{"id":198,"date":"2008-06-04T13:54:00","date_gmt":"2008-06-04T18:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=198"},"modified":"2008-06-04T23:03:26","modified_gmt":"2008-06-05T04:03:26","slug":"beyond-the-reflections-edge-by-bryan-davis-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=198","title":{"rendered":"Beyond the Reflection’s Edge by Bryan Davis"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is time to play a Wild Card<\/span>!<\/strong> <\/span>Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a>. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his\/her book’s FIRST chapter!<\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Bryan Davis<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

and his book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond the Reflection’s Edge<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Zondervan (May 1, 2008)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Besides the Echoes from the Edge Series that begins with Beyond the Reflection’s Edge<\/a>, Bryan Davis is the author of the Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series, contemporary\/fantasy books for young adults. The first book, Raising Dragons<\/a> , was released in July of 2004, followed by Candlestone <\/a>, The Circles of Seven<\/a>, and Tears of a Dragon <\/a>. Eye of the Oracle<\/a>launched the Oracles of Fire series and hit number one on the CBA Young Adult best-seller list in January of 2007. Book number two, Enoch’s Ghost <\/a>, came out in July and will be followed by Last of the Nephilim<\/a> in the spring of 2008.<\/p>\n

Bryan is the author of several other works including The Image of a Father (AMG) and Spit and Polish for Husbands (AMG), and four books in the Arch Books series: The Story of Jesus\u2019 Baptism and Temptation, The Day Jesus Died, The Story of the Empty Tomb (over 100,000 sold), and Jacob\u2019s Dream. Bryan lives in Western Tennessee with his wife, Susie, and their children. Bryan and Susie have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.<\/p>\n

Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.<\/p>\n

Bryan is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.S. in Industrial Engineering). In high school, he was valedictorian of his class and won various academic awards. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and voted Most Likely to Succeed.<\/p>\n

He continues to expand his writing education by teaching at relevant writing conferences and conventions. Although he is now a full time writer, Bryan was a computer professional for over 20 years.<\/p>\n

Visit him at his website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Book Information:<\/p>\n

Reading level: Young Adult
\nPaperback: 400 pages
\nPublisher: Zondervan (May 1, 2008)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 0310715547
\nISBN-13: 978-0310715542
\nPrice: $12.99<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Chapter One<\/p>\n

The First Sign<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nathan watched his tutor peer out the window. She was being paranoid again. That guy following them in the Mustang had really spooked her. \u201cChill out, Clara. He doesn\u2019t know what room we\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slid the curtains together, casting a blanket of darkness across the motel room. \u201cHe parked near the lobby entrance. We\u2019d better pack up and leave another way.\u201d She clicked on a corner table lamp. The pale light seemed to deepen the wrinkles on her face and hands. \u201cHow much more time do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan sat on the bed nearer the window, a stack of pillows between his back and the wall, and tapped away at his laptop. \u201cJust a -couple of minutes.\u201d He looked up at her and winked. \u201cDad\u2019s slide rule must\u2019ve been broken. It took almost an hour to balance the books.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara slid her sweater sleeve up an inch and glared at her wristwatch. Nathan knew that look all too well. His tutor\u2019s steely eyes and furrowed brow meant the Queen of Punctuality was counting the minutes. They were cutting it close, and they still had to get the reports bound at Kinko\u2019s before they could meet his parents at the performance hall for the company\u2019s quarterly meeting. And who could tell what delays that goon in the prowling Mustang might cause? His father had noticed the guy this morning before he left, and he looked kind of worried, but that could\u2019ve been from the bean and onion burrito he had eaten for breakfast.<\/p>\n

Nathan frowned at the spreadsheet. \u201cThis formula doesn\u2019t make sense. Dad\u2019s trying to divide by zero.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you call and ask him on the way? We have to hit the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan pushed the laptop to the side. He knew how his father would respond. He\u2019d just grin and say, \u201cDividing by zero reflects my creativity.\u201d Nathan laughed. Dad knew a lot more about math than he ever let on; he just concentrated on spying and research and let Nathan do the number crunching.<\/p>\n

As Clara peered out again, he looked over her shoulder. The driver of the black Mustang was parked under a tree, sloppily eating a sandwich as he watched the front door of the motel. An intermittent shower of leaves, blown around by Chicago\u2019s never-ending breezes, danced about on the convertible\u2019s ragtop.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about him,\u201d Nathan said. \u201cHe\u2019s too obvious to be a pro.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue enough. But you don\u2019t have to be a pro to frighten an old lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she turned toward him, he gave her the goofiest clueless stare he could conjure. \u201cI\u2019m not an old lady!\u201d<\/p>\n

He waited for Clara\u2019s infectious laugh that had brightened a hundred mornings in dozens of strange and lonely cities all over the world. But it didn\u2019t come. A shadow of worry passed across her face, draining the color from her cheeks.<\/p>\n

He squinted at her. \u201cSomething else is bugging you.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, she just stared, a faraway look in her eyes. Finally, she shook her head as if casting off a dream. \u201cDid you pack the mirror your father gave you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so.\u201d He jumped up and walked over both beds before bouncing to the floor in front of the shallow closet. A towel-wrapped bundle sat on top of his suitcase at the very peak of a haphazard pile of clothes. Carefully unfolding the towel, he revealed a square, six-by-six-inch mirror with an ornate silver frame. His father had entrusted this mirror to him just yesterday, calling it a \u201cQuattro\u201d viewer and warning him to keep it safe.<\/p>\n

Nathan pondered the strange word that represented his father\u2019s latest assignment, something about retrieving stolen data for a company that used reflective technology. Dad had been tight-lipped about the details, but he had leaked enough clues to allow for guessing.<\/p>\n

He gazed at his reflection in the mirror, the familiar portrait he expected, but something bright pulsed in his eyes, like the split-second flash of a camera. Clara\u2019s face appeared just above his blond cowlick, suddenly much closer.<\/p>\n

He spun his head around. Strange. She was still near the window. When he turned back to the mirror, her image was no longer there.<\/p>\n

As she walked up behind him, her face reappeared in the glass. Nathan glanced back and forth between the mirror and Clara. The inconsistent images were just too weird.<\/p>\n

The opening notes of Beethoven\u2019s Fifth chimed from his computer?\u2014?his custom sound for new email. Still holding the mirror, he leaped back to his computer and pulled up the message, a note from his father.<\/p>\n

Your mother is rehearsing with Nikolai, and that reminded me to remind you that she\u2019s going to call you to the stage to play your duet for the shareholders. She\u2019ll have your violin, all tuned and ready to sizzle. Since it\u2019s the Vivaldi piece, you shouldn\u2019t have any problem. Just don\u2019t mention your performance to Dr. Simon. Trust me. It will all work out.<\/p>\n

Two words embedded in Nathan\u2019s mind, Trust me, the same words he had heard so many times before. With all the narrow escapes his father had engineered over the years, what else could he do but trust him?<\/p>\n

Clara flung a pair of wadded gym socks that bounced off his chin. \u201cWhere is your tux?\u201d she called as she searched through his crumpled clothes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hung it on the shower rod.\u201d He patted a shiny motorcycle helmet sitting on his night table. He had hoped to ride their Harleys through town. With Clara in her new dress and him in a tux, they would\u2019ve looked as cool as ice. But, no, they had to hitch a ride in the company limo. With their chauffeur, Mike, at the wheel, they\u2019d be better off in a hearse. He wouldn\u2019t do more than thirty, even in a forty-five zone.<\/p>\n

Clara disappeared into the bathroom and returned in a flash, brushing lint from his tux. \u201cAren\u2019t you going to help me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d He picked up his elastic exercise strap and karate belt and threw them into the suitcase. They were essential items. Since his dad was planning to rent an RV for a month-long trip out West, with all that driving, he had to do something to stay in shape. They\u2019d have a whole month with no wild getaways, no running from crazed neo-Nazis, no dodging bullets from Colombian drug dealers. Sometimes those scrapes with death gave him a rush, and decking a thug or two with a well-placed karate chop was always a thrill, but .?.?. He gazed at his motorcycle helmet and let out a sigh. It was probably better to avoid trouble than to dance with it. That\u2019s what his father always said.<\/p>\n

Clara peeked out the window again. \u201cThe driver just got out, and I think he saw me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we go again.\u201d Nathan slapped the suitcase closed and zipped it up. \u201cYou got an escape plan?\u201d<\/p>\n

She snatched up her own suitcase. \u201cThere\u2019s an emergency exit down the hall. I\u2019ll call Mike and tell him where to pick us up when we find a place that\u2019s not so dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan tucked the computer under his arm and grabbed the strap of his red backpack. \u201cYeah, like ground zero at a nuclear test site.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the sweet tones of a divinely played violin faded, applause exploded from the audience. Two hundred exquisitely dressed ladies and gentlemen leaped to their feet, volleying a hailstorm of \u201cBravos\u201d toward the stage. A beautiful, raven-haired woman tucked her violin under her arm and bowed gracefully.<\/p>\n

Her ivory face slowly reddened as the cheers rose to a climax, the scarlet hue a stark contrast to her satiny black gown. Her smile broadening, she focused her eyes on a man in the crowd, the tall gentleman standing next to Nathan?\u2014?his father, Solomon Shepherd, clapping madly. His old Nikon camera bounced against his chest, dangling from a long strap.<\/p>\n

While his mother\u2019s strings still sang in his ears, Nathan clapped until his hands ached. Would anyone ever match such a virtuoso performance? She bowed again, now laughing joyfully at the adulation. Nathan clapped even harder, his heart leaping into his throat as he added a loud \u201cBrava!\u201d His own mother, Francesca Shepherd, the greatest violinist in the world!<\/p>\n

When the applause finally settled and everyone took their seats, Nathan noticed a change in his mother\u2019s countenance. She glanced around the stage, two familiar worry lines now etching her brow as her cheeks paled.<\/p>\n

Nathan looked at his father. On his opposite side, Dr. Simon, short and bald with owl-like eyeglasses, stared at a text message on his cell phone. Dr. Simon angled the tiny screen toward them, but it was too far away to read. He said with a hint of a British accent, \u201cMictar is on his way. There is no time to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tensing his jaw, Nathan\u2019s father lifted a hand and displayed four fingers. His mother nodded, then stepped forward, her long dress sweeping the platform. After pulling a microphone from its stand, she cleared her throat and spoke with a trembling voice. \u201cThank you, ladies and gentlemen. I\u2019m overwhelmed by your response.\u201d She pointed her bow toward someone in -Nathan\u2019s row about a dozen seats over. \u201cI want to thank my first music teacher, Nikolai Malenkov, for being here today. Without him I would not be playing violin, nor would I even be alive. When my mother died, he took me into his home, and he and his dear wife gave every bit of love a grieving ten-year-old could ever want.\u201d<\/p>\n

The crowd clapped again. His face beaming, Dr. Malenkov nodded, spilling his familiar unkempt gray hair over his signature large ears.<\/p>\n

She turned toward Nathan. \u201cI hope you have saved some warmth for our next performer, a young man who is on his way to stardom. I find no greater musical pleasure than to accompany him in our favorite duet.\u201d<\/p>\n

His father leaned over and gave Nathan a one-armed hug. \u201cPlay your heart out, son, and never forget how much your mother and I love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he returned the hug, Nathan peeked over his father\u2019s shoulder at Dr. Simon. The shorter man pursed his lips tightly but said nothing. Nathan whispered, \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease welcome,\u201d his mother continued, \u201cmy son, Nathan Shepherd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applause erupted again. His father pushed him back and gripped his shoulders firmly. A strange tremor rattled his voice. \u201cRemember what I\u2019ve taught you, and everything will be fine. If you ever get into big trouble, look in the mirror I gave you and focus on the point of danger. Nothing is more important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Out of time to ask more, Nathan rose and headed toward the aisle on the right. As he squeezed past Clara\u2019s silk-covered knees, she patted his hand, her eyes glowing with pride. Her bright face, beautiful smile, and lovely white evening gown made her look half her age.<\/p>\n

With his father\u2019s strange words echoing in his mind, -Nathan felt as though he were floating outside his body, watching himself climb the four steps to his mother\u2019s level. The arched windows to his left cast filtered sunshine into his eyes as his shoes clicked along the hardwood stage.<\/p>\n

When he drew near, his mother took his hand and pulled him close. She whispered in his ear and laid his violin and bow in the crook of his arm. \u201cJust take a deep breath, my love, and follow my lead. Let your heart take over your hands, and your strings will sing with the angels.\u201d She kissed him on the cheek, then blew softly on his bow fingers, a ritual she began when he first took up the violin at the age of three. \u201cTo bless your playing,\u201d she had said. The warmth of her breath always calmed him down.<\/p>\n

The audience quieted to a hush. Nathan raised the bow to the strings, his eyes locked on his mother\u2019s. He pressed his calloused fingers against the fingerboard, peeking out of the corner of his eye to catch his dad.<\/p>\n

Strange. He was gone. And so was Dr. Simon.<\/p>\n

Nathan shivered for a moment but refocused on his mother as she laid her own bow on her strings. With a long, lovely stroke, she began, her violin singing a sweet aria that begged for another voice to join it. As if playing unbidden, Nathan\u2019s hands flew into action, creating a river of musical ecstasy that flowed unhindered into the first stream of joy. The -couplet of harmony joined in a celebration of life, part of Vivaldi\u2019s dream of four perfectly balanced seasons played as a sacred offering to their Creator.<\/p>\n

His mother leaned close to him, as close as their vibrating bows would allow. As their strokes slowed, bending the music into a quiet refrain, she reached a rest in her part of the piece and whispered, \u201cIt is time for a very long solo, my love. Play it with all your heart.\u201d He glanced up at her, his fingers playing on their own. A tear inched down her cheek as she continued. \u201cI will join you again when the composer commands me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She backed away and lowered her bow. Nathan played on, closing his eyes as he reconstructed Vivaldi\u2019s theme, building measure upon measure until the composer sang spring into birth, new melodies sprouting forth from earth\u2019s womb in all their majesty.<\/p>\n

His heart sang along. This was the best he had ever played the piece, but he was glad it would soon be time for his mother to rejoin him, an arrangement they had created a dozen weeks ago to showcase his talents. But when the expected note from his mother didn\u2019t arrive, he flashed his eyes open, his bow scratching out a warped reflection of the notes.<\/p>\n

Where was she? He laid his bow limply on the strings as he stared into the audience, scanning the dumbfounded faces row by row. His father\u2019s seat was still empty. Now Clara\u2019s was vacant as well. The auditorium seemed to swell in size, making him feel like a shrinking mouse, all alone up on stage with a toy violin and bow.<\/p>\n

The onlookers buzzed with whispered words. Nikolai rose to his feet and pointed at a door to the side of the stage. \u201cYour mother went that way, Nathan.\u201d He spoke in a kind, soothing voice. \u201cDo you think she is ill?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI .?.?. I don\u2019t think so.\u201d Nathan cleared his throat. Now he was even sounding like a mouse. \u201cShe didn\u2019t mention anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

A muffled pop sounded. Nathan flinched. What could it have been? A blown circuit? But the lights were all still on.<\/p>\n

The audience grew restless in the awkward silence. The side door opened, and Dr. Simon walked to center stage. After lowering a microphone stand to his level, he wrung his hands nervously. \u201cLadies and gentlemen,\u201d he called, his British accent now amplified, \u201cplease pardon the interruption. Nathan\u2019s parents had to leave unexpectedly. We will have a short break and then hear from our guest pianist.\u201d Shifting away from the microphone, he nodded toward Nathan. \u201cPlease come with me, and I will escort you home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan stayed put, staring blankly into the performance hall. As the audience filtered toward the back, a loud \u201cExcuse me!\u201d sounded from his left.<\/p>\n

Clara stood at the side door Dr. Simon had just entered. \u201cI will take Nathan home,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon pushed his glasses higher on his nose, his eyes darting all around. \u201cWell .?.?. I suppose that will be suitable.\u201d His gaze locked on the room\u2019s main entrance behind the last row of seats. Two men stood near the doorway, their arms crossed as they stared at the stage; one, a tall white-haired man with a thin, pale face, and the other, a man of average height wearing a navy blue blazer and khaki pants.<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon tugged on his collar. \u201cClara, please meet me in the main lobby in fifteen minutes. I have some important information to give you.\u201d His hands wringing again, he pattered off the stage and hurried toward the exit.<\/p>\n

Nathan hustled to his tutor. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d he asked, glancing back at Simon. \u201cEveryone\u2019s acting so weird!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara yanked him through the doorway and into a dim hall. \u201cCome with me!\u201d<\/p>\n

She led him briskly down the short corridor and flung open a door on the left. Inside, a steep staircase descended into darkness. Laying a finger on her lips, she set her foot on the top step and gestured for him to follow. Once inside, she closed the door and whispered so quietly he could barely hear. \u201cWhile you were going up on stage, your father and Dr. Simon took off toward the exit in the back, so I followed.\u201d<\/p>\n

A dim glow from somewhere on the lower level gave them just enough light to see each other\u2019s faces. Holding on to his elbow, she descended the creaking steps slowly and hurried through her words. \u201cWhen I got into the foyer, I caught a glimpse of your father and Simon ducking into the hall, and I managed to stay close enough to watch them go down these stairs. I tried to listen from up here, but I could only hear violin music and a lot of whispering. Then I heard a gunshot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA gunshot? Are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPositive. Right after that, Dr. Simon ran back up the stairs, so I ducked behind the door. I don\u2019t think he saw me, so I just followed him back to the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they reached the bottom, they came upon two open doors, one in front that led into darkness and one to the left, the source of the dim light. Carrying his violin by its neck, Nathan peered into the darker room in front. A glow from a hidden source revealed a system of large air ducts hanging from a low ceiling and a narrow wooden catwalk leading away from the door.<\/p>\n

Nathan took a step through the door on the left. A bare bulb in an old lamp sat atop an antique desk, illuminating a hodgepodge of items in the eight-by-eight-foot chamber?\u2014?hard-shell suitcases, sports equipment, wicker baskets, ancient typewriters, and two unvarnished coffins, each sitting on a low table in front of a head-high, tri-fold mirror. He blinked at the odd collection. Were the coffins stage props? Maybe they had recently put on a vampire skit.<\/p>\n

He took another step. As he closed in, a body in each box came into view, barely visible in the lamp\u2019s weak glow. His legs suddenly weak, he stumbled into the gap between the two tables that held the coffins. Even in the dimness, their identities were unmistakable?\u2014?Solomon and Francesca Shepherd.<\/p>\n

Clara grasped his arm. Her mouth dropped open to speak, but she said nothing.<\/p>\n

His heart racing wildly, Nathan could only clutch the coffins and stare at his parents. The bodies inside lay still, pale, and quiet. A dark blotch covered his father\u2019s breast pocket, and a hideous cut ripped open his mother\u2019s throat. Blood soaked her lovely gown, the same one she had so gracefully worn onstage only moments ago.<\/p>\n

He shook his head and dug his nails into the wood, dizziness swirling his vision. \u201cIt .?.?. it can\u2019t be .?.?.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pain streaked Clara\u2019s voice. \u201cIt is.\u201d She pointed at an ornate gold band on his mother\u2019s finger. \u201cLook at her ring. There\u2019s not another one like it in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a creaking stair sounded from above, a familiar British voice carried into the room. \u201cClara, I distinctly told you to meet me in the lobby. Coming down here was a big mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at Nathan and whispered, \u201cDr. Simon?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan didn\u2019t answer. He just bit his lip and drilled a stare right through the wall in the direction of the voice. If that creep had anything to do with this, he would?\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cI intended to explain what happened here without exposing Nathan to this carnage.\u201d Simon reached the landing and aimed a flashlight beam into the room. \u201cIt is most unfortunate that events have played out this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara pointed a shaking finger at a coffin. \u201cWhat do you know about this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything. I arranged it. You see?\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you could understand the circumstances .?.?.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan raised his stiffened arm and pointed at his mother\u2019s body. \u201cThey\u2019re fake, right?\u201d He felt a trembling smile grow unbidden on his lips. \u201cThey have to be fake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon let out a sigh. \u201cI\u2019m afraid they\u2019re quite real. Their deaths are a most unfortunate?\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou monster!\u201d Clara cried.<\/p>\n

Raising a finger to his lips, Dr. Simon glanced at the doorway and lowered his voice to a whisper. \u201cNow that my plan has gone awry, I need to make sure that your accidental discovery doesn\u2019t hinder our pursuits. I had planned for Nathan to join his parents, but if you continue shouting, we could all end up in coffins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan pointed at himself. \u201cYou planned for me to join them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order to protect our secrets, Dr. Gordon and I decided?\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares about your secrets?\u201d Sucking in quick breaths, Nathan balled a fist so tight, his fingers throbbed. \u201cJust back off. I\u2019m walking out of here, and I\u2019m taking my parents with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara picked up a baseball bat. \u201cYou\u2019d better not try to stop us if you know what\u2019s good for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t dream of it,\u201d Dr. Simon said, \u201cbut you have far greater obstacles to overcome.\u201d With beads of sweat dotting his bare head, he nodded toward the tri-fold mirror standing behind the coffins. \u201cWe will soon have company, a man we must not rile. I insist that you remain silent and let me do all the talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan gritted his teeth. \u201cWhy should I do what you say? I\u2019ll just?\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook in the mirror,\u201d Dr. Simon said, pointing at the reflection. \u201cYou will see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan stared at the crystal clear image?\u2014?the three of them, standing in the dim props room, but two other figures had joined them, the two who had stood at the performance hall exit, the tall man and the guy in the blue blazer. Nathan swung his head back toward the door. The other men weren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n

Grabbing his mother\u2019s coffin with one hand, Nathan wagged his head, trying to watch reality and the reflected image at the same time. Dr. Simon was just trying to distract him. The mirror couldn\u2019t show?\u2014<\/p>\n

Footsteps clopped along the hall above their heads. Nathan glanced up. Could the men in the mirror really be coming? Tightening his fingers around the neck of his violin, he flexed his muscles. He was ready. One way or another, he and Clara were going to make a getaway.<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon folded the mirror, hiding its reflective surface. As he slid it behind a bookshelf, the door at the top of the stairs swung open, singing a low creak. He waved frantically at Clara, whispering, \u201cHide your weapon!\u201d<\/p>\n

As she laid the bat at her feet, heavy footfalls rumbled down the steps, drawing closer. When a man entered the prop room, Dr. Simon\u2019s flashlight beam illuminated the emblem on the newcomer\u2019s blazer?\u2014?three infinity symbols in a vertical stack, close to each other so that their lines intermeshed.<\/p>\n

Nathan took a deep breath. Bad guy number two would be tougher than Simon.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Gordon,\u201d Dr. Simon said, flashing a nervous grin. \u201cYou have come just in time. Where is Mictar?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s nearby.\u201d Stroking his chin, Dr. Gordon scanned the room, first eyeing Nathan, then Clara before calling out, \u201cIt\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

More footsteps sounded from the stairs, slower this time, more like the tiptoe steps of a child rather than a man of any gravity. When Mictar finally entered, his thin pallid face seemed to hover over Dr. Gordon\u2019s shoulder. With his slick white hair pulled back into a collar-length ponytail, he looked like a lost hippie who forgot to die of old age.<\/p>\n

As Mictar gazed across the room, a half smile turned one of his hollow cheeks upward. \u201cWhat have we here, Dr. Simon? I hope you have not acted too hastily.\u201d His words echoed, though the room seemed to dampen everyone else\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

Nathan shuddered. This guy seemed more like a ghost than a man, a walking corpse fresh from the graveyard. He gripped his instrument once again. Now he had three guys to get past.<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon laughed nervously. \u201cI wanted to wait for you, but they were getting suspicious. I had to make sure they didn\u2019t run.\u201d<\/p>\n

As if floating along the floor, Mictar padded up to the coffins and leaned his tall body over the lifeless forms, studying them from top to bottom. \u201cA bullet in the heart and a slashed throat,\u201d he said, caressing Francesca\u2019s colorless cheek. \u201cThis is lovely work, Simon. Did you do the deeds yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

Folding his hands behind him, Simon raised up on his toes, blinking rapidly. \u201cOf course. No one else knows of your plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan boiled inside. He watched for a good opening, maybe when at least two of the creeps had their backs turned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that so?\u201d Mictar licked the end of the finger that had touched Francesca\u2019s cheek. \u201cShow me your palms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon lifted his hands. Mictar drew close and latched on to each of Dr. Simon\u2019s wrists with his spindly fingers. After taking a long sniff of Simon\u2019s palms, Mictar furrowed his brow. \u201cI smell the blood of your victims as well as the gun\u2019s residue, but the sweet aroma of residual fear is missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon cleared his throat. \u201cThe Shepherds displayed no fear at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mictar nodded slowly. \u201cAh! I see. But your fear is now so strong, I would wager that even the ungifted can detect its odor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that so unusual?\u201d Dr. Simon jerked his hands away and wrung them more vigorously than ever. \u201cAnyone who has seen your power would be frightened at your displeasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is true of my enemies. My loyal friends have no reason to fear me.\u201d Mictar reached into Nathan\u2019s mother\u2019s coffin and lifted her eyelid. \u201cHer light is extinguished. They no longer have value.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo value? I don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mictar pulled away from the coffin. \u201cYou disappoint me, Simon. I wanted her eyes while they still breathed the light, her eyes above any others. And I was hoping to keep at least one of the Solomons alive long enough to learn their secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon squirmed like a scolded schoolboy. \u201cI didn\u2019t know. I mean, if I had known, I would have?\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no need to explain.\u201d Mictar turned to Nathan and smiled, though his pointed yellow teeth revealed ravenous hunger rather than joy. \u201cYou have brought one of the offspring to replace what has been lost. An excellent gift, indeed, for he will likely possess what I wanted from her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mictar\u2019s gaze flooded Nathan\u2019s body with icy shivers. As weakness buckled his knees, he braced himself on the side of a coffin.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I brought him,\u201d Simon replied. \u201cNever let it be said that Flavius Simon leaves any task undone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mictar\u2019s rapacious smile returned. \u201cYou have spoken well, for your tasks are now complete. With the four adult Shepherds dead, I no longer have need of your ser-vices. The fewer -people who know, the better. The seeds of interdimensional disharmony are best sown by the hands of the ignorant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Gordon grabbed Simon and twisted his arm behind his back, while Mictar glided closer and raised his splayed fingers. His cadaverous body seemed to become a shadow, darkening with each step.<\/p>\n

Nathan heaved deep breaths, trying to keep from shaking uncontrollably. What was this .?.?. this thing? He slid between Clara and the shadowy phantom. \u201cJust stay cool,\u201d he whispered. \u201cWe\u2019ll get out of here somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Mictar drew within an arm\u2019s reach, Dr. Simon thrashed. \u201cJust give me another assignment!\u201d he cried. \u201cI\u2019ll do anything you want!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Gordon yanked Simon\u2019s arm up toward his neck, freezing him in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything I want?\u201d Mictar covered Dr. Simon\u2019s eyes with his dark hand and spoke softly. \u201cI want you to die.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Simon\u2019s body stiffened, his mouth locked open in a voiceless scream. As Mictar kept his hand over his victim\u2019s eyes, sparks flew around his fingers, and the two men seemed to hover a few inches off the floor. Simon quaked violently, while Mictar\u2019s body gradually regained its light.<\/p>\n

Nathan spread out his arms, shielding Clara. All he could do was try to protect his tutor. There seemed no way to stop whatever was happening to Dr. Simon.<\/p>\n

After a few torturous seconds, Mictar pulled his hand back, revealing Dr. Simon\u2019s eye sockets, now blackened by emptiness; something had consumed his eyeballs and left behind nothing but gaping pits. With the sickening odor of charred flesh now permeating the room, Dr. Simon collapsed on the floor.<\/p>\n

Mictar took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. \u201cThe combination of fear and death is an aroma surpassing all others.\u201d He turned to Dr. Gordon. \u201cCollins and Mills stayed on guard in the hallway upstairs. Call them down. You will need help to dispose of all five bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan cringed. Five bodies?<\/p>\n

Gordon pulled a cell phone from his pocket and pressed a button on the side. \u201cCollins. Get down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Again tightening his fingers around the violin, Nathan whispered to Clara. \u201cIt\u2019s now or never.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara slowly crouched toward her bat. \u201cYou get the tall one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan lunged and swung wildly at Mictar\u2019s head. The wood smashed against his thin cheek with a loud crack, and the tightly wound strings sliced into his skin. The violin shattered into a dozen varnished shards, leaving only the fingerboard in Nathan\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

Mictar fell against the wall, covering his mouth as dark blood poured between his fingers and dripped onto the floor. Clara bashed Gordon in the groin. He collapsed to his knees and let out a loud groan, his eyes clenched shut.<\/p>\n

Nathan latched on to Clara\u2019s arm and pulled. \u201cRun!\u201d They stormed out of the prop room, sidestepped a man with a gray beard as he neared the stairwell landing, and dashed through the other doorway into the dim air-duct room. Lowering their heads, they clattered along the narrow catwalk under a maze of interconnected duct work.<\/p>\n

A muffled voice called behind them. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about us. Get them!\u201d<\/p>\n

When they reached the end of the room, a single bulb attached to the low ceiling shone on a gray double door that rose no higher than Nathan\u2019s chest. He gave the door a hefty push with both hands. Although it bent outward a few inches, it snapped right back. He dropped to his bottom and thrust his feet against the latch. The wood cracked but didn\u2019t give way.<\/p>\n

Behind them, footsteps rattled the catwalk. Nathan kicked again. The door splintered and banged open, revealing a four-foot drop to a hallway below. He sprang to his feet, ducked into the opening, and dropped to the ground. Clara followed. Her white evening gown poofed out like a parachute as she bent her knees to absorb the impact.<\/p>\n

Nathan pointed at a sign over an alcove opening just a few paces away. \u201cA fire escape!\u201d<\/p>\n

They dashed into the short corridor that ended abruptly at a tall window. Nathan threw the sash open, letting in a blast of cool air. After stepping out onto the wobbly fire escape landing, he helped Clara through. Just as he pushed the window closed, Mictar\u2019s henchmen turned into the alcove, the gray-bearded one drawing a pistol.<\/p>\n

Nathan thrust his finger downward. \u201cGo!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara kicked off her high-heels and clambered down the steps. A bullet shattered the glass and zinged past Nathan\u2019s ear. He leaped halfway down the first flight, shaking the entire framework as he landed. \u201cFaster!\u201d<\/p>\n

As his footfalls rang through the metal stairs, a shout sounded from above. \u201cYou follow. I\u2019ll get the car.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scrambling across a landing, Nathan caught up with Clara as she turned down the next flight. Another gunshot cracked through the whistling wind. Nathan hopped up on the railing, slid past Clara, and dropped feet first to the landing. \u201cCome on!\u201d he shouted as Clara caught up. \u201cHe can\u2019t get a good shot through the steps!\u201d<\/p>\n

As they closed in on the ground level, they dropped below the top floor of the parking garage across the street. Nathan glanced up. Their pursuer was galloping down the steps two levels above.<\/p>\n

Seconds later, Nathan halted at the final stretch, a long,
\nhorizontal ladder that would swing them down to the sidewalk as they added their weight to the stairs. He leaped out, grabbed the railing, and rode the metal bridge to the ground. When the supports smacked against the concrete, Clara hopped on the rail and slid down, almost beating Nathan to the bottom.<\/p>\n

They jumped from the stairs. As the rusty span sprang back up, Clara pointed down the road. \u201cThe limo\u2019s that way!\u201d They broke into a mad sprint, Nathan intentionally staying one step behind, glancing back constantly. Suddenly, the black Mustang careened around a corner three blocks to their rear and thundered toward them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have wheels now!\u201d Nathan shouted.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do we!\u201d Clara turned down an alley where the black stretch limo idled. A stubby man in a chauffeur\u2019s cap leaned against the front fender, tipping back a bottle of Mountain Dew.<\/p>\n

\u201cMike!\u201d Clara waved her hands as she slowed down. \u201cI\u2019ll take the car!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike spun around and opened the door for them. \u201cIn trouble again?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBig time!\u201d Now puffing heavily, Clara slid behind the wheel. Nathan leaped on the hood and vaulted to the other side. Throwing open the passenger\u2019s door, he dove in and jerked upright in his seat.<\/p>\n

The Mustang, its convertible top now folded down, skidded to a stop in front of them, blocking the alley\u2019s exit. Clara lowered the window and glanced between Mike and the Mustang, her eyes wide as she tried to catch her breath. \u201cHow do I get to the expressway?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike pointed at the street in front of them. \u201cThat\u2019s Congress. Turn right, cross the bridge, and you\u2019re there.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the window hummed back to the top, Clara smacked the floor stick into gear. \u201cGet buckled!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan clicked the buckle and grabbed the hand rest. \u201cLet\u2019s do it!\u201d<\/p>\n

She slammed down the accelerator. The limousine roared away, the tires squealing as she angled toward a narrow gap between the Mustang and a lamppost.<\/p>\n

As they closed in, the bearded man stood on the seat, propped a foot on the window frame, and aimed his gun.<\/p>\n

Clara ducked behind the wheel. \u201cGet down!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan scrunched but kept his eye on the action. A bullet clanked into their limo as it clipped the Mustang\u2019s fender, shoving it to the side. The gunman toppled over and rolled onto the pavement.<\/p>\n

Clara barged into traffic amid a hail of honking horns. \u201cMaybe they learned their lesson and won\u2019t follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he rocked upright, a tight lump squeezed into Nathan\u2019s throat. \u201cThink we can somehow sneak back and get Mom and Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara grabbed his shoulder. \u201cNathan, they\u2019re?\u2014?\u201d She released him and spun the wheel, wedging the long car into the left lane between two yellow taxis. \u201cWatch my back and tell me if you see them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan wheeled around. The black Mustang roared into view, weaving back and forth as it darted past car after car. Setting his fists on top of the windshield, the gray-bearded man aimed his pistol.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to shoot!\u201d Nathan shouted. \u201cStep on it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara jerked the car through traffic, zigzagging from lane to lane. They bumped a Mercedes on one side, then a pickup truck on the other. Tires squealed. Horns blared. A bullet ripped through the rear window and into the dashboard, shattering the radio.<\/p>\n

Clara stomped the accelerator to pass a city bus, flattening Nathan against the passenger seat. He pushed back up and peered over the headrest. The Mustang careened around the bus but slowed as a car swerved in front of it.<\/p>\n

Clara slowed the limo to a halt and pointed ahead. \u201cThe drawbridge!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan glanced between the shattered rear window and the windshield. Red-and-white crossbars lowered about four car lengths in front, while a pickup truck pulled behind them, preventing any escape to the rear. \u201cAny ideas? We\u2019re sitting ducks!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if I can help it!\u201d Clara jerked her thumb toward the rear. \u201cKeep watching.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you have up your sleeve this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

She clenched her fingers around the steering wheel. \u201cSurvival!\u201d<\/p>\n

He peered back again. The Mustang angled its front grill toward the left, inching back and forth to get enough room to go around the car that blocked it. Nathan lowered his head. \u201cLooks like he\u2019s trying to push over the median!\u201d<\/p>\n

Clara scrunched down. \u201cPerfect!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerfect?\u201d He spun around. \u201cBut they\u2019ll catch us for sure!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly if we go back. We always go forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut going forward puts us in the river.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTighten your strap, Kiddo! We\u2019re taking off!\u201d She jerked the wheel to the left and floored the pedal, sending the limo lurching across the median and into the oncoming lanes.<\/p>\n

Nathan grabbed his seat belt and pulled it tighter. \u201cYou can\u2019t jump the gap! There\u2019s no way this tank can make it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd neither can that Mustang!\u201d They crashed through the crossbars and zoomed up the steep metal incline. The limo launched over the edge and into the air, flying for a brief second before falling toward the river below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his\/her book’s FIRST chapter! You never know when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}