The Elders (Mind Dimensions #4)(68)

*





We arrive at the Temple entrance, and Eugene looks in horror at the chaos surrounding us.

“It’s a sacrilege,” he whispers.

Even though it’s not my first, or even second time taking in this picture, I’m just as disturbed as he is.

“Whoever did this, I hope I get to make them pay,” I say.

“Do you have a plan now?” Eugene asks. “Because my brain capitulated.”

I turn toward him. “Is that a wind-up watch you’re wearing?”

“Yes,” he replies. “I use it to make crude time measurements in the Mind Dimension. For more accurate measurements, I have this much better time-keeping device that—”

“Dude.” I hold up my hand. “I know we’re stuck in this moment and Mira won’t get killed any faster if you keep talking, but I still think we should get a move on and not get sidetracked by your science, or anything else for that matter.”

“I’m sorry.” He looks somber. “You’re absolutely right.”

“Let’s take the machine to Mira’s room,” I say, feeling a twinge of guilt for chastising him. “You can start assembling it there.”

I walk briskly toward the guesthouse, with Eugene following.

Midway to our destination, I pillage a couple of wind-up watches from the frozen cops, ignoring Eugene’s confused stare.

As we make our way into the building and nearly break our backs dragging the cart up the stairs, I keep silent (aside from grunts) as I mentally go over my plan.

We’re about to enter Mira’s room, so I tell Eugene, “It’ll be painful for you to see this. Brace yourself.”

I take my advice and brace myself as well.

Once inside, Eugene’s face fills with horror, which might well match my own expression.

“I’ll give you some time with her.” I can’t help looking at Thomas, who’s looming over Mira. Predictably, my heartbeat speeds up. “I’ll go pull in my grandmother.”

I run all the way to where a horrified Rose is standing. Her frozen gaze is on Paul. Richard is looming over him.

I gently touch her forehead.

“Darren,” the animated version of Rose exclaims. “Please tell me you have a plan that can save him.”

I nod. “I do have something. Please follow me.”

We make our way back to the guesthouse.

“Eugene, this is my grandmother,” I say when we enter. “The one responsible for the kidnapping.”

Eugene barely looks at her, his gaze glued to his sister. Rose’s eyes follow his stare, and she says softly, “I didn’t want this.”

Her small, wrinkled face looks so remorseful that I believe her.

“Your words are not going to help my sister.” Eugene turns to her. His normally kind face takes on a cold, almost savage expression.

“Let’s get Caleb.” I put my hand on Eugene’s shoulder to comfort him. “You can give her a piece of your mind later, if she’s alive to hear it.”

With that, I lead the group to the front of the Temple.

“We’ll stand off to the side,” I say, grabbing a shotgun from a fallen officer and giving it to Eugene before getting myself a handgun. “Needless to say, if he hurts us, this plan is out the window.”

“He’ll do as he’s told,” Rose says. “However, you’re free to aim those guns in our direction if you’re worried.”

“Like we need your permission for that,” Eugene says under his breath.

I take the officers’ watches from my pocket and hand them to Rose. “Take one for yourself and give one to Caleb. I don’t plan on getting close enough to Caleb to give him this myself.”

She takes the watches and walks over to where Caleb is still stuck in his embrace with Eleanor. She carefully locates a piece of flesh that is definitely Caleb’s and touches it.

A moment later, an animated version of the big guy shows up. His momentary confusion is quickly replaced by that pouncing readiness only Caleb is capable of.

I take the safety off my gun, and Eugene racks his shotgun.

“You are not to harm these boys,” Rose says to Caleb as a greeting. She then proceeds to explain to him the situation with Paul and what she saw happening to Mira.

“Darren has a plan that could save us all,” she says in conclusion.

“Not everyone,” I say, thinking of the Super Pusher. “But Paul and Mira for sure, and many of the monks too.”

“What’s the plan, kid?” Caleb asks.

“For you and Rose, it’s simple—”

“I can’t hear you,” Caleb says. “Can you get closer?”

I sigh and walk toward him. Eugene follows. I stop a few feet away and say, “As I was saying, your part is to—”

In a whirl, Caleb closes the distance between us. I’m too stunned to fire my gun, and in the next moment, Eugene’s shotgun is in Caleb’s hands, pointed at us.

“Caleb, I gave you an order,” Rose says, glaring at him.

“You said not to harm them, and I haven’t, yet,” Caleb says, keeping his eyes on us. “Now, kid, throw your gun away.”

I throw the gun behind me, though for a moment, I was tempted to throw it at his head.