John Hawks - The Traveler

She returned to the kitchen and opened the screen door. Gabriel sat on the driveway next to the motorcycle. He had found a coat hanger, straightened it out, and bent one end of the metal rod. Now he was using this improvised tool to make sure the rear wheel axle was properly aligned.

“Gabriel, I’d like to look at the sword you’re carrying.”

“Go ahead. It’s sticking out of my knapsack. I left it next to the couch in the living room.”

She remained in the doorway, not knowing what to say. He didn’t seem to realize the disrespect he was showing toward his weapon.

Gabriel stopped working. “What’s wrong?”

“This particular sword is very special. It’s best if you handed it to me yourself.”

He looked surprised, then smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Sure. If that’s what you want. Give me a minute.”

Maya brought her suitcase into the living room and sat on the couch. She heard water running through the plumbing as Gabriel washed the grease off his hands in the kitchen. When he entered the living room, he stared at her as if she were a crazy person who might attack him. Maya realized that the outline of her knives was visible beneath the sleeves of the cotton pullover.

Thorn had warned her about the awkward relationship between Harlequins and Travelers. Just because Harlequins risked their lives to defend Travelers didn’t mean the two groups liked each other. People who crossed over into different realms usually became more spiritual. But Harlequins would always remain earthbound, tainted by the death and violence of the Fourth Realm.

When Maya was fourteen years old, she traveled through Eastern Europe with Mother Blessing. The moment the Irish Harlequin gave a command, both citizens and drones jumped to obey her. Yes, madam. Of course, madam. We hope there aren’t any problems. Mother Blessing had stepped over some kind of line, and people sensed it immediately. Maya realized that she still wasn’t strong enough to have that kind of power.

Gabriel went to the knapsack and took out the sword-still in its black lacquer scabbard. He presented it to Maya with two hands.

She felt the sword’s perfect balance and knew immediately that it was a special weapon. The ray-skin hilt was wrapped in thread with a fitting of dark green jade.

“My father passed this on to your father when you were a child.”

“I don’t remember that,” Gabriel said. “It was always around when I was growing up.”

Holding the scabbard on her knee, Maya drew the sword slowly, then held it up and stared down the length of the blade. This was a tachi-style sword, a weapon meant to be worn with the edge downward. The shape was perfect, but the real beauty was shown in the hamon, the border between the tempered edge of the blade and the untempered metal of the rest of the sword. The bright areas of the steel, called the nie, contrasted with a soft pearl-white haze. It reminded Maya of patches of ground among a light spring snow.

“Why is this sword so important?” Gabriel asked.

“It was used by Sparrow, a Japanese Harlequin. He was the only Harlequin left in Japan: the last survivor of a noble tradition. Sparrow was known for his courage and resourcefulness. Then he allowed a weakness in his life.”

“What was that?”

“He fell in love with a young college student. Yakuza working for the Tabula found out and kidnapped this woman. When Sparrow tried to rescue her, he was killed.”

“Then how did the sword get to America?”

“My father tracked down the college student. She was pregnant and hiding from the Yakuza. He helped her flee to America and she allowed him to take the sword.”

“If this particular thing was so important, then why didn’t your father keep it?”

“It’s a talisman. That means that it’s very old and contains its own power. A talisman can be an amulet or a mirror-or a sword. Travelers can take talismans with them when they cross over to another realm.”

“So that’s why we ended up owning it.”

“You can’t own a talisman, Gabriel. Its power exists independently of human greed and desire. We can only use a talisman or pass it on to someone else.” Maya looked again at the edge of the sword. “This particular talisman needs to be cleaned and oiled. If you don’t mind…”

“Sure. Go ahead.” Gabriel looked embarrassed. “I didn’t spend time polishing it.”

Maya had brought along supplies to maintain her own sword. Reaching into her suitcase, she picked up a piece of soft hosho paper made from the inner bark of a mulberry tree. Willow had taught her how to treat a weapon with respect. She tilted the sword slightly and began to wipe the dirt and smudge marks off the blade.

“I’ve got some bad news, Gabriel. A few minutes ago I contacted another Harlequin through the Internet. My friend has a spy inside the Tabula organization and he confirms that they’ve captured your brother.”

Gabriel leaned forward in his chair. “What can we do?” he asked. “Where are they holding him?”

“He’s being kept at a guarded research facility near New York City. Even if I knew the location, it would be difficult to free him.”

“Why can’t we contact the police?”

“The average policeman might be honest, but that doesn’t help our cause. Our enemies are able to manipulate the Vast Machine-the worldwide system of computers that monitors and controls our society.”

Gabriel nodded. “My parents called it the Grid.”

“The Tabula can break into police computers and insert false reports. They’ve probably placed a message into the system that you and I are wanted for murder.”

“All right, forget about the police. Let’s go to where they’re keeping Michael.”

“I’m just one person, Gabriel. I’ve hired Hollis to fight, but I don’t know if he’s reliable. My father used to call fighters ‘swords.’ It’s just a different way to count up the people on your side. Right now, I don’t have enough swords to attack a research facility defended by the Tabula.”

“We’ve got to help my brother.”

“I don’t think they’ll kill him. The Tabula have a plan that involves something called a quantum computer and the use of a Traveler. They want to train your brother to cross over into other realms. All this is new. I don’t know how they’re going to do it. Travelers are usually taught by someone called a Pathfinder.”

“What’s that?”

“Give me a minute and I’ll explain…”

Maya checked the blade again and saw a few small scratches and pits in the metal. Only a Japanese expert called a togishi could sharpen this weapon. All she could do was cover the blade with oil so that it wouldn’t rust. Picking up a small brown bottle, she poured oil of cloves on some cotton gauze. The sweet smell of cloves filled the room as she gently wiped the blade. For a second, she knew something with complete certainty. This sword was very powerful. It had killed and would kill again.

“A Pathfinder is a special kind of teacher. Usually it’s a person with spiritual training. Pathfinders aren’t Travelers-they can’t cross over into other realms-but they can help someone who has the gift.”

“And where do you find them?”

“My friend has given me the location of a Pathfinder living in Arizona. This person will find out if you have the power.”

“What I really want to do is fix my motorcycle and get out of here.”

“That would be foolish. Without my protection, the Tabula would eventually find you.”

“I don’t need anybody’s protection, Maya. I’ve stayed off the Grid for most of my life.”

“But now they’re looking for you with all their resources and power. You don’t understand what they can do.”