And they ate. Pizza, spaghetti, Chinese food, ice cream, burgers, burgers, and burgers. At least once a day they got fried chicken and fries from Garden Poultry.
They went swimming at the Point, where Courtney was sure to wear the pink bikini Bobby mentioned in his journal. Bobby appreciated that. He also noticed that Courtney filled it out a little better than the last time he’d seen her wear it, but didn’t say anything. That wouldn’t have been cool. They also watched Courtney pitch a two-hitter fast-pitch softball game. She hoped to go to a big college to play softball and soccer. Her true love was soccer though. She had dreams of getting on the national team.
When they traveled around, they took pains to make sure Bobby wouldn’t be seen and recognized. There was only one close call. The three of them were riding bikes toward the beach and were stopped at a light when Lieutenant Hirsch, the guy who was handling the Pendragon missing persons investigation, pulled up in a car right next to them.
Mark’s heart nearly stopped. Courtney was cool though. She smiled and waved. Bobby didn’t know who the guy was, so he didn’t know enough to be nervous. When the light changed, Hirsch drove on without a second look. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Bobby didn’t look the same anymore.
The three friends packed a year of fun and friendship into one week. In all, they probably didn’t sleep more than three hours a night. There was only one rule: Nobody was allowed to talk about anything to do with being a Traveler. No exceptions. There were a couple times when Mark touched on the subject, and Bobby pretended not to have heard him. Mark got the hint. Nothing more was said. They all pretended like there was nothing more important going on than deciding what DVD they should rent, or if the Yankees would whup up on the Red Sox again. It was exactly what Bobby needed. It re-charged his batteries and made him feel human.
But after several days, Bobby began to grow restless. It’s not that he wasn’t having fun-he absolutely was-but he knew it couldn’t last forever. The change started when he reached the point where he was totally relaxed. That’s when his mind started to turn the other way. As much as he tried to forget about it, he always knew that Saint Dane was out there somewhere, plotting a world of grief.
Mark began to sense this in Bobby. It took a day or so for Bobby to relax and get back to his old, fun self. But then Mark noticed Bobby wasn’t talking as much. It seemed like there were times when his mind was a million miles away. Mark didn’t dare to ask him about it. He was afraid Bobby would close up again, or worse, it would somehow break the magic spell that had given them this great week together. Mark didn’t want it to end, though he knew it would have to.
Then one night, while the two of them were trying to fall asleep in Mark’s bedroom, Mark took the chance and brought up the taboo subject.
“Bobby?” he asked tentatively. “I want to become an acolyte.”
This caught Bobby off guard. “Whoa,” he said. “Where didthatcome from?”
Bobby didn’t cut him off this time. It encouraged Mark to keep going.
“You know, the acolytes,” he said. “The people who help the Travelers. They live in the territories and bring the clothes to the flumes and help you get around and-“
“Yeah, I know who they are,” Bobby interrupted. “But I don’t know anything about them. I never met one.”
“But they’re out there,” Mark insisted.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Bobby said with absolutely no enthusiasm. Reality had returned. Bobby knew he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Vacation was over. Time to put the game face back on. He took a deep breath, hesitated one last moment, then clicked back into Traveler mode.
“Why, Mark?” he asked. “What makes you want to be an acolyte?”
“A lot of reasons,” Mark answered. “I want to help. It’s hard sitting around doing nothing when there’s some guy out there trying to bring down the universe and hurt your best friend. Reading your journals has changed things.”
Bobby nodded. He understood where Mark was coming from. “Funny thing,” he said thoughtfully. “In a couple of days you and Courtney are going to start Davis Gregory High, and all I really want is to forget about being a Traveler and go with you.”
“But you can’t,” Mark said.
“No, I can’t.”
“There’s another reason,” Mark added. He took a pause before saying this, because he knew it was a tough subject. “I won’t let you down. Not the way Spader did.”
Bobby winced. “Spader didn’t let me down,” he said sharply. “He just lost sight of what was important.”
Mark realized he had touched a raw nerve. “I know that,” he said quickly, doing damage control. “I just want you to know that I’d always be there to cover your back. No matter what.”
“How does Courtney feel about it?” Bobby asked.
“We haven’t exactly talked about it,” Mark answered. “But I guarantee, if we got the chance, she’d jump right in. You know Courtney.”
Bobby chuckled. Yeah, he knew Courtney. “Tell you what,” Bobby said. “I’ll find out what I can. If there’s a chance for you guys to do something, I’ll let you know.”
That was good enough for Mark. He now had hope that he might join Bobby on his mission after all. He had trouble falling asleep that night because his mind was so alive with the possibilities.
Bobby had trouble getting to sleep too, but for a very different reason. He knew his time here on Second Earth was over. He needed to be somewhere else, doing what he was destined to do. Tomorrow he would say good-bye to his friends one more time and jump back into the game. That’s what rolled through his brain while he tried to get to sleep. But it wasn’t easy nodding off to dreamland while one thought kept pushing all others away… Where is Saint Dane? What is he up to? And when I find him, will I be strong enough to beat him? Courtney arrived at Mark’shouse early the next morning, all set for another day at the beach. She had made a bunch of salami sandwiches and wore the famous pink bikini under her shorts and T-shirt. There were only two days left of summer vacation, two days before they would begin Davis Gregory High. She knew that once they began this new school, life would change again. Not only would they be leaving the familiar comfort of junior high, but Bobby would be gone. There was no way around that one. These last few days felt like the end of an era. She wanted to make the most of them.
But that wasn’t meant to be.
She knew it the second she stepped into Mark’s house. The atmosphere had changed. Every time she had come over before, the guys would be playing Nintendo, or watching a game on TV, or cranking up music. Today the house was quiet. Bobby and Mark sat in the living room, talking. The air was heavy. It felt to her like a pregame locker room where everyone had the butterflies.
“You’re leaving today, aren’t you?” she asked Bobby.
Bobby nodded.
Courtney plopped down on the couch next to him. “That’s it then,” she said. “The next time we hear from you, it’ll be in some journal?”
“Probably,” was Bobby’s answer.
There was an awkward silence. They knew that as soon as Bobby walked out the door, their lives would all officially change. It had been a great week, but it was over.
That’s when the telephone rang.
“Probably my parents,” Mark said, and answered the phone. “Hello?”
A deep voice came through from the caller. “Hello. Is this Mark Dimond?”
“Yeah.” Mark didn’t recognize the voice. “Who’s this?”
“You don’t know me, Mark,” said the voice. “My name is Vincent Van Dyke.”
“Gunny?” shouted Mark in surprise.
Bobby jumped to his feet and grabbed the phone away from Mark. “Gunny?”
“Howdy there, shorty. Enjoying your vacation?”
“What’s wrong? Where are you? Are you okay?”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down,” Gunny said with a laugh. “Everything’s fine. I’m here on Second Earth.”
“Yeah, I figured. Bu
t where? What are you doing here?”
“I need to see you, Bobby, right away,” Gunny said. “Is there someplace we can meet? I can come to you, no problem.”
Bobby looked at Mark and Courtney and said, “Gunny wants to meet me. Can he come here?”
“No way,” Mark said. “My parents are due back soon.”
Bobby looked at Courtney, but she shook her head. “Mom’s home. I don’t think I could explain this to her.”
Bobby thought fast, then an idea came to him. “Where are you, Gunny?”
“New York City.”
“Then here’s an address. It’s in my hometown of Stony Brook. It’s Two Linden Place.”
Mark and Courtney looked at each other. They knew exactly where 2 Linden Place was. They had been avoiding it all week. It was the address where Bobby grew up. Now it was an empty lot. It had been empty ever since everything that had to do with Bobby Pendragon had mysteriously disappeared.
“I’ll find it,” Gunny said. “Meet me there in an hour.”
“You sure everything’s okay?” Bobby asked.
“See you there,” Gunny said, and hung up.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Courtney asked. “I mean, isn’t it gonna be tough for you to go back there?”
Bobby shrugged. “I can’t pretend like things haven’t happened.”
Two Linden Place was only a short walk from Mark’s house, so they had some time to kill before meeting Gunny. They didn’t want Courtney’s salami sandwiches to go to waste, so they sat at Mark’s kitchen table and scarfed them down. They did their best to talk about anything other than what was really on their minds. But it was all just blah, blah. Their minds were elsewhere.
Finally Bobby stood up, saying, “Time to go.”
Mark and Courtney weren’t sure what to do. Was this it? Was it time to say good-bye?
Mark said, “Make sure you tell us what Gunny had to say in your next journal.”
“Why?” Bobby asked. “You’re coming with me.”
Mark’s heart swelled.
“You sure?” Courtney asked. ”Absolutely,” Bobby answered. “I’ve got no secrets from you guys.”
The three left the house and walked through the quiet suburban neighborhood toward 2 Linden Place. The last time they had done this, Bobby was expecting to be reunited with his family after his adventure on Denduron. It was a gut-wrenching moment when Bobby first realized his house, and his life, were gone. Everyone knew that going back again would be tough.
It only took them five minutes to get there. Nobody said a word as Bobby stood in front of the empty lot. Grass and weeds had taken over since the last time they were there, making the empty space look all the more forlorn. Bobby started to walk onto the lot, but stopped himself and stayed on the sidewalk. Mark and Courtney shared a look. They saw a tear in Bobby’s eye.
A car horn sounded a short hello, and the three turned to see a long, black limousine pull up to the curb. The three exchanged curious looks. This was the last thing any of them expected. But when a back door opened, sure enough, out stepped Gunny Van Dyke. He wore a plain, dark suit and tie that could have been in style any time since 1937.
“Morning, folks,” Gunny said with a big grin as he strode over to meet them.
Bobby began to introduce his friends, saying, “Gunny, this is-“
“I know who they are,” Gunny interrupted with a warm smile. “Courtney Chetwynde and Mark Dimond. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
They all shook hands.
“You’re my hero,” Courtney said in awe.
“I am?” Gunny asked with surprise.
“Hey, anybody who saves Earth from annihilation is a hero in my book.” Gunny laughed.
“Is it okay that we’re here?” Mark asked. “I mean, you guys have business and all.”
“No, it’s good you’re here,” Gunny assured them. “This involves you too.”
Mark and Courtney exchanged glances. That was weird. What could Gunny have to say that would involve the two of them?
“What’s up? You win the lottery?” Bobby asked, pointing at the limo.
“Don’t I wish,” Gunny chuckled. “Back on First Earth, shortly after you left the hotel, a fella came by looking for you. Said he had something important to tell you and wanted to give you something. I told him you were gone, but that I could get it to you.”
“Who was it?” Bobby asked.
“Don’t go jumping ahead, shorty,” Gunny chastised. “Let me tell the story. Anyhow, he wouldn’t give up. Said he wanted to talk to you himself. When he finally told me what it was all about, I understood why he wanted to see you so bad. I told him I wasn’t sure if you’d ever be back and promised to give you the package as soon as I saw you.”
“So what is it?” Bobby asked.
“Hang on. So I went to the flume to come looking for you. But when I arrived here on Second Earth, I got an idea. I wondered if the guy who wanted to see you so bad back in 1937 was still around. I did a little snooping and sure enough, he was still alive and living in New York.”
“You’re kidding? How old is he?” Bobby asked.
“Must be in his nineties, near as I can tell,” answered Gunny. “I looked him up and introduced myself.”
“Didn’t he wonder why you hadn’t aged a single day since the last time he saw you?” asked Courtney.
“He thinks it was my granddad who worked at the hotel back then,” Gunny answered. “I told him Granddad never again saw the bellhop called Pendragon, but he never forgot. I said how he handed the package down to his son, and then to me, and I finally tracked down the grandson of that bellhop. That would be you, Bobby.”
“And he believed you?” Bobby asked.
“Why wouldn’t he? It made sense. A lot more sense than the truth,” Gunny added with a chuckle.
“So who is the guy?” Bobby asked.
“Ask him yourself,” Gunny said, and motioned toward the limo. “That’s his car.”
“He’s here now?” Bobby said in surprise.
“Go on,” Gunny directed. “Talk to him. Just remember, you’re not you. You’re your grandson.”
“Uh…yeah,” Bobby said, and walked tentatively toward the car.
A driver wearing a black suit jumped from the front seat, ran around back, and opened the rear door. He reached inside and helped his passenger get out. Bobby saw that the guy getting out of the back was indeed very old. He looked a hundred if he looked a day. He was wearing a cream-colored suit and a bright yellow tie. Whoever this guy was, between the limo and the nice clothes, he had some bucks. The driver gave him a cane to lean on. But once he was out of the car, he didn’t want any more help. This guy may have been old, but he still had some life in him.
Once he was firmly on the sidewalk, he looked over at Bobby. When their eyes met, the old man actually stood up straighter. Bobby could tell this was a proud man who didn’t care much for being trapped in an old body. Bobby didn’t recognize him, but then again, he didn’t expect to. Yet, as they looked into each other’s eyes, Bobby felt something strangely familiar.
“What’s your name, son?” the old man asked in a raspy, yet strong voice.
Bobby glanced to Gunny, who nodded encouragement. “Bobby Pendragon,” he answered.
“Just like your grandfather,” the old man said. “My name is Peter Nelson, though I don’t suppose that means anything to you.”
“You came a long way to see me, Mr. Nelson,” Bobby said with respect. “Do you have something to tell me about, uh, my grandfather?”
Nelson looked away for a moment. He was spinning the memory wheels to get back to 1937. “I’ve been very successful, young Pendragon,” he began. “With business, with family, and with life in general. But I didn’t start out that way. In my youth I did some things I wasn’t proud of. Things I’m too ashamed to speak about even now. But those were different times, and I was able to put it behind me. I have one person to thank for that…your grandfat
her.”
Bobby had no idea what this guy was talking about. He tried to remember something he might have done on First Earth to help somebody out, but came up empty.
“You see,” the old man continued, “your grandfather saved my life.”
Now Bobby was really confused.
“I was headed down a very dark path,” the man said. “Your grandfather gave me a second chance.”
“Excuse me,” Bobby interrupted. “My grandfather told me a lot of stories, but he never told me about saving anybody’s life.”
“I’m not surprised,” the man responded. “I think that’s the kind of person he was. But he saved my life, all right, sure as I’m standing here before you.”
“How?” Bobby asked. This was making him crazy.
Mr. Nelson thought for a second, then said, “I don’t know how much I should be telling you, but I guess it’s all water under the bridge now. Your grandfather savedtwolives that day. One was mine, the other was a very powerful man named Max Rose. You see, I tried to kill Max Rose, but your grandfather stopped me. Then Max Rose ordered your grandfather to shoot me, but he didn’t. He had my life in his hands and gave it right back to me. I ran off and never looked back. Coming that close to dying, well, it changed my life. I have your grandfather to thank.”
It all came flooding back to Bobby. He took a closer look at the old man, and now recognized the thin nose and sharp eyes. Could it be? Yes, it was Mr. Nervous Gangster. He was a million years older, but it was definitely him. This was the guy who attacked Spader and him in the subway and tracked them down to the hotel. As Bobby stood there, the memory of looking into this guy’s frightened eyes returned as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. He had held a gun on the gangster while Max Rose ordered him to shoot. He remembered the feel of the pistol and knowing he was close to taking a life. But Bobby dropped the gun and the gangster ran.
Now the guy was here, thanking him, sort of. The old man raised his hand to shake Bobby’s, saying, “I wanted to thank him personally, but it didn’t work out that way. Thanking you is the closest I’m going to get.”
The Never War tpa-3 Page 28
