“The reality streams are beginning to splinter,” Rudy says. “You haven’t noticed the effect yet, and may not for some time if you are indeed within the origin. But in some of the later streams, the more recently created, we’ve seen fragmenting. Realities crossing or becoming skewed.”
“None of it is catastrophic,” Mario says. “We are able to contain it with some judiciously placed corrections. But it’s there all the same and it’s a constant battle to stay ahead of it.”
Finn looks up at Rudy. “What happens if that continues?”
Rudy makes a face. “If it goes unchecked, chaos. Widespread and potentially uncontained chaos.”
“Here’s my theory,” Mario says. “A Traveler—a very well-seasoned Traveler—has seen some of this splintering and reported it to their Dreamer, who would, of course, know the prophecy. Someone may be taking it upon themselves to make their job a little easier.”
Finn’s jaw drops. “You think there’s a Dreamer behind this? They’re trying to simplify by cutting out all the other reality streams?”
“But who?” Rudy asks. “I’ve been very thorough in my research regarding this rogue Traveler. My investigations haven’t turned up anything.”
“Yet,” Mario qualifies. “If there’s a Traveler, there has to be a Dreamer, which means someone is pulling the strings.”
“Or it means someone has cut the strings and is working without a tether,” Rudy says pointedly. “Either scenario is a disaster in the making.”
“So what happens if there’s a convergence?” I interrupt.
Mario gestures to the whiteboard, where thousands of intersecting lines begin to splinter, then morph together, condensing into one solid line. “If the convergence is allowed to occur, we reset. New reality streams would begin from the origin as before, but in a smaller and much more easily controlled fashion.”
“But millions of people—”
“Billions,” Mario interrupts me. “Billions upon billions. All gone. Vanished in an instant, as though they never existed at all.”
I turn to look at Finn, and his eyes carry the same sick knowledge as mine. He will not survive this. He will be one of the billions, because he doesn’t belong in my reality.
“They’re all at risk,” Mario says, as if reading my thoughts. “And you are the one who can save them all.”
33
Together
I shake my head frantically. “You’ve got to be wrong. I’m not a savior. I can barely travel. I don’t know the first thing about stopping a convergence!”
“We’re in luck,” Mario says. “Because whoever is behind this, I don’t believe they yet know the first thing about starting the convergence.”
“So it has to be triggered?” Finn asks.
“Oh, yes,” Rudy says. “It won’t occur spontaneously. There are certain tools that must be used, but without knowing the origin reality, they couldn’t be easily found.”
“I’ll keep that from general knowledge,” Mario says. “And don’t discuss that anywhere that you can be overheard,” he cautions the both of us. “Until we know who this Traveler is, we can’t risk that information getting to them.”
“Aren’t they risking destroying themselves?” I ask. “If they’re not from my reality? Why would they do that without knowing for sure?”
“Martyrs have existed since time began,” Rudy reminds me. “Someone willing to perish for a cause they believe to be right can be virtually unstoppable.”
“Rudy’s right,” Mario agrees. “Until the Traveler or their Dreamer slips up, we’ll be one step behind, and they’ll be closing in. You need to get off the radar.”
“You mean travel,” Finn clarifies.
“Yes,” Mario says. “We need to throw them off your trail.”
“What do you suggest?” I ask.
“Let me think on it,” Mario says. “We’ll do the transfer on Sunday, and I’ll debrief you tomorrow, after I’ve had a chance to do some more research.”
“I should look into options as well,” Rudy offers. “Perhaps if we send the two of them to a reality that Jessa has never existed in, the Traveler won’t think to look there.”
Mario nods. “That’s a good idea—not much chance of discovery when the Traveler won’t know where to begin looking.”
“I guess we’ll just sit tight,” I say, not really liking the sound of that.
“We won’t leave Jessa’s house,” Finn agrees.
“If we’re finished here…” Rudy gets to his feet. “I have work to do. We’ll meet again this evening.” With a nod to Mario, he steps through the red door and shuts it behind him.
Mario follows him, opening the door for us. “Go on,” he says.
We start to step through, but Mario holds us back. “Wait,” he says. “Before you go … I’ve just had a thought. I know exactly where to send the two of you.”
“Someplace where Jessa doesn’t exist?” Finn asks.
“No—she most definitely exists there. You don’t, however.”
I’m confused. “I thought we were deciding for the other way around?”
“We were, but … I’m working on a hunch. Trust me.” He holds my eyes a moment. “You need to look for a girl wearing a black Ramones T-shirt.”
“You’re not going to walk me through a preview?” I ask.