Desert Dark

by Sonja Stone

  Nadia nodded. “I see your point, but I’m with Alan on this one. Can’t we just go over it at the dojo or something?”

  “Fitting in takes years of practice. People have to like you but not remember you. Meanwhile, you need to train your eye to notice every detail of your surroundings. Right? Close your eyes. Okay, now what color are my eyes?”

  Nadia smiled. “Like dark chocolate.”

  “Alan’s?”

  She shrugged. “I want to say . . . light brown?”

  “Hazel,” Alan interjected.

  “How many emergency exits in this room? No—keep your eyes closed.”

  “I don’t know, three?”

  “Which way is north?”

  Nadia opened her eyes. “Are you kidding me? I don’t even know where the bathroom is. I’d be dead by now, wouldn’t I?” She tended to be hideously unobservant about her surroundings, despite her father’s constant efforts to the contrary. She focused on people instead. Body language, innuendo. “I am so in over my head.”

  “As we have noticed,” Alan said.

  “Nah, these are skills you can learn, but they take practice and discipline.”

  “You close your eyes,” Nadia instructed Damon. “How many exits?”

  He made a face. “Please. Don’t insult me. Four exits: two on the south wall, the main exit on the north wall, and one to the west. The alarm will sound if you open that door. Two cameras and four motion sensors are mounted along the ceiling. Your eyes are green unless you’re wearing navy, then they look blue. Right now you have on a pair of pearl earrings you borrowed from Libby. I know they’re hers because she wore them last Thursday. You’ve touched your ears three times during this conversation, which tells me you think the pearls are real and you’re afraid you’ll lose them. Don’t sweat it; they’re not real.”

  “He’s right,” Libby whispered. “They’re fakes.”

  His eyes opened. “Have I satisfied you?”

  “Nobody likes a show-off,” Nadia answered, as Libby tried not to laugh.

  Nadia was so nervous about meeting Jack, she hardly touched her dinner.

  He was waiting at the gate. “Let’s go slow so we can talk. I want to ask you about something.”

  Nadia’s stomach fluttered. “Okay.” Is he going to ask me to the dance?

  They started down the path. The evening air was hot against her skin.

  “Do you think you’ll be able to catch up in your classes? Because if you feel overwhelmed I can find you a tutor. It’s important to start out strong.”

  His slow pace was like her medium. “Yeah, I’m okay. I don’t need any help.”

  “You missed a lot this summer.”

  “I’m fine, really.”

  “Great. No worries, then. I just wanted to touch base with you.”

  “That’s what you wanted to ask me?” Nadia said the words quickly so he wouldn’t know she was already winded.

  “Yeah. I’m your team leader, so if you need help with anything, I’m your man.”

  Nadia couldn’t figure out why he’d invited her here to ask a question he could’ve asked anywhere. Unless he thought I might be embarrassed for needing extra help. In which case, he’s gorgeous and thoughtful.

  “I got it,” she said finally. “But thanks for the offer.”

  Libby wasn’t in the room when Nadia returned from her run. She peeled off her sweat-soaked clothes and turned on the shower. Two days and I’m already exhausted. I need to get in shape.

  She stood under the water for a long time. The cool stream washed the prickly heat from her scalp, the stickiness from her skin. After twenty minutes, finally refreshed, she stepped onto the tile and wrapped herself in a thick towel. In the bedroom, as she selected a pair of pajamas, a flash of color caught her eye. Something moved across the floor—not a mouse, something large and bright. It ran under her desk.

  Nadia dropped the pajamas and jumped onto her bed. A black-and-orange lizard the size of her thigh huddled beneath her chair. His beaded scales shimmered in the soft bedroom light.

  What the hell is that? Her legs shook. A thick, forked tongue slithered out of the animal’s mouth. “Is anyone there?” she yelled at the closed door.

  The lizard scurried toward her, sharp claws clicking across the floor. A low wail escaped her lips; a strange sound, one she’d never heard. He veered right and disappeared under Libby’s bedskirt.

  What do I do? Wait for Libby? What if it bites her as she comes in the room? I can’t take that chance.

  Libby’s bed stood between Nadia and the door.

  Holding her towel tight, Nadia jumped onto her roommate’s bed. She leaned forward and turned the knob.

  Nadia leapt into the hall and slammed the door. Two steps toward the lobby, she realized her towel was caught. It ripped off her body and lay in a damp heap on the floor. She stood naked in the hallway.

  “Oh my God! What are you doing?” a girl called from the lobby. “Put some clothes on!”

  Nadia’s face burned. Six, maybe seven girls had gathered at the end of the hall to watch the scene. She yanked on the towel. It didn’t budge. She grabbed with both hands and pulled as hard as she could. The damp towel slipped from her fingers and she fell onto her butt. Scrambling to her feet, she opened the door enough to free the fabric and slammed it shut again. She sprinted to the lobby.

  From behind her desk, Casey asked, “Nadia, are you all right?”

  Nadia shook her head. “There’s a giant lizard in my room.”

  By now, everyone on her hall had grouped to the lobby.

  “A lizard?” Jennifer asked. “Are you joking? You’re afraid of a lizard?”

  “No, you don’t understand. This thing is like a baby dragon.”

  Casey telephoned maintenance. A few minutes later a man in a steel-blue jumpsuit arrived.

  “Everyone decent?” he asked. He rocked on his heels. “What’s the problem?”

  “Giant reptile in my room.” Nadia sat on the lobby sofa, gratefully wrapped in Casey’s bathrobe.

  “I’ll have a look,” he said.

  Nadia waited impatiently, scowling at the group of girls chatting by the front door. A few minutes later the man returned, empty handed.

  “Where’s the lizard?” Casey asked.

  “I’ll have to call animal control. It’s a Gila monster. I’m not going near that thing.” He removed his baseball hat, wiped his brow with the sleeve of his shirt and shook his head.

  “What’s a Gila monster?” Nadia asked.

  “You’ve heard of rattlers and scorpions, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, they’re nothing compared to this.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “A Gila monster is ten times deadlier than all of them. It grabs onto its victim and doesn’t let go. Nothing you can do to unclamp those jaws. Docs in the ER say people come in with the lizard still hanging off their arm.”

  “How did it get in my room?” Nadia’s voice was high and shrill.

  “I don’t know. These lobby doors close automatically, for the very purpose of keeping out the desert creatures. But that’s not even the strangest part.” He paused.

  Nadia raised her eyebrows. After a second she lifted her hands, exasperated, and asked, “Well? What is?”

  “Gila monsters are extremely rare. I’ve lived here thirty-five years and never seen one outside the zoo. Don’t know anyone who has. They live underground, they’re completely nocturnal and they almost never surface.” He chuckled. “You’re one lucky lady.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “Cause you didn’t get bit. That would’ve been lights out for you, sweetheart.”

  21

  JACK

  WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

  Wednesday evening, shortly after dinner, Jack headed to the air-conditioned comfort of the library. He found a quiet armchair along the wall and studied his fledglings from across the room.

  So far, Jack’s assessment
of Nadia was remarkably inconclusive. She wasn’t mediocre at anything, which is what he’d expected from a trained agent making a decided effort to appear untrained. She was either great at a task or awful, never in the middle.

  Yesterday afternoon, for example, a few hours after inviting Nadia to meet him for a run, Jack had stood on the patio outside the dining hall as the juniors reported to the main lawn for Phys Ed. Sensei demonstrated the use of a bow and arrow, then allowed the students to practice. Jack admired Nadia’s posture: firm stance, erect spine, strong arms.

  “Look,” Sensei called to his class. “Notice her form. Nadia-san, fire.”

  Nadia drew back the bow. Her body straight, her hands steady, she released the string. The arrow flew clean and fast. It pierced the target, second ring from center.

  No way was that her first time. She was way too comfortable with the weapon for a newbie. Perfect form.

  But then last night when they’d gone for a run, she could barely keep up. She was either out of shape, or she’d deliberately panted to seem weak. He’d funneled her ahead of him on the trail to observe her cadence: smooth, efficient. A born athlete. Jack couldn’t quite figure it out.

  Nadia looked up from her books, her movement drawing Jack back to the moment. She glanced toward the library entrance, checked the ceiling. What is she looking for? Surveillance cameras? Points of entry? Besides yesterday’s red flag, when she’d accurately identified his motives for confiding in her (in about a nanosecond), she seemed like a typical recruit. Her eyes stopped on Jack. He smiled and strolled across the floor to her table. “How’s it going? You guys helping our girl catch up?” He placed his hand on Nadia’s shoulder. She smiled back.

  “We are not miracle workers,” Alan said.

  “Sarcasm,” Nadia said. “How refreshing.”

  “Furthermore,” Alan said to her, “Desert Mountain is not a nudist colony. We heard about last night. I do not know what protocol was in Virginia, but here we remain clothed, at all times.”

  “Whoa, what are you talking about?” Jack asked.

  Nadia’s face reddened. She said to Alan, “I don’t think that’s a problem you’ll be facing anytime soon.”

  “Come on, now. We’re a team,” Libby said. “Let’s not say anything we might regret.”

  “And what’s your aversion to contractions?” Nadia continued. “Because it doesn’t make you sound well spoken; you just sound pretentious.”

  Alan’s face flushed. “I use contractions all the time.”

  Jack grinned and sat down on the edge of their table. “Wait, nudist colony? What’s this now?”

  “You’re kind of on my things,” Alan said, pulling at some papers under Jack’s thigh. “I am discriminated against because I am eloquent.” He scratched at his throat.

  Jack leaned to the side, freeing Alan’s papers. “Go back to last night.”

  “We had a Gila monster in our room. Nadia’s lucky she wasn’t injured. Y’all shouldn’t be joking about this.”

  “No kidding. Were you there, too?” Jack asked Libby.

  Libby averted her eyes. “I was not present.” She patted Nadia’s hand. “I should’a been.”

  Nadia shook her head. “I was really worried you’d walk in and get bitten. I’m glad you didn’t come home.”

  “When was this?” Jack asked.

  “Right after our run.”

  “Man, you got lucky, huh?” Besides the occasional scorpion in the shower, he’d never heard of an animal breach in the dorms.

  Nadia raised an eyebrow. “So I’ve been told.”

  “I just thank God you’re okay,” Libby said. “I would’ve been devastated if anything had happened to you.”

  “I would have been fine,” said Alan.

  “Never mind him.” Damon shot Alan a look.

  “I promise you, despite nearly irrefutable evidence to the contrary, there is no curse associated with being my roommate,” Libby said.

  “Hey.” Jack nodded to Damon. “Can you come give me a hand with something? I have a dresser I need to move, and if I wait for Noah, it’ll never get done.”

  “Right now?” Damon asked. “For real?”

  “It won’t take long.” Jack stood and turned away, knowing full well Damon would follow.

  Outside, the city lights sparkled in the distance. They began the walk across the lawn.

  “What’s this about?” Damon asked. “I know you don’t need help redecorating.”

  Jack smiled, pleased with Damon’s quick assessment of the situation. “True enough. I’m curious what you think of the new recruit. I’d hate to lose another team member.”

  “Especially one who looks like her, right?”

  Jack laughed. “It never crossed my mind.”

  “I like her. She’s funny. And not intimidated by Alan. You know he made Drew cry?”

  Jack shook his head. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Yeah. He’s nice enough to Libby; it’s hard not to be, you know? But, man, if someone rubs him the wrong way, forget it. It’s like he gets these personal vendettas. Deliberately sabotaging his own team.”

  “Hmm. I’ll keep an eye on that. You think Nadia will be able to catch up?”

  “Yeah, no problem. Even if Alan refuses to help, she’s still got me and Libby.”

  “So she and Libby are getting along?”

  “Seem to be.”

  “What’s Alan’s problem with her?”

  Damon shrugged. “I couldn’t say.”

  Come on, Damon. You don’t miss anything. “Take a guess.” Damon remained silent. “I’m not asking because I’m a fan of high school gossip. It’s my job; I need to know what’s going on.”

  Damon hesitated. “He’s pissed he’s gotta help her catch up. He’d rather be a man down than fall a little behind.”

  “Is he a pain to live with?”

  “A little, but he’s all right.” Damon rubbed his face. “Except he talks in his sleep. Bad enough I gotta listen to him all day, you know what I mean?”

  The boys reached their dorm. Jack pulled the door open. “How’s everything going with you?” he asked quietly.

  “I’m great, man. No complaints.” Damon smiled.

  Jack watched him carefully. “Good. Hey, thanks for your help.”

  “No problem.”

  Thursday morning, Jack cornered Alan after breakfast. “How’s it going?”

  “How is what going?”

  “You know, life in general.”

  Alan raised an eyebrow as he gave Jack a sideways stare. “Have you met my teammates?”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Where should I start? Damon? Though recruited to a top-notch school, his interests appear purely social, and let me tell you: he cannot spare the study sessions.”

  “Not everyone has had your advantages.”

  “Well, Libby has, and she is not much better.”

  “What’s wrong with Libby?”

  “Have you heard her speak? Ah do declayah. Can y’all fetch me some sweet tea? I do not know if this is a result of inbreeding, which frequently occurs in her part of the country—”

  “Hey,” Jack said sharply. “She’s your teammate. I don’t want to hear you talking about her like that.”

  Alan looked genuinely surprised. “Then do not ask my opinion. Anyway, why do you care what I say?”

  Jack shook his head. Alan wouldn’t understand the necessity of team cohesion. That they must trust their unit without question. “One day your life may depend on her.”

  “God be with me if this is true.”

  Jack sighed. Talking to Nadia’s teammates was not proving as helpful as he’d hoped. “What about Nadia? Things okay with her? Do you have any concerns?”

  “Are you joking right now? She is the worst of them—a complete idiot.” Alan scraped his remaining pancake into the trashcan.

  “How so?”

  “She is unintelligent, combative and unpleasant. I need you to move her to
a different team—better yet, send her home. I can deal with Libby and Damon, but Nadia? We were informed during orientation that we will frequently be graded as a unit. She is a detriment to us all.” He pressed his finger into Jack’s chest. “Including you.”

  Jack firmly moved Alan’s hand aside. Alan paused, probably realizing he’d just poked Jack in the chest. He looked away as he set down his dishes.

  “Believe it or not,” Jack said, “I don’t get to pick and choose my team.” Else you would not be on it.

  “Well, something has to be done. I refuse to work like this.” Alan looked squarely at Jack. “You get rid of her, or I will do it for you.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

  22

  NADIA

  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

  Friday morning, Nadia found an envelope wedged under her bedroom door. She read the message aloud:

  This weekend is your first survival course. Two opposing teams will be dropped at an undisclosed location in the desert. Your objective: Locate the coordinates given to your team leader, collect a package from the indicated area and return the item to campus. You will carry one water bottle, a field knife and a tranquilizer gun (see Hashimoto Sensei to secure your weapons).

  “Did they mention this at orientation?” Nadia asked.

  Libby shook her head. “This is the first I’ve heard of it. Come on, we’ll ask Sensei when we get to the dojo. He loves answering questions.”

  After the students gathered on the mat, Sensei entered the room. “Several of you received a summons this morning. The survival course, an Academy tradition and critical element of training, is a simulated mission: You must retrieve a package and return to campus as a group. You are issued a knife and tranquilizer gun. The knife is for fire-building. It is not a weapon. For those of you not incompetent, the trip will take two days and one night.”

  Nadia smiled. Finally, something I’ll do well. She glanced at the worried faces around her. What’s the big deal? It’s a camping trip.

  “This exercise requires physical stamina and mental discipline. You will move from sunrise to sunset. You will be hungry and tired. And keep in mind, your group travels only as fast as its slowest member. Do you understand?”