Kingdom Keepers VI(6)

All eyes fell on Amanda.

“What are you talking about?” Philby said.

“One of her dreams,” Amanda explained. “She sketched out two guys in beekeeper suits carrying her. You know: big, baggy suits and netting for a helmet?”

Philby said, “Not beekeepers. Hazmat suits. Hazardous materials. Coveralls.” He addressed the wounded Jess. “Is that right? Suits? Goggles? Masks?”

Jess nodded.

“Rubber gloves,” she said. “I thought it was beekeepers.”

“They call ’em protein spills,” Charlene said. “Kids puking. Passengers who get cuts and bleed. Protein. Get it?”

“That’s disgusting!” Maybeck said.

“Better than Puke Patrol,” Philby said. “Any guesses as to how many people get seasick on a cruise ship? And if it’s a bug instead of seasickness, they have to make sure it doesn’t spread.”

“They dispatch teams,” Charlene said. She turned to Maybeck. “Did you read any of Philby’s background notes for this trip?”

“I…ahh…”

“Three suits,” Charlene proposed. “One, to hide her. Two more to hide whoever’s carrying her.”

“Take Maybeck with you. More suits, if you can. A protein spill team can follow the blood trail.”

“That would be us,” Maybeck said, understanding what Philby had in mind. If they could get four suits, they could divide into two teams of two—one team to get Jess to a stateroom; the other to follow the hyena’s spilled blood.

“I’m all right,” Jess said, lying. She struggled to get up.

“Let’s get her to the bench,” Philby said, “before anyone sees her. We’ll hide her leg—”

“With my bandana,” Charlene said, untying her Cast Member neckerchief.

“Here we go,” Philby said. “You two…hurry!”





HAVING FAINTED WHEN SHE’D SEEN the gaping gash in her leg, Jess felt the warm salt spray across her face. Warm as the sunshine that pelted down. Which was technically impossible, as it was currently nighttime. But dreams—especially Jess’s dreams—were unconventional and surprisingly convincing. Only in a dream could you be absolutely sure something was happening that was not.

A warm breeze was happening. Sunshine was happening. But then it was dark again, and there was something soft and squishy beneath her feet: sand. Sharp twigs belonging to bushes and shrubs scratched her calves.

Sand. Prickly shrubs. The sound of the ocean, or was it wind? She followed a group of dark shapes. Not kids. Adults. Five? Four? They stopped periodically as if to listen for anyone following. Like her. She stopped, matching them. Stayed low. Alert.

Rocks and shadows. A cave. The others followed the leader—a woman.

Jess followed, running the long way around to avoid being seen. She crept up to the slanting corner of the cave’s opening, where a huge gray rock formed the ceiling, and sand the floor. The rock was smooth. Paper wasp hives hung from the rock like warts. Dozens, maybe hundreds of them. A few wasps flew to and from the nests, their tiny legs dangling like landing gear.

Jess stayed hunched as she crawled inside. The group ahead of her was after something. They were hunting.

And now she was hunting them.

* * *

Finn awoke in one of the few interior staterooms that had not been booked for the cruise. Storey Ming had made it available, so the Keepers had somewhere to sleep when crossed-over as holograms. Ever since his own mom’s loyalty had come into question, he’d been bunking in with Philby. But here, there was no one. He reached for the Wave Phone and saw a text message was waiting.

r u there?

It had been sent from Storey Ming’s stateroom phone.

here

It took several long seconds for a new message to appear. Anxious seconds.


j in trouble. deck 4. willa ok?



Finn felt thickheaded, like he’d had no sleep. It took him a moment to process “j” as “Jess.” His feet were already moving as he texted:

on way

He knocked on the stateroom door where he expected to find the returned Willa. Looked in both directions. Some passengers, but no stewards or crew members. He knocked louder, and the door opened. Willa heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of Finn.

“Oh, it’s you!” She opened the door. Finn rushed inside.

“Hurry. Jess is in trouble.”

“Where?” Willa asked.

“Deck four. Starboard.”

“Where we jumped.”

“Yeah.”

“The hyenas?”

“Way ahead of you,” Finn said.

“Don’t be such a jerk, okay?” Willa was in his face, up on her toes. “For one thing: you are never way ahead of me.” She trembled there, about to lose her balance.