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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
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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
Leesa's Advent Chapter 489
The five days of preparation fly by. As my dad had said, we all spend half of every day practicing with our weapons. Most of it is with swords or machetes, with lesser periods devoted to knife fighting. We also spend time shooting hand guns and automatic rifles. While none of us seven is anywhere near as capable as the rawest Marine recruit with any of these weapons, at least we may have a fighting chance to survive in a pinch.The rest of our time has been devoted to learning all we could about the geography between San Diego and San Francisco and about Alcatraz. While I had heard of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, my head is now stuffed with names like Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, Big Sur and Monterey. Most of the coastal area north of Santa Barbara was wooded and hilly even before The Incident brought society crashing down. We’re assuming that by now it’s become far more wild and untamed—which is why I’m glad we plan to bypass it all traveling by sea.
Leesa's Advent Chapter 490
The rubber craft lurch and heave as they fight their way through the churning two and three foot breakers, but once we’re clear of the waves the ride becomes much smoother. Our rowers begin pulling hard and fast on the oars and I wonder what the hurry is—it won’t take more than five or ten minutes to reach the Star even at a more leisurely pace. When I see the sailors making repeated glances at the other dinghy, I suddenly understand. Our guys are racing their guys.For fifty yards or so, the boats stay remarkably even — we gain about five feet on the other guys. But then their boat begins to make up ground and pull away, leaving our oarsmen with puzzled looks on their faces. It doesn’t seem possible our competition could be going that much faster than us, until I see a smile on Plush’s face.“Plush is using her Power to help move their boat,” I tell the two sailors. “That’s why they’re going so fast.&rd
Leesa's Advent Chapter 491
Our sea voyage is great fun — until we leave sight of land, that is. When the coastal hills disappear below the horizon, my heartbeat suddenly quickens and I feel a lump in my throat. There’s nothing as far as the eye can see in any direction now but a seemingly limitless expanse of empty ocean. All of a sudden, I feel very insignificant.Thankfully, the sea is relatively calm, and the Star of India is gliding across the water with only the tiniest bit of up and down motion. If the water was rougher, I’d really be feeling anxious. Still, I’m not all that happy—I guess I had thought we would just follow the coast northward all the way to San Francisco.“Why are we going so far out?” I ask Jordy, who is hanging out along the rail with us. “Isn’t that dangerous? How do we know where we’re going if we can’t see the coast?”Jordy smiles at my unease.“Don’t worry, Leah. During
Leesa's Advent Chapter 492
The second day of our voyage is pretty much a repeat of the first. Weapons practice and studying mixed in with periods of boredom. You can only stare out at an empty ocean for so long. At least I’m getting used to the idea of not being able to see land.The only thing of note occurs an hour or so after lunch, when I notice that we seem to have changed direction in regards to the position of the sun. I’m pretty sure the ship is now heading more westerly than it had been. I’m no expert, of course, so I decide to go ask my dad about it. I tell my friends I’ll be back in a minute. I don’t share what’s troubling me, because most of them don’t seem to care how far from land we go, and I don’t want to alarm the ones who do, like Plush.Dad is sitting at a makeshift table fashioned out of two sawhorses and a wide wooden plank. Huddled over the table with him are Lieutenant Gregerson and Captain Spiby. They seem to be looking at s
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