hands were steady, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. If she did, she would remember how warm they had been whenever they looked at her. How they sparkled a little when he smiled at one of her jokes. How fierce they could be when something threatened the ones he loved. She would be very little to him now. An old friend, an ex-girlfriend. She would fade into his memory. That was how it always was—she faded away for people once she had served her purpose. “I really am sorry,” she said quietly. “For not being more.”
“Yeah.” Matt put the ring in his pocket. “So am I.”
He closed the door behind him. Sloane sat at the end of the bed, listening to Esther thumping around in the room next door and the cars rumbling past on the street below, a shush sound audible even from this high up. When she could move again, she crawled toward the headboard, her shoes still on, and curled up on her side. She could feel them coming, the wild, fierce sobs that took her over when the hollow feeling inside her was too much to bear. She grabbed the pillow and buried her face in it, falling asleep when she was too tired to feel anymore.
TOP SECRET
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Project Delphi, Subproject 3
Subproject 3 is being set up as a means to continue the present work in the field of Divination Verification and Validation at [redacted] until 4 April 1999.
This project will include a continuation of the study of the predictions of [redacted], code name Sibyl, with an aim to verify the accuracy of the End of the World Prophecy made on 16 February 1999 as well as associated predictions from alternate “sensitives” (defined as those with an innate perception of times other than the present). A detailed proposal is attached. The principal investigators will continue to be [redacted], [redacted], and [redacted].
The estimated budget of the project is $156,200.00. [redacted] will serve as a cover for this project and will furnish the above funds to [redacted] as a philanthropic grant.
[redacted] are cleared through TOP SECRET and are aware of the true purpose of the project.
APPROVED:
[redacted]
TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
TO: Director, Central Intelligence Agency
FROM: James Wong, Praetor of the Council of Cordus
SUBJECT: Project Delphi, Subproject 3
Dear Director,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this report, knowing the implications of our findings. Let me get on with it.
Per your instructions, we investigated all eighty-seven prophecies that had allegedly been made by [redacted], code name Sibyl, prior to the End of the World Prophecy made on 16 February 1999.
We were able to verify that eighty of the eighty-seven prophecies had indeed been made prior to 16 February 1999, according to witness testimonies, phone records, journal entries, and various other forms of physical evidence. We then pursued the results of said prophecies and were able to confirm that all eighty of said prophecies had indeed come to pass, within a time frame ranging from seven days to thirteen years.
It is the opinion of the Council of Cordus that the fulfillment of fifty of these prophecies was both unambiguous and specific; i.e., that they are not predictions of the fortuneteller variety (which are so vague as to be widely applicable). We defined specificity as details that apply to no more than 30 percent of the population. At least five of these specific details needed to be stated in the initial prophecy and met.
Therefore we are forced to conclude that the End of the World Prophecy, being the most specific of Sibyl’s prophecies, is overwhelmingly likely to be valid and imminent. The Council of Cordus therefore recommends that the search for the prophecy’s Chosen One must be undertaken with the greatest haste.
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I am available for further discussion or inquiry should you require it.
Sincerely,
James Wong
Praetor, Council of Cordus
TOP SECRET
18
SLOANE DREAMED that the Dark One was standing at her bedside, dragging a cool finger along her cheek. She woke with a start, grabbed the glass of water on her bedside table, and gulped it down.
Few people had seen the Dark One’s face without dying immediately afterward. Even his followers only saw something out of fantasy novels and space epics: a man of cloak and shroud, mask and mystery. So the startling thing about him, in Sloane’s memories, was always his face: young and pale, a swoop of mousy-brown hair over his forehead, watery eyes. He looked like the preserved