EVERYTHING MOVES QUICKLY from there. We use the linking code to make it look on the grid like the others haven’t learnt to skip. Once I become a citizen we can act as if I taught them how. Mason gets legal advice about my status and the risks for us both, and adds a scientific explanation before we finally submit the form. No mention of how to time skip, or evidence of an alternate universe. The hearing date comes back only two weeks away.
On Saturday morning, Mason meets me outside the climbing centre so we can walk in together.
He’s about to swipe the entrypad when he stops and squeezes my hand. ‘Ready?’
My mouth is dry. ‘I guess.’
It’s not just the idea of dealing with Boc that makes me edgy. I still haven’t seen the others since Mason told them everything. Echo and Amon haven’t even met me here. After all that happened in the other timestream, seeing them again is going to be strange in so many ways.
As we step through the door, I’m immediately hit with calm concentration. All focus is on Amon part way up the climbing wall, about three storeys high. He reaches a toned arm for a handhold while Echo grips a safety rope in two hands. I glance up, and a memory flickers: clinging to that stupid wall while gravity pulled me down and the Feds closing in.
Boc strides over and stops so close that I take a half-step back. ‘Glitchy chip, hey? I was right – you were adding the gaps yourself.’
I’m forming a comeback when Boc lifts his arm, hand extended.
‘Don’t worry. If I land a post training the military to time skip, it could fast-track my career. I’ll owe you for life. Truce?’
My hand almost disappears in his. I make a point to hold as firm as I can as I return his shake.
‘I’m doing this for Mase, right?’ Boc says. ‘But you have my word. You’re the safest illegal on the planet.’
‘I get it.’ This is about Mason. ‘But still … thanks.’
I take a breath, find a smile. ‘How’s the climbing going?’ I ask Boc brightly, pushing home the idea that we’re on the same side.
‘Yeah, good.’ Boc jerks his chin towards Mason. ‘We even got Mase to climb the high wall. No harness.’
My eyes pop. ‘No harness?’
Mason shakes his head. ‘I had a harness on, just didn’t use it.’
‘Next time.’ Boc slaps his hands, rubbing the palms together.
By now Amon has abseiled down the wall so smoothly that he makes it look easy. Almost. He starts to remove the harness with Echo’s help, their frames compact and taught. They have the same jet-black hair and pale skin as each other. Every now and then one of them glances my way. Seeing them again after so long makes my heart squeeze.
Echo’s the first to make her way over. She stops a distance away and shrugs apologetically. ‘So, I guess you already know me, right? How weird is that.’
‘Yup. You’re a top climber, a brilliant time skipper. You’re no nonsense, high energy, with a wicked sense of humour.’ My eyebrows go up. ‘Am I close?’
‘You reckon?’ Her face twists into a chuffed grin. Amon stops beside her and smooths his hands down the sides of his shorts.
‘Scout, Amon, Echo.’ Boc points to each of us, and then turns to me. ‘But you know that already.’
‘Yeah. Don’t worry, this is weird for me too.’ And so many kinds of surreal. Seeing Amon here, so solid, so real, makes the back of my neck prickle. But it also makes me even more determined to help Mason join the research team. Someday Mason has to feel the same shiver as he sees his brother again.
Echo repositions her feet. ‘Can we ask a few questions?’
‘Sure. Like what?’
‘Like, what’s it like to jump a full four and half years … how do you make an accurate return after that long?’ She licks her lips but doesn’t wait for an answer. ‘Why do you think Amon came back late that day on the tracks? And is it true that he might be able to apply to teach the troops how to skip at military school?’
‘In other words …’ Amon flicks her ponytail. ‘Let’s start with everything.’
We end up sprawled on the floor as I go through it all. Echo asks most of the questions, pouncing on each idea like a kitten catching shadows. Boc steps in every now and then, asking Mason what he thinks. Amon’s the only one saying nothing.
After a long while, I can’t stand it anymore. ‘Is there anything you want to know?’ I ask Amon.
Amon’s kneeling with his fists on thighs. ‘You know, I’ve been asking myself that exact same question. And I … I don’t know. I guess if what you’re saying is true, that means the future isn’t fixed, right?’
We all turn to Mason. ‘No, not at all. Some things seem to be. Weather systems. And human nature. But we’re not trapped in some kind of nightmare repeat. Scout’s memories are from a timeline that’s already different from ours.’
‘Okay.’ Amon opens his hands, and rests his palms on his thighs. ‘So I know enough not to let the same thing happen, but other than that … I don’t think I want to hear the details.’
If I was Amon, I don’t think I’d want to hear about the accident either. Some things, I don’t think we’re meant to know.
‘Fair enough. Second time lucky, yeah?’ I say.
Amon nods. ‘You bet. Lesson learnt. I’m planning to be the best darned time skipper this world has ever seen.’
We get down to business after that, pulling in a screen from the storage room to try a group synch. It works first try, with all of us returning within ten seconds of each other. Echo and Amon both land their furthest skip ever, somehow pulled forwards by the rest of us. Synching our jumps isn’t just a way to stick together, we’ve realised. It’s also a safeguard against getting lost.
After that, Echo and Amon pair up to hone their accuracy. Boc has brought a programmable toy gun: six rubber bullets in a row, meaning six quick jumps. Mason’s first to make it without being hit. Minutes later, Boc does the same.
I stay on my own, working on a new drill where I jump into a mid-air time skip, a trick that might impress the panel at the application hearing. The returns are like waking mid-air from a long nap and trying not to land in a heap. I end up with dirty purple bruises on both knees, but soon I’m landing clear on both feet.
It’s not long before Mason and Boc start training for the same drill.
Boc nails the landing first. He turns to the climbing wall, rubs his palms together, then clambers up two or three grips. The muscles strain in his arms and shoulders as he climbs.
My jaw drops as he pushes off the wall and disappears mid-air.
Mason and I exchange a glance and I shake my head. Mason smiles reassuringly. ‘He’s got this.’
‘Yeah.’ Not entirely convinced. Now that I know where it could end up, Boc’s risk-taking makes me nervous.
Boc’s broad shape appears out of thin air, and drops. Thud. The floor vibrates as he crumples into a sideways roll. That was stupid. Typical Boc.
With a glance my way, Mason paces to another section of wall. He examines the holds above him on the wall before reaching out and lifting himself up. He’s about a body length off the ground when he glances over his shoulder, pushes back and disappears.
‘Faaaar out,’ says Echo. She’s walking over to watch. Amon comes and stands beside her. They’re both in their clothes again, must have decided to have a rest.
We all stare at the space where Mason disappeared. Boc rests his hands on his hips.
In the next moment, Mason returns mid-air and hits the ground with a light thunk, the muscles stretched long and taught in his thighs and back. A solid landing on both feet. Not even a wobble.
‘That was awesome,’ I call, and join in with the claps. Relieved. And a whole lot impressed.
Boc hasn’t moved. ‘Kudos,’ he calls, monotone. He turns to stare up at the wall, then begins climbing again. I’m expecting him to stop when he reaches the same height as last time, but he keeps going. Higher.
Higher still.
Higher again, until he’s about as high as a single-storey house.
Amon calls to him. ‘Boc, wait. You can’t jump from that high. You’ll break an ankle, mate.’
‘Not planning to jump.’ Boc glances over a thick shoulder.
Before we can say any more, he turns to the wall again. Still gripping tight, with both feet balanced on the holds, he disappears.
Echo squeaks and slaps a hand over her mouth as Boc returns. He’s in the exact same position, responding in a flash to reengage his muscles. One foot slips before he regains his balance, gripping the holds. Safe.
We all let out a breath at once. He could have done the same trick from lower down the wall, of course, but training without risk doesn’t seem to be possible in Boc’s world. I can’t help being just a tad impressed.
Boc clambers down the wall, and reaches for his shorts on the floor nearby.
‘Mate, that was insane.’ Slow claps from Mason, but he’s smiling too. By now he’s pulled on a pair of jeans.
Boc high-fives Mason, grinning. ‘Told you it was worth climbing with no harness. Can’t take safety gear with you when you skip.’
Mason frowns, his eyes narrowing as he peers up at the wall. It’s as if he’s seeing it with fresh eyes.
‘You can do this,’ Boc says, quieter.
Mason’s gaze slides across the wall, tracking from hold to hold. He turns to Amon and Echo. Then his eyes rest on me.
‘Okay. You’ve been drilling me about this for weeks. So I’ll do it,’ he says, talking to Boc, but still looking at me. ‘I’ll climb the wall. No harness.’
A smile flickers across Boc’s lips. ‘You’re ready. You know that, right?’
Mason rolls his shoulders, and nods. ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’
The others respond quickly, clearing harnesses away from the wall while I make my way over to Mason, so many things to say: Be careful, stay safe.
‘You can do it, right?’ is all that comes out.
He’s stretching one arm across his bare chest, preparing. ‘I’ve already climbed the wall without using the harness. This time won’t be any different.’
‘Is the door locked?’ calls Boc as Mason makes his way to the base of the wall.
Echo slips beside me and whispers: ‘This is totes against the rules. They’d ban us for life if they knew we were climbing without a harness.’
‘So why take the risk?’
She brushes back a strand of hair. ‘The rush. And it’s real, you know? Just you and the wall. The climb … it’s honest.’
If I thought that climbing the wall myself in the other timestream was scary, that’s nothing compared to watching Mason climb with no harness. My mouth is already dry as he takes his first grip, testing the first foothold before pushing up.
He seems so vulnerable up there, somehow more naked than he seems after a time skip, even though he’s wearing jeans. I can see the muscles in his back stretch with each hold.
Soon Mason’s so far up that my world begins to tilt. I push it away – this isn’t about me. Just keep willing him on. Be strong.
Any slip would mean a hard fall.
Mason’s nearing the top of the wall when I sense a change about him. His muscles don’t seem quite so taut. He has victory in sight.
‘Nearly there!’ My shout of nervous support.
Mason doesn’t respond; he’s in the zone. He pulls out from the wall and peers down as if trying to work out what I said.
Keep going, I call in my mind.
He’s reaching for the next handhold when one arm drops and he loses his grip.
His leg swings out, kicking, trying to regain their footholds. But there’s nothing to hold him as gravity pulls him down.
Echo gasps as Mason falls. So fast …
An empty pair of jeans lands, flap, on the floor.