“I can’t believe this,” Dan sputtered in a dazed voice. “Will somebody tell me what’s going on?”
“We’ll explain later,” Laura muttered. She turned to Crystal. “If Drake is watching the elevator, he’ll know where we get off.”
“Press some other buttons as a decoy,” Thomas said, reaching for the control panel.
“Wait!” Laura said, slapping his hands away. “Cris, do the math. If Drake runs up the stairs instead of watching the elevator, what buttons should we push to avoid him?”
Tilting her head to one side, Crystal began calculating rates of accent. “Don’t press five or six. Press seven. Don’t press eight. Press nine. We’ll get off at ten. Press eleven and twelve.”
Thomas nodded and hit the buttons.
Jay continued crying. Kissing his son’s forehead, Dan glanced at his wife. Gil was staring at him with an “I told you so” look in her eyes. Wincing, he turned away.
The doors slid open on the seventh floor. Crystal scrabbled her hair with her hand and smeared blood on the corridor wall. “Red herring,” she muttered.
“What do you mean?” Nicki asked as the doors closed.
“In 1807, William Cobbett diverted rabbit-chasing hounds with kippers,” Crystal replied. “Hopefully, the concept still applies.”
Seeing the teenager’s puzzled expression, Dan clarified, “Crystal’s leaving a false trail.”
The doors opened on the ninth floor. His father tossed a pacifier onto the landing while Crystal smeared blood on the wall. The doors closed. A few seconds later, they opened on the tenth floor. Crystal led the way to an empty conference room. Going inside, Dan saw Poppa standing by a table. He was holding two Wave Trappers.
“Right on time,” Poppa said, looking at his watch. “Not a moment to lose.”
Laura gave a sharp chuckle. “I might have known you’d be waiting for us.”
Dan pushed through the crowd. “I need to know what’s going on.”
Poppa gave him a stern look. “The only thing you need to know is that if we don’t move fast, your wife and child are about to be killed.”
Dan felt his stomach take a nosedive. Holding his son close, he grabbed Gil’s hand.
Poppa turned on one of the Wave Trappers, and the inside of Thomas’s house came into view. Dan could see a sheltie running in excited circles behind the blue wave.
“Tom,” Poppa said, “pack up and go to your sister’s house in Iowa. You’re not Drake’s primary target, but if you stay in town, you’ll become a target of opportunity.”
The bald professor blustered, “Couldn’t I go to Colorado instead and visit Doraline?”
Poppa shook his head. “If you go to Charlesberg, there’s a 98.9 percent chance that you’ll be murdered behind Teddy’s Gas Station.”
Dan saw his mother’s face draining of color. “Is something wrong at home?” she asked.
“Not at the moment,” Poppa said soothingly.
“What about Alex and Phoebe?” his father asked. “Shouldn’t we go get them?”
“They aren’t here,” Poppa replied. “Alex used a Wave Trapper to take Phoebe to safety.”
Laura stepped forward. “Poppa, about the Wave Trappers. There’s something you should know. Drake stole the one in Dan’s office.”
Dan felt bile rising in his throat. Before he could speak, Poppa chuckled. “No, he didn’t. I removed the Wave Trapper from the safe when I sent Alex to rescue Phoebe. Alex has it.”
Sighing, Laura sank to her knees beside Peter’s wheelchair.
“Enough talk,” Poppa said. “Tom, it’s time for you to go. Stay in Iowa until you receive a wedding invitation.”
“Whose wedding invitation?” Thomas asked.
Poppa pushed him gently through the portal. “It’s my prerogative to keep some secrets.”
Through the portal, Dan saw Prixty giving Thomas doggie kisses.
Poppa shut off the Wave Trapper and reset it. A portal opened into a hospital room. A plump, redheaded woman was standing by the bed.
“Time for you to go, Crystal,” Poppa said. “Lorelei will take good care of you. She has incentive, you know. She’s Cavan’s wife, and she wants to get on your good side.”
Crystal looked blank. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“Happy things to come, my dear. Through the portal with you.”
“But where am I going?” Crystal asked.
“To a room on the fifth floor under an assumed name. At the moment, you aren’t Drake’s primary target either, but we don’t want to force a confrontation.”
Crystal’s face fell. “I’m going to a crummy hospital room? I thought I was finally getting a chance to make a difference.”
“You are,” Poppa said, patting her shoulder. “It’ll be up to you, Zeke, and Marc to discover Drake’s true identity.”
Crystal face turned fire engine red. “Marc’s coming home?”
Poppa nodded. “You’ll need to mend quickly. You’ll have lots to do, including figuring out the design flaw in the Wave Trapper’s prototype. It’s time your group starts manufacturing your own Trappers and stops relying on mine.” Poppa leaned forward and winked. “If you want a good bedtime story, ask Lorelei how she and Cavan fell in love.”
Crystal nodded and stepped through the portal.
Without wasting a moment, Poppa reset the Trapper and initiated another blue wave. “Zeke,” Poppa said, “you and Nicole need to take Nicki home and stay with her until her parents arrive. Help her clean her house and car—they’re in shambles.”
Laura gasped. “Peter and I left a mess, didn’t we?”
“Don’t worry,” Poppa said. “Zeke will handle it.” He motioned for Zeke to draw near. “When you get back to D.C., continue operations with Crystal. The dean will let you use the Student Union’s supercomputer to connect with GAP. Hawking Hall isn’t structurally safe.”
Dan felt his world tilt and topple. “What’s wrong with Hawking Hall?”
No one answered.
Trying not to worry, Dan watched as Zeke, Nicole, and Nicki traveled through the portal.
Poppa shouted through the blue wave, “Zeke, shut the portal down from your side and hang onto that Wave Trapper—you’re going to need it! When you come home, stay at Nicole’s house. There’s an eighty-seven percent chance that Drake’s going to come after her.”
Zeke’s face went white. Nodding, he disengaged the Wave Trapper. The portal to Nicki’s house swirled away.
“Poppa,” Laura said, “please hurry! Peter desperately needs a doctor.”
“Don’t worry,” the old man replied. “A medical team is waiting at the safe house.”
Poppa took the second Wave Trapper and initiated another portal. Through it, Dan could see a rustic living room heaped with piles of luggage.
“Twinkles packed for you,” Poppa said. “Think of your time in Montana as a vacation.”
“You’re sending us to Montana?” Gil asked. “Why?”
“To keep you alive, of course.” Poppa motioned for Laura to go through the portal.
Laura didn’t hesitate. She pushed Peter’s wheelchair through the wave with lightning speed. Dan could see doctors rushing to her side and ushering Peter into a bedroom.
Poppa turned to Dan’s parents. “You next.”
“What about Alex and Angelina?” Dan’s father asked.
“I’ll look after your children,” Poppa replied. “Trust me.”
Nodding, his father took his mother’s hand. Together, they walked through the portal.
Poppa motioned urgently for Dan and Gil. “Now you.”
“Go ahead, Gil,” Dan said, gently putting Jay in her arms.
She shook her head. “I’m not budging! I can tell you’re planning to stay behind and play hero. I’m not going to leave you!”
“Think about our son,” Dan pleaded.
“I am thinking about him,” Gil insisted, clutching Dan’s hand. “He needs a father.”
“Enough of this nonsense!” Poppa said sharply. “Neither of you is staying here.”
“It’s my job to stay,” Dan said firmly. “I need to be—”
“You need to follow instructions!” Poppa snapped, looking at his watch. “If you stay, you’ll get your family killed and trigger a Time Tsunami. Go to Montana and work on the Wave Trapper prototype. It’s up to Zeke and Crystal to stop Drake.”
Rising from her wheelchair, Gil tugged on his hand. “Come with me, Dan. Please.”
Nodding slowly, Dan passed through the portal. Poppa was right on his heels. Dan felt the old man placing a hand on his back and shoving hard. Dan careened over a pile of luggage and sprawled on the floor as Poppa switched off the Trapper and closed the portal to the hospital.
“Five seconds to spare,” Twinkles said, rising from a chair. “Cutting it close, weren’t you?”
Poppa laughed. “Five seconds is as good as five thousand.” He grinned at Dan. “I would have been here sooner, but I was arguing with myself again.”
* * *
Drake yanked open the conference room’s door. He could have sworn he’d heard voices, but the room was empty. Looking around, he spotted a wheelchair with a baby blanket wadded up beside it. He picked the blanket up. It was still warm. Drake’s breath hissed in his throat. Shoving the wheelchair violently against the wall, he tore the blanket in half.
EPILOGUE
Staring through a picture window at the Montana countryside, Dan tried to comprehend what Poppa was saying. Wade, Phoebe, and Crystal had been attacked. Laura and Peter held prisoner. Hawking Hall was a burned shell. He couldn’t believe how quickly things had fallen apart. Guilt wrapped around him like a vise. Turning to Poppa, he asked, “Peter’s going to be okay?”
Poppa nodded. “He’s in the care of top specialists—he’ll make it.”
Dan shuddered. “I’m the boss. It was my responsibility to keep everyone safe. I failed.”
“You needed to be with your family,” Poppa said. “No one blames you.”
“I blame me,” Dan muttered, leaning his forehead against the windowpane. “I feel awful, hiding like this.”
“You’d feel worse if you were attending Gil’s funeral and preparing to bury your child.”
“I still can’t believe everyone lied to me. If I’d been told the truth, I would’ve checked my voicemail earlier. With Wade’s message, we would have known Drake was behind the attacks.” Dan’s hands clenched into fists. “The minute Gil was stabilized, I would have gone after him.”
Poppa put his hand on Dan’s shoulder. “If you had done that, people would have died.”
“Who?” Dan asked quietly.
“Gil, Jay, your mother, and Phoebe in one scenario. Gil, Jay, Zeke, Crystal, and Laura in another. My NewGen Crew worked around the clock, trying to find another way, but no matter how we crunched the numbers, someone died. We had to keep you in the dark. The only scenario which didn’t end in tragedy was the one that took place. If you want to blame the lie on anyone—blame it on me. I’m the one who ultimately made the call.”
“Why didn’t you stop Drake yourself?” Dan demanded. “You had the data. You could have taken him into custody before he left on his field exam.”
“If I had interfered, it would have caused a Time Tsunami. The events that unfolded were part of the natural timeline. They had to take place.”
“Tell that to Phoebe,” Dan grumbled. “I’m sure it will be immensely comforting to her.”
“What happened to Phoebe was tragic, but it will enable her to reach hurting people all around the world. In my day, she travels the globe, spreading a message of hope. She and her husband just got back from a series of crusades in South America. It’s estimated that over ten thousand people gave their hearts to Christ. Yes, Phoebe’s life took a tragic turn when she was kidnapped, but the Lord used what happened as a doorway to a dynamic future. Tragedies are never the end—they’re just the starting point for glorious things to come. When handled right, hardships empower people to bear abundant fruit for the Lord. Trust me, Phoebe’s future is bright.”
Dan watched a hawk flying through the sky. “I suppose you’re right,” he said slowly, “but I don’t want anyone under my care to face misfortune.”
“I know,” Poppa said gently. “But that wish isn’t realistic. You can’t wrap people in cotton wool and keep them from harm. You just have to pray that when they face hardship, they’ll entrust themselves to Christ and refuse to become bitter.”
Dan bit his lip. The shadow of the hawk fell across his face. “You aren’t speaking rhetorically, are you? Everyone is safe for now, but there’s a battle up ahead, isn’t there?”
Dan kept his eyes on the Montana landscape. He didn’t need to see the old man’s nod to know his answer.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to thank my family, my friends, my awesome Facebook peeps, my wonderful blog followers, and Prism Book Group’s special authors for all of your wonderful support during this journey. You have tirelessly promoted my books, and I’m forever grateful. I have the best family and friends in the world! You’re all extremely special to me!
I also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to post reviews for my books. Reviews are the lifeblood of an author, and the support I’ve been given means so much to me!
Thank you, John Rotharmel, Devon Rotharmel, Brooke Rotharmel, Kent Kurtz, Justin Kurtz, Joshua Kurtz, Rob Caudle, Tim Caudle, and Johnathan Caudle for your love and support. You have blessed my life in so many ways.
Thank you, Don Rotharmel, Joan Rotharmel, Darla Caudle, Donita Kurtz, Kim Rotharmel, and Jacqueline Hopper for proofreading and editing my book. Your help has been invaluable.
Thank you, Joan Alley for my beautiful book covers and for publishing my novels.
And finally, I want to thank the Lord for His grace and guidance. Without Him, none of this would have been remotely possible.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danele Rotharmel grew up with a love of the literary word, and by age five, she knew she wanted to be a writer. However, her life took an unexpected turn when a mysterious illness brought her close to death. Eventually, she learned that a low-level carbon monoxide leak from a faulty furnace in her home was slowly poisoning her. This poisoning triggered severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and partial amnesia.
During this time, the hardest thing she faced was a crisis of faith. She had to quit her job and stop going to church. She couldn’t write, couldn’t drive, and could barely remember who she was. To say she was upset with the Lord was an understatement. She began reexamining her faith in light of her illness, and eventually, she came to the firm conclusion that God is real, God is good, God is interested and involved, and God is trustworthy regardless of tragedy.
When her illness became even more severe, she was put into quarantine and could only talk to friends and extended family through the glass of a window. This quarantine lasted for seven years. During this time, she wrote the first six books in The Time Counselor Chronicles.
Danele currently lives in Colorado where she continues to write. Although her journey back to health was long and difficult, it provided her with the opportunity to grow closer to God and to publish her books. For that, she is forever thankful.
You can learn more about Danele by visiting her blog at https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CHARACTERS
Alex Ableman:
Dan’s brother. Award-winning novelist. Lives in Colorado.
Andrew Hamilton:
The Vice President. Time counseled by Zeke as a teenager. Jessica’s brother.
Angelina Ableman:
Dan’s sister. Professional violinist. Currently on a European concert tour.
Bill Winston:
Sue Ableman’s first husband. Dan’s biological father. Died of cancer.
Brandon Fairbanks:
Professional male model. Nicole’s boyfriend.
Cavan Kerry:
Crystal Stuart:
TEMCO computer tech involved in top secret research. Interested in Marc.
Dan (William) Ableman:
Inventor of time travel. Head of TEMCO operations. Gil’s husband and field partner. Jay and Deleena’s father. In the future, he will be called Poppa.
Deleena Ableman:
Dan and Gil’s unborn daughter. Jay’s sister. Future member of Poppa’s NewGen Crew.
Doraline Miller:
Charlesberg librarian. Thomas’s girlfriend.
Drake Procerus:
Senior cadet. Phoebe’s field partner. Nicki’s counselor.
Gil Montgomery Ableman:
Professional time counselor. Dan’s former student. Dan’s wife and field partner. Jay and Deleena’s mother. In the future, she will be called Twinkles.
Earnest Jacobson (Grandpop):
Sam and Nathan’s grandfather. Dan’s great-grandfather.
Ember, Dr.:
Medical doctor. Time counseled as a child. Takes care of victims of time crimes.
Jay Ableman:
Dan and Gil’s newborn son. Deleena’s older brother.
Jessica Hamilton:
Andrew’s invalid sister.
Jill Kingston:
Wade’s wife. Kenny’s mother.
Katie Warner:
Nurse. Time counseled as a child. Takes care of victims of time crimes.
Kenny Kingston:
Wade and Jill’s five-year-old son.
Kyle Carson:
Professional time counselor. Marc and Ryan’s friend.
Laura Nelson:
TEMCO professor. Third-in-command at TEMCO. Dan and Peter’s friend since college. Gil’s best friend.
Lorelei Matthews:
Time Trap Page 36