Going under was as difficult, if not worse, the second time around. Part of the problem was he knew what to expect this time, especially in regard to the breathing tube and solution. Dane had always found that anticipating bad things did not lessen their effect for him.
He bore up through the process and soon was once more in the ocean, swimming with the dolphin, whose name he had learned was Trina, Rachel’s sister. This part of the experience, at least, was pleasurable as he felt the warm water sliding against his skin as they coursed through the water. He could also pick up a strong sense of intelligence from Trina and a sense of inquisitiveness. He realized that while she had helped him go to the Ones Before, she did not know what he had learned there.
Dane turned to Trina and focused his thoughts.
The Shadow.
With a flick of her tail. Trina backed up several feet, opening the gap between them.
The Shadow.
The fear coming off the dolphin was overwhelming. Dane noticed that the sun was no longer shining above and the water had grown cold — even just the mention of the Shadow was changing The environment their minds had constructed for the worse.
Danger.
The single emotion resonated from Trina through Dane’s head.
Danger.
In response he projected reassurance as best he could but it was futile effort. Finally he gave up on that, realizing that if he were on the other side of this, in Trina’s position, he wouldn’t be buying the reassurance angle either. He wasn’t too keen to try to go to the Shadow’s timeline either.
He projected the images he had of the Ones Before and that finally seemed to have a slightly calming effect on Trina. Dane had no idea how much time was passing or if any time at all was passing.
The Shadow.
Dane’s world suddenly went dark and he lost all sensation. It was different from what he had experienced initially in the isolation tube though, because he felt like his essence was being squeezed down into a tiny space. And moved. He began to get a sensation of movement.
Then he was in a tube, but without form. Just a dot, being moved along. Not in water. But in space. A golden tube that twisted and turned as he was borne along by some strange power through it.
The tube actually felt familiar, and it took Dane a little while to come to the shocking realization that he was inside one of the strands of the sphere map. No. That wasn’t right, he knew as soon as he had the thought. He was actually inside a portal line, the real thing.
And then he was slowing, the golden walls not flashing by as quickly. A bad feeling began to overwhelm him. He came to a halt in the tube. The wall opposite him was flickering, with blue mixed in with gold. Whatever the wall was made of was actually pulsing.
Dane remained still for a while, Dot sure if he was supposed to do something or if the force that had been propelling him would take another action. He knew that force was Trina, as he could feel a strong connection with the dolphin even though she was nowhere in sight.
Nothing. Except Dane realizing the bad feeling was rising and falling in rhythm with the pulsing of the wall in front of him.
I He had thought the small golden sphere just a map, but he was beginning to realize that perhaps it was a literal representation on a small scale of what the portals actually were. And he now knew what was on the other side of the wall in front of him — another portal strand. But one that led to the Shadow world.
This was the way in. Slipping from one portal strand to another, avoiding going through the Space Between. And it could only be done by him. Here. Now.
Dane moved forward. When his essence touched the wall, he recoiled from the sheer evilness that hit him. There was no doubt he was next to the Shadow portal. It · was the same feeling he’d experienced before when entering a gate the Shadow used, except magnified. This had to lead to their timeline. And he was beyond whatever blocks they’d put in to keep invaders out.
Dane pressed forward. The wall of the portal he was in seemed to wrap around him, smothering. He had to force himself to accept that his body was back at Dream Land and this was just a thought he was experiencing. It worked. Partially. He was completely wrapped in flickering gold.
Then he was through, into another portal. A wide one, so large he could barely see the other side. As he floated there a large black sphere rushed by — one of the Shadow’s crafts. Coming or going? Dane wondered.
Coming, he knew in an instant simply by turning in the direction of the stronger evil sensation. Dane rushed after the sphere. Without form he had no clue how he was moving, he just was.
And the link to Trina was gone. Dane missed her as he · moved forward. He’d been a loner all his life and the connection with her, even though she was another species, was stronger than most of the bonds he’d had in his life. There had been his Special Forces team; his dog, Chelsea; and Sin Fen.
Concentrate, Dane reminded himself.
There was something red ahead, silhouetting the massive black sphere. Dane paused as the image was disturbed, as if the sphere were the pupil of a large evil eye. Then the sphere was gone, and all he saw was a large red circle.
Dane came out of the portal through a gate into Timeline I.
“Are you ready?” Earhart asked Ahana. They were in the Space Between having traveled there from the FLIP via submersible. Now they were on top of the submersible, looking at the two Valkyrie suits they’d brought with them to use. The suits were split wide open, an invitation for them to enter, but neither felt particularly anxious to do so. Rachel splashed water with her tail, soaking both women.
“Take it easy,” Earhart muttered.
“How do we know — ” Ahana began, but Earhart cut her off.
“We follow Rachel,” Earhart said. “This is so far beyond us.” She shook her head. “We’re pieces on the board being moved. We just have to do our part.”
“I’m not really sure what my part is,” Ahana said.
“You’ll figure it out.” Earhart lifted a large plastic case in which the nine depleted crystal skulls were set.
Ahana had her own plastic case, which she had packed on board the FLIP. It contained an array of sensors along with her laptop. Since she wasn’t sure exactly how she was supposed to find the back door or even what timeline she would be going to or time.
“At least you know when you’re going to.” Ahana said.
“Right in the middle of a battle,” Earhart said. “The largest battle ever fought on American soil.” She’d brushed up on her knowledge of the climactic battle of Gettysburg on the flight to the FLIP. “You’ve got to be going somewhere better than that.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“It is like a great fishhook,” Meade said, as he looked at the map of the terrain his senior engineer had just finished sketching.
Meade had arrived at Gettysburg in the dark, around 3:30 A.M., and had immediately been briefed by the senior generals who had fought the previous day’s battle. He had already decided on the trip up to hold in place, regardless of terrain. At the very least he was between Lee and Washington, and he planned on keeping it that way. He’d issued orders from the saddle, directing every unit under his command to converge on Gettysburg with all possible haste.