Voyagers!: Tunnels of despair and tracks of hope
Chapter 9
The whistle of the cosmic trip mingled with the whistling, gusty wind. The Voyagers landed on a very high rooftop in Manhattan. Jeffrey jumped up fast. Phineas was still weary since his geyser and the fight and he rose slowly, rubbing the middle of his back. He checked the omni–red again.
Jeffrey gasped and then he clutched his arm. "Bogg! Look! It's Francesca, she's on the ledge!"
Phineas' gaze shot forward. The distraught young woman inched her way toward the edge of the parapet. Her face reddened from intense crying. Phineas approached little by little, keeping his arm out.
"Francesca, it's me, Phineas Bogg. We made it! The bomb didn't go off, it was a dud. The Mayor and everyone are safe! Please come down." He said calmly.
Francesca looked his way startled, but she held her balance. "How did you know I was up here?"
"We followed you and climbed up the fire escapes, same as you did."
She turned away. "Then climb back down and just let me alone."
"We can't. Not until we know you're safe."
Francesca swung her body around exasperated. Phineas cringed when she teetered. "What does it matter? I don't deserve to be safe! Were all those innocent people down there safe from me? NO! I'm a murderess!"
Phineas came closer and Jeffrey hung back afraid. She stepped further away.
"You are not! You changed your mind! I know what happened now; you were seduced by this gang of miscreants and they blackmailed you. I heard what Thomas said by the tree. Please Francesca, you don't want to do this."
"How do you know what I want? Where do you come from to tell me this? I wanted revenge for my father's death, but you were right, it's useless. These rich men will continue raking in the profits and control the city for their own gain. It's a pitiful cycle. I was going to die anyway in that explosion. I knew it. I can't live with myself now."
Phineas suddenly felt infuriated. "Francesca, You're taking the coward's way out and you know it! You must face up to what happened!"
"Bogg, don't yell at her. That won't help." Jeffrey cajoled him.
Phineas stood his ground. He pointed at her accusingly. "No! She thinks she's the only one in this world who lost a parent? Tell her about your parents, Jeff! Tell her how they died in that horrible accident and how you were there, but couldn't prevent it!"
"Bogg, what's the matter? This isn't like you!"
"Tell her, I said!"
Jeffrey shook his head tearfully. "Bogg, stop it! You're making her upset! She'll fall!"
Phineas drew closer to her. "You don't see him jumping off buildings, do you? He's brave. He lived up to the fact that he couldn't change what happened and he wasn't at fault. Neither are you. Nobody was hurt, Francesca!"
"But I am! My pride and dignity, that is all dead!"
Her boot heels hung over the edge and her body tipped back and forth. "I'm so terribly sorry for you, Jeffrey! I wasn't thinking of those things. I know I'm not the only one, I do. But it was more than that, it was for all the men who died for…"
"Shut up!" Phineas burst out. "That's a lie they told you! That group doesn't care about your grief or anybody's! They're probably getting kick-backs from the fat cats who were against the subway system, and that's why they're hired out to destroy them. Jeff and I are not gonna let that happen, do you hear me? None of this will ever happen!"
"What are you saying, Phineas!" She cried. "You can't change anything!"
"Try me! I can change anything I want to!"
Jeffrey ran to Phineas' side flabbergasted by his behavior. "Francesca, Bogg is sick, he's upset, he's confused! He almost died from that bomb! I mean, he could have, and this week he nearly died in a geyser explosion! Please just come down from the ledge! We'll explain everything."
Down below, they heard a fire brigade and police shouting. Through the noisy crowd of frightened onlookers came Dominick's voice, the loudest of them all. He was yelling for her not to jump and he climbed onto the fire escape.
Francesca stared at Jeffrey and spoke gently. "You…you remind me of my cousin Matteo, such a wise little spitfire and a head full of curls just the same. Oh God, please forgive me! I've put you in so much danger. I've ruined my life; I've shamed my father's memory! I have shamed my mother, everyone!"
"We do! We do forgive you! Bogg tell her!" Jeffrey screamed.
Phineas' anger dissolved. "Francesca, stop. It's all over with. I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, thoroughly ashamed of his behavior toward her and feeling about ready to pass out. He couldn't understand what came over him, but whatever it was, he had to fight it.
"I forgive you, hon. You have to live." He put up both his arms and walked to her. "Come down to me. I got you."
Francesca had made up her mind. "I thank you for that, Phineas. You're a good man and I know it. Take special care of your boy."
"Bogg, no! Grab her!" Jeffrey jumped up and down.
Phineas lunged forward, but it was too late. Francesca looked up to the heavens and spun around. With her arms outstretched, she dove off. The crowds below scattered and yelled in terror.
"NO! NO!" Phineas bellowed. "Francesca!"
Phineas and Jeffrey peered over the edge, but it was over. She'd landed face-down, crushed and bloodied on the pavement. Dominic, who was halfway up the fire escape, slid down the wrought iron steps, screaming her name over and over. He glared at Phineas scathingly.
"You! You…you did this! You murderer! You killer!"
Jeffrey's heart nearly stopped. It was like a waking nightmare. He forced down bile. For a quick moment he thought of himself. He would've been just the same on the sidewalk, even worse, had Phineas not dove after him. Couldn't he have done the same for her? He mustn't have thought of it. Phineas slumped over the ledge, staring down in shock. His arm hung limp, and his hand reached out and clawed at the air.
Jeffrey's eyes blazed. He pulled Phineas away and pounded on him furiously.
"Bogg! Why? What's wrong with you? You made her fall! You made her jump! Why did you treat her like that? You killed her!" He spewed out, and then held his mouth. He'd said one of the worst things he could ever say to his partner.
"Oh Bogg! We gotta fix this! We gotta!"
Phineas barely heard him with the sound of his blood rushing to his ears. He grasped his head and curled his body on the ground.
"It was an accident! I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!" He moaned. "I tried to save her! I'm a wretch! I tried to save him! I did! But he wanted to kill me, Jeffrey! He came out to kill me for leaving! She let him! She let him! She knew he would! Why would she do that?" Phineas shouted hoarsely.
"What are you talking about? Bogg, you're scaring me!"
Jeffrey stared at him in utter shock. They had to leave fast. The police made their way up the building, waving guns and batons. They believed that Phineas pushed her on purpose. Jeffrey pulled the omni off Phineas' belt and turned the dials until they formed a red 'V' over the center. He clung to Phineas' shoulders and hugged him.
"I didn't mean what I said, Bogg. You're not a killer. I'm taking you away from here. You need help."
The police burst through the roof doors with their guns pointed at them. "Hold it right there, you two! Don't ya move a muscle or we're going to…"
The cops lowered their weapons and stared at each other astonished. The man and the boy disappeared right before their eyes.
