“How am I supposed to work this?” I ask Daniel.
“What would you have done right now if you were still pretending to be Halli?”
I shrug. “Faked it.”
Daniel smiles and takes the card. He presses his thumb to the center of it and holds it in front of my mouth. “Speak.”
“Jake?” I turn my ear toward the card to listen for a response, but don’t hear one.
Daniel is kind enough not to laugh. “No, it’s one way. It’s for sending a message.” He speaks into the card himself and says, “Ready for the car.”
The sky is already dusky, even though it’s only about 3:30. The air is chillier, too. I should have brought Daniel’s big coat with me.
The car is waiting for us by the time we reach the street. Wilkinson opens the back door and Red hops in. “Miss, if you’d wait a moment,” Wilkinson says. He lets Daniel go in next, then shuts the door.
Jake gets out of the front. “Slight problem,” he says.
“Okay …”
“Your father is here, Miss Markham. We’re to take you to him immediately.”
18
I recognize the apartment building. Or “flats,” as they’re called here.
I recognize the doorman, even though he doesn’t know me.
“Hello, Bates,” Jake says. I stop myself from saying it, too. But I liked Bates last time. He was very nice to me and I liked his over-the-top doorman suit that made him look like a circus ringmaster.
“This is Halli Markham,” Jake says, and Bates gives me a little bow. “Dr. Bellows is expecting us.”
Jameson Bellows, Halli’s father. On Red’s and my ride up the elevator—Jake went up first so Red wouldn’t have to take it all a step further and actually bite him—I’m already practicing what I’m going to call him. “Jameson” just seems too weird. But he looked at me strangely the last time I called him “Father.” So I’ll probably do the safe thing and just call him “you.”
The elevator reaches the floor of the flat where Jake and Bryan and I stayed last time—the Rose Room. But Jake told me to keep on going all the way to the top.
He’s waiting when we get out. “Ready?”
Oh, boy. “Yep.” Red snarls at him in agreement.
Jake knocks once and then opens the door.
Every time I think I understand what being rich must be like, I find out I’m wrong. It’s not enough that Halli’s parents own their own private island and have that enormous four-story mansion in the middle of it, with employee quarters and a horse stable and a full gymnasium and all sorts of other buildings around it. Or that they own not just one jet, but two. And boats and cars and everything else the modern gazillionaire might need. And that their company has offices and factories and facilities all over the world.
To own just one place like the one I’m stepping into right now would make me feel like I had so much money I could afford to rip up a hundred dollar bill before and after every meal just for the fun of it.
Halli’s father is standing in a front of an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, drink in hand, gazing out at the lights of London. There must be an acre of space in here, all of it covered in hardwood flooring and thick, expensive-looking rugs. The lighting is soft and soothing. There are just a few pieces of furniture, all tasteful and perfect, just a little bit of art on the walls, not a speck of dust or dirt anywhere, and it all screams I AM VERY RICH AND POWERFUL AND DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH ANY OF MY THINGS.
“Red, no—!” But it’s too late. Halli brought him up to make himself at home even when the couch is white and probably woven with strands of pure gold and is owned by her dog-hating parents.
“Sorry,” I mumble, as I rush to pull him off. He jumps down onto the dark red rug instead, seems delighted by the plushness of it and decides he’d better roll, then settles on top of the nice extra carpet of yellow fur he’s left behind. Thanks, buddy.
“I had a call from Johnson Chilton yesterday,” Halli’s father says. He finally turns around and looks at me and frowns at the dog. “He said you asked some very prying questions about the technical aspects of our hydro-catalytic process.”
Great. I could have guessed Mr. Chilton would rat me out. He probably called Halli’s father the minute I was out of his sight.
But it’s true, I was curious. I understand enough of chemistry and some of the other science involved to know that Halli’s parents have invented something amazing. They figured out a way to use just small amounts of water to power cars and airplanes and provide electricity to hospitals and schools and cities. So yeah, I was more than impressed. And of course I wanted to know how they do it. But Mr. Chilton wasn’t very happy about telling me.
“I want to know how serious you are,” Halli’s father says.
“About what?” I’m trying not to be nervous because I know Halli wouldn’t be, but I also can’t help forgetting how mean Dr. Bellows was to me that weekend I stayed with him and his wife. He didn’t like Halli and he didn’t like me. I never seemed to say anything he approved of. He especially didn’t like the way I interfered with the vote he wanted at the board meeting.
“Oxford,” he says. “Your mother told me about your conversation last night.”
Great. One lie, and it grows tentacles when I’m not looking.
“Very serious.” What else can I say? Halli’s father smells weakness. I’m going to have to put on my best performance here.
“Why?” he asks me.
I’m saved by a knock on the door. A man in a white smock and a chef’s hat wheels a cart into the room. Even though this is an apartment building, apparently it has room service.
“Over there.” Halli’s father gestures impatiently. The chef unloads a bunch of dome-covered plates onto the glass table in the corner, then quietly slips back out.
I have zero appetite, although I’m sure I’d be plenty hungry if I were in Daniel’s cozy kitchen right now. Still, I recognize an opportunity for stalling when I see it.
“I need to eat something,” I say. Then I head for the table and start piling up a plate with one of every item I see.
Jake is doing the same, although I’m guessing he actually intends to eat all of that.
“You’re doing fine,” he whispers.
I scoff as quietly as I can. I take a bite of a soft doughy roll and hope it will settle my stomach.
Halli’s father isn’t eating. Instead he fixes himself another drink from a sleek looking mini-bar that slides out of the wall and then disappears back into it so there’s nothing to interfere with the clean smooth surface of the wall. With that kind of technology, I’m surprised the floor doesn’t open up where Red is so it can discreetly remove him and replace him with a whole new rug.
“I don’t have all night,” Halli’s father says, and I’m thinking, “Neither do I.” If not for this detour, I’d be home with Daniel and his family right now, enjoying a much better meal—even if all they had was toast instead of this fancy spread. And I’d be that much closer to finally being able to go somewhere alone with Daniel to discuss everything that’s happened today. And then to spend some time in private not discussing anything at all.
So let’s get this whole thing over with.
“What do you want to know?” I ask him. “Yes, I’m interested in going to Oxford.”
“Why?” he asks again. “Sit.” He points to the big white chair across from him.
Luckily, it’s the only comfortable thing about this entire room. It’s like sinking into a hug. The decorator must have picked it out on her own, to try to bring some humanity to the place. She was probably fired immediately because of it.
“I’ve been thinking about going to college for a while,” I say. The stalling helped. At least now I have an answer. “I didn’t want to tell you guys because I wasn’t sure I could get in anywhere. I was trying to keep it secret, but …” I shrug like it doesn’t really matter what he thinks about it. “Regina asked, and so I told her.”
“Studying what?” Halli’s father asks.
“Science of some kind.”
I meet his gaze, knowing I won’t flinch. This is a lie I can stand behind.
“What field?” he asks.
“Chemistry or hydroengineering.” The same degrees Halli’s parents have. “Or maybe physics,” I add, just for me.
“To what end?” he asks me.
“So I can help run the company.”
I used to think I hated lying. I didn’t think I was any good at it. Now I think I love it.
Halli’s father has the kind of laser, penetrating stare that could make even a statue give in. Not me. I’m just waiting for the next thing he’ll ask me. I hope it’s something hard so I’ll have to make up something even better.
Instead he has to ruin the game. “I always wondered if you had it in you. All right, then. The company will pay for it.”
“What?” I try not to sound too disappointed. “Oh … okay.”
“But why Oxford?” he asks.
I’ve lost all interest in the conversation. “I don’t know. Ginny knew a few people there.” I might as well fall back on a lie I’ve already used.
“Like Venn?” Halli’s father smirks and takes another sip of his drink. “I don’t think so.”
“What do you mean, you don’t think so? Ginny told me about him.”
“No, I mean you won’t associate with that disgrace to the scientific community. Do you understand me? We’ve already had to field questions from reporters all day about you being seen coming out of his office. No daughter of mine is going to study with a nut job like that.”
“Really?” I can feel the temperature rising in my chest. It’s heading up my neck to my face. “What exactly makes you call him a nut job?”
“The fact that he was friends with your grandmother, for one thing. She collected people like that. Swamis in India, yogis, mystics—of course she’d want to latch on to Venn.”
I don’t know whether to be more insulted for Ginny’s sake right now or for Dr. Venn’s. Maybe I’ll just be angry about both.
“What do you even know about him?” I ask.
“A lot more than you do,” Halli’s father says, getting up to freshen his drink again. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have wasted your time with him today. Ousted from the Physicists Consultancy Group he helped create after the Last War. Kicked off the faculty at Harvard. Couldn’t find a position at any colleges in the States, so had to start knocking around over here. Finally one of his old Pact buddies took pity on him and found him a teaching position at Oxford—very low level. The man’s outlived everyone who used to think he was a genius. Now everyone knows he’s just a crank. He’s probably been senile for the past twenty years at least.”
“He’s not senile,” I say. I want to say more: “He’s brilliant. He’s still a genius. How dare you make fun of him. You’re living in a parallel universe that he and his colleagues made. Because of them you haven’t had a war in this world since 1946. Do you know how lucky you are? Do you understand everything he’s done? Instead you just sit there all smug and act like you know the truth. You don’t know anything close to the truth.”
“We’d prefer you go to a school in the States,” Halli’s father continues, “but we can work with Oxford. We’ll have to find you the right professors. Your mother and I will design your curriculum. If you’re serious about wanting to be involved in the company, then you’ll have to do it right. Your mother and I have a certain standard to uphold.”
“Uh-huh,” I say. “Right.” I’m not even listening to him any more. I just want to get out of here. I stand up and head for the door. “Come on, Red.”
“We’ll put together a list,” Halli’s father says. “Jake can start taking you around to meet people tomorrow. We’ll take care of admissions, but if you want to start in the spring …”
Red and I quietly exit the room. The dog sits next to me in the elevator and leans against my leg. He gets me. He knows that I’m both exhausted and infuriated by what just went on. He knows I need to pet his soft yellow head.
“Good night, Miss,” Bates says as the dog and I stride past. I give him a wave over my shoulder. I’m done talking for a while.
The fresh, cold air blasts me in the face and feels like exactly what I need. I stand in front of the apartment building, just breathing in the London night. I’m not dressed nearly warmly enough, but I’ll live. I just want to feel free for a few minutes.
Circumstance and choices. So much of what happens is outside of my control. But look at what Dr. Venn and those other scientists did back when it really mattered: they made a decision to do things differently. They had no idea what would happen, but they knew they couldn’t keep following the same path as before. That one led to bombs and death and destruction. So they made a different choice.
“Halli, you’re freezing.” Jake takes off his jacket and tosses it to me so he doesn’t violate Red’s safety zone. “I called for the car. It’ll be here any second. But come on—you should wait inside.”
“I’ve been to the North Pole,” I remind him. “This is nothing.” I put on the jacket and stand there with the wind whipping my hair around. My long thick hair that came with this costume. I don’t think I’ve been appreciating it enough.
I don’t think I’ve really been appreciating any of my advantages here enough.
I tuck my hair into the collar of the jacket and let it warm my neck. But that’s just a small, easy change. I can do much more than that.
“I need some money,” I tell Jake. “Where can I get some tonight?”
19
“There you are!” Sarah says as I step into their kitchen. “Daniel told us where you were—was it dreadful?”
“Sarah,” her mother scolds her.
“Dreadful,” I agree.
Francie gives me a somewhat maternal look over the top of her glasses, but she doesn’t say anything.
“I hope your father doesn’t expect to be invited to our party,” Sarah says.
“Remind me,” Francie says. “Did I raise my children with no manners whatsoever?”
Sarah waves her away. “We’re all friends here, Mum. Halli Markham doesn’t mind us speaking freely about her abominable parents, do you?”
“Not one bit,” I say.
“Good.” Sarah passes me a plate of cookies she’s just been sampling. “Speaking of the party, you be the judge. Do you prefer the cinnamon or the chocolate?”
I eat two cookies with barely a pause in between. Then reach for and devour a third. Now that I’m back someplace cozy and safe, my hunger is here full force. “Both of them,” I say. “All of them. These are delicious.”
Sarah beams. “Thank you. One of my many minor talents to complement the majors. Please keep that in mind when you’re interviewing cooks for your next expedition.”
She’s not exactly subtle: what is this, the third time she’s mentioned it? Including the last time I was Halli, when she asked me if she could be my apprentice. What would the real Halli do? Would she ever actually consider taking Sarah along on one of her adventures?
“Who’s coming to this party?” I ask. It’s not something I’ve spent much time focusing on, but I know it’s this coming Friday night. Daniel and Sarah’s father is turning fifty. While their parallel versions back in my world—Gemma and her brother Colin—will be celebrating at their family’s ball on Saturday, Sarah and Daniel’s family is a lot more low-key.
And a lot less well-off, from what I can tell.
“Mostly boring friends of my parents,” Sarah says. “Although a few of them are great fun. Will Mr. Mobrey be coming?”
“Probably,” Francie says.
“Mind reader,” Sarah tells me. “Terribly good at it. You might want to have a go at that.”
Not on your life. “I’m sensing … you’re an outcast from another universe?” I’ll be on the lookout for Mr. Mobrey.
“Have you had supper?” Francie asks me.
“Not really.” I hate to ask her to heat something up for me, but I’m starving.
Sarah scoffs. “Do you see, Mum? He didn’t even feed her. What kind of father—”
“That’s enough,” Francie warns. “What if someone said such rude things to you about your father and me? How would you feel?”
“Impossible,” Sarah says. “My parents are without equal. There isn’t a sane person in the world who wouldn’t see that.” She kisses her mother on the cheek.
Francie gives up. “I’ll warm you some soup,” she tells me.
“No, allow me,” Sarah says. “Further proof of my skills as Halli Markham’s expedition cook. Even under the gravest conditions, I’ll still supply you with warm corn chowder and a hot buttered roll.”
“That sounds wonderful,” I say. “Thank you.”
Sarah kneels down in front of Red. “And you, sir? Are you famished as well?”
I totally forgot about Red. I could have fed him all sorts of delicacies from Halli’s father’s room service. “That would be great, Sarah. Thank you for thinking of him.”
“Of course!” she says, roughing up his fur and kissing him on the nose. “He’s my little love.” Red stares at her adoringly. I think he’s in good hands for the moment.
“I’m just going to wash up,” I say. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Is … Daniel around?”
“Studying in his room,” Francie says.
Sarah gasps in mock concern. “He missed one day of school—he must be frantic.”
“You could learn a few things about academic discipline from your brother,” Francie says.
“I prefer to watch as a spectator. It’s so exhilarating.” Sarah smiles sweetly and begins gathering supplies for my dinner. I steal away for a few minutes of privacy.
Sam is in the living room reading a very thick book. Other equally hefty books lay stacked all around him. He takes off his glasses for a moment and pinches his eyes. “The ancient Celts,” he says by way of explanation. “Fascinating people, but sometimes trying to read the original texts …. Anyway, how are you? How was Oxford?”
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