Axel Jack and Daisha Tandala are two thirteen-year-old friends running from a billionaire madman who killed their scientist parents and now wants what the kids have―a GeoPort (Geographical Transportation System.) The GeoPort, invented by their parents, has the ability to transport a person to any place on Earth within seconds. Knowing the power they had created, their parents' dying wish was for the kids to destroy the GeoPort before it lands in the wrong hands. But when the teens are separated by their pursuers, they must make a life or death attempt to find each other and get the GeoPort to a mysterious Indian Temple where the chase becomes more than just a high-tech game of hide-and-seek, but a war for control of everything―money, culture, politics, and power. "Urey writes a solid adventure, with engaging protagonists, a neat gimmick, and a cliffhanger ending."— Kirkus Reviews "A science-fiction plot that travels at warp speed, rarely slowing down until its conclusion." ―Booklist "In this fast-paced, globe-hopping adventure, Urey (the Super Schnoz series) delivers a gripping tale full of surprises, starring memorable protagonists set against almost overwhelming odds."― Publishers Weekly "Urey writes a solid adventure, with engaging protagonists, a neat gimmick, and a cliffhanger ending."- Kirkus Reviews "A science-fiction plot that travels at warp speed, rarely slowing down until its conclusion." ?Booklist "In this fast-paced, globe-hopping adventure, Urey (the Super Schnoz series) delivers a gripping tale full of surprises, starring memorable protagonists set against almost overwhelming odds."? Publishers Weekly Gary Urey is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He has also worked as a theatre reviewer and script reader. He lives and writes in Brunswick, Maine.   Pursued: Secrets of the X-Point By Gary Urey Albert Whitman & Company Copyright © 2017 Gary Urey All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8075-6686-2 CHAPTER 1 AXEL Axel Jack exploded out of thin air and hit the concrete with a bone-crunching thud. His head throbbed, and his body ached from the sudden blast through the Satellite Warp. He shook off the impact, lifted his head, and saw the shoes of passing pedestrians — sneakers, high heels, loafers, wing tips, sandals. A set of dirty bare feet walked directly toward him. "You Houdini?" a grizzled voice asked. A gnarled, arthritic finger touched Axel's shoulder. Axel clutched the GeoPort unit in his jeans pocket and sat up on his knees, every muscle tensed to run. The old guy towering over him had a long beard and a pockmarked face, and smelled like he'd just urinated all over himself. Relief swelled in Axel's chest. The man definitely wasn't a Pursuer. He was safe — for the moment. He stood up and stared at the strange surroundings. Hundreds of people clogged the busy sidewalks. Honking yellow taxis whizzed down the street. Skyscrapers soared into the clouds like giant man-made mountains. "I'm in a city," Axel said. "A big freaking city." "New York City," the man mumbled. "You a magician or something?" "Huh?" Axel grunted back. "One minute I'm drooling over a sweet hunk of carrot cake in that deli window, and the next I see you. A loud boom like a car backfiring and then a big puff of smoke like you was in a magic show or something." "I wish it were magic. You said I'm in New York City, right?" "The one and only Big Apple. Got a dollar?" Axel reached into his pocket and pulled out a bill. "Here you go. Sorry, it's Vietnamese dong. That's where I just came from." He hoisted his backpack over his shoulders and sprinted down the street. The weather was warm, but not like the oppressive humidity of Vietnam where his last chase had taken place. He took off his jacket, tied it around his waist, and headed toward a patch of green in the otherwise gray urban landscape. The GeoPort vibrated in his pocket. He quickly took the palm-sized, twenty-first-century version of the Holy Grail out and read the coordinates. 40.7420° N, 73.9876° W "Madison Square Park," Axel said aloud. "Homeless people never lie. I'm smack-dab in the heart of New York City." Axel slipped the GeoPort back into his pocket, his eyes nervously scanning the faces in the crowd. He knew the Pursuers back in Vietnam had a short window of opportunity to find the Warp with their trackers. If they sniffed it out, some extremely nasty men would soon materialize in front of the deli with the carrot cake in the window. A bright yellow sun beamed high in the sky. Axel knew from the sun's position that it was noon on a hot June day. If the Pursuers were able to follow him, he'd have to run and hide for the next nine hours or so. Until the sun went down and the Pursuers' solar tracking device could no longer pinpoint his location. He grabbed a spare shirt from his backpack, wiped the sweat off his flushed face, and jogged down the street. One thought raced through his mind as he dashed in and out