A schoolbus came rattling down the road and Carter-Kirk gave Pads a hug. Then she got on the bus. It began to move away.
The four Nightstalkers froze as Carter-Kirk looked up, as if sensing their presence. Everything was still for a moment, and then Carter-Kirk shrugged and headed to his axe.
Cleopatra’s Needle was bathed in sunlight and Edith Frobish took the extra moment to circumnavigate it, checking all four sides with more than the usual perusal. It was as it always had been.
For now, Edith thought as she turned for the Met with a bounce in her step. For now. Who knew? Some day Caesarion might just turn out to be alive and ruling in Egypt. She was pretty sure Dane had gotten that little wrinkle from some other timeline for Foreman to play.
With extra vigor, Edith shoved open the blank metal door.
“Hello, Burt. Beautiful day outside.” She held up her badge, but the guard didn’t even look at it.
“Hey, Edith. It sure is.”
She walked down the hallway, turned right, past the CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION sign, and got on the elevator.
She rode down patiently.
The doors opened and Edith walked out. She came to the guard post and the heavily armed man did his checks, without a greeting or how-do-you-do. But Edith looked at him differently now, recognizing his real job. So she paused, graced him with a smile and a “Have a wonderful day,” and then breezed down to the next steel door.
She stepped in and waited for that door to shut behind her. Passed the DNA test. Then opened the next door.
A spotlight was focused on the HUB.
The gate was where it should be.
And standing by it were Moms, Eagle, Mac, Roland, Ivar, Doc, and Scout.
The Nightstalkers. And now also the Time Patrol.
Edith Frobish walked across the cavern floor to the gate and joined them. She paused, as she always paused. “Are you ready?”
An unfair question, Edith knew, because they still really didn’t know what they needed to be ready for.
They stepped up next to her.
And then they all stepped through.
Photo © 2004 Bob Mayer
Bob Mayer is a New York Times bestselling author, graduate of West Point, former Green Beret (including commanding an A-Team), and the feeder of two yellow labs, most famously Cool Gus. He’s had over 60 books published, including three #1 series: Area 51, Atlantis, and The Green Berets. Born in the Bronx, having traveled the world (usually not tourist spots), he now lives peacefully with his wife, and said labs, at Write on the River, Tennessee.
If you enjoyed this world, you can check out another timeline with Dane, Sin Fen, Foreman, Amelia Earhart, the Bermuda Triangle, the Ones Before, The Others, etc., via the six-book Atlantis series where an Earth timeline confronts the Shadow as it launches an all-out assault against their Earth. Terry Brooks lauded this series: “Spell-binding! Will keep you on the edge of your seat. Call it techno-thriller, call it science fiction, call it just terrific story-telling.”
If you’re interested in Hannah and Neeley and Doctor Golden and how they became the Cellar via Nero, you can check out Bodyguard of Lies and Lost Girls.
Nightstalkers Series
Nightstalkers
Nightstalkers: The Book of Truths
Nightstalkers: The Rift
The Area 51 Series
Area 51
Area 51: The Reply
Area 51: The Mission
Area 51: The Sphinx
Area 51: The Grail
Area 51: Excalibur
Area 51: The Truth
Area 51: Nosferatu
Area 51: Legend
The Green Beret Series
Eyes of the Hammer
Dragon Sim-13
Cut Out
Eternity Base
Z
Chasing the Ghost
Chasing the Lost
The Shadow Warrior Series
The Gate
The Line
The Omega Missile
The Omega Sanction
Section 8
Atlantis Series
Atlantis
Atlantis: Bermuda Triangle
Atlantis: Devil’s Sea
Atlantis: Gate
Assault on Atlantis
Battle for Atlantis
Psychic Warrior Series
Psychic Warrior
Psychic Warrior: Project Aura
The Cellar Series
Bodyguard of Lies
Lost Girls
The Presidential Series
The Jefferson Allegiance
The Kennedy Endeavor
Stand-Alone Titles
The Rock
Duty, Honor, Country: A Novel of West Point & The Civil War
I, Judas: The Fifth Gospel
Books on Writing/Publishing
The Novel Writer’s Toolkit
Write It Forward: From Writer to Successful Author
How We Made Our First Million on Kindle: The Shelfless Book
The Guide to Writers Conferences
102 Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes