The Power of Five Oblivion

dreamworld, which is a place we can go when we’re asleep. Matt is in Brazil. The last time I saw her, Scarlett was heading for Dubai. She’s with Richard Cole. Pedro is in Italy. And Scott…” He hesitated. “Scott is already in Oblivion, in Antarctica. That’s where this is all going to end, and if you have people who are ready to fight, that’s where they should be heading.”
    “We could fly you there,” Will said. “Heathrow and Gatwick are both out of use but there’s a landing strip at Elstree we can use…”
    “No.” Jamie shook his head. “The doors are going to open again. Matt is going to send me a signal. I have to get to St Meredith’s as soon as possible and then, when the moment comes, I’ll join him in Oblivion.”
    Nobody argued. Whatever Jamie wanted, that was what was going to happen.
    “Can you get me there?” he asked.
    “Yes.” Miss Ashwood nodded. “But London is terribly dangerous. Parts of it are still radioactive. And there was some sort of virus we know nothing about. Conditions change daily, depending on how the wind blows. Incredibly, there are still people living there but they’re barely recognizable as human beings. You were in Little Moulsford. You’ve seen what can happen. We have a safe house near St Meredith’s but you can’t stay there more than three or four days.”
    “I want to go there straight away,” Jamie said. “And I’m going to need as many people as you can spare. When the time comes, we’re going to have to fight our way inside. And I don’t know why I’m saying this but once Matt gives the signal, I don’t think we’re going to have much time.”
    “All right. Graham will make all the arrangements.”
    “I’m coming too,” I said. The words had come out all by themselves. Once again, I hadn’t meant to speak. I also thought that someone would try to talk me out of it, that they would make me see sense. But to my surprise, nobody did.
    And that was how I came to be part of it. That was why I was there at the end.

FORTY
    We left at six o’clock in the evening. I only knew it because the clocks told me. In this underground world, I wondered how anyone had any sense of time. The Traveller said that it would be safer to cross London in the dark. Despite his wound, he insisted on coming with us, but this time it would be his brother, Will Fletcher, who would be in charge. Will knew the city better – but the two of them didn’t want to spend any more time apart. There were another four men who had changed out of the grey overalls they always wore in the pod and were now in army camouflage, bristling with guns and other equipment. I felt a little safer having them around me, but then I had no idea what we were heading into. London. For years it had been a name – and one that you didn’t mention too often. It had been destroyed, along with another eight cities in the UK, and that had been enough to tip the whole country into chaos. It was as if I was about to travel into the very broken heart.
    We ate another meal before we left, which suited me. Once we were in the city we would be surviving on only what we could carry. I noticed Graham and Will Fletcher sitting next to each other, deep in conversation. They obviously had a lot of catching up to do but not much time. Finally, we stood up and got ready to leave. We had all been given backpacks. I don’t know what was in mine but it weighed a ton.
    I looked for Jamie and saw him perching on one of the sofas near the TV. I went over to join him, then realized that he was talking to Susan Ashwood, the blind woman who was sitting opposite him. I didn’t want to burst in on them but at the same time I was close enough to hear their conversation. He had his back to me and she, of course, couldn’t see, so neither of them was aware of me. She was saying goodbye.
    “I won’t see you again, Jamie,” she was saying. “I have very little time left now.”
    “You can’t know that, Miss Ashwood.”
    “I do know that. The spirits have told me. But please don’t be upset on my account. There’s nothing to fear about death, once you understand it. I’ll merely be passing from one place to another … a little like you when you go to your dreamworld. But I want you to know that I am so glad to have met you. And Matt. A lot of people spend their whole lives without achieving very much but I am proud that I was able to help you a little. When this story is written, I’ll have a place