Page 21 of After 5
I committed the landing coordinates to memory, and Ace and I left the travel lab.
“That guy creeps me out sometimes,” Ace said, referring to Al. “He’s starting to sound like Yoda. What did he mean by all has not been revealed?” he asked, imitating the legendary Jedi Master fromStar Wars.
“I’m not sure,” I answered, but I had my suspicions there was more to Caiyan than he allowed me to see.
Jake met us in the landing area. “Be careful. You don’t have much time until the portal closes. In fact, it’s quite risky to make the jump so late in the moon cycle. The time continuum is acting strange, but since Mortas hasn’t traveled in months, I want to know what he’s up to. This is an in and out mission.”
When I first began traveling, I would return a few hours after I left. Easy to call in to work and disappear for a short time. My family didn’t question where I’d been.
Now, the time has stretched. We are missing days, sometimes the entire five days of the travel cycle. Pinocchio’s nose would’ve extended three New York City blocks if he told the lies I’ve told my family. Having Gertie in the know helped; she covered for me most of the time, but Eli had blown up Jake’s cell more than once trying to locate me.
Life became easier when we found out Eli had the gift. The WTF doesn’t know Mamma Bea gave him the key and vessel that belonged to her husband, my papa Cloud. Another truth I withheld from Jake. I was really racking them up, but Eli refused to travel. If the WTF knew about his recent acquisitions, they’d be all up in his business trying to recruit him. Or even worse, take his key.
Eli’s more understanding about me being absent from work for a few days, now. We had to come up with a reason for me to miss work, and I now have a condition called CFS, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, brought on by the Epstein-Barr virus responsible for mononucleosis. It’s a good cover, and the office manager bakes me cupcakes when I return.
I focused on the orders Jake was dishing out. “Only observe. You should have about five hours, then you need to return, regardless of whether you found Mortas. Do you understand?” He was looking directly at me.
“Roger that, Captain,” I said with an air of bravado while I held my knees from knocking together. Chasing Mortas with only a smidge of time left before the moon cycle closed made me not only nervous but scared. Without Marco to lend his support, I went from Wingwoman to Wonder Woman. I hoped I could muster up her courage if things went south.
Jake moved to speak to one of his agents, leaving Ace and me preparing for travel.
“I’ll be with you, doll. No worries,” Ace offered, as if my thoughts were transcribed across my forehead like the ticker tape for the New York Stock exchange.
“I’m not worried.”
“Why do you look like you just shat your knickers?”
“I’ll be fine,” I confirmed, but my inner voice pulled the cord on her life preserver as Ace and I boarded my outhouse to jump to Franklin County, the year 1949.
Chapter 4
Imanaged to land my vessel without any problems in a group of hundred-year-old oak trees on the outskirts of Purley. The short walk to the small town deemed unreportable.
The small country town in 1949 wasn’t much different than the small country towns in the present.
Ace and I stood outside a five and dime surveying the scene. There wasn’t any sign of Mortas. People milled about doing their daily errands. No one seemed ruffled by a recent chaos that disrupted their everyday lives.
“Why in the world would Mortas choose to come ’ere?” Ace huffed. “The man has no sense of fun. There’s nothing going on in this hick town and it’s hot. I’ve got sweat beads under me mustache. It’s going to ruin me dermal filler treatment I had done last week.”
I rolled my eyes at Ace. The vessel had dressed him in faded blue jeans, a tan button down, and a mustache that would have made Yosemite Sam jealous. In my book, he fit the slow-paced East Texas town, but Ace’s preferences were less Sam Elliott and more Rhinestone Cowboy.
“Honey, don’t roll those baby blues at me, you could use a few injections of Botox around the eyes. This job is taking a toll on you.”
I rubbed the corner of my eye. “My eyes are fine! Laugh lines show character.”
“Huh, this job will give you more than laugh lines. One day you’ll wake up to crow’s feet and forehead wrinkles. It’s the stress that does it by releasing harmful toxins into your body. For example, take your U.S. president.”
“The current president?”
“Any of them.” Ace wafted a hand at me. “He’s sworn into office looking all suave and debonair.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Hear me out, hon. When his four years are done, there’s an old man in his shoes. God forbid he gets reelected.”
“You don’t look so bad, and you’ve been doing this longer than me.”
“I take care of meself. Weekly facials, and I exercise every morning on the treadmill, followed by an hour of hot yoga twice a week.”
