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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
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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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 483
How long my marvelous ride lasts, I have no idea, but I’m sad when it ends. Time seems to have lost its meaning as Ada guides me back into shallow water. I feel like barely a minute has passed, but I also feel like it’s been hours. Reluctantly, I let go of Ada’s fin and let my feet find the sandy bottom. I feel as if I’m still moving, and it takes me a moment to catch my balance. It’s a good thing I’m still holding Selene’s hand, or I might have fallen. Plus, I’d be freezing, because my clothes are completely soaked, of course.“That was totally amazing,” I say to Selene.“Holy crap!” Radar says as she glides to a stop beside us and releases her grip on Cami. “That was freaking awesome.”Tamika swims over and places my cap back onto my head and then does the same for Radar.“I’m glad…you enjoyed it,” Selene says. “You remember…why you
Leesa's Advent Chapter 484
Radar and I walk away from the beach at a much quicker pace than we’d used on our way there. I’m anxious to tell my dad everything that just happened. I doubt he’ll be home this early in the day, but there are always a couple of Marines stationed at our house in case we need messengers. I can send one of them on a bicycle to fetch Dad.Our house is only eight blocks from the beach and we cover the distance in less than ten minutes. It’s a residential neighborhood filled with small two and three bedroom stucco houses on tiny lots. The area used to be very pretty — I know because I’ve seen old pictures — but the once green lawns have long since dried up into dusty dirt patches, and only the most drought resistant plants survive in what used to be colorful gardens. While the desalination plants keep fresh water from being overly scarce, it’s still too valuable to be used for watering lawns and gardens. Drinking, bathing and farming
Leesa's Advent Chapter 485
My mom is sitting on Dad’s left, across from me. She’s two years younger than Dad and still very pretty, with high cheekbones, blue eyes and short light brown hair. Mom is light years smarter than either of us, with a PhD. in molecular biology from Stanford. She was working in biotechnology before The Incident—now she works on whatever scientific projects the government thinks are the most pressing. Dad picked her up at her lab on his way home today so she could be in on the discussion.Radar is next to me. Plush sits opposite her, and of course Lights is next to Plush, holding her hand. On Radar’s other side is Doc. Her real name is April, but she’s Doc because of her Power. She can heal most cuts and bruises almost instantly, and is getting better and better at speeding the healing of much more serious wounds, especially if she can get to them quickly enough. She’s half Asian, with long, very fine black hair and a beautiful tan complexion
Leesa's Advent Chapter 486
The morning is cool and damp, with a low, heavy marine layer that’s becoming more and more like fog the closer we get to the beach. It’s barely eight o’clock—we could wait a few hours and all this would almost certainly melt away, but everyone is too anxious to see the mermaids and hear what they have to say to wait that long.We’re all wearing sweatshirts or windbreakers against the chill, with loose pants that can be rolled up above our knees. Radar and I told everyone we’d have to wade at least a little ways out into the water, so be prepared. Sneak and Rerun have done us one better and are wearing shorts. They don’t seem cold, so I guess their sweatshirts are keeping them warm enough.My dad has eschewed his uniform and is dressed in a worn brown leather bomber jacket and khaki pants. I guess he doesn’t want to look too official or scary for this meeting. He still looks like a warrior, though—it’s in his c
Leesa's Advent Chapter 487
“You have questions…of course,” Selene says to Dad.He nods. “Darn right, I do. Lots of ‘em. Let’s start with how you got here.”“The same way…others from my world…enter yours. Through a black gateway.”“And you were sent specifically to look for my daughter?” my mom asks. “And the others?”“We were told…to find the seven. Yes.”My dad takes over the questioning again. “Who told you?”“The one…who sent us.”“And who is that?”“I cannot say.”“Can’t? Or won’t?”“I am not allowed. So it is…the same thing…is it not?”I can see the frustration on Dad’s face. I’m guessing he’ll come back to this, but for now he moves on.“How is it that you speak our language? Is Engli
Leesa's Advent Chapter 488
That same evening, we gather around the table in my house again, everyone sitting in the same place they were yesterday. The feel of this gathering is different though, heavier and more portentous. The flickering candlelight illuminating the room only adds to the gravity of the atmosphere.My dad headed straight to headquarters as soon as we left the beach this morning, reporting back to the Command Council. He was there all day, only returning about ten minutes ago. When he got back, he spent a few minutes talking privately with Mom before joining us at the table.The Miracles have been here for almost an hour now, rehashing what happened this morning. We all have misgivings—some more than others—but we’ve all decided we need to go to Alcatraz. It’s not up to us, though. We’re just seven teenagers—there’s no way we can get there without help from the military. Even with help, none of us really knows if such a journey is possib
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