World Walker 1: The World Walker (35 page)

They walked back toward the huge iron gates that marked the northern entrance of the park.

"Something else we need to do," said Seb2.

"What?"said Seb.

"Stretching the software analogy a bit further, I'm trying to work out how to run a huge system, our processing power is in place, we have an operating system of sorts, but I keep looking for information that isn't there. Like the file is corrupted, or has been moved. We need to go and upgrade the hard drive."

Seb was silent.

"You really hate this computer metaphor, don't you?" said Seb2.
 

Seb said nothing.

"It's the best I've got, sorry."

Seb sighed and stopped walking. "Ok. I'll bite. How do we get this upgrade?" he said.

"We go and get the Manna we need," said Seb2.

"Tried that at Red Rock with Walt," said Seb. "It didn't work. And I don't seem to be running low on it like he does."

"I know. Truth is, you'll never run out. But the Manna I'm talking about can only be picked up by you."

Seb thought for a moment. "Roswell," he said.

"Roswell," said Seb2. "Then you should be able to control your abilities better. And maybe work out what you're supposed to do with it. And you'll be able to be what you're supposed to be. What Billy Joe is."

"Which is?"

"A World Walker."

Chapter 35

Meera watched five women of the Order climb into a battered pickup, three in the front and two squeezing onto the flatbed alongside boxes and baskets full of food. The engine spluttered and coughed, then the rusty vehicle rolled away in a cloud of dust and gas fumes. Lo came up beside her.

"There will always be hungry people," she said. "We do what we can for them." Mee watched the dust cloud shrink as the truck turned the corner and headed for the Interstate into Las Vegas.

"Look," said Mee, rolling a joint carefully. She had enough marijuana to last two more days. If she paced herself. Then there would be trouble. "It's not that I don't appreciate what you did for us. Saving us, I mean."

Lo didn't answer. She had the rare gift of listening without commenting. Mee couldn't help but like her. The ability to survive being shot without any ill-effects was slightly off-putting, but, hey, Seb could do that. So no biggie. Mee shot a glance at the silent woman. Absolutely unreadable. Very annoying.

"We can't stay here. I have the band. Bob has a life, of sorts. We just need to find Seb, make sure he's ok. Really ok. The people looking for him are dangerous. I can't let him deal with that on his own. Then we can go home, 'cause we're just going to lead them to him otherwise. If those bozos are still after us, we'll tell them the truth. We saw Seb, but we don't know where he's gone."

"And if I told you Seb can look after himself?"

"That would be a first," said Mee. "He likes his own company, sure, but he's not a natural loner."

"Like you?" said Lo.

"Yeah. Like me." Just then, her pocket buzzed and she fished out her old prepaid cell phone. The call was from a number she didn't recognize. She glared at the phone suspiciously, pressed answer and held it up to her ear without saying anything.

"Mee?" said the familiar voice, and her eyes filled with tears despite herself.

"Seb!" she said. "Thank God. Where are you? Are you ok? What the hell is going on?"

"It's good to hear your voice, Mee. And, yes, I'm ok. I'm sorry I didn't call, but...well, let's just say things have been pretty weird the last few days. I'll tell you more when I see you."

"I know some of it already," said Meera. "And weird doesn't even begin to cover it. Hang on, this isn't your number. What happened to your phone?"

"Gone," he said, "but I'm staying with...a friend."

"But you've never remembered a phone number in your life. And I haven't used this number for years."

"My memory's, um, improved recently."

Seb was quiet for a moment. Mee could picture the expression on his face. She always said she could see the cogs turning when he was thinking.

"Look, I need to see you, but I'm in Las Vegas," he said. "I'll head back to LA tomorrow. Something I need to do on the way."

Mee started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, you won't believe this, but I'm in Vegas too."

"What?!"

"Long story. Might even be as interesting as yours. I'm here with Bob." There was a pause while Seb tried to work out who she meant.

"Bob, as in Bob and Marcie? From the hills? How do you know him?"

"We have a mutual friend," she said, deciding Marcie's fate was something Bob might want to tell Seb face to face. "Come see us. I'll give you directions." She told him where the Order community was. "Or we could meet in the city," she said. "Could murder a gin and tonic right now."

"I can't come today," he said. "Somewhere I need to be. But I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I'll come out to you."

"Deal," she said. "Don't get into any more trouble between now and then."

"I'll do my best," he said. "I'll be on this number for another couple hours. Mee?"

"Yes?" there was another pause.

"Nothing. Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

As Mee finished the call, she saw Bob walking toward her, a questioning look on his face.

"It was Seb," she said, smiling broadly. "He's ok. He's going to meet us tomorrow."

"You told him where we were?"

"Yes," she said. Her forehead creased as she thought about it. "Oh."

"Yeah," said Bob. "These guys have Government connections at the highest level. We don't know if they're monitoring calls. I know that's a phone they don't know about, but did you use your name? Or mine, or Seb's?"

Mee's expression changed as she considered the implications. "Oh, no," she said. He'll be walking into a trap."

Diane walked over and joined them. Lo told her what had happened.

"We have an understanding with other Manna users," she said, "including the organization who we believe is pursuing Seb. We leave each other alone. If they know you are with us, they will keep their distance. If Seb makes it here, he will be safe."

"But if they know he's coming, they can watch the road and grab him before he gets anywhere near," said Bob.

"Exactly," said Diane. She held out her hand for Mee's phone. Mee got a notebook out of her battered backpack and made a note of the number Seb had called from. Then she handed the phone to Diane and watched as it crumbled into a fine black dust in front of her. She rolled her eyes and tutted.

"You could have just done that to the SIM card," she said. She pouted and glared, a combination that had turned many people into stammering wrecks. Diane just ignored her.

"I'll go into town," said Bob, "pick up another cheap cell. We can call Seb, warn him, fix up another meeting place."

"No. I'll go," said Lo. "They've been watching you. It's too risky."
 

Bob hesitated, then nodded, agreeing reluctantly. Lo ran behind one of the trailers, then reappeared on a motorcycle, her childish figure looking incongruous on such a big machine. She roared off with a quick wave to the others.

She was back within 20 minutes with a burner - a cell phone paid for with cash with $20 credit on it. Mee took it and dialed the number. A male voice answered.

"Seb?" said Meera.

"I'm sorry," said the voice, "you must have misdialed. There's no one of that name here." He hung up.

"Shit," said Meera. She double checked the number. Definitely the one Seb had called from. "What now?" she said, looking at the others.

"Only one thing we can do," said Bob. "We've got to assume they'll try to grab Seb before he gets here. We can't warn him. So we need to watch the watchers. Set up lookouts on the outskirts of the city - the most likely place for an ambush. That way, we have a good chance of spotting them move into position. Tomorrow, when they spring their trap, we'll jump them. You lot are pretty handy in a fight, right?"

Lo smiled. "We won't kill anyone, but there are kinder ways of incapacitating an enemy."

"Just don't be too kind," said Bob, thinking of Marcie lying in a pool of spreading blood. "They don't deserve it."

"We'll make plans this afternoon, then move into place at dawn tomorrow," said Diane. "We'll have Seb back to you by tomorrow night."

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Six miles away, Walt stood by his desk, looking at the phone, thinking. Finally he picked it up and dialed a number he knew by heart but rarely called.

"Yes?" came the whisper.

"It's Walter Ford. Someone else knows he's here. And he's leaving."

"Yes." The whisper was weak, breathy, but the words were always precise and considered. "I know. Where is he now?"

"Packing," said Walt. "I can't talk him out of it and I don't know where he's heading."

"It's of no concern to you now," whispered the voice. "We know where he's going. Ford?"

"Yes, sir?" said Walt.

"Change is imminent. I may be calling on your services. And the services of many others. Old allegiances will be broken. We are under attack and any action we take will need to be decisive. Be ready."

"Yes, sir," said Walt. The line went dead and he swallowed hard. When he turned, Seb was stood in the doorway.
How long had he been there? Did he hear anything?
Walt forced a smile onto his face. Seb was holding the same slim bag he had arrived with. When you could make your own clothes from a handful of dirt, it made sense to travel light.

"Can't persuade you to stay a few more days?" said Walt. "You're just beginning to get used to controlling Manna. It's not an easy time, even for someone with your gifts."

Seb shook his head. "Thanks, but no," he said. "I need to be on my own." He hadn't mentioned anything about Mee to Walt. He felt bad about not trusting someone who'd helped him out, but there it was. He was going with his gut on this one - particularly now that his gut had taken on the persona of Seb2 and backed him up.

"I can't protect you from whoever's after you if you leave," said Walt. "And they seemed pretty well connected. Who can authorize a train to make an unscheduled stop? Do you really want to take that risk?"

"I have to," said Seb. "Thanks, Walt, I appreciate what you've done. Goodbye."
 

He stuck out his hand and Walt shook it slowly. "Well, if you're sure," he said. "You have my number if you change your mind. Still don't want to tell me where you're heading?"

"It's not that I don't trust you," said Seb, lying. "I just don't know yet. I need some time to figure things out."

"Well, when you do, get back in touch," said Walt, walking with Seb to the door, where Steve was waiting to take Seb into town. "The Users I told you about, the ones who look out for each other, they're pretty much the most powerful group in the country. And they're not all as easy-going as me."

"What are you saying?" said Seb as he opened the door of the Lincoln.

"Just think carefully," said Walt. "As a User, you can't hide, and not all of those who notice you will have your best interests in mind."
 

Seb thought of the look on Sonia Svetlana's face as she unleashed a burst of potentially fatal energy toward him. "Yes," he said, "I get that."

"Look, Seb, there are those I work with have a far tougher attitude than me. They might think if you're not for us, you must be against us. I wouldn't want that to happen."

Seb got into the car, opening the window as he shut the door. "Is that a threat?"

"It isn't meant to be. No."

"Funny," said Seb, "'cause that's exactly what it sounded like. Look after yourself, Walt." The electric gates slid back and the Lincoln began the short trip to central Las Vegas. Steve dropped Seb outside the Bellagio. As soon as the car was out of sight, Seb hailed a cab to the station. Within the hour he was on his way back toward Albuquerque.

Walt had received another phone call and now he was drinking. Even though he knew he would have to counter the effects of the alcohol with Manna in a few hours, he wanted to delay having to deal with reality just a little longer. He poured a very generous glass of aged bourbon, then drained it in two long swallows. He stared at the phone on his desk. He had gone for years without hearing from Mason. And now this. He looked at his watch. Eleven hours until he was needed. His glass was empty. He filled it again.

The stealth helicopter approached Las Vegas from the East. It didn't fly directly over the Order's horseshoe of trailers, but got close enough to get some excellent images. The layout was straightforward, so the strategy was easy to formulate. Just one approach by road, a track from the Interstate coming in from the south-east, following the curve at the base of the rocky hill against which they'd placed their encampment. A much rougher track was accessible leading out from the trailers to the north, but it led nowhere. Not an easy place to defend from a basic pincer movement. The sort of place you'd only choose if you expected never to be attacked.

Westlake closed the laptop and smiled grimly, remembering Mason's words an hour previously. "They won't be expecting us until tomorrow," he said. "They will be unprepared, but the element of surprise will be short-lived. You're about to break a truce that's lasted hundreds of years. So make sure it's done right. Fast and clean. No mistakes, no evidence pointing back to us. And no survivors."

Westlake closed his eyes and visualized the upcoming operation. He would brief his men an hour before starting. They were the best, he expected a perfect outcome. The only loose ends were the Manna guys. They'd need to stop the targets using their power, but he doubted he would even need them. This was what he was good at and there were few who could touch him. Mason would have what he wanted by 1am.

Chapter 36

The atmosphere in the dining trailer was just as it had been when Bob and Meera had first arrived. A serene silence pervaded the place, despite the fact that they had spent most of the day planning an ambush for the following day.

Mee was making her way through another enormous stack of pancakes drenched in syrup. Ever since Muriel, who prepared much of the food, had told her that all the food she 'made' contained a perfect balance of nutrients, protein and carbohydrate, despite tasting like a dietician's nightmare, Mee had delightedly taken her at her word and stuffed her face with chocolate, ice cream, cookies and pie. Impossible to feel guilty when your body's telling you it just absorbed five fruits and vegetables, a handful of nuts and some brown rice. As religious communities went, this one had some perks.