فصل 40

Chapter 40: The Equation

That evening, as Taylor and I were finishing our shift on lookout, I told her what I’d told Ben. She tried to comfort me.

“It will be okay,” she said. “America’s a big place. That’s not enough information to find them. Three hours away could be like Kansas. Or Nebraska.” She put her arms around me and held me.

After we parted she smiled and said, “Besides, remember what your mother says. Things have a way of working out.” “You’re right,” I said.

After a minute she said, “There’s something really important I need to tell you, too.” “What?” I asked.

“I think I can explain it better with Ostin around.” “All right,” I said. “Let’s go find him.” We climbed down from the roof and found Ostin sitting next to an oscillating fan in the men’s bunk room. He was translating a Chinese magazine into English.

“Hey,” I said. “We need to talk.”

He looked up, his eyes wide. “What did I do?” “You’re not in trouble,” I said.

“We’ll need some paper and something to write with,” Taylor said.

Ostin held up his pen and pad of paper. “Already got it.” Taylor walked over and locked the door, then sat down on the bed across from Ostin. “I need to write something.” Ostin gave her his paper and pen. Taylor flipped through the pad to a clean page and began writing. When she was finished she handed it to Ostin.

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Ostin looked at it for a moment, then said, “Where did you get this?” “Jade.”

“Can I have my pen back?” Ostin asked. Taylor handed it to him and he began scratching numbers on the paper. After a moment he said, “This is incredible.” He looked at Taylor. “Do you understand this?” “It sounds weird since I barely made it through algebra, but I sort of do.” She looked at me. “I mean, I don’t think I could explain it to anyone, but it’s, like, part of me.” Ostin went back to filling the paper with symbols, numbers, and letters. Every now and then he’d mumble “Whoa,” or “Brilliant.” “You understand what that means?” I asked Ostin.

“Most of it. Without understanding the dynamics of the MEI machine, I can’t fully understand the formula. But it’s the algorithm of the MEI waves. I would have to compare it with the Elgen’s information to see the variance, but I guarantee it’s different from what the Elgen have been operating from.” “Is this what the Elgen are looking for?” I asked.

Ostin looked at me gravely. “I think so.” For a moment we were all silent as the reality of what we had sunk in. Like E = mc2, this formula could change the world. Or destroy it.

“Burn that paper,” I said to Ostin. “Now.” “All right,” he said. He walked out to the kitchen.

“Why would she give it to me?” Taylor asked.

“Because she trusts you.”

Taylor’s brow fell. “But she didn’t say it. She only thought it to me. That means she knew I could read her mind.” “It also means that she must know it’s what the Elgen want from her,” I said. I took a deep breath. “We’ve got to get her out of there.”