Lost in space…
Uncle Ben stood by the bunker doors as the Huey helicopter landed. Damn, he had lost weight, and his white overalls had seen better days. Jumping out of the chopper, I ran over to him and threw my arms around him. “I’ve missed you so much.”
He hugged me back. “Me too. Heard you had a bit of excitement.”
“Just the Mexican Mafia. Nothing serious.”
His bushy eyebrows shot up, and he glared at Dad. “Mexican Mafia?”
“Long story. You’ve prepped the portal?”
Uncle Ben nodded. “I have. You’re sure there are four ships?”
“Yes,” Quinn snapped.
A hopeful note in his voice, Uncle Saul asked, “Did the team make it back?”
“No.” Uncle Ben turned on his heel and marched over to the elevator.
Jake and Quinn cursed viciously.
The color drained from Dad’s face. “Major Quaid?”
My uncle shook his head. “It’s been an hour since their belts quit transmitting.”
A knot formed in my stomach. “How many travelers did you send out?”
“Four,” Uncle Ben replied.
We all crowded into the elevator.
“Any of them psychic?” The guilt in Uncle Ben’s eyes answered my question. “Are you nuts? What were you thinking?”
“Enough, Lexi,” Dad barked.
I drew a quick angry breath. “How many men have you lost?”
“Twenty. Four of them were psychic,” Uncle Saul responded bleakly.
The elevator door opened and I stormed out. “You should have sent me.”
“You were injured,” Jake pointed out.
“So? Those men would still be alive if I had gone instead of them.”
Dad stepped in front of me. “It’s not your fault. The Tai-Kok have figured out a way to track us, and their soldiers are waiting for the travelers when they appear.”
“Then we start duct taping the bombs to the hulls of their ships,” I retorted.
Jake stared at me like I had lost my mind. “Duct tape the bombs?”
“Yep. I’ve done it before.”
Anger flared to life in Dad’s eyes. “When?”
“I was still working out the bugs in the system and the first two times Lexi traveled, she ended up on the outside of the ship,” Uncle Ben confessed.
Dad lunged for him. “I’m gonna kill you.”
