by S. S. Segran
Aari responded with a hasty thanks and shuffled out of the kitchen. He didn’t need Kody’s hearing to pick up on Mrs. Ashton’s next words. “You know, Jen, I tried to pry it out of Mariah, but she wouldn’t give me even a hint!”
Mrs. Sanchez laughed. “Jag’s the same, Krystal. I think it has something to do with their road trip. But that’s just a momma’s Spidey-sense!”
Curious, Aari sauntered about in the dining room, staying within earshot but out of sight.
“You’re probably right,” Mrs. Ashton said. “They’ve been different since their return. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe they did re-discover themselves during this trip.”
“I noticed that in them too. That might just be it. In any case, I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Mmhm. Anyway, as we were discussing earlier, isn’t it strange how the outbreak suddenly stopped in North America but didn’t abate in the rest of the world? And they still have no idea what caused it.”
“To be honest,” said Mrs. Sanchez wearily, “I’m glad we don’t have to worry about it here anymore, but don’t get me wrong, it’s horrible that the other countries are still suffering. There was a lot of speculation at the UN conference that Rob and I were in a couple of weeks ago. Nothing concrete came out of it, though. This whole thing is still a huge mystery.”
“This is unbelievable,” Mrs. Ashton replied. There was a clattering on the floor and she sighed; presumably, she’d dropped one of the forks or spoons.
“It’s just . . . This is what happens when a nation lives hand-to-mouth on its food supply. I’m beyond furious that the government no longer stockpiles grain and other staple foods. And don’t get me started on the amount of agricultural land lost to development and the monopoly of big agri-businesses. At the end of the day, you can’t eat money. As a country we need to make sure that our farmlands are protected. They’re priceless.”
“Couldn’t agree more. How is Hugo doing, by the way?”
Aari’s ears perked further; ever since returning home, the topic of his grandparents was something Jag did not want to address.
Mrs. Sanchez sounded deflated. “Hugo’s staying at the farm. It’s his home. We keep telling him that we have a room ready for him and Lady if he wants to come and be with us for a while, but I doubt he will. As difficult as it must be without Julia there, that’s where his heart is. But we’ll visit him often and he’s promised to spend more time when he visits us.”
Leaving the conversation in the kitchen, Aari headed to the living room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small glass container that Marshall had tossed into their car a month ago, triggering their memories to return. He juggled it between his hands for a bit, then stuck it back in his pocket as he plopped between Kody and Mariah.
Jag entered the room, having stepped out to take a call. He looked somewhat anxious. “Is everyone—Mom! We kinda need you in here!”
“Coming!” Mrs. Sanchez called from the kitchen. She and Mrs. Ashton hurried out a few seconds later and joined their families in the living room.
“I wish you kids would tell us what this is about, because this mysterious meeting’s got us on pins and needles,” Mr. Tyler jested as Jag peeked through a curtain at the street outside.
None of the five friends answered him. Then Aari saw Jag stiffen, heightened tension in his eyes. He was about to ask what was wrong but Jag was already running toward the door. The bell rang before he reached it. As the others waited inquisitively, Jag could be heard greeting Marshall. Aari smiled briefly to himself—the five had missed the Sentry during their time apart.
The entire gathering looked on in silent curiosity at the newcomer. Then another voice drifted into their ears, quiet but strong. A curious yet startlingly familiar scent wafted into the room; pine needles and mountain air.
The friends quirked their brows at one another as Jag walked back into the living room. Marshall followed him, looking fresh-faced in a black t-shirt and dark jeans. He greeted them with a tight grin and a small shake of his head, as if telling them not to say anything just yet. He stepped aside, then, and revealed a tall figure adorned in a black-and-silver cloak behind him whose mere presence commanded attention.
With sharp eyes and a warm tone, Elder Nageau moved past Jag and the Sentry. “Good evening,” he said. “It is my honor to finally meet the families of the five Bearers of Light.”
Characters
The Five:
Aari Barnes
Jag Sanchez
Kody Tyler
Mariah Ashton
Tegan Ryder
The Elders of Dema-Ki:
Ashack [Ay-SHAK]
Nageau [Nah-GO]
Saiyu [SAY-yoo]
Tayoka [Tah-YO-ka]
Tikina [Tee-KEE-na]
The Villagers:
Aesròn [Ay-zuh-RON]
Akol [AY-cole]
Hutar [HYOO-tar]
Huyani [HOO-ya-nee]
Magèo [Ma-JAY-oh]
Sentries:
Gwen Mboya
Marshall Sawyer
Related to the Five:
Hugo Sanchez — Jag’s paternal grandfather
Julia Sanchez — Jag’s paternal grandmother
Roberto Sanchez — Jag’s father
Jennifer Sanchez — Jag’s mother
Tristan Sanchez — Jag’s older brother
Camilla Sanchez — Jag’s older sister
George Tyler — Kody’s second-youngest brother
Roshon Tyler — Kody’s youngest brother
Samuel Tyler — Kody’s father
Krystal Ashton — Mariah’s mother
Supporting Characters:
Elwood McAllister
Roderick Davis
Kenzo Igarashi
Rosemary McDowell
Phoenix Corporation:
Adrian Black — CEO, Phoenix Corp.
Dr. Albert Bertram — Chief Scientific Officer, Phoenix Corp.
Elias Hajjar — Head of Security, Quest Mining and New Mexico Sanctuary
Jerry Li — Chief Financial Officer, Phoenix Corp.
Luigi Dattalo — Chief Executive, Quest Defense
Dr. Nate — Director of Human Resources, Global Sanctuary Projects
Tony Cross — Personal Assistant to the Boss
Vladimir Ajajdif — Chief Executive, Quest Mining and New Mexico Sanctuary
The Boss — Owner and Founder, Phoenix Corp. and all subsidiaries
Acknowledgements
There are so many people to thank for accompanying me in the creation of Aegis Incursion. This book was nothing short of a marathon and I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to those who encouraged me onward.
It goes without saying that had it not been for the support of my beloved parents, neither this novel nor Aegis Rising would have left the confined premises of my laptop. My mother’s keen eye and insightfulness, as well as her unremitting love, and my father’s help in research, editing and being the perfect partner for bouncing ideas are simply invaluable.
As well, I am deeply grateful for my wonderful friends, teachers and family who imparted both wisdom and encouragement. A particularly heartfelt thanks to my dear uncle Mark and aunt Renu for their amazing support and who seem to be able to conjure a copy of the book from thin air whenever an opportunity to publicize my work presents itself. Sincere appreciation and an earnest salute to my editor, Gordon Williams, for his expertise and counsel, and whose steady support fortifies my effort to bring my readers a worthy read. To the wonderful souls at the BWC in Haifa; you have my deepest gratitude and love for your encouragement and friendship. You are an inspiration!
Special cheers to the Aegis Advance Reader team—Marco, Stefanie, Nancy, Renu and Shayda—for their astute observations and valuable feedback. You’re the best! I would like to give a shout out to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google for making the collective knowledge of humanity available at our fingertips; an outstanding achie
vement of historic significance often taken for granted. The number of places I’ve visited and information I’ve acquired whilst researching for my books without leaving the couch is nothing short of a miracle, thanks to these visionaries.
The plot of this story would not have lifted off the ground if not for the remarkable advice from Dr. John Foster whose infectious enthusiasm and depth of knowledge makes a complex subject seem like a walk-in-the-park, even for me! I cannot thank him enough for helping me render the story as believable as possible. Any errors due to creative wanderings from the actual science of nanotechnology are solely mine. And yes, the delectable artichoke and baked swordfish lunch mentioned in the story is true and was expertly prepared by John and his lovely wife Kimberly, an accomplished scientist herself.
This list of amazing people would not be complete without acknowledging the one who is holding this novel; you, the reader. Whether you’ve been following the adventure from the beginning or just joined in, thank you for being a part of this journey. I’d suggest buckling up, because we’re not done yet. Not by a long shot.
Shirin S. Segran
Haifa, Israel. March 21, 2015
About the Author
S.S.Segran spent a good chunk of her childhood exploring the enchanted forest of a million tales in the mystical land of books. In her early teens, she began crafting intriguing new worlds and conjuring up characters who came alive with the flick of her wand . . . err . . . pen. Charmed by the magical response to her debut novel from readers around the world, she has embarked on a quest to take her cherished fans on a thrilling journey deeper into the Aegis universe. Even as she delves into her creative endeavors, the author intends to continue her work of supporting youths in developing countries in realizing their potential through her non-profit organization AegisLeague.org.
When not devouring a book or writing one, S.S.Segran can be found standing behind the cauldron of life, stirring a potion made up of chores, parkour, drawing, horseback riding, and—having enjoyed jumping out of a perfectly fine airplane at fifteen thousand feet—perhaps skydiving.
Thank you for taking time to read Aegis Incursion. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
We would love to hear from you!
Amazon
Facebook
Twitter
www.sssegran.com
To receive updates on release dates please sign-up as an Aegis Insider at this link.
Table of Contents
Praise for the Aegis League Series
Title Page
Publication Information
Dedication
Epigraph
Prologue
Lake Mead, Nevada July 1948
Northern California The Present
PART ONE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
PART TWO
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
PART THREE
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
PART FOUR
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
Epilogue
List of Characters
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Links
