by Darren Shan
“And we won’t be here long,” Inez assures him.
“I’m fine,” Cal says unconvincingly.
“What are those people waiting for?” King Lloyd asks, pointing at a group of people queuing nearby.
“It’s a ticket booth,” I tell him, spotting the signs. “They sell tickets to shows.”
“A show,” the king gasps, his eyes lighting up. “That would be the perfect way to kick-start my stay. Can you recommend anything, Archibald?”
“I don’t know much about Broadway,” I reply.
“Never mind,” he says. “I’ll join the line and listen to what folk are talking about. Nora, would you care to accompany me?”
“No,” she sniffs. “I’ve no time for entertainment. I’ll go talk to our people here, sort out money and lodgings for us. Are you happy to wait for me?”
“Yes,” the king says. “If I get to the front before you return, I’ll circle back and line up again.”
He sets off and stops at a traffic light when he sees other pedestrians waiting. I don’t think he knows about traffic lights, but he keeps an eye on the people around him and crosses when they cross, taking his place in the ticket line, slotting in like one of the locals.
“Why did he call you Archibald?” Cal asks me.
I shrug. “That’s the name he prefers. He called me Archie before I helped him with the gargoyle –”
“Nora told me about that,” Cal interjects approvingly.
“– but it’s been Archibald Lox since then,” I finish.
“Archibald Lox,” Cal rumbles. “I like it.”
“I prefer Archie.”
Cal shakes his head. “You can’t go against a king, Archibald,” he says, and I know he’s going to call me that from now on.
“Aren’t you worried that King Lloyd might lose focus and wander off?” I ask Nora, who’s still gazing at the elderly royal.
“I’ll find him if he does,” she says confidently.
“We can track friends in the Born,” Inez tells me.
“How?”
“It’s complicated. I’ll tell you another time.”
“Right,” Nora says, “I need to chat with some lawyers. We have a firm here who look after King Lloyd’s interests in the Born. It’s been a while since we touched base with them. Hopefully they haven’t gone bust.”
“Are they Born?” I ask.
“Of course,” Nora says.
“Do they know who the king really is? About the Merge?”
“No,” Nora snorts. “We don’t tell them and they never ask. We set up a trust fund long ago to pay their recurring bills, and as long as they’re paid, they’re happy.”
“Do you know where they are?” Inez asks.
Nora nods. “King Lloyd used to handle Born matters himself, but when it became too much for him, he assigned those tasks to others. I got the information from them before they fled the realm. So as long as the firm’s still active, it will all be easy. If they’re not... well, I’ll cross that bridge if I come to it.”
A few taxis pull up, waiting for the lights to change. Without bidding us goodbye, Nora walks over to one, opens the door and sits in. The driver looks round with a frown, then faces the lights again. Nora says something. He doesn’t reply, but takes a left turn once the traffic starts moving.
“How will she pay for the ride?” I ask Inez.
“She won’t need to,” Inez says, “because he doesn’t know he has a fare.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve forgotten that people can’t see us in the Born. Nora’s like a ghost in that taxi. As far as the driver’s concerned, the back seat is empty.”
“Then how’s she going to get to where she wants?” I ask.
“Although the Born don’t realise we’re here, on some level they clock our presence.” Inez starts walking, and Cal and I keep pace beside her. “They see and hear us — they just don’t know that they do. When Nora sat in, she told the driver where to go, and subconsciously he heard. He’ll take her there and drop her off, even though he’ll have no idea that he’s doing it.”
“Cool,” I grin. “What else can you do?”
Inez shrugs. “I could walk into a bank and take all the money I could carry.”
“No way,” I hoot.
“Nobody would notice me unless I engaged with one of them.”
I mull that over, trying to get a firm handle on how it works. “Wouldn’t you show up on the security cameras?”
“Yes,” she says, “but that wouldn’t do the guards much good.”
“Why not?”
“They can’t see us on the screens. I mean, they can, but their brains tell them we’re not there.”
I start to smile. “That’s insane. You could take all the money from the bank.”
“We could,” Inez agrees, “but we don’t.”
“How come?”
“It would land people in trouble. If I stole from a bank, and there was nobody else to pin it on, police would blame the staff.”
“Oh,” I say, smile fading.
“We take little liberties,” Inez goes on. “If I was here for a few days, I’d need to steal food and drink. I might sneak into a spare hotel room to sleep.”
I glance back at the ticket booth. “Can King Lloyd do all that too?”
“Yes,” she says. “Family members can do almost anything that a Born can.”
“Do you really think he’ll be OK?” I ask, searching for the confused old king but unable to spot him in the crowd.
“He’ll be fine,” Inez says. “The Born is what he needs right now.”
“It’s not what Diamond needs,” I note.
Inez shrugs. “He held the realm intact far longer than anyone expected, and it’s exacted a heavy toll. Nobody will blame him for seeking some personal time at the end of his days. And if they do...” She snorts. “To hell with them.”
We stroll along, the concerns we had in Diamond no longer an issue. It’s a nice day, overcast but warm. I keep thinking about all the things I could do if I had Inez’s abilities, the concerts and matches I could attend for free. I could walk into my headmaster’s office ahead of exams, flick through the questions, go and memorise the answers, get straight A’s. I could patrol the streets, watch for criminals, follow them back to their dens, phone in a tip-off to the police.
I look at people, marvelling at how none of them can see us, then frown and turn to Inez. “I understand why they can’t see you and Cal, but they aren’t able to see me either.”
I wave a hand in a man’s face, and although he ducks to avoid it, he doesn’t glare at me or give any indication that he’s aware of my existence.
Inez looks at me oddly. “Are you sure they can’t see you?”
“Pretty sure,” I say, then roar, “My name is Godzilla and I’ve come to destroy New York!”
Not a single person blinks or glances at me.
I leap about, waving my arms over my head, yelling nonsense. Nobody reacts, except to instinctively swerve around me.
“See?” I pant, coming to a halt by the edge of the pavement.
“That’s strange,” Inez says, scratching an ear and studying me as if I was a frog in a laboratory. “There’s something different about you, Archie, but I can’t put a finger on it. You’re a locksmith. You can be invisible to the Born. You crossed into the Merge, something nobody except a Family member should be able to do.”
“Maybe that’s it,” I say, getting excited. “Maybe I’m a prince.”
“You’re no prince,” Inez snorts. “Royals have an aura that’s as clear to us as the colour of their skin. Whatever else you are, you’re definitely not Family.”
“So how do you explain it?” I ask.
She can only shrug.
“Hey,” I gasp, “if I’m invisible now, I can do all the things in the Born that you can, like take money from a bank.”
“The Merged don’t abuse their powers,” she reminds me.
&
nbsp; “But I’m not Merged,” I laugh, and do an excited dance.
Then something stops me.
“Inez,” I say slowly, “I thought you said nobody could see us here.”
“They can’t.”
“So why is that boy staring at me?”
I point at a young boy up the street. He can’t be more than six or seven years old. He has fair hair and is dressed in a crocodile costume, so I’m guessing he’s on his way to or from a party. He’s come to a standstill and is gawping at me.
When Inez and Cal turn to look, the boy stares at them too. He can clearly see all three of us.
“Is he Merged?” I ask as Inez and Cal’s eyes widen.
“No,” Inez says. “He’s Family.”
She takes a step towards the boy, her right hand stretching out to greet him. Then she hisses and draws to a startled halt.
At first I don’t know what’s spooked her, but then I see a woman standing just behind the boy. She’s glaring at us and has drawn a long, jagged-edged knife, and I understand instantly that the woman isn’t Merged — she’s SubMerged.
Cal growls and takes a step towards the woman with the knife.
“No,” Inez says, and he stops.
The boy is still staring at us. The woman hasn’t moved.
“There’s no need to panic,” Inez says. “The boy must be part of the SubMerged Family, one of the royals who support the realm of Ruby. Royal children have to spend time in the Born or they won’t grow up. Their people watch over them, the same way ours watch over Merged royals.”
“Will she attack us?” I ask.
“Not if we steer clear of the child,” Inez says. Her right hand is still stretched out in front of her. Now, instead of making the greet, she closes her fingers into a fist, then opens them again, holds them out flat a moment, then lets her hand slowly fall away.
“That’s the sign that we mean no harm,” Inez whispers. “She’ll make the same sign now and everything will be fine. Then we can...”
The woman doesn’t lower her knife or make any signs. Instead, two men step forward. One has a sword, the other a mace.
Inez takes a couple of steps back and the men take two steps forward.
“Get ready for battle,” Cal says, rubbing his hands together, a gleam in his eyes that I don’t like.
“No,” Inez says. “They have proper weapons. I only have a couple of knives.”
“They won’t have them for long,” Cal grunts. “I’ll rip their toys away from them.”
“And if you can’t?” Inez says quietly.
“It’s three against three,” Cal says, itching for a fight. “I fancy our chances.”
Inez shakes her head. “I can’t risk falling into their hands. I need to get out of here.” Cal starts to argue but she cuts him short. “You’re here as my guard. That means you have to do what I say.”
I wouldn’t dare speak that way to the massive man but Cal nods obediently. “Very well,” he says with disappointment, “but if they attack...”
“We’ll run,” Inez says, then calls to the SubMerged. “We’re just passing through. We’ll leave you alone and go our own way, if that’s alright.”
“It’s not,” the woman says, then sheathes her knife and says something to the boy. He hops into her arms and cuddles into her. The woman rocks the boy, smiling warmly at him, then looks at Inez again, her smile hardening. The men take another step forward.
“Why are you doing this?” Inez cries.
The woman says coldly, “Because we know who you are... camel.”
“Oh hell,” Inez sighs.
“What?” I ask in a low voice.
Inez throws me an exasperated look, then shakes her head, spins on her heel, and shouts at Cal and me, “Run!”
25
We tear back the way we came, but Inez makes a left turn instead of heading into Times Square, probably worried that we’d get stuck in a crowd. Nobody glances at us as we race along the streets. Those who are facing us part as we get near, while we bump into some who are looking in the opposite direction. They yelp and look for someone to shout at. When their eyes pass over us, they frown and shrug, something in their brains telling them not to ask any questions.
We come to a red light but Inez doesn’t pause. She bolts across the road, Cal and I just behind, weaving around cars, trucks and taxis. No drivers blow their horns, but they slow to let us duck in front of them.
As we hit the pavement on the other side, I chance a look back. The two men are keeping pace but haven’t closed the gap, even though, with their longer legs, they must be faster than Inez and me.
“Why aren’t they trying to catch us?” I gasp as we run.
Inez looks over her shoulder and growls. “They’re biding their time. Maybe they think we’ll tire, making it easier for them to get the better of us.”
“I hate to admit it,” I pant, “but they’re right, in my case anyway.” I’m already huffing and puffing.
“Me too,” Cal groans. “Let me turn and fight them. Fighting’s what I’m good at, not running.”
Inez shakes her head firmly. “We can’t risk it. I mustn’t be caught.”
“What if I stop and tackle them while you carry on with Archibald?” Cal suggests. “Even if they defeat me, you’ll be long gone by the time they finish.”
Inez bites her lower lip, tempted by Cal’s sacrificial offer.
“We can’t,” I wheeze, not wanting to see the friendly guard come to harm.
“It’s an option,” Inez disagrees. Then she clicks her tongue. “But I promised you a new home, not death.”
“I’m not afraid of death,” Cal says.
“I’m sure you’re not,” she says, “but let’s avoid it if we can. I know a few boreholes here that lead to towns in the Merge. If we make it to one of them, we can call for support.” She grimaces. “The only problem is it will lead us astray.”
She thinks about it in silence as we jog along, taking things slower now that it’s clear that the SubMerged are happy to play a waiting game.
Finally she casts a worried look at me. “Can I trust you, Archie?”
“Of course,” I answer instantly.
“I mean it,” she presses. “If I set you a vital task to perform, can I trust you to not let me down?”
“What sort of a guy do you think I am?” I ask stiffly.
“A good guy,” she says, “but this is a big ask. You might decide it’s too dangerous and you’d rather turn your back on all this.”
“I’m terrified,” I tell her honestly, “but if I can help you, I will.”
Inez flashes me a grateful smile. “I’ll reward you when this is over,” she vows, “treat you to whatever you desire, money, jewels, you name it.”
“You don’t need to buy my allegiance,” I reply. “I’ll help because I want to.”
Inez nods. “OK. The next time we turn a corner, split from us. Cal and I will lead the SubMerged a merry chase while you head for our original target.”
“What if one of the men goes after him?” Cal asks.
“They won’t,” Inez says confidently. “He’s nothing to them. You aren’t either. I’m the only one they’re interested in.”
“Where will I head?” I ask, then add, “And bear in mind I don’t know the city.”
“You’ll be able to find this place easily enough,” Inez says. “You’ve heard of the Empire State Building?”
“Sure.”
“Go there. You’ll spot a borehole close to the entrance. It’s yellow and has a spire sticking out of it, like the one on top of the building.”
“Yellow borehole, spire,” I repeat.
“You’ll find a foot vine through the borehole,” Inez goes on.
“What’s a foot vine?” I ask.
She waves the question away. “It climbs up through the building. At the top you’ll spot a familiar clock tower in the distance. Head for that and you’ll find another borehole. It will be locked. Holler un
til someone lets you in.”
“Can’t I pick the lock?”
“You won’t be able to open it,” she says. “You’re not that good.”
I bristle at the slight, but she pushes on before I can protest.
“You’ll find an elderly man inside. Tell him you’ve been travelling with me. Then...” She hesitates, deciding how much information to share. “Tell him I need his help to ensure the missing princess can cast her vote.”
I blink. “What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t matter. He’ll understand. If he’s willing to help, ask him to meet me on the island of pineapples, though it might take me a few days to make my way there. Have you got all that?”
“The missing princess needs his help to vote. You’ll meet him on an... island of pineapples?”
“That’s it,” she says.
“I hope he can make more sense of that than me,” I mutter. “Will I meet you in pineapple land too?”
“No,” Inez says. “You’ll find yourself close to where you live once you’ve delivered the message. Go home.”
“But I want to learn more about the Merge,” I cry.
“This isn’t the time,” Inez snaps.
I stare at her, not wanting this to be the end.
“Trust me,” she says in a softer voice. “I only want what’s best for you.”
“You’re not my mother,” I growl. “It’s not your place to worry about what’s best for me.”
She grimaces. “Sorry. Let’s strike a deal — if I survive my mission, I’ll find you in London, tell you what it was about, then take you on a tour of the Merge. How does that sound?”
I roll my eyes, but I’m over a barrel. Killers are hot on our heels. Inez has asked for help. It wouldn’t be fair to hold her to ransom. “OK,” I sigh.
“Thanks,” she says. Then, as we come to the end of a block, she snaps, “Now!”
She turns right with Cal and shoots off. I want to call goodbye, but as I’ve already noted, that isn’t the done thing among the Merged. Instead I step out into the flow of traffic and jog to the middle of the road, where I stop and turn.
As cars veer round me, the chasing SubMerged reach the corner. The guy with the mace asks the guy with the sword a question. Sword-guy spares me a glance, then shakes his head, and they carry on after Cal and Inez. They don’t even bother to make a we’ll deal with you later gesture.
