Box Set - Chapter Seventeen

Three words reverberate through my brain as we continue through the park.

The Great Beyond.

How valid is the argument? Is it actually conceivable that Penny might have continued on and skipped this whole bit of the afterlife. This could be an in-between place. But what does that mean? Do I have to prove myself?

‘I suppose you looked for that girlfriend of yours if you tracked down your friends so quickly,’ Teague suggests.

‘Stop playing with me, Teague,’ I say. ‘Are you in my head?’

‘No, just exceptionally clever,’ he replies.

‘No one likes a show off.’

I close my eyes again. Elle and Yates look like they’re moving away, the dots growing fainter in the distance. I quicken my pace.

‘What’s your proof for this Great Beyond theory?’

‘It’s all in The Alchemist,’ he says. ‘Look, Easton. You’re smart, and your friend clearly have some understanding in Ghost Physics…’

‘I thought ghosts were from fairy stories?’

He ignores me. ‘You could work for me. Do you think I’m a religious nut? I’m not blindly going forward looking for this beyond. I’m looking for tangible proof of the afterlife. If I find it, I’ll be rich…’

‘That’s your problem,’ I reply. ‘You’re not in science for the discovery, you’re looking for money. Einstein or Edison or Newton. Cavendish, any of those scientists, none of them were interested in the money.’

‘Oh and you knew them personally did you?’ He laughs. ‘You children, you hero worship people and think they’re saints because you’re told to. I don’t idealise anyone, we’re all human. We’re all capable of blowing up a house to save our own skin.’

I feel the bubble of anger rising in my throat. ‘You see that’s where your wrong.’ I point an accusing finger at his oversized nose. ‘I might not have known anyone I idolize but I know myself and I would never stoop so low. Actually, I’d never be stupid enough to put myself in danger in the first place. What you’re doing is playing at being God for money.’

‘I have that right,’ he says under his breath. ‘I was born and I developed an intellect that far surpasses the majority. It’s people like me who keep the world turning.’

‘Oh…shut up, Teague,’ I say.‘Sooner I get you to leave me alone the better. After that you can go blow yourself up all you want.’

I still want to know about the Great Beyond, but I can ask Yates when I find him. I won’t give Teague the satisfaction. I won’t let him play the genius lecturer to humble student. Age doesn’t matter in the afterlife. You stay the age you want forever. I could have 400 years of experience under my belt just like Benjamin. One day I will.

We reach the lake in the middle of the park after another ten minutes or so. It’s a picturesque scene. The sparkling water, the children paddling in the shadows. Over to our right, I can see people having a boat race with a thousand little sailing boats, each sail a different colour.

I can see why Benjamin chooses to sit here. You could people watch forever. The worst thing is, I know Teague is standing next to me doing what? Ignoring them? Viewing such puny mortals with distain? I look at him and see him examining his fingernails that could do with more than an examining. Penny, with her fingernails a different colour and design every day would have fainted at the sight of his grotty claws.

I close my eyes again. I search for Elle and Yates but this time, I find nothing. Their bright beacons have faded to nothing. I almost fall to the floor in despair. I’ll be trapped with this malevolent mad scientist forever. My every thought would be met with a sarcastic response. There are worse existences but this definitely isn’t the one I’d have chosen.

‘I think they’ve…’ I start but out of the air behind Yates, three people spring into being.

Elle and Yates appear either side of Yates and grab his arms. Elle twists his right one into a complicated looking hold that I was sure only policemen and spies knew.

‘You’re nicked mate,’ she hisses. ‘Always wanted to say that.’ She winks at me. ‘Dad’s a copper.’

Graham takes his place next to me, his own remote control tight in his grip.

A few faces around us survey the scene. They must be ghosts. Some people get up, I know what it must look like. Three people appear out of thin air and take a man hostage, nothing good.

‘It’s alright,’ I say quickly as the shouting begins. ‘I have him under control. We need to go, now.’

‘Aye aye, captain,’ Yates says, smiling.

‘We’re a crime fighting team, not pirates, Yates,’Elle says.

The shouts grow closer, one particular person looks twice the size of me.

‘Help!’ cries Teague, a manic glint in his swampy eyes. ‘Kidnap.’

‘Trevi Fountain!’ I say, grabbing Graham by the wrist.

I see Elle close her eyes and the three of them disappear. I close my own and I’m sure I feel the brush of fingers on the edge of my hood.

I’m so used to the Edge now, I actually let out a sigh of relief as we enter the darkness.

It doesn’t take long and Rome greets me like an old friend as we enter the cool evening.

The Trevi Fountain at night is a sight to behold. The pale blue water shines orange by the light of the extravagant street lights. Couples pose by the edge, watching a handful of long stemmed roses coloured red and pink. The bustle is in keeping with the evening. The quiet hum of happy holiday goers and old couples out for an evening stroll with their skin stained a warm tan.

We make a ragtag group at the top of the steps, once more beside the Hotel Fontana.

Graham whistles. ‘Some fountain,’ he remarks.

‘Thinking of writing a travel guide?’ asks Elle. ‘With such detailed observations.’

Graham flounders. ‘I was just saying, I mean as fountains go…’

‘Did I say that both you and your friend would be worthy partners?’ asks Teague in a bored drawl. ‘I think I was mistaken.’

‘Hey,’ Elle says, clipping the man round the ear. ‘I’m allowed to pisstake, you are not. My explodey-pants.’

I raise my eyebrows.

‘I’m distressed,’ she replies.‘I’m not running on all cylinders.’ She looks at me. ‘What’s going on?’

I quickly explain my adventure to her. I go through the eerie levitation on the hill, the chase through my memories and then our trip to New York. I leave out the moment in Isobel’s living room and Teague smirks at the opportune moment. We shared that moment and that’s the way it will stay. I can’t help but be unnerved that only he knows one of my weaknesses. Elle continues to clip him round the ear at the right moments though so my worry is abated for a second.

‘Basically, when I touched the handprint I connected myself with him,’ I say. ‘We have to find a way to end the connection. If we don’t, he’ll die and I don’t want to know what will happen to me.’

I’d been skirting the issue. Did the connection bode ill for me too? Teague had said our connection was unnatural. I didn’t want to be connected to him in the event that he did die.

‘I’ll take this,’ Yates says. He slides the bag off of Teague’s big shoulders.

‘Be careful,’ warns Teague like Yates holds a new-born child in his hands.

‘You don’t get to lecture people on careful,’ Yates replies. ‘Thief.’

‘Scientist,’ Teague snaps. ‘Pioneer! You people should be happy I’m doing the work I am.’

‘You can shush,’ I point at him again. ‘Will you keep him out here?’ I ask Elle and Yates. ‘I doubt Graham can touch him and I want to check out his lab before we let him go inside.’

Elle nods. ‘Be quick,’ she says. ‘He smells.’

I laugh and me and Graham enter the lobby of the hotel. ‘Look confident,’ I say to him, realising that the receptionist can see him. ‘You own the place.’

Graham adopts the sort of bop that really doesn’t befit him and I snort. ‘Confident not 90s rapper.’

He eases on the bop a little but the tactic works. The receptionist continues to be interested in whatever he was doing.

We start up the stairs. ‘I thought you guys would go to Central Park,’I say. ‘Did you find Benjamin?’

‘Not a trace,’ replies Graham. ‘You lot do have some fun,’ he says.‘Dying doesn’t seem so scary.’

‘Yeah well enjoy life while you can,’ I say. ‘Being dead’s fun but you can’t do anything else. I wanted to do a lot of stuff with my life.’

‘Yeah, but you’re free to go wherever you want!’ Graham says. ‘That must be cool.’ He smiles but he rubs his temple.

‘Are you going to tell me what that is?’ I ask. He’s been doing it since we found him and I’ve noticed every time.

‘Just a headache,’ he smiles. ‘It’ll go away.’

‘Tell me if it carries on,’ I say. ‘I’m honest, Graham.’ I look at him with my eyebrows raised. ‘Us dragging you through the Edge can’t be good for you.’

‘I’m fine.’ He waves his hand. ‘As far as I can tell, I’m demolecularised and we reform on the other side. It must just be more difficult for solid matter. No big deal.’

I know I’m not going to be able to argue with Graham. If you ask me, being broken down to a molecular level and then pieced back together again across thousands of miles is a fairly big deal.

It doesn’t take long to find the hotel room Teague was using. I close my eyes and find the trail he left. It’s faded considerably, now an hours old stain on the air around me, but I still find it. It leads to a room right at the top of the building.

The stairs creak under our footsteps as we clear the last few steps and we approach the door.

‘Ok,’ I say. ‘I’ll go in and open the door after me.’

I take a deep breath and plunge into the dark brown surface of the wood.

I barely recognize the pinch and I emerge on the other side.

The room has been cannibalized. The bed stands on its end against the wall leaving a large space in the middle. Somehow he’s got a table up here and on it sits a laptop and a circle of electrical components.

I wait a second, for the inevitable booby-trap of for the ceiling to cave in, or something equally as inexplicable, but nothing happens. Clearly Teague never expected anyone but himself to make it to his lab.

I turn and unlock the door behind me.

Graham walks through the door and whistles. ‘What’s he got cooking in here?’

He walks over to the laptop and starts examining what’s on the screen.

I cross to the window and I’m greeted with a beautiful view of the fountain. I see Elle, Yates and Teague still by the front doors. This is too perfect, too easy. He wouldn’t just let us walk in.

‘Easton,’ Graham mumbles, with the tone of someone who’s trying to keep sick down.

I turn and instantly run to the table. Graham has collapsed, dragging the laptop with him. He’s gone deathly pale and he holds his head with both hands.

‘What’s wrong?’ I ask. ‘Graham, talk to me.’

He doesn’t reply. His eyes close tight and he groans like an animal.

I feel the sweat on my brow. I don’t want to do it, but I know there’s only one person who’ll know what to do.

‘I’ll be right back, Graham, I promise.’

I close my eyes and step downstairs without sensing the Edge for even a second. I simply step through the air before me and am greeted by the cool evening around the fountain.

I grab Teague by the wrist.

‘Upstairs, now,’ I say, and hope that Elle and Yates follow. ‘If we’re going to help you, you need to save my friend.’

We reappear in Teague’s lab and I rush to Graham’s side.

‘Help him,’ I command. ‘Now.’

Teague surveys Graham with what appears to be a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

‘I hope you haven’t touched anything,’ he deadpans.

‘How is that important?’ I snap.

Elle and Yates materialise through the door.

‘Oh my god,’ Elle says. ‘What’s happened?’

Yates crosses to Graham quickly and sits beside him. ‘It looks like he’s having a panic attack,’ he says, rubbing the other boy’s back. He starts to move erratically, flailing his arms and legs and Yates holds his arms to his sides, whispering things into his ear that are too quiet for me to make out.

‘Well he would,’ Teague says, examining a cuticle. ‘His atoms are losing their structure.’

I stand up, cross the room and seize the front of his jacket.

‘Do something about it then,’ I say.

‘I don’t know what you expect me to do,’ he says sounding tired.

‘Anything to stop him dying.’

Elle has sat down with the other two. ‘Stop being a pain, Teague. Be a man, a human being.’ She sounds as tired as him.

Teague lifts his laptop off of the floor, but only after I release him. He taps a few keys and stays silent for a moment. The pause is agonising. Every second feels like a second closer to my friend dying on the floor. Or worse. What happened if your atoms just fell apart? Do you even die? What if he stays alive, invisible forever, just atoms on the wind?

‘Would that be so bad?’ mutters Teague.

‘Get out of my head!’ I yell at him.

He looks up, shocked that I heard.

‘The boy’s remote,’ he says.

We all look at him.

‘Don’t just stand there,’ he says. ‘You trashed mine so I’ll have to work with the primitive implement your friend cobbled together.’

Elle reaches into Graham’s pocket and pulls out the device he created. She passes it to the moleskin man.

‘I don’t know if this will work,’he says. ‘But there’s nothing else I can do.’

‘What are you doing?’ I ask. ‘Is it dangerous.’

‘If I do this, you let me go,’he says. ‘We work to find a way to end this connection, immediately.’

‘Yes, whatever, just help him.’

‘We’re going to have to kill your friend to save his life.’