Balthazar adds, “And, with a highly charged wormhole, along with the intersection of our galaxies, Michael is using Sam to traverse through the wormhole with hopes of connecting with the black hole, having Sam come out the other side.”
Ezra’s eyes move rapidly as he thinks aloud. “But, that also means that something could come through from the other side. It could come through the black hole and traverse to our world.”
Balthazar runs his hand through his hair and nods. “Theoretically, yes.”
Ezra puts one hand in his pocket and covers his mouth with his other. I can see him thinking deeply about a strategy, and it scares me.
Ezra pulls his hand away from his mouth and puts it in his other pocket. “I will stop Sam permanently. Jesca, Nate, and Xander will combine their abilities to help Jesca close the wormhole as quickly as possible. The rest of the team will hold off the Sondians and anything that passes through the wormhole.”
Nick chuckles a little. “Anything?” Ezra glares at Nick, and Nick quickly becomes serious. “Yeah, got it.”
I absentmindedly touch the Copula dangling from my neck, running my thumb against the smooth exterior glass.
Ezra addresses both Nate and me. “Nate, you and Xander will need to combine your abilities. Then, together, you will combine with Jesca. Jesca, you will need to work as quickly as you can.”
I look at him and try to swallow, but there’s no saliva. My mouth is completely dry.
Ezra looks at the others. “The rest of you need to combine your powers to kill anything that attacks you.”
I briefly glance over at Isabel and remember Corinna. “Who will subdue Corinna?”
Siobhan speaks up. “Isabel and I will take Corinna.”
Elisha eyes Ang, and I can tell they are both concerned that Isabel might be too emotionally attached to subdue her own sister.
Elisha says, “Ang and I will help. You might need some extra hands.”
Siobhan looks at Elisha, and then she glances at Ang. She slowly nods, realizing their logic.
Nick’s phone begins to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket, looks at the caller ID, and answers the call. “Yeah. Alright.”
Nick hangs up and looks at Sebastian. “Monica Leal is here with her team. They are pulling into the warehouse with the additional transportation right now.”
It’s a surprise to me that Monica Leal embodies a female version of Ezra Kahn. When she walks in to the safe house flanked by her team of six, she walks with a confidence that makes me cower a little. I’m glad she’s on our side.
Her dark brown hair is pulled up in a high ponytail. Her eyes are mesmerizing as their dark brown color contrasts against her pale skin. When she turns her head to scan the living space, I notice a deep, shiny scar that wraps halfway around her neck.
Monica walks straight to the dining table where we are all standing. She begins introducing herself and her team. Sebastian introduces all of us to them.
As soon as the introductions are done, Ezra speaks up. “I’m sorry about your mother. We all are.”
Monica keeps her eyes on the map for a moment, and then she looks directly at Ezra. “Thank you, Ezra.”
Sebastian asks, “Has she come to you again?”
Monica closes her eyes and nods quickly, like she is holding back emotions she does not want to reveal to us.
Balthazar walks over to her. Lowering his voice, he asks, “When did this start?”
Monica looks up at Balthazar. “Three days ago. And, yes, I have considered it as well, Balthazar.”
Ezra questions, “Considered what?”
Sebastian ignores Ezra’s question and speaks directly to Monica. “Anna Gershon has come to her daughter, Jesca, as well.”
Balthazar looks at Ezra now. “I believe that Monica and Jesca are experiencing these visitations from their deceased parents because the place in which they exist now is physically getting closer to us.”
Sebastian adds, “I believe it as well, Ezra. Think about it. Anna and Joan are reaching out to their daughters now. After all this time? It can only be because they couldn’t access them until now—now that they are closer.”
I speak. “My mother, Anna, told me that she was too far to reach me before when she had first tried to come to me.”
Monica’s voice is soft but firm, “My mother told me the same. She said she’d felt my life force moments before she came to me.”
Recalling my experience, I half smile at Monica, and I’m amazed at how we share a similar story.
Ezra’s head snaps from me to Sebastian. “It could be possible that they are in the Andromeda galaxy.”
Balthazar agrees with Ezra, “In the Andromeda galaxy and in the black hole.”
Monica corrects him, “In the black hole and through the white hole on the other side.”
Ezra folds his hands together on top of his head and walks toward the open living room. “I can almost bet that Sam was more than eager to go when Michael had asked him to cross through the wormhole in hopes of discovering what was on the other side of the black hole.” Ezra swats at the table lamp, sending it across the room. It smashes loudly into the nearby wall. Ezra growls, “He is going after Anna’s soul.”
* * *
Within an hour, Monica’s team and our team have been briefed, and we are ready to move. We each make sure we have a partner—linked or not. Each team member needs to be partnered with a jumper, someone that can astral project. This is necessary in getting us to the site quickly. Ezra is paired with Monica; Balthazar is with Sebastian; Siobhan is with Isabel; Elisha and Nick partner with Angela; Nate is with me; and Luke is with Jake.
I watch Monica talk with Ezra quietly before we load into the trucks. He seems distant and preoccupied. After hearing Balthazar, Monica, and Sebastian’s theories on what is on the other side of the black hole, I can only agree with Ezra, thinking that Sam wants to get to Anna.
Before we get into the truck, I pull Ezra aside. “Ezra, I just want you to know that I will do everything I can to seal that wormhole quickly. He can’t have her. I won’t let him have her. I will not stop. I will do everything in my power to make us safe.”
Ezra grabs hold of my hands and stares at me. The way he looks at me tells me that my words are painful for him to hear. His eyes become glassy, and he looks up quickly to stop the tears from falling.
I start to speak. “Ezra—” But, I become quiet when he pulls me to him tightly. I wrap my arms around him.
Ezra whispers, “I know you will not stop until you do everything you can…and that scares the hell out of me.”
Chapter 41
Xander
I knock on the metal door of the warehouse. I back up and look at the building. While I wait, I close my eyes and tell myself to put the old Xander Crest persona on. Do it for Jes and the others, Xander.
I knock again, unsure if I have the right place now. Sam said that it’s the only metal building with two doors on the front on this street. I hear a latch, and then the door opens.
A Japanese man greets me. “Name?”
I look at him for a second, and then I answer, “Alexander.”
He repeats my name. “Alexander…” Then, he waits for me to add my last name.
I hesitate, and then I say, “Crest.”
He moves back from the door and gestures for me to pass.
I walk into the warehouse, passing a Lotus Elise and a Porsche. I mumble to myself, “His and hers, I see.”
I walk down a set of stairs, leading into a very well-kept living space. This is definitely Sam’s speed. It has the same modern flare that the house back in Miami carried.
The Japanese man walks down a hall and knocks on a door.
The door opens, and Sam hollers down the hall, “Xander, my boy!”
He rounds the corner, and I force a smile. “Dad.”
He opens his arms as he approaches and hugs me close to him. I pat him lightly on the shoulders and swallow back the bile that is creeping up
into my throat.
Sam pulls back and holds me at arm’s length. “I am so glad you are here.” He turns his head and says, “Corinna, come see Xander.”
She saunters out from the same hallway where Sam just came from. I wonder if they were in the same room. I glance down briefly, right myself, and then I look back up at her with the biggest smile I can give.
“Corinna, you are as beautiful as ever.”
I tighten my hand into a fist in the depth of my pocket. Corinna walks straight over to me and kisses one cheek, then the other, and then she kisses me on the lips, lingering there for effect. I grind my teeth in disgust at the game she is playing in front of dear ol’ Dad. I hope she doesn’t notice.
When Corinna pulls away, she wipes her lips with the pad of her thumb. “Are you going to be ready to do this mission or are we going to have to pull your weight?”
I look her square in the eye. “Not at all. I’m sure Sam can attest for me. I’m a very fast learner, and I think quickly on my toes. Right, Dad?”
I look over at Sam. He’s leaning against the back of the sofa, arms crossed. He’s glaring at Corinna’s back. He walks over to me and pulls me away from her. He guides me toward the wet bar.
“Corinna, he will be fine. Xander, what would you like to drink?”
I keep it simple. “Vodka and water.”
I turn and see Corinna leaning against the sofa, watching me. She is sizing me up, checking to see if I’m the real deal, but she can’t even get past my block. I can feel her probing and getting nowhere. Seeing the way she is glaring at me, I can tell she’s pretty pissed about it, too.
I meet her eyes and smile. “I hear you are coming along amazingly, Corinna.”
Her glare intensifies. “Quite amazingly actually. Right, Sam?”
Sam hands me a drink, eyeing me. “She is extraordinary, Xander. Sanderson’s altered Copula has given her so many more abilities. I have already sent in my request for one when I return.”
Where is he going? I ask casually, “Return? Where are you going?”
Sam hands Corinna her drink and holds up his own. “Actually, it’s where we are going when we open the wormhole.” He clinks his glass against mine. “Cheers, Xander.”
Chapter 42
Jesca
During the entire drive, each of us is in our own little mental bubble. I continue thinking about Xander and wonder if he’s keeping his cover. I want to ask Nate, but I don’t want to see the expression of hurt on his face. I remind myself that Nate would tell me if something happened to Xander.
The roads are vacant of any cars, except for military and law enforcement vehicles. We are flagged by military checkpoints on our way to Lake Motosu, just as Sebastian suspected. At every stop, Balthazar warns us to be on guard since the soldiers could be Sondians wanting to attack us.
It is midday, and the sky is peppered with dark clouds. In between them, the gray sky is electrified with constants shards of lightning.
Nate breaks the silence in the car. “What is that?”
I turn to him to see what he’s talking about. He is pointing out his side window. I follow his finger into the dark sky and wait.
After about thirty minutes, I give up and turn back to my window. Suddenly, I see a pale gray wave of light roll across the sky.
Nate says, “There. What is that? It’s not lightning.”
Ezra answers, “Gamma ray bursts. They aren’t normally visible to the naked eye.”
Balthazar interrupts, “Under normal circumstances, they are millions of light years away, too. But, that’s not the case anymore.”
I keep my eyes on the burst that’s coming in patterned waves every couple of minutes. I ask to no one in particular, “Can they harm us?”
Balthazar says, “Us? No. Normal humans? Yes.”
Sebastian explains, “Radioactive waves in small amounts can be harnessed and used for good, like when fighting cancer, for instance. These radioactive waves will breakdown the body’s cells. A normal, unaltered human will last maybe a week before cells begin to breakdown and become fatal.”
One of the reasons why Balthazar and Sebastian have moved forward with the new Copula, already considering mass implantations after the intersection, is because of the changes in our atmosphere.
I ask, “If they are implanted with our Copula after the cells have already begun breaking down, can they be saved?”
Balthazar answers, “We don’t know.”
* * *
The thick trees begin to thin out and I see Lake Motuso come into view. We pull off onto the shoulder and turn down a gravel path not any wider than the width of the truck. The gravel turns to grass and Balthazar parks our truck in between two large trees, leaving room for the other two trucks on either side of us.
Everyone starts exiting the trucks. I move to climb out the back when Nate touches my arm. I sit back down and turn to him.
He says, “Jes, Xander is fine. He is keeping up his block, and Sam doesn’t detect anything. They are en route here now.”
I instinctively grab his hand and interlock our fingers. I whisper, “Thank you, Nate.”
He looks down at our hands. “I know you wouldn’t have asked me because…” He stops himself before he finishes his sentence.
I know it took so much for him to tell me. I see what a selfless, honorable, and loyal man Nate has become. God help me, in that moment, my heart tears a little, revealing that Nate and I might be something more. No, this can’t happen now—not right now.
I quickly breathe in, and my mouth feels dry and numb at the same time. I close my eyes and press my lips together hard, trying to refocus. I put my other hand over our joined hands.
My voice trembles a little at first, but then it strengthens. “Nate, Xander and you are strong together. You and I are strong together. That’s all we need to think about right now.”
Nate puts his other hand on both of ours. When he looks at me, those eyes that I remember from near the blue-green glowing pool in the facility are penetrating me.
He whispers, “I love you, Jesca.”
I can’t look at him without crying, so I pull him into my arms and hold him. I quickly whisper past the knot in my throat, “I love you, Nate.”
I back away, moving across the seat to exit the car. I wipe my eyes and climb out of the car without looking back at him.
* * *
Monica’s team has unloaded one of the trucks, and a mound of guns and ammunition lay before us.
Nick hunches over first and starts forming his stockpile along with Monica’s team. Nick hands two semiautomatics to Elisha and two to Angela.
Angela, not being shy, takes two more guns and a dagger. “Can never have too much fire power.”
Monica says, “Grab as much as you can. There are going to be too many coming at us to use our abilities for protection the entire time.” She cocks one of the semiautomatics. “This is quicker sometimes.”
I grab two semiautomatics since that’s the gun Ezra trained me with in Miami. Nate picks up two semiautomatics and two assault rifles.
He turns to me. “I’ll grab his.”
I know he means Xander.
We suit each other up with bulletproof vests and holsters galore.
When we’re all ready, Balthazar points to the edge of the forest about fifty yards east. “There’s the edge of the Aokigahara Forest. Remember, this forest is not forgiving. They know we’re coming, so I’m sure it’s crawling with Sondians by now. But, Sondians aren’t the only ones we will be protecting ourselves from. The tangible and intangible will be among us in there. Don’t let the illusions sway your focus.”
Balthazar starts walking, and we all follow close by.
The trees quickly become dense upon entering the forest. The silence is eerie, and the air is thick, but chilled.
Elisha quietly says, “Watch for holes. There are all types of caverns running below the forest.”
The crackling of the trees swaying up high makes
the hair on my arms stand on end. The tree trunks are covered in moss so green that it looks radioactive. The gamma ray bursts rolling across the sky light up the entire forest.
I hear whistling and stop. I turn to my left and see a white flash pass out of the corner of my eye. I grab for Nate.
He takes hold of my hand. “What is it?”
I look deeper at the area where I saw the momentary white flash, but I don’t see it again. I turn to look at him. “Nothing.”
Elisha jumps back all of a sudden, and Nick puts his arms around her waist.
He asks, “Hey, you okay?”
Elisha puts her hands on her hips. “Yeah, I just thought I saw a white flash.”
I walk up behind her and mumble, “I did, too.”
Nate looks at me and says, “I thought you said it was nothing.”
Balthazar turns to us. “Excuse me?”
We all look at him.
He puts his hands up. “Spirits swaying your focus!”
Ezra and Monica walk over to us.
Ezra says, “Change of plans on the mental blocking thing.”
Monica nods. “Yeah, that’s our best defense to help us find one another when we get separated.”
I repeat her words. “When we get separated?”
Monica looks at me. “Yes, it will happen. We need to be able to find each other if someone is in danger.”
We all agree and move on.
I hear Nick’s thoughts first. Testing, testing, one, two, three.
Luke, Jake, and Nate all mumble, “Shut up, Nick.”
Nick chuckles, “Alright, alright. Sheesh.”
Suddenly, the snapping sounds of small twigs echo around us. I put my hand out and grab hold of Nate to stop him. Everyone else follows suit. The snapping continues, and there’s more of it as it becomes louder. I feel nauseous all of a sudden.
Nate thinks, I feel it, too.
We’re all scanning the forest around us now.
Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) Page 24