On the Edge of Now: Book III - Redemption, page 1
Praise for On the Edge of Now: Book III—Redemption:
“As bonds strengthen, the Travelers desperately search for another portal, and a way home. But, who or what is controlling their outcome? Again, McCullough doesn’t disappointment— twists and turns throughout only increase my anticipation for Book IV!”
—TAMI DONAHUE
“If you enjoy action, intelligent science fiction, and vivid characters, this book is for you! The underlying story continues to unfold, linking back to Books I and II in the series, and I encourage readers to read them first. By the end of Book III, readers are left with a number of questions—the only problem is we have to wait three months for answers in Book IV!
—BOB CLARK
“In On the Edge of Now: Book III—Redemption, McCullough again opens up a new world for the adventurers to explore. The depth of the character development held my attention and—combined with meeting new foes as well as interesting and unexpected twists—it leaves me wanting more! Intriguing details make me curious—how will the adventure end?”
—ARIANA BRACKENBURY
ON THE EDGE OF NOW
PROLOGUE
With any given individual, how much of the will to survive is pure instinct versus strength of personal character? Most of us are fortunate to go through a lifetime without the necessity to test that question. Unfortunately, too many are forced by circumstances—often not of their own volition— to live through the answer. However, by conscious choice, fewer put their own existence on the line for the benefit of others. Sometimes—inadvertently, or by design—the choice to champion a large group is made for an individual. Rarely, though, does the ultimate destiny for the continuation of life regarding an entire species rest upon the actions of several individuals—those who may be totally unaware of the magnitude of the problem. They only know of their own fortunes.
They are in the moment.
Do they step up, or, step away?
CHAPTER ONE
He led them in the opposite direction through heavily treed terrain, double timing their pace—single file, the girls were in the middle with Devin as rearguard. Being flanked was the last thing Tag needed and their opponents, whomever they were, split into two groups of two. When last seen, they were moving on either side of the tree cover.
As he slipped through the tangled undergrowth, Tag considered their situation—they arrived in their current world and reality via a portal, a situation fraught with issues. And, since landing a few days previously, they saw no one. Animals? Yes. Birds? Yes. Humans? No. Not until that moment.
And, they had weapons.
After an hour of beating through the bush and making the most of west bearing game trails, Tag finally called a halt at the edge of a small clearing.
“Okay—we seem to be relatively safe for now. If the opposition wants to find us, they have to penetrate deep into these woods—which means we should have no trouble hearing their approach. But, that’s only if they pick up our trail, or get lucky and stumble upon us . . .”
“Why are they suddenly the opposition?” Claire asked. “We don’t know who they are, or what they’re about—why are we a threat to them?”
“They didn’t approach close enough to establish whether they’re anything like us,” Rose offered. “My eyesight is pretty damned good, and I couldn’t describe their features other than their standing upright.”
Devin was silent for a moment. “Remember where we just came from—that was my reality, and it included Neanderthals who didn’t exist anymore in your worlds. So, who knows what’s out there in this place?”
“Here’s the deal,” Tag pointed out. “We made decent progress to this spot—however, if they stayed outside the treeline, there’s no way we can keep them from bypassing us. They can move much quicker in the open—so, if their plan is to get ahead of us so they can wait for us to emerge on the west end of the forest, we’re screwed.” Tag’s years of intense war gaming with his buddies pitted opponents against each other, and he was often successful when it came to outfoxing the opposition.
“What’s your plan?” Claire glanced at Rose, confirming they knew Tag well enough to know he would have a countering, evasive move.
“Well—we have several options. We can immediately double back, and exit the forest at the east end where we first spotted them. If that works, we can end up a good day or more ahead until it finally dawns on them what we did.”
“But, that’s not your first choice, is it?” Rose knew her man too well.
“Nope—it’s not our best choice. If it worked, we would put some distance between us. However, from what we saw of the terrain, it opens up and, not too far to the east, is the beginning of prairie. That means very little cover, and I don’t like the idea of being in the open with an unknown force possibly stalking us from the rear.” He paused as he recalled the open terrain. “We didn’t see visible evidence of habitation, so we’re left with finding natural cover.”
“Unless there are more of them close by,” Devin commented, “we’re evenly numbered. That’s much better odds than we had lately and, though outnumbered, we did okay. I like our chances here . . .”
Tag took his time thinking about Devin’s idea. “That’s true—but, for some reason, I’m sensing a difference here. Something else is going on I haven’t figured out yet, and avoiding confrontation seems like a good idea—until we have a better understanding which can lead to our advantage.”
Rose shrugged. “Okay—then what do we do?”
“We can stay put—however, these woods aren’t big, and there might not be enough resources for food and water. Plus, I don’t like the idea of being bottled up in a smaller range—the other group could try to get to us, forcing a fight in tight quarters. Or, they may keep us pinned for a while, then give up, and eventually move on—which may be totally unrealistic. Honestly, neither choice is appealing . . .”
Claire eyeballed him. “What do you want us to do?”
“I’m all for not being totally reactive to whatever they do—let’s position ourselves near a perimeter of the forest, preferably toward the north side, and wait for dark.”
“Then?”
“We get out of the trees right before dark, orient ourselves, and strike out northwest to clear their positions.”
Devin ran his fingers through his hair, slightly frustrated. “In the dark, don’t you think that’s a bit risky?”
“Yeah—it could be. But, I’m betting with no artificial light pollution and a clear night, a star-filled sky will give us the ability to navigate. Using it, we can keep on course and, hopefully, a little moonlight might ease the way forward. If we can reach another forested area before sunrise, we can burrow into any tree cover and stay hidden during the daytime . . .”
Rose wasn’t sure she understood the validity of Tag’s plan. “Isn’t that just running away from our problem?”
“Tactically, it’s a withdrawal for a strategic purpose to reposition to a more advantageous location where supplies are more plentiful. We’ll plan our next move from a relative position of strength and flexibility.”
Claire glanced at Rose. “Yeah—we’re running away . . .”
“Yep—that’s pretty much it . . .”
Rose punched him lightly on the arm. “I’m okay with that—I’m just making sure of what we’re doing . . .”
“Well—does anybody have another idea?”
Claire waved him on with a grand gesture. “Lead on, General—your faithful troops shall follow you into the breach!”
CHAPTER TWO
Goran moved heavily through the knee high wild grass, keeping the treeline on his right at least four hundred paces away. Still, he was wary of the enemy having the ability to hide in the comfort of forest cover, tracking their movement and, perhaps, firing at will.
Their distance provided a margin of safety, but only if they used hand weapons with a standard projectile. Anything based on beam technology—or, a long gun—would be devastating, and beyond range for effective return fire. In the brief glimpse they saw of them, there were no apparent weapons. He considered retreat—however, it was a choice against the nature of his people’s militaristic psychological makeup. Besides, they were walking for days since arriving on the planet and, at the forest’s edge, was the first sighting of a species other than birds, animals, or critters that slithered.
Evidence of civilized society did not exist.
There were no structures, vehicles, or roads—nothing associated with an advanced culture. Stranger still? No trace of primitive development—a fact particularly unsettling because he and his companions arrived from a world at the opposite end of the spectrum. Tremendous overcrowding. Scant resources. Land with nothing but buildings. The hope was to colonize somewhere else in an effort to relieve the population pressures before their society imploded. They were trying a traditional approach with a rudimentary form of space travel—however, the distances were vast, and their technology wasn’t advanced enough to bridge them in an acceptable time frame.
Then? The discovery of a previously unknown portal system.
Their scientists didn’t know quite what to make of the sudden appearances at several sites—further, there was no consistency to its appearances and vanishing sequences. Their group of four was chosen to enter the next portal that appeared in order to explore what it was, as well as where it might lead. The idea was to accomplish that mission and repo rt back—but, it was clear achieving the goal may prove tougher than expected. They were deposited abruptly at their current location, and the portal opening disappeared within moments of arrival. Goran and one of his companions stayed at the location of their arrival, dispatching scouts to locate nearby sites. No portal.
They gave up, proceeding west toward the mountain range in the distance—other than wide open spaces suitable for his people’s colonization, they saw nothing of real interest.
Until that moment.
To suddenly see what appeared to be four individuals ahead of them—in the open—came as a shock.
Goran’s group formed into a standard defensive posture with weapons drawn, as well as a split force to approach from either side. The others leapt up, disappearing into the woods. Obviously, an aggressive approach—in his mind, their actions confirmed their intentions were suspicious and hostile.
Perhaps they expect us to pursue them further into the woods where they can spring a lethal trap, he thought. Maybe—they showed only a small part of their force and, if we move in, their force will overwhelm us by sheer numbers . . .
No, he wouldn’t fall for any of their tricks. His small group would remain in their usual fighting pairs, keeping watch on each side of the forest. It was best to leave the next step to the enemy—observe, then react.
By early evening, Goran and a fellow team member reached the three-quarter point of the west end of the forest. The other team of two were on the north side of thick tree cover, shadowing the wooded area in a manner similar to Goran’s. Neither team spotted their adversaries in the forest—once they entered the tree cover, it were as if the strangers didn’t exist.
Goran turned to his fighting partner, Pa’la, the youngest member of their team. “We must set camp for the night over there—it will be dark soon.” Goran pointed to a stand of trees. “Begin preparation—no fires. We can’t advertise our position to the enemy, especially if they’re prone to silently lurking in the dark . . .” The female subordinate nodded in acknowledgment and, wordlessly, complied with the directive.
He grunted at her usual silence—despite the lack of communication, he had nothing to complain about concerning her duties. She was extremely efficient, often anticipating orders before he conceived them. She performed each task well, often with non-standard enhancements, yet logical improvements. Goran conceded she provided the luxury of not requiring him to check on her—all he had to do was give an order knowing it would be accomplished to his satisfaction every time.
As he watched her move toward the cluster of trees to his left, he removed the communicator from its holder attached to his web belt. He pressed a button—time to check in with his second in command who led the other team on the north side of the forest.
“Songa, report in.”
Within a few moments, he heard the expected response. “Songa here—we’re almost to the west end of the forest, and it peters out not far from here. I estimate it’s almost a day’s journey before the main mountain forest starts up—no sighting of those we seek.”
“Good—you made more progress than we did. We’re going to make camp for the night, and I suggest you do the same. No fires . . .”
Songa hesitated. “I’m not a fool, Goran—I know enough to not give away our position. Unless something develops, I’ll talk to you in the morning.” She clicked off.
Goren shook his head, fastening the communicator in its holder, considering how prickly his second in command could be. She was not only highly competitive, but there also lurked a barely-concealed ambition which held potential for concern.
He stood in place, conducting a slow sweep along the forest line. The cover was dense enough to conceal a full battalion of the enemy ten paces in, and they would be invisible from his vantage point. We should be watchful tonight, he thought as he returned to the campsite, dusk imminent. Nodding to Pa’la, he stretched out on the ground. “Take the first watch, and wake me in four time units.”
He rolled over.
She moved to a slightly higher position next to a tree, situating herself for her shift of sentry duty. From there, she could see east and west along the treeline for a considerable distance—although, it wouldn’t make much difference in the quickly fading light. Better to hear well to detect any threats.
Pa’la glanced at her sleeping Commander, studying his prone figure, considering his tenure as the expedition’s leader as well as her personal fighting partner. He did okay, she thought. I’ve seen worse . . . at least he doesn’t hover over me like the others. That meant he either didn’t care how it looked, or he trusted her. She hoped for the latter—for the first time, she realized she cared about what he thought of her as a fighting companion, as well as his subordinate.
In the fading light, she checked her weapon to ensure its readiness—like all short-range weapons made for her kind, the grip was constructed for a three finger and two thumb hand configuration. As she held the weapon, Pa’la noted darkness—when color gives way to black, white, and ashen shades of grey—was upon her.
Dark enough that she couldn’t make out the light teal color of the pebbly skin on the back of her own hand.
****
She was past the point of worry. Ever since their return from Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, her man continued in a downward spiral of overwork, stress, and a perverted sense of guilt. Jackie didn’t understand the guilt thing—nothing was his fault, but he convinced himself everything rested on his shoulders. Not the part about his younger brother’s disappearing, though—rather his inability to figure out a means of getting him back. Just because he was an esteemed cosmologist, Kyle assumed he should figure out the solution to a problem never before encountered by his colleagues.
Jackie got it—he desperately missed Tag, and he hoped for his safe return. However, Kyle was quickly driving himself into the ground—normally fit and trim with a cavalier attitude about life, he lost his sense of humor somewhere along the way. He was also drawn and thin with a slightly pasty complexion—hardly the same dashing figure when they first met. Before Tag’s vanishing, Kyle radiated energy, wry humor, and he fostered a desire to be with him. Now, none of that except the obsession to find his brother. Still, she loved him, and continued to support him in his work— her only wish was for Kyle to take better care of himself.
She watched him from inside the doorway of his home office without disturbing him, but not for long—clicking nails on the tile as he scrambled for traction, Lego’s one hundred and forty pounds of furry exuberance burst into the room with enough force to rouse Kyle from his total immersion— Lego wanted attention, and he wanted it right then!
After five minutes of wrestling with Lego, Kyle was whipped.
“Why don’t we let you-know-who outside for a while,” Jackie suggested. “Then, I’ll allow you to take me for a delightful lunch in that fancy sports car of yours . . .” She needed to get him out of the house for a change of scenery, and he loved driving his white Porsche Cayman S which invariably improved his spirits.
He hesitated, glancing at the heap of papers and reference materials.
“Leave it!” Her voice was firm. “Nothing will change while we’re gone—everything will be here when you get back. You need to take a break!”
It wasn’t such a bad idea—he was overtired, and spinning his wheels. “Okay, you win!”
Mission accomplished.
****
Finally, it was dark enough to make their getaway from the forest. It was still light enough, however, for Rose to scope out the horizon northwest of their position. To Tag’s surprise, she scrambled up a substantial tree to its halfway mark for a better view—far enough back, of course, to provide cover from prying eyes.
She could barely make out another forest in the foothills—their target destination. Based on her distance estimate, Tag figured they might reach it before daybreak. It could prove a worthy option because—if they were caught in the open at first light, they would be so tiny from their current vantage point no one would notice them.
Decision made. “Okay—let’s move out. Remember—for the first hour, no one talks, coughs, sneezes, or belches . . . you get the drift.” Tag eyed each of his companions. “We’ll walk in pairs—Devin, you and Claire stay close behind us, no further than ten paces away. We can’t afford to get separated, calling for each other in the dark.” Devin nodded, and Claire offered a salute.
