Lake Roosevelt
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Duster nodded. “You had a hell of a first trip I gather.”
“More than you can know at this point,” Jesse said.
Even Kelli looked at him funny when he said that.
Jesse motioned for Duster to come with him and they walked together back down the short tunnel and into the impressive crystal cavern. He didn’t let the incredible beauty distract him this time.
Jesse took two steps inside and turned and pointed to the pile of crystals on the ground.
He put on the thick pair of gloves and gently picked up one crystal from the pile.
It was surprisingly heavy and glowed in his hands.
He held it away from his body for a moment as Duster watched, then gently returned it to the pile.
“I watched your fear of someone finding this place when we came in,” Jesse said. “And after experiencing all this and the past, I totally and completely agree.”
“There are fourteen of us who know about this place,” Jesse said. “That needs to be the limit for here.”
Duster frowned, but said nothing.
Jesse went on. “We need to build a top secret place in Boise and take those crystals and others from the wall and that machine and move this operation to Boise.”
Duster looked at him with this strange look.
“You’ll have to figure out if the crystals will work from there, but I’m betting they will,” Jesse said. “Besides those of us who already know about this cavern, no one new should ever be allowed to come here again.”
Duster nodded, so Jesse just kept pushing.
“We build a mansion out on Warm Springs with three layers of secret underground research and computer and crystal areas,” Jesse said.
Duster again nodded.
“And instead of just tossing history majors into the past with no training, we train them before they go and give them strict rules, such as no one can talk to anyone from the future in the past. For example, Kelli and I can’t go back into the past on our own and track you down and talk to you before this.”
Duster looked at Jesse and Kelli. “You two had a hell of a few years back there I see.”
“I’m not a mathematician or a history major,” Jesse said. “You hired me to make sure people were vetted and the type of people you want. You hired me to see things. That’s what I do.”
Duster nodded.
“So now that I know about all this and have spent some years back in the past, I can see just a few of the problems going forward. Hire me to pay attention to the future and give the rest of you the freedom to pay attention to the mathematics and the past.”
Duster smiled and reached out his hand. “Damn, Bonnie and I were hoping for just that. And this idea for a place in Boise solves all sorts of problems.”
Jesse shook Duster’s hand.
“I suppose you even have a name made up for it,” Duster said, smiling?”
Jesse just laughed. “How about The Historical Research Institute? Just the Institute for short.”
“Damn,” Duster said, nodding. “I like it.”
“This is wonderful,” Kelli said, hugging Jesse’s arm.
Duster looked at Jesse “I think you just got yourself a hell of a job.”
“It will certainly be interesting,” Jesse said, smiling.
They turned and headed back into the supply cavern with Duster leading.
“Now, if the crystals work outside of this cavern,” Jesse said, “I have some ideas of what we can do to build a very, very safe and hidden place. But we’re going to need all fourteen of us originals involved to build it in 1880 in a lot of different timelines.”
Duster just laughed. “I love the excitement. But how about we have some lunch first?”
Kelli hugged Jesse and they both laughed as they walked toward the kitchen area.
“I guess there’s always time for lunch,” Jesse said.
With that, Kelli stopped him and kissed him hard while trying not to laugh.
She pretty much succeeded.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith published more than a hundred novels in thirty years and hundreds and hundreds of short stories across many genres.
He wrote a couple dozen Star Trek novels, the only two original Men in Black novels, Spider-Man and X-Men novels, plus novels set in gaming and television worlds. Writing with his wife Kristine Kathryn Rusch under the name Kathryn Wesley, they wrote the novel for the NBC miniseries The Tenth Kingdom and other books for Hallmark Hall of Fame movies.
He wrote novels under dozens of pen names in the worlds of comic books and movies, including novelizations of a dozen films, from The Final Fantasy to Steel to Rundown.
He now writes his own original fiction under just the one name, Dean Wesley Smith. In addition to his upcoming novel releases, his monthly magazine called Smith’s Monthly premiered October 1, 2013, filled entirely with his original novels and stories.
Dean also worked as an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books. He now plays a role as an executive editor for the original anthology series Fiction River.
For more information go to www.deanwesleysmith.com, www.smithsmonthly.com or www.fictionriver.com.
Look for These Other Titles from Dean Wesley Smith
The Thunder Mountain Series:
Thunder Mountain
Monumental Summit
Avalanche Creek
The Edwards Mansion
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Table of Contents
Dedication
AUTHOR’S NOTE
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
PART TWO
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
PART THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
PART FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Look for These Other Titles from Dean Wesley Smith
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