Table Of Contents | |||||
Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Book 4 | Book 5 | Book 6 |
#SciFi #ScienceFiction #Futuristic #SpeculativeFiction #MindBending #Interdimensional #Otherworldly #PortalFiction #CosmicEncounter #ParallelRealities#GirlPower #YoungHeroes #UnexpectedHeroes #Teamwork #BraveGirls #EldritchHorror #UnknownEntity #BeyondTheVeil #DimensionalRift #AlienMystery#SciFiAdventure #RealityWarp #ExtraDimensional #StrangePhenomena #SupernaturalSciFi
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The police training room smells of metal and oil, its fluorescent lights casting stark shadows.
Eight teenagersâElla, Helana, Eileen, Roxana, and four boysâsit at tables, each with a disassembled Glock 22 pistol before them.
Judy Danvers, Eileenâs mother, stands at the front in her crisp police uniform, her presence commanding yet maternal. âGood morning,â Judy says, her voice clear.
âIâm Judy Danvers, a police officer.
The Glock 22, a .40 caliber semi-automatic used by federal agencies and police, is on your tables.
Itâs in two parts: the barrel and slide assembly, and the lower frame with the trigger and grips.
Iâll show you how to assemble it, so you understand its mechanics.
In future classes, youâll learn to disassemble, clean, and reassemble it.â She holds up the components, her movements precise.
âA gun, even for protection, isnât for shooting people.
Itâs a deterrent, creating an environment where violence isnât needed.
The hope is you never use it.
But shooting at a range builds skills, ensuring safe, accurate use if protection is necessary.
Untrained owners have killed innocents through carelessness.â Eileenâs voice hums telepathically to her friends.
*Canât believe they let Mom teach.
So embarrassing.
She probably insistedâdoesnât trust us.
Nice to see boys here, though.* Ellaâs thoughts are sharp.
*A setup.
Theyâre picking boys for us to like someday.
Transparent.
They seem nice, but Iâm choosing my own.
My familyâs into arranged marriagesânot for me.* Helana chimes in.
*I like the blond one.
Good vibe from his smile, his shoes.
Iâd know more with eye contact.* *Reading him?* Roxana asks.
*Youâre not supposed to.* *Not telepathically,* Helana clarifies.
*Just body language.
Reading boys is riskyâeven nice ones think gross stuff.
I donât want to know.* âGirls, focus,â Judy says, her tone firm as the boys snicker.
âIâll show you how to assemble, hold, and fire the gun.
Then weâll hit the range, load the clip, and shoot targets.
Hold it firmly to manage recoil, or itâll jump.
Aim accuratelyâdonât spray bullets everywhere.â Eileen thinks, *Why train us now? We canât keep the gun until weâre 18.* *Itâs about the boys,* Ella snaps.
*If you even talk to one, Iâm pissed.* At the outdoor range, a cool May breeze rustles the targets.
Each student sets up in a lane, Judy guiding them to load clips, insert them, and fire.
Initial shots miss wildly, but practice steadies their aim.
The girls watch Eileen, curious if her mall shooting was skill or luck. âRoxana, no,â Judy corrects.
âDonât hold the pistol near your face.
The slide can snap back and injure you.
Extend your arm, hands on the grip, clear of the slide.
It moves fast when fired.â --- ### Target Assessment Melanie sips coffee in Commander Beakerâs office, a tablet glowing with data.
The hum of May 29, 2025, at 11:25 AM MST, pulses faintly outside, the townâs scrutiny ever-present. âThe kids are at the pizza place,â Melanie says.
âThe girls avoid the boys but keep staring.
A good start.
They know weâre matchmakingâpsychic, after allâbut nature will take over.â âGood,â Beaker says.
âTarget results?â âFascinating,â Melanie says.
âRoxana missed most shots initially but hit the outer ring by her second clip.
Helana kept all shots on target.
But Eileen and Ella? After adjusting, their shots formed tight clustersâimpossible for a Glock 22 with standard ammo and range winds.
Not even a sniper rifle could do that without balanced rounds.
Something else is at play.â âSomething else?â Beaker asks. âTop shooters use psychokinesis to nudge bullets,â Melanie says.
âElla and Eileen seem to have it, unknowingly.
This is our first sign of their psychokinetic potential.
We must nurture it.â âSpoons?â Beaker jokes. âNot funny,â Melanie says.
âThese are rare gifts.
Nudging bullets takes little energy, aided by intense focus.
They might manipulate small objectsâlike console buttonsâbut weâll see with training.â âWhat else can they do?â Beaker asks. âToo early to tell,â Melanie says.
âOur fundingâs shaky.
They think weâre humoring spoiled girls.
I need concrete proof for the higher-ups.â --- ### Hunting for Food The forest hums with life, sunlight dappling the Patelsâ campsite.
Alicia Patel, in a fleece jacket, frowns at her husband, Rahul, as he unpacks gear. âRahul, I didnât sign up for a weekend in the woods,â Alicia says.
âWhy are we here?â âTo spend time with the girls,â Rahul says, smiling.
âTheyâre always at Bob and Judyâs.
Plus, you had a week with them in the South Pacific while I was stuck working.â âDid we need Grandpaâs gun?â Alicia asks, eyeing the old rifle.
âIt scares me.â âJust a single-shot .22,â Rahul says.
âGood for protection.â Alicia laughs.
âA bear would laugh at that.â âYou never know,â Rahul says.
âViolent rabbits or squirrels might attack.
We could eat them.â âNo way,â Alicia says.
âFish, fine.
Iâm not cleaning mammals.â âElla will,â Rahul says. âThatâs what scares me,â Alicia says.
âAre we raising Annie Oakley?â âWhere are they?â Alicia asks, glancing around. âHelana and Roxana are fishing by the river, pretending not to talk boys,â Rahul says.
âElla and Eileen are hunting in the woods.â âHunting? With that old gun?â Alicia shouts.
âAre you insane?â âYou said they excelled at survival training,â Rahul says, bracing for her reaction.
âI hunted with that gun at their age.
We must trust them, even with risks, or theyâll never grow.â âMaybe,â Alicia says, glaring.
âBut now Iâm stuck worrying.
Youâre suffering with meâitâs my wifely duty.â âI know your style,â Rahul says, dodging playfully. --- ### Old Man in the Woods Ella pauses in the underbrush, the .22 rifle steady in her hands.
A rustle betrays movement nearby. âCome out,â Ella calls.
âWe know youâre there.â âSee me, can you?â an old man says, emerging, his beard wild, clothes patched.
âDidnât know.â âYour noise gave you away,â Eileen says.
âName? Do you spy on people out here? Live here?â âEzekiel,â he says.
âSpying? No.
Forty years here, avoiding folks.
Not a people person.
Pretty girls alone in the woodsâI check youâre safe.
That pea shooterâs no match for anything bigger than squirrels.
Good shots, thoughâtwo rabbits, one squirrel, three bullets.â âYouâve been tracking us,â Ella says.
âWeâre fine, thanks.â âYes, youâre capable,â Ezekiel says.
âBut other soundsânot me.
They want to take you.
Bring you back, but bad experience.
Very bad.â âAlien abductions?â Eileen asks. âYou know them,â Ezekiel says.
âMaybe not alien.
Bad Earth people, creatures.
They wonât come while Iâm here.
I keep them away.â âWe know how, too,â Ella says.
âRoxana taught us.
Thanks for watching out.
Weâre heading back for dinner.â âFish, rabbit, squirrelâmy favorites,â Ezekiel says.
âCan I come?â âSure,â Ella says.
âBut we know youâre not just a hermit.
Stay that way around my parentsâtheyâd freak if they knew what you are.â âAnd drop the Yoda act,â Eileen adds, laughing. --- ### Angels Unawares Alicia groans as the girls approach the campsite, dragging rabbits and a grizzled man.
âWhat now? Dead animals and a hermit? Next, leprechauns?â âBe nice,â Rahul says.
âHe probably doesnât get company.â âHey, Mom, Dad,â Ella says.
âThis is Ezekiel.
We invited him for dinner.â âGlad to meet you,â Rahul says.
âIâm Rahul, the girlsâ father.
Helanaâs prepped the fish.
Let me help with the rabbits and squirrel.â âNo need,â Ella says.
âEzekielâs helping.
Just need a knife and rope.â âI have a knife,â Ezekiel says.
âJust rope.â âGreat,â Rahul says.
âIâll prep the fire.â âI donât like how the girls act around him,â Alicia whispers.
âLike they know him, keeping him as a pet.â âTrust them,â Rahul says.
âMistakes teach lessons.
Itâs their call.â As the fire dies, Rahul and Alicia clean up.
The girls wave as Ezekiel vanishes into the trees. âWait!â Rahul calls.
âHe forgot his knife.â âNo worries,â Roxana says.
ââDo not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels unawares.ââ --- Ellaâs tent is a cocoon, the forestâs night sounds a lullaby.
Her book light casts a warm glow as she opens her diary, the dayâs events vivid.
Dear Diary, Camping tonight.
Brought youâhope my book light holds. Shot pistols today.
Eileenâs mom taught us.
She said Eileen and I were excellent.
Used a rifle, tooâgot two rabbits, a squirrel.
Ate them. Brought a thick blanket for my sleeping bag.
Should sleep well. Met an angel, dressed as a mountain hermit.
Kept us from abduction.
Left a knife.
Iâll ask Beaker about that abduction stuff.
Not sure if the angel protected us from themâor them from us. Goodnight, Diary.
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