A Day Out of Time by Kelsey Clifton

Author:Kelsey Clifton [Clifton, Kelsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

The New Kid

(13:50)

Gamma Command was enjoying a rare break from the madness. Everyone except for Darwin sat around the little table, polishing off the last of their late lunch. Even the most wayward members had managed to take a few deep breaths of clean air.

Millennia chugged an energy drink and crushed the can in her delicate, tattooed hands. “When's Med Bay gonna share their bio-caff shots?” she asked. “I know they got 'em, Helix, don't lie to me.”

“Do you have any idea what those can do to your system?” Helix asked. “It takes weeks of testing before they can clear the healthiest, most mentally stable doctors and RNs for bio-caff injections. There's no way in hell you're getting one.”

Millennia grabbed her tablet and plopped down on a slab of rock. “Dude, I'm so amped right now. If you gave me a bio-caff shot, I bet I could solve these decay rate algorithms that we've been stuck on for months.”

“Or you could go into arrhythmia and die,” Helix pointed out. “Or possibly launch yourself into space. You're too caffeinated as it is.”

“I've always wanted to go into orbit,” she replied, flicking through screens faster than the human eye should have been able to function.

“Maybe when you retire,” Cat said, stretching her arms overhead. “What've we got?”

“No word yet on the raptor's rift, but...” Millennia's pixie-like face scrunched up. “Remember when I said there might be a rift at the Warrior's Gate?”

“Vaguely.”

“Well, there's a rift at the Warrior's Gate, and it lit up like a Christmas tree about half an hour ago.”

Cat blew a long breath out. “Who can we spare?”

“Malinois is up there,” Grunt reminded her. “Ramirez would have radioed if they were in trouble.”

“Unless a T-Rex came through and ate them all,” Millennia supplied helpfully.

“Yesterday I would have rolled my eyes,” Cat said. “Today, I'm taking no chances.” Tapping her tragus, she said, “Cat to Ramirez, Millennia says there's an active rift northwest of you. I want you to check it out.” Making eye contact with Specs, Cat raised an eyebrow, to which he responded with a nod. “I'm sending Lieutenant Forrester and the New Kid to back you up.”

“At least I finally get to stretch my legs a little,” Specs said as Cat ended the transmission. He twisted from side to side and clapped the New Kid on the shoulder. “We'll call you from the Warrior's Gate.”

“Don't get eaten by anything,” Millennia called as they headed out of Command.

“Ha-ha,” the New Kid muttered, swallowing. “She's kidding, right?”

Rather than answer, the big historian lifted one shoulder in a helpless shrug.

About halfway up the side of the Reservoir, Specs's tablet pinged. He glanced over the message and said, “Ramirez found the rift and tagged it. Looks like she left Omar standing guard while the others investigate a crowd over by the Stranger's Gate. She doesn't think it's anything serious, but she wants us to check it out just in case.”

In spite of Ramirez's words, the New Kid's heartbeat picked up when they came in sight of the stairs that led up to the Stranger's Gate.

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