Linkage: The Narrows of Time

Linkage: The Narrows of Time By Jay Falconer


LINKAGE

The Narrows ofTime: Book #1

Written By Jay J. Falconer

http://www.JayFalconer.com

Copyright ? 2011 Jay J.Falconer



Smashwords Edition ISBN: 9781466096295



This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidentsare the product of the author’s imagination or are usedfictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, orbusiness establishments or organizations, actual events or locales isentirely coincidental.



SmashwordsEdition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading thisfree e-book. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrightedproperty of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied anddistributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyedthis book, please encourage your friends to download their own copyat Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by thisauthor. Thank you for your support.




This novel is dedicated to the loving memory of John and Dorothy.

Special thanks to the following people for their assistance: DavidLathrop, David Heller, Dorrie O’Brien, Jill Falconer, AndrewCherekos, Vincent Marino, William Myers, Dana Wright, Wayne Benner,Mary Heller, Victoria Cherekos, Steven Cherekos, Julie Sikora, PamLaux, Lindsay Breen, and Terry Casper.

COMING SOON!

Books 2 and 3 in the Narrowsof Time Series:

Visitwww.JayFalconer.com

for more information on theNarrows of Time Series.







Chapter 1

Tuesday, December 25

Tucson, AZ





Sanity is a solo act.

That’s what LucasRamsay figured a psychologist might say to a patient facing atypical, prescription-grade crisis. He wondered how that same shrinkwould react if Lucas were on the clock and confessed that a singleemail, sent in haste during the wee hours of a brisk Decembermorning, was responsible for the death of humanity. Perhaps the docwould say that sanity is mostly a distraction, especially when you’refacing an extinction-level event. Then again, he might not respond atall, but instead, yank out a gun and blast a hole in the middle ofLucas’ forehead as revenge for the death of a loved one.

No one could havepredicted how a handful of innocuous bytes would steam their wayacross the Internet and collide with destiny, forever changing thecourse of human history. All it took was the slightest pressure ofhis index finger on the keyboard to transform the planet into aswirling black hole of chaos. The more Lucas thought about it, themore it sounded like the cheesy plot of a low-budget Hollywoodpremiere. Yet, it was true—irreparably so.

His mind churned withvisions of the most recent fatalities on campus. He knew if he closedhis eyes, he’d see the agonizing faces of the innocent as theirbodies were mangled and ripped apart from the inside. Sure, Lucas hadjust survived being buried alive along with his foster brother, Drew,and Dr. Kleezebee, but that nightmare couldn’t compare to thetorment he faced in his dreams each night—all those beautiful soulswiped out in an instant.

How on Earth did he letthis happen? Was he looking the other way when logic tried to flaghim down? Or was it simply a case of blind ambition blocking hisview? He tried to find the meaning in what had happened, but therewere no answers. In the end, what did it really matter when the worldwas circling the drain? We’re all destined to be worm food,regardless.

Lucas stood up from hiswood-grained study desk and leaned forward with his thighs pressinghard against the center drawer. He thumbed through the physicsmaterial on the top shelf in his Tucson apartment, looking for hisquantum field theory book. He found it next to the reference notes onspatial anomalies, and slid it out. Slips of yellow notepaper fellfrom within the pages, scattering like forgotten dreams across theriver of unpaid bills on his desk. He gathered the notes, trying toput them back where they belonged, when he realized they no longermattered. Neither did his anti-gravity research. Years of acceleratedgraduate study, plus eighteen months of tireless research gone in aflash.

Lucas dropped the red,600-page physics book on the floor when someone started pounding onthe front door. The book landed perfectly flat, making a bang thatricocheted through the room like a gunshot. His heart pounded at thewalls of his chest, trying to break free from its cage.

“Dr. Ramsay, we needto speak with you. It’s urgent,” a man shouted from the otherside of the door.

Lucas walked to thedoor and looked through the peephole, but could only see a close-upof a man’s face—maybe Hispanic—Lucas did not recognize him.

“Dr. Ramsay, pleaseopen up,” the man insisted. “It’s urgent.”

Lucas hesitated, thendecided to open the door, expecting it to be someone from theuniversity. Immediately, a second man, a white guy with a dimpledchin, scrambled into view with a rifle pointed at Lucas’ face. Bothmen were wearing combat fatigues, equipment packs, and helmets withMP stenciled on the front.

“Wait, don’tshoot!” Lucas said, raising his hands above his head.

“Are you Dr. LucasRamsay of the Astrophysics Department?” the Hispanic soldier asked.

“Yes, I am.”

“Is your brother withyou?”

Lucas moved a stepcloser to them with his hands touching both sides of the upperdoorframe. He looked past the soldiers, down through the open railingbordering the catwalk outside his apartment, and saw two green Humveetrucks parked outside the manager’s office on the ground floor. Tothe west and south, massive fires burned as looters took to thestreets.

“He’s in thebedroom. What’s going on here?”

“We’re here to takeyou into custody by order of Major General Rafael Alvarez.”

“What the hell for?”Lucas asked, knowing that martial law had been declared within theTucson city limits a few days ago.

“For the murder ofone hundred and twenty-seven people on campus. Both of you need tocome with us, immediately.”

“Look, you need tounderstand. It was an accident. My brother had nothing to do withit.”

The lead MP opened apair of handcuffs. “My orders are to detain both of you. Turnaround and place your hands behind your back.”

Lucas tightened hisgrip on the doorframe and braced his feet.

The other MP pressedthe open end of the barrel against Lucas’ forehead. Lucas stoodfirm. He didn’t believe the soldier would shoot.

The MP cocked the rifleand flared his eyes. His face burned a deep red color. “Just giveme a reason, a*shole.” He pressed the barrel hard against Lucas’scalp, pushing Lucas’ head back until it hurt.

“You really need tolet me cuff you before my trigger-happy partner decides to redecorateyour face,” the lead MP said. “Trust me. He’s usually not thispatient.”

Lucas didn’t respond.He needed a moment to think.

“You don’t have achoice here, Dr. Ramsay. You’re both coming with us—one way orthe other. Doesn’t matter how.”

“Okay, okay. Justdon’t hurt my brother,” Lucas said, throwing up his hands.

The MP pulled the rifleback. Lucas turned and overlapped his wrists behind his back. Heheard the ratchets closing around his wrists as the shackles weretightened against his skin.

The white MP pushedpast Lucas and went into the apartment. Drew was confronted by thesoldier the moment he rolled into the room in his wheelchair.

“Hold it rightthere!” the MP shouted, aiming his gun at Drew. “Hands up where Ican see them.”

“Drew, just do asthey say. These guys mean business,” Lucas said.

Drew nodded and put hiswrists together above his lap and allowed the MP to handcuff them tothe arm of the wheelchair. The soldier stood behind Drew as if hewere getting ready to push the chair, but instead, opened a Velcropocket along the front of his equipment vest and pulled out asyringe. He jammed the needle into Drew’s neck.

“What are youdoing?” Lucas screamed, struggling to wriggle free from his captor.The Hispanic MP grabbed Lucas’ head and pushed it to one side. Hefelt a sharp pain on the exposed side of his neck, followed by a warmsensation spreading out under the skin. He was about to pass out whena black hood was pulled down over his eyes.