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Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

Eko’s fingers touch my wrist. She looks into my eyes. “You asked for the truth, Jack—see if you can handle it. The more you seek her out, the more danger you bring to her. Your love for her and your desire to be with her can only bring her pain, suffering, and ultimately death. That is the sad irony of your relationship with Peggy Jane Peters.”

“P.J.,” I correct her sharply.

“This is not her struggle. If you really love her, let her go. She is not of your world.”

I yank my wrist free. “She and I grew up together. You’re the one who’s not of my world. And I think maybe you didn’t save P.J. because you’re jealous of her.”

Eko looks surprised. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“We’re speaking the truth,” I remind her. “Can’t you handle it, Eko?”

“I’m not some lovesick teenager. I’m on a mission to save the earth.”

“You’re also a woman, and a prophecy said we were going to be married.”

Eko shrugs. “What will be, will be. The point is that the colonel will hunt for you till he finds you, and he’s also looking for P.J. You can’t run away or even hide from him for very long, and neither can your girlfriend.”

“She’s with a Korubo chief who knows the forest.”

“And I’m sure he’s done the smart thing and abandoned the canoes,” Eko tells me. “It’s much easier for the colonel’s men to spot people who are out on rivers, where they can be seen from the air. If the chief leads P.J. and the others deep into the forest, and they take refuge with a tribe, they can hide out for a little while.”

“Then why didn’t we abandon our canoe?” I ask.

Eko hesitates a moment, and when she answers, her voice rings with a zeal that comes from absolute faith. I remind myself that she is a priestess, and has dedicated her life to a cause. “This canoe is the only possible chance of getting where we need to go,” she whispers.

“And where is that?”

“We must find the Mysterious Kidah,” she declares.

I recall what Gisco told me about him in the balloon. The greatest genius of the future, who apparently decided to play hide-and-seek just when all the cosmic chips were put out on the table. “What good will that do? If he’s really so powerful, and he’s cut and run, that’s his choice. We’ll never flush him out. End of story.”