Impulse

Book 3: Jumper

by Steven Gould

Genres: Superheroes

Synopsis

Steven Gould returns to the world of his classic novel Jumper in the thrilling sequel Impulse.

Cent has a secret. She lives in isolation, with her parents, hiding from the people who took her father captive and tortured him to gain control over his ability to teleport, and from the government agencies who want to use his talent. Cent has seen the world, but only from the safety of her parents' arms. She's teleported more than anyone on Earth, except for her mother and father, but she's never been able to do it herself. Her life has never been in danger.

Until the day when she went snowboarding without permission and triggered an avalanche. When the snow and ice thundered down on her, she suddenly found herself in her own bedroom. That was the first time.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Release date: January 8, 2013

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Print pages: 368

Sample

ONE
Millie: The Underlying Problem


It was more of a lodge than a cabin but "cabin" is what they called it. The walls were made of heavy, thick logs, after all. The main living area was a broad space leaking from kitchen to dining area to a two-story-high lounge arranged around a tall, fieldstone fireplace.
Millie sat on one of the couches, staring out the windows, and frowned. It was snowing outside—big, fat, fluffy flakes—but she really wasn't noticing.
She was alone in the room and then she wasn't.
Davy was wearing a tropical-weight suit with the sleeves of the jacket rolled up on his forearms. He unrolled them as he asked, "What's wrong?"
Millie sighed, her eyes tracking up to the ceiling before returning to Davy's face.
Davy glanced up to the second-floor landing. "The usual?"
Millie jerked her thumb up. "Go look at her door."
He sighed. "She is an irritation of the spirit.…"
Millie completed the phrase, "… and a great deal of trouble."
Davy vanished. After a brief pause Millie heard laughter drift down the staircase. Millie stood and jumped, appearing beside Davy in the upstairs hallway.
A sign, scrawled on butcher paper, was tacked to a closed bedroom door. It said:
HELP!
BEING HELD PRISONER BY TELEPORTING ALIENS!
KEPT FROM NORMAL LIFE.
SEND FRIENDS.
ALSO ICE CREAM.
Davy was shaking his head and still laughing.
"Stop it!" Millie said. "You're not helping!"
"You gotta admit, she is funny," Davy said. "Takes after me that way."
Millie snapped. "What—you think you're funny?" She pulled at Davy's arm, leading him back toward the landing.
Davy raised his eyebrows at Millie and grinned.
"Okay, she is funny, but the underlying problem is no less a problem."
Davy's smile faded and he jerked his chin down toward the kitchen, and vanished.
Millie followed to see him putting the kettle on.
"What choice do we have?" Davy said. "I mean, really?"
Millie shook her head. She felt like she should have an answer but she didn't.
Davy hugged her and that was good … but the underlying problem was still no less a problem.
And it could only get worse.



Copyright © 2012 by Steven Gould