Page 113 of The Paradox Club

“She brought a damn journalist with her,” whispered Richard. “Do you know what that could do? Even revealing the existence of the Paradox Club and its UFOs could spell disaster.”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about the journalist,” said Tess.

“If Pilgrim 3 waves at him from another universe, we will,” said Richard.

“Just follow my lead,” said Tess, “and agree with everything I say.” In this moment, Tess had only one voice in her head telling her what to do. Not one of the voices that tasked her with ridiculous assignments like counting cars or rearranging books, but a calm and reasoned voice that had prepared her for this moment. Harry’s voice. Tess walked over to where Pilgrim 3 and Montag 5 were stepping out of the canoe. Without his gun, and with his boss beside him, Montag 5 was much less threatening. If Tess had to guess, she’d say that he was at least intimidated and possibly even afraid. Who knew what stories about Maxwell’s Island had circulated in the dark corners of the Paradox Club. Pilgrim 3 seemed a little more confident but still clearly uncertain of how things were about to proceed. She had obviously expected to storm the island with a show of force and overwhelm the trio that preceded her. Being welcomed politely did not fit into her vision for the evening.

“You’re Pilgrim 3, I believe,” said Tess, offering her hand to help Pilgrim 3 up the steep slope from the gravel landing spot.

“That’s right,” said Pilgrim 3. “And you are Tess Maxwell.”

“You’ve been trying to meet me, and now here we are.”

“But in a way, you are not Tess Maxwell, isn’t that true?”

“You’re asking me to confirm that I was born and spent the first twelve years of my life in another universe?”

“Yes,” said Pilgrim 3.

“That is correct,” said Tess. “You look a little overwhelmed.”

“I’m the keeper of the vault at the Paradox Club, so I’m no stranger to untethered foreign objects. But an actual human being who has a different universe of origin? You are unique, Tess Maxwell.”

“I am,” said Tess, “and for all our sakes, let’s hope I stay that way.”

“You don’t look particularly dangerous to me.”

“Perhaps I’m not. But the next traveler between universes could be deadly.”

“All I want to do is step into your universe and step back again. Just to prove it can be done.”

“You mean to prove to your friend with the video camera that it can be done.”

“Anderson Tait,” said the man with the camera, stepping forward and holding out a business card, which Tess ignored.

“Will you give us a moment, Mr. Tait?” said Tess. “You too, Montag 5. Pilgrim 3 and I have some things to discuss.”

“Do what she says,” said Pilgrim 3.

“Absolutely, Miss Mandeville,” said Tait, stepping away. Pilgrim 3 looked aghast at the revelation of her real name but quickly regained her composure.

“Watch the boat,” she said to Montag 5. “No one is going anywhere without the boat.”

Montag 5 stepped back down onto the gravel, and Tess led Pilgrim 3 up the hill toward the charred circle of trees. Vivian and Richard followed a few yards behind. Tess felt more in control than she had since arriving in this universe. Maxwell’s Island poured confidence into her. She imagined she might have cowered before Pilgrim 3 had they first met in the halls of the Paradox Club, that she would have been assaulted by anxiety, fear, and the voices. But on Maxwell’s Island, Tess was in charge—not just of Pilgrim 3 and the situation, but of herself.

She stopped about twenty yards from the circle and turned to Pilgrim 3. “You know what happened last time?”

“Harry Maxwell tried to make contact with another universe, in large part to try to replace his dead daughter. He did this in direct contravention of the rules of the Paradox Club. From what I understand, something went wrong, and Mr. Maxwell died in the effort. I heard rumors of a fire. The big board went off like a fireworks show that night, but only for a few seconds. Recently I discovered that he did succeed in bringing you here.”

“And do you know who else was there that night?”

“Marie Maxwell, his wife, and Vivian Harbottle—both members of the Paradox Club who should have stopped Mr. Maxwell.”

“You can call him Harry,” said Tess. “I find it interesting that you’re so focused on how he broke the rules of your club, when you’re trying to do exactly the same thing.”

“The irony is not lost on me,” said Pilgrim 3.

“Now, there are some things you know—what you’ve told me is essentially accurate as far as what happened in this universe. But there’s a lot you don’t know. In my universe, I was with Harry. I was the only one. Vivian and Marie were asleep in the house. In this universe, Marie was sleeping, and Vivian was watching from the edge of the lake. I saw her when I arrived, but she had blacked out and she remembers nothing of that night.”