The Navel of the World Read online

  Benjamin shuddered. “I don’t know what part of the body it came from. I thought it was the TPT.”

  “It was a femur.” Gary obviously thought Benjamin must care which bone he’d dropped. Sometimes Gary just didn’t get it. Actually most of the time Gary just didn’t get it.

  Benjamin reached his hand back in through the missing tile, trying to ignore the bones. He visualized what he felt, and found it was a human or telegen skeleton laid to rest, now missing a leg bone of course. It lay on its back with its hands folded across its chest. Benjamin felt up the arm bone to the hand and realized the hands gripped an object which had been laid on the chest.

  Benjamin touched the object and smiled when he felt the energy pouring off it. This was his telemagnifier.

  When he pulled it out, he didn’t drop it like he had the leg bone. Instead he studied the short, golden dagger with a hilt almost totally covered in sapphires. By the way it gleamed, there was no way it had been in the catacombs for thousands of years. This had just been placed here.

  “I found it for real this time,” he said.

  “Great. Get down here, and we can get going,” Andy said.

  When Benjamin settled back on the ground, he handed the dagger over to Gary.

  Gary whistled. “It looks like it should be in a museum.”

  Andy took it from Gary. “It’s a good thing you didn’t drop that on us. I’d have probably lost my toe.”

  Benjamin laughed. “How do you feel? Are we ready to go?”

  Andy nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Yeah. Trojan War, here we come,” Gary said.

  They gathered close and each placed a hand on the gleaming dagger.

  “This one feels different than last time,” Gary said. “More powerful.”

  “Maybe Kronos is trying to help us,” Benjamin said.

  Gary laughed. “You really think so?”

  “No. Probably not,” Benjamin said. “Okay, focus your thoughts. Three thousand one hundred ninety years ago. Troy—on the west coast of Turkey.”

  The telemagnifier glowed; Benjamin felt the crunching and heard the snap. And then everything shifted.

  “Arghhhh!”

  Benjamin just had time to look up as the warrior came charging straight for them. Without thinking, he teleported the three of them away—somewhere else. Anywhere else.

  They ended up about fifty feet away.

  “So much for not teleporting in front of humans,” Gary said.

  “Given the choice, Benjamin did the right thing,” Andy said.

  “Are we dressed like the enemy or something?” Benjamin looked down at his ridiculous costume.

  Gary adjusted his shield so it rested over his chest. “I don’t think so. Maybe we just startled him.”

  Benjamin raised an eyebrow. “So he tried to kill us?”

  “It is a war,” Andy said.

  “Then how do we look around without fighting?” Benjamin said.

  Andy shrugged. “We walk around and look busy. As long as we look like we know what we’re doing, no one will stop us.”

  Thankfully, the silly costumes Aurora had picked out were appropriate, and after Benjamin grew his hair a couple inches, he fit right in.

  “Let’s head to the camp.” Andy motioned about a half mile away. “We can look around and ask questions.”

  They didn’t run but walked fast and only slowed down when they reached the camp. After the warrior had nearly killed then, an onslaught with someone seemed almost unavoidable.

  “We’re in the Greek camp, right?” Benjamin asked.

  “Spartan,” Gary said. “The war was Sparta against Troy.”

  Benjamin watched a troop of soldiers drilling. “Some of these warriors look younger than us.”

  “That’s because they are,” Gary said. “In ancient Sparta, males were sent off to military school when they were seven. They trained their entire lives until sixty when they could finally retire from the warrior life.”

  “Seven!” Benjamin said. “What if they were too little?”

  Gary pursed his lips. “Sick and weak babies were left on a hillside to die.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Andy asked.

  Gary shook his head. “The government enforced it.”

  “Glad I wasn’t born in Sparta,” Benjamin said.

  “Maybe you were,” Andy said. “Maybe it’s really you who time traveled to the future. Maybe someone left you on a hill because you were too weak, and a telegen came along and teleported you away.”

  Benjamin smirked. “Maybe you were born in Sparta, and they had to dress you up like a baby girl and sneak you out of the city.”

  Gary rolled his eyes. “Knock it off. We have work to do, don’t we?”

  “Yes, yes, Gary,” Andy said. “Hey, didn’t all the Spartans die in the end?”

  Gary nodded. “The war wiped out lots of them. Even though they won, the story is that the Greek gods and goddesses took revenge on them and caused them to die. Hundreds of thousands were dead at the end of it all.”

  Benjamin looked around. “There’s like a million people here. Do we just ask if anyone has seen a kid—I mean a fierce warrior—who looks a lot like me?”

  “Let’s just keep looking first,” Andy said. “We still have time before we need to travel back to the present.”

  “As long as no warriors try to kill us.” Benjamin shook his head. “That guy looked ferocious.”

  “He should. He’s Achilles,” a voice replied in their heads.

  The boys stopped dead in their tracks. Benjamin wasn’t sure if he should put up a solid mind block or leave his pathways open. He tightened his current block a little but didn’t cut out all communication.

  “Who said that?” he asked.

  “Meet me in the green tent on the edge of the camp.”

  Benjamin looked at Andy who looked at Gary.

  Gary shrugged. “Sounds like a good start.”

  Benjamin increased his mind block. “Let’s just be cautious. Whoever said that isn’t necessarily from Lemuria.”

  While they walked across the camp, Benjamin checked over his shoulder every time they passed a tent. Aside from trash and camp fires, he didn’t see much of anything. But then finally, at the edge of camp, sat a small, green tent. The entry flaps were closed, but they opened as soon as the boys approached.

  The man who walked out looked familiar, but Benjamin couldn’t place his unshaven face, long brown hair, or annoyed look.

  “You’re too late,” the man said. “Cory’s gone.”

  “Who’s Cory?” Benjamin asked.

  “You’re brother. He’s gone.”

  “Gone like dead?” Benjamin dropped his mind block. This man knew why they were here.

  “Did he get killed in the war?” Andy asked.

  The man shook his head. “No, of course not. Not Cory. He was the best. He rivaled Achilles for bravery and skill.”

  “So where is he?” Benjamin asked.

  “You missed him by a few weeks,” the man said.

  “How do we find him?” Gary asked.

  “You travel back three weeks ago and get him.”

  “Really?” Benjamin asked. Had they really mistimed the arrival time by three weeks?

  The man sighed. “Kronos probably tricked you.”

  “So you know my brother…Cory?” Benjamin liked the name. It had a strong feel to it. He felt so close to actually meeting him.

  “Of course I know your brother. I raised him after all.” The man seemed to remember himself. “I’m Hexer by the way.”

  “Hexer!” the three boys said in unison.

  “You’ve heard my name before?”

  “Yeah. We’ve met you before,” Andy said. “Except there were two of you.”

  Hexer frowned. “Two of me? Like twins?”

  But Benjamin now recognized him. There couldn’t be a mistake. The face was the same, but when they’d met Hexer a year before, he was older. And the
re had been two of him. They—the Hexers—were the guardians of the Emerald Tablet.

  “I’m not really sure,” Benjamin said. “But they were you.”

  “No mistake about it,” Andy agreed.

  Hexer shook his head. “That ought to be interesting.”

  “You raised my brother?” Benjamin asked. “Did his guardian give him to you?”

  “I am his guardian,” Hexer said. “When I took Cory as an infant, I traveled back in time and placed him in Sparta with a couple who took care of him for about a year. Raiders from Athens attacked the city one day, and they raided the farmhouse. I saved Cory, but not his parents. I’m pretty sure it was the Atlantians who did it, but I never had proof. Not that it mattered. From that day forward I vowed to never let Cory out of my protection. I almost lost him that day. If I hadn’t made it to the farmhouse in time, he would have died along with them. He was my responsibility. My duty. And I will never fail him again.”

  “Why the past?” Benjamin asked.

  “Because no one would think to look here, in the past,” Hexer said. “Unless temporal phasing became much more prevalent, Cory would be somewhat safe.” Hexer sighed. “At least those were my thoughts.”

  “But what about this war?” Andy asked. “You guys were actually fighting in it?”

  “Stupid war. All these people dead over some prince kidnapping a woman. And she isn’t even that pretty—that’s the funniest thing about it. At least not pretty like your friends Heidi and Iva.”

  “You know about Heidi and Iva?” Benjamin felt his heart speed up at the mention of their names. Why would Hexer—at least this younger Hexer—know about Heidi and Iva?

  “Because they were here with you a few weeks ago,” Hexer said. “It was the two of them, Andy, and you, Benjamin.”

  “Not me?” Gary turned to Benjamin. “Why don’t I get to temporal phase next time?”

  “You do. There’s no way I’m bringing Heidi and Iva back to this war.” Benjamin turned back to the main camp. “I mean look at this place. It would be way too dangerous.”

  “Things change. We met father away from the camp.” Hexer pointed to a temple of some sort in the distance. “Way over there.”

  Benjamin figured there was about the same chance Iva and Heidi would travel back in time as the Trojans winning the war. It was too dangerous. What if something went wrong? What if someone hurt the girls?

  Benjamin turned as the green tent flapped open, and a man walked out. Benjamin threw up his mind blocks but brought them down when double vision took over.

  “Hexer!” Andy said.

  It was Hexer coming out of the tent. His hair was shorter and his face shaved, but unmistakably, this was Hexer.

  “What?” the long haired, unshaven Hexer said. He had yet to turn and look at the figure.

  Andy shook his head. “No, not you. This Hexer.”

  Hexer turned and stared.

  “Surprised to see me?” the new Hexer asked.

  “That’s putting it mildly,” the first Hexer said. “How are you here? Why are you here?”

  “To bring you back—that’s why,” the new Hexer said. “You didn’t think you’d have to stay here forever, did you?”

  “Why are you me, though?” the first Hexer said.

  “Some experimental transmutational temporal phasing thing,” the new Hexer said. “It’s kind of complicated. But essentially I’m you six months from now. Helios sent me back to get you.”

  “Helios?” Benjamin said. “Helios Deimos?”

  “Of course,” the new Hexer replied. “But let’s not get into the details. It’s all top secret.”

  “Figures,” Gary said. “So there are going to be two of you from now on. Which explains how we met two Hexers last year.”

  The new Hexer shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to wait and find out. Are you ready?”

  “Definitely.” The first Hexer nodded. “Just get me out of this ridiculous war.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Without another word, the two Hexers stepped into the tent, the flap falling closed behind them. And by the time Benjamin walked over and opened it, the tent was empty.

  Andy crossed his arms. “Never a dull moment.”

  Benjamin laughed. “Guess we should think about going, also. There’s nothing left here now.”

  “But why would you think you’re going anywhere?”

  Benjamin looked away from the tent in time to see himself, Gary, and Andy surrounded. Ten warriors stood with swords and shields, and when Benjamin tried to move closer to his friends, one of the warriors reached out and grabbed him.

  So Benjamin pulled the best trick he knew. He teleported away.

  At least he tried to. But something about it didn’t work—like he ended up in the same place he started. Just like back at Kronos’s temple. And then he heard the laugh.

  “Trying to go somewhere?”

  Benjamin turned toward the voice. “You?” It was the warrior who’d almost charged them down earlier.

  The warrior smiled. “Yes. Me. But allow me to introduce myself.”

  Andy looked at the man with a look caught between hatred and admiration. “You’re Achilles.”

  Achilles nodded. “My fame precedes me wherever I go.”

  Gary nodded. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “Let us go,” Benjamin said, and he tried to teleport again.

  Achilles shook his head. “You won’t be able to teleport away.”

  Benjamin’s eyes grew wide.

  Achilles smiled. “Yes, yes, I’m a telegen, too.”

  Gary nodded. “That helps explain why three thousand years from now, everyone knows your name.”

  Achilles stood straight. “They do? Ah good. Then it seems my plan is working fine.”

  “And what plan is that?” Andy asked.

  Achilles looked around. “I’d love to discuss it with you, but perhaps we should go somewhere less…public.”

  Not like they’d have had a choice. The ten warriors half led, half dragged Benjamin, Andy, and Gary to some temple near the ocean. And only once they got there and Achilles shoved them in a makeshift cell, did he finally talk again.

  “So what brings three little time-traveling Lemurians back to the Trojan War?” Achilles pulled up a stool outside the cell.

  Benjamin stared at Achilles, but didn’t say anything.

  Achilles smiled. “You can’t block your mind.”

  And Benjamin knew it was true. He’d tried, but pretty much since they’d been captured, every single thing he’d attempted had failed. “Why? What did you do?”

  Achilles put his hand to his chest. “Do? I didn’t do anything.”

  Andy narrowed his eyes at Achilles.

  Achilles smiled. “I have installed telejammers around the temple here. And of course at various places around the battlefield.”

  Gary’s eyes opened wider than onions. “You’re cheating at war?”

  “It’s not cheating,” Achilles said. “This is war.”

  “But you die in this war,” Andy said.

  Achilles gave a dismissive flick with his hands. “So I’ve been told. But trust me on this.” And he leaned close. “There is no way I will die in this war. I plan to live forever.”

  Benjamin laughed. “No one’s immortal.”

  “Really?” Achilles said. “Because I have it on good word that immortality is possible. At least for those willing to pay the price.”

  Benjamin held still, not sure what to say. Could telegens really live forever? The false gods had been rumored to have unnaturally long lives.

  “How?” Andy said.

  Achilles smiled, and Benjamin felt shivers run up his arms. “It doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t want to cloud the minds of innocent Lemurians.”

  “Speaking of which,” Benjamin said. “We’re ready to go back now.”

  Achilles feigned confusion. “Go back where?”

  “To Lemuria,” Benjamin said.

&nbs
p; “And back to our time,” Gary added.

  Achilles drew his sword and ran his finger along the blade. “I see. But why should I let you go?”

  “Why should you keep us?” Gary looked over at Benjamin and Andy, then back at himself. “We’re worthless.”

  Achilles laughed. “Yes, I can see that.”

  “We’re not worthless,” Andy said.

  Achilles eyed him. “You’re certainly not ready to fight. But I don’t think I’ll let you go just yet. You may come in useful for something.”

  “No we won’t. So unlock the door.” Benjamin stood up, but he felt a crushing force slam him back to the ground.

  But Achilles shook his head. “If I just let prisoners go, the other warriors would think I was weak. You invaded the camp, and I can’t let you go without some sort of price being paid.”

  “Price?” Benjamin said. “Like what?”

  Achilles looked at them. “You don’t seem to have anything to trade, do you?”

  Benjamin thought of the dagger telemagnifier. They couldn’t really trade that. At least not if they wanted to travel back to their own time.

  Achilles shook his head. “No, I don’t want a temporal phasing telemagnifier.” He looked around. “If you didn’t notice, this is a temple to Kronos we’re in right now. I can get one of those anytime I want.”

  “We don’t have anything else.” Benjamin seriously doubted Achilles would want their swords or shields based on how many he saw stashed around the place. But then he thought of the small disk he’d gotten in Geros. The life force disk. He still had it in its box, tucked under his belt. And when he thought of it, Achilles’s mind froze.

  Benjamin caught Achilles’s face, and their eyes locked.

  “Yes,” Achilles said. “Now that is something we could trade.”

  “No,” Benjamin said. Whatever reason he’d been meant to find the object in the first place, he wasn’t going to just turn around and give it away a week later.

  “Yes,” Achilles said, and he smiled. But there was nothing humorous about his smile. “Let me give you a couple choices.”

  Benjamin shook his head. “I said no.”

  “Choice one.” Achilles ignored Benjamin. “You can trade your object, and you and your two friends can time travel back immediately. You can do it from inside your cell if you want.”