“The book, you say? I thought you didn’t read the book.” Fehin jiggled his eyebrows, grinning. He reached into his pack and brought it out, leafing through the pages at the end. “Shall I read it, your highness, or do you want to do the honors?”
“Go ahead,” Airy smirked, looking over his shoulder.
On April fool’s day a massive shift took place around the world. No one could explain the change in policies that seemed to appear overnight. Instead of their usual greed, corporations began to care for the people, making sure the homeless had shelter, that workers had jobs, that veterans had benefits. Normal people with money began handing it around as though making up for all their years of hoarding. The populace in the U.S. and several other countries began peaceful demonstrations against the way governments were run, leading toward new systems that represented them rather than what had been going on for decades.
Fehin read this passage out loud, his eyes bright. “That’s where it ends.”
Airy pointed and grabbed the book. “There’s print still moving across the page, Fehin.”
Wars began to wind down as disputes were settled,
Airy read in a hushed whisper.
In some places in the Middle East there was peace for the first time ever.
She waited for more but when it didn’t come she handed it back to Fehin.
He pushed it into his pack, watching her. “Time to go back to Milltown and see Carla.”
“Where do you two think you’re going?” a woman asked, grabbing Airy by the shoulder as she and Fehin walked by.
Airy turned, her gaze meeting the brown eyes of one of the women on the mountain. She looked to be in her thirties, wearing a multi-colored skirt that came down to her calves. Bracelets of silver tinkling bells circled her ankles, her toes adorned with silver rings. “We’re heading east,” Airy told her.
“I’m Sandra,” she said. “You two are our heroes. You can’t just leave us here. There’s a lot of work to do.”
Airy looked at Fehin. “What do you think?” she asked.
“I don’t want to be a celebrity,” he said, his eyebrows pulling together.
“It’s too late for that,” Sandra said, laughing. “You must be aware that it takes more than a day or two to bring about a miracle.”
Airy and Fehin spent the night in a park on the northern edge of town surrounded with everyone from the mountain. When it grew dark, wine, beer and guitars, drums and flutes were produced and people began to sing. Many of the street people joined in, their cracked and off-key voices mingling with the others. It didn’t matter; the only thing that mattered was the sense that they were all in this together. Around midnight the police appeared, but instead of rousting them they sat down on the grass and sang along.
It was the wee hours of the morning before Fehin and Airy crawled into their tent. They fell asleep to music and the soft murmur of voices.
It was the next day before the shit began to hit the fan.
***
“I knew it couldn’t last,” Airy said, reading the newspaper headlines on the fourth day of April.
Riots break out across country as corporations fight back against a rising tide of unrest.
“There’s always a backlash,” Fehin said, reading over her shoulder. “Remember the idea of balance. Everything can’t be all goodness and light.”
“I understand that but I was hoping this would last a few days longer!”
“There’s tremendous resistance to change, Airy. History proves it over and over. Anything that happens too quickly won’t stick. What we’ve begun here is in its infancy.”
“So do we have to stay until the baby grows up or can we get on with our own lives?”
Fehin looked puzzled. “I thought our lives were all about this.”
“The bridge is built, Fehin. I don’t want to witness the trouble that comes from it. We did our job, didn’t we?”
“We did but I feel somewhat obligated to stick around and see where it all goes.”
“I don’t. We’ve gone through hell for the past couple of years. It’s time to have a life.”
“You have something in mind, don’t you?”
Airy smiled. “I do, but before I tell you about it I want to go and see Carla and Fan. We owe her. But how do we leave without all these people coming along?”
Fehin grinned. “Use your ring.”
“And what about Wolf?”
“What about him? Maybe he’s changed too.” Fehin stared into the distance for a moment. “I can’t reach him. Maybe he’s gone.”
“He’s here,” Airy said, turning away to gather her things together. “The reason you can’t connect with him is because he isn’t the same person.”
Fehin tried to catch her eye and then gave up and turned to pack.
***
Once they had the packs and camping gear on their backs, Airy took off her ring and held it in her right hand. She twined the fingers of her left hand tightly through Fehin’s. “I’m going to try and get us as close to Carla’s as I can, but don’t expect any miracles.”
Fehin chuckled. “That’s funny, Airy.” But his words were lost in the rush of air as they spun away in a rainbow of colors.
***
They ended up on the steps outside Carla’s townhouse a minute later.
“That’s about as close as you could get,” Fehin said, squeezing her hand.
Airy met his gaze with a quirky embarrassed smile and then knocked on the door.
Carla smiled widely and then hugged them both. “The news is crazy. What did you two do up there?”
She ushered them inside and pointed toward the television where repeating footage showed the scene at the top of the mountain. Airy watched the two of them spinning and lifting into the sky and turning into a ball of white light. “Wow!“ she said. “How did they film it?”
“Cell phones. They’ve shown several different versions now. It’s all over YouTube.” Carla turned to stare at them. “How did you get here so fast?”
Airy held out her ring. “It’s a time-traveling device.”
Carla took the heavy ring in her hand and turned it over. Her expression was skeptical as she handed it back. “I guess I shouldn’t doubt anything after what’s happened.”
The television was now showing people marching in the streets carrying placards that read: April Miracle! The scene changed to another city where the homeless were marching along with others. The expressions on their faces were peaceful and full of joy. “We saw a newspaper headline in Lovell that had a different story,” Airy said, watching it all.
Carla turned. “Yes, there’s been some unrest here and there. But over-all it’s a sea change, Airy. Fan will be back tomorrow. She’ll be so happy to see you.”
It was the next night that things changed on the news channels. Fan had returned in late afternoon and the four of them had eaten dinner before Carla switched on the set. At first Airy thought it couldn’t be true but as the pictures flashed across the screen of screaming people throwing rocks at windows, looting and clashes with police she grew more and more dismayed. “What’s happening?”
“It’s bringing out the crazies,” Carla said. “I’m glad you’re here. I wouldn’t want you two involved in that. Did you know you have some followers out there?” She pointed toward the door. “Not sure how they found you. I noticed them when Fan got home.”
When Airy and Fehin rose from the couch at the same time, Carla said,
“Bring them inside. They can sleep on the couch and the floor.”
Airy moved through the door first, stepping over bodies already inside sleeping bags. An older woman with silver dreadlocks stood at the bottom of the steps.
“I’m Kit,” she said, holding out her hand. “You two are miraculous. I’ve been living on the streets for more than five years and this the first time I’ve felt hope of any kind.”
“There’s weird stuff going on,” Airy whispered. “A lot of violence.”
“Really?” Kit’s eyes widened. “On the news?”
Airy nodded. “Do you want to see?”
“Sure, if you don’t think your friend will mind.”
Airy took her into the house, leaving Fehin to find those who might want to sleep inside. Many had been deprived for a very long time and weren’t in good health.
Airy turned on the set and then sat on the couch next to Carla and Fan while Kit lowered onto the floor. The news came on showing scene after scene of violence and police dragging people away in handcuffs. The newscaster droned on about a populace out of control and the lies that had spread across the country about a miracle. According to him what had happened was all a hoax.
The door opened and Fehin appeared with several ragged-looking people behind him. “What’s going on?” he asked, taking in their expressions.
“Someone is trying to undermine what happened,” Kit told him. She waved at the television. “This is all bullshit.”
Where do you want us?” an emaciated young girl asked, looking from one person to the other. Another man and two women came in behind her carrying sleeping bags.
“Any place on the floor is fine,” Carla answered, showing them where to go. “And once we all go to bed the couch is available.”
Kit watched the screen and then turned to Airy and shook her head. “This is old footage. It could be from the seventies. If you look closely you can see how people are dressed. And look at the cops—they don’t wear uniforms like that anymore.”
Carla moved closer to the T.V. “I think you’re right,” she said, glancing at Kit. “I remember some of this.”
Airy and Fehin turned and stared at each other. “Wolf,” they said at the same time.
“Who is Wolf?” Kit asked.
55
Fehin and Airy woke up at the exact same moment the next morning. Their eyes met and they both knew what the other was thinking.
“We don’t even have to talk out loud anymore, do we?” Fehin asked, moving so that he could place his lips on hers.
Airy pressed into him, savoring the moment. But it was less than a minute later that she pulled out of his embrace. “We have to find out what happened before we lay all the blame on Wolf,” she said, swinging her legs off the bed.
Fehin stood and pulled on his jeans. “I’ve been trying to reach him since last night but so far I’ve had no luck. I’m almost positive he has powers. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to block me out.”
Carla was cleaning up when they came into the kitchen. “Where is everyone?” Airy asked, pouring a cup of coffee for Fehin and herself.
“They ate breakfast and then took the rest of what I cooked out to share with the others. Kit came in and got some coffee and asked for you two.”
“Sorry about all the cooking and food outlay,” Airy said, watching Carla throw away an empty egg carton.
Carla shrugged. “It feels good to contribute. I’ve been holed up here like a recluse since you two left and I feel like I haven’t done anything to remedy the situation.”
“You’ve done tons, Carla. Fehin’s rehab, giving us your car…”
“What car?”
Airy realized abruptly that all of that happened in the other timeline. “I guess that was before,” she said.
Carla paled. “You told me about this on the phone but it still makes me feel very strange that I have no memory of what went on.”
“I’m sorry I said anything,” Airy replied, looking over at Fehin.
Carla tried to smile. “Let’s concentrate on this reality and what you two accomplished.”
“Now we have to deal with the repercussions,” Fehin said darkly.
Carla grimaced. “I would suggest a trip down to the local news station where that footage originated.”
“How do you know it originated there?”
“I don’t, but I recognize that newscaster. He lives here. Do you still think Wolf had something to do with it?”
Fehin and Airy’s eyes met. “Yes,” they both said.
Carla laughed. “You two are like Siamese twins now. I’ll drive you down there after you have breakfast.”
***
“Who authorized the fake footage, Bob?” Carla demanded, standing in front of the newscaster with her hands on her hips.
“I got a call from the head of Light and Oil. He sent it over.”
“You must have known it was old. Why did you go along with it?”
“Because he told me if I didn’t I’d lose my job.”
“What’s the address?”
Bob stared at her, his gaze slanting toward Airy and Fehin. “He’s not someone to mess with, Carla. He’s a billionaire and he didn’t get there by being nice.”
“We’ll take our chances,” Carla said winking at Fehin.
Outside the broadcasting studio Carla led the way back to her Range Rover. “How do you feel about confronting this bastard?” she asked once they were all inside the car.
“I’m in,” Fehin said, his gaze sliding toward Airy.
“Me too. He can’t hurt us.”
The building that housed Light and Oil was a glass-fronted high-rise. A guard stopped them at the door. “You can’t go in there without authorization.”
Fehin waved his hands and then walked by the dazed guard. He opened the heavy glass door and ushered Carla and Airy ahead of him toward where another uniformed guard sat behind a desk. Fehin glanced at the list of businesses on the wall above the desk and then pointed out the name Bob had mentioned.
Carla watched him and then nodded. “We’re here to see Mr. Crandall,” she told the guard.
He picked up a phone. “And who are you?” he asked.
“Tell him I’m Carla, a friend of Bob Freeman’s.”
The guard pressed in numbers and then spoke quietly. A moment later he shook his head. “Mr. Crandall says he doesn’t know you.”
“Ask again,” Fehin said, waving his hands.
A few minutes later they were in the elevator moving upward. When the doors opened on the seventieth floor Mr. Crandall was waiting for them. He was balding with a slight paunch and dressed impeccably in tweed slacks, shiny Italian loafers and a dark blue linen button down shirt. His gold cufflinks glittered in the light from the art nouveau sconces on the walls. But with all his fancy clothes his eyes were what singled him out. They were dark and held not one ounce of kindness or empathy. In a word they were cruel.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” he asked in a decidedly unfriendly tone.
“Are you the one that authorized the footage of riots from the seventies?” Carla asked, staring at him defiantly.
“Who are you people?”