D. MacHale - The Pilgrims of Rayne

“I can’t wait to hear it,” Courtney quipped.

“She said that by changing the past, we could create a new future that Saint Dane wasn’t expecting. That’s why we came to First Earth.”

That was it. Courtney nodded in understanding. It was all about Nevva, just like on Quillan. “Let me understand,” Courtney said. “Nevva told you and Mitchell to bring your Forge technology to First Earth and said it would change the course of history so Saint Dane would fail on Second Earth?”

“Yes.”

“And you believed her?” Courtney screamed. “It was more than that.”

“I hope so,” Courtney shot back. She was getting angrier by the second. “Mark, I love you to death, but I can’t believe you’d do something so huge on the word of somebody you didn’t even know!”

“There was more,” Mark said softly. “Nevva said if we changed the course of events, my parents would survive.”

Courtney was about to yell again, but stopped. It was all making sense. Nevva and Saint Dane had fooled Mark into believing he was not only helping to protect Second Earth, but saving his parents as well. Saint Dane knew exactly how to get to Mark. Poor, innocent Mark. Courtney had always feared the demon. Now she hated him. She was going to have to tell Mark the truth. Nothing would bring his parents back. The thought was painful. Mark thought he was doing the right thing. Instead, he gave Saint Dane the tools to bring Halla crashing down.

As horrible as she felt, Courtney also felt a glimmer of hope. Mark was not a villain. He had not put in with Saint Dane. What he had done was for a noble purpose. Mark was still Mark. Better still, he had not yet introduced Forge to the territory. The flume had sent her where she needed to be, when she needed to be there. There was still time to stop him. But to do that, she was going to have to present him with some horrible truths. She knelt down by Mark and took his hands.

“Listen to me, Mark,” Courtney began. “I understand why you’re doing this. I can’t imagine where my head would be if I suddenly lost my parents. I wouldn’t be thinking straight either. If somebody threw me a lifeline and said they’d make it all better, man, I’d grab it. This isn’t your fault.”

“Fault?” Mark said with surprise. “I don’t understand.”

Courtney took a breath and continued. “You’ve been lied to. Big-time. Like all good lies, there’s just enough truth to make it seem plausible. Yes, the Travelers lost Quillan. Yes, your parent died in that crash. And yes, by bringing Forge technology to First Earth, you can change the future of Second Earth. But that’s where the truth takes a very different course than what you were told.”

Mark stared right into Courtney’s eyes, hanging on her every word.

“I don’t know how I’m going to tell you this,” she said nervously. “Just tell me.”

“Mark, Andy Mitchell is Saint Dane. He has been ever since we’ve known him. He worked his way into your life and became your friend so the two of you could create Forge and do exactly what you’re doing with it. But it won’t save Second Earth, Mark. Forge technology is going to start a chain of events that will lead to the creation of a force that Saint Dane will use to crush Halla. It was his plan from the beginning, Mark. Nevva Winter isn’t your friend. She’s a Traveler, but she helped Saint Dane win Quillan. I wish I had Bobby’s journals here to show you. Nevva Winter is a traitor. The two of them have fooled you into believing that what you’re doing is right, but it couldn’t be more wrong.”

Mark looked at the ground. Courtney couldn’t imagine what he was going through. She hated to have to tell him that way.

“Why are you saying all this?” he finally asked.

“Because you have to know. I’m sorry.”

“But you’re wrong.” Mark jumped up and paced to the far side of the room.

“I’m not!” Courtney countered. “I know this is hard to take, but it’s the truth. The day after your parents died, I did what you asked me and went to the flume, remember? Something happened while I was there. Mark, I know how Forge is going to change Second Earth. I’ve seen it. You accelerated the evolution of technology. Things aren’t the same. But there’s one thing that didn’t change.”

“What’s that?” Mark asked.

Courtney hesitated. She wanted to say it gently, but realized Mark needed convincing, so she didn’t pull her punches. “Your parents were still dead, Mark. What you did here on First Earth, what you’re about Xo do on First Earth didn’t change that. They’re gone.”

Mark kept staring at the deck.

“That’s your proof that Nevva lied to you,” Courtney continued. “Your parents will not be saved. They tricked you the way Saint Dane has tricked so many others. They tempted you with the promise of saving Second Earth. Of helping Bobby. Of protecting Halla, and of bringing your parents back from the dead. None of that will happen.”

Mark shifted. Courtney thought he was starting to sweat.

“But it’s not too late!” she exclaimed encouragingly. “That’s why I’m here. Now that you know the truth, you can stop it. You can put Halla back on its natural course. Right here. Right now.”

Mark wiped his eyes. Courtney thought he was containing his emotions pretty well, considering what she had just laid on him.

“I don’t understand,” he said in a very small voice.

“Ask me,” Courtney implored. “Anything. I know it all.”

Mark looked at her with red eyes. “I don’t understand why you’re lying to me.”

Courtney was rocked. Her mouth hung open. “I–I’m not,” she stammered. “Why would you believe Nevva Winter over me?”

“Mark?” came a woman’s voice from outside the door.

Courtney recognized the voice, but couldn’t place it.

“Come on in,” Mark called.

Two people stepped into the ward. When she saw them, Courtney nearly fainted. Her head actually went light. She didn’t understand what she was seeing. It made no sense. Her legs buckled and she sat down on the edge of the bunk.

“I was just leaving,” Mark told the new visitors.

Courtney looked up at the man and the woman who stood beside Mark. The man wore a tuxedo, the woman was dressed in an evening gown. They looked totally normal, and absolutely impossible.

“We know, Courtney,” the woman said kindly, sensing her confusion. “We know everything. Mark explained it all. The Travelers, the territories, and what happened to Bobby Pendragon.”

The man added, “We’re proud of you, Courtney. We know you’ve been under a lot of stress with the accident and all. When we get to London, we’ll make sure that all the charges are dropped, and we’ll pay for your passage. All we want is for you and Mark to finish what you started, and help Bobby stop Saint Dane.”

The woman added, “Bobby needs you. Halla needs you. Try to get some rest.”

Courtney was speechless. Her brain was doing its best to reject the fact that standing before her were Mr. and Mrs. Dimond. Mark’s parents. Alive. On First Earth.

“We’ll check on you tomorrow morning,” said Mrs. Dimond.

“Good night,” Mr. Dimond added.

They left, leaving Mark alone with Courtney. Mark looked at her like a disapproving parent. “Maybe tomorrow you’ll explain to me what’s really going on.”

He left and closed the door behind him. The screeching sound of the lock being thrown echoed through the spartan infirmary. Courtney didn’t move. Everything she believed to be true had just been turned inside out. She probably would have sat that way all night, if she hadn’t been nudged back to life by a twitching on her finger.

Her ring was activating.