The Keepers Files 1.5 A Holding Kate Series Book

by Cole, LaDonna

  He reached the boat and began diving and frantically searching for her. Again and again he dove, scrambled around in the inky blackness to find her and returned to the surface empty handed. His muscles ached with the repeated exertion and deprivation of oxygen. He stayed under longer each time, hating to leave the bottom without her safely in his arms. His lungs burned and demanded that he come up for air. He broke the surface and gulped oxygen. Hopelessness descended on him and ravaged the tender places of his heart that had just begun to love. “Shanna!” he sobbed and gasped for breath that would not bring relief to the suffocating pressure on his chest. His heart shattered. “Shanna!” He drew a deep breath and dove once again.

  ©Excerpt from Threshold, Tsian the Wise, Sisterhood of the Sword Saga, by LaDonna Cole

  (A more detailed account of her years in the alternate location

  can be found in The Chronicles of Ampeliagia.)

  Another early crossing through the quantum veil occurred years later.

  VALEN’S JOURNEY

  “Mimi!” Valen ran through the screen door of the boat house screeching. “Mimi, Papaw!”

  “Whoa there, youngster.” Rick snagged his granddaughter’s arm. “What’s all this excitement?”

  “Papaw! I saw the deer family! I saw the mommy deer and the two little fawns!” Valen bounced into her grandfather’s arms.

  “You did? In the meadow?”

  “Yes, Papaw! We have to tell Mimi! She loves the baby deer!”

  Rick laughed and touched the freckled cheek of his five year old grandchild, visiting for the summer. She favored his wife, Shanna. Red spiraled curls and mischievous green eyes shined.

  “Mimi!” The screen door slammed behind Shanna.

  Rick gazed at his bride, she still stole his breath. Hair piled in a messy knot of curls and glasses perched on the end of her nose, she sauntered to the worktable where dusty artifacts littered every inch of space and old books piled high in towers. A sarcophagus leaned against the wall and straw-filled crates spilled open.

  Shanna broke into his favorite smile when Valen’s excitement reached her. “Hello, my two favorite people!” Shanna enveloped Valen and kissed her nose. “What’s all the commotion?”

  “I saw them, Mimi! You said if I sat very still and quiet, they would come! They did, Mimi! They did!”

  Shanna clapped her hands together with sheer glee. “Oh Valen, I’m so glad you got to see them!” She escorted Valen to the worn leather sofa.

  Rick settled beside them and listened to Valen chatter. He and Shan stole smoldering glances over her head. Resting his arm along the back of the couch, he fingered Shan’s curls while she listened to Valen’s account of the fawn’s antics.

  Before long Valen finished her story and wandered away to another adventure.

  Rick stroked Shanna’s cheek, she flushed under his touch like a schoolgirl. It reminded him of the moment he fell in love with her.

  “I want to show you something.” Taking his hand, she led him to the table. “Look at this piece.”

  “It’s beautiful.” He fingered the workmanship of the pewter vase.

  “It isn’t Terran.”

  Rick locked his eyes on Shanna. “You mean…”

  “It’s Ampeliagian, Rick.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Are you sure?”

  “Test it with your quantum EMF.”

  “I will.” He turned the vase over in his hands, inspecting it from every angle. “I didn’t think things could cross to this side of the veil.”

  Rick dragged Shan and the vase to his side of the boat house. Pushing aside the large vinyl strips separating the lab from her artifacts, they stepped into his world of shiny surfaces and beakers. Computers lined one wall and a table of electronic and magnetic measuring instruments mirrored it.

  He analyzed the vase and shared a grin with Shanna when the needle spiked into the quantum range.

  “It’s the same material as your ring,” he confirmed. “It’s truly from Ampeliagia.” Shanna nodded and her gray curls bounced against her cheek.

  They were so engrossed in their work that they didn’t notice the sunset or passing of time.

  “Where is Valen?” Shanna stretched.

  Rick looked up absentmindedly from his computer. “Huh? I don’t know. It isn’t like her to be away so long.”

  “Rick!” Shanna’s face sketched worried lines and her voice weakened with dread.

  “Don’t worry, honey, she is probably watching TV. Let’s go see.”

  Walking along the dock, Shanna paused, then pointed. “Rick!”

  The canoe bobbed abandoned midway in the glassy pond. “Don’t panic, Shan. Go check the house.”

  Shanna sprinted, calling “Valen! Valen!”

  Rick thrashed to the center of the pond. Tilting the canoe toward him, he peered inside. Valen’s daisy flip flop lay abandoned in the bottom.

  The screen door slammed. Shanna sped to the pier’s foot, peeling off her clothes. “She isn’t answering!” White skin pierced black water. Diving and searching, praying and hoping, they desperately groped for their precious granddaughter in the recessed depths.

  Memories assailed Rick. Thirty years ago this had happened, except Shan was the one missing. She had crossed over into another world, Ampeliagia, and lived several years as the foster daughter of a great king, the companion to three exceptional women, and servant to a god she curiously called Juan.

  Once again, he sought a redheaded girl who had stolen his heart, but this one was his own flesh and blood. Plunging deeper each time, he penetrated the mysterious lake. The moon and stars danced across the ripples, beauty mocking the frenetic search.

  What if he failed this time?

  No, he would not lose Valen.

  After thirty minutes his muscles screamed in agony and he knew Shan was exhausted. He sent her to the pier.

  “Rick, it’s been too long. She couldn’t—” Shanna’s voice broke with the dread of her own words.

  Rick dove again refusing to give up. His lungs seared in his chest and with a mouthful of water he surrendered to the surface.

  “Rick!”

  Shan’s voice wasn’t coming from the dock or the canoe as he expected.

  “Rick!”

  Scouring the edges of the shadowy pond, he caught a snatch of white between the reeds.

  “Rick, help me.” Shanna, in the thick of the reeds curved over something. “Rick, I found her!”

  “Dear God.” He splashed toward Shanna’s voice. She bent over the frail form and puffed into her mouth.

  Rick slogged into the shallows and collapsed beside the lifeless body of his granddaughter. “Shanna, is she?”

  “She has a pulse. She’s not breathing.” Shanna blew another breath.

  The chest of Rick’s tiny grandbaby rose and fell as Shanna forced air into her lungs. Willing his granddaughter to live, he cried into his fists.

  Breathe.

  He waited an eternity.

  Water lapped along the shore.

  Shanna forced air.

  A bat fluttered across the sky.

  Shanna forced breath.

  A toad plunked into the water.

  Shanna forced life.

  Valen’s hand fluttered and she coughed.

  “Thank you, Juan,” Shanna whispered and cradled Valen upright.

  Valen retched volumes of water.

  “For my babies,” Valen’s voice croaked. “For my twin boys.”

  Her eyes focused on the faces hovering above her and registered alarm. “Where am I?” she rasped out.

  “Valen, honey, you’re here with Mimi and Papaw. You’re okay, we saved you.” Shanna cooed and smoothed Valen’s hair.

  Rick’s blood ran cold in his veins. The expression on his granddaughter’s face, he had seen before on his wife.

  “Bor!” Valen’s little voice moaned in grief too deep for her years.

  Rick buried his face in his hands.

  “Bailen, Achbor!�
� Her mourning cries broke the stillness of the night.

  Shanna’s startled gasp drew Rick’s gaze.

  “Did you say Achbor?” she whispered.

  “My son! Do you know where he is?” Valen seized Shanna’s arms and implored. “Regolian will kill him. We must hide them both.”

  Shanna made a popping sound in the back of her throat and her eyes slid out of focus.

  “She crossed.” Shanna trembled in shock. “She crossed over. She was Achbor’s mother.”

  Rick scooped his granddaughter into his arms and led his wife into the house.

  “I can’t believe it. Achbor told me once I reminded him of his mother, Valen. I’d completely forgotten about it.” Shanna gaped at her granddaughter. “She lived a lifetime in Ampeliagia, she’ll never be the same. She’s not a child anymore.”

  “If anyone can help her through this it is you. Think of the bond you’ll share. You both loved a great king, her son, your foster father.”

  Shanna fingered the burgundy ringlets splayed across Valen’s face and longing flashed across hers. She was homesick for Ampeliagia. Rick determined in that moment to find a way to open the door between the two worlds.

  ©Excerpt from A Story and a Cup of Tea, by LaDonna Cole

  It was these two very separate, yet similar, quantum anomalies that drove Dr. Richard Wilson to create a stable transport across quantum worlds. He succeeded and Emotive Educational Quantum Jumps birthed from his work.

  HEARTWORK VILLAGE QUANTUM jumps are strictly monitored by a team of professional scientists, psychiatric and mental health providers, spiritual leaders, and fitness and wellness experts. These professionals are known as the Inner Circle and are maintained in a top secret facility and they will serve one year in a rotation. Each member of the Inner Circle is screened, processed, and approved by a team of psychiatrists and testing specialists. They are interconnected by a matrix that runs an algorithm of the Inner Circle’s thought processes and chooses sphere destinations in various time/spatial/dimension locations. Safety protocols are in place which circumnavigate the jumpers into other worlds and keep them from going into the past of our dimension to prevent time paradoxes. Also safety protocols prevent dangerous or life threatening situations so that optimal recovery is possible.

  However, something has gone horribly wrong with the Inner Circle. The safety protocols are no longer working. Jumpers are sent into perilous, life threatening conditions and put through grueling tasks that have resulted in loss of life and have had a deep psychological impact on the teens who have survived.

  Tylonica Abernathy formed a task force to investigate the possibility that one of the Inner Circle is sabotaging the safety protocols and purposely sending jumpers into peril.

  It is with great concern and trepidation that we enter into this investigation to ferret out the culprit who is attempting to sabotage the good work of Heartwork Village. At the beginning of this investigation the following twelve professionals serve as the Inner Circle. The professionals are listed in the month order of their rotation. Each month, a member of the circle is released and another takes his/her place to serve for one year. These are the outstanding scientists in the current Inner Circle.

  The Inner Circle as of 6-23-2096

  “THERE JUST ISN’T enough here, Corey.” Kate pushed back from the computer terminal and rubbed her eyes.

  We had been at it for 18 hours straight and we still felt we only had a cursory understanding of the psyche of the Inner Circle.

  I rolled my chair over to her and gently started massaging her back and neck muscles. I planted a kiss on her forehead as she leaned her head back toward me.

  “Mmmm,” she sighed and stretched her neck.

  I thought of the day I first saw her. The day my life changed forever.

  The limo dropped me off at the Village and drove away. I watched the taillights until Giles, my chauffeur, disappeared around the corner.

  An enormous black man greeted me. “Heya, I’m Dirk, are you Corey Chastain?” He checked a clipboard.

  “Yeah, that’s me.” I bumped his fist.

  “You’re the first one here, so I dub thee Number One, keeper of the luggage.” He knighted my shoulders with his pencil.

  I was glad that Dad’s lawyer talked me into coming here as a jumper. I would be able to see exactly how things worked and not have to deal with the prestige issues that came with my family ties.

  As the cars arrived, I helped Dirk with the luggage and introductions. One guy about my age showed up in handcuffs with his parole officer.

  Dirk and I walked out to meet them on the blacktop. “Those won’t be necessary,” Dirk said pointing to the handcuffs.

  The parole officer shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He keyed the cuffs then handed Dirk some paperwork. I jerked my head indicating the boy should follow me.

  “I’m Corey.” I offered my hand.

  “Trip Carson.” He shook my hand and jerked his long bangs out of his face.

  I introduced him to some of the other guys and they stood and ogled a tall blond who had just arrived. My attention was caught by another recent arrival. She wrapped her slender arms around her mother and I saw her face break into deep sorrow, but when she pulled back she rearranged her features into a brave smile for her mother.

  I watched the beautiful girl as Kim, a breezy redhead in a STAFF shirt, approached them. The new arrival’s long dark hair tickled her back and draped over her slight frame as it wafted in the breeze. Her every movement was a song, a work of art.

  Kim waved Dirk over and he called for me to help him. I was more than glad to get a closer look. I jogged over and Kim introduced us. My face wouldn’t stop grinning as I looked into her beautiful brown eyes and saw a kindred heart.

  Dirk was saying something, I saw them bump hands and immediately felt a pang of longing to touch that creamy pale skin.

  “Hey,” I gawked with a stupid grin on my face.

  Her pupils dilated and she lifted the corner of her mouth. I fastened my gaze on her full and beautiful lips, then back to her emotive eyes. I didn’t think I had ever seen a face so fragile, so perfect, so open and vulnerable.

  I never believed in love at first sight. Heck, I had never really believed in love, but in that moment all of my beliefs crumbled like wedding cake around my feet. I lifted her luggage and couldn’t get past the thought that her hands had touched these very bags.

  I was smitten. In that one fraction of time, my world turned on its side and I would never be the same. Kate Wilson had entered it.

  I watched her closely all through orientation, I knew she was right behind me. I even thought I saw her look at me at one point. Trip had somehow latched onto her too. He kept touching her and it bothered me.

  I managed to stand close to her when we met our jump commanders, Mel and Donnie. She even looked at me once and we shared a shy little smile. Glorious day, Kate smiled at me! Ugh, I am such a creeper!

  After we were fitted for our jump suits, I noticed her frail form as she danced out into the commons area. Her every move was graceful and feminine. I had the urge to touch her hair as she walked past me to speak to Trip.

  I finagled my way to sit across from her at dinner, thinking we might have a chance to talk, but she and Trip were engaged in a strange flirtatious conversation, so I turned to the people around me and spoke with them.

  At the fireside show-and-tell I watched her as she lavished her delicate attention on her new friend with the pink hair. My heart strained toward her, wanting to be closer so I could hear her voice. Trip leaned against her shoulder possessively.

  I was surprised at Trip’s reaction to her. He was busy ogling the tall blond when Kate arrived and didn’t even seem to notice her until just before we left the parking lot.

  When we were finally chosen as partners for the Scriptorium, my heart danced inside of me. I would finally have some time alone with this beautiful and delicate creature.

  Ha! Time alone? We spent a thousa
nd years with one another. It was the beginning of the union of our souls. I was already in love with her, but in the Scriptorium I fell in love with who she was, not just what she looked like. She opened up to me, cried over her family and little brother. I stroked her cheek and wiped her tears, kissed away her sorrow. We held each other for an eternity. I never tired of the feel of her skin or the sound of her voice. I memorized every part of her face and fleck in her eyes. She had a tiny little scar on her chin and I kissed it and asked her about it. She told me a funny story about a chicken attacking her. Her laughter was a sparkling of bubbles and sound. I found myself telling jokes just to hear her laugh. I told her about SpongeBob in a sushi bar and she giggled so hard she lost her breath.

  She became my world, my life. My heart melded into hers and we became one holding each other, singing, sharing, and rolling in pink clouds. Kate was a gift, a treasure, everything I ever wanted or needed.

  After a thousand years, we returned to the cruel reality of Trip. Kate pulled away from me as though our thousand years of love were merely a dream.

  I worked the tense muscles out of Kate’s neck until she pushed away from the computer terminal, stood up, and kissed me.

  “Thank you, Corey,” she whispered and her eyes lit up the way they did only for me.

  “Let’s take a break. We can come back to it after a bite to eat and a nap.” I hugged her off the floor, whirled her around, and we walked hand in hand to our makeshift kitchen.

  We had been given the use of 3 rooms in the underground facility while we trained. The girls stayed in one room and the boys in another, much to the dismay of Mel and Donnie who had lived as husband and wife for 210 years. We turned the room between us into a common gathering room and makeshift kitchen.

  We entered the room and found Dirk and Trip in discussion about battle tactics. “Hey,” I greeted them.