The Book of Time

Chapter 5

"Are you ready for training?" Thomas asked.

"Not really," Shay said. She hadn't moved from the chair since he'd left. Papers and files were spread out on the desk. She should be getting her next assignment soon. "I think I should cancel training for today."

"I can call Owen," Thomas said. She nodded but didn't look up at him. "Why do you want the Book?" he asked. This time she looked up at him.

"For Leanna," she said. "I have to bring her back." Leanna was her sister, the late Princess. Samuel was the eldest.

Thomas tried to keep his face straight. "Just her?"

"Well, getting rid of the dragons and dinosaurs and fixing the climate would be nice but I can't say those things are at the top of my list. Why do you ask?"

Thomas handed her the envelope with the pictures. "A late birthday gift," he said.

Shay sighed and dragged a hand down her face. "Thomas, are you still thinking about that? I don't hold it against you. That wasn't why I was angry this morning."

"I had already called in this favor before I came back yesterday," Thomas said. "Open it."

She took the envelope and emptied it out onto her desk. She held up the map. "Is this... No. It can't be." She looked up at him. "Where did you get this? I thought it was just a rumor."

"I knew someone before I started working here. He had the connections. He owed me," Thomas said. "What do you think?"

"I need to do some checking, obviously, but if this is real then we have everything." Her face broke out into a smile. "I have the key and you just brought the map." She went back to the pictures and looked at the blown-up ones, then at the notes.

"So, why were you angry this morning?" Thomas asked.

"Hm? Oh nothing. Don't worry about it. It doesn't concern you," Shay said. "Tell Nina to bring me another notebook and help me translate these notes. Are you sure these are real?"

"Yes. The guy's a slacker but if he says those are real then they're real," Thomas said. And by 'guy' he was referring to Gavin and Joe.

"I could hug you," she said. She looked up at him and her smile fell. "Don't worry. I won't. I was just saying that I could."

"If you want to then do it."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I talked to Samuel. The 'No Contact' rule has been suspended for now," he said. He looked directly at the camera on the bookshelf. "If you want to hug me, then he won't stop you."

Shay went back to her notebook. "The problem isn't just Samuel. You didn't like it when I kissed you." That wasn't true. "I need some quiet to work this out."

That was his cue to leave.

*******

Shay had worked through the entire day and Thomas had left her still sitting at her desk. His bracelet beeped at around two in the morning. The kiss had lingered in his mind and he'd dreamt of it. The exact scene had played out in his mind beat by beat. He missed the button a few times before he answered.

"Wh-What is it? Do you need another notebook?" he asked.

"I know where the map leads," she said. "I know where we have to go to find the Book and bring Leanna back."

That caused him to sit up. "You know? Where?" he asked.

"The location is in Peru. I'm going to ask Samuel now to let me go."