was about as useful as a fart in a blizzard,” I replied sourly.
He shoved the Oculus in the backpack and an uncomfortable look came over him. It was like he had suddenly been stricken with a bad case of gas. He stood up and threw the pack over his shoulder. “As the current Cartographer these objects were meant to be passed to you, but Grillick and I agreed it would be best if I held onto these just a little while longer.”
“Oh?” I responded with a hint of irritation. “Why's that?”
Sam tossed me an anger-deflecting smile. “Don't worry, it's nothing negative. Circumstances created unforeseeable changes. Stuff happens. In the meantime, I will continue working the time holes, stabilizing them as best as I can. Don't worry though: I will make sure all of the journals are updated so when your time comes, you will have all the information needed.”
“Why does it suspiciously sound like you have just been nominated as the new Cartographer?” I asked.
Sam hesitated and his eyes drifted to the floor. “Because it's true.”
My eyes widened with surprise. “So where does that leave me?”
Sam's eyes drifted slowly from the floor and a dry smile crossed his lips. “Your role is much bigger than you think.”
Sam's eyes twinkled and he tugged at one of his earrings. Suddenly, I realized the meaning behind his mysterious statement. “You have seen my future,” I gasped.
Sam frowned. “I can't discuss it so I will neither confirm nor deny your statement.”
Frustration settled in and I was ready to explode on Sam before I realized the truth in his words. He couldn't risk me changing my decisions based on the information. The time line had been getting screwed with enough lately. It didn't need my help in making it worse. I decided to drop the subject. Sam wasn't going to tell and I wasn't completely convinced I wanted to know.
“So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Am I like the equivalent of the school janitor now?” I asked with a hint of irritation.
Before Sam could reply, a knock came from the door. Sergeant Cantrell popped his head in the door with a sour look on his face. “Grillick wants to see you, Nathan.”
“For what?” I asked.
Cantrell's face soured more, if that was even possible. “Do I look like a messenger boy?”
“Yeah, you kinda do since you came down here to deliver a message,” Sam quipped.
Cantrell's face turned a bright red and for a brief moment, I thought he would burst into the room and throttle Sam. He managed to maintain his cool, however, and the scarlet flush faded. “The meeting is in the lab,” he growled and slammed the door.
“It seems the always pleasant Cantrell demands your presence in the laboratory,” Sam chuckled. “I suppose we can pick up where we left off another time.”
I stood up and approached the door. My hand was on the handle when Sam called out.
“Nathan, wait a minute.”
When I turned, Sam stood and placed his palms on the table. “Going forward, no matter what happens, always follow your heart.”
I walked out the door and hesitated before heading to the lab. The door closed behind me and I realized Sam was attempting to convey a message about my future without actually telling me.
Follow your heart .
Reunion
When the announcement came over the loudspeaker I rushed to the observation room. In the distance, the Stellar Horizon approached us carefully, preparing to dock. I recognized the angular design of the vessel and realized the ship had been one of the Defense Fleet vessels that Embeth confiscated during his defection. I felt a little safer knowing I would be travelling inside a fully armed battleship.
I accompanied Grillick to Docking Bay 7. Grillick insisted on greeting his guests personally. “My projects have been backing up on me,” he explained on the way. “However, I always strive to greet one of the Timeless. To do otherwise would be considered rude, especially when it comes to Vigil. He is the
He shoved the Oculus in the backpack and an uncomfortable look came over him. It was like he had suddenly been stricken with a bad case of gas. He stood up and threw the pack over his shoulder. “As the current Cartographer these objects were meant to be passed to you, but Grillick and I agreed it would be best if I held onto these just a little while longer.”
“Oh?” I responded with a hint of irritation. “Why's that?”
Sam tossed me an anger-deflecting smile. “Don't worry, it's nothing negative. Circumstances created unforeseeable changes. Stuff happens. In the meantime, I will continue working the time holes, stabilizing them as best as I can. Don't worry though: I will make sure all of the journals are updated so when your time comes, you will have all the information needed.”
“Why does it suspiciously sound like you have just been nominated as the new Cartographer?” I asked.
Sam hesitated and his eyes drifted to the floor. “Because it's true.”
My eyes widened with surprise. “So where does that leave me?”
Sam's eyes drifted slowly from the floor and a dry smile crossed his lips. “Your role is much bigger than you think.”
Sam's eyes twinkled and he tugged at one of his earrings. Suddenly, I realized the meaning behind his mysterious statement. “You have seen my future,” I gasped.
Sam frowned. “I can't discuss it so I will neither confirm nor deny your statement.”
Frustration settled in and I was ready to explode on Sam before I realized the truth in his words. He couldn't risk me changing my decisions based on the information. The time line had been getting screwed with enough lately. It didn't need my help in making it worse. I decided to drop the subject. Sam wasn't going to tell and I wasn't completely convinced I wanted to know.
“So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Am I like the equivalent of the school janitor now?” I asked with a hint of irritation.
Before Sam could reply, a knock came from the door. Sergeant Cantrell popped his head in the door with a sour look on his face. “Grillick wants to see you, Nathan.”
“For what?” I asked.
Cantrell's face soured more, if that was even possible. “Do I look like a messenger boy?”
“Yeah, you kinda do since you came down here to deliver a message,” Sam quipped.
Cantrell's face turned a bright red and for a brief moment, I thought he would burst into the room and throttle Sam. He managed to maintain his cool, however, and the scarlet flush faded. “The meeting is in the lab,” he growled and slammed the door.
“It seems the always pleasant Cantrell demands your presence in the laboratory,” Sam chuckled. “I suppose we can pick up where we left off another time.”
I stood up and approached the door. My hand was on the handle when Sam called out.
“Nathan, wait a minute.”
When I turned, Sam stood and placed his palms on the table. “Going forward, no matter what happens, always follow your heart.”
I walked out the door and hesitated before heading to the lab. The door closed behind me and I realized Sam was attempting to convey a message about my future without actually telling me.
Follow your heart .
Reunion
When the announcement came over the loudspeaker I rushed to the observation room. In the distance, the Stellar Horizon approached us carefully, preparing to dock. I recognized the angular design of the vessel and realized the ship had been one of the Defense Fleet vessels that Embeth confiscated during his defection. I felt a little safer knowing I would be travelling inside a fully armed battleship.
I accompanied Grillick to Docking Bay 7. Grillick insisted on greeting his guests personally. “My projects have been backing up on me,” he explained on the way. “However, I always strive to greet one of the Timeless. To do otherwise would be considered rude, especially when it comes to Vigil. He is the
Similar Books
My October
Claire Holden Rothman
This Battle Lord's Quest
Linda Mooney
The Arctic Code
Matthew J. Kirby
Little Girl Lost
Tristan J. Tarwater
Dead Room Farce
Simon Brett
Up in Smoke
Alice Brown
Pilgrim’s Rest
Patricia Wentworth
The Berlin Conspiracy
Tom Gabbay
The Boy Who Plaited Manes
Nancy Springer
