Behind The Alpha Book 8 ADAM

(Chapter song ‘Back In Time’ by Huey Lewis & The News, ‘Who Wants To Live Forever' by Queen)

ADAM

I ran as fast as I could, grabbing the odd catch of food and eating on the way. There’s no way I can be stuck in 2630. Not knowing what I know and feel.

Astrid is mine. This is an interruption. I know it. The island will be there and I will get back home to her.

I sped across the country to the east coast. The dock where I landed in the past on the fishing boat is still standing, but the apparent wars of this time, hit it. Everything’s a mess. It’s not concerning to me unless there’s no working boat.

I slow down and scan the waters. I see a boat and jump down onto the deck. It’s a speed boat, but it seems to be large enough to make the trip or at least get me half way. I’d prefer not to swim the whole way.

I check for keys and don’t see any. Damn. Hoping back onto the dock, I run to the boat dock building. Maybe it’s in there.

I search all the wall cabinets and desks in the small office. I look out the windows, every now and then, for Angels or Demons and continue my search.

I open a small cabinet about the size of a medicine cabinet and there’s some keys in there on hooks and on the bottom of the cabinet. I grab them all and run back to the boat.

I drop them onto the passenger seat and check the fuel levels. I have what looks like a half a tank, but it’s hard to tell. I highly doubt the fuel pumps are working, I think as I spy the pumps on the dock. It’ll have to do.

I sit in the driver’s seat and try the keys. The chances of any of these working are so slim, I’m thinking up alternative plans as I place each key in the ignition.

As each one fails, I toss it behind me and they clink across the bottom of the boat or in the water overboard.

Grabbing one, I’m starting to get frustrated. It slides into the ignition and I smirk. I close my eyes and turn.

The motor coughs and sputters. I silently pray for it to work so I can get back to my snowflake.

I turn the key and the engine coughs again with a plume of black smoke sputtering out of it. I watch over my shoulder as I continue to force it to turn over.

“Come on.” I growl.

One last turn and the engine roars to life. Water sprays off the back as it’s propellers speed up.

“Yes!” I turn back around and slowly push the throttle forward. It threatens to stall as I maneuver it off the dock and through the debris in the water.

Before it could stop, I slam the throttle into full gear. It revs up quick and the front end lifts.

“WOO!” My shifter rises and I throw a hand up in the air as I stand, steering the boat as I do. I leave large wake waves behind me as I speed out of the marina into the open space of the Atlantic Ocean.

I sit back down and open the captains compartment. There’s a dirty map in there and I pull it out. I carefully unfold it and use some other things in the compartment to hold it down as I figure out which way to go.

Navigating my way through the vast waves, I line up the stars and moon to the corresponding directions I remember.

I watch the moon rising ahead of me. It’s light deepening.

“It won’t be too late. Not happening.” I push the boat as fast as it can go. It hops across the waves and I have to struggle to keep myself from toppling over.

The boats front end crashes through wave after wave as I search for what I hope will be my rescue out of this godforsaken time.

It feels like hours and I watch the fuel gauge drop.

I check the map again and then the moon.

“Where is it?” I grit. It should be seen soon. It has to be here.

I check again then slump in seat. Just as I was about to accept defeat, I looked to the horizon.

My heart starts and a huge grin spreads across my lips.

“YES!!” I laugh and practically hop up and down in my seat. I turn the boat in the direction of the island.

The full moon rises just off the mountain and shines its blue light on the dark waters of the ocean.

My heart is racing as it gets closer and I watch my fuel. If I have to swim from here, that’s OK with me.

“Hold on, Astrid. I’m coming.” I smirk as the details emerge from the islands black shadows.

Just as I trained my eye on the beach, I hear loud screeches from the air.

I look over my shoulder and the outlines of six black, flapping angels comes into view.

“Shit!”

They’re probably patrollers.

I kick the boat up and try to get to land as quick as possible.

They cry out as the dive bomb me.

I duck down in my seat as the swoop back up. The wings beat the boat and it rocks as they speed by.

“Fuck.” I watch them rise into the air and bank off in different directions. They turn and head back my way.

The engine coughs and I whip my head to it as the boat slows down. I turn back to the fuel gauge sitting on E.

“Fucking perfect.” I look up to see the angels just off my bow.

I dive to the back as they try and grab me on the way by. I land on my back then roll onto my stomach.

“Son of a bitch.” I pant.

I look around and see a first aid pack. Pulling it out, I open it and find a flare gun with two flares. “Better than nothing.”

I load it and sit on my knees. I see the angels heading back my way and raise the gun. When I see the leaders angry face, I pull the trigger.

Red flames shoot out and light up the boat. It flies through the air and like a red firework, it hits and explodes on the angels chest as he tries to dodge. He screams as he burns and falls into the ocean.

I reload and laugh as I jump up. “Yeah!! Take that assholes!!”

One swoops around and knocks me off the boat. I fly off and my back hits the water. I’m surrounded by a cloud of white bubbles and I stop my heart so I don’t require air.

More bubble clouds form under the surface as the angels dive into the water around me.

One heads my way and I aim the flare gun. I fire and the red flame of the flare lights up the clear ocean. Fish swim for their lives in the ruby colored light. It hits the oncoming angel on the neck and he screams as it burns. The fire dies down and the five angels look at me with murder in their eyes.

My eyes widen and I swim around fast. I turn on my vamp power and swim to a blur as the tuck their wings and move like torpedoes through the surf.

One grabs my leg and I spin around. I throw out my claws and slice his face. I bare my fangs and hiss, flaring my green eyes.

Their faces twist into demonic creatures and I tick my head. “Ok.” I throw my body around and take off.

Their screeches are almost clearly audible under the water as they chase me around the reef. I swim down and through arches of coral rock then up over underwater hills. They don’t leave my ass for a second.

A shark comes into view and I grab him by the tail. I throw him back to the angel closest to me and the two tumble backwards into the group. I apologize to the shark profusely as I swim for my life.

I dive down sharply and drop a hand. Clouds of coral sand rise up, causing a blind screen. I push my arms back and swim faster. The bottom gets closer and I right myself.

I plant my feet and push off.

My body explodes out of the water with huge waves rising around me and I land on the sand beach.

I twist on the balls of my feet and look out to the water.

I stand straight and watch the small waves lap the beach.

Just as I blow out a breath, the water bubbles. Four large water mounds rise up and rush the beach. They break into wakes just before blowing out of the surf. Their wings spread out and water rises high around them.

I shield myself from the splash they created then take off toward the building.

They shriek loudly and fly through the palm trees almost as fast as I can run.

I see the building up ahead and bee line for it.

I hit the road and the angels rocket out of the palm trees into the air.

I hit the door to the building and try to open it. A battle cry came from behind me and I turn just as an angel hit me and we both crash through the glass door. I skid on my back, across the floor, surrounded by black feathers.

I grab his neck as his eyes glow white and his face twist into evil fury. I give him several punches to the face then kick him off.

He rolls over the shattered glass and I stand on my feet.

The other three angels, swoop in and land on their feet. They tuck their wings and drop gold daggers to their sides.

I ready myself as I back up. The angel I threw stands and shakes the glass from his wings. He tucks them and turns, slamming his dagger down to his side.

They crack necks and stretch chest as the step closer.

They smirk and smile. “Time to die, freak.” One growls.

I scowl then pause. I stand straight and wrap an arm around myself. I twist my lips and rub my chin. “Wha…wait. Did you...” I point to him and look him over. “Did…the half naked pigeon just call me…a freak?” I point to my chest.

His friends chuckle and he glares at them. They stop and almost look scared. He turns back to me. “You’re so fucking dead.”

“Language. You’re an angel.” I scowl.

“I don’t see a halo, do you?” He grins evilly and they rush me.

I leap up and land on his back. I jump off him and hit the floor. They grab me and slam me down on the floor.

I drop my fangs and sink them into the arms that are holding my chest down. The two angels squeal and fall back. I claw the face of the other one and scramble to my feet.

Just as I begin to cross the floor, the skylight above me smashes in and the angel I fed to the shark drops down on me and we roll across the floor.

I hiss and flare my eyes as he tries to stab my face with his dagger. His strength is matched with mine even with all my beasts and Abraxas backing me up.

“HEY!”

We all look up to a second floor railing and Miranda is leaning over the railing with a bottle in one hand and a lighter in the other. There’s rag hanging out of the bottle.

“This is an angel free zone.” She sneers and lights the rag. She throws the bottle, it hits the floor and blasts out a red and white light.

The angel that has me, screams, gets a panicked look on his face and pushes off me. The others do the same and fly up through the hole in the skylight. I watch them disappear into the sky.

I look to Miranda and she smiles. “Don’t just lay there. Come on.” She waves me to follow and I get up. I take one more curious look at the skylight and start to climb the stairs to the second level.

“Miranda.” I greet as I meet her in the hall.

“Adam. It’s nice to see you.” She says as she leads me to the end of the hall and to a set of elevators.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here. Everything’s different now.” I say as I survey my surroundings.

“How do you mean?” She asks.

We stop at an elevator and get on. She presses L10 and the door closes.

“Lefus dead. The vamps now have been replaced by angels and demons. Genesis has taken over.” I eye her then watch the numbers descend.

I turn to her. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“I may have had an inkling.” She smirks.

The doors open and we walk down the steel hallway.

“As Genesis moved through the timeline, her actions would change things here and there. To track her, I had a program installed that detected the smallest blip. The Butterfly program.” She says as we stop at the door to her time travel room and punches in a door code.

“Butterfly?” I ask.

She opens the door and motions me in. “Yes. You know. A Butterfly beats its wings on one side of the world and the wind from it can create a hurricane on the other. Same premise with time travel. You can squash a bug in the past and create a chain reaction all across the timeline. It’s why we do have protocols in place.” She flicks a light on and the computers light up and turn on. The light above the bed turns on as well.

I cinch my brows up as I stare at it. “I need your help.”

She punches some keys on a her keyboard. “I figured you might. The angels have destroyed some of the transmitters we had placed around the globe, so direct landings aren’t guaranteed.”

“What does that mean?” I arch a brow.

“It means.” She motions me to the bed and I walk to it. I sit and lay down. She hovers over me and places the time device over my head. “I can’t guarantee an exact time or place. I’ll try to get you close to Phoenix, but there’s a possibility you’ll land in the desert a year from when you left. It’s the best I can do.”

I nod. “I’ll take it. I just really need to get back.”

She softly smiles. “You really do love her.”

A smile grows on my lips. “So much I’m willing to travel back 600 years for her.”

She chuckles. “I’ll do my best.”

She walks back to the computers. “I’ve taken the liberty of highlighting this new future for my older self. Hopefully, she’ll remember and be able to help you stop Genesis.”

“Thank you.” I say and lay my head back.

“Good bye, Adam. I pray I won’t have to see you again.” She says.

I chuckle. “Me neither.”

I hear her click some buttons and the light above my head starts to glow brighter.

I feel a heat rise under my skin and close my eyes. A high pitched electric whine starts to grow in my ears and I feel the pain start to come.

I clench my teeth and start to arch. I pant out breathes as my atoms boil.

The pain increases and I scream as I see my atoms start to vibrate and fire away.

My fingers white knuckle the bed as the pain grows to unimaginable levels.

Every inch of my body feels like it’s on fire. I feel myself get torn apart.

‘Astrid’

Then I explode into nothingness.

****

My atoms slam together violently. A loud boom echoes all around me. I hear the faint sounds of screams.

At first, I was fine then realize….there’s nothing underneath me. I scream as I fall and hit a hard surface.

My eyes try to focus as pain resonates up my back. I lay there and try to look around. My vision is clouded, but I can tell I’m in the dark with some colored lights somewhere above me.

My ears slowly stop ringing and sound builds in them. Is that…music?

I groan and roll to my hands, rake my fingers through my hair, hold my throbbing head and sit up. I look out and see a wooden floor. I place my hand on it and feel a steady beat vibrate through my fingers.

Resting my forearms on my knees, I look across the floor. As my vision slowly recovers, I see a large crowd of bodies. I narrow my eyes to see better and can make out…suits? Party dresses? What?

I look up and see stars. It’s night and deep blue. To the right is the full Blue Moon rising in the sky.

I look back down then slowly scan the place I’m in. The crowd encircles me and they’re all whispering to each other.

I blink my eyes a few times and see colored spot lights, disco ball and decorated walls.

Where the hell?

“ADAM?!”

I turn on my but, rub my eyes and start to stand, but my legs are wobbly. I feel arms hit me and offer support.

“Finn?”

“Yeah! Oh my god! What? Where were you? How?” He says as he helps me to stand.

I can see the confused faces clearly now. “I was back in my time…Wh-Why are they staring at me…” I squint my eyes and turn to him.

He holds me up and smiles. “Well…um…Besides the fact that you just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of our Blue Moon Ball…” He leans to my ear. “You’re also bareass naked.”

My mouth shrinks and look down. I press my lips together. Yep…naked. I cover my package quick and face him. “What year?”

His brows cinch together. “What?”

“The year. What year is it?” I clench as my shifter tries to fill me with embarrassment.

He scratches his head. “2023…Adam. How did you get back?”

I point up to the moon. “How long do I have?”

He looks up then back down. “A few hours. Why?”

“Where am I?” I eye him as I drop my hand back down to my junk.

“Axelridge?” He studies me. “Adam. We need to get you checked out.”

I look down and think. “There’s still time.” I mumble.

“Time for what? Adam…”

I grab his shoulders. “Astrid. Where is she?” I almost shake him with excitement.

“I-I don’t…”

“Where?!” I growl.

“She said she was going home, but that was over a week ago. I don’t know where she is now.” He says.

I look past him and think. “No. She’s still there. I know it.” I look back at him and grin.

He chuckles. “What’s going on?”

“I gotta go!” I push him back. I look around at all the people. “Uh…sorry.” I wave and blur out.

It’s not too late. It can’t be.