Spires of Infinity (36 page)

“Hello there.” Raising a hand in greeting, Kari felt amusement rise as his cheeks colored deeply. She sat next to him, close enough to be heard, but far enough away that his jealous wolf pup couldn’t accuse her of anything.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” she said. “Everyone talks to themselves, even if they deny it. I hope I’m not interrupting anything important?”

“Not really,” Gabriel sighed. “Just wallowing in self-loathing.”

“This world sure is something, isn’t it,” Kari looked up at the partially eclipsed sun. “In all the worlds I’ve be to, I’ve never seen a sky like that.”

“I knew you couldn’t be from this world,” Gabriel gave a noncommittal grunt.

“Oh,” Kari raised an eyebrow.

“Your skin is dark. I mean, not
dark
dark, but you’ve obviously spent some time in a sun that isn’t
that
one.”

“It’s a natural tan, actually, from my mother. See, no tan lines. I can tell that something is weighing heavily on you. I’m willing to listen if you want to talk about it. I don’t look it, but I’m almost two hundred years old. I’ve been around, and I’d like to think I’m pretty smart when it comes to helping people with their problems.”

“That’s old.”

“Seriously. So, what’s getting to you?”

“It’ll take all day to tell it all.”

“Never know until you try,” Kari said. “But before you start I want to ask you.

Your name is Gabriel Reeve, right?”

Straightening, Gabriel finally turned to face her. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she looked into his pale blue eyes. “How did you know that?”

“A guess,” Kari said. “I have a message for you.”

“A message? From who?”

“It’s from my father, the Northern Sage.”

“I knew you three had to be related to him somehow,” Gabriel said, anger flashing across his face. “You look just like him. What did he want you to tell me?”

“He sent two messages actually. The first is that he’s watching you
very
closely.

And someone named Millie delivered the second to us in New Hope. He said to tell you that you have what it takes. He chose you because you have what it takes.”

Gabriel stiffened. Anguish crossed his face before he was able to smooth his

features again.

“Who is your father, really? How could he know to say
that
to me?”

“He’s the Champion of Heaven, god’s left hand. I don’t even know what that

really means, and I’m his daughter. There’s a prophecy that says one day he’ll face the Champion of Hell in battle for the sake of all existence, but he never talks about that sort of thing where I can hear,” Kari flicked one of her fox ears, “and trust me, these things were made for eavesdropping. I’ve seen him look deep into a person’s soul to know what they most desire. He knows a hero when he sees one, and a villain.”

“Which am I?”

“Which do you want to be? I think you were sent here to be a hero, but it’s your choice whether or not you will be. I’d like to think you’re the hero type. You look it.”

“I’m no hero,” Gabriel gave a bitter laugh. “I’m
worse
than the scum of the earth.

I’m the
advocate
for the scum of the earth. I made my living getting murderers and rapists out of prison. All I cared about were money and power, and adding to my perfect score. I never once lost any sleep over what those men might go on to do after I set them free. I’m damn good at persuading people to believe lies so elaborate that they must be true. I could convince a jury that the devil himself was innocent.

“Lately, I’ve been thinking back on my life, trying to find anything in myself worth redeeming. I haven’t done a single heroic thing since the day I was born. I wanted so badly to be a champion of justice. But when it came down to it, I really only wanted to prove that I was worth something, no matter what I had to do, or how low I had to sink. I’m supposed to be earning redemption, but all I seem to be doing is digging myself in deeper.”

“Don’t you see,” Kari asked. “You’ve already started on your way. You feel

guilt. That’s the first step toward redemption.”

“Why did your father send
me
here?”

Eyeing Gabriel, Kari thought he was definitely a person she never wanted to have angry with her. He reminded her of her father, physically weaker than she, but infinitely stronger, and much more intimidating. Her own insecurities began to seep into her as she looked into his eyes. She still didn’t know who she was. She’d yet to find a purpose.

“My father does
everything
for a reason, and he has rules that he must follow. He can only give you a task that he knows you are capable of completing. He sent you here because he believes in you, Gabriel. If you weren’t capable of putting things right here, he’d have sent someone else. You have what it takes to do whatever you’re supposed to.”

“He was wrong. I don’t. My father was right all along. I never had what it takes.

I could never stand up to him, and I can’t do this.”

“You have an idea, don’t you,” Kari asked, studying him. “You know how to fix the dying sun. I can tell.”

“It just sort of popped into my head, but it’ll never work. It’s too crazy.”

“Sometimes the best plans are the most insane,” Kari laughed. “Why don’t you

believe in yourself, Gabriel? Why are you so afraid that your idea won’t work? At least tell us all, so we can discuss it and decide whether or not it will work.”

“You know, it’s funny. I spent all my life wishing I could leave Earth behind, now that I have, all I want to do is go back. I had a childhood hero called the Doctor, and I used to pray that he would come and take me away. I’d wish on every shooting star, hold my breath over bridges, and every other stupid superstition. It never happened, and I was stuck in my horrible childhood to the end. I don’t even know the words to say how much my father, the bullies at school, and everything else messed me up. It hurts so much, and no matter how I try, I can’t forget. You want to know why my idea won’t work. It’s because nothing I ever do is good enough. Do you even understand how much it hurts?”

“I’m sorry, Gabriel,” Kari said.

“I don’t even know why I’m telling you this,” Gabriel said. “I just met you an hour ago.”

“I know something about pain. I never thought love at first sight could really happen, until it happened to me. I thought it was something out of fairytales. How could someone fall in love in the blink of an eye? But I did, the second I saw him.”

“What happened?”

“He doesn’t even know I’m alive,” Kari sighed. “And he loves someone else. I never had a chance. Knowing that hurts more than anything I’ve ever felt before.”

“Ouch,” Gabriel said. “What a bastard.”

Eyeing him, Kari wondered if he even suspected that he
was
said bastard.

“The point is, that we can’t always have what we want. Sometimes we just have to take the pain and move on. It makes us stronger and better able to cope with the things ahead of us. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it. You
do
have what it takes, Gabriel. My father saw it in you. You only need to believe in yourself. Sometimes that’s the hardest thing of all to do. But it’s easier if others believe in you too. I believe that deep down, you want to do the right thing, and that you will, given the chance. You are the hero you always wanted to be. You have what it takes.

“There’s something my mother always says when everything seems to be going

wrong. Tomorrow will be a better day. And this is a bit of my own wisdom. You can’t make a journey without taking the first step. Sometimes we’re afraid of where that step will take us, or of the thousand different troubles we could step into, but without that first step, you’re never going anywhere. No step is harder than the first, but once you get going, you’ll find that there never was anything to fear in the first place.”

“What if I’m wrong,” Gabriel asked. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“What
if
you’re wrong,” Kari countered. “This world is dying in less than fifty years as it is. How much worse could you make things if you mess up? When you don’t have anything to lose, you’ve got everything to gain. What if you
are
a hero, and you just didn’t realize it. Most don’t, you know. Sometimes you just have to trust in yourself and put one foot in front of the other.”

With that Kari stood again, looking out at the sandy flatlands. There was a cloud of dust a touch to the north, though she couldn’t make out what was causing it across the distance. It was probably the Apostle. Time was short. The siege would soon begin.

“I’m sure you’ll make the right decision,” Kari said.

With that she walked back inside to find Sam waiting for her with her arms folded beneath her breasts, pushing her cleavage up to an almost obscene degree. Good thing the twins weren’t there to see.

“Don’t want him, do you,” she snapped.

“I was delivering a message from my father,” Kari said. “Nothing more. I can tell when I don’t have a chance. He’s all yours.”

*****

Gabriel watched Kari leave then looked up into the sky. Only a sliver of the sun could be seen to the side of Altima.

“What if I am a hero,” he asked aloud.

Beginning to feel somewhat better, Gabriel felt almost as though Kari had lifted a weight from his heart with her words. He’d really needed to hear what she’d said to him.

It wasn’t the answer to his pleas that he’d been expecting, but it would do. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps he really only needed to put his fears and insecurities aside, and take that first step. Maybe all he needed was to believe in himself. If she could believe in him after only just meeting him, why was it so hard for him to believe in himself?

“You have what it takes,” he said aloud, and liked the sound of it.

He was no action movie hero, but who else would have come up with his idea?

Not even the most sophisticated supercomputer ever built had. He could save this world.

He
knew
that he could. Kari was right.

“I want my redemption,” Gabriel said firmly, “and I’m going to get it! I have what it takes! You hear that father!
I have what it takes
!”

The door opened to reveal Sam, looking both worried and a little forlorn. Gabriel scooted aside a bit, away from the remnants of the railing post and gestured for her to join him. She came hesitantly and plopped down beside him. Pointedly, she did not look down, her pale skin going even paler.

“You’re gonna choose her, aren’t you,” Sam asked dejectedly. “I don’t blame

you. She’s way prettier than me, and acts a lot more like a girl than I ever will. Men with DNA as pure as yours can have any woman they want.”

“You’re an idiot,” Gabriel said.

Sam stiffened a bit at the insult.

“Why would I want her? Especially after I fought my way into the Haven for

you? She
is
pretty, but what are looks? She’s not
you
, Sam. I love
you
, and that’s never going to change. So please stop acting like a cat stuffed in a bag with another cat. I’m not going to leave you, remember my promise?
You
are the one I want to be with, and no one else.”

“You said love,” Sam whispered. “No one’s ever said that to me before.”

“And I mean it too,” Gabriel put his arm around Sam’s shoulders, knocking a very surprised Mister Mittens to the ground, and pulled her close to him. “Scram cat.”

Mister Mittens gave a loud sniff and walked away with his nose in the air.

“I can’t go back home,” Gabriel said. “Sorry, but I guess you’re stuck with me.

I’ll need your help. I don’t know half what I should to survive in this world.”

“I dunno if you’re worth the trouble,” Sam said playfully as she snuggled into him. Her tail curled around his other side, feeling warm and soft against his arm.

“I guess I’ll just have to fix your sun. Will I be worth the trouble then?”

“You
really
know how to fix the sun? You’re not jerking me off, are you?”

“I think I can,” Gabriel answered.

“Gabriel,” Sam said, looking up at him, eyes welling with tears. She seemed

unable to say anything more, though her mouth worked in the attempt to.

“I’m going to save your world, Sam,” Gabriel pulled her into a close embrace,

“because I have what it takes.”

“Am I dreaming,” Sam asked.

“I’ve been asking myself that since I got here. If I am, it’s the best dream I’ve ever had, because I got to meet you in it.”

“How are you gonna do it? If the scientists that built this place couldn’t figure it out, how can you?”

Gabriel forestalled any more questions by kissing her as thoroughly as he knew how.

Chapter 32: The Impossible Solution

“Allie,” Gabriel called in a loud, firm voice when he didn’t see the hologram girl upon returning to the conference room with Sam on his arm, and Mister Mittens padding sullenly behind them.

“Yes Gabriel,” Allie appeared before him, pushing a dark lock of hair from her face. “Have you thought of something helpful?”

“Oh yes,” Gabriel cried in imitation of his favorite incarnation of the Doctor.

Approaching the table, he took in everyone as Sam sat with Mister Mittens in her lap.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said. “It’s completely insane, and that’s probably why you never thought of it.”

“Please go on,” Allie leaned forward in interest.

“If we go back in time using the Spires of Infinity to destroy the Spires of Infinity before they can do too much lasting harm to the sun, we create a time paradox,” Gabriel explained. “In essence we make it impossible for us to travel back to destroy them, and that contradiction creates a whirly vortex of doom that will destroy the universe.”

“We’ve heard this before,” Jonathan yawned.

“And it makes as little sense this time around,” Michael finished.

“A time paradox,” Gabriel held up one fist, shaking it for emphasis. “Infinite destructive energy.”