The Traveler

“Two years?” Alexi smiled. “I think you have much to talk about.”

Thorn gestured with his hand and the Russian picked up a sca

“Don’t waste your time looking for a bead. The Tabula aren’t interested in me.”

“Just being careful.”

“I’m not a Harlequin and they know it.”

The sca

“Nice servant you got there.” She sat down on the chair as Thorn rolled over to her. “Very colorful.”

Normally, in private conversations, they would speak to each other in German. Thorn was making a concession to his daughter. Maya had passports for several different nationalities, but these days she considered herself British. “Yes, the ink work.” Her father smiled. “Alexi has a tattoo artist creating a picture of the First Realm on his body. Not very pleasant, but that’s his choice.”

“Yes. We all have free choice. Even Harlequins.”

“You don’t seem happy to see me, Maya.”

She had pla

“We were protecting you, Maya. It’s very dangerous these days.”

“Tell that to tattoo boy. I’ve watched you use danger and security as excuses for everything, but that doesn’t work anymore. There are no more battles. No more Harlequins, really-just a handful like you and Linden and Mother Blessing.”

“Shepherd is living in California.”

“Three or four people can’t change anything. The war is over. Don’t you realize that? The Tabula won. We lost. Wir haben verloren.”

The German words seemed to touch him a little deeper than her English. Thorn pushed the hand control on his wheelchair and turned away slightly so that she couldn’t see his eyes.

“You’re also a Harlequin, Maya. That’s your true self. Your past and your future.”

“I’m not a Harlequin and I’m not like you. You should know that by now.”

“We need your help. It’s important.”

“It’s always important.”

“I need you to go to America. We’ll pay for everything. Make all the arrangements.”

“America is Shepherd’s territory. Let him handle it.”

Her father used the full power of his voice. “Shepherd has encountered an unusual situation. He doesn’t know what to do.”

“I have a real life now. I’m not part of this anymore.”

Moving the control stick, Thorn made a graceful figure eight around the room. “Ahhh, yes. A citizen life in the Vast Machine. So pleasant and distracting. Tell me all about it.”

“You’ve never asked before.”

“Don’t you work in some kind of office?”

“I’m an industrial designer. I work with a team developing product containers for different companies. Last week I created a new perfume bottle.”

“Sounds challenging. I’m sure you’re very successful. And what about the rest of your world? Any boyfriends I should know about?”

“No.”

“There was that barrister-what’s his name?” Thorn knew, of course. But he pretended to search through his memory. “Co

Maya felt like Thorn had just slapped her. She should have guessed that he would use his London contacts to get information. He always seemed to know everything.

“That’s not your concern.”

“Don’t waste your time worrying about Ramsey. Some mercs working for Mother Blessing blew up his car a few months ago. Now he believes that terrorists are after him. He’s hired bodyguards. Lives in fear. And that’s good. Isn’t it? Mr. Ramsey needed to be punished for deceiving my little girl.”

Thorn spun the wheelchair around and smiled at her. Maya knew that she should act outraged, but she couldn’t. She thought about Co

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“But I did.” Thorn moved back to the coffee table.

“Blowing up a car doesn’t change anything. I’m still not going to America.”

“Who mentioned America? We’re just having a conversation.”

Her Harlequin training told her that she should go on the attack. Like Thorn, she had prepared for the meeting. “Tell me something, Father. Just one fact. Do you love me?”

“You’re my daughter, Maya.”

“Answer the question.”

“Since your mother died, you’re the only precious thing in my life.”

“All right. Let’s accept that statement for the moment.” She leaned forward in the chair. “The Tabula and the Harlequins used to be fairly equal adversaries, but the Vast Machine changed the balance of power. As far as I know, there are no more Travelers and only a few Harlequins.”

“The Tabula can use face sca

“I don’t want a reason. We’re not talking about that. Just facts and conclusions. In Pakistan you were injured and two people were killed. I always liked Libra. He used to take me to the theater when he visited London. And Willow was a strong, graceful woman.”

“Both fighters accepted the risk,” Thorn said. “They both had a Proud Death.”

“Yes, they’re dead. Set up and destroyed for nothing. And now you want me to die the same way.”

Thorn gripped the arms of the wheelchair and, for a moment, she thought he was going to force himself to stand up, an act of pure will. “Something extraordinary has happened,” he said. “For the first time, we have a spy on the other side. Linden is in contact with him.”

“It’s just another trap.”

“Perhaps. But all the information we’ve received has been accurate. A few weeks ago, we learned about two possible Travelers in the United States. They’re brothers. I protected their father, Matthew Corrigan, many years ago. Before he went underground, I gave him a talisman.”

“Do the Tabula know about these brothers?”

“Yes. They’re watching them twenty-four hours a day.”

“Why don’t the Tabula just kill them? That’s what they usually do.”

“All I know is that the Corrigans are in danger and we have to help them as soon as possible. Shepherd comes from a Harlequin family. His grandfather saved hundreds of lives. But an unborn Traveler wouldn’t trust him. Shepherd isn’t very organized or intelligent. He’s a-”

“A fool.”

“Exactly. You could handle everything, Maya. All you have to do is find the Corrigans and take them to a safe place.”

“Maybe they’re just ordinary citizens.”

“We don’t know that until we question them. You’re right about one thing, there aren’t any more Travelers. This might be our last chance.”

“You don’t need me. Just hire some mercs.”

“The Tabula have more money and power. Mercenaries always betray us.”