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Chapter 474
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 475
Leesa let her head sink back down onto the pillow. The doctor’s name had left her stunned. Not just the Dr. Rave part, but the last name as well. Volcanemershtom…volkaane… Had her subconscious really grabbed all these details from around her and created a fantastic, highly realistic dream? Who was she going to see next, Nurse Necromancer? Maybe she should turn the whole thing into a book—it certainly had all the needed elements.And what about Ralin? Her heart ached as she pictured his smiling face. She wanted to ask about him, but was not sure if she could bear to hear the answer, not right now, anyhow.Dr. Rave held out his hand. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice for a long moment, but then she lifted her free hand and softly shook his hand.“Let’s give you a quick check-up,” he said.He pulled the sheet covering Leesa down to her waist and placed his stethoscope against her chest, listening first to
Leesa's Advent Chapter 476
Alcatraz Island, December 21, 2021A single keystroke changed the world forever.Three men huddled in front of the computer monitor. The guy pecking at the keyboard appeared young enough to pass for a college student, and his jeans and black T-shirt with a dripping red peace symbol on the front did nothing to disabuse the notion. The other two men—one in his mid-fifties, the other long past sixty—stood behind him, each dressed in a white lab coat. Their hunched postures betrayed their eagerness for this last task to be completed. The big moment was nearly at hand—the moment they had devoted eight years, countless man-hours and millions of dollars toward.All three men were universally acclaimed to be among the top people in their respective fields. Ask the CEO of any tech giant to list the top five computer programmers in the world and Briggs Brennan—the man typing at the keyboard—would show up on every list. He had joined the project two years earlier, at the ripe old age of twenty-f
Leesa's Advent Chapter 477
“Leah, one's coming!”Radar’s voice is loud but not panicked as she grabs me by the wrist. I don’t have to ask what’s coming. I already know. Radar’s tone can mean only one thing—an Anomaly is about to appear, somewhere nearby. She’s already pulled her oversized pink-framed sunglasses from her head.“Where?” I ask, automatically reaching for the handle of the machete strapped to my back. I swing my head from side to side even though I know I won’t see anything yet. Anomalies can be deadly even if nothing dangerous comes through—the physical forces accompanying the opening of a portal can rip a body or a building apart. More times than not, however, something dangerous DOES come with it—usually something very dangerous. It’s doubtful I’ll have to deal with it, but I keep my grip on my blade nonetheless. Though I’ve practiced with the machete for countless hours, I’ve never used it for real yet. Still, the feel of the leather handle in my palm is at least somewhat reassuring.“Over ther
Leesa's Advent Chapter 478
Suddenly, the air in the garden seems to bend and shimmer, like heat waves rising from an asphalt surface on a hot day. These aren’t heat waves though. For one thing, the temperature is very pleasant—mid-sixties, I’d guess—and more importantly, the lines are horizontal, not vertical. A barely audible high-pitched whine accompanies the disturbance in the air. The whine and the strange bending of the air are the only signs anyone other than Radar gets that an Anomaly is unfolding. If you’re unfortunate enough to be caught in it, it’s too late. No one is quite sure what happens to people trapped in an Anomaly, but we do know they’re never seen again.Once again, my hand finds the grip of my machete, just in case. Out of the corner of my eye I notice that Radar has grabbed the hilt of her samurai sword.I’ve witnessed enough Anomalies to know what’s coming next, but my breath still catches when the plants and furniture
Leesa's Advent Chapter 479
Radar is smiling as she puts her cap back atop her head, carefully fitting her thick ponytail through the opening in the back. Next, she puts her sunglasses back on. The large lenses make her look a bit like some kind of mutant bug. “That worked out pretty well,” she says. “You and I make a good team.” “Yeah, right,” I say, trying hard not to frown. “You with your amazing Power and me with my whistle.” I lift the metal whistle from my chest and look down at it. “Some Miracle I am. Any child can blow a whistle.” “Stop it,” Radar says sternly. “You know I don’t like hearing you talk like that.” She wraps her arms around me and gives me a warm hug, then steps back. “You’re as much a Miracle as any of us. Maybe more so. You were the first. You broke the curse. That’s more Miracle than anything.” I manage a smile. It’s hard not to be in a good mood around Radar. That’s just one of the reasons I love her so much. Sometimes I wonder if breaking the curse is
Leesa's Advent Chapter 480
Still, with no way to know when an Anomaly would occur, dark and deadly things were constantly coming through, leading to pitched battles and long drawn out hunts. Thousands of people died every year, almost as many as at the time of The Incident, when there were no lights and barriers to keep the monsters out. Since Radar developed her Power, the number of deaths has been cut dramatically. Nothing anyone does for her is too much, that’s for sure.Jordy finally puts her down, but they stay standing close together, arm in arm. Radar and Jordy have known each other since he was a little boy. I’m pretty sure he’s been in love with her ever since, but she only started taking notice of him as more than just a friend after he joined the Marines last year. With no children born for ten years, the Marines have started accepting recruits for training when they turn fifteen. Jordy signed up the first day he was eligible. Even I have to admit that the somewhat goofy li
Leesa's Advent Chapter 481
Radar and I stare out across the water for a moment, speechless.“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Radar asks me finally.I nod. “Yeah. There’s someone out there. Swimming with the dolphins.”I count three people, all female, each with long, jet black hair. As far as I can tell, they’re not wearing wetsuits, but their long hair makes it difficult to tell from this distance. That seems impossible, though, with the water this cold. But I guess it’s no more improbable than being out there in the middle of the dolphins in the first place.“I thought I was seeing things,” Radar says. “They must be freezing.”“They don’t look cold at all,” I say. “They look like they’re having as much fun as the dolphins.”One of the swimmers notices us watching them. She stops moving, floating in place now with her head just above the surface of the water. She must have said something to her companions, because they all are looking at us now.After a moment, they begin swimming toward us. Something is both
Leesa's Advent Chapter 482
“You know about us?” Radar asks. She sounds as surprised as me. And for good reason.“We were told…to deliver our message…to any of the seven,” Selene replies.“Told by who?” I ask.Selene shakes her head. “I am not permitted…to tell you that.”This is getting stranger by the minute. “What do you mean? Why can’t you tell us?”Selene fixes her dark eyes on mine. They seem warm and sympathetic. “I’m sorry. But it is not allowed.”“No offense,” Radar says, “but how can we know whether to trust your message if we don’t know where it comes from?”I’m glad Radar is thinking along the same lines as me, because that’s not always the case. She’s usually much more trusting and way more impetuous than me.“Because you will trust us…I hope,” Selene says. “I know it is…a lot to ask.”Colella lays her hand on Selene’s shoulder. The three mermaids exchange a look and then Selene turns back to Radar and me.“Just a moment,” she says.The mermaids duck their heads under the water, facing each other. I
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 727
Serena awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. She rolled over lazily, reaching out for Raphael, but the space was empty. With eyes still closed, she frowned. Where is that man? That man had probably been out of bed since the crack of dawn, beside himself with nerves for today’s big event, she thought regretfully. They were to be married today. Their lives intertwined for all of eternity. What man wouldn’t have cold feet at the prospect? And they’d known each other such a short time, too. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, and frowned again. She had awakened in the safe house. Last night, she’d killed a man in her own home, and knew she could never go back there ever again. She didn’t care how good the Brethren’s cleanup crew could restore her home. It would never erase the vivid memories and horrors of what had happened there. She and Raphael would have to find themselves a new home, together. Until such time, this place would be it, th
Leesa's Advent Chapter 726
It’s going to be a long day without Raphael, Serena thought, as she washed and dressed. But she carried on. With so many loose ends to tie up, final checks to be made, people and places to coordinate, she scarcely had time to think about anything else. Except for her father. In the quiet moments between the bedlam of planning a wedding, she reflected upon him and her heart ached. She had arranged for a nursing home staffer to drive him and his wheelchair to the Chapel of the Holy Cross for the wedding. They didn’t usually allow weddings there, but somehow, Raphael swayed their decision. Kemuel promised to wheel her father down the aisle beside her, and she loved him instantly for that. But her dream was to have him walk her down that aisle. A sob caught in her throat, and she quickly shook her head to whisk it away. None of that nonsense, Serena. Don’t be greedy. At least he is alive and here to be a part of it all. As the day waxed on to evening, Serena felt unsettled. She hadn’t s
Leesa's Advent Chapter 725
Raphael spent the next few days cloistered with Serena, away from everyone and everything, like a honeymoon before the wedding. But every morning he made creative excuses to tear himself away from her for a little while and work with Fred. To make sure she didn’t visit her father, he dropped her off at her shop first so she could plan a small wedding with Callie and catch up on the mountains of paperwork.The healing sessions with Serena’s father went spectacularly, and with Raphael’s charisma, he convinced the nursing home staff to keep any improvements secret from her. They thought it romantic that he came to help with his fiancée’s father’s rehabilitation. Everyone there rooted for him, amazed at his miraculous awakening. All of the therapists worked their tails off during his therapy sessions, wanting to see their severely stroke-damaged patient beat the odds and walk his daughter down the aisle.On the morning of the fifth day, Raphael got Fred walking without any assistance.“Co
Leesa's Advent Chapter 724
Raphael grabbed her hands. “Do it!” he demanded. He placed them on his temples and spoke to her through their bonded connection. She felt every thought he had had of Sirona over the years straight to the present down their threaded connection. She heard every thought he’d had of her, including every word he had spoken while holding her in his arms at Dr. Chappo’s estate. He sent her everything that filled his heart and soul about her, and finally, at last, she knew.She knew. And knowing was everything to her. He gently brought her hands away from his face, kissing her fingertips as he eased them down, and she took a few steps backward, looking at him as if for the first time. No one before had ever felt about her the way he felt about her, let alone express so strongly all he’d expressed when she’d lain dying in his arms.“You’re in love with me.” She gasped, astonished. Tears welled again in her eyes, but this time, for a very different reason.“Yes.” He took a bold step toward her.
Leesa's Advent Chapter 723
A bundle of nerves, that’s what she’d turned into. Since leaving her father’s, Serena had been nothing but a bundle of nerves, rehearsing over and over again what she would say to Raphael up on the Rock. Looking all around her now, frightening memories kept popping into her mind, making her think that at any moment, Steve or Wheezer were going to jump out and nab her. Unfortunately, she had gotten to the summit way too early, and now paced like a caged bobcat. It had to stop. The bad guys are dead, Serena. Think positive, and let go the past. So, finding a suitable rock to sit on, Serena decided to do a little meditation to soothe her worried heart. “When I see him, I’ll know the right words to say,” she notified the birds. It may sting for a bit, but it’s for the best.****Raphael showed up at the base of the mountain with time to spare, and noticed Serena’s Jeep already parked. Perfect, he thought. He checked his pocket for the millionth time, making sure the ring box hadn’t fallen
Leesa's Advent Chapter 722
Raphael watched Serena leave the nursing home from behind one of the bushes in the front. She seems in good spirits, he thought. Only when he saw her disappear down the street did he dare to venture out of his hiding place. He walked into the nursing home and headed straight to the reception desk.“Hello, I’m here to see Mr. Sikes.” He smiled amiably at the receptionist.“Wow, two visitors in one day. Fred’s a lucky guy. Sign in right here, please. You’ll sign out before you leave. Take this badge so we know you belong here. Room 103 is down the hall, make a left, and he’s at the end on the left.”He looked at her name tag, and winked. “Thanks so much, Judy.”Walking down the hall, he found himself fidgeting with the badge in his hand. Am I actually nervous? Hell yeah! Raphael, the man, is about to meet the father of the woman he loves. Raphael, the man, is about to ask for this guy’s daugh
Leesa's Advent Chapter 721
Great! Just great! There’s a leak in my bedroom ceiling. Wait a minute, that’s not right. I’m not in my bedroom. I’m locked away in Dr. Chappo’s house. She remembered more. Being bound to a gurney, her body broken and dying. But I’m not lying on a gurney now, and I actually feel great. How could she be dying and still feel great? And what’s with the rain shower on my face? Slowly her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped.It was raining. Angel’s tears. Raphael’s tears, to be exact.She lay in his arms, and from the way he shuddered and sobbed, she thought maybe he didn’t know she lived. To be honest with herself, she’d only realized this fact just a few moments before. Iridescent wings were outstretched and trembling though no breeze made them flutter so.She gently raised her hand to caress his cheek and whispered softly. “Shh…there now, Raphael, shh. It’s all right. I’m ok
Leesa's Advent Chapter 720
Raphael noticed a knob on the box. It made sense to dial it to its lowest setting. He followed the tubing to its clamp on Serena’s side and decided to completely clamp it off. Now, no more blood could flow. But he still needed to get the needle out of her arm. He found gauze and tape on the tray stand and proceeded to extrude the catheter from her arm carefully so as not to injure her. He replaced it securely with the gauze and tape. His hands shook. I can’t fall apart like this right now! He quickly shrugged off the threat of paralyzing fear.“Hey, Raphael, this guy says his name is Steve. Isn’t that the name of one of guys who assaulted Serena?” Gabriel asked.“Yes, yes it is,” he said through gnashed teeth. Rage filled him and he clenched his fists, trying to gain some semblance of control. “Bind him, tightly. Make sure he can see Dr. Chappo. I’d like him to see what happens to assholes like him when they choose
Leesa's Advent Chapter 719
Searing hot pain shot like lightning throughout every inch of Serena’s body. Well, every inch she could feel, which left her very disturbed indeed, because she couldn’t feel anything past her waist. She could barely breathe without severe pain ripping through her chest and back. She knew what that meant—broken ribs. But what about her legs? Where were they? And why did her wrists feel shackled? Oh, dear God! What’s become of me? Her shallow breaths quickened. Her heart raced and fought for freedom behind her aching chest. Tears burst through her closed eyes and flowed untapped down the sides of her face.A voice sliced through the whooshing sound in her ears. A voice she knew all too well, and had come to despise with every molecule in her being.“Uh, Doc, I think she’s coming ’round. What do you want me to do?” Steve asked.“Hmm? Oh, nuffin. Nuffin, Seeve. Jus’ keep watchin’,” Dr. Chappo sl
