Rogue Wave (The Water Keepers, Book 2) by Christie Anderson Page A

widen and his body to jump in surprise. But then he remembered that someone told him he was supposed to sit very still, so he froze and slumped back into the chair.
    Another light appeared; a smaller, green light this time. It scanned over his eyes in a crossing pattern, and he felt the sudden urge to close them, but no, for some reason he was sure he was supposed to keep them open. The green light left just in time for a wave of blue to scan over his body from his head to his feet. The chamber suddenly went dark, making Rayne jump, then a plain, more comforting, white light filled the room.
    The far door opened and the two guards came back in the room, one of them pushing an empty wheelchair. They each lifted one of Rayne’s arms and legs, transferring him from one chair into the other.
    “Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?” Rayne asked to one of the uniformed men.
    “Just hang in there, Agent Stevens. Only one more stop and we’ll have you through the Threshold. You’ll be good as new.”
    They wheeled him through a room full of people standing in more lines. There were no windows anywhere, but the bright lights were stinging Rayne’s eyes. The guards pulled Rayne to the front of the room where a woman, wearing the same navy blue uniform as the men, stood with a handheld device. One of the guards unlatched the watch from Rayne’s left wrist.
    “Wait, that’s mine,” Rayne said, confused.
    “I’m just borrowing it, sir. I promise I’ll give it right back,” the guard said. He held up Rayne’s wrist, and the woman scanned the device over his Watermark and tattoo until it made a loud beep.
    Rayne pointed to the patch sewn into the jacket on the woman’s upper arm. “Hey look,” he said, amused. “One of those pictures on your sleeve looks just like my tattoo.”
    The woman smiled. “Yes, it does, sir.”
    The metal door behind the woman slid open and she said, “Welcome back, Agent Stevens,” allowing the guard to wheel him through the doorway.
    They entered a large room, dark and almost cave-like, yet there was a shimmery glow all around them that flickered and floated across their faces. There weren’t any lines in this room. People streamed through with ease, passing quickly from the metal doors, straight through a wall of silvery, dancing light. Rayne felt suddenly at home. He couldn’t remember much at the moment, but this place…he was sure he knew.
     

9. ASH FAILS THE TEST
     
     
     
     
     
    The phone vibrated in the pocket of Ash’s designer jeans. He set his wine glass on the table, grumbling in annoyance, and examined the caller ID.
    “Who is it?” Voss asked in a flat tone.
    “It’s the doctor.”
    His father’s expression didn’t change. Voss took his knife and pierced the steak on his plate. “I thought we agreed to limit communication.”
    “We did,” Ash said. “I’ll take care of it.”
    He pressed the phone to his ear and without a greeting said, “I thought I told you to wait for my call.”
    Dr. Jensen’s voice was rigid. “I know. I apologize. But there’s been a new development. There may be cause for concern.”
    “What is it?” Ash demanded.
    The doctor hesitated. “I know you told me this program is highly classified, but I may have accidentally…left a file on my desk this afternoon, out in the open.”
    Ash could feel his father’s glare burning through the side of his head from across the table. “Well, did you or didn’t you?” Ash snapped into the phone. “Did anyone see it?”
    “Yes, I believe someone saw the file,” Dr. Jensen said. “It was just my girlfriend’s daughter, though. I wasn’t certain at first, but she made several comments throughout the night which confirmed my suspicions.”
    Ash’s grip tightened around the phone. “We discussed this matter after the incident in the stairwell. You assured me she wasn’t going to be a problem.”
    “I don’t think she will be. I’m not sure she even understood what she saw.