L T Haines

The Torii Gate L T Haines

On March 11, 2011 an earthquake powerful enough to shift the earth on its axis hit Japan. Luana "Lu" Thomas was there. That day was like any other aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni. After another unavoidable run-in with her dad, who was just back from his third deployment, Lu joined her friends for a school trip to the Torii Gate at Miyajima Island. When blaring sirens and a giant wave interrupt her day of adventure and flirtation, Lu is swept underwater, pushed through the Torii Gate and forced back in time and into war. On March 11, 1944, Imperial Japan is losing its hold in the Pacific and the Allies are coming aided by Japanese American Nisei, their secret intelligence weapons. Lu is rescued by one of these Nisei who holds the key to her survival and the only means by which she can return home. Can Lu conquer her emotional burdens in order to complete the mission only she can perform, or will she be lost forever?