Camp Wacko: The Drones of Summer

by Faith Wilkins

  I let Candy slip off my back, landing on the ground with a soft thud. True finally caught up with me, breathing hard.

  “Sometimes you are unbelievable,” she gasped. “I told you there was no way out of this.”

  “Excuse me for finding it hard to trust you,” I snapped, backing up against the wall.

  “Nighty-night, Lily.”

  This time she hit the mark with perfect precision. I was out within seconds.

  Leverage

  I AWOKE TO the picture of Dr. Wacko himself staring back at me. In this version he was an Egyptian pharaoh, complete with a golden false beard. His face had been drawn on the ceiling, right above the bed. This wasn’t exactly the first thing I wanted to see the second I woke up. It startled me, causing me to shoot up in bed. Ugh, head rush. I plopped back down, averting my eyes from the creepy picture.

  Lying in this bed, I felt like I had fallen into the ocean. The sheets were all different shades of blue, blending with the mint green walls. There was a large window to the left of me, displaying a spectacular view of the sun rising over the treetops of the forest. My right arm was bothering me. I glanced down to find a bandage wrapped around my upper bicep, stained with a small red dot. I fingered the gauze, confused for a few minutes before I fully understood. The tracking device. They must have removed it. I couldn’t see the point. Didn’t seem like it had been working very well anyway.

  “Disturbing, isn’t it?”

  Dustin leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. His eyes were on his father’s painted face, a sense of disgust hidden in his otherwise emotionless expression.

  “Long time no see,” I mumbled groggily, sitting up slowly this time.

  Dustin stepped inside, closing the door behind him, then sat down in one of the plush chairs stationed by my bedside.

  “I know. You’ve been busy since we last spoke.”

  I smiled weakly, still tired. “I would have filled you in, but you weren’t exactly available.”

  He looked past me and out the window, jaw tightening. “I’m sorry. I should have found a way to get to you, to stop you from doing this. There was just so much going on, and he was watching me the whole time…”

  I held up a hand. “Wait, what do you mean, stop me? What happened to being dedicated to helping me escape? One moment you were promising me that you would assist in taking your crazy dad down, and then you were working for him, acting like you were just another instructor. What changed?”

  He sighed, standing up. “You have to get dressed. The headmaster wants to have breakfast with us. Meet me outside when you’re ready.” He paused at the door. “The bathroom’s down the hallway and to your left. There are clothes in the closet there. See you outside.”

  They had set me up in a little cabin. I even had my own mini-kitchen. I took my time in the bathroom, taking a shower before checking out the wardrobe. Like before, the closet had been filled to the brim. Out of protest, I chose the sloppiest outfit I could find. While getting dressed, I didn’t let myself think about anything. Not the sealed-in tunnel, the strange shed, the plight of the rest of my group, or even True’s betrayal. Nothing.

  Dustin sat on the steps of the small porch. The cabin had been built on a hill set apart from the rest of the wooded area. A few trees surrounded the small house, protecting and imprisoning it at the same time.

  “You sure took your time,” he commented, the slightest hint of a smirk forming on his lips.

  I simply shrugged. “So, where are we meeting your dear old dad for breakfast?”

  He stood up, any sign of humor gone. “Follow me.”

  We moved off the steps and trudged down the hill. We were headed for a place that strongly resembled a military campus. Hundreds of trees had been cleared to make room for army-style barracks. Groups of kids dressed in fatigues marched in lines into the woods, while another group emerged from the trees, exhausted and drenched in sweat.

  Hands in his pockets, Dustin passed the barracks and headed for a small building set aside from the others. As we got closer, I noticed that it was a little cottage. A set of table and chairs had been placed on the porch. The headmaster himself had already taken a seat, and was looking around expectantly. When he spotted us, he smiled and waved, gesturing for us to sit down.

  Expression growing darker with every step, Dustin pulled out a chair for me before sitting down across from me. A spectacular display of oranges, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, and chocolate chip muffins covered the table. Despite the incredible selection, neither of us took one bite. Dustin’s father, however, had already begun to chow down, thoroughly enjoying the bill of fare.

  “Please eat. I’m sure you’re hungry after your escapades,” he insisted, dabbing his mouth with his napkin.

  I nibbled on a muffin, careful not to eat too much. For all I knew, he could have it spiked with some kind of drug. Dustin busied himself with peeling an orange, purposely taking a painstakingly long time in the process.

  “How is your arm, Lilith?”

  I looked up, dropping the muffin on my otherwise empty plate. With a disturbing smile, Dr. Wacko winked at me.

  “Fine, thank you,” I muttered.

  Dustin had stopped peeling his orange to stare quizzically at me. I just shook my head, looking away.

  “You are quite the clever girl, teaming up with the FBI.” Dr. Wacko crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “It’s a shame they had to ruin it for you with that tracking device in your arm. We could detect it the second you walked in.

  I had to send your law enforcement friends on a bit of an adventure. Thanks to a little interference in frequency, you are now located somewhere in the Himalayas. Technology is a beautiful thing.” He took something out of his pocket, playing with it like a toy. “You recognize this, don’t you?”

  I grabbed the side of the table, squeezing the wood so hard I thought it would break. He was holding the recording device. The only evidence I had against him was now in his hands.

  The evil man pressed Play. The sound of his voice rose through the speaker, explaining his plans for me and Dustin. He stopped the tape and placed it on the table right in front of me, daring me to try to take it back.

  I cleared my throat, eyes glued to the device. “Why don’t you let it play? You didn’t even get to the best part.”

  His face twitched. “And what part would that be, Lilith?”

  I looked directly into the dark chasms of his eyes. “The part where you tell me what really happened to Cameron.”

  Dustin had been watching carefully the whole time, but now he took the liberty to speak. “What are you talking about?”

  His father glared at me, but I did not dare to flinch. I was tired of this man holding all the power over us. It was time he was made to squirm a little.

  Dr. Wacko slammed his hand down on the recorder in a karate chop, making us both flinch. The device shattered instantly, broken pieces flying in different directions. He clamped one hand around my wrist before I could react, and stood up, forcing me to stand as well.

  “I believe you need to see something,” he snarled, dragging me along as he marched down the porch steps.

  I struggled to break free, but his grip only grew tighter. Gritting my teeth, I stopped fighting and let myself be dragged away, looking back to see Dustin hurrying to catch up.

  We were headed for a building to the far left of the barracks. Tall, chunky, and made of metal, it stood out from the rest. The angry Dr. Wacko pushed through the glass doors, not even bothering to acknowledge the man sitting behind the reception desk. His shoes smacked against the marble floors as he dragged me down an empty hallway. Dustin was close on our heels, shouting for his father to let me go, but his words did absolutely nothing.

  Headmaster Crazy let me go when we finally reached the destination, some sort of surveillance room. The walls were covered with flat-screen TVs that appeared to be displaying images from various surveillance cameras. They mostly showed the school ground
s. However, a certain set of screens showed something entirely different. I gasped as I recognized my family room. As I looked closer, I found that I could see every room in my house. We watched as my mother sat alone in the middle of my room. She was just sitting there, staring out the window. Downstairs, my dad was arguing with a man I didn’t recognize. He tried to calm my father down, but to no avail. My brothers and sister were nowhere to be seen.

  Before the images could fully register, they changed. The cameras were now focused on some kind of lab room. There was a large contraption in the center, a chair connected to a number of wires and knobs. To my horror, someone had been strapped to the scary chair. It was a woman I had never met before, but recognized. She was sleeping peacefully, her thick dark hair surrounding her beautiful face. Tubes were inserted in her nostrils and her arm. An IV drip hung from a pole by the chair.

  “It’s your mother,” I gasped, turning my head in Dustin’s direction.

  He showed no surprise. Instead, he gazed at the image, expression grim. “I know.”

  Dr. Wacko pressed a button and yet another set of images appeared. This time each screen showed a different room.

  First I saw Candy lying on a cold metal bed, still zonked out. In another room, there was Jack. Unlike Candy, he wasn’t asleep. He paced the small four-walled cell, seemingly contemplating how to get himself out of there. The other members of the group were each in their own cell, purposely separated from everyone else. There was no way of telling where exactly they were being held.

  “They are set to undergo another one of our experiments. Drone Project X. It’s a little more painful than our previous one. According to our calculations, the survival rate is very low, but it’s worth the risk.” He paused, switching to the scene of my house. “It would be a shame if somehow your sister or one of your brothers were to undergo such an experiment…”

  I was speechless with anger, my whole body quivering from the tension boiling inside me.

  Dr. Wacko grinned, triumph in his eyes. “How old are you, Lilith?”

  I eyed him quizzically, afraid to know what he was getting at. “Fifteen.”

  With his crazy smile growing wider, he began to resemble the Mad Hatter. “Wonderful. The pledge ceremony shall be held at once—in four days at the latest. I’ve already sent out the invitations.” Clapping his hands with glee, he turned on his heels and left the room, expecting us to follow.

  “What’s a pledge ceremony?” I hissed, grabbing Dustin’s shoulder.

  He didn’t look at me, but rather stared straight ahead.

  “It’s what they call a binding ceremony, for people too young to get married. My father wants us to be bound to each other as soon as possible, to make sure that we eventually get married. We have to go through with this ceremony.”

  “What?” I squeezed his shoulder. “Dustin, look at me.”

  He met my gaze only fleetingly. “There are definitely things we need to discuss, but now isn’t the time. Come on, the headmaster doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

  That was it. Dustin wasn’t saying anything else. I had no choice but to angrily follow as he hurried to catch up with his father.

  Too Much Information

  DUSTIN AND I no longer attended the camp. We remained in the woods, our only focus preparations for the pledge ceremony as well as our new army. Dr. Wacko introduced us to our “recruits.” Like he had planned all along, we had been deemed the commanders. Dustin was already a pro at leading them in the ruthless drills, but I was a total rookie. I blended in with the rest of the group, putting myself through the same drills as I watched him demonstrate.

  When I wasn’t absolutely drenched in sweat and mud, I was being prepped for the ceremony. The “doctor” hired people just to teach me how to keep a straight back or how to properly walk down the aisle. Designers came to measure me. They showed me sketches and photos of the latest fashions in wedding gowns, telling me to pick one. I was pinned and pricked during countless fittings for the ceremonial dress. There were decorations, flowers, and so many other things to choose, and it all had to be ready in just four days.

  I no longer had a problem sleeping, for I was exhausted. Both my body and my brain hurt. I sometimes saw True leading one of the other groups. I caught her eye for a moment, but she quickly looked away. The cause of her betrayal was still a mystery to me, but it didn’t seem like we would be speaking to each other any time soon.

  Anyway, before I could blink, it was the day before the ceremony. At this point, Dustin and I were being forced to practice reciting our pledges. If anyone messed up even the slightest bit, we had to start all over. We stood there for hours, practicing. I felt like jumping off a cliff. By his agitated expression, I could tell Dustin felt the same way.

  When we were finally done, I left the building and started running—I just had to get away and be by myself for a while. I was not about to lead an army of recruits in drills today. What was Dr. Wacko going to do? Threaten me? He had already done plenty of that. Dustin soon caught up with me, though, insisting that it was time we talked. Worn out, I simply agreed. He steered me into the woods, assuring me that we would not be missed for a while. His father was off on one of his many trips to prepare for what was to come.

  He stopped after we had gone about a hundred paces in, leaning back against a tree. We were surrounded by the natural towers, the bright sun nearly blocked out by the thick leaves. The earth beneath our feet was squishy and soft and covered with grass. The fresh smell of nature caused my shoulders to relax, my breathing to slow. I closed my eyes, just for a moment. The silence felt like a luxury now.

  “There are a few things you need to explain, Lily. And you need to do it fast.”

  Sighing, I opened my eyes. Dustin was watching me, arms crossed.

  “The FBI came to me before you did,” I told him. “They predicted you would come. I was wearing a wire when you picked me up.” I tapped my glasses frames. “These aren’t just new glasses. They’re cameras, and my communication with the FBI. Well, they were. Now they don’t work. Your father made sure of that.”

  Dustin let himself slip down the tree trunk, sitting down on the grass. “You didn’t even think of telling me about any of this?”

  I moved to take a seat next to him. “First off, I didn’t know if I could trust you. No offense, but you are terrible at keeping promises. Second, I could barely get you alone. You were either off somewhere with Candy or working for your father. So excuse me if I felt like I needed to take matters into my own hands.”

  Dustin closed his eyes and held the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, leaning his head back against the tree trunk. “I know I’ve let you down and I don’t blame you for not trusting me. I haven’t been exactly reliable, but if I had known about your communication with the FBI, I would have made sure the frequency wasn’t interfered with. There is a room in the basement of my father’s mansion that controls all communication within the area. I happen to know where it is and how to get in.”

  I jumped to my feet. “Are you serious? How come you didn’t tell me? Is it possible to intercept the interference? My tracking device might be useless now, but I can still use these dumb frames to contact Agent Cooper.”

  He almost smiled at my sudden excitement. “Slow down. Do you know how vast these woods are? My father made sure we were moved far away from the campus. How would I be able to get all the way back there and break in without getting caught?”

  “I don’t know, but we could find a way.” I knelt down in front of him. “Dustin, there could still be a chance. Your father is ready to release an army of children onto California and then the world. He is going to have Candy and many more innocent people killed. My family is in danger. We have to do something.”

  He shook his head sadly. “That’s just the thing. He’s already released them. It’s too late.”

  My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “What are you talking about? We’re still training his army. He put us
in command.”

  Dustin gazed at me with eyes as bleak as storm clouds. “That’s only a small part. He’s been building up his recruits for years, all over the country. He has created hundreds of drones. Yes, they still need some work, but they are stronger than ever. As we speak, the governor of California is looking the other way as towns are being destroyed. The police are overwhelmed. They’ve never seen anything like it.”

  I sat back, refusing to feel completely defeated. “We still need to communicate with the FBI. They have to know what’s going on.”

  “It wouldn’t surprise me if they already did.”

  I started to pace, thinking. “What about your mom? I thought she died when you were seven.”

  He stood up as well. “That’s what I thought until about a week ago. Turns out she’s been in a coma all these years. She’s practically brain dead. The machines are the only thing keeping her alive. My father has been trying to come up with the technology to wake her up. According to him, he’s found it. There’s a catch, though. He’ll only use it if I cooperate. If I show any sign of resistance…she’s dead. Gone forever.” He ran a slow hand through his hair. “I don’t even know where he’s keeping her.”

  I was speechless, feeling like I had been punched in the stomach. There was too much going on. Too many variables. His father had us backed into a corner.

  “You still haven’t told me what you meant a few days ago when you were accusing my father of something to do with Cameron,” Dustin commented after a while, breaking the long silence.

  “I don’t think you want to know,” I muttered.

  Dustin’s hands balled into shaking fists at his sides in obvious frustration. “Of course I want to know! It’s about her death, isn’t it? I’ve told you everything. Now it’s your turn. What do you know?”

  I glared at him. “Fine. Your father killed Cameron. She was getting better, but he thought she would be too much of a distraction for you, so he killed her. I had recorded it all, but now I have nothing. He’s going to get away with all of this. And if what you said is true, he’s going to get everything he wants. Happy now?” My voice began to quiver. “Can’t you see it? He is doing all of this for you. I’m here because he wanted a suitable partner for you. He is building up this army for you to command with me by your side. He got rid of Cameron because…” I stopped myself from finishing the sentence when I saw the look on his face.