Novum: Revelation: (Book 4) Read Online Free Page B

didn’t take long to assemble the crew. Everyone still had their backpacks from the previous morning, and they were all eager to set out again. “We’re not quitters,” Vee had said.
    Four to five hours later, they reached the same place they had stopped before. Raines stopped to take a drink but then asked, “Where were we going?”
    “We came out here for a reason,” AJ said. “Why can’t I remember it?”
    Vee looked up at the sky. “It’s almost noon. We should start back, or we’ll miss lunch.”
    As the others began heading back, Jake looked at Jane. “Do you know why we’re out here?”
    She shook her head. “If you all want to return to the village again, I’m happy to follow you back,” she said. “The ship can certainly wait for another day.”
    “The ship,” he repeated then yelled to the others, “We came looking for the Rogue Wave . And my father.”
    AJ turned. “That’s right,” she said then jogged back. The others followed with bewildered looks on their faces.
    “What just happened?” Raines asked. “How could all of us suddenly forget why we came out here?”
    “My mother told me there is something out here that messes with our memories,” Jake said. “It’s why they were never able to locate my father. Every search party ended up back at the village before dark, and no one had any idea why.”
    Wood was the last to return, but he was the only one with a possible answer. “Something in the air is my guess,” he said. “Some sort of plant spore, perhaps. A natural, airborne narcotic.” He looked at Jake. “Your mother’s people have discovered a surprising number of medicinal plants in their years here. One of them would probably know what is causing our memory loss.”
    “I’m not convinced it’s that,” Vee said, looking to the west. “I still feel very nervous just thinking about going any farther.
    “I feel it too,” AJ said, “and I think you all know I don’t get nervous easily.”
    “Let’s go a little farther,” Raines said. They all nodded and began to follow him, but within a minute, he suddenly stopped and held up one hand. “Wait. I think I heard something.” He squinted his eyes and pointed to a tree line ahead. “Something’s up there.”
    “Something dangerous,” Jessie agreed. “I feel it too, like cold air on the back of my neck.”
    “Let’s head back,” Wood said. “I’ll lead the way.”
    Jake was about to ask what they were talking about, when he began to feel it too. An overwhelming feeling that something dangerous lay ahead. “All right,” he said, “I’m ready to end this now. I’m sorry I brought you all…” He stopped when he saw Jane walking all alone to the west. “Jane!” he yelled. “Come back. Where are you going?”
    “Follow me, and you’ll see,” she yelled over her shoulder then took off in a sprint.
    Without a second thought, Jake dropped his backpack and ran after her. As much as he cared about the well-being of every member of his crew, he felt a special bond to Jane, and his need to protect her, at that moment, outweighed every other concern.
    “Jane!” he tried to yell, but she was running so fast, the exertion of trying to catch up with her made it difficult for him to breathe. “Stop!” he yelled again.
    A few minutes later, she came to an abrupt halt then bent over to catch her breath. When he reached her position, he dropped to his knees, sweat pouring off his forehead. “What…” He wheezed. “Why…why did you run?”
    When she caught her breath, she stood up and said, “Had to get past it.”
    He looked up at her. “Get past what?”
    She pointed to the east. “The fence.”
    He looked back. “What? There’s no fence, Jane.”
    “Have to get the others through as well,” she said then took a big breath and started screaming at the top of her lungs. “Help! Help me! AJ! Vee! Help me, Jessie. Ahhhhh!”
    Jake ran to her and tried to calm her down. “Stop, Jane. What are you