A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner Page A

instantly what language it’s hearing. It’ll translate for you automatically, and trigger the tooth device to alter your words as they come out of your mouth — which means that in each new setting, you want to let someone else speak before you do. The speaking part’s a little tricky; it takes some practice to know how slowly to speak and when to pause, that sort of thing. But the translation of what others are saying — that works like a charm. Maybe let me do the talking as much as possible until you get the hang —”
    “Well hello!” someone barked from behind them, cutting Riq off.
    Sera turned her head to see an enormous man with a dark beard. He held a long iron bar in one fist, bouncing it in the palm of his other hand. Sera’s heart froze.
    The giant took a few steps forward, then leaned down to sneer at them.
    “I never thought I’d see it,” he said with creepy awe. “Visitors from the future.”

D AK JUMPED to his feet, dragging Sera to hers as well. Riq stood right beside them as the man took another step closer. He could now reach them if he decided to swing that big iron rod in his hands. And probably not for just a love tap, either.
    “Who are you?” Riq asked.
    “Who am
I
?” the man responded gruffly. His lips didn’t move in sync with the words Dak was hearing, which meant the translator device was actually working. Even in the face of certain death by a barbarian, that was pretty cool. “Three little urchins show up in the streets of my town, dressed in ill-fitting clothes, looking as out of place as an anvil in a cooper’s shop, and you ask who
I
am?”
    There was a long moment of silence before Sera said, timidly, “Yes?”
    The man let one end of his rod fall to the ground and he leaned on it like a cane. Then he laughed, a deep bellow of a noise that almost made Dak look up to see if it was going to rain.
    “We can explain everything,” Sera said. “It’s not what you think.”
    “Not what I think!” the man roared. “I just said you were from the future and you didn’t bat an eye or protest! That something you think people go around talking about?”
    Dak reached out and pulled on Sera’s hair. Talking to this guy was craziness — they needed to run. She looked at him sharply then returned her glare to the stranger.
    “I’ll tell you who I am,” he said. “I was trained by my father, who was trained by his mother, who was trained by her father, who was trained by his mother. From there it goes three mothers in a row and then a string of fathers. Way, way back is my point.”
    “Trained to do what?” Dak asked.
    “To look for the likes of you, that’s what. I’m a Time Warden of the SQ, raised to the Watch when I was only fourteen. But if I’d known the people we’ve been looking for all these centuries were nothing but a few weaned babies, I’d have left the honor to my little sis. Who has one arm. And no legs.”
    That pricked Dak’s pride. “Well, if it’s any consolation, we were hoping you’d be shorter,” he grumbled.
    “Why are you here?” the Warden asked. “What do you know?”
    Sera opened her mouth then closed it. She seemed to be considering reasoning with the giant.
    “Look,” she said at last, “we know who you work for. They don’t care about anybody but themselves. We
are
from the future and, trust me, they make a mess of everything.”
    “Who cares about the future?” the man rumbled. “They’re paying me well
now
.”
    “We can pay you!” Dak exclaimed. “Do you accept, um, currency from a country that hasn’t been established yet?”
    “What I want from you is your reason for coming here. What are you planning?”
    If only they
had
a plan. But that reminded Dak: They did have the riddle. He was confident he could work it out, and that would mean they’d have an ally in the village. But he needed to buy some time. And some distance would be nice, too.
    “Speak!” the man shouted. “Speak or I’ll start breaking