of the property bounded by Lake Champlain.
The old woman made her way through the empty farmhouse and stepped onto the porch outside the kitchen door. From her vantage point, she could see Jordan speeding across the plains.
"Godspeed, Jordan. Please reach her in time. This is her last chance. This is our last chance."
Then she slowly descended the stairs and walked toward the barn.
* * *
Jordan agonized about how long it was taking to cover the distance between the house and the lake. In her desperation, she was oblivious to the biting cold that chafed her cheeks while she rode. Nearly a half hour later, the frozen lake came into view. The sight encouraged Jordan to dig in her heels and push her steed nearly beyond its limits as their speed increased and she felt airborne.
Maggie, please stay away from the edge. Please. I'm coming, my love, I'm coming. Please let me reach you in time.
Jordan pushed her mount as hard as she could and almost gave up hope until she spotted Maggie on the horizon, galloping freely across the plains, directly toward the edge of the cliffs.
"Maggie!" she screamed. "Maggie, stop."
Jordan's screams were ineffective. The distance between them and the sound of the crashing surf below the cliffs drowned out any chance that Maggie would hear her.
Jordan silently asked her horse for forgiveness as she dug her heels in once more in an attempt to get just a little more speed out of the animal. Her efforts paid off as she began to close the distance between them. Again, she attempted to call out to Maggie, and again, her efforts were for naught. Finally, when she had closed the distance to within thirty feet, she heard a shot ring out. Maggie's horse suddenly reared up very close to the edge of the cliff.
* * *
"Kale, Jordan left us a message. It's time to bring her home," Andi said as she entered the lab.
"Okay. Let's do this," Kale replied, powering the system up.
"Ten seconds to surge," Andi said. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three two… ready… surge."
* * *
Maggie stood in the saddle in an attempt to steady herself and calm the animal as it continued to rear up.
"Maggie." Jordan shouted once more. She was now only twenty feet from Maggie.
Maggie looked up and saw Jordan just as she lost her footing and began to tumble off the horse.
"No." Jordan screamed, reaching for anything she could cling to. Just as her fingers made contact with the collar of Maggie's jacket, she felt the now-familiar tingling in her body as though every muscle had fallen asleep and was now awakening. She realized immediately what was happening. "Kale. No. Not now. For heaven's sake, not now." she screamed.
* * *
The power surge passed over Kale and Andi as they watched Jordan appear on the platform. Then, the unthinkable happened. Jordan's figure began to fade again as though she were somehow resisting the retrieval.
"Do something!" Andi shouted.
"I… I don't know what to do," Kale said.
They stood by helplessly as Jordan began to fade away. Then, as suddenly as it began, the process reversed itself and Jordan appeared once more on the platform.
"Power down," Andi ordered, running toward Jordan.
Kale powered down the rings as fast as he could. Moments later, he ran toward the machine where Andi had climbed onto the platform and gathered Jordan into her arms. She was rocking the frail, gray-haired Jordan back and forth while cradling her close to her breast.
"Andi?" Kale said softly.
Andi looked at Kale with tear-filled eyes. "She's gone, Kale. She's gone."
CHAPTER 1
SHELBURNE, VERMONT
SEPTEMBER 23, 2018
"Good Morning, John," Maggie said as she entered the barn.
"Mornin', Maggie."
"What's on your agenda today?"
"Well, I'm fixing to repair this pitchfork. The handle is loose. After that, I have some hay bales to stack."
"The wagon with the bales is out in the barn yard. Would you like me to bring them in for you?" Maggie asked.
"No ma'am. I'll take care of it, right after I fix
The old woman made her way through the empty farmhouse and stepped onto the porch outside the kitchen door. From her vantage point, she could see Jordan speeding across the plains.
"Godspeed, Jordan. Please reach her in time. This is her last chance. This is our last chance."
Then she slowly descended the stairs and walked toward the barn.
* * *
Jordan agonized about how long it was taking to cover the distance between the house and the lake. In her desperation, she was oblivious to the biting cold that chafed her cheeks while she rode. Nearly a half hour later, the frozen lake came into view. The sight encouraged Jordan to dig in her heels and push her steed nearly beyond its limits as their speed increased and she felt airborne.
Maggie, please stay away from the edge. Please. I'm coming, my love, I'm coming. Please let me reach you in time.
Jordan pushed her mount as hard as she could and almost gave up hope until she spotted Maggie on the horizon, galloping freely across the plains, directly toward the edge of the cliffs.
"Maggie!" she screamed. "Maggie, stop."
Jordan's screams were ineffective. The distance between them and the sound of the crashing surf below the cliffs drowned out any chance that Maggie would hear her.
Jordan silently asked her horse for forgiveness as she dug her heels in once more in an attempt to get just a little more speed out of the animal. Her efforts paid off as she began to close the distance between them. Again, she attempted to call out to Maggie, and again, her efforts were for naught. Finally, when she had closed the distance to within thirty feet, she heard a shot ring out. Maggie's horse suddenly reared up very close to the edge of the cliff.
* * *
"Kale, Jordan left us a message. It's time to bring her home," Andi said as she entered the lab.
"Okay. Let's do this," Kale replied, powering the system up.
"Ten seconds to surge," Andi said. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three two… ready… surge."
* * *
Maggie stood in the saddle in an attempt to steady herself and calm the animal as it continued to rear up.
"Maggie." Jordan shouted once more. She was now only twenty feet from Maggie.
Maggie looked up and saw Jordan just as she lost her footing and began to tumble off the horse.
"No." Jordan screamed, reaching for anything she could cling to. Just as her fingers made contact with the collar of Maggie's jacket, she felt the now-familiar tingling in her body as though every muscle had fallen asleep and was now awakening. She realized immediately what was happening. "Kale. No. Not now. For heaven's sake, not now." she screamed.
* * *
The power surge passed over Kale and Andi as they watched Jordan appear on the platform. Then, the unthinkable happened. Jordan's figure began to fade again as though she were somehow resisting the retrieval.
"Do something!" Andi shouted.
"I… I don't know what to do," Kale said.
They stood by helplessly as Jordan began to fade away. Then, as suddenly as it began, the process reversed itself and Jordan appeared once more on the platform.
"Power down," Andi ordered, running toward Jordan.
Kale powered down the rings as fast as he could. Moments later, he ran toward the machine where Andi had climbed onto the platform and gathered Jordan into her arms. She was rocking the frail, gray-haired Jordan back and forth while cradling her close to her breast.
"Andi?" Kale said softly.
Andi looked at Kale with tear-filled eyes. "She's gone, Kale. She's gone."
CHAPTER 1
SHELBURNE, VERMONT
SEPTEMBER 23, 2018
"Good Morning, John," Maggie said as she entered the barn.
"Mornin', Maggie."
"What's on your agenda today?"
"Well, I'm fixing to repair this pitchfork. The handle is loose. After that, I have some hay bales to stack."
"The wagon with the bales is out in the barn yard. Would you like me to bring them in for you?" Maggie asked.
"No ma'am. I'll take care of it, right after I fix
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