Into the Forbidden Place

14 Deth Pass

The plan seemed too simple to Tim. Essentially, it involved blending in with the treasure hunters and, when deemed opportune, crossing the Death Pass individually, that is, when no one was watching.

The Death Pass gateway was located at the end of a narrow canyon, flanked by massive rocks on both sides. The gateway was essentially the same everywhere—a massive door that anyone could pass through, followed by a small corridor and the orange portal, which could only be crossed with a key and code.

The worrisome factors were Mara and Otis, who had already seen them and could recognize them. Judith emphasized the importance of not making eye contact with anyone, trying to be as invisible as possible. Lenny was voted as the liaison, the one who would inform everyone of any developments and explain the plan if there were any changes. If someone got caught or an unexpected event occurred requiring a fight, Judith would decide what to do. She would assess the situation and determine whether they should fight or lay low. If she drew her sword, the others would follow suit; if not, they would hide.

Tim didn't like this plan. He thought they should attack the treasure hunters and take everyone down instead of blending in and risking getting caught one by one. Mara would surely recognize them. As for Otis, he might be directed toward the girl. He was a bit excited about the prospect of seeing Mara again if she was still there. But where could she be other than waiting for them with their keys... undoubtedly, this was a very bad plan.

However, their leader insisted on it and assigned roles for each member. Guldar and Udine were the first to go, paired up. The others went individually, with about an hour gap between each departure. Tim and the leader remained at the end. Tim felt a bit uncomfortable around Judith. Now that he knew she wasn't his mother, he regretted it a bit and wanted to tell her.

Tim: "Can I say something personal? Will you get mad?"

Judith: "Of course, Timothy. Go ahead!"

Tim: "Somehow, I always thought you were my mother, just keeping it a secret... I guess that's why I wanted to be a gatekeeper so much, to earn your approval..."

Judith: "I would be happy to have a son like you! Seriously! And I'm sorry for what happened with your parents..."

Tim saw that the woman hesitated, there was something else she wanted to say. He looked her in the eyes, held her arm, and squeezed it.

Judith: "There's something else, Tim, that you don't know. And maybe you should never know, but I don't want you to look up to me, as I don't deserve it... but I had no choice. You know, when your father activated the robot, and it turned out he was a member of FYI, I was afraid he would cause even more trouble..."

The woman's eyes became misty. She didn't look Tim in the eyes and continued:

Judith: "It was me who reported the incident to the inquisition, who then decided they had to die. I'm sorry... and when the order was given, I had to carry it out."

Tim felt everything blur before him. He tore his arm from Judith's grip and jumped up.

Judith: "You were lying in the cradle, and I couldn't bring myself to... you were so small and innocent..."

The woman began to cry. Tim felt he had to get away from here because he couldn't stand to be near the leader for another minute.

He picked up his small bag and set off, emotions swirling inside him that he couldn't make sense of. He was angry, yet at the same time, should he be grateful that she spared him?

The night was cool; the nightly frost nipped at his skin, which felt refreshing because his head was throbbing. However, in the darkness, he could see the outlines of the mountains, and in the distance, something glowed, as if a campfire had been lit. Indeed, in front of the Death Pass, a massive campfire stood, surrounded by people sitting and lying around. They were loud; he could barely hear them as he approached, but he could already hear a burly figure standing and explaining something. The others gestured, occasionally shouting something.