Gateway to Thera

By Jeffrey Allen Davis

Half of our heroes are missing. After a warehouse explosion, Jamie, Buster, Yoshi, Shawna, George, Deck, Max and Alex are presumed dead, leaving a more ruthless and brutal ADVENTURE to hunt down the street gang who was responsible for luring them there.

But Steve Adams was in the warehouse, too. And he knows the truth. His brother and friends are not dead. They stepped through a gateway to another world, where they have their own battle to fight. Can the genius figure a way to convince Dave and the others that their friends are alive and that they need to retrieve the two coins that open the portal to bring them home?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeffrey Allen Davis
• Release date: Aug 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310894046

Jeffrey Allen Davis

Jeffrey Allen Davis writes from a suburb of St. Louis, MO, where he lives with his wife Vickie, two step-children Jayson and Breeanna (yes that's really the spelling of her names), and his daughter Kaitlyn (part-time). An ordained minister, Davis’s writing tends to take place within a Christian worldview, even if the story isn’t overtly religious.Davis spends his time watching Christian and martial arts movies, hanging out with his family, studying the Word, and contemplating the joy of Reformed Theology.In his day job, Davis works as a loyalty travel agent. He is slowly learning the industry and has finally gotten most of the airport codes committed to memory.He is also a very political person who enjoys discussing his conservative views. On top of that, he will gripe--to anyone who will listen--about how Marvel Comics ruined Spider-Man by ret-conning his marriage to Mary Jane. That and how Wizards of the Coast ruined D&D with the 4th edition of the game.

Book preview

PART ONE

Prologue

Sunday, 9:35 P.M.

Sean Wilson accompanied his friend, Ben Shalley, into the old, abandoned warehouse near the boat docks of Sera, Missouri. They were supposed to meet with him tonight . . . the Renegades’ strange benefactor. The man paid them well, and to do something that they enjoyed doing anyway . . . spying on the members of Adventure, the group of teenage martial artists who had been responsible for the incarceration of the Renegades some time back.

I don’t get it, said Sean. This guy’s obviously a dirty, old man who wants this Shawna Weston.

So, asked his leader as he smoothed his jet-black goatee, what is it that you don’t understand?

Why are we involved in this?

Jamie used to date this Shawna Weston.

Yeah, mumbled Sean, the key words here are ‘used to.’ Why should he care if we nab his ex?

You know how sentimental Jamie is, explained Ben. I’ve no doubt that he still carries deep feelings for the girl, and I intend to exploit that weakness. Taking her will cause him a great deal of pain, and that will cause him to make a mistake. And, if we get paid to cause him to make this mistake, all the better.

The only source of light coming into the hall in which they now stood was the moon, shining in a single window at the far end. The shadows stretched toward the two youth.

Sean jumped. What was that?

Ben sighed in frustration. Your own breathing, idiot. He glanced back at Sean. You beat people, steal and sell drugs for a living . . . but a dark warehouse scares you? He shook his head and walked faster toward the office.

Sean, who had been looking back in the direction from which they had come, turned back around to see his friend several feet away. Wait up! he yelped as he burst into a run.

Hurry! snapped Ben. I want to get this over with before you soil yourself.

This guy’s not normal, Ben! He gives me the creeps and I don’t know why!

The two arrived at the door to the office. Turning the knob, Ben discovered it to be locked. That’s odd. He said that he’d be here.

He probably found that he couldn’t control his aging bladder, commented Sean. He looked nervously around, as if expecting some vicious beast to leap out of the shadows at them.

An old, but strong voice from within the office said, "Enter. The door is unlocked." As the voice said this last word, the two adolescents could hear a click within the knob, and then they watched as the door opened.

Ben stepped calmly inside, followed by his shaky friend. The silhouette of a man sat in a chair across the dimly lit room. Other than a long beard and, perhaps, a robe, little of the man could be seen. He barely moved. Only his slightly raspy breathing indicated that the figure was alive, at all.

Looking around the door, they saw no one who could have opened it. Ben spoke. How did you do that?

My counsel is mine to keep, young one. The door slammed shut.

Ben did not like that answer. Deciding to not press the issue, he moved on to the issue at hand. Why did you send for us? Are you ready for us to take the girl?

Soon, replied the man. But, for now, I want you to gauge the members of the group, one at a time, to see just how skilled they are. I want to know if I will get much trouble from these . . . children.

We weren’t planning on showing ourselves this soon.

It would happen eventually, stated the man. I don’t see the point in waiting. They will not know where to find you, anyway. Since you know about the original members of the group, start with the people who have joined since it moved to Sera.

Ben narrowed his eyes and asked, What do you gain by us fighting them?

I assume that they will attempt a rescue of the girl after you have taken her. Their leader will do it out of the love that he still feels for her. Some members still consider her a friend, and the rest will do it out of respect and love for their leader. I simply wish to know how much preparation to take. The man gestured toward the door, mumbling something beneath his breath. It opened as he said, Now, be gone.

Ben and Sean turned and took their leave. As they exited the building, Sean asked, When are we going to take her? I’m getting tired of the games this guy keeps playing!

For right now, replied Ben, we’re going to follow his instructions. There’s something special about that old man. I don’t know what it is, but I will find out.

* * *

The old man stood at the window, looking out over the river that ran behind the warehouse. The door to the room opened and a man dressed in a brown leather suit with metal studs covering the shirt entered. The hirelings have gone, Tarent, he announced.

Good, answered the old man.

The younger man moved to stand beside his employer and inquired, Why do you always look out this window?

I like the view, was the answer.

The Mother World isn’t what you’d expected, is it?

Tarent turned to look at his friend. What ever is?

Are we going to get the girl soon? We mustn’t tarry with the wedding.

Tarent held his hands aloft. A silk, white glove covered each. He gently removed the garment from his left hand, revealing startling, dull-green scales and short, black claws. "Soon . . ..

Chapter One

Tuesday, 3:00 P.M.

Max Lee Adams pushed the lawnmower across the yard of his neighbor, a gruff old woman by the name of Mrs. Boyles. She paid him for his work, on occasion, but he still mowed her lawn for her when she didn’t, simply as a good deed.

You missed a spot, called the old woman from her front porch swing, gesturing toward an area of un-mowed grass roughly the size of the base of the lawnmower.

Thanks, Mrs. Boyles, answered Max with mock cheerfulness. Then, below his breath, he mumbled, She’s eighty years old, can’t hear her doorbell, but can still spot a small patch of uncut grass twenty feet away from her. He mowed the spot, then pushed his lawnmower into his yard and replaced it in his shed.

This was one of those occasions when she didn’t pay him. He walked to the front door of his house, where his mother, Marie, met him. Run up to the post office and check the mail, she said, handing him the key.

Okay, said Max. Noting that she had her hair in curlers, he asked, Are you going out with Barry tonight?

Her eyes widened. Where’ve you been? Barry and I haven’t been dating in two months.

As he burst into a run for the small brick building, which was only about a block up the road from his house, he mumbled under his breath, Maybe if you had a two minute conversation with Steve and me every once in a while, we’d know what was going on in your life.

He stopped at the front door to the post office and pulled it open. Entering, he strolled up to his post office box and inserted the key. There was no mail, so he closed and locked the box, then put the key in the front pocket of his denim shorts and walked toward the door.

Stepping onto the sidewalk outside, Max found his way blocked by an adolescent whom he didn’t recognize. He was roughly 5’9, and was rather thin. He was wearing black denim jeans, and a pull-over black T-shirt under a blue denim jacket. Max smiled politely, then started to step around the boy, but the stranger moved to intercept him. Excuse me," snapped Max.

You’re Max Adams, spoke the stranger, aren’t you?

Yeah, replied Max, and you are?

I’m Sean Wilson, the boy introduced himself. Recognize the name?

No, stated Max bluntly. Should I? In truth, the name did sound familiar, but he didn’t know where he had heard it.

The boy smiled and said, Well, I have been on the news before. Your friend, Jamie, and his group know all about that.

Max suddenly realized where he had heard the name. "Wait a minute! I know! That jacket has a big R sewn into the back of it, doesn’t it?"

Sean smiled again. He turned around to show Max the letter.

Well, I’m really pleased to meet you, but I couldn’t possibly care less about your little argument with Jamie. He’s my friend, but he never wanted me involved in that part of his life. Max looked around cautiously to make sure that none of Sean’s comrades were present. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and call my girlfriend. She’s expecting me. He started to walk past the Renegade, but found himself cut off once again. ‘Ya know, you’re really startin’ to bug me.

You already are involved in the war, kid, stated Sean. You joined Adventure. Guilt by association. He smashed his left fist into Max’s face, knocking him backward.

Max brought his right index finger across his lip, examining the blood that wiped onto his digit. Glaring at the Renegade, he said, Okay, it’s your funeral.

Sean swung his right fist in a wide arc, trying to strike Max across the face with the back of his hand. Max ducked the attack and retaliated with a strong, straight kick to the stomach with his right foot. As Sean doubled over in agony, Max brought the right side of the same foot across his face, knocking him to the ground.

Max looked down at his subdued opponent, a mixture of curiosity and amusement showing upon his face. And you guys are the ones that gave Jamie and the others so much trouble in Jameston? Did ya get out of practice in jail, or what? He turned with a chuckle and began walking toward his house. After taking a few steps, he turned back to the Renegade and said, Thanks. I had been in a pretty bad mood, but now I feel much better!

* * *

George sat on the upstairs deck of his parents’ house. He was trying to meditate but, as usual, he was getting bored with doing something that he just didn’t understand. There was just no way that he could ever clear his mind of all thoughts. After all, every time he closed his eyes, Yoshi’s face popped into his vision. Climbing to his feet, George opened the sliding glass door that led into his parents’ upstairs bedroom. Stepping in, he closed the door behind him and headed down the stairs that ended in the kitchen.

Mr. and Mrs. Tanner weren’t home at this time. They had driven to the Bluff for a banquet that was sponsored by the Park Service, where Mr. Tanner worked. Yoshi was supposed to visit for a night of Mel Brooks movies. George had put a pizza in the oven and now took it out.

As he set the pizza on the top of the stove, a thud echoed from parents’ bedroom. He took off the oven mitt and tossed it on the counter, then walked cautiously up the stairs. As he stepped into the bedroom, George was startled to find two men in blue denim jackets sitting on his parent’s bed.

Who are you?, snapped the young kensai. How’d you get in here?

Climbing trees into open bedroom windows is one of our specialties, commented one of the boys, a blonde-haired adolescent.

We’re here to bring a message from Ben Shalley, answered the other.

Who? demanded George.

The leader of the Renegades, replied the first boy with a sniff. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of us.

I’ve heard of the Renegades, stated George. But you’re way outta your turf. What’s your message?

The second boy, a bit taller than the first, stood, running his fingers through his bright red hair. Walking up to George, he said, We’ve come to tell you not to get involved in our war. You weren’t in Adventure when this started, so it’s not your concern.

Jamie and the guys are my friends, said George. I’m sure that I can speak for all of the new members when I tell you where you can stick your message.

The red-haired boy lunged at George, who dodged to the side and kicked him in the face, knocking him onto his back. George barely had time to turn to the blonde Renegade before that one had kicked him across the face, sending him sliding backward through his parents’ open bathroom door.

Climbing to his feet while shaking his head to clear it, George noticed his mother’s broom standing next to the sink. Grasping it with both hands, he turned around and growled, Before, it was two-to-one odds, but now, I think you’re the ones who are outnumbered.

* * *

Yoshi’s car pulled into the driveway of her boyfriend’s house. After shutting the car off, she climbed out and shut the door.

The kunoichi was surprised to hear a commotion coming from the second story of George’s house. Dashing for the front door, she grasped the doorknob and pushed the door open. Stepping inside, she watched in shock as two teens, one after the other, rolled down the stairs, each hitting the kitchen counter with a painful THUD. Yoshi looked up at George, who was coming down the stairs, a broom handle in his right hand.

The two adolescents had noticed him too. They leaped to their feet and ran out the sliding back door onto the first floor deck. At this time, Yoshi noticed the Rs on the backs of their jackets. Renegades! she exclaimed as she, then George chased them outside.

In desperation, the two delinquents leaped from the deck into the river below. George looked over the side and yelled, Go give that answer to your leader!

What were they doing here? inquired Yoshi.

They came to tell me to stay out of your war.

Great, mumbled Yoshi as she slammed her open palms down upon the rails of the deck. I thought that we had seen the last of them. Looking sadly at George, she added, It would appear that our night together has been cut short. I need to call Jamie.

* * *

Alexandria Rhee and Shawna Weston walked down the street toward the home of Max Lee Adams. Alexandria was spending the day with Shawna, and the two had ridden with her mother into town to get some groceries. Bored, they had decided to visit Alex’s boyfriend, who lived merely three blocks from the store.

So, inquired Shawna with mock disinterest, how’s Jamie?

You see him on Sundays, replied Alex.

He avoids me in church, stated Shawna.

He never smiles anymore, said Alex thoughtfully. When I first met him, he seemed serious, but he was also happy. Now . . ..

One person shouldn’t be able to make another person so happy.

Alex looked at her seriously. Max makes me that happy.

But nobody’s ever loved me like he did.

Like he still does. Don’t tell me you broke up with him just because he loved you too much.

Shawna started to say something, but stopped as a girl in a blue denim jacket stepped out of the antique shop in front of them. Alex started to move around her, barely noticing the dark-haired girl, but she moved to intercept her.

Excuse me, said Alex.

The girl smiled. I’m Traci Bundy.

Who? asked Shawna.

I just wanted her to know the name of the girl who’s gonna bust her up.

Both girls looked at their antagonist and, in unison, said, Huh?

Traci looked at Shawna. You broke up with Jamie Raleigh, and you never really joined Adventure, so you’re not really a part of this. You can leave.

Oh, gee, mumbled Shawna sarcastically, aren’t you so kind.

You don’t want a piece of me, barked the girl. ‘Sides, Ben told me I’m not s’posed ta hurt you.

Ben . . . Shalley? demanded Shawna.

That’s him.

You’re a Renegade?

And proud of it.

Boy, have you got your priorities messed up.

Alex looked back and forth between the two girls in confusion. Finally, she snapped, What in the WORLD are ‘Renegades?!’

You’re about to find out, replied Traci as she reached out, grasping Alex by the hair and jerking her head back. Painfully.

Chapter Two

Tuesday, 5:46 P.M.

Alex attempted to control her rising temper. I will give you to the count of three to let go of me, or I am going to rip your arm from its socket, she growled between clenched teeth.

When Traci simply chuckled, Alex started counting, One . . . Two . . .

THREE!!! finished Traci as she flipped Alex over her shoulder and to the hard pavement. Alex’s rage-filled eyes glared up at her opponent, who seemed taken aback by Alex’s reaction.

Alex’s foot shot upward, slamming into Traci’s chest. Traci stumbled backward, releasing her hold on Alex, who flipped effortlessly to her feet, whirling to face her opponent.

Traci narrowed her eyes at Alex and charged, but was once again caught off guard by a well-placed kick, which found its mark just below her neck. Falling backward, she caught her weight on her hands and slammed both of her feet into Alex’s face, then leaped back to her feet.

Traci reached to the back of her belt, pulling out an eight-inch hunting knife. She stepped toward the younger girl, who flipped backward, bringing both of her feet against Traci’s chin, knocking her off of the sidewalk.

Alex looked down at Traci and said, "I don’t know who you Renegades are, but tell your Ben person that the new members of Adventure are here to stay!"

Traci climbed unsteadily to her feet and turned, stumbling away.

* * *

Jamie opened his eyes with a gasp as a short bell sounded in his room. He hadn’t intended to fall asleep when he’d laid down to read.

The phone rang again. Knowing that his parents weren’t home, the young ninja rubbed his eyes and answered it. H . . . Hello?

It was Yoshi. Jamie? What is the matter?

Nothing, mumbled Jamie. "Just fell