The Quest for the Lost Amber Room E-Book

Terry Q. O'Brien

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 295

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

A time-traveling adventure takes readers on a dangerous journey through history to recover a lost artifact in a new Young Adult novel. The Quest for the Lost Amber Room is a captivating time-travel adventure through history, the debut installment in a thrilling new series.

In a military-controlled operation, a daring team of time-travelers embarks on an electrifying mission to recover one of the world's most coveted treasures. Their goal is to recover the legendary Amber Room, a priceless artifact stolen by the Nazis in 1944. As the travelers leap through time, the stakes rise with each era they encounter. From the shadowy streets of Nazi Germany to the opulent decks of the RMS Titanic on its fateful maiden voyage, these brave adventurers must navigate perilous encounters and unravel the mysteries of the past-all while ensuring they don't fall victim to unalterable past.

The Quest for the Lost Amber Room weaves together rich historical detail with the excitement of time travel. Perfect for young adult readers craving adventure, suspense, and historical wonder, it has plenty of appeal for older contemporary science fiction enthusiasts and anyone looking for the next enduring time-travel adventure series.

Dive into a thrilling time-travel adventure where history is a puzzle waiting to be solved! Join brave adventurers as they unravel the secrets of the Lost Amber Room, dodging danger where one wrong move could end their existence.

"The Quest for the Lost Amber Room" is a historical science fiction time-travel adventure for young adults. The story's brave adventurers must navigate perilous encounters and unravel the mysteries of the past-all while ensuring they don't fall victim to unalterable past.

Actual historical facts and events such as The Chicago World's Fair of 1893, The Russian Amber Room stolen by the Nazis, and the Jeweled Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám which was lost aboard The Titanic.

Leseprobe

The Quest for the Lost Amber Room

Terry Q. O’Brien

TQOB Publishing

Copyright © 2025 TQOB Publishing / Terry Q. O'Brien

All rights reserved.The events depicted in this story are a blend of fiction and nonfiction. While certain events, locations, or situations may be inspired by real occurrences, the characters, incidents, and dialogue are entirely fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, places, buildings, or products is purely coincidental. No identification with actual persons or entities is intended or should be inferred.No part of this publication, The Quest for the Lost Amber Room, may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.For permission requests, contact:TQOB PublishingChicago, Illinois.ISBN (ebook): 979-8-9927093-2-2ISBN (paperback): 979-8-9927093-1-5ISBN (hardcover): 979-8-9927093-0-8Library of Congress Control Number: 2025901680Cover Art: Robert Jarockiterryobrien.com

To Ashley and Austin,For your love, support, and belief in me.

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Epilogue

About The Author

Chapter 1

The World’s Fair – Chicago, 1893

The three time travelers walked inconspicuously through the White City during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Dressed in period clothing, each wearing dark bowler hats, the three walked through the lavish fairgrounds of the Gilded Age. Chicago had experienced rapid growth in economics, construction, and urban expansion following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the fair welcomed millions from all over the world. Being anonymous was easy, and while touring the vast exposition, the travelers remained virtually unnoticed by the many visitors.

Experienced in avoiding interfering with or changing the past, the time travelers were also well acquainted with the historical details of the 1893 World’s Fair. They engaged in only casual conversations that were forgettable and nonconfrontational, as such superficial interactions with attendees did not cause changes in the recorded history. Yet the three knew history was irreversible, and any attempts to alter the past were met with disastrous consequences. The World’s Fair would remain as it had been written and locked in time.

Nevertheless, taking a few moments to enjoy the magnificent fair was still breathtaking. At least for Miles Gallagher, the shortest man of the three travelers. As the three passed the Great Basin pond, Gallagher stopped to look at a large statue rising above the water. He marveled in amazement, gazing upon the beauty of the statue. Known as the Statue of the Republic, the grand bronze sculpture featured a robed female figure, one hand grasping a staff and the other supporting an eagle.

Michael Brett walked up next to Gallagher. Brett was taller and strikingly more muscular than Gallagher. “Incredible, isn’t it,” Brett said, adjusting his bowler hat as he gazed upon the statue.

Before Gallagher could answer, Robert Paulson, the lead traveler for the mission, approached them from behind. He maintained a stoic, focused look on his face. As the craftiest of the three, Paulson was a stealth planner. “Come on. We’re not here to sightsee.” Paulson nodded toward a building across the pond and began walking. Gallagher, momentarily embarrassed, followed Paulson, while Brett trailed behind.

Their mission was to obtain a Japanese jade necklace from the World’s Fair. Designed with five hand-carved pieces around a gold band, the necklace featured an image of a Japanese empress in the center, with two concubines joining her on each side. History recorded the valuable artifact as missing from the Japanese Room on the second floor of the Fine Arts Palace the morning after the travelers’ visit to the fair.

The necklace was never recovered, and its whereabouts remained unknown. Rumors circulated about its disappearance, suggesting that someone had accidentally damaged the necklace and hidden their mistake by disposing of the artifact. Paulson believed that a custodian broke and discarded the item to avoid being fired from his job.

Although there was a risk, by successfully removing the necklace before it was lost, the travelers could safely return the artifact to the present without altering the course of the past. Paulson was also acutely aware of the need for a successful outcome, following a series of failed missions. He knew returning the jade necklace to the present day would be met with praise and approval. The odds were in their favor, and Paulson and his fellow time travelers were confident they could extract the jade necklace without detection or de-existence.

After considering the options on how best to retrieve the necklace, Paulson decided the team would break into the Fine Arts Palace after closing hours and steal it then. Passing the Great Basin, the three walked to the base of steps in front of the Fine Arts Palace. Gallagher noticed the two prominent lion statues guarding the outside entrance to the exhibit hall. Looking past them, he saw that Roman pillars supported the ornate building, where tall wooden doors were open, welcoming guests to the exhibit hall. He recognized the building from his own time.

“I can see parts of the Museum of Science and Industry,” Gallagher said, referring to the present-day Chicago museum. “The building is one of the few things that remains from the World’s Fair.”

​Brett, who had been walking with his head down, glanced upward. Noticing the large statue, he asked, “Is that statue still at the museum in the future?”

​“No,” Gallagher responded, referencing his pre-mission research.

​Paulson looked up the steps to the twenty-foot doors that led into the exhibition. “Let’s keep focused, Gallagher. This is our last chance to scope out the Fine Arts Palace and finalize the plan for lifting the necklace.”

“I’m not worried,” Brett said confidently. “All of these locks in this place are simple to pick. We won’t have any trouble accessing this place tonight.” Along with his brooding strength, Brett was a skilled locksmith with an extensive knowledge of picking tools. From skeleton warded locks through complex modern locks, Brett was skilled at picking them all. For the nineteenth-century locks, picking was simple and would take only a few seconds to unlock.

“It’s not your lock-picking skills I’m worried about. The difficulty is going to be the police …”

“Remember, constables or watchmen,” Gallagher corrected, showcasing his reference knowledge of the 1890s. Gallagher, more so than other travelers, enjoyed learning and researching the details of history.

Paulson continued, “The difficulty is going to be … the constables. They’re walking around here openly and regularly. One whack of their nightsticks on our heads will not only give us some pain but likely cause tampering with this time and may cause us to de-exist.”

De-existence was the fatal consequence for time travelers who interfered or attempted to alter the past. A throbbing, almost crippling pain shot through their heads as a caveat of impending and irreparable interference. Yet the past would continue as it always had, and the traveler would vanish from existence.

After a pause, Brett nodded. “Let’s go inside.”

​As they walked to the top of the stairs, they saw a group of visitors exiting the building. The three paused on the steps to let the group pass. Two constables were trailing behind that group. The constables noticed the three travelers had stopped on the steps and were looking at the entranceway. Brett, uncontrollably, looked into the eyes of one of the constables.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” one constable greeted, looking down from the upper step.

​Brett smiled and replied, “Good afternoon.”

​“Are you enjoying the fair?” the constable stopped and asked.

​Paulson leaned forward and replied with his scripted dialogue, designed to redirect conversations. “Yes, we’re having a wonderful day. We just walked from the Midway Plaisance, where our wives and children are. We only have a short while to visit the Fine Arts Palace. Do you have the current time?”

​The constable pulled out his watch and looked at the time. “Yes, it’s two forty-five.”

​“Thank you.” Paulson began moving up the steps, passing the constables. Gallagher and Brett followed, nodding and smiling at them.

​The two constables watched the travelers pass and enter through the large doors before continuing down the steps. Passing two women at the bottom of the steps, both constables greeted them. “Good afternoon, ladies. Are you enjoying the fair?”

​Entering the Fine Arts Palace, the three moved out of earshot of the constables. The size and exquisiteness of the central hall was astounding. Decorative Roman columns showcasing multiple world exhibits lined the long hall. Paulson motioned to move past the large model of the newly designed German Reichstag, which rested in the middle of the rotunda. Walking past the model of the domed building being constructed in Berlin, Gallagher mused at the history the Reichstag would go through over the next one hundred years. Once past the model, Paulson moved to a quiet wall at the base of the center rotunda. The echoes of voices within the dome hid their conversation.

​“The place is busier than it was this morning.” Paulson was becoming increasingly concerned by the number of people visiting the arts exhibition. He looked over to the rear exit. “Before we go to the Japanese Room, let’s review the exit plan. Once we get the necklace tonight, we need to hightail it to that door.” Paulson led with his eyes to a door off the rotunda. “The door leads to an interior passageway and then to an exterior exit about twenty yards down. Once outside, we move as fast as possible to hightail it to the train station. There’s a 1:05 a.m. train leaving for Duluth, and we need to be on that train.”

“If we miss the train, when’s the next one?” Brett asked.

“Two days.”

​“We’ll make the train,” Brett added.

Paulson was looking around as four visitors to the fair walked by. After the group passed, he turned to the others. “The faster we get to Duluth, the faster we get to the time-portation return spot. Does everyone have their return pad?” Paulson reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metallic case the size of a deck of cards. Each traveler was provided an identical return pad that reopened the time cube, enabling the time travel. If lost or separated, any traveler could use their assigned pad to reactivate the portation time cube and return to the present time.

Brett pulled out an identical case from his pocket. “I have mine.”

​Gallagher was tapping his pockets, looking for his case. Finally, reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out the small metallic case. “We’re all set.”

​“All right, let’s head over to the Japanese …” Paulson stopped midsentence, his eyes wide open.

​“What? What is it?”

​“That little boy over there … he caught my eye.” Paulson pointed his finger without raising his arm toward a man who was grabbing the wrist of a little boy no older than five years of age. The man was pulling the little boy so hard that the child was nearly lifted off his feet. Oblivious to the many visitors to the palace, the man was dragging the child toward the three travelers.

​The man’s strong Italian accent echoed within the domed rotunda. Gallagher, who was fluent in Italian, as well as German and Spanish, heard the man speaking with a combination of English and Italian. “Stupido piccolo bastardo, why would you do that!” The man was angry and physically pushed the child against the wall a few feet from the three travelers. The force of the push knocked the air out of the child’s lungs as he hit the wall. Raising his open hand, the man swung and forcibly struck the child against the side of the head.

A sinking feeling overcame Paulson as he stared at the boy with disbelief and a rising anger, which flushed his face red.

The man grabbed the boy’s hair and shook his head. “Buono a niente. Wait until you get home. You will get it!”

​Paulson began to move toward the Italian man.

Suddenly, Gallagher was overcome by a crippling migraine headache. Instinctively, he held up hands to his temple. Momentarily unaware of what had caused the sudden pain, he realized Paulson was going to interfere with time. “Paulson, wait,” he murmured. Looking to Brett for help, he saw Brett was also holding his temple. “Brett!”

Brett heard Gallagher call to him as he instinctively grasped toward Paulson, but his reach was short. He was crippled from the searing pain shooting through his temple. “No, Robert, you can’t …”

Paulson did not hear Brett or Gallagher. The pain shooting through his head appeared to further enrage Paulson as he grit his teeth and moved forward. Paulson watched the tears swell in the little boy’s eyes. The boy remained quiet as he fought from crying and letting his tears roll down his cheeks. Paulson’s reddened face was a mixture of anger, pain, and compassion. The Italian man put his hands on his hips and then pointed to the little boy. Scolding the child in Italian, the father was again raising his hand, ready to strike.

Paulson was nearing the father and began reaching out to grab the Italian man’s arm before it struck the child.

Gallagher shouted in vain. “No!”

Driven by a blind fury, Paulson was inches from grabbing the arm, but he never reached the Italian. Neither the man nor the child noticed Paulson as he attempted to stop the swing.

In a fleeting moment, Paulson vanished just as the father delivered a blow to the small child. Brett and Gallagher were in disbelief as they watched Paulson de-exist before them. There was no plume of smoke or pile of dust on the ground. In the blink of an eye, Paulson disappeared like a light being turned off.

Paulson’s de-existence took Gallagher and Brett a moment to process. The two stared in shock at the place where Paulson had just stood, an empty space on the floor of the Fine Arts Palace. Still unaware of anyone else, the Italian man forcibly dragged his child away and headed toward the exit.

A small group of visitors were looking over at the commotion. Gallagher and Brett were standing frozen as someone called out, “What the devil is going on over there?”

Moving through the small group, the two constables who had greeted the travelers at the entrance had returned into the Fine Arts Palace. “What’s all this?”

A woman was heard telling the constables about a man shouting at a child.

One of the constables noticed Gallagher and Brett standing motionless. The officer moved toward the two travelers. “You two, what did you see?”

Gallagher and Brett looked at each other, both without words. Gallagher was nodding and shaking his head simultaneously. The painful headache dissipated. Fighting the urge to bring attention to himself, he finally spoke. “Nothing. We didn’t see anything.”

The constable stared at the two questioningly. “Sit tight, you two. I’ll be right back.” The officer turned and walked to his partner.

Gallagher reached out to Brett and grabbed his arm. “We need to leave. The mission is over.”

​Brett held his hands to his forehead, still shaking off the migraine. “But we should … I mean, could we … I, I …” His mind raced to what he already knew. Paulson had de-existed. He would not be coming back, nor was he returning to his home in the future. His life ended at the Fine Arts Palace in Chicago 1893. Further, the incident in the rotunda had brought a police presence, and Gallagher and Brett were no longer anonymous.

​“We can’t stay. We need to go now.”

Brett rubbed his eyes. He saw the two constables talking and motioning toward him. He finally answered. “Yes … we need to go.”

The two understood and followed the protocol for a failed mission. Quietly exit and return back to the PTE Unit Complex in the present day. The missing jade necklace would forever remain lost in time.

Chapter 2

The PTE Unit Complex

There is a moment during time-portation that provides the traveler with an accelerated feeling in the stomach, almost like a roller coaster ride going down that first slope. However, when Brett and Gallagher returned from 1893 to the present day, the portation did not leave a sensation in the stomach. Both Miles Gallagher and Michael Brett remained stunned and saddened by the de-existence of their friend, Robert Paulson.

The two departed Chicago aboard the train to the portation return spot, north of Duluth, Minnesota. After opening the time cube, the two portated to the present day and boarded a flight to Seattle to return to their Past Time Evacuators Unit. Without the jade necklace or their colleague, the two quietly returned to the PTE Unit Complex outside Seattle. Any mission ran the risk of interference with time, and de-existing was a known hazard. Nevertheless, the moment could not be prepared for and remained etched on the memory of the two men.

Arriving in Seattle, Gallagher and Brett were met at the airport by a PTE military escort. As was the custom upon returning from a mission, the military escort wore camouflage clothing with only two stripes on the sleeve indicating the rank of corporal. The greeting was formal, and no names were exchanged. Entering the unmarked black sedan, they drove an hour northward to the PTE Unit Complex.

The PTEUC was constructed in the northern part of Washington State at latitude 47° north, also known as the forty-seventh parallel. The latitudinal line crosses three continents, allowing the travelers to move between North America, Europe, and Asia along the latitude line.

The time device transported travelers within the troposphere as Earth spun along the forty-seventh parallel. The unit’s main computer, housed in the time console, adjusted to the changes in geographic height and the planet’s orbit around the sun, ensuring the travelers were never transported into harm’s way. Travelers never feared arriving in the middle of outer space when the planet was on the other side of the sun or inside of a mountain when moving from sea level to higher ground.

The Past Time Evacuators Unit was a military-controlled operation, housed within a modified military distribution center. The PTEUC was divided into three units of operation: the travelers, the researchers, and the military. Gallagher and Brett were assigned as travelers. To minimize relationships from developing from other units of the PTE operation, the travelers were kept secluded from most of the researchers and military. On those occasions when interaction occurred, Gallagher or Brett rarely knew the names of those they were interacting with, including their military escort from the airport.

The driver arrived at the PTEUC, entering a long, enclosed tunnel that separated the different units of operation. They passed the military unit, which housed the internal barracks, mess hall, and armory. Further down the tunnel was the research unit, including a warehouse of time period items, clothing, and supplies. At the end of the tunnel was the travelers unit.

The travelers unit was made of three unique PTE sectors. Sector one was the portation room, which housed the time-travel console that would send travelers along the forty-seventh parallel. Sector two was the library room, where no books were stored but was used as the central research and distribution center. The library held three long lab tables, a large map table, and several interactive computer monitors to allow the travelers to prepare for missions. Sector three was the travelers’ quarters, which included the colonel’s office, the travelers’ private quarters, and a reception lounge area with an adjoining kitchen and washrooms.

The corporal parked the black sedan in the tunnel outside the travelers unit. The colonel’s adjunct, whom Gallagher and Brett only knew as “Sergeant Major,” met the two at the door. His uniform, like the corporal’s, did not have a name stenciled on the operational camouflage breast pocket. Only the sergeant major insignia, with a star surrounded by stripes designating the rank, was sewn into his upper sleeves. “Thank you, Corporal,” the sergeant major told the escort. “You’re excused.”

As their military escort left, the sergeant major stretched his arm out and pointed to the colonel’s office. “The colonel is expecting you.”

The PTE commander was Colonel Tatiana Mangrove, who oversaw the entire PTE operation. Although the travelers did not hold a commissioned military post, they were classified as “government experimental personnel” and supervised, managed, and directed by Colonel Mangrove. Her slender frame did not reflect her strength in leading. She was a decisive leader, confident in her abilities as the head of the operation for the past two years.

Upon entering the colonel’s office, Brett and Gallagher were motioned to sit by the colonel, who remained seated. She maintained a high standard of dress and appearance, her military uniform spotless and her hair secured in a ponytail. Once seated, Gallagher and Brett provided her with a summary of the World’s Fair mission. The colonel listened to the report of Paulson’s heroic yet detrimental actions. “Then the police arrived. We were about to be interrogated. That’s when we abandoned the mission.”

After finishing the report, Gallagher and Brett looked exhausted and drained.

The colonel sat upright in her chair as she considered her words. She had stroked a strand of her auburn hair over her ear. “I understand what Mr. Paulson did.”

​Gallagher and Brett both looked up in surprise. The colonel rarely engaged in personal conversations, preferring to remain focused on PTE missions.

​The colonel leaned forward on her chair. “Mr. Paulson grew up in an abusive environment,” she explained bluntly. “He might have, at that moment, acted upon pure instinct.”

​Brett shook his head. “We just watched. I did nothing. Maybe we should have—”

​The colonel cut Brett off. “Mr. Brett, you did nothing because there was nothing you could have done. Abandoning the mission was the right decision.”

​Before Brett could reply, the colonel rose and walked from behind the desk. “You both know that it is critical to stay within the mission parameters and avoid interference when possible. The further you stray, the greater the risk of de-existing.” She leaned against her desk. “Mr. Paulson, above anyone else, knew the risks. He knew our focus … our goals. And he was keenly aware of the perils of interfering with history on any mission. As are you.”

Gallagher echoed her words. “Yeah, perils.”

​“We will need to do some notifications and make arrangements. In the meantime, I’d like you two to go to your quarters and get some rest.” The colonel tapped her index finger three times on the desk. “If, after resting, you’re ready to return, I would like to brief you on the mission. We have updated information on a new artifact.”

​“Another mission?” Gallagher asked.

​The colonel moved to her office door. “Yes, another mission that I’d like to begin as soon as possible. I’m meeting with Dr. Foster later. I’ll also update him on the Chicago details. After you rest, I’ll have Dr. Foster check on your readiness. If you need more time, I’ll see to it that it’s allowed. If, however, you are ready to begin another mission, Dr. Foster will arrange for a briefing to bring you up to speed.”

​The colonel opened her office door and called to her adjunct. “Sergeant Major, will you escort Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Brett to their quarters?”

​“Yes, ma’am.” The colonel’s adjunct promptly entered the office. “Gentlemen, this way, please.” The sergeant major pointed to the lounge area outside the office.

​Gallagher and Brett stood and followed the sergeant major toward their private quarters adjacent to the reception lounge in the travelers’ unit of the PTEUC. Passing through the lounge, Gallagher and Brett noticed that a meal was set for them at the kitchen table. The sergeant major walked to the table and pulled out two chairs for them. Realizing their hunger, the two sat down and quietly ate. As their stomachs filled, Gallagher and Brett soon grew tired.

Chapter 3

The New Mission

The colonel had been correct about the need for rest. Following the meal, Gallagher and Brett entered their respective quarters and slept deeply. The following day, Gallagher felt rested and had his energy back. As he sat up in bed, he thought about the idea of a new mission. For each mission, there was the excitement of a challenging goal to retrieve lost artifacts from the past. Although his emotions were mixed with the sadness of losing a colleague, Gallagher was an adventurer by nature and lived for different quests. At a young age, he left home to travel mainland Europe, seeking the excitement that crossed his path. Upon recruitment to the PTE and undertaking his role as a traveler, Gallagher had finally felt a sense of purpose. Feeling reinvigorated, he walked out to the reception lounge.

Brett was standing in the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee. He turned to see Gallagher walk out of his room. “Foster was just here,” he said.

Scanning the reception lounge for Foster, Gallagher replied, “Where did he go?”

“I told him I felt good and was up for hearing the colonel’s briefing of the new mission if you were. He said he’d speak with her and come back to check on you.”

During their time together, Gallagher and Brett had successfully completed twelve time-travel trips, working with either Robert Paulson or Dr. Nikodem Foster. Foster did not like the name “Nick” or the use of his academic title, as his doctorate was in engineering, not medical. He maintained his modesty by asking that he be referred to the same way as all the travelers by their last name, rarely using first names. Although Foster had knowledge of thermomagnetic time travel and had worked with the inventor of the time-travel console, Dr. Angler, he favored being a traveler.

Foster was smiling as he entered the lounge. “Gallagher! I’m glad to see you’re up.”

Gallagher gave a chuckle, as he knew Foster was giving him a jab about sleeping more than the others. “Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” he retorted.

“Look, I’m terribly saddened to hear about Paulson. The colonel updated me and has directed arrangements to be made at the end of the month.” Foster moved over to a lounge chair and sat down. “I knew Paulson for a long time, and I wish I could have been there.”

“I’m not sure there was anything you could have done … or that we could have done,” Gallagher replied.

“Probably not,” Foster sighed. “I had known about his past trauma and abuse. He didn’t like to talk about his past, but it was always there. I know he couldn’t have allowed a child to be hit in front of him.”

“We didn’t know,” Gallagher added. “It happened so fast.”

Foster nodded. “If done all over again, I’m not sure he would’ve done anything different.” Foster stood back up. “We all have things that make up our character that we can’t define. Call them primal instincts or core values. But it is those things that make up our individuality. Paulson … was doing what he needed to do.”

​“Maybe.” Gallagher had a tone of anger to his sadness.

“Michael, in all likelihood, by doing anything to stop Paulson, you would have also been interfering. You would have only brought more attention to yourself, possibly having the police detain the two of you. Those actions might have caused all three of you to de-exist. We all know how risky the stakes are on a mission. Robert Paulson above anybody else.” Foster echoed the travelers’ calling.

Brett and Gallagher looked at each for a moment.

​Foster leaned his hands onto the kitchen table. “We all know the risks. We also know our job as travelers and our role in the PTE.”

The three quietly reflected on their calling as time travelers. Brett finally broke the silence. “So … we were told there’s a new mission.”

Foster looked at the two and gave a small smile. “Yes. One that is immediate if you’re ready.”

Brett stood. “I’m ready.”

Gallagher stood too. “I’m good. What’s the new mission?”

“The colonel wants to lead the briefing. She and Maurice are in the library waiting. They have something more challenging than we had previously experienced.”

“Will Maurice have his research team too?”

“Just Maurice.” Foster gave a serious look. “But his research team has come up with something big. Something our skills are needed for.”

“As opposed to what we did before?” Brett chirped.

“It’s the artifact that’s big.”

“What is it?”

“It’s best if the colonel and Maurice explain our mission.” Foster causally pointed to the door.

Gallagher jumped in. “Come on, Foster, what is it?”

Foster stood straight up. “It’s best to hear it from the colonel and Maurice. Let’s get to the library and find out.”

Chapter 4

Map One of Two

Once at the library, the colonel greeted Foster, Gallagher, and Brett. She was standing next to a large touchscreen monitor, alongside the head of the research unit, Maurice. Behind the colonel were various items spread onto a library table. Maurice stood up from the computer as the three travelers entered, glaring at them over his half-rim glasses. Maurice, along with the PTE research team, provided the colonel with the recommended missions from their research of artifacts that were missing or lost in time.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” the colonel began, refocused on a new mission. “Please move to the computer. Mr. Maurice will provide you with background information on the next mission.”

Maurice sat down and clicked the computer screen, showing various information windows. “The artifact we will attempt to recover is a lost treasure from World War II.” He smiled with pride as he tapped the screen to enlarge an image. “We have been searching for over a year for this spectacular lost treasure. This is a photograph of the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World.”

The image showed a vintage photograph that appeared to have been originally black and white and then hand-painted. The caption underneath stated, “The Amber Room of Catherine Palace.” Maurice looked at the colonel, awaiting her directive to continue.

​The colonel, who now stood to the side of the monitor, raised her arm for Maurice to continue. Maurice strolled to the monitor and pointed to the photograph. “It was known famously as the Amber Room. The walls were gilded and carved with thousand-pound amber panels. Those panels were decorated with gold and adorned with gemstones.”

The colonel interjected, “The Amber Room was last displayed in the Catherine Palace outside of St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1944.”

​Maurice continued, “The room was originally constructed in Berlin. But after a visit from Peter the Great, he desired the room to be relocated to Russia in 1716, where it remained until World War II.” Maurice tapped on the screen to bring up an overview of Catherine Palace. “At the end of the German occupation, the Amber Room was dismantled and stolen by the Nazis.” Swiping the computer screen, another image appeared to show a photograph of a Nazi officer. “This is a photograph of Erich Koch, who was the Gauleiter, or regional leader, of East Prussia between 1928 and 1944. Koch was the officer who ordered the Amber Room to be dismantled.”

“Was it taken back to Berlin after dismantling?” Gallagher asked.

“Mr. Gallagher,” the colonel interjected, “let Mr. Maurice finish, and then you may ask questions.”

Maurice did not wait for Gallagher to respond. “We believe Koch hid the Amber Room at a secret location somewhere in East Prussia. In 1944, at the end of World War II, Hitler directed Koch to disassemble the room. Yet the room was not sent to Berlin, and there is no transport record of where it was sent. Koch was imprisoned and interrogated for years regarding the Amber Room. But he never revealed the location. History recorded the Amber Room as a lost treasure.”

“Until now,” the colonel added. “We have discovered a lead on the location of the amber panels.”

Maurice swiped the screen to bring up another black-and-white photograph. “This is Wolfgang Müller of Stuttgart, Germany. Müller worked under Koch in the late 1920s and into the early 1930s. While Koch was governing Nazi operations in East Prussia, he was also looting art, gold, and whatever treasures he could get his hands on, and Müller was aware of the pillaging.”

“The Nazis were certainly known to pillage,” Brett said under his breath.

Ignoring the comment, Maurice continued. “As Koch pillaged, Müller kept inventory records of the stolen treasures while he worked in East Prussia.” Maurice clicked the screen, and a German inventory list appeared. “We uncovered a portion of Müller’s record logs from 1933.” Maurice zoomed in on the German document. “The handwriting on the log is attributed to Müller. The log recorded items that Koch pillaged and stole, including artwork and jewelry.”

The colonel pointed to the log of items. “Müller listed the item and quantity in the first two columns. In the next column, he included the routing information. Either nach Berlin or lagerraumkarte.”

Gallagher translated. “Nach Berlin means ‘to Berlin.’ The first part of the next word, lagerraum, means ‘storage room.’”

“It could also mean ‘storehouse.’ Müller’s note denotes whether the stolen items are shipped to Berlin or to a storehouse, or storage room. Do you know the other word?” the colonel asked.

Gallagher nodded. “Karte means ‘map.’ The two words together translate to ‘storage room map.’ Or ‘storehouse map’ if you prefer.”

Maurice was nodding. “Yes, ‘map.’ Müller refers to a map where the items were sent.”

“What are the items that Koch sent to his storehouse map?” Foster asked.

“There were two items on this log that Müller noted lagerraumkarte. A gold-mounted nephrite vase and an Ilya Repin painting titled Ivan Outside.”

​Foster was familiar with the painter Repin. “Koch was bold to hide the more expensive items from his bosses.”

​“Brave or greedy,” Gallagher added.

“There is another connection to Müller.” The colonel stepped back from the screen. “Not only did he work as Koch’s bookkeeper, but he also served as a cartographer. Müller kept a log as well as created maps to the storage locations in East Prussia.”