Meanwhile, in Madison
It took her nearly twenty minutes to find the Darwinn volume.
If she had started at the top left shelf, like a normal person, she would have been out of the house in five minutes, but no—she had to be clever and start in the middle.
When she finally did spot the book, she whisked it off the shelf and grabbed the keys to Vivian’s minivan off the table by the door.
Just as she was about to dash out, she thought to pick up the bag of blankets and the suitcase, which she tossed into the back seat.
She opened Vivian’s directions on her phone and headed to Maxwell’s Island.
Three of the four Maxwell UFOs had now been secured.
Marie had no time to waste. Harry had been very specific.
“What people?” Marie had asked.
“Why are you telling me this, Harry?”
“In case I’m not here when the time comes. If someone tries to get you to give up the position of the island, give them this.” He’d handed her an envelope. “You can hide it in my desk in the drawer with the false bottom.”
“It says Tess.”
“Because anyone who comes for it will assume I’d never mislead Tess.”
“What is it?”
“A map to the island.”
“But I know how to get to the island.”
“Yes. But this map shows a slightly longer route.”
“How much longer?”
“Thirty minutes. Forty-five at the most.”
“Why not just draw a map that doesn’t lead to the island?”
“Someone is going to ask you if this map leads to Maxwell’s Island and, Marie, I love you, and you have many talents, but lying isn’t one of them. And if the people who come for this map think you’re lying, they won’t respond with kindness.”
“I’m supposed to give this to Pilgrim 3?” Marie had asked.
“Only if you fear for your safety. Or Tess’s.” Harry had paused a moment. “Or for anyone else that you love.”
As soon as Montag 5 was out of the house and she had extricated herself from David’s embrace, Marie grabbed a coat and the car keys.
“I might need to take a later flight tomorrow,” she said, kissing David on the cheek, “but I’ll see you in Florida.”
“I don’t understand,” said David. “Where are you going?”
“I have to attend to something,” said Marie.
“What do you have to attend to?”
“Unfinished business.”
Nemo 7 followed the black sedan through the streets of Madison.
But moments after Montag 5 turned onto Route 113 heading north, he got back off.
Montag 5 wasn’t going to the island. He was going to the airport.
Nemo 7 texted Richard, hoping the president hadn’t yet gotten to the wilds of Wisconsin, where cell phone service could be spotty.
Montag 5 arrived at Madison airport. Maybe he’s taking radio back to NYC? More when I know.
Find out his destination, wrote Richard. If impossible to retrieve radio at airport, return to Vilas Avenue and await further instructions.
Pilgrim 3 switched her phone off airplane mode the second the wheels touched the ground in Madison.
The text from Montag 5 read, Arrived at airport.
In baggage claim. The timestamp on the text was six minutes ago.
She texted back immediately. In the seat next to her sat a bewildered Anderson Tait, a staff writer for Scientific American and the only journalist among her contacts who had agreed to hop on a flight to Wisconsin with no explanation beyond “You will witness the greatest scientific breakthrough of our time—perhaps of all time.” Ever since the flight left Newark, he had pestered her for more information, but Pilgrim 3 had remained tight-lipped.
If things went south, she didn’t want this journalist, or any journalist, to know what she had tried to do.
Only when she had successfully demonstrated the portal would she fill Mr. Tait in on the details.
As soon as the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign turned off, she bullied her way to the front of the plane, dragging Mr. Tait behind her and mumbling about a medical emergency to anyone who got in her way.
She made it to the curb outside baggage claim thirteen minutes after the plane reached the gate. Montag 5 stood waiting for her.
“You have directions?” said Pilgrim 3.
“I have a map to the island.”
“Then let’s go!”
Nemo 7 watched as Pilgrim 3 and a man he didn’t recognize climbed into Montag 5’s stolen car.
He had overheard what Montag 5 said to Pilgrim 3, so he texted Richard, Montag 5 and Pilgrim 3 headed to Maxwell’s Island with radio.
After a moment his phone reported that the message couldn’t be delivered.
Nemo 7 had no way of warning Richard that Pilgrim 3 was now headed to Maxwell’s Island.
As instructed, he returned to Vivian’s house in Madison and waited, trying to text every few minutes without success.