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He has a point. “It won’t do us any good to run,” I say. “If we waste time going back to Earth, Cormac will be more prepared than ever for our return. We have to ensure that the singularity can’t occur.”
“And how will we do that?” Falon asks.
And now I know that I can never save both worlds. I have to make a choice. This is what being the Whorl is truly about. I can’t hold both worlds together any longer, not as this one spins further out of my control.
“We have to initiate Protocol Three,” I say in a soft voice.
No one speaks for a moment, all of them digesting this idea while in the same instant realizing I’m admitting defeat. For those of us who have lived most of our lives in Arras it feels unbearable, but I take solace in the promise of Earth. If we can initiate Protocol Three and evacuate the citizens of Arras before this world begins to self-destruct, we can rebuild the planet we left behind.
“Don’t we have to get into the Northern Sector to do that?” Erik asks.
“I hate to interrupt, especially with bad news,” Alix says, waving her digifile. “I know you don’t have time to read this report, but Cormac has blocked communication between all sectors.”
“Even if we initiate Protocol Three—” Dante begins.
“The evacuation calls won’t go out,” Alix confirms.
“Then we have to find a way to evacuate the population.”
“It’s too late—” Falon is cut off by the entrance of Loricel.
“Cormac can’t be trusted. I’ve known him for hundreds of years, but his behavior shows signs of madness,” Loricel states in an imperial voice.
“He has to be stopped,” I say. “We can’t go back to Earth and come up with another plan. We can’t let him continue.”
“I agree,” Albert says, and everyone turns to him. “I created this world to put an end to violence, and while I struggle to see it come to violence now, I can’t deny that Cormac Patton has become a threat to the very existence of the human race.”
“So we agree,” Erik says, “but I’m still not sure how we’re even going to get into the Northern Sector.”
“Leave that to me,” Loricel says. “I got Adelice out. I can get you in.”
“We can’t all go,” I say.
“She’s right,” Dante agrees. “W
e need a group to get the word out to the resistance leaders in the other sectors about what’s happening. The ministers can initiate the evacuation procedures. All the protocols are in place for the ministers to open loopholes throughout Arras.”
“What about the people here?” Jost asks, and I know he’s thinking of Sebrina.
“A group needs to stay and get everyone out. If we send someone through the loophole, we can get the rest of the survivors evacuated in minutes,” Albert suggests.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“I’ll make sure,” Erik says, stepping in. Our eyes meet and we both know that our talents are needed in too many places at once to allow us to go together now.
“But the second they rebound into the other sectors, their personal identifying sequences will be flagged,” Falon points out. “They’ll have you ripped in minutes.”
“We’ll use a veil,” Loricel says. “The veils will mask your personal identifying sequences. We might as well use the talents of the Tailors in the room.”
“I don’t have the materials to make a veil,” Erik says.
“You have me,” Loricel reminds him.
“How long do we have?” Dante asks Alix.
“About an hour,” she says.
“Arras time or Earth time?” Jost asks.
