Crystal Keepers (24 page)

“He told me I was on the wrong side,” Cole said. “He probably wanted me to lead him to Mira without City Patrol knowing.”

“I'm sure that's part of it,” Nova said. “But why not give Jace and Dalton the same treatment? Nobody tampered with their records. Tell me about your shaping power.”

“It's blocked,” Cole said. “I can't use it. I've been trying.”

“A vicious act of shapecraft,” Nova replied. “Unnatural and spiteful. What could you do before your power was blocked?”

“I could make stuff from Sambria work in Elloweer,” Cole said.

Nova nodded slowly. “A rare gift. If not unique. I have heard of those who can work powerful shapings in different kingdoms. But never one who can make an item that does
not pertain to a certain kingdom regain functionality. The High King may not just want you in order to find Mira. He may have a specific interest in you as well. We know that he likes to employ those with unusual shaping talents. And we know he has stolen powers.”

Cole thought about the shapecraft experiments Quima had hinted about after they had defeated Carnag. Did the High King want to experiment on him?

“Doesn't this make me a bad messenger?” Cole asked.

“It increases the risks you'll incur if you get caught,” Nova said. “But the classified status of your ID enables you to move about the kingdom without getting stopped. And your youth will still help you avoid notice.”

“Can't Forge make a classified ID for somebody?” Cole asked.

Nova shook her head. “Classified IDs are rare enough that those systems are closely monitored. All attempts to fake one have failed. But yours is genuine. With the attacks of the last few days, our records have been compromised. We can't send out any of our agents with any confidence. You are the ideal candidate to find Harmony Pemberton and ask her to hang a star over Constance.”

“I'd go alone?” Cole asked, pretty sure he already knew the answer.

“Sidekick and Googol would accompany you to the main terminal in Zeropolis,” Nova said. “After that you'd proceed on your own. The Junction Express runs to the border of Junction. From there you switch to an electric train that will take you into the heart of the capital.”

“The train works in Junction?” Cole asked.

“Our pure energy dissipates there,” Nova said. “Certain materials we manufacture won't hold together either. Bonded crystal, for example. But by converting our energy to electricity, and building the train out of the correct materials, we engineered a rail system that functions there. A passenger can travel from the main terminal in Zeropolis to the center of Junction City in under seven hours.”

Cole thought about the message from Trillian. Was this the key service he could perform for the rebellion? Could this be what the torivor had meant?

“Do the others know about this?” Cole asked.

“Only me, Googol, and Sidekick know what we're considering,” Nova said. “We won't tell anyone else until you return. This mission requires the highest secrecy. The High King has never fully trusted his wife, but if she gets exposed as a traitor, our cause could be ruined. In addition, with all you know, your capture would be problematic.”

“What should I do if they catch me?” Cole asked.

“Don't get caught,” Nova said.

“Right,” Cole said. “But if it happens?”

“You'll do your best. Nobody will come to help you. After you leave, we'll go elsewhere. You won't know our location. Your information about Mira would surprise many, but not the High King or the Hunter. If you get apprehended, you won't know where to find her. That lack of information could lead to very uncomfortable times for you, but the princess would remain relatively safe.”

Cole knew she was talking about torture. Of course,
that risk awaited anytime he got captured, not just on this mission. Wasn't he in nearly as much danger hiding in Old Zeropolis with the Unseen as he would be going to Junction? The City Patrol had proven they could track down Unseen hideouts. At least if he went to Junction, he would be useful.

And who knew what other answers Junction might hold? Maybe Queen Harmony could tell him where Jenna was sent. Surely she would have access to that information. The queen might even be able to suggest strategies for how he and his friends could get home and stay there. And if all she did was help them find Constance, that would still be a big step toward helping Mira's revolution succeed.

It would be scary to go alone. But Cole had done scary things before. If this went smoothly, it might just be a train ride and some talking.

“How will I meet up with the queen?” Cole asked.

Nova smiled. “You're a brave boy. I'm an old devil for using children like I do.”

“You mean the Crystal Keepers?”

“They've proven extremely effective. I can't resist successful tactics. We'll provide a disguise. The First Castle has many errand boys running around. You will masquerade as one of them. We have protocols you can use to contact Queen Harmony.”

If this mission were only about Nova and her resistance movement, Cole wasn't sure how he would respond. But Mira needed to find Constance in order to move forward. Overthrowing the High King would also provide his best chance to free his missing friends and maybe find a
way home. And who knew what extra information Queen Harmony might be able to share?

“How could I say no?” Cole said.

“You can,” Nova said. “And you should if this assignment sounds like too much. If you take on this responsibility, you must succeed. Your life depends on it, as does the entire revolution.”

“I'll do it,” Cole said. “I won't let you down.”

“Thank you, Cole. This could help us turn the tide. Are you going to finish your soup?”

Cole glanced down at the red fluid in his bowl. “Maybe later. I kind of lost my appetite.”

C
HAPTER

23

JUNCTION

C
ole boarded the Junction Express less than a minute before it was scheduled to depart. The interior of this monorail was more posh than the other one Cole had ridden. The cars were roomier, the larger seats reclined farther, and details like the carpeting and the fixtures looked newer and fancier.

Cole found his seat and stowed his rucksack, then tried out the cushy recliner. He had enough legroom to stretch out as much as he wanted.

The monorail was less than half full. Most of the other customers appeared wealthy—some wore fancy clothes; others were stylishly grungy. With his leather jacket and dark jeans, Cole supposed he fit in with the fashionably scruffy.

Nova had urged him to tell nobody he was leaving, but Dalton knew he had talked privately with Nova, and when Cole started talking sentimentally last night, his friend had grilled him until he confessed he had a mission. He gave Dalton no specifics and swore him to secrecy.

As he waited for the monorail to start moving, Cole felt glad that his friend knew he was leaving. Dalton had come a long way with him. It wouldn't have been fair to go without a good-bye. Besides, he knew Dalton would keep the secret just as faithfully as Nova or Googol.

The journey from Old Zeropolis to the main terminal in Zeropolis had only taken a few hours. Cole, Googol, and Sidekick had all ridden warboards through the underground tunnels, whooshing along with Sidekick lighting the way. They had left Cole with a ticket in hand near a ladder that allowed him to surface near the main terminal. Not more than ten or fifteen minutes had passed since he left them.

The monorail eased forward so smoothly that the rapid acceleration felt subtle. Soon Zeropolis blurred by the windows, and Cole was on his way.

He felt vulnerable. He was leaving behind Dalton and the friends he had made in the Outskirts. He had no backup. And he had stripped off his gear before exiting the tunnels near the main terminal. Advanced devices like an exo rig would malfunction in Junction. Googol didn't try to send along simpler weapons or equipment on the theory that Cole's safest strategy was to appear innocent.

Settling back into his seat, Cole closed his eyes and remembered Jace's advice that the best way not to be noticed was to look at home. He itched to watch for people observing him but told himself that if he looked at ease and ready for a nap, nobody would pay any attention to him.

The Hunter was his biggest threat. Cole's ID might be classified in the City Patrol's system, but Googol and
Nova had no doubts that the Hunter and his people would be watching for Cole's ID card to be used. That was why Googol had suggested he board the train at the last moment. It would give the Hunter almost no time to react before the monorail left the city at hundreds of miles per hour.

Cole tilted his seat back. It was strange to lounge in such comfort after sneaking through sewers the past few days. If he had to go on a dangerous mission alone, this was definitely the way to travel.

He had stayed up late stewing about the mission, and after an early start had spent hours zooming along on a warboard underground. Before long, his pretend nap melted into real sleep. When he woke with a start, the monorail was at a standstill, and people were pressing toward the exits.

Grabbing his rucksack, Cole joined the people filing off the monorail. This was the transfer where the passengers had to switch from the monorail powered by Zeropolitan energy to a train propelled by electricity.

Cole shuffled forward, staying near a man about the right age to be his father, hoping to create the illusion that they were traveling together. There was a chance the Hunter would come for him here, at Outpost 19. If so, Cole's best bet was to stay with the crowd, since the Hunter had shown interest in apprehending him secretly. Because this was an isolated outpost on the border with Junction, Googol was betting that the Hunter wouldn't be able to move people into place in time. But if the Hunter had noticed Cole use his ID, he would certainly position fellow Enforcers to intercept him in Junction City. For that reason, Googol had assured Cole
that some of the Unseen in Junction would create a diversion to stop the train before it reached the Junction City Station. Cole would use that opportunity to exit early and hopefully avoid an encounter with the Hunter's agents. There would be no napping during this second leg of the trip!

The other train looked a lot like the first one, especially inside. Cole found his seat, stowed his bag, and sat down without incident.

As the train pulled out of the station, Cole found that it didn't accelerate as smoothly or run as quietly as his previous train, but it still reached an impressive top speed. Cole imagined that it was the equivalent of a bullet train on Earth.

After napping for much of the previous ride, Cole felt much more alert but still tried not to show too much interest in the people around him. His seat on this train was near an emergency exit, which he was supposed to use when the train stopped early. He wasn't sure when exactly that would happen but knew it would be toward the end of the journey.

A woman came by selling drinks and sandwiches, and Cole bought a soda and a croissant loaded with chicken salad. As he ate, out of the corner of his eye Cole couldn't help noticing a man across the aisle staring at him. When Cole turned to look at him, the man hastily glanced away.

Cole couldn't tell whether the sick feeling inside was because he was tense and overly sensitive, or because the man was up to no good. The fellow passenger was stocky and bald on top, with short black hair around the rim of his skull and heavy black eyebrows. He had fairly young features and wore a dark blue suit. Cole didn't recognize him from
the other train, but he had made a point of not paying too much attention to the other passengers.

Taking another bite of his croissant, Cole decided he was probably just too wound up. He didn't want to lose his cool and look suspicious. But before he had finished his sandwich, Cole caught the man looking again, only to have him glance away a second time.

In his gut Cole knew something was up. The man had to look across the aisle and a couple of other people to watch Cole. Either the guy really regretted not ordering a croissant, or he was spying on him.

Now that Cole was awake and stressed, the ride seemed to take forever. The man didn't look over again, but sometimes Cole had an uneasy sense that he might be watching him peripherally.

When Cole got up to use the restroom, the man didn't look his way. As he walked down the aisle, Cole cast a swift glance over his shoulder and found the man staring right at him. The man turned his head, coughing into his fist and averting his eyes.

In the bathroom, Cole tried to generate alternate explanations. Maybe the man thought he looked familiar. Maybe the man was a people watcher. Maybe Cole had invited curiosity by glancing over at him too much.

There were plausible reasons not to be worried, but Cole's instincts told him the man was a threat. When it came time to abandon the train, Cole would have to watch out for that guy.

As Cole returned to his seat, the man never glanced his
way. Back in his seat, Cole tried to clear his mind and act calm. He didn't catch the man looking over again.

Well into the trip, the train began to slow, and a soothing, female voice came over a loudspeaker. “Please remain in your seats. The train is stopping due to debris on the tracks. This is not our final destination. Please remain in your seats.”

Cole felt clammy. This was it. As the train slowed, he planned his next moves. He needed to get into the aisle, grab his bag, take the few steps to the emergency exit, and leave the train.

Turning his head, Cole found the man looking at him curiously. This time the man didn't glance away. Cole broke off the eye contact.

He tried not to panic, but he was breathing hard. As soon as he grabbed his bag, the man would know he was getting off. But he couldn't leave the rucksack! It contained his errand-boy uniform along with some instructions.

The train stopped.

“Please remain seated as the debris is cleared from the tracks,” the soothing voice said. “We are not at a station. This is only a temporary stop. Please remain seated.”

Cole stood and clutched his stomach. “I think I'm going to be sick.” He winced and moaned as he slid past a woman into the aisle. The man across the aisle was watching him, but Cole avoided direct eye contact.

Cole snatched his rucksack and ran. He shoved open the emergency exit and a buzzer blared. A quick glance back showed the man hurrying up the aisle behind him.

From the steps beyond the doorway, Cole saw they were
in a big city. None of the buildings were as tall or modern as in Zeropolis, but they went on as far as Cole could see, the highest rooftops level with the elevated train track. Cole jumped down to a narrow walkway. Looking toward the front of the train, he saw people at work clearing the debris. The track stretched on behind the train as far as he could see, paralleled by the walkway. Wanting to avoid the people at the front of the train, Cole raced toward the back.

He heard somebody land on the walkway behind him. A hasty glance showed that it was the man from across the aisle.

Racing at a full sprint, Cole could hear the man running behind him. Eyes frantically searching, he saw no stairs or ladders leading down from the elevated track. Jumping was not an option—he had to be forty or fifty feet up.

He could hear the man gaining on him. Cole had almost reached the back of the train when he noticed a pair of planks up ahead bridging the gap between the walkway along the track and the top of a nearby building about twenty feet away. The weathered planks had no railings and weren't visibly anchored to anything.

They were also his best chance.

Cole slowed as he reached the planks. The two were spaced a few inches apart, each no more than a foot wide.

“Don't do it, kid,” the man called. “Stop!”

There was no time to think it through.

Cole shuffled out onto the planks, sliding his feet rather than stepping, one foot on each board. He clasped the rucksack to his chest to keep his balance centered. The boards sagged and bounced as he got to the middle, creaking
menacingly. He could picture them snapping. If they did, there would be no defense, nothing to grab. He could imagine himself falling—no Jumping Sword, no exo rig, just a long drop until his bones crunched against the pavement below.

As he drew near the building, the planks flexed less. Emboldened, Cole took a few quick steps and leaped to the roof. Turning, he found the man standing on the walkway at the far side of the planks, staring at him from across the gap.

“You're making a big mistake, kid,” the man said. “I'm here to help you.”

Cole pushed one of the planks off the roof of the building. The man caught hold of the other end, but as Cole's end fell, the board was torn from the man's grasp and plunged to the ground below.

The man hopped onto the other plank and started toward Cole, edging forward, one foot staying in front of the other. With the man's weight on the board, Cole found it harder to budge, but a good kick made it slide a little. The board wobbled, and the man pinwheeled his arms, knees bending, body swaying, eyes bulging.

“Don't, kid, you'll kill me. I'm just trying to help!”

The man was still closer to the walkway than the building. He recovered his balance and stared at Cole, no longer advancing.

“Go back,” Cole said. “Take one more step this way and you're going for a ride.”

The man gave a little nod. He wiped a palm across his scalp. His voice became calmer. “Come on, kid. Let me help you.”

“You work for the Hunter,” Cole said.

“Maybe I do,” the man said evenly. “The Hunter wants to help you. If he wanted you hurt or killed, I could have taken care of that the second I jumped off the train. If he just wanted you caught, that could have happened back at the main terminal. He wants to bring you in quietly and give you a second chance.”