Time of Treason

by Susan M. MacDonald

  There was a clearing just up ahead, just visible through the trees. And as if the fates had conspired to fulfill their wishes, the entire field was full of RVs and campers.

  Darius turned and gave Riley an evil grin. “Which one do you want?” he whispered.

  “I’m partial to blue,” Riley answered as she squinted through the trees at the selection of motor homes. Oddly enough, there didn’t seem to be any people.

  “Wait here,” Darius instructed. “I’ll go and see which one has keys in it and, if worse comes to worse, you can hotwire it, Riley. Wait for my signal. Peter, stay here and stay quiet. Do anything to jeopardize this little mission and I’ll have you eating that earring of yours. Got it?”

  Darius gently laid Alec on the ground and slipped off silently through the trees. Riley dropped to her knees and wiggled her orb under Alec’s back to the approximate area of his injury. She didn’t bother to watch Peter. Darius’s control seemed tighter than ever. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

  Almost no time passed at all before the gentle purring of an engine cut through the birdcalls. She glanced upwards. A square camper was turning an awkward and jerky circle inside the ring of RVs. It stopped as close to the trees as it could and the window rolled down. An arm waved at them.

  “Come on, lift him up and carry him,” Riley ordered as she got to her feet.

  “I don’t have to do anything you say,” Peter grumbled.

  “Sure. Don’t bother. I’ll just call Darius over and see how he likes you holding us up.” Riley crossed her arms. She overcame the urge to stick out her tongue.

  Peter cursed but obeyed. He struggled to pull Alec up into his arms and Riley had to help hold Alec’s ankles. Swinging him gently between them, Peter walked back- wards towards the clearing. Darius opened the side door of the camper and transferred Alec to his own arms. He carried him inside. Peter slowly followed and Riley closed the door behind herself.

  This camper was a much cheaper version of their previous mode of transportation. Plain, more compact and clearly much older, there was a bed tucked over the driver’s seat, a roundish bench with a table jammed in the middle that probably folded into a bed, a miniature kitchen, and a miniscule toilet cubicle between the bedroom and main space. They would have to take turns walking around.

  Riley didn’t waste time dissing the worn and discountstore décor. She plopped herself in the driver’s seat and clicked the seatbelt closed.

  The RVs were parked in a ring around the perimeter of a huge field and interspersed with several cars and a couple of motorcycles. On the far side of the field a wide gap beckoned and she headed for it in low gear. Behind her, she heard Darius’s instructions to lay Alec on the bed. She carefully steered the little camper between two very large motor homes and onto a gravel road. It suddenly became apparent where all the people were.

  The next field over was filled with hot air balloons. A fairly large crowd of spectators were scattered across the grass, standing around each of the seven balloons, most of which seemed to be nearly fully expanded. Riley couldn’t help but grin. The balloons were bright and cheerful, the piping gas fires that filled them surprisingly noisy, and the smiles and cheery expressions of the people ringing the balloons as they waited their turn for a ride, infectious.

  An alarming thought crossed her mind. Riley slammed on the brakes and peered at Darius. He had that rapt expression and gleam to his eye that only spelled trouble.

  “No,” she said shaking her head firmly and putting the little camper van back into gear, “Absolutely not.”

  “It’s faster,” Darius protested.

  “It’s incredibly obvious. Honestly, Dare, you think no one will notice we’ve stolen a balloon. Do you believe for a second the police won’t think to look up. We’d be totally easy to track. They’d just have to wait for us to come down.”

  “It’d be fun,” Darius said quietly as he craned his neck for the last view of the balloons above the treetops.

  Riley sped up. The camper rattled as it bumped along the rutted dirt road. No one seemed interested as she drove past.

  She turned her attention back to the task at hand and carefully maneuvered the small vehicle down the road. It was a generally straight path through a series of fields, most tilled and planted with a variety of crops, but a few, like the one filled with balloons, fallow and allowed to grow grass unimpeded. There were no buildings. It only took a couple of minutes before the road ended at a busy four-lane thoroughfare. To her left a huge sign indicated, “Turn here for Sky-high.”

  “Which way?” she called out.

  Darius held up his orb and peered into it. “East,” he said.

  Riley just looked at him.

  “Left,” he amended.

  “Thanks,” she muttered and switched on her directional signal. It took a few minutes before there was a sufficient break in traffic for them to safely make the turn. Once on the highway, Riley quickly accelerated and pulled into the right lane. “Look for a map,” she instructed. She glanced down at the dashboard. “And figure out how we’re going to pay for gas.”

  Darius rummaged in the glove compartment but, other than a handful of wadded candy bar wrappers and a flashlight, it was empty. He searched in the door pocket and above the visor but there was no map.

  “We’ll keep heading east,” he finally said. “Eventually we’ll hit the ocean. I’ll go in the back and work on Alec’s healing. You just drive.”

  “Can’t we just,” Riley gave Peter a wary glance in the rearview mirror, “teleport?”

  “Too much baggage,” Darius replied. “I can’t manage all three of you except in an emergency and then only a very short distance. The rules of physics apply to orb power too, you know. We either wait for Anna to show up and help or get as close as we can and summon a transport ship.”

  “But you don’t like either option,” Riley said quietly. “Do you?”

  Darius pursed his lips and frowned. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Anna is going to have some questions I just can’t answer. Lying to her will be nearly impossible for me. Asking the Collective to bring three Potentials into the Base when they haven’t ordered it is going to be even trickier. We’re not on collection or training mode. Just observation.”

  Riley thought it over. There had to be another way.

  “Peter’s going to be a huge problem too,” Darius continued as he rubbed his forehead. A couple of pine needles fell out of his hair and onto his collar. “I can’t silence him without keeping him unconscious. He’s wearing off my control faster each time. I won’t be able to keep it up indefinitely unless I seriously damage him and make the control permanent.” He caught a glimpse of her expression. “And no, I’m not willing to do that to him.” He sighed deeply and shook his head. “One good scan or a telepath and the jig is up.”

  “We could just toss him into the Atlantic,” Riley suggested. “Tie his ankles with lead weights and heave ho. I won’t argue if you suggest it. I doubt Alec would either.”

  Darius grinned. “Don’t tempt me.”

  Riley bit her lower lip as she worked on phrasing the enquiry. “Why do you believe Anna won’t turn us all in?”

  For a long moment Darius was silent as he stared straight ahead. “Anna was the first I came in contact with.” He gave a ghost of a smile. “I come from a large family, Riley. Having anyone’s undivided attention is heady stuff. Especially when that attention isn’t a smack to the head.”

  Riley glanced sideways at him, struck by the aching tone of his voice. “How long ago was that?”

  Darius gave a slight shrug. “I was about fourteen and in foster care and really angry at the world. The Tyons offered stability and made me feel special for the first time in my life. Anna was the one who convinced them to train me. I owe her a great deal of loyalty, not to mention my life. If they hadn’t found me I’d be in jail or dead by now.” He got up out of the passenger seat. “I’m going to work on Alec now.”


  Riley nodded but Darius was already gone. Well that was certainly food for thought, she mused worriedly. Darius had several reasons now for his blindness about Anna. There was little she’d be able to do to counteract years of obligation and love. And if she couldn’t get Darius to open his eyes about Anna, then she’d have no choice. She and Alec would have to disappear without him.

  11

  Alec poured the last of the cereal into his bowl and reached for the small container of milk. It was his third bowl and he was still starving. Apparently massively accelerated healing used a great deal of energy and his body was desperate to catch up. Darius was rooting in the cupboards for something else for him to eat and Peter was driving. Riley had done several hours and was having a nap now, her head likely pillowed exactly where his had been only half an hour before.

  He shovelled a heaping spoonful into his mouth and chewed contentedly. Nothing much had seemed to happen while he was sleeping. Anna still hadn’t returned. There had been no police chases or interest in them by anyone, despite the fact that they were now driving through New Hampshire in another stolen camper with three first-degree murder charges hanging over their heads.

  “Have you warned Peter about the rips, yet?” Alec asked. A few crumbs fell to the tabletop and he wiped them away with the sleeve of a borrowed shirt before Darius noticed.

  “No.” Darius closed the cupboard door and opened another.

  Alec swallowed and took another mouthful. “Have you seen any?”

  “No, and don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s rude and a choking hazard.”

  Alec raised his hand and gave Darius the finger as he grinned.

  “And that’s rude too,” Darius pointed out with a returned smile. His face suddenly became serious. “I haven’t told Riley about the Emissary either.”

  Alec nearly choked even though his mouth was empty. “What? Darius, she has to know. There’ll be millions out there. She has to be on her guard.”

  “Hear me out.” Darius abandoned his search and sat down next to Alec. He lowered his voice. “Rhozan tracks us by the use of our orbs, right? And we’ve had to use them a lot over the last few hours. But if we keep our hands off them and keep moving, he won’t be able to find us that easily. Once we’re in Home Base, we’re safe.”

  “He found me easily enough, long before I ever got an orb,” Alec reminded him.

  “He found you through me. I was using my orb and he picked up your signal in the vicinity.”

  “Okay, fine. That’s how he tracks us.” Alec was willing to concede the point. “But still, Riley has to know.”

  “Riley has had enough on her mind lately. You aren’t in touch with her feelings the way I am but I’ll tell you that your injury nearly broke her heart. Worse still, she’s done a lot of the healing and while she might not feel the effects, I can see them. Any more emotional trauma at this point and she’ll collapse.”

  Alec sat back in the seat and dropped his spoon to the table. She had been worried about him. A lot. Good.

  “Healing takes emotional energy, focused through Tyon power. When you heal someone you deplete your own resources. It takes time to replace and, in the untrained, is highly dangerous. It was only because it was such a dire situation that I allowed her to help out. First with your father, and then with you.”

  Talk about guilt. Alec turned his head to look out the window. She’d put herself at risk and didn’t even know it.

  Darius continued. “I want you to keep an eye on things, Alec. Make sure she stays clear of any rips. At least until I know she’s strong enough to mentally cope. All right?”

  Alec didn’t look at him. He nodded his head mutely. Darius got back up and continued his search but Alec’s appetite was gone. The rips in the fabric of time and space were seriously dangerous things; he should know, he’d jumped into one and just barely made it out alive. Last time they’d lived through this month, Rhozan had caused the rips to multiply until they were nearly everywhere. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people had disappeared into them. If Alec hadn’t defeated Rhozan, all those people would still be stuck there. Or will be stuck there if time repeats itself. Alec frowned. This time travel stuff was mind-boggling. Without thinking, his hand reached for his orb. He stopped himself just in time from slipping his hand into his pocket. He clasped his hands together firmly instead.

  “Darius,” he began slowly, “what will happen if—”

  He didn’t get to finish. Suddenly, right in front of him, Anna appeared. Alec was so startled he nearly knocked over his half empty bowl. Milk sloshed onto the Formica tabletop.

  “Ah, Anna, welcome back,” Darius said smoothly, as if Anna had merely been out for a walk. He closed the cupboard and leaned against the countertop. “All returned to normal, I take it?”

  “No,” Anna fixed him with a sharp look. “We need to talk.”

  “Didn’t you find everyone?”

  She didn’t bother to answer his question. “We’ve received a transmission from the Council, Darius. It’s troubling and important. I wish to discuss it with you.”

  “Okay.” Darius slid himself into a seat beside Alec. He patted the bench seat with his hand. “Come and sit down.”

  “This is a private matter, of utmost importance. Potentials should not be included.” Anna hadn’t changed one bit, Alec thought, watching her ramrod posture and implacable features. If anything, she was colder.

  “All right,” Darius replied easily. “I can’t move Riley coz she’s fast asleep.” He gave Alec a pointed look. “Go and stay with Riley until I call for you. Practice your skills the way I’ve shown you.”

  Alec tried to keep the puzzlement out of his expression as he got up and inched past Anna to go to the bedroom. Hadn’t Darius just gotten through telling him not to use his orb? The little swaying bedroom was in darkness. Alec could barely make out Riley’s form on the double bed. He gingerly sat on the edge of the foam mattress and inadvertently sat on her foot.

  “Hey,” she muttered, kicking sleepily at him.

  He leaned over and whispered. “Anna’s back.”

  She sat bolt upright. “When?”

  “Shh,” Alec hissed. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”

  Riley pushed the covers away and reached up to jerk open the curtains, enough to flood the little room with light. She crawled over to his side and hunched on her knees beside him. “What’s she know?”

  “I’m not sure. She just got here. But the Council’s twitchy and has more questions than is good for us.”

  He barely heard her mutter the profanity. She was obviously as scared as he was. “Get your orb out,” she ordered. Before he could tell her not to, she had her own in her hand. “Hurry up,” she whispered as she grabbed at his hand and folded his fingers around her own.

  It was as if Alec had turned on a radio, but only inside his head, and with several channels playing at once. He had no idea Riley was so gifted in this area. For a second it was almost overwhelming and he was tempted to jerk his hand out of hers. Then the images and sounds cleared and he heard Darius speaking.

  “…Show me what you’ve got.” Images of weird symbols suddenly scrolled across Alec’s mind. They looked familiar but moved too quickly for him to decipher. This must be what Darius was looking at. Alec was stunned. Could Riley see inside him the same way?

  Impressions of someone else’s emotions slipped inside him too: worry, fear, uncertainty. Were these Darius’s feelings or were Anna’s in there as well? Was either of them aware that he and Riley were eavesdropping?

  “See, here and here.” Anna’s voice. Suspicion, concern. Her emotions likely. Alec tried to keep up but everything moved through him so quickly.

  “What does this mean?” Darius, sounding more nonchalant than he felt.

  “Temporal distortion. Someone, somewhere has moved in time. It’s not specific enough to pinpoint, but you see here, and this? Clear indications. There is no other explanation. They’ve sent a directi
ve to Logan to determine where this came from and who is doing it.”

  “Could it be a natural phenomenon?” Darius again.

  Riley and Alec looked at each other. Instantly their hopes were dashed.

  “No. Logan’s reviewed the power signature. It’s human.”

  Carefully controlled sensations emanated through the orb. Consideration, interest, willingness to cooperate.

  “If Logan is sure, then it must be correct. Does he have any idea who might have done this? Is it someone we’ve been following or one of us?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Darius. None of the Collective has this aberration. It must be native. And we must find it as soon as possible. Time shift is dangerous and unlawful. You know the consequences.”

  Riley tried to pull away but Alec tightened his grip, maintaining the contact. It was about him after all.

  “Let me inside your mind.”

  The demand was politely made but firm. Alec and Riley exchanged horrified glances. If Anna got inside Darius’s head there would be no secrets he couldn’t hide. Anna might care for Darius and he might be in love with her, but she worked for the Collective and personal feelings didn’t get in the way. They were screwed.

  Alec’s free hand hovered over his pocket. She’d have to catch him first.

  “Not now.” Darius’s reply was tinged with humour. “Later. When we’ve got a bit of privacy.” A definite overtone of amorous intentions suffused the words. Alec mentally backed away. This he did not want to see.

  Disappointment and a certain flavour of suspicion seeped into Alec’s mind with Anna’s next words. “We’ll wait then. In the meantime, we must take these three Potentials to Home Base and have them begin their training. There is merit to your suggestion that assistance provided by natives may be of benefit. I will discuss this concept with Logan upon our arrival. He will decide. Keep them ignorant of the potential power of the orbs. Keep the driver under control through any means. I do not wish to manage an uncontrolled teenage male.”