The Power of Five Oblivion

and presumably he was now inside the fortress. That was why the other four had to travel there. It was the only place in the world where they could be together.
    “And there are people there who need our help,” Matt went on quickly, before Scarlett could argue. “Word is leaking out. Somehow people have found out that there’s going to be a last battle and that it’s going to be fought in Antarctica. They’re already beginning to move south. They call themselves the World Army. But they don’t have any real understanding of what they’re up against. A lot of them are going to die for no reason – but without us, it’ll be much, much worse. Trust me, Scarlett. You’re needed.”
    “But I told you. I’m in the middle of the desert. In Egypt.”
    “There are still planes flying. You can persuade someone to take you.”
    “What about the doors?” Jamie asked. “If they’re not working any more…”
    “The doors will open again eventually. Somehow, you have to make it to St Meredith’s in London. You can trust the man who calls himself the Traveller. He’ll look after you. And, Pedro…” Matt turned to him and for a moment Pedro thought there was something strange in his eyes, something he didn’t quite understand. “You’re going to St Peter’s in Rome,” he continued. “There’s a door there that will take you to Antarctica. Giovanni will help you.”
    “How do you know all this?” Pedro demanded. “How do you know about Giovanni?”
    Matt shrugged and looked away. “I’ve been to the library,” he said.
    “And what’s my part in this?” Scott asked. The others looked at him curiously. His voice was dull and hostile. He was sitting, cross-legged, on his own, slightly apart from the rest of the group. And he was dressed differently from them. He was wearing an expensive black shirt and jeans. His clothes were new.
    “You and I can talk about that in a minute,” Matt said. He got to his feet. “The five of us are together again and that’s all that matters. We’re still alive. And I will make you a promise. The price may be high but we are going to win.”
    He walked over to Scott. “Let’s go…”
    “We’ve got nothing to say,” Scott muttered.
    “That’s not true.”
    “I’ve got nothing to say to you, Matt. I mean it.”
    “Give me five minutes, Scott. That’s all I’m asking. After that, you never have to see me again.”
    “Five minutes?”
    “What difference does it make? You’re asleep anyway. When you wake up, we’ll be miles apart.”
    “OK. Whatever you say.” Scott rose lazily to his feet. He was still ignoring Pedro. But he was also ignoring Jamie and that was much worse.
    Scarlett watched the two of them walk away. She turned to Pedro. “What’s going on?” she asked. “You were with Scott in Italy. What happened?”
    “Nothing happened,” Pedro replied, miserably.
    “No? So how come you look half-starved, you’re in rags and you’ve got a broken finger, while Scott looks like he’s just walked out of a fashion show?”
    “Pedro…?” Jamie pleaded with him to say more.
    “I can’t tell you!” Pedro sprang to his feet and walked off in the opposite direction, kicking up grey dust. He quickly disappeared down the side of the hill.
    Jamie and Scarlett were left alone. “The five of us together again?” Jamie muttered, echoing what Matt had just said. “It doesn’t feel that way.”
    Matt and Scott were still together in the empty grey landscape. Matt was doing most of the talking, trying to make Scott understand something. Scott was shaking his head. Matt stopped him, then spoke quickly and urgently. He seemed to have regained his confidence.
    He knows something we don’t, Jamie thought.
    Scott muttered something. He was trying to back away but Matt was staying close to him, refusing to let him leave.
    Scarlett wished she could hear what they were saying. She didn’t know if Matt had persuaded Scott to see his point of view and wondered if she could help. She thought of going over to them but then she saw a man walking towards her. He was still dressed in a white shirt but, from the front, she could see that there was a pattern of some sort on his waistcoat. He was an Arab. She saw that too. The two black discs covering his eyes glimmered in the fluorescent light.
    “Five,” he said.
    Always the same word. Nothing else and no explanation… “Matt!” she called out.
    But Matt was far away, still talking to Scott. At the