“We saw the balrog,” Colella says, “but once it descended…we lost sight…of it. We were afraid…you were all doomed.”

  “So was I,” Radar admits. “But then Leah did her thing.”

  Selene smiles. “I’m glad it…worked out. And happy…it is over.”

  I’m about to tell the mermaids it’s not quite over when the sound of the boat’s engine revving up interrupts us. We all watch as the ship begins pulling away from the dock, leaving a churning wake behind it. It’s not moving all that fast, but it seems to be sailing on an even keel despite its heavy load.

  When I turn back to the mermaids, Dad has moved up to the edge of the dock beside me.

  “Selene,” he says, “would you and your sisters follow the boat, please. In case anything happens, it would be good to have the three of you nearby.”

  Dad’s right, of course. Selene and her sisters will be good insurance should any of the boat’s passengers end up in the water for any reason. I can wait to tell them the rest of our news.

  Selene nods. “I understand. We will…stay close. Just in case.”

  The mermaids duck their heads underwater and flip their fins. We can barely see them gliding through the water just under the surface. In a moment, they catch up to the boat and their heads once again pop up above the water as they trail alongside the chugging ship.

  “Okay, everyone,” Dad says. “Let’s get out of sight. There’s no sense making targets of ourselves while we wait.”

  The remaining part of the company ducks inside a small outbuilding near the foot of the dock. It’s just barely large enough to hold us all, but that’s all right. We’ll be hidden from any prying eyes, and we can watch the boat’s progress through a large picture window.

  The space in front of the window is crowded for a few minutes, but then I notice that all of a sudden I have more room around me. My dad is still beside me, but the rest of the Miracles have melted away from the window. I turn my head and see them all clumped together in the middle of the room, whispering to each other. Something’s up, for sure, and I wonder why I’ve been left out.

  Radar sees me looking and grins. The rest of the Miracles turn around to face me and break out into the Happy Birthday song.

  “Happy Birthday to you,” they sing. “Happy Birthday to you. Happy birrrthday dear Blaaaaaze, Happy Birthday to you.”

  I feel my cheeks begin to grow warm from the attention. It looks like my friends have chosen my new nickname, too. I kind of like it. Blaze. It’s simple, to the point, and strong.

  “I would have baked you a cake, Blaze,” Radar says, grinning. “But in case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve been kind of busy the last day or two.”

  I can’t help returning Radar’s grin. We’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since we were young tots, and I can safely say I’ve never known Radar to bake anything.

  “Yeah,” I reply. “I’m sure that’s the only reason you didn’t bake a cake. Let’s just forget that you wouldn’t know how to bake one even if you wanted to.”

  Radar laughs. “Well, there is that, too.” She steps forward and gives me a warm hug. “You have to admit, it’s been a helluva birthday so far, even without a cake or a real party.”

  I certainly can’t disagree with that.

  “I’ll tell you what, Radar,” I say, smiling. “Tomorrow, I won’t bake you a cake, and then we’ll be even.”

  Radar grins again. “Deal,” she says. She turns back to the rest of the Miracles. “That goes for the rest of you, too. No cakes or parties this week.” She winks. “We’re not kids anymore, ya know.”

  We’ve haven’t been “kids” for a long time, not with the world we live in, but no party will be a first. Since we Miracles were all born on consecutive days, we usually picked out one day to have a big celebration. Since I turned eighteen today, this year we would have chosen my birthday.

  “How does it feel to be eighteen, Leah?” Plush asks, apparently forgetting that I now have a new name.

  Normally I’d reply that I don’t feel any different than I did the day before, but of course that’s not true today. I’m way different than I was yesterday. I finally have a Power.

  “It feels very hot,” I reply.

  Everyone laughs. I see Sneak open his mouth to speak.

  “Hot…”

  I give him a withering look that cuts him off before he can finish.

  “Don’t say it,” I warn him.

  He looks at me with a twinkle in his eye. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Ouch. I think I prefer even ‘Hot Stuff” to ‘ma’am.’

  The boat has reached a small dock on the other side of the bay. We can just barely see the tiny figures of our comrades quickly disembarking onto the platform and then rushing to the shore. We don’t hear any gunfire from over there, which is a very good sign. The boat backs away from the dock, then swings around and begins the return trip to Alcatraz to pick us up.

  So far, so good, I think to myself as we watch the small craft sail toward us. As it gets closer, I can see a half dozen dolphins swimming alongside. Soon I can make out the mermaids as well. It’s good to know they’ll be with us, just in case.

  Finally, our ride glides slowly toward the dock. We wait for Dad to give the order, then we all hurry outside. As soon as the boat comes to a stop, we scramble aboard.

  “Everything seemed quiet over there,” Ensign Hale reports to my dad. “No problems at all.”

  “Glad to hear that,” Dad replies. “Let’s hope it stays that way.”

  The engine revs loudly, and I can feel the vibrations through the soles of my shoes as we begin to pull away from the dock. We haven’t gone far when a sudden surge of anxiety washes over me. I look around worriedly, but everything seems okay. Selene and her sisters aren’t showing any signs of distress either, so I know there can’t be any threat from beneath us.

  “Are you all right?” Radar asks me.

  She’s standing right beside me, holding Jordy’s hand. I’m not surprised she’s picked up on my anxiety—she’s always been good at reading my moods.

  “I don’t know,” I admit. “I’m suddenly feeling very anxious. I’m not sure why.”

  Radar looks up and scans the sky. The fog has burned away, leaving behind a bright blue, empty sky.

  “I don’t see anything up there to worry about,” she says. “And if there was any danger in the water, our mermaid friends would let us know. They don’t seem to be worried.”

  “I know,” I reply. “It’s just something I feel. I can’t explain it.”

  “Maybe it has something to do with the last time you were aboard a boat,” Jordy offers. “That didn’t go so well.”

  His comment makes everything click into place. He’s right—that’s exactly what it’s about. The last time I was on a boat was not exactly a pleasure cruise. We were attacked by a kraken, I got bonked on the head by a broken mast and fell overboard, and then I spent several harrowing days all alone. No wonder I felt anxious when we pulled out onto the water. The realization immediately reduces my stress. It doesn’t disappear completely, but I feel way better.

  “You’re right,” I tell Jordy. “That’s exactly what it was. Thanks. I feel better already.”

  Radar grins and looks up at Jordy. “See, he’s not just another pretty face,” she jokes. She reaches up and runs her hand along his cheek. “Though he definitely IS a pretty face.”

  Jordy smiles, looking only slightly embarrassed. I bet he’s glad none of his Marine comrades are within earshot.

  “Thanks, babe,” is all he says.

  I turn and head to the rear of the boat. Radar and Jordy follow me. We watch silently as we sail farther and farther away from Alcatraz. I have no idea what lies ahead of us, but I’m very happy to leave that terrible place behind.

  CHAPTER 6

  THE CROSSING DOESN’T TAKE LONG, fifteen or twenty minutes maybe, which is just fine with me. Every time we hit a patch of rough water, my stress level bounces upward with the boat, despite my best efforts to remind myself that everything is fine. As we slow down to approach the wharf, the mermaids swim closer to our vessel. The dolphins remain a bit farther away.

  “I guess…this is farewell…for now,” Selene calls up to us.

  I realize we haven’t had a chance to tell them about our plan to go into their world. I wonder if they’ll be returning as well, or if they’re stuck here in our world.

  “The woman who sent you here has asked for our help,” I explain quickly, knowing our time to talk is short. As soon as we dock, we’ll be hurrying away from the water.

  “We’re heading for higher ground,” Radar adds, “so she can open a portal for us to enter your world through.”

  Selene’s almond-shaped eyes widen in surprise. She clearly had not been expecting this.

  “Be careful,” she says. “Our world…can be a very…dangerous place.”

  “We know,” I reply. “But you and Kai have been so much help to us, we feel duty bound to repay the favor. Will you and your sisters be returning home?”

  Selene shakes her head. “I’m not sure…we could…even if we wanted to. Besides…we like your ocean.” She smiles. “There are far fewer…kraken here.” She glances over her shoulder. “And the dolphins…are so much fun…to play with. We have no dolphins…in our oceans.”

  I’m surprised to hear that, but I’m glad to hear that our mermaid friends are so happy here. That’s one less thing I need to worry about.

  I feel the boat bump up against the dock. It’s almost time to go.

  “Maybe we’ll see each other again,” I say, “down in San Diego, where we first met.”

  “We would…like that,” Selene replies. “Good luck…to you all.”

  “Good-bye,” I say, and then Radar and the other Miracles add their good-byes.

  As soon as the engine shuts off, Kai joins us up on deck. His handsome face seems a bit drawn, and the bemused grin which seems to be his default expression is absent. I’m pretty sure I know why. Kai is a creature of the outdoors—he doesn’t like being cooped up inside. But that’s exactly where he’s been for the last hour or so, stuck below deck in tight quarters so the motor wouldn’t trigger an Anomaly and destroy our vessel. I’m reminded once again how much we all owe him—how much I owe him, especially. I’m glad we’re going to get the chance to repay the favor. At least I hope we can.

  “I bet you’re pretty happy to be out of there,” I say.

  “I am, yeah,” Kai replies. “If there’s a Hell, that’s one kind of place it could be—loud, cramped and stinking.” He sucks in a deep breath of fresh air. I can almost see him tasting the clean, briny scent.

  Kai blows out his breath and stares directly into my eyes. The bemused grin returns to his face.

  “The view out here is so much prettier, too,” he says.

  My heart skips a beat and I feel myself blushing. His comment comes out of nowhere and is totally unexpected. I’m saved from having to reply because our boat has finally come to a complete stop. I’m not sure what I would have said, but with our vessel now docked, we all hurry across the deck and jump down off the boat.

  As soon as we’ve alighted upon the slatted wooden platform, Radar nudges me with an elbow to the ribs. “I heard that,” she says, grinning. “It’s SO much prettier out here.”

  The temperature of my cheeks rises another few degrees.

  Dad leads us along the dock at a trot to a gray wooden building where Lieutenant Gregerson is waiting in the doorway. One of the double wooden doors is missing; the other is hanging at an awkward angle. The lieutenant steps aside and we duck inside.

  It’s clear that this place used to be a bar or restaurant. A few small remnants of tables and chairs are scattered about the floor, but most must have been scavenged long ago for weapons or fuel. A pool table at one end of the rectangular room remains intact, though the green felt is stained dark and torn. A large window looks out onto the small marina and the bay, but the glass is broken, leaving only a few jagged pieces along the edges. Opposite the window, a ripped-up bar runs along the wall. The mirror behind the bar has also been smashed.

  “We’ve checked the nearest buildings,” Lieutenant Gregerson tells my dad. “They’re all empty, and look like they’ve been that way for quite some time. From what we could see from here, the whole town looks deserted, which isn’t much of a surprise.”

  Looking out through the broken window, I spot at least three partially sunken boats in the marina whose rear ends bear the mangled damage typical of an Anomaly being triggered. Like Lieutenant Gregerson, I’m not surprised the town is deserted—this close to Alcatraz, creatures from the other world must have come here early and often. San Francisco offered far more prey, of course, and would have attracted the majority of the hunters, but I’m sure some came this way as well. I just hope they’re as long gone now as the residents of this town seem to be.

  From here, I can see only part of the downtown area. Except for a narrow strip of fairly level land near the shore that’s less than one hundred yards wide, the terrain is pretty steep, rising rapidly away from the water. A wide street follows the coast, taking up most of the level strip. The bay side of the avenue runs too close to the bay to hold any buildings, but the far side is lined with what looks to have been small shops and other businesses. Climbing up behind the stores, the uneven hillside is a mixture of leafy trees and houses. The whole town looks like it had probably been quite quaint and charming at one time, though many of the buildings within my view are now damaged or destroyed. A few are merely burned out shells.

  I know from our studies preparing for this journey that we’re in Marin County, a rugged, hilly peninsula north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Back in the years before The Incident, Marin was by and large a pretty well-to-do place. I’m guessing we’ve probably landed in the town of Sausalito. Not that the name of the town means anything now, really. It’s just the place where we’ve come ashore. I don’t expect we’ll be staying here long.

  Dad has been huddled with Lieutenant Gregerson and Sergeant Moss just inside the doorway for a few minutes now. Whatever plans they’ve been discussing are obviously finished, because Dad turns to us while the Lieutenant heads out the door to talk to the men who’ve been standing sentry outside. Everyone still inside gathers closer to Dad.

  “We’re all going to remain together a while longer,” he begins. “We’ll move out the same way we did on our way to San Francisco, with an advance guard out front and the Miracles in the center of the main group. Once the ten of us go through the portal, Lieutenant Gregerson will lead the rest back across the Golden Gate and head for home.”

  Dad looks out through the doorway and motions for Kai, who has remained outside since we got here. Kai only comes indoors when it’s necessary, and I’m guessing he’s still not quite over his stint cooped up below deck of the boat.

  I’m close enough to overhear what my dad says to him.

  “We’ll be heading into the hills by the most direct route we can find,” Dad says, pointing to a narrow road across the way that climbs at an angle up the uneven slopes. “We’ll start with that road over there. I’d appreciate it if you’d scout out ahead for us.”

  Kai nods. “Of course.”

  He spins away from the doorway and jogs across to the intersection my dad indicated. A moment later he disappears from sight, hidden from view by the small structures lining the road. I wish he didn’t have to spend so much time away scouting, but I know it’s for the best.

  Dad turns back to the company. “Everyone ready?”

  Heads nod, and a few Marines reply, “Yes, Sir!”

  Dad steps out through the doorway and waves to Lieutenant Gregerson to send the advance guard on their way. In seconds, they disappear up the same roadway Kai took just a few moments before. Dad gives them a bit of a head start, then leads the rest of us out of the building.

  CHAPTER 7

  WE HAVEN’T EVEN MADE IT across the road when the silence is broken by the last sound any of us could have expected to hear—the roar of throbbing motors.

  I have no idea what kind of engines are making the clamor, but it’s far louder and more powerful than the noise generated by the boat we just rode on across the bay. And it’s getting louder by the second.

  “Motorcycles!” Sergeant Moss shouts. “Coming this way.”

  None of us Miracles has ever seen a working motorcycle, but the sergeant is certainly old enough to recognize the sound. I wouldn’t doubt that he rode one in his younger years, either. He seems like that kind of guy. I catch myself holding my breath, wondering whether the riders are human—or something else.

  Dad recognizes the sound as well. “Get out of the road!” he orders. “Now!”

  We race across the street. There’s no time to get any farther than the sidewalk before the riders arrive. There’s about a dozen of them. They skillfully slide their bikes into a quarter turn and stop, facing us from the road. The roar of their engines fades to low tremor.

  The Marines are well-trained. Without waiting for further orders, a dozen of them step forward and form a line in front of us, their rifles aimed at the newcomers.

  The motorcycle riders are a filthy bunch. Most have long, greasy hair held off their faces by soiled headbands. A couple of the guys are totally bald. All have beards that look like they haven’t been cut or trimmed in years. Each of them is wearing a black leather jacket, most of which are ripped and torn. I’ve never seen a rougher, more disreputable looking bunch of men. Even more alarming are the bleached skulls mounted in the center of the handlebars of every bike. A few are clearly from monsters, but some are unmistakably human.

  Survival can’t have been easy out here, and the human skulls tell me these men have no scruples. They will do whatever it takes.

  The bikers are all now brandishing weapons, too. A few have rifles, but most are armed with crossbows. All are aimed at our company. They have to know that any fight with us will be a total mismatch, but they don’t seem to care.