HELLO, CYRUS,” DR. OPPS SAID, sitting down next to the clairvoyant boy as he watched Colonel Charles at a press conference via satellite on television, assuring the public that not only had the TDA stopped another attack, but this time they had no casualties. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Me too,” Cyrus said, his eyes on the television as the reporters all began shouting questions. “Though I probably would have known that was coming ahead of time. I do check my personal future quite often.”
“Do you know what caused the attack this time?” a reporter asked on the television.
“Yes, an outside group that calls themselves the Gathering Storm,” Colonel Charles said. “We have good leads into their whereabouts, however, and are currently tracking them down.”
“The Gathering Storm?” Cyrus said to Dr. Opps.
“I thought we’d picked the Rising Tide,” Dr. Opps said with a shrug. “The military focus-tested a few different names. They wanted one that came across as ominous, yet not threatening enough to demand immediate action. A good nonspecific group to blame instead of our students.”
Cyrus nodded, not responding.
Dr. Opps leaned in closer. “Did you know this was all going to happen when you found out I’d brought Forsythe to the school? I know you and he are close, and you most likely looked into his future.”
Cyrus smiled. “Of course I knew. If he hadn’t been here, Sierra would have woken up eventually, and Damian with her, and nothing would have stopped them. But I knew Colonel Charles wouldn’t wait much longer, not with Sierra saying Fort’s name over and over downstairs.”
Dr. Opps pulled away in surprise. “You knew about . . . but why didn’t you tell me any of this ahead of time?”
“Because if I had, you’d have insisted Fort go home, even if it cost you your position,” Cyrus told him, still watching the television. “And you’ll still be needed in the months to come.”
Dr. Opps’s eyes widened, and he shuddered a bit. “You scare me at times, Cyrus.”
“I get that a lot,” Cyrus said, grinning slightly.
“So what happens now?”
“Now?” Cyrus said. “The Old Ones won’t stop, and eventually they’ll find their way home. You need to make sure these students are trained, and soon, or the world will suffer like you wouldn’t believe. The Old Ones brought humanity magic, Dr. Opps. Unless we have it mastered by the time they return, that’s it. We’ll be wiped out for good.”
“And you’ve . . . you’ve seen this?”
Cyrus looked at him, still smiling, but didn’t say a word.
Dr. Opps sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Okay. And Damian and Sierra? Is Damian the one who’s going to learn all seven forms of magic? Will he be the one to save us?”
Cyrus paused. “That’s too far for me to see.”
“But he is the chosen one that the books referred to?”
Cyrus shrugged. “I thought so at first, just from what you’d told me about him. But then Fort told me what he learned from the Old One, that a magician who mastered all seven types shut magic away on earth, to make sure the Old Ones couldn’t return. The books might be referring to that person.”
“Let’s hope not, or they really will wipe us out when they return,” Dr. Opps said. “And Fort? Is he going to play any further role in all of this, or is his job done now?”
This time, Cyrus laughed. “Oh, he’s got a lot more to do, trust me. And it all begins right now, actually.”
“What do you mean?” Dr. Opps asked as on the television Colonel Charles thanked the reporters and left the podium with a curt smile, while the reporters continued shouting questions for him.
Cyrus shrugged. “Nothing,” he said.
Dr. Opps sighed. “I’m just glad Sierra’s gone. I never felt comfortable with someone who could read my thoughts. No telling what secrets could be leaked.”
“Secrets like what?” Cyrus asked.
Dr. Opps smiled and leaned back, looking away. Secrets like how the creature in D.C. was being controlled by that Old One, Dr. Opps thought, and it wouldn’t have taken a human back with it unless it was ordered to. Which means Forsythe’s father could still be alive.
“There’s a reason they’re secret,” he said out loud, then stood up. “Always good to chat with you, Cyrus.”
• • •
“Hey, Bandage!” someone yelled to Fort as he walked toward the temporary shelter the army had put up in the middle of the base. He looked over and sighed as Trey, Chad, and Bryce walked over to him.
“Can we not do this right now?” Fort asked. “I’m really pretty exhausted, honestly. There was a whole thing with a monster, and, well, another monster—”
“We know what you did,” Trey said, narrowing his eyes. “And I for one just wanted to say, um, thanks.”
Fort’s eyes widened as the boy stuck out his hand for a shake. “Is this a prank?” he asked, staring at Trey’s hand.
Trey laughed. “Nope. I have to admit, for a healer you did pretty good, what with destroying that monster and all.”
“He also destroyed the school,” Bryce whispered, not looking at Fort.
“And saved our lives,” Chad said, patting Fort on the shoulder. “Just don’t ever sit on our cot again.”
“Fair enough,” Fort told them, then smiled to himself as the other boys kept walking. That had been unexpected. But maybe now that all the secrets and hidden intentions at the school were revealed, things would finally be improving here. Or at least, wherever they ended up, since there was no way the school could stay at the now-destroyed base.
Even in spite of his tiredness, Fort let himself feel almost relaxed for the first time in six months. It just felt really good to have all the secrets out of the way, and . . . .
Secrets like how the creature in D.C. was being controlled by that Old One, Dr. Opps’s voice said in his head. And it wouldn’t have taken a human back with it unless it was ordered to. Which means Forsythe’s father could still be alive.
It took a moment for Fort to realize what he was hearing. When it sank in, he dropped to his knees in the middle of the courtyard, barely breathing.
I just thought you should know, Sierra said in his mind. Please, Fort, don’t do anything dangerous with this information, okay? I . . . I don’t want you to get hurt.
But Fort couldn’t respond to her, couldn’t even think straight.
His father . . . might still be alive?
At his sides, his fists slowly clenched. It couldn’t be true, could it? After all this time, his father could have been held captive, suffering in the creature’s dimension, or held by the Old Ones somehow?
If it was true, if there was even the slightest possibility of that being true, Fort had only one choice.
He’d have to learn Summoning magic.