Page 81 of The Circle

Jin.

Lars.

Matthew.

Mom.

Russell.

Charlie.

Brenden.

Dad.

Eliza.

Theo.

Andra.

Names, faces, ideas, all scrambling around as I try to postulate some kind of theory about what, who, and why.

And at the moment, I’ve still got nothing.

The Mercedes finishes its ascent up the long and winding road and pulls to a stop in front of the castle. “All right, gentlemen. If you will get out and follow me, please. Your journey is very nearly at its end.”

I look at Alec, who doesn’t look over at me, and I can see that bead of sweat he had before has been joined by some friends. Opening my door, I step out and see Eliza and Christine’s car pulling up behind ours. The birds that I spotted are now very clearly circling directly above our heads. Waiting.

Think, Fortnight, think. What is this? Who is it that’s behind all this?

I’ve got nothing. And it’s that nothingness that gives me a feeling in my guts that’s more than a feeling. It’s an understanding. An acknowledgement. An awareness.

This is not going to work out like I hope. Like any of us hope.

I don’t know what that means, but I know I mean it.

This isn’t going to be a story that wraps up in a perfect bow with all the questions answered and all the mysteries solved. It isn’t going to have a comfortable sense of closure that lets us all ride off into the wherever, sleeping soundly because we feel complete and satisfied. It’s going to be messy. And bloody. And end without everyone getting what they want or even what they deserve.

But it is going to end. That much I can feel as well. It will end. How does that song go? That Johnny Cash one? The one by the Man in Black? Oh. Yeah.

“You can run on for a long time. Run on for a long time. You can run on for a long time, but sooner or later… God’ll cut you down.”

Christine and Eliza get out of their car. They walk up to meet me as Alec comes around the side of the Mercedes to join me as well. And, once again, here we are. Waiting to be given directions. Waiting to be marched to our… whatever it is we’re being marched to.

“Mr. van den Berg. Mr. Fortnight. Ms. Watson. Ms. Keene. First, let me say how much we appreciate your patience and understanding through what we know has been a challenging period. Trust that your compliance will soon be rewarded. If you will follow me, in moments we will finally be in a position to resolve any outstanding concerns. Follow me, please. One last time.”

He nods, steps toward the ruined castle on the top of this mountain in Austria, nearly darkened skies still filled with winged predators above us, and begins walking into what I see is a long, dark passageway to the unknown.

We follow. No ceremony. No questions. No looks of curiosity between us. Just an exhausted and shared comprehension that none of that shit matters now.

I don’t know if it’s God who’ll be cutting us down, but it sure as shit will be someone.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Following the Austriandown the long, dark corridor that leads us into the interior of the castle, I now believe I know what this is. Definitively. There are signs and indications everywhere.

This is the endgame of a match that was begun one night seven years ago. The night we stole the diamond—the diamond—from my father’s safe. The night that began an odyssey that feels like it is finally nearing its end.