The Traversing Book III- Portals of Time: The Traversing, #3

By Ecaterina Scarlat

Kokia has finally found Amir and they attempt to escape to safety from the war. Unknowingly, Kokia ends up accidently stepping through a time portal that throws her back in time to the beginning of the conflict. She is told that she has the chance to save her family and she is filled with hope. But the other time jumpers warn her that she can only go through four portals and that the final one is where she will have to stay forever. She also realizes that the ITAQ is still hunting her, and also perhaps after the child she is carrying. Can she save her family? Will she be sent back in time to where Amir doesn't know her? Will her friends survive the war? Walk with Kokia on this exciting time travel story from the heart-wrenching beginning to the thrilling conclusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ecaterina Scarlat
• Release date: Jul 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393155058

Book preview

Chapter 1

The fighting continues. The sadness. The heartbreak. And all for what? I look around and see Amir and his family huddled together as we pack to leave Connecticut. Syed has been executed, and now the ITAQ are temporarily shaken.

I do not trust Amir’s family. They came in at the last minute to help us, but I am not sure if their motives are in the right place. Will they try to hurt me? I look over my shoulder as I put in sweat pants and loose shirts that I found in the lake house. Amir has the shield above me, making sure any enemy aircraft cannot see me and the child I am carrying. I notice that Amir has lines on his face and dark circles under his eyes from worry and exhaustion. I stop what I am doing and go over and hug him.

Hey, what’s this for? he whispered as I snuggled his neck.

Scared, I confess quietly, and then look up at his eyes.

He kissed the top of my head as a reassurance that we are in this together, and all we have to do is get out of Connecticut and head toward Maine.

A gentle rumble rolls under my feet and Amir’s father meets my eyes, and he says hurry to me. I grab my brush and Sepa’s hair ribbon that I still had. My little sister a victim of this war, and this is all I have left of her.

Amir grabs my hand, and we run out the door. Amir’s family has already descended the steps, and that distrust emotion is creeping up again, but I brush it off. I have to trust Amir and what he believes of his family. I worry about all the stress and what it will do to the baby, but I just put that out of my mind. I don’t have anyone to protect it but me. My mother died in an accident that my father never fully explained before he was killed by the ITAQ.

As I run down the dirt path, I look out at the water. There are people on the little island, but I can’t make them out. I was temporarily excited that there were possibly other survivors. Amir looks at where my gaze is, and he swallows hard and squeezes my hand. A gentle reassurance that we will be OK. We secretly knew we had to find a way to find out who Jericho Visallis was; the person that will receive the secret documents implanted in me. But we cannot talk about it right now. We both are grateful for what his father did, but at the same time distrustful of what could be.

The large Airshots are waiting on the grass, just like Amir’s father promised. I fully expected an ambush, or some sort of problem with our escape. But there is room for all of us, and Amir and I jump into the first one we come to. Amir’s father and two of his brothers jump into the other one.

Program it north. Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Amir’s father say loudly as I begin to strap the seat belt on.

What? I whisper to Amir, trying to make sense of it all. I look at Amir and he hangs his head.

Just do what he says, he whispers to me, pointing at the controls, reconfigured and jimmied to not require identification or clearance. The ITAQ could do anything.

I lean over and put in the city and state, and turn around and look on the floor of the Airshot. It has blankets and even a small refrigerator with food in it.

Cape Elizabeth, Amir confirms, and both of the Airshots rise into the atmosphere and speed off. Amir and I start lifting off the ground, and I hear a beeping coming from the controls.

I turn my head and look down at Syed and the perfect pool of crimson blood that was blanketing his body. He was lying mostly on his back, slightly turned on his right side, and it was unsettling having him looking at us as we ascend in the sky.

My gaze now shifts to the little island offshore and I was squeezing my eyes to try and find the people I saw earlier, but the place looks empty. Nothing moving but the long grass in the wind and the occasional fluttering of wings from a bird. I turn back around and face Amir, and he is staring at me.

Don’t worry, he said to me, rubbing my back. Everything will be OK. My father assures it.

I know this is false. We are being hunted, and I knew that. I just nod and smile and try to look at the scenery below that hasn’t been spoiled by the war. Patches of grass that were actually green, and the sounds of wildlife alive and thriving.

After we had been flying for about twenty minutes Amir whispers, Damn, under his breath and tries to steer the Airshot.

Amir, what? I say, panicking, until I turn to where he is gazing. His father and brother’s Airshot is descending lower and lower at a fast rate of speed, nothing but the dark blue water below them.

Father! What is wrong? Amir tries to yell to his father in his TerraView, but the turbulence is too much and nothing but the loud whirring of their Airshot can be heard. They just looked up at us, helplessly, and tears well up in my eyes as they connect with his little brothers. Amir looks on in shock as they dip farther, sharply slipping away from us. The sound that they made as they touched the water sent waves of nausea through me. I knew that from a certain height, falling into water is just like falling on a piece of concrete. You hit the water and you just fracture. Amir pulls me to him as he sobs gently, and puts up the invisibility shield. I knew he was sad about his father, who saved them, or worried that the same thing would happen to us. All I could do was pray that it didn’t.

I turn my head to the sunset that was painting the sky before us as Amir continued to cry. I didn’t know quite what to do. I know he was at odds with his father. But at the last instant, he stood with his son and for what was ultimately right. And it cost him and his brothers their life.

––––––––

I put my arms around Amir and smile at him. Just then, the Airshot tells us that our destination is below, and I see this abandoned castle ahead. We would live. We had survived.

The machine cycles down and we land on some soft grass. My feet welcome the lushness, and we walk over to the castle door. It is run down and very old. He pulses out the shield on the TerraView and pulls in the wireless from a substation not too far off in the distance. He already tested it out ahead of time to make sure that we would have wireless to run our electronics.

I had never been so excited in my life. I didn’t have to worry about who was chasing us, we were virtually out in the middle of nothingness. I went over and hugged Amir close and watched as his hair blew gently against the warm wind.

Sorry about your Dad and brothers. They saved us, I say to him as I clutch his back.

Yes, they did, he whispered, and turned me around and pulled me closer, and I lay my head on his chest. After that moment, we didn’t discuss it again. I understood. After all, I am an orphan, my mother dying when I was 8 and my father recently in the attack on our city. It is hard to accept that you are all alone.

Amir steps away from me and into the side of the castle. The stonework is stunning and the scroll work beautiful. He turns around and motions his hand to usher me in. I was glad that there wasn’t too much debris or evidence of animal inhabitation. Amir turns on his TerraView to put up the shield, and I proceeded to take out the sleeping bags and small pillows that were in the Airshot. I unzipped my backpack side pocked and took out the beef jerky I had thrown in there earlier. We both ate in silence, lost in our thoughts. When I am done, I pull out some warm applesauce, and tip the container to pour in my mouth, mindful of getting enough proper nutrition. Momentarily satisfied, I lay down and as the sun set and the stars start to shine. Having walked around the perimeter, Amir feels we are safe and joins me on the floor. We just stare at the immenseness of it all. It was all very beautiful and humbling. We both fell asleep with ease, and I woke to find Amir shaking me awake.

What is it? I say to him, my back stiff and sore from the concrete.

The Airshot. It’s gone, he said excitedly, grabbing at his hair and pacing, his anger obvious.

What do you mean, gone? I say, now standing up and watching his face contort with frustration.

It’s not there. Someone either came up here last night, which I find doubtful, or someone summoned it.

I suddenly get a sinking feeling. I knew that some AirShots were designed to boomerang automatically, and I guessed that is what it did. It went back to the lake house. Now our journey to go to Canada would have to wait. Because now we were stranded.

Chapter 2

Trast, Deacon and Judam knew that they needed to get off the island, no matter how nice the house was. Henna and Kaliope were becoming friends even though they didn’t divulge much about their families or where they were from. Kaliope had mentioned that her family cabin was not too far off from the lake, on the other side of the bend, but confessed they could have been overtaken by the ITAQ, she didn’t know.

We can go back into the tunnels, come out near the library. Then steal more police cars, like we did last time. Only this time we will not stop, Trast says to Judam out on the porch steps, looking up at the sky briefly.

We will never get out. Never. The ITAQ is still here, across the lake for God’s sake!! Judam said, pointing behind them. Kaliope did say that she saw some men going toward the cabins there, but she said only 10. Sounded like a vigilante type group, not something organized.

Trast started and stopped his response several times. He knew that Judam was right. But what can their plan be? For the moment, they needed to hide. And the caves are the best place.

Let’s pack plenty of supplies, then we will vote, Trast said, and headed upstairs. He saw some army knives he knew would come in handy.

Henna pulls Judam aside. I’m not going back in there. We barely made it out alive, she said, eyeing Trast as he packed first aid supplies. We don’t have to go with them. We can do our own thing.

Trast immediately looked up and caught them whispering. He knew what they were going to say.

I know, I know. The caves were a nightmare, he said emphatically. Any better ideas?

Henna looked up at Judam, and then spoke. I think we should stay here. We have food, we could fish. Just until the war is over.

How do you know that they won’t bomb this place?

Henna’s face got red and mad. Yes, they could. They could very well do that. I’ll take my chances. But go, if you want. If you think that is what is best for you. Judam and I will stay here.

Trast flashes a hurt look to Judam. He was his friend, his fellow soldier. Trast looks at Henna and saw the way she looked at Judam. The way Kokia used to look at him. He looked over at Deacon who was leaning back onto the wall and saw him shrug his shoulders. Trast decided to concede.

OK, OK. We have what we need here. We could make it secure. Judam and Deacon, care to explore our surroundings?

Judam nodded and gave Henna a kiss. Be careful, she said quietly and squeezed his hand.

Always, he said back, and he went over to the table where Trast had their weapons and followed Deacon out. After they left, Henna walked over to Kaliope.

We should explore here, make sure we know where every entrance is. We know the upstairs and the kitchen, but not much else.

Kaliope nodded and they walked out of the kitchen and stood before the French doors that had a pretty gold handle, carved in the shape of an S. It must have been the owner’s last name or something. Kaliope opened the door and they stepped into the most beautiful room. It was a living room, she guessed, and it was so big. There were several tan couches that looked soft and plush in the center of the room, and tables with antique lamps with colorful shades. There was also a table on the far side that contained a small refrigerator and what looked like an air popcorn maker. She assumed that they had a ceiling projector and she hoped that they could check it out later. The living room had several doorways which worried her, but she knew the real problems would arise in the entrances.

Let’s each go different ways. If you find an outside entrance, yell out, Henna said, looking at Kaliope’s arm. She didn’t have a TerraView, and Henna didn’t know where hers was.

Kaliope nodded, and Henna took the doorway on the opposite side of where they came in, and Kaliope went left.

Henna walked into a small hallway that was adorned with pictures of a family, and separately, one of a small baby. She paused to look at their faces. They were young probably early 20’s looking fearless and anticipating a bright future. The woman’s dark hair was blowing slightly off her shoulders, and the husband was towering above her, his blonde hair cut short. The baby was laughing, her arms outstretched, trying to touch the camera holder, which must have been family. She wondered what happened to them.  Why weren’t they there? Then an awful thought worked its way into her head. Maybe they were dead and stored somewhere in this house. She swallowed hard and put that thought far out of her mind and proceeded to walk out of the hallway into what was the kitchen. It was very spacious with the island in the middle covered in a black and white mixed marble top. There were a few robots and some flying machines of some sort in the back of the kitchen, slumped over against the wall. She walked over to the refrigerator, and touched its controls, some of the pads lighting up. She opened the door and looked inside. She touched a bottle of soda and it was still cold. The solar panels pulling in enough electricity to power it.

Henna looked around at the stools set up on the island, and the cups of water still sitting there. They were interrupted. Her gaze then goes to a small high chair with a toy still attached to it. This family was torn from their home and it wasn’t fair.

She looked through the doorway of the kitchen and saw the dining room and proceeded to walk there. She looked up and saw a large crystal chandelier and red velvet fluffy chairs. The table was a dark cherry wood and had placemats that were off white etched with lace. It was just stunning.

Henna realized that this house was a maze, and hoped at some point in her life that she could afford a house like this. The dining room had three doorways, the one she came through, one straight ahead and one on the right. She decided to go straight ahead, and she walked around the table and found that this led to another small living room of sorts, but then looked around and realized that it was a library. All along the walls were hundreds of paper books, floor to ceiling. She had never seen so many like this in her life. Only museums had this many paper books. There were love seats and coffee tables, and on the back wall, a wall refrigerator.

Henna then walked back into the dining room, and takes the right doorway and walked through cautiously. She could hear a faint dripping sound, and realized that it was a large bathroom. She walked over to the double sink and saw that one of them was slowly dripping so she turned the handle as tight as she could. Then she heard Kaliope yell and quickly she rushed out of the room.

Kaliope? Where are you at? Henna yelled, running through the dining room and kitchen and back through the small hallway. As she walks back into the living room, she yells again. Kaliope! I’m in the living room!

She then saw Kaliope run to her and grab her hand. You’ve got to see this! she said excitedly, and Henna followed her through a sun room, then saw a set of metal stairs and they both slowly descended them. Kaliope went first, and as Henna turned on the winding stairs, her eyes couldn’t believe it. It was a recreation room. There were pool tables, wireless games and on the left was a large pool with a hot tub on the side. A freaking full size pool with lights glowing on the bottom in the basement of this dream house. It couldn’t get much better than this. They both smiled at each other and wanted to go swimming, but knew they needed to wait for the boys upstairs. They would worry if they didn’t know where they were. As if on cue, the front door slammed and they heard voices, so they quickly climbed the stairs.

Judam and Trast had sweat on their faces and Henna walked over to Judam.

So what do you think? Are we safe? she asked him, watching as he took his jacket off.

Yeah. It is pretty open, though. We need to make sure that we put up the shields so the heat sensors won’t give us away.

Henna walked over to Judam and leaned over near him. I hope we are right in staying here.

Judam turned to face her. Me, too.

Chapter 3

Amir had been pacing a while. He then turned to me and grabbed his gun. I’m going to see if it is near. I know it probably went back to the lake house. But I have to look. Just promise me you will stay here, OK?

I nodded, though a little apprehensive. Don’t be long? I eek out, a small measure of fear making my stomach turn.

Amir ran over and gave me a big hug and whispered in my neck. No, honey, I won’t. Just stay put. I will figure everything out.

I know you will, I smile at him. I watch as he jumps down the concrete boulders and runs out into the field. I decided to stay further under the cover of the stone ledges and see the beautiful spectacle below. It appeared this castle was on a hill, which made sense. Safest place to be was on a hill, so you could see all that approach. Even though nowadays, the approach is from the sky. I look around and kick some pebbles up with my shoe and see the small dust cloud that puffs up. I was scared and nervous about what was to happen to us, and if we would run into trouble. But I hadn’t seen any sort of movement in the sky, and it was nice. It made me relax just a little.

I walked over to the far side and bent out to see if I could see Amir, but I couldn’t. I decided the best thing for me to do was to go back over to our makeshift bed and wait. I go over to the back wall, and trace my