“You kind of get used to it,” he said.
“Which makes it all the weirder, believe me.”
They’d traveled twenty yards or more. Finn held his fingers to his lips and signaled her that they were looking at the back side of the gift shop.
He moved close to her and spoke incredibly softly. “I’m going to try to get through that back wall. If anyone shows up, or if I come running out of there, I may need you to do that wind thing of yours: to stop someone chasing me.”
“No problem.”
“You can do it just like that?”
“Same as with Greg,” she said.
“And is there anything else you can do? Any other powers you’re keeping from me that might be helpful?”
“I guess we’ll find out,” she said.
“What kind of answer is that?”
“The only one you’re going to get.”
* * *
Philby and Maybeck had sneaked along the west side of Epcot, past Test Track and Mexico to a place where they had a clean view of Norway’s central building with its many sharply pointed roofs and barnlike wood construction.
“Inside,” Philby said, “there’s a Norwegian village—”
“And Maelstrom,” Maybeck reminded him.
“Exactly.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Maybeck asked.
“The Segways.”
“What Segways?”
“The trouble with you is you don’t pay attention. Two Segways passed in front of Germany about five minutes ago, heading counterclockwise.”
“Toward us.”
“Correct,” Philby said.
“Those scooter things.”
“Correct.”
“So we hang.”
“Until they pass. Yes. Then we’ll stay close to the edge there, make our way into Norway and head straight for Maelstrom. That is, unless you have a better idea?”
“No need to be like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like the way you’re being.”
“There’s every need,” Philby said. “You challenge everything I say, Maybeck.”
“You’re a nerd. That’s what I’m supposed to do.”
“Says who? Like there’s a handbook or something?”
“Listen: you’re the nerd and I’m the dude. What can I say?”
“I thought you’re the one who doesn’t like stereotyping.”
“That’s true.”
“So?”
“So I could cut you some slack some of the time.”
“Like now, for instance.”
“Okay, I get it. What you don’t understand, is how annoying it is to hang with a know-it-all.”
“Then don’t hang with me.”
“I don’t mean it that way: you’re okay. It’s just…annoying that you know so much.”
“Pardon me for living.”
“You wouldn’t understand because you don’t have to be around it.”
“I happen to like to know stuff.”
“I’m not knocking that.”
“Of course you are.”
“You make the rest of us look dumb…feel dumb.”
“No way.”
“I’m telling you,” Maybeck said.
“I don’t mean to do that,” Philby said. “I get excited about knowing stuff. Maybe I take it too far.”
“Maybe?” Maybeck snapped sarcastically.
“Message received,” Philby said. “But you’re no prince, either.”
“Don’t tell the ladies that.”
“Ssh!” Philby spotted a pair of slender shadows on the path and at the same time heard a whining hum of an electric motor. The Segways! He stretched out an arm, driving Maybeck into shadow with him. Both boys wore black—all that showed of their DHIs was a thin glow along their shoulders and legs. It looked like nothing more than the light that wavers from a lighted swimming pool at night; you would have to stare long and hard to make any sense of what you were seeing.
Maybeck gasped aloud as the Segways passed and he saw not people but crash-test dummies riding the scooters.
Philby went rigid and stayed absolutely still as the nearest Segway came to a gradual stop. The Segway spun in their direction and the dummy was looking right at them. He spoke in an eerily electronic, monotone, computer-generated voice like from a bad science fiction movie.
“Rover Two reporting audible anomaly, detected four degrees south by south-southwest from current position.”
The second rover slowed, turned and returned to join the other. “Source of anomaly?” He had the exact same voice.
“Unknown. Presumed human.”
“No visual. Do you copy?”
“Copy.”
“Errant signal. Will file at conclusion of patrol.”