”
Sato gave him a weary look, and it was obvious that he wanted to say something, but he held it back and took a seat on one of the plush chairs. The others did the same as Master George went over and lit up the fire. The guy loved his fires. Then he turned to face his small group of Realitants.
“My dear friends and associates,” he announced gravely. “I’m afraid that our deepest fears regarding the Void have only skimmed the surface. It’s now time for action, and we’re all going to do our part. But there’s something we need to do together before we split up.”
“And what’s that?” Paul asked.
George looked at him for a long moment. “I believe with all of my heart that I’ve found the two people I trust most with the power of Karma. We’re going to push your favorite button, Master Paul. And we’re going to do it this very minute.”
Paul realized he was smiling.
“And then,” George continued, “I’m going to trust you and Sofia to figure out what to do with its power.”
Chapter 47
I Amaze Even Myself
A light went on, blinding Tick even though he had his eyes closed. After opening them on instinct, he had to squint until he finally got used to it. A shadow crossed his vision, then there was the scrape of a chair across a tile floor then the settling sounds of someone getting comfortable. Tick could finally see that it was Chu sitting next to his bed. Tick had to twist his neck uncomfortably to see him because of the restraints holding down his arms and legs and torso.
“What do you want?” he asked, trying to sound angry but having lost all of his spirit after being held captive in a dark room for hours. He’d been tempted to try his powers of Chi’karda, but he couldn’t quite bring up the nerve. The memory of what had happened to him the last time still scarred his thoughts.
“It’s almost time for us to act,” the man said calmly.
Tick looked back up at the ceiling so his neck wouldn’t hurt, and because he couldn’t stand the calm expression on Chu’s face right then.
“Jane will be here soon,” Chu continued.
“To act, huh?” Tick asked. “We’re just going to grab some ropes, lasso the Void from the Fourth Dimension, mix it up with some sugar in a glass, then let you drink it? Piece of cake.”
Chu remained unfazed. “That’s a very unscientific way to put it, but I guess it’s not too far from the truth. Great things, Atticus. You’re going to be a part of great things in the next couple of days.”
“You do realize this is crazy, right?”
“There have been those throughout history who have misjudged brilliance for madness. I can assure you this is not the case. Most men simply can’t comprehend the speed and level at which someone like myself utilizes the functions of my brain. It’s something I’ve grown to appreciate and admire about myself.”
Tick laughed—he couldn’t help it. “You didn’t really just say that.”
“How can anyone not admire greatness?” Chu asked in a sincerely astonished voice. “Can I help it that the greatness is within my own being? No, I can’t. I don’t deal in such things as pride and humility. I’m a scientist, and things are as they are. No more, no less.”
“You keep telling yourself that,” Tick muttered.
“If you’re done with childish discussions,” Chu said sternly, “then perhaps we can move on to the important matters at hand.”
“Do you really think I’m going to help you?” Tick asked. It really did baffle him. “I might be a little shy right now about pulling out my Chi’karda, but when push comes to shove, you know I’m going to do whatever it takes to stop you.”
“I have ways to change your mind. But I don’t think I’ll need them. By the time we’re ready, I think you’re going to do exactly what I ask. Voluntarily. You’ll want to, in fact.”
Tick decided to quit talking. It was pointless, and the man was probably trying to manipulate him anyway. Let him think whatever he wants, Tick told himself. He knew that in the end, he’d die before he let Chu follow through with his schemes.
“Silence,” the man said. “Maybe that’s the best thing for you now anyway. You can shut your mouth, but not your ears. Nothing like a . . . captive audience. There are a lot of things I need to—”
whomp
A thrumming vibration shook the air, cutting off Chu’s words.
Tick instinctively tried to sit up, but the metal cords dug into his skin, and he slammed back onto the bed again. That sound, that tingle in the air . . .
whomp
Chu had frozen, his face caught in a look of childish fear.
whomp
Tick had heard this noise before. Felt it before. He’d been walking on the road that led to his house in Deer Park when a wave of power and sound and feeling had reached him. It had been coming from his house, and when he’d run home, he’d discovered Mistress Jane in his basement, scheming very bad things.
whomp
“Does she always have to make such a grand entrance?” Chu whispered, having lost all of his bravado from a minute before. Tick thought the woman must still scare him, even though she’d obviously agreed to work with him.
whomp
The sound was getting louder, the vibration stronger. Things in the room rattled.
“It’s Jane, alright,” Tick said, seeing an opportunity. “She told the Realitants how dangerous you are. She’ll betray you the second she doesn’t need you anymore.”
WHOMP
This time, the entire room shook as if struck by an earthquake. A cabinet in the corner of the room fell over, tossing supplies everywhere. Chu stood with his arms outstretched, as if he could ward off the threat.
“You can’t trust her!” Tick yelled at him. “Let me go so I can help!” He almost felt ridiculous—it was obvious he’d say anything to be released.
WHOMP!
This time the sound and vibration was followed by a hissing noise, like sand running down a metal slide. Tick looked over a
t the door to see it dissolving. He’d seen Jane use the power of Entropy before; he’d done it himself too. The particles of the door decayed toward chaos and vanished, leaving an empty hole. Mistress Jane stood in the hallway, wearing a new robe, its hood pulled over her head, hiding the red mask in shadow.
“Impressive,” Chu muttered under his breath.
Jane stepped into the room then reached up and pulled back her hood. The scarred tragedy of her head looked pitiful, but the mask held no expression.
“Sorry I’m late, Reginald,” she said in her raspy voice. “But I’m excited for the three of us to be working together again. And so soon after our last adventure.”
Chapter 48
Box in a Circle
For some reason, Master George had decided to sit on the floor, something Paul had never seen the old man do before. It didn’t seem proper for such a gentleman in a fancy suit, but he’d done it, and so the rest of them had followed his lead. The room was barely large enough for the group to fit between the couches and chairs—and the roaring fireplace at the head of it all.
But there they were. George, sitting with his legs crossed. Mothball next to him, her long, gangly legs somehow folded up into an impossibly small spot. Then Rutger, perched precariously as though he might roll away at the slightest push. Sally sat by him, looking like a lumberjack taking a long-needed break. Sato was next, all business. Sofia and Paul completed the circle, and Paul kept having the urge to reach out and take her hand. He fought it off, but kind of hoped she was feeling the same way.
A complete circle of Realitants, sitting on the floor.
The Karma box, with its enticing green button, sat on the carpet in the middle.
The 13th Reality, Volume 4: The Void of Mist and Thunder Page 19
