After Dawn (Book 3 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy) by Karly Kirkpatrick Page B

room in her mind, the in-between. She wasted no time crossing the room to the ornate door carved with Tibetan figures. She threw it open and pictured Sterling in her head.
    Once she had longed for love and the arms of Jason, or the comforting presence of her brother. But no more. Love could do nothing for her now. Only power and energy could solve her problems. It was the only thing that could save them. And Sterling was her man of action. Feelings and emotions wouldn't get in the way.
    She could see him. She now stood in the hotel room in Mexicali. He sat in front of her on the couch, shouting into a cell phone. Maps and papers were strewn across the coffee table.
    The energy tingled under her skin and she pushed it out to every edge. Her body filled out and became visible.
    Sterling gasped at the sight of her and dropped the phone.
    "Paivi?" He jumped up from the couch. "You look like hell! What happened?"
    "We're on our way, Sterling."
    "What? What do you mean you're on your way?" he shouted. "You're supposed to wait for our signal."
    "Too late." She shook her head. "We couldn't wait any longer. They were going to kill us. All of us. We'd have all been dead by the end of the week."
    He gaped at her, his mouth hanging wide. "Those bastards. Where are you now?"
    "In a convoy coming down US 95. We're closing in on Las Vegas."
    They were both silent for a moment.
    "Paivi, by the time you get there, they could be waiting for you. Is there a way around it?"
    "Not from the looks of it." Paivi flashed a bitter smile. "I guess the world will find out what happened to the EOS prisoners now. They'll get to see us on parade."
    "Be careful, Paivi." He crossed the room and grabbed her arm. She could barely feel it. "We'll need to start our battle today. It's the only way to distract them from your arrival in Las Vegas." He picked up the cell phone. "I'll call the general. You get back to your convoy and see if you can find a vision of Vegas. Figure out what you need to do."
    "Got it." She nodded. "Goodbye, Sterling."
    "It's not goodbye. I'll see you soon."
    Paivi woke with a start.
    Her mom shifted in the seat next to her. "Are you okay, Paivi?"
    "Yes, Mom." Paivi leaned over the front seat. "They know now, Peter."
    "Now what? Did you see what is going to happen? What do we need to do?" Peter turned in the front seat to face her.
    "I could try to go back in to the in-between and see something." Paivi stared past Peter out the front window. "But I think it might be too late."
    Peter swung around to the front of the truck.
    "Whoa," Dennis murmured from beside him.
    The sun was breaking over the horizon, bright strands of light spilling through the desert sky. The darkness disappeared and the desert was bathed in oranges and browns.
    The city of Las Vegas stood just ahead. Lavish hotels scraped the sky, appearing out of the nothingness like a mirage. The lights turned off at once as the city greeted the dawn. Palm trees sprouted next to the highway, meant to welcome visitors to the oasis in the desert.
    There was also something that most visitors might not see upon entering Sin City —something that was there to greet Paivi and her convoy.
    A line of tanks blocked the road ahead of them. More tanks and military vehicles held the line behind them.
    Military helicopters took to the air and hovered over the line of tanks.
    Dennis slammed on the brakes and Paivi didn't need to turn around to know that the rest of the convoy had stopped.
    Paivi flung open the door to the truck, jumped out onto the pavement, and rubbed her hands together.
    This was it.
    The battle was about to begin.

Chapter 14
     
     
     
    "Exit the vehicles and lay down on the ground. You will not be harmed," a voice boomed through a megaphone from a contingent of ATC agents flanked by U.S. Army reserves. They peered from behind shields labeled with U.S Army symbols.
    Paivi stood her ground. She eyed them carefully as they approached. In her mind she pictured some words and