by C. L. Stone
“Yeah, me too.” I wasn’t sure what I was nervous about, more about hearing what was going on. Hopefully, news of my brother, if he’d been found. “Can I ask you something?”
Lake nodded. “Sure.”
“Why do you…what would make you want to join this Academy? From what you know about it?”
“I know it did a world of difference for Axel,” he said. “And they’ve done a lot for me. It’s dangerous, like this past week… but they take care of you.” He shrugged. “That’s all I know. I’m still figuring out. But they’ve done more for me than my own family. Except for Axel. He’s always helping.” His eyes looked away, toward the ground. “I’ve got to fit in somewhere, maybe?”
I reached out to him, holding his arm with a light grip until he looked at me.
“If they don’t let you in, if you don’t fit,” I said to him. “You come find me. If they won’t take you, they sure as hell won’t take me, either. We’ll start our own team.”
He seemed pleased with this, and even chuckled.
But I was serious. Even after he went off to finish with the cleaning up, I hated to think what would happen if the Academy wouldn’t take me.
And was it worse if they did?
People returned, including the guy who went out for supplies with Blake. I scanned the area, looking at the people, counting off. “Where’s Blake?” I asked him.
He hesitated to answer me. “He had to go. Back to the city.”
I was surprised to hear this. “What? Why? Is he in trouble?” I was thinking the police were demanding him for questioning.
“It’s his brother, and his wife. I overheard. Something happened. He left to go to that hospital. That’s all I know.”
Maybe the baby had arrived. I supposed if it was at the hospital the Academy owned, he was safe enough going back.
It bothered me though. He didn’t even stop to tell me. He just left. My heart was beating wildly, worried about what was going on.
If he couldn’t come back to tell me…I was worried it was for the worst.
♠♠♠♠♠♠
An hour later, we were on the road and approached Hunter’s Island. It’d been a long road, and the further we went, the less we saw of civilization.
The campground gates were open, with no one in the booth watching who was coming in. We were surrounded by tall pines. There were narrow lanes going around to different parts of the grounds. There were signs, some pointing to where the beach was, a couple pointing out trails to hike.
Liam was driving slow to be able to take the turns in the RV. “I think we need to park in the back,” he said. “I heard something that RVs were further out.”
We rolled in, and Marc, seated in the passenger seat, pointed out the wooden signs. “RVs that way. There’s arrows on those poles.”
When we got to the RV grounds, we were parked by a few others RVs hooked up in various spots. Liam parked. From the windows, there were other people in view, walking around, setting up.
More Academy.
I was a little intimidated leaving the RV amid the others. I stuck close to Corey, following him like a puppy.
I counted some of the RVs, fifteen that I could see. That seemed like a lot.
“We’re supposed to go to the center,” one of them told us. “You guys are just in time for the welcome session.”
“Isn’t it fun they picked camping this year?” another mentioned. “Last minute, but I see why. Good excuse to come out.”
They hadn’t been told, at least the ones we talked to. They thought this was some Academy camping experience. A little get together.
Maybe Lake had a right to be nervous. How were we supposed to hide that we were the reason they were here in the first place?
That we were hiding from people who sought to possibly kill more than a few of us?
Liam and Lillian and a couple of others stayed with the RV to unload and set up. The rest of us went on to the campground’s meeting spot.
On the way, we were joined by other people, all headed the same direction. I zoned out, just following the others. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, being amid all these people within the Academy.
Would they want a thief? Would they want someone who brought in all this trouble?
Did I want to join? I didn’t even know if I should be here. What if I didn’t want to? Would they separate me from the guys?
I was still inside my mind, trying to make a decision until Brandon said loudly, “Axel?”
Someone ahead of us turned.
He was wearing glasses, and his hair was pulled back from his head in a short ponytail to keep it out of his face. He waited for us to catch up with him.
The others moved in on him, but it was Raven who beat us all, reaching out to embrace him in a hug.
“Didn’t know you were back,” Raven said, squeezing him around the midsection.
Axel spoke like he was out of breath. “Let me go.”
Raven didn’t. “I’m sorry I fought with you.”
Axel raised an eyebrow. “When?”
“All the times.”
Corey approached, dragging Raven back away from him. “Let him go, he was in that car accident, remember?”
“Oh,” Raven said. “Right.” He released him.
“I’m fine. Just a few bruises.” Axel scanned them and then looked to me. He stood still, like he wasn’t going to approach me. “I’m sorry,” he said.
I was confused. “What?”
“I couldn’t find him.” His shoulders slumped then, something I’d never seen him do. His expression was dour, defeated. “I had to leave before I could find your brother.”
He stayed behind to find Wil. My heart went wild, both sad about the news but happy to see him and that he was alive. “He’s probably okay, isn’t he?”
He nodded slowly. “I’ve a feeling he’s fine. It’s just the trail went cold. I’m sorry.”
I reached for him.
He reacted then, like he hadn’t been sure I’d let him. But now that I made the first move, he hugged me, hard. Enough that my breath escaped.
“They didn’t tell me you were coming this early,” he said. “I heard it would be later. I was brought here immediately.” His hand smoothed over my lower back and his other hand’s fingers threaded through my hair.
“Liam wanted to get here as soon as possible,” I said.
He breathed in through his nose, like he was sniffing my hair. “Don’t talk about…us…the relationship. Keep it simple. For now. Just tell them you want to stay with our team. That’s it.”
I remembered what Lillian said. “They already know.”
“Now’s not the time for it. If they ask, redirect to the main point. We can’t separate now. We have to stay together.”
It was a warning. Why was it even mentioned right now? This made me think they were going to do what they did to Lillian, like she said. Encourage me to join another team.
I couldn’t.
I wouldn’t.
I didn’t even know if I wanted in, still. They’d done a lot for me. They were trying to track down my brother. They helped my father.
But there were a lot of things I still didn’t know.
We moved on together as a group. There was a gathering area, sunken into a slope that evened out at the bottom. There were wooden benches surrounding the bottom to overlook a staging area. The center of it all was a firepit. A little campfire was going, some smoke drifting up, not enough to warm anyone, more like a signal to draw attention.
As we approached, my heart beat faster and the more confused I became.
Kids.
Young teens.
Lots of them.
There were more that were older, but the majority that were here, they were kids. Mostly boys, a solid group of girls.
Tears sprung into my eyes as I realized how many there were, some filling the seats, some still coming in. I couldn’t count their numbers, at least a couple hundred.
Their voices rose together, many of them cheerful.
As we approached, Marc slowed down, stopping to tap one of the younger girls on the shoulder.
“Hey, it’s the little doctor,” he said, a grin on his face. “I remember you.”
She seemed startled and didn’t answer right away, her cheeks flushed.
It was odd to me he knew her. Now seeing the size of this group, it made me wonder how many they actually knew.
Axel stepped ahead of us, scanning the seating. He stretched out an arm, pointing. “There’s space for us down there,” he said.
Marc continued to talk to the younger girl when she didn’t respond. “I’m Marc, remember?”
“Sorry,” she said. “I was just...looking...”
“You’re with the doc, aren’t you?”
“Have you seen him?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he said. He looked over his shoulder as I passed him to be able to keep up with the others already headed down the slope. I was more focused on not getting lost and looking over the numerous other people.
I didn’t know why, but this…all of this, it made me angrier.
So many younger people.
This was the Academy?
This? This was it? I’d thought Dr. Green to be strange to be so young and be a doctor. I thought Lake…and the kids Raven was teaching to use guns. I didn’t know…I didn’t know that their Academy could literally have been a school for how many young ones there were.
I looked back once, noting the younger girl joined Marc, following him. She was looking a little lost, too.
Marc was being sweet, walking with her, offering her the seat next to him when we got to a row and sat down.
I wondered where Lake had gone off to. I lost track after finding Axel.
“Kevin,” Axel said.
I perked up, finding Kevin sitting on the other side of Axel.
Kevin looked perturbed, his arms crossed over his body. “Hey.”
Axel didn’t say anything. I looked at my feet.
“Good to see you,” Raven said to him.
Kevin didn’t look at him. I hadn’t noticed he was sitting there until Axel said something. Did he sit here on purpose near him?
He was probably mad at us. I hadn’t heard from him until now.
I wondered how his fiancée was doing.
Maybe after people getting killed, maybe that was the last straw for him. I couldn’t blame him.
That was when I saw Dr. Roberts in the pit, centerstage below us. He looked a bit tired. I wondered why he was here. Who was back at the hospital with Blake’s family and the new baby?
Someone near him lifted an air horn and used it, loud and blaring, to get everyone to pay attention. I shivered, the noise giving me a slight headache. We’d been a quiet group for so long that the chatter and the horn together was a bit much.
Dr. Roberts waved his arms, motioning for people to sit.
An elderly woman, thin with cheeks a little gaunt, stood beside him. She was a cute old lady, looking like a cheery counterpart to him.
She was holding the airhorn, beaming like she was enjoying the power. She blasted it once more, shorter this time, looking ready to laugh about it.
The crowd found seats quickly and settled down. Everyone fell silent enough we could hear the trees rustling in a light breeze. It did surprise me that unlike when I was in high school during class or assembly, everyone knew to get quiet and listen. Everyone was so focused, even the youngest kids.
Dr. Roberts and the older woman took several steps back, allowing an older, dark-haired man, with white patches at his temples, to take centerstage. The group of them on stage did appear older. Were they…was someone the leader? Was it this one that came forward?
He waved hello. “Welcome, everyone!” he said into a microphone, a huge speaker on the stage blaring out his voice. A few in the crowd waved back but everyone remained silent. “I am Mr. Duncan. My associates and I would like to welcome you to camp. Thanks for coming. I know we’re all anxious to get on with camp activities. I’m excited to let you all know we do have an arts and crafts section set up in a picnic area. Archery, hiking, fishing and some of the other usual activities: first-aid training, et cetera. are all available. You know the drill: do a circle around the camp, find a flag, it’ll take you to a station to learn something new.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, and then everyone settled down.
Camp. He was acting like we were all at camp. Like a normal one. In December. When it was cold. No one questioned this? No one wondered why there was a last-minute request to get everyone out of the city?
“There’s no need for appointments,” he continued, “or to even stay with your teams. This is your vacation, a chance to learn new things and even meet a few new people. You don’t need to try to get to everything, but I encourage you all to try something you’re not familiar with. You never know; you might find something new you enjoy.
“We’ve got several new people, whom I want to welcome...”
A thunderous applause erupted. My heart was beating just as loud. I wondered if from among all of them, they could tell when someone was new. That I didn’t belong.
The man with the microphone waved once and the crowd settled. “You can meet them all through the week,” he said. “I just wanted to say hello.”
The more he went on, the more my heart raced. Was this to keep the younger ones calm? Don’t worry kids, no one is coming to hunt us down here…I was sure they hadn’t been told the truth. Most of them thought this was just a get together.
It made me scared at how I hadn’t known the risk I’d been taking before.
All of them.
All these kids.
And the Academy thought they’d dabble in the world of drugs with Blake like when we first met them? That they didn’t pull back more when Alice appeared and people were getting kidnapped?
Maybe I had been risking them, their lives, but I hadn’t known. They’d all known. They could have told me what was at stake.
Mr. Duncan continued. “New people, this is your chance to get to know us. You were invited to our Academy for a reason. You’re smart. You’re capable. You have a desire to help others. It’s that simple, folks. I know it looks complicated from the outside, but this is your chance to learn it from the inside. We’ll help you find your place and then we’ll all work together to help others.
I glanced down at the ground, at my feet. I wondered how much I would have changed my actions prior had I known anything at all about them. But now they were showing me?
So I wouldn’t risk them any more?
“I don’t want to take up any more time unless we have any announcements?” He turned, looking at Dr. Roberts, who shook his head, but the older woman started signing at him. Her hands moved fast, and I had no idea what she was saying.
“Oh, right,” the man said and turned once again to the audience. “Most of your team and family leads will be in the cabins as we need to go over new protocols and train new leads for the year. If you need them, find the cabins. Maps will be handed out to you as you leave here. Grab two. Remember the rule of two.”
Rule of two? Have two just in case you lost one?
How long were we supposed to be here? Were they going to keep me here?
“Before everyone leaves,” he continued, “I need all the new people down here with us. We’d just like to say hello and get to know you.” He clapped his hands over his head and then spread them out. “I think that’s it. Emergency information is on the map. We’re all family here. Have fun.”
They had to be kidding.
“Camping?” I cried out, trying to keep it between the guys but unable to control my shaking. “Are you serious?” I motioned to Axel. “Team leads, is that you? Are you in a cabin? What is this?”
Marc approached, and the others circled around me.
“It’s not that bad,” Corey said. “It’s an Academy introduction thing. Gets new
people to know what we’re about. It’s good. They’re wanting you to find out so you can see if you want to join.”
“Isn’t this just a cover for what happened?” I asked. “There’s people getting killed out there…”
Corey looked from me to Axel.
“Yes,” Raven said. “Same.”
That’s when I got distracted by Dr. Roberts pointing at me. “Miss Winchester. Would you please join us?”
I frowned, leaning into Axel. “I’m a new person so I have to stay?”
“Protocol,” he murmured. “Just go with it for now.”
I didn’t want to, but I allowed it for now. I used the benches as steps as people had cleared out, the center was busy with people talking and leaving.
At the last one, I jumped off the bench and shifted to stand next to Dr. Roberts. I didn’t know anyone else.
The girl that Marc had spoken to, she came up, using the center isle and squeezing around people, and stood next to me.
She looked embarrassed to be there, blushing. She must be new.
Like me.
There were lots of kids that were leaving. They must not have been new, but something like fifty of us were left behind, waiting to hear whatever this part was.
Axel, Marc, and the rest of the guys hadn’t moved, and sat on the benches together, watching and waiting.
I kept my arms folded, feeling ready to run off if this was stupid.
I shouldn’t be here playing camping. My brother was back in Charleston. My father saved some of us from getting wrapped up in the police. Was he allowed to go home? Would Alice find him?
Blake was gone and the baby… I wanted to know what happened there.
Mr. Duncan clapped his hands, and we all turned and focused on him.
He smiled. He had a broad body, wide shoulders, and a protruding stomach, like a younger Santa without the beard. “Welcome,” he said. “I know you all must be really confused.”
He had to know. I guessed he was in charge, maybe?
“Tell me about it,” one of the younger teen guys said. “I’ve got questions.”
“Me, too,” one of the young girls said. Most of the ones that were new were younger than me, or appeared to be. She stood tall and put her hands on her hips. “Why are we here? And what are all these rules they can’t tell me about?”