Page 51 of Dark Island: Rescue
Wonder suddenly straightened, her expression shifting from despair to something almost manic. "Mass suicide," she said urgently. "Tell her about mass suicide cults."
Annani blinked. "What?"
"There have been cases throughout history—entire communities committing suicide together. Jonestown, Heaven's Gate. If the four of them started acting strange, started preaching about some comet or death god or whatever those people believed in, then a group suicide might be believable."
It was creative, Annani had to give her that.
"Areana, did you hear that?" Annani asked.
"Yes. Mass suicide cult." Areana sounded like she was considering it. "They would need to start acting strangely, showing signs of religious fanaticism or delusion. Give Navuh's watchers something to report."
"It will not work." Annani hated to crush the hope she heard building in her sister's voice. "Mass suicide events are typically the result of months or years of brainwashing by a charismatic cult leader. Someone who holds absolute power over his followers, who controls their reality so completely they will follow him into the fires of hell if he commands it, and I'm saying 'him' because cult leaders are mostly men."
"So, we create a fake cult leader," Wonder said.
"The only cult leader on that island is Navuh."Annani sighed. "His word is law. No one else has that kind of influence over the residents, especially not over the harem's immortal ladies."
"Elias is a shaman," Areana said. "He could start leading some strange ceremonies. They could make it believable."
Annani shook her head. "Three sophisticated, intelligent people suddenly fall under the sway of a new belief system introduced by someone who did not exhibit anything like that before, and in a matter of weeks. It is not believable. Navuh is not stupid."
A groan came through the earpiece, low and anguished. Then, in the background, Annani heard it—the unmistakable sound of sobbing that spoke of hope crushed and despair triumphant.
Tula.
She had been listening the entire time.
Of course, she had. Areana never called without Tula by her side, acting as her lookout.
"Fates," Annani breathed. "I forgot Tula was with you. Not that it would have changed anything I said."
"Let me talk to her," Wonder interrupted. "Let me speak with my sister."
"Can you give the receiver to Tula?" Annani asked Areana.
"Yes. Give me a moment."
"Wonder," Tula said. "Talk to Anandur. He might come up with a plan."
"I will." Wonder steadied her voice with effort. "We will find a way to save you."
"What about Tamira? Tony and Elias?" Tula's wordstumbled out in a rush. "We tried so hard, made such careful plans, and it all fell apart. And now there are four of us, and it's impossible. Everyone says it's impossible, and my baby—oh dear Fates, my baby will be taken and I can't—I can't?—"
"Listen to me." Wonder's voice took on a fierce quality. "I don't care how impossible it seems. I don't care how difficult or dangerous it is. You are my sister, and your child is my niece or nephew. We will move heaven and earth to bring you home. All of you. Do you hear me?"
"But Annani said?—"
"I know what Annani said." Wonder glanced at her, and Annani saw something defiant in her old friend's eyes. "She's right that it's complicated. But complicated doesn't mean impossible. It just means we need more time to plan."
Annani felt a swell of affection for Wonder. This was the girl who'd been willing to defy social convention for love, who'd followed Annani on every wild adventure despite her fear, who'd faced down gods and immortals to protect the people she loved.
"We've already done the impossible," Wonder continued, her voice gaining strength. "You and I, we survived when everyone we loved died. I endured millennia in stasis and woke up to find myself in a completely different world, and you endured five thousand years in Navuh's harem. Getting you off that island is just another impossible thing we're going to do."
The sobbing had quieted now, replaced by raggedbreathing. "Promise me," Tula whispered. "Promise me you're not just saying what I need to hear right now."
"I promise. I vow to the Fates that we will save you."
Wonder should not have given that vow. If she could not deliver, there would be repercussions. The Fates did not appreciate their names being invoked in vain.
