"Where in Scotland?” I ask, since I have no other option.
“In a place called the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, one of my designs," he says. "I used to live in a house there, and wanted to use it as a portal to Wonderland."
"Did it ever work?"
"It did.” He shrugs. “But...”
“What?”
“It’s some kind of weird version of Wonderland.”
“What do you mean by weird?”
“I can’t really explain it.” He seems to be hiding something. “I mean it somehow only showed certain dark memories of Wonderland. It’s really hard to explain. It messed with my head.”
“Will I find the Snail Mound through these portals?”
“I assume so."
It’s not the greatest answer, but I’m taking what I can get. ”Is that why you fear the place?” I ask. "Because of some bad memories of Wonderland?”
“Yes. And I wonder why you're being sent there," he says. “I designed endless gardens all around the world, in hopes to cross over to Wonderland. Only this one worked. But it doesn’t really work—I know I’m contradicting myself, but I can’t explain it any other way. Let’s say it’s a portal of one of many versions of a possible Wonderland, like a parallel reality. And it messed with my head."
I refrain from saying anything for a moment. Somewhere in the deep end of my mind, I remember having read about parallel worlds, and how scientists assumed there were a million other version of our realities, where we are slightly different people than who we are now.
I think this is the kind of Wonderland the March Hare found. Which I don’t really mind, as long as it will lead me to the rabbit—I have faced madder things than a parallel world.
But why did this version of Wonderland scare him so much? And why was I supposed to go there to find the rabbit?
"Tell me, professor,” I say. “Why was it so important for you to go back? Why can’t you just accept your role in this world as a brilliant landscaper?”
“You don’t understand.” His bulgy eyes are getting moist. “I miss Wonderland. I am like a child who became a scientist, only to learn that all he really wanted was to never grow up in the first place. I wanted to stay in Wonderland. I wanted to find Alice again.”
I don't know why, but it hurts thinking I am not Alice.
“Whoever led you to me, and will lead you to the garden, may not be interested in bombing anyone with this rabbit.” He isn’t the first to tell me this. It’s the Pillar’s theory. "I don't know what his motives may be, but it seems a sinister one to me, because this place you’re going will show you bad things."
“I understand.” I stand up. “Thank you.” I say the words, but can’t leave. I feel sympathy for him. Why is he locked in here, really? Is it this Black Chess organization? Are they really trying to find the secrets in his head? If so, who needs those secrets?
Reluctantly, I pace around the table and approach him personally, worried he might freak. But he doesn’t. I wrap my arms around him, and can feel the warmth and happiness in his body. “Thank you again.” When I raise my head, I see tears in his eyes. Professor Jittery, with all his madness and light bulbs, is the second Wonderlander I’ve met and actually liked—after Fabiola. He isn’t a Wonderland Monster, like the Cheshire. He isn’t mysterious with an agenda, like the Pillar.
Professor Jittery is practically a grown-up kiddo hiding behind the fur of a March Hare. All he wants is to go back to Wonderland and leave this mad world behind.
I wave to him one last time and turn to walk out. I press the red bottom to call the guard.
“One last thing,” Professor Jittery says. I turn around. “The place in the garden you should be warned of.”
“What about it?”
“I can only tell you one thing about it."
“Please tell, Professor Jittery.”
“Every time I entered it, it led me to an even scarier place where bad things happened in the past. Stay away from that location, whatever the temptations are.”
“Does this place inside the place have a name?”
“They used to call it the circus.”
Chapter 33
The White House, Washington, DC
The man in the room, one of the American president's closest confidants, pulled open the envelope.
He had an idea about what he would find inside, but he needed to make sure.
As he read the invitation, a wide grin slowly formed on his face. Finally, the Queen of England had taken the initiative and called for the Event.
He flipped the envelope over and saw the list of the names invited. He was impressed.
God, if all of those people got together, there would be no stopping the likes of him and the Queen.
He tucked the envelope in, knowing he couldn't make it to London in time. But that was okay. He'd send one of his men, currently in England, to attend the Event on his behalf.
It was about time Black Chess revealed itself to the world.
Chapter 34
Glasgow International Airport
Time remaining: 14 hours, 13 minutes