The Dharma Revelation

Chapter 56

"How's your nose?" Cavanaugh asked apologetically.

Heller shook his head and managed a small smile, "I'll be fine."

"What happened?" Vincent asked Dharma, perplexed. "We heard the gunshot that killed Raines. Did Cavanaugh actually save your life?"

"Yes," she simply said.

Vincent looked at Cavanaugh, speechlessly.

"I tracked Heller using the GPS in his cell phone," Cavanaugh explained. "I came with the intent of—with the intent of..." He couldn't quite finish the sentence. "Anyway, I couldn't do it." He glanced at Dharma.

"Ah," Vincent nodded. "Well, I would say you made the right choice."

Dharma looked at Vincent and said, "Tom did more than simply make the right choice today."

"What do you mean?" Cavanaugh asked.

"You spoke for humanity today," she said. "You spoke loud, and you spoke clear."

"What does that mean?"

"It means," she answered dramatically, "that everything is going to change."

"Change how?" Daniel asked.

"We must return to Osiris," Dharma announced. "There is much to do."

"I can't go there," Cavanaugh said. "In fact, we all need to leave, immediately. The Chaos Wave knows we're here. They don't know what happened yet, but it won't take long to put it all together."

"Stay with us," Vincent suggested.

"I can't."

"Vincent's right," Daniel said to Cavanaugh. "Come with us."

Cavanaugh shook his head, "One thing is clear to me. Probably more clear than anything has been in a very long time. We have to protect this girl. It would be best for her, and for all of you, if you left, now. Don't fly back to Baltimore. You should drive. Take your rental car and just drive the whole way back. Flying will not be safe. They'll be at the airport."

"Are you s—"

"Yes," Cavanaugh interrupted, giving Daniel a look that answered that question, and any other questions he might have on the subject.

"Throw away your cell phone and come with us," Vincent insisted. "You'll be safe."

Cavanaugh shook his head, "I did something unforgivable in the eyes of the Chaos Wave. I can't spend my life in the shadows, hiding, afraid to start my car, afraid to walk alone at night."

"What will you do?" Daniel asked.

"I need to face them," Cavanaugh said.

Daniel looked, "That's suicide."

"Possibly," he admitted. "But I need to at least try to talk to them."

Heller looked at Cavanaugh and said, "Why don't you stay with me? I have a small condo in Catonsville under an alias. We can stay there for a while."

Cavanaugh shook his head, "I can't."

Daniel looked at Dharma, "I think he's right. We should go."

Dharma nodded, and said, "Very well, Daniel."

Daniel turned to Cavanaugh, "We'll do it. We'll take our car and drive home. You and Heller can take the taxis wherever you need to go."

Cavanaugh nodded. He smiled grimly at Daniel, "I have to tell you something first. That look you gave me, when you told me that if I had any doubt I shouldn't do it. You had such conviction on your face—it meant a lot. I just wanted you to know that."