With Margoli's news and Mara's memories of a servant girl floating in their heads, the three and Pixie walked back to the cottage. When they had settled in the dusty, sombre living room, Dr. Akub finally spoke.
“If Vihesi does not want you here, Mara, he is going to tell you. He had made it clear enough to me that he will destroy me if I continue to speak of the parallel world. He has already left my career and reputation in shambles. I don't want you to be hurt. Battery is involved now, as well, and even her mother.” He paused to pick up a pipe and light it. “You must go back home and not return.”
Battery did not speak but studied her shoes intently.
“But you are my friends!” pleaded Mara. “I can't just say I'll never see you again because some psycho wants to make money. You took care of me. You helped me. I care about you!”
Mara turned to look the professor straight in his dark eyes. Her mind raced with questions about her vision of the servant girl.
“Would you not explore my world if you had the chance? I don't want to profit from this like Vihesi. I just want to see what's around the next corner and to be with my friends. I've always longed for this kind of adventure. I want to know why I feel so connected to your world. Surely that can't be a threat to him?”
Battery looked up from her shoes. “Mara, he is an ultra-controlling and powerful man. He could harm you. Although what you say makes perfect sense, he will still consider you a complication to be eliminated.”
At that, there was a knock on the door. Dr. Akub rose to answer it. To break the thick tension in the room, he joked that his neighbours had probably petitioned him to mow the weeds. A few seconds later he returned. Dru followed him into the living room.
“Have a seat, Dru,” gestured the professor to the burgundy brocade sofa where Mara sat. Dru nodded and complied. A cloud of dust arose from the seat. No one else spoke. It was one of those horrible tense moments when Mara felt afraid and silly at the same time.
“What can we do for you, Dru?” The professor winked discreetly at Mara.
“Hi, Mara.” Dru, although sitting beside her, had hardly looked at her. He seemed uncharacteristically awkward. He turned to face her.
“My uncle would like to meet you.” Dru reached out and gave her hand a little squeeze.
Mara did not know how to react. She saw the grey eyes behind the wire-rimmed glasses, and her heart started to beat faster. Here was the boy of her dreams holding her hand. But he was on the wrong side.
Battery, unable to control herself, said in a low growl, “Get your hands off her.” Dru, startled, pulled back his hand. Mara sensed a power struggle between Battery and Dru.
“Listen, Dru,” said the professor between puffs as he relit his pipe, “none of us is surprised that your uncle wants to speak with Mara. We know that he doesn't wish for her to travel because it will become increasingly difficult for him to convince people that only one reality exists. We understand all of that. But Mara is just a girl.” Dru had turned away from Mara and back to the professor. He was listening intently, as if to a university lecture. He nodded slightly.
“Her father isn't here. As the closest person to a guardian she has right now, I must insist that I go with her to meet your uncle,” finished the professor. Mara felt a rush of warmth at the professor's affectionate and protective words.
Dru started to speak, “Dr. Akub, you know that I respect you. I feel badly for what has happened to you–” Again, Battery could not restrain herself.
“For what has happened to him? You phony bastard! It hasn't just happened to him that his life's work is ruined. It didn't just happen that he has lost his credibility. Your scheming uncle did it quite intentionally. So don't give us your bogus sympathy.”
Dru looked directly into Battery's venomous gaze. He was sorry, but he knew it was irrelevant. He started again, calmly.
“All I can tell you is that he wants to talk with Mara, alone. He is not going to hurt her. I will bring her back later tonight.”
“Okay,” said Mara weakly. Both Dr. Akub and Battery jumped up and shouted “No,” but it was too late. Mara had already taken hold of Dru's hand. She felt secure in its dry roughness.
“I'll be fine. See you later.”
“Let me go with you!” cried Battery. “I don't have a good feeling about this.”
“Don't be silly,” snapped back Mara. Suddenly, she was a young woman.