Extracted, p.27
Extracted, page 27
I mutter “Thank you” and walk back over to my friends.
“This is bad. We need to go, like now. Before a whole lot of people start asking a whole lot of questions we can’t answer.”
Ethan nods. “Let’s get out of sight so we can rift out.”
Together we walk around to the back of the church. There’s no one around.
“So, where to?” Ethan asks, ready to punch the numbers into the Tether.
“We should get Stein back to Nobel so he can take a look at her,” Lex chimes in.
She waves him off. “I’m fine. Just sore. And starving. I can’t remember the last time I ate anything.”
As if agreeing, my stomach rumbles. Ethan laughs. “Someone must have said the magic word.”
I slap him playfully and he winces.
“Ow.”
“Oh. Sorry. Yeah. I could eat.”
“Me, too. Tacos?” Lex asks, taking Stein by the hand. “I know a little place in Mexico City—”
Ethan cuts him off. “Shouldn’t we make sure everything is, I dunno, fixed?”
I look around. “No hover cars or ancient Greek armies. No massive, soul-sucking tornadoes. Not even any tiny soul-sucking tornadoes. I think it’s safe to say everything is fine.”
“And even if it’s not, Lex needs a shower. Seriously,” Stein says.
I laugh and it hurts, so I clutch my chest.
“Maybe we should go get cleaned up and bandaged first?” Ethan nudges, pointing to my foot, which I’m holding up gingerly. “Besides, Stein is pushing the ‘no shirt, no shoes, no service’ policy.”
I look over and see that he’s right. Her shirt is mostly shredded. Somehow, it still manages to look good on her.
“Just take me somewhere with room service and I’ll be fine,” I say, turning to Lex. “Seriously, though. No tacos. How about hot dogs? Just a quick stop on the way home?”
Lex looks at Stein, who shrugs. “Chicago?”
“Why not?” I say. “How about 1965? It was a great year.”
EPILOGUE
EMBER
“How’s Stein?” I call down to Lex as he enters the room. I’m perched on top of the half-pipe, my legs dangling. Ethan is busy working with Nobel and I’m bored. We’ve only been back in Hollow Tower a few days, but I’m already itching to get out. It’s too noisy here. Too chaotic. I find myself longing for the calm routine of the Institute.
“She’s fine. Nobel’s salve is a lifesaver. No permanent damage, at least not physically.”
He gets a running start and leaps up the pipe, grabbing the lip beside me and pulling himself up.
“She still reading through that journal she stole?”
He sits next to me and nods. “Yeah. I don’t know what’s in there or why it bothers her so much. She’s just been distant lately. I figure she’ll tell me when she’s ready.”
I nudge him with my shoulder. “She’ll be all right. Just give her some time.”
He snorts. “I have plenty of that.”
The lines around his eyes are deep. I know he’s worried, but there’s nothing I can do, so I opt to change the subject. “The new leg looks good.”
He runs his hand down his newly repaired leg. “It’s not bad. Better than that stupid contraption Nobel built. Still sore. Nobel took a lot of the hardware out to make it lighter and replaced it with that skin stuff. That junk he made in those petri dishes is amazing.”
For some reason, that kind of grosses me out. I think Lex can tell.
“Did you know the skin can grow new tendons? He took the main piston out and spread that stuff all over. It works beautifully.”
“Speaking of new and better things…” I reach behind me and pull a wad from my back pocket, thrusting it toward him.
He grabs it and shakes it out with a jingle, then stuffs the new jester’s hat on his head. He gives it a shake and the jingle bells rattle. It’s red and yellow, with a bright green patch and blue-thread stitches.
“It’s not much. I had to use scraps of old clothes to sew it together.”
He grins from ear to ear. “It’s perfect, thanks.”
Below us, Gloves chugs through the room, his train chair leaving puffs of black smoke in the air.
Lex shakes his head again, jingling. “I can’t believe how well the Dox worked. Everything is back to normal.”
I swallow. “Not everything.”
The Dox managed to seal off the paradox, repairing the stream from the point it was created forward. Most things went back to normal. No one here remembers the attack. It looks like only those who were in the blast radius remember the paradox at all. Everything that’s happened from the point the paradox was created until now has been rewritten, smoothed out, and put back on course.
But Flynn is still dead. The Tesla automaton is gone. I don’t know if his brain was in that suit or if it’s still tucked away at the Institute. We’ll probably have to find out at some point. But the immediate danger is past. Now comes the really scary part.
The future.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Lex asks, looking away as if he’s a little scared of what I might say.
“Well, first I have to go pay my past self a little visit.” Absently I reach up and touch my chin. Nobel’s salve has healed it to a faint scar. Soon, even that will fade away. “Then, Sisson and I are going to return all the keys you boys lifted. After that, who knows? Ethan thinks we should stay. Fight alongside the Hollows.”
Lex leans back on his palms. “I knew there was a reason I liked that guy.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah. Right. He also wants to take me on vacation. Disneyland or something. Says we need some R and R.”
“Also a solid plan.”
I pause, taking a breath. “But the thing is, you don’t really fight, do you? I mean, you get into fights, but it isn’t really the same thing. I want to protect people like us. Maybe the way Tesla did things wasn’t perfect, but there has to be a better way to live than as thieves. I mean, we almost exploded the universe, Lex. And for what?”
Lex cocks his head, looking at me thoughtfully. “Them sounds like fightin’ words, Ember.”
I just nod, looking off into the distance. The common room is quiet. It’s early. Most of the Hollows are still fast asleep.
“I just mean, it never should have happened. This fight between Tesla and the Hollows, it’s doing too much damage. Too many people are getting caught in the crossfire.”
Lex juts out his bottom lip. “I still think Brain Face deserves a little payback for what he’s done.”
“He really hasn’t done anything wrong—”
“Except lie to you. And create a giant robot to kill you. And dump dozens of Rifters into the time stream to die.”
I shift uncomfortably.
He continues, “Let me just ask you one question. What do you think he’d have done to us if we’d handed over the Dox and let him repair the paradox?”
I clench my jaw. “He probably would have killed Stein and Ethan and taken us back to the Institute.”
“And then?”
I sigh. The truth is, I have no idea. Brainwash us? Experiment on us? Throw us in a dark room and throw away the key? I can’t imagine he just wants to have a tea party, that’s for sure.
I stand, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Look, we’ll talk about it more when I get back.”
“So you are coming back then? For sure?”
“Of course I am. Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone. And no more stealing. I mean it, Lex.”
He shrugs, looking up at me with his jester’s hat dangling to the side and a big smile on his face. “No promises.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, we would like to thank our stalwart friends and family who understand why we neglect them sometimes to talk to our imaginary friends. Without your love and support, we would be nothing.
We would also like to thank our amazing team at Spencer Hill Press. Kate, who took a risk on something new (and Danielle and Patricia who begged her to do it!). Lisa, who gave us the only cover we ever fell in love with. To our editors, Patricia and Danielle (AKA Wonder Woman and Super Girl) for their enthusiasm, support, and the countless hours of hard work polishing our manuscript until it shined. To Kendra, our marketing guru and the person who listened to all our crazy ideas and turned them into reality. Laura, Briana, and Anna, for their excitement and feedback. And of course, the A-team of copyeditors who put all the commas in the right place. And Rich—Rich the man made of awesome. You are the best closer ever! We could not have asked for a wiser, kinder, more wonderful publishing family.
Another special thanks to all the amazing bloggers who came out to help support Extracted in its early days. There are too many to thank individually, but please know that your support means the world to a couple wannabe time travel authors. Especially you, Kayleigh-Marie Gore and Brooke Watts DelVecchio! Big hugs and cyber cookies!
On the list of thanks, we need to mention all the wonderful people at GearCon 2012 who showed us the ropes, let us play with the cool kids, and listened to us talk about a book that wouldn’t see the light of day for over a year. Especially Chris, from Wells & Verne, who introduced us to all her cool friends. The whole Portland Steampunk community welcomed us with open arms, so thanks! We can’t wait to see you all again in 2013!
We also want to thank Mary, personal assistant extraordinaire who took care of the boring stuff so we could play and who keeps all the websites/blogs/pages up and running when we slack off. Cathy and Doreene, who encouraged the story and were the first people to set eyes on it. Danette, whose love, encouragement, advice, and web design are worth their weight in gold. And to Matt Hudson, who introduced us and set the whole thing in motion. Little did he know the monster he was creating.
Last, but never least, we would to thank you, the reader who has picked up this book and decided to take this journey with us. Without readers, a book is just a whisper that’s never heard. Thank you for opening the pages and breathing it to life. We hope you enjoy Lex and Ember’s story as much as we do.
Thank you.
AUTHORS’ NOTES
Nikola Tesla lived from 1856-1943. He was an inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, and futurist. He is best known for his contributions to the modern alternating current (AC) electrical supply system. Tesla’s patents and theoretical work helped form the basis of wireless communication and radio.
His many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism were based on Michael Faraday’s theories of electromagnetic technology. His last remaining laboratory, Wardenclyffe Tower, was sold in 1917 when funding ran out for his experiments into wireless energy, which he dreamed he could one day give freely to all humanity. The Tower was sold and eventually demolished. However, today the laboratory and the foundation of the Tower remain intact. Recently, a non-profit group purchased the property—it plans to turn it into the Tesla Science Museum. It will be the only Tesla Museum in the United States, and it will stand as a tribute to a man who is often overlooked in the records of scientific history.
The Last Imperial Family of Russia, the Romanovs, has one of the darkest histories of the twentieth-century. The family, being forced to abdicate the throne in the early days of Communism, was held prisoner for over a year. The last 55 days of their captivity took place in Ekaterinburg, Russia. It was there, in a place called Ipatiev House in the early hours of July 17, 1918, that the family members and their household, eleven people in total, were sent to the basement and brutally murdered by Bolshevik soldiers. The remains were then stripped, mutilated, and buried in a mass grave in a nearby forest.
Many years later, the remains of nine bodies were found and identified as those of the Imperial family and their staff. The two missing bodies were believed to be those of Alexei and Anastasia Romanov.
In 1998, eighty years after their murder, those nine bodies were laid to rest in a state funeral in St. Petersburg. Sometime later, pieces of remains some believe belong to the lost Romanov children were found far from the first gravesite. While they have been tested and found to be genetically similar, the Greek Orthodox Church and many others have challenged their authenticity.
Today, the remains of the Lost Imperials have not been laid to rest.
This poem was written by the Grand Duchess Olga Romanova and was found among her belongings after their murder.
Give patience, Lord, to us Thy children
In these dark, stormy days to bear
The persecution of our people,
The tortures falling to our share.
Give strength, Just God, to us who need it,
The persecutors to forgive,
Our heavy, painful cross to carry
And Thy great meekness to achieve.
When we are plundered and insulted
In days of mutinous unrest
We turn for help to Thee, Christ-Savior,
That we may stand the bitter test.
Lord of the world, God of Creation,
Give us Thy blessing through our prayer
Give us peace of heart to us, O Master,
This hour of utmost dread to bear.
And on the threshold of the grave
Breathe power divine into our clay
That we, Thy children, may find strength
In meekness for our foes to pray.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Tyler H. Jolley is a sci-fi/fantasy author and full-time orthodontist and periodontist (see: Overachiever). He divides his spare time between writing, reading, mountain biking, and camping with his family.
Sherry D. Ficklin is a full-time writer and internet radio show host with more mouth than good sense. She has a serious book addiction, but continually refuses treatment, much to her husband’s chagrin.
Tyler and Sherry met one fateful day and bonded over their love for books, science fiction, and donuts. Their first co-written novel came shortly after. Now, they still do all those other things, but also go to various steampunk conventions and events under the guise of “research.” They can often be found lurking on the Lost Imperials Facebook page or over on the official website: www.thelostimperials.com.
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Authors’ Notes
About the Authors
Sherry Ficklin, Extracted
