Vortex Read Free Page A

through unnatural or unethical methods. When dealing
     with technological advancements, Tempest is also looking out for the best interest
     of not only the American people, but the human race.”

    MARCH 20, 2009
    LOCATION: DESERT. STILL
    Jenni Stewart! Yeah. Not my favorite person. And yeah, she’s the only girl here and
     that must be hard on her, but that’s no excuse to spend every waking moment making
     my life miserable. Why not Agent Parker? Or Miller? Not that I know either of them
     very well yet, but both of them are way more chauvinistic than me. Not to mention
     shamelessly staring at her ass all the time, which I do NOT do. I think what I hate
     most about her is that I have no idea who she is. Every single day she tries a new
     cover … Ghetto girl from Harlem, or Little Miss Southern Sunshine … and then there’s
     the foreign covers … she’s done them all. I know Foreign Affairs is her specialty
     in Tempest, but can’t she at least be real for five minutes?
    Learned proper gun mechanics today despite my still very sore shoulder. Agent Freeman
     says I’m a natural shooter. Remember, he’s the dude that followed the 13-year-old
     me and Courtney to school every day. Anyway, I was really nervous at first. My previous
     experiences with guns involve watching Holly get shot and then me killing Raymond,
     the red-haired EOT (Enemy of Time), in a half-jump when I visited my two-year-old
     self in 1992. After I got back to home base in 2009, I kept seeing the blood on my
     hands even though it wasn’t there. But here it’s just targets or cardboard cutouts.
     I can deal with that.
    Tomorrow’s target-shooting test is my first chance to actually be good at something.
     Agent Stewart, be prepared to get your ass kicked by the new kid.

    MARCH 22, 2009
    LOCATION: DESERT
    Now that I’ve had a week to acquire data and experience, I have a good idea of what
     a typical training day looks like:

    5:00–6:30 A.M. —PT (5–10 mile run plus additional physical torture from Freeman or Dad).
    6:30–7:30 A.M. —Shower (only 6 portable shower stalls so it’s motivation to finish PT first) and
     breakfast.
    7:30–12:30 P.M. —Specialty training. For me and 3 others this means weapons, hand-to-hand combat (more
     exercise!), and lots of target shooting, both close-range and from a scout location.
    12:30–1:30 P.M. —Lunch (either MREs, PB&J, or we boil hot dogs and beans over a fire, but no one usually
     wants to make a fire or be out in the sun midday).
    1:30–3:00 P.M. —Foreign language study (I do mine with Dad and sometimes Dr. Melvin, not sure what
     anyone else does).
    3:00–6:00 P.M. —Covert operations, some specialize in this but we all have to learn how to tail a
     suspect, know you’re being tailed, plant listening devices, search for devices, recognize
     explosives … stuff like that.
    6:00–7:00 P.M. —Dinner, usually cooked outside, and we do have Marshall or Dad taking the helicopter
     into cities and bringing back fresh produce and stuff that isn’t made to survive a
     nuclear bombing. This is probably the high point of the day.
    7:00–10:00 P.M. —This varies. We’ve done role-playing, practicing different covers, we’ve studied
     for exams on geography and history. It’s been different every day.
    10:00 P.M. —We’re supposed to sleep at this time, but I’ve noticed that pretty much everyone
     pulls out books and computers to study past Tempest data and prepare for … well …
     everything.

    MARCH 25, 2009
    LOCATION: DESERT
    EOT facts: 12 different time travelers have been sighted, dating back to 1983. Memorized
     all of their photos and basic info today.

    EOTs I’ve encountered:
    Thomas (hasn’t been seen since 2005, apparently this timeline’s data doesn’t include
     my adventures in the 2007 alternate universe or the previous 2009 I left before coming
     here. More on that later)
    Raymond (dead. Shoe-print guy)
    Cassidy (biological mother)
    Rena (dead. Blond