Kingdom Keepers III(84)

Philby’s plan was for him to go up into the control booth and start the ride while Finn took a seat in the lead car.

“There has to be at least one seat belt fastened for a car to move,” Philby explained. “Since the second car won’t have any seat belts fastened, it won’t start up. The others can’t go either, but even if they could, the computer will hold them back. It’ll mean ours is the only car out there, and I trust that a lot more than some car coming up from behind us and hitting us, or forcing us to go faster or something.”

“But that also means I’ll be strapped in,” Finn said, “and you won’t.”

“That’s correct. If I hurry, I can jump into the car in time. The seat belt may not work at that point—I don’t know.”

These were three words one never heard from Philby’s mouth. Finn savored hearing them and almost made a point of it, but decided to keep his celebration to himself.

“If we see something…” Philby continued, “if for any reason it’s needed…if I’m not strapped in I can get out of the car and meet you back at the start of the ride.”

“We shouldn’t separate. That’s one of the rules.”

“Rules are made to be broken, Finn. You know that. This is one of those times.”

“Couldn’t we just skip the cars and walk the test track?”

“The cars trigger the scene events. If Wayne left us a clue, if he wants us to see something, it’ll be somewhere along the ride. We want—no, it’s more than that—we need the scene events and the effects engaged.”

“I still don’t love the idea of me being strapped in and you not being.”

“I’ll hold on tight, believe me, Mother. But it’s the only way to start the ride. It’s this, or we bail right now.”

“Okay.” Finn didn’t feel right about doing it this way—they’d instituted the buddy rule after losing Maybeck, and so far the rule had kept them safe. But Philby had convinced him there was no other way; and Philby knew this stuff.

The loading area was gloomy with most of the lights turned off. Thankfully, there were no crash-test dummies in sight. Finn climbed down into the lead car and fastened his seat belt. He laid the sword on the bench next to him. The click of the belt issued a sense of finality that he found disturbing. He drew in a deep breath and turned to find Philby looking down through the control booth’s window.

Finn gave him a thumbs-up. Philby returned the gesture. There was a loud popping sound. The car hummed and vibrated slightly. It rolled forward.

Finn looked back over his shoulder to see Philby hurrying down a ladder and dodging obstacles and vaulting line railings in an effort to reach the moving car. Lights blinked on overhead with the car’s movement: the ride was coming online; Philby had done it.

Philby was now only a few yards from the end of the loading dock and running fast. He had a good chance of reaching the car in time.

Finn spotted someone in the shadows—the same mechanic they’d been afraid of in the waiting line, the mechanic they’d seen at the same time that they’d smelled the electricity in the air.

He carried a heavy wrench in his right hand.

“Look out!” Finn shouted.

Philby skidded to a stop, and ducked just in time as the wrench ripped through the air where Philby’s head would have been.

“Catch!” Finn shouted. He tossed the sword—pommel first—to Philby, who caught the grip perfectly.

As the car paused at DISPATCH, for what was announced as a seat belt check—not that there was anyone checking his—he looked back.

The mechanic took another swipe at Philby with the wrench.

Philby caught the wrench with the sword blade and a clanking of metal rang out.

Finn twisted in the seat to watch. His test car faced the HILL CLIMB. He saw two more contacts between the wrench and the blade, sparks shooting off at the second. Philby went down on one knee with the second blow, and the last thing Finn saw as the car climbed out of sight of the loading area was the mechanic lowering the wrench toward Philby’s head with a vicious deliberateness.

* * *

Charlene got the call seconds after Maybeck hit the seat-restraint button.

Jess spoke softly into the phone and so it was difficult for Charlene to hear. “I see a screen,” she said, “like a TV screen. There are two squares beneath it to either side and switches to the side. Three labels. Willa thinks the labels mean it’s your ride, Mission: Space.”

“Yes! She’s right. I’m looking at a bunch of screens right now, and there’re a gazillion square buttons and switches all over the place.”