“I know that, Grandpa, don’t worry. I understand.”
“And you have everything you need, yes?”
Not really, Gramps. I’ll be traveling illegally . . . I nod in reply and shift around. How dare I get mad at him for keeping things from me when I’m now doing exactly the same to him.
“Good. You will find your father, and I know he would want to explain things to you himself. As much as I want to speak to you about some matters, it isn’t my place.”
Like what? My curiosity’s piqued. I’ve always known Gramps isn’t telling me everything—even when he finally told me the truth about Papa’s disappearance—but hearing him confirm it now sends my mind spinning. What’s so important that only Papa can tell me? I open my mouth, but then close it again. I can wait until Grandpa joins me at his cottage. We chat some more. Finally, it’s time. I gulp hard and hold on to him, reluctant to let go.
Despite once losing everything, his family, friends, his home—the world as he knew it—Gramps never lost hope. His eyes shine with tears now. “See you at my cottage. Shalom, Queenie.”
I kiss him on the cheek. “Salaam, Gramps. See you soon.”
I swallow and turn to the gangway. A couple of technicians and Deathstar are walking down, and they tell me their job is done. The Kabul is good to go.
“You take awesome care of yourself, and of my baby here.” The mechanic grins as he gestures to the sub. “The Navigator will alert you to anything that might need attention in the engine room, but you’ll be taken through it step by step if that ever happens, so no worrying. Oh, and you might want to secure the moon pool door—as of six minutes ago I’m no longer this baby’s daddy, and she’s stopped listening to me.” The corners of his mouth droop.
I shudder as I picture an opening into the abyss. “Don’t worry, I’ll never have the moon pool door unlocked.” I thank the genius with a hug.
I pause by the entrance and wave at Grandpa. Taking a lengthy breath, I blow my cheeks out as I exhale.
And then enter my submarine.
I make my way toward the muffled voices coming from the saloon. Tabby’s telling Theo off about something. They hush as I approach. Tabby’s
lips are pressed flat, her arms folded. She holds my gaze and smiles.
Theo offers a half smile and clears his throat. “You’re here, Leyla. Great. Everything’s ready. Come on; need to update you. We love the name, by the way.”
We take a tour of the whole vessel apart from the now pressurized airtight chamber. I peek into the smaller connecting chamber beside it, spotting the submersible. It’s a compact twin-seated vessel, its exterior protected by an impenetrable titanium cage.
I remember my picture and reach into my bag. It’s one of my favorite images—passed on to me from Papa—and I gaze at it as I hang it outside the moon pool room. How surreal and yet strangely affirming that this image of a scene from back in 332 BC should hang here; how different the world!
The print depicts Alexander the Great being lowered into the sea in a glass diving bell. Apparently he made several dives this way. The painting was part of a quintet created for Akbar, the great Mughal emperor. And now a print hangs in my submarine—the Kabul, no less—in London, on the eve of the twenty-second century. I know ancient Persia was a very long time ago, but sometimes it also feels as if the human race just blinked and now we’re living inside the seas—never mind being lowered in glass diving bells from the sides of boats. No wonder Papa often refers to time and space as magic!
“Leyla!” Tabby cuddles Jojo in her arms as she stares at me. “You don’t have the time to be distracted right now!”
We move on as she goes over everything with me. She’s already unpacked and put away almost all of the boxes. The kitchen and stores are stocked.
“Don’t forget what I said about my modification,” Theo reminds me. “In theory, the anti-tracking device should kick in once you get going, ensuring you don’t pop up on the Traffic Ordinance Council’s system. But I’ve not had the chance to test it in practice. Your Navigator’s going to run a test when you’re underway, to make sure. If it comes back negative, stop off at the Brighton Pier resort in Belvedere—it’s more or less on your route anyway. My friend Sam knows you might show up. If there’s a problem with it, she’ll sort it.”
As he leads me to the control room, Theo’s expression suddenly brightens, his eyes shining. “Go on, ask for your Navigator!” he urges, strapping a new Bracelet onto my wrist.
I falter for a split second. What if I really don’t like their choice? “Navigator.”
Oscar Wilde himself appears before me.
I stare. “No way. NO BLOODY WAY! Oh my God, you guys!”
He’s exactly as he appears in the archives. Dressed flamboyantly, he wears fashionable Victorian clothes: a velvet waistcoat, plush jacket, and knee breeches. I peer closer—no glimmer. It’s amazing! Mr. Wilde acknowledges my delight and greets me, bowing with a flourish. He assures me in a soft voice and warm accent that there’s nothing to worry about, that I’m not alone in this.
I turn openmouthed to Theo, who throws his hands up, grinning.
“All right, I modified him quite a bit after they uploaded him. Mr. Wilde here is your super-Housekeeper.”
I’m mesmerized. He looks so real!
Theo’s expression turns serious. “The Navigator doesn’t know the route out. No specific journeys were logged because we couldn’t risk the officials knowing your exact plans. It’s the first place Sebastian would have his people check, and we need to give you as much time as possible. So you need to fill Oscar in now, Leyla.”
I nod. “Mr. Wilde, we’ll register our journey now, and then you’ll have our exact route.” Am I really chatting with Oscar Wilde as if he’s a real person? You bloody bet I am! Warmth floods my cheeks.
“Oscar, if you please,” my Navigator insists, in that debonair way I always imagined he would. “And take your time, my dear lady. If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.” He bows his head.
I recognize the quote and squeal with joy. There’s much more to come, Theo promises, filling me in on the Navigator’s capabilities.
“I love him. Thank you so much. Oh my God, you’re utterly brill!” I hug Theo, and we register the intended journey, indicating all the security bases that need avoiding along the way.
Jojo darts out of the control room, and Tabby rushes after her, calling to her.
I turn to Theo. “Promise me you won’t worry too much.”
He squeezes my arm. “We’ll be fine. You need to focus on you.” He suddenly leans away from me, pinching his bottom lip. “Leyla . . .” He clears his throat. “There’s something you need to know. You’ll— You won’t—”
Tabby walks in with Jojo. She glances at us and holds Theo’s gaze.
“I won’t what, Theo?” I ask.
He reddens and waves his hand. “Promise me you won’t get distracted from the plan.”
I reassure him as much as I can, even though I think he meant to say something else before Tabby reappeared, but I’ve no idea what. Then, as if without warning, it’s time.