Cragbridge Hall, Book One: The Inventor's Secret (25 page)

“The ship runs into the iceberg at 11:40 tonight,” Derick said. “It’s sunk by 2:20 in the morning.” He let them ponder that for a moment. “It’s nearly six o’clock now, but where my parents are in time it is ten o’clock. We have a little over four hours to get them out before the ship is under water and it’s too late.”

Silence. Abby didn’t know what to say. Not only had her parents been kidnapped, but they were about to die, and she didn’t know how to stop it.

“But why would Muns do this?” Carol asked.

“We don’t know,” Derick said. “We’ve been putting this together as we went. I can think of two options. Either Muns discovered time travel on his own and wants anyone who knows anything about it out of the way—which includes Grandpa, or he hasn’t mastered time travel yet, and he’s threatening our parents so Grandpa will give him the technology.”

“Grandpa!” Abby burst out. “Is Grandpa on the
Titanic
too?”

“I don’t think so,” Derick said. “At least, we couldn’t find him. But I have a theory about where he is.”

“Where?” Abby asked.

“Remember when Muns asked Grandpa what he would do if he had the power to warn the passengers on the
Titanic
?”

“He said he would watch it and cry.”

“Right,” Derick said. “But more specifically, he’d sit in
that room
and cry. If Muns is the terrible man I think he is, he is holding Grandpa there—in that very room they debated in, and making him watch his own son and daughter-in-law die, unless he gives Muns more information about time travel.”

“But where is the room?” Carol asked.

“A few hours away by car. It’s at the university where my grandpa taught. I found out that Muns donated a lot of money to renovate it two months ago. Right now, it’s closed to the public. I think that fits. I think Muns wants the room available just to hold Grandpa.”

Abby’s mind spun. “So how are we going to save them?”

Derick shrugged. “I have no idea. All I know is that we have to.”

“If this isn’t presuming too much,” Rafa said, “I’d propose that Abby and Carol continue to follow your grandfather’s clues. That may be the only hope of saving your parents. Derick and I will go after your grandfather.”

“But how could you get off campus?” Carol asked. “Let alone travel all the way there in time?”

Derick smiled. “Maybe we can use the avatars again. We could fly there. Can we control them from here and go that far.”

“The connection is strong enough that we could take the avatars halfway around the world, maybe all the way,” Rafa said. “But there are other reasons we can’t. There is no way you could learn to fly that fast, and besides, I believe that if Muns had help to kidnap your grandfather, then he won’t be left alone. There will probably be guards. Muns probably has a lot of people working for him, watching over him. I don’t think we’ll be able to do much good with bird avatars.”

“I guess you’re right,” Derick said.

“I know what we can try,” Rafa said. “But you’re going to have to trust me.”

“Okay,” Derick agreed.

“Meet me at the avatar lab in ten minutes.”

27

Colter

Derick waited outside the avatar lab for Rafa, wondering what the TA could possibly be thinking of. Rafa came down the hall with someone—Ms. Entrese.

Derick wanted to run.

“Calm down,” Rafa said. “It isn’t what you think. Let’s step into the lab, and I’ll explain.”

Derick was still wary, but he followed Rafa and Ms. Entrese inside.

“I’m the one who told Rafa about Charles Muns,” Ms. Entrese said after they were behind locked doors. Derick gaped.
She
was Rafa’s source?

“I ...” Ms. Entrese bowed her head, then inhaled and raised it again. “I used to work for Muns.”

“I thought he hired scientists,” Derick said.

“He does. English was one of my degrees, but I have a PhD in physics,” Ms. Entrese explained. “Muns was on a mission to discover the secret to time travel. It was all very exciting. I loved the science; we all did.”

Derick could see the excitement in her expression.

“We tried everything,” she said. “Sometimes we felt we were near a breakthrough, but each time, we came up short. Then one of his scientists discovered something. It was all kept very hush-hush, but I stumbled onto some information that led me to believe that because of the discovery he had dangerous intentions toward your grandfather.” The excitement was gone, her tone serious.

Derick wanted to ask if they had discovered that Grandpa invented time travel, but he didn’t know how much Ms. Entrese knew, and he wasn’t going to tell her anything he didn’t have to. Ms. Entrese continued, “Muns wanted something from your grandfather. He was soon taking the most elite of our scientists. Several secret projects started. But I saw fear in one of the scientists I knew. Muns is a shrewd man, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He would break people and completely ruin their careers if they got in his way.”

Derick’s heart beat faster. He thought about the burst that sent his parents back in time onto the
Titanic.
Was that one of the secret projects?

“When I sensed that things were getting dicey,” Ms. Entrese continued, “I made up an excuse to quit. I was a lower member of the team, not essential. He let me go without question, but I believe I am still being watched, especially since I ended up teaching here.”

“Have you told my grandfather any of this?” Derick asked.

“Yes,” she said. “But I had no evidence, just suspicions. When Mr. Cragbridge hired me, he advised me to be cautious. In fact, it was his idea that I teach English so it would look like I was no longer interested in science. And he suggested that I put on an act—that I be distant and even critical of him and those most supportive of him.”

“That’s why you were mean to my sister,” Derick suggested.

“Yes. My actions and attitude would keep anyone from thinking that I consorted with those who may oppose Muns. And yes, I believe Muns has people who report to him, even here.”

That was nothing new. Derick knew someone had been trying to stop them—someone working for Muns—but he had thought it was Ms. Entrese. “But when your sister was in the Chair in my class, I saw her picture a locket. I had seen one before; I noticed it on someone here at the school that I’m sure your grandfather trusts. I knew that they must be important somehow, part of some sort of contingency plan. But I thought Abby had only mistakenly seen one while with your grandfather.

“I became extra vigilant, walking the grounds, looking for anything suspicious. I don’t want Muns to succeed in whatever he is planning. I started working for him to discover something amazing, not to hurt people or steal secrets.”

Was she telling the truth? All her information seemed to fit. And she had tipped them off to Muns.

“Then I saw the avatar climb into Watchman Tower,” Ms. Entrese continued. “Knowing Rafa was the teacher’s assistant, I confronted him.” She looked over at Rafa. “He was very loyal to you. In fact, he covered up quite well. But I hounded him. Eventually, I told him that if this had anything to do with the lockets that whoever was behind it needed to know about Muns. I told him of my suspicions that Muns was behind the kidnappings, and I asked him to warn whoever he needed to that Muns would oppose whatever they were planning. I had already warned the other professor I had seen, and sent an anonymous tip to the police. But I expected Rafa would be warning another teacher, not kids.”

No one ever expected kids. But Grandpa was different. Derick thought back to how Grandpa had trusted him with a locket. He felt stronger, almost bigger somehow, thinking of the amount of trust his grandfather had in him. But he was still confused. He looked at Rafa. “So, why is she here?”

“We need a way off campus, and teachers can come and go as they please,” Rafa said.

“Are you willing to help us?” Derick asked.

Ms. Entrese covered her eyes with her palms then rubbed her temples. “Doing so will show my hand to any of Muns’s men watching me. It will be clear that I’ve sided against him—very dangerous. But if he has threatened the lives of Oscar Cragbridge’s son and daughter-in-law, and is holding him captive, I don’t see how I can turn a blind eye and live with myself.”

“You can get us off campus, but how are we going to take care of any men guarding my grandpa?” Derick asked. “And that’s assuming we find the right place.”

For one of the first times, Derick saw Rafa smile.

• • •

Abby stepped into the simulator determined and terrified. She had to do this, and she had to do it soon. She just hoped it wouldn’t be a bear. She wanted to close her eyes, but was too scared.

In an instant, she was sitting in a canoe, floating down a river. Grassy mounds surrounded the water, with wildflowers scattering color through the view. Rocky mountains weren’t far away, and trees poked out of the ground in groups.

She floated for a while, staring at the beautiful countryside. How could such a place be the environment for a trying situation? Was this what Derick had seen before the bear attacked him? Probably not. Unless a bear caught her by surprise, she would probably be able to get away.

Abby heard someone close by clear their throat. She whirled around to see someone else in the canoe with her! She almost sprang into the water before she realized that the man was gazing at the surroundings too. He must be her traveling companion.

“Falling asleep up there, Colter?” he asked.

Colter? Who was he talking to? It took a second for Abby to realize that in the simulator, she must be standing in as someone named Colter.

“Yeah,” she said, sure he’d be surprised by her girl voice. But the man didn’t seem to even notice. Maybe that was part of the simulator. Abby tried to think of something a mountain man would say. “Fatigue got the best of me. Won’t happen again.”

The man laughed. “You act like we haven’t been traveling together since Lewis and Clark.” He cleared his throat. “Now let’s check for more beaver.”

Abby looked at the floor of the canoe, where several dead beavers lay. Apparently, she and her friend were checking their traps.

A noise echoed along the river. It sounded like hundreds of animals trampling through the wild. This had to be it—her terrifying moment. Abby looked in every direction, but she couldn’t see anything other than the tall banks beside the water.

“Let’s get out of here,” she said, knowing that something terrible was coming, or she wouldn’t be there.

“Why? Because of a few animals? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a coward,” the man said.

“I’m not a coward, but sometimes it’s wise to get away.” Abby looked around carefully, her heart beating faster. She craned her neck, trying to survey the land. She noticed every tree that swayed, every shrub that shook. In only moments, she saw an arrow pointed at her through the trees—and a Native American behind it.

Abby pointed at the Native American as if to warn her companion, but she didn’t need to. She saw another native and another. They came out of hiding and lined the banks, all at the ready to attack.

Her companion cursed and then mumbled, “Blackfeet. Been wanting to get them back since our injuries at Fort Raymond. But it looks like today is not my day.”

The tall banks gradually leveled out to a landing where grassy mounds and rocks approached the river. Brave after brave arrived at the shoreline—hundreds of them, all threatening. Abby felt lightheaded and started to breathe faster. She forced herself to take a few deep breaths to calm down. This wasn’t real. She could leave at any time. But she had to keep going to find her parents and Grandpa.

Several Native Americans made large, arching gestures with their hands, urging Abby and the man to come ashore. Abby didn’t know what else to do, so she paddled toward the army of Blackfeet.

The first brave to meet Abby pointed his arrow in her face and gestured for her to step out of the boat. She obeyed, her legs trembling, and stumbled onto the grass.

The braves also motioned for the man behind Abby in the canoe to come ashore. He didn’t budge. They motioned several more times, but the man held his gun and pushed the canoe back into the water. Abby heard the whiz of an arrow; it lodged in the man’s shoulder.

“Colter, I’m wounded,” he cried.

“Come back in,” Abby said, gesturing for her friend to row back to shore. He refused and instead aimed his rifle and fired back. A brave fell to the ground.

Abby turned to look at the dead brave as she heard countless swooshes cut through the air. She didn’t turn back to the water to look, but heard a thunk. She knew the man on the boat had been riddled with arrows and had fallen hard against the wood canoe. Her heart felt heavy and seemed to pull at her throat. Her stomach churned inside her. The man had to be dead. She looked back. Colter’s friend lay lifeless in the canoe.

Abby always knew things like this had happened, but she’d never realized how hard it would be. It was dangerous and heart-wrenching. She wondered why the man wouldn’t come ashore. He said that he had fought the Blackfeet before. Had he known that something worse than arrows was waiting?

Abby felt arms grab her thick coat. They pulled her farther inland and threw her to the ground. The hands pulled her pouch and canteen from her shoulder and waist. They yanked the coat off her shoulders. She felt her hardened leather boots pulled from her feet. She rolled over only to see more arrows loaded in taut bows.

Abby sat on the ground feeling terrified and exposed. She watched as several braves counseled together. They had to be discussing what to do with her. Though she couldn’t understand their words, she was able to piece together that some of them wanted to set her up as a target and let the braves see who was the most accurate. She imagined what it might be like for hundreds of arrows to hit her all at once. But the man who looked to be the chief walked over and lifted Abby up off the ground.

He spoke loudly and with authority. He seemed to be speaking something close to English, asking her a question, but Abby struggled to comprehend it. The only words she understood were
run
and
fast.
She shook her head no. She’d run track for several years, but she wouldn’t consider herself that fast, especially running from a group of warriors.