I push Kai over to join them.
“Good, she’s finally here.” The general hands me a pack of papers and raises his voice, “Clear the room, except for essential personnel only.” He waves his arm, and officers scatter about the room giving the order to those who didn’t hear the first time.
Soon, only Cam, Kai, myself, Rand, The Seven, the general, and four others that even I can tell are spec ops soldiers remain. This new team has serious looks on their faces, their work uniforms are perfectly pressed, and they carry themselves confidently with a quiet strength that reminds me of a lynx or bobcat prepared to pounce. At the same time, I’m surprised to see that their hair is longer than any of the other military and they aren’t clean shaven.
The four stride over to one of the large touch screens on the wall. Cam, Kai, and I follow. “You’ll love this, Cam.” I whisper to him, as one of the soldiers touches the screen to pull up different maps.
“Holy crap!”
I clamp a hand over his mouth. I roll my eyes, then take my hand away.
“Sorry. But that was awesome.” I think he’s drooling now.
I just smile and turn to face the general…who doesn’t look amused at our antics.
He addresses Rand. “These are live vids from a satellite feed. Where is the tunnel on our side?”
I frown as Rand looks over at me.
“Rand has no idea where the tunnels are, General. I told you that only Cam, Kai, and I know where they are.”
I twist to look at the four soldiers next to me. Three of them are the same size or bigger than Rand, but one of them is shorter than the others, and not quite so bulky. I point to him. “I think he’s going to be the only one who will fit through the tunnel under the Wall. Is one of you going to be enough?” I turn back to the general.
He shakes his head. “No, we need a team of at least four to set the listening devices and get the Tangs out of there. It would be too dangerous for one man to go by himself.” He turns to Commander Svell. “Yours is the nearest Academy. Do you have anyone with the necessary training and build?”
Half of me is amused that we actually need smaller soldiers, and the other half is impressed that they’re taking me seriously. They must really have no other options.
My heart starts racing as I also realize the general is asking for kids. Earthlight Space Academy trainees, but still kids. My mouth gapes. I didn’t know they did missions like this.
Commander Svell looks at the other commanders. “I think I have a few Year Twos that are ready and who will fit through that tunnel.” He turns to me, his expression dark. “If you can get this team across the Wall without being seen, my Academy trainees can help get the Tangs back.”
“I had no idea Academy students were trained for missions like this,” I say at the same time Cam says, “Awesome!”
Commander Svell steps toward me, ignoring Cam. “We train for all kinds of scenarios. You’ll find life in space isn’t as easy and carefree as you think it is.”
“I-I’ve never said it’s easier up there,” I stammer. Heat floods my face as I look up at the commander.
The general interrupts. “We don’t have time to argue. Every minute we waste here is another minute they might discover the entrance.” He looks at the commander. “Now let’s get your Year Twos on a shuttle here now, while we organize our plan.”
The commander pulls his shoulders back and grinds his jaw. “Yes, sir.” He pivots and stalks out the door.
I grin to myself as I itch to get to the Academy and start classes even more now.
Cam has taken over the touch screen of maps and is flipping through them until he finds one he likes. He turns to me. “This one?”
I study it, and nod. “You did a great job hiding both entrances, Cam. If we didn’t know exactly what they look like up close, there’s no way we’d spot them on these maps.”
I see something unusual along the bottom of the map. “Cam, can you zoom in here?” He does, and I just about shout for joy. “Do you see it?” I put my finger up to my mouth for him not to answer out loud. He studies the spot and I can almost hear the gears grinding in that energetic head of his.
His chin juts forward and I know he’s spotted it. He looks back at me, grinning like he just ate the last cookie. I nod toward the general and wink.
The commander rushes back in. “They’ll be here in less than twenty minutes.”
Electricity goes up my spine. “Are they flying in, Commander?” The Academy is more than an hour’s jet flight away.
“They’re taking one of the Academy space shuttles. It’s quicker.”
My mind goes over every inch of the base and plane storage that I’ve seen during practice and class times. “We don’t have a space dock here, sir.” I tilt my head as I wonder if I missed something over the last few years.
He stops and turns fully toward me. “No, but this new spaceship doesn’t need a special dock.”
Pain in my shoulder blooms, and I look down at Cam. His face alights with awe as he lowers his hand. I smack him back and ask the commander, “Is it possible for us to watch it land? I’ve flown everything we have here at this base and studied every spaceship you have at the Academy.”
“But you’ve never heard of one not needing a dock to land on Earth?”
My heart races as he scrutinizes me. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep quiet. He’s testing me.
The commander surprises me by giving out a short laugh. “Don’t worry Miss Toland, no one has heard of this ship. It’s brand new. Our own students helped to design it.”
“That’s amazing,” says Cam as he jumps forward. “That’s what I want to do when I go there.”
I keep myself from rolling my eyes. He wants to do everything.
“With your test scores I’m sure you will be doing exactly that someday young man. And I think we’ll need to do one step better than just watching it land.”
“What do you mean, sir?” I ask.
He looks over at the general, who nods. “We need you to go with the ship to the Wall. We can’t risk communications from this base. You’ll need to help our team from the ground.”
I can’t help but grin. I look over at Kai, who has been sitting quietly. “Of course, sir. Whatever you need.”
“We’ll need to land the ship at the closest spot that won’t draw any attention.” The general looks over at Cam and me. I nod to Cam, and he points a few miles from the lava tunnel entrance, where one of the dirt roads curves around the length of the Wall.
“All right then. I’m assuming it’s within running distance to the Wall since you seem to have used it quite often?”
I blush. “Yes, there isn’t much to hide behind though, so we’ll need to do this before sunup.”
The General walks over next to Cam. “Well, we’ll need a distraction of some sort, then.” He squints at the map. “What are these?”
I step up. “That, Commander is our distraction. I need a phone, please.”
“What do you mean distraction?”
“I’d rather confirm my idea before I say anything, sir.”
His jaw grinds as he glares down on me. Finally, he says, “Fine. Airman?”
One of the uniforms hands me a cell phone. I dial and wait for an answer. “Hola? Angel? It’s Anja. Are you in the trucks? Lined up along Locust Road?”
I listen, smiling. “Stay right there, we have an idea and you’re the perfect distraction. Gracias!”
I hand the phone to the commander. “Okay, I was right. The distraction is ready and waiting for me to tell them what to do.” I smile.
The general looks back at the maps. “What is that waiting there? I need to know exactly what we’re dealing with before I send my team in.”
I grab Cam’s hand, still smiling, but ready to get this done. “It’s our people, sir. Immigrants, land bosses, farm workers, teachers, truck drivers, ranchers, and other country folk. All showing support for Cam and I and our destroyed camp. That,” I point
to the dark line on the map, “is a convoy of food trucks, tractors, semis-trucks, pea pickers, combines, flatbed trucks, and hay trucks. They’re responding to the attack on our camp. They know the Chinese Unit 29824 is responsible, and they’re preparing to defend our area any way they can. Our camp had hundreds of thousands of people living down there. That small group of armed Chinese disrupted and destroyed a big section of our home.”
The general’s face turns purple and when he talks, he’s practically spitting. “Really, and you think that’s a good idea, little girl? A convoy of laborers? How’s that going to help us?”
I step back, pulling Cam behind me. I feel like I’ve just been slapped. “General, this ‘girl’ and her friends are all that stands between you and another border war. If I don’t divert their anger, and at the same time use it as a distraction to cover your team, those immigrants will cause you a political nightmare unlike we’ve had in years.” Cam puts his arm around my waist. My pulse is through the roof, and my whole body feels tense. I feel like I might explode like a bomb any second.
The general strides to the other side of the room. He has a heated argument with his team, complete with arm gesturing and swearing. Not sure what else to do, I turn to the rest of the group.
Rand looks at me like I grew an extra head, but Kai is smiling. The remaining Seven just watch the general, whispering between themselves every once in a while. I bite my lip. Just how much power does our military have over the Academies? My stomach sours. I was counting on getting away from all this war and politics once I got to the Academy. And definitely once I got off planet. Now I’m not so sure that’s going to happen.
I go stand next to Kai and take his hand in mine. “Do you think your parents can make it back through the tunnel?”
He shrugs his shoulders, then winces as he pulls on a stitch. He gives me a weak smile. “I don’t think my dad could go through the tunnel. He’s small enough, but he’s frail. My parents waited a long time to have me.”
The general walks by us. “We’re wasting time, let’s go.” He walks up to the map. “Now show me exactly where the entrance and exit are.”
I step back and let Cam point out the exact locations. He’s always been better at reading maps than I am. He’ll make an excellent navigator someday. I grin as I watch my eleven-year-old brother instructing the general where to go and what to watch out for once they get to the Wall.
The general nods and hurries back to the map table. He transfers the data to a tablet.
Commander Svell walks to the door just then to meet up with two girls and one boy, each wearing black night gear, like what Rand changed into. The Year Twos.
I gape at them as they walk by. They look strong, serious, and seem older than I imagined. I close my mouth. Everyone has gone quiet as they stand at attention in front of the general. Could I be taken that seriously someday?
25
Secret
Rand leans in toward me as we both watch the Year Twos listen to the general. “I understand our community is close-knit and better at helping each other than other places I’ve been. But, how do you know they’ll listen to you and help us? You only talked to one person.”
I drag my gaze off the Year Twos and back to Rand. “Because we’ve survived this far by sticking together. Just as you experienced on your way up here, other communities haven’t survived as well because they only lived day to day for themselves. With the attack last night, our people know they can’t just stand by and pretend they’re invisible anymore. As for listening to me, we’ll see. Angel and Mrs. Baird both have always encouraged me to be a leader for the others. They’ve also told me that I’m destined to be the quiet force for change someday. A role model for other border kids. So, I better start doing something to earn that respect, right?” I smile up at him.
“Anyway, Angel and Mrs. Baird apparently have already gotten word down the whole convoy that I’m coming with reinforcements.” I look at the other people in the briefing room. “I hope it’s enough.”
The general strides back over to me. “New China has given us permission to quietly get the Tangs back.” He frowns, the creases deepening around his eyes.
“Permission? Why don’t they just go get them with their regular military themselves? Or call the Unit team off and ship them back to China?” I ball my hands into tight fists.
The general sighs. “That would be the smart thing to do. I have a feeling the New China government is as wary of this particular group of militia as we are.”
My jaw drops open. “Well that’s not good. How do we keep this from happening again? It’s not like they came all the way over here for a dirt tunnel. They must be after something else.”
The general’s head snaps up. “You’re right. This has to be bigger than an attack on your community.” He glances around the room looking at all the aerial pictures on the vids, as if looking for answers.
Kai squeezes my hand. I squat down so I’m eye level with him in the grav chair.
“I think I might know what they’re after,” he says to me, but keeps eye contact with the general.
I stay quiet as the general grunts and twists his ample body toward Kai. “And what would that be?”
“My father’s research.”
“What?” I stand quickly. “What do you mean, Kai?”
“Yes, young man, what does your father’s research have to do with raiding the camp?” asks Commander Svell as he and the rest of the team surround us.
Kai swallows. “There wasn’t security at our hospital until a few weeks ago. I’ve been able to…” He looks up at me. “…borrow medical supplies for the camp until last week when the Unit showed up.”
“Borrow?” Commander Svell asks. His eyebrows shoot up, nearly reaching his hairline.
“We wouldn’t have survived this long without those medicines, Commander. Kai has saved many lives.” I grind my teeth together.
The commander looks at the general. “Your department runs this district. Why aren’t these people getting adequate health care? No wonder we haven’t had many border teens make it into the Academies.” He frowns, towering over the general by several inches.
The general spreads his hands open. “We’ve done the best we can with what New DC has given us. There are too many people down there.”
“How many?” The commander glances over at me.
I bite my lip. “I would estimate around three hundred thousand in the canyon.” I glance at Rand for confirmation. He nods in agreement at my guesstimate.
“Are you serious? And there’s only a couple hundred kids enrolled in the prep school?” Commander Svell’s jaw works as he stares at me.
“Yes. Most of us have to work in the fields to support our families. A lot of adults have been shipped off to the mines.”
The commander swivels his head toward the general. “Is that true?” he demands.
“Of course. There’s only so much work on the farms. Everyone who is eighteen and above either works the fields or goes to the Academy. If they can’t do either one, they go to the mines.”
The air feels thick with tension as the commander and the general face off. The general looks over at Kai, his expression dark. “But that’s a discussion for a different day. We need to know what your father has that these Unit soldiers want.”
Kai answers quickly. “The tunnels are only part of it. They give them access to cross over to your country unseen. My father does genetic research. Our government wants him to find ways to make future generations stronger, disease-resistant, and more intelligent. Since the forces couldn’t get into the hospital, they put trackers on packages going in and out of it. That’s how they found the camp. With one of the trackers. They probably thought I was giving Anja’s people genetically enhanced drugs.”
“And were you?” The general’s face starts turning pink.
“No, of course not. They just needed regular medicine. Antibiotics, cold and flu medicines, and pain meds.” A look of pain cross
es Kai’s face as he tries to sit up straighter.
Silence envelopes the room as the general stares down at Kai.
“What would the Unit do with your father’s research?”
Kai looks away, his expression one of misery. “I don’t know. I can assume since they’re going against our own government, they’re hoping to breed super soldiers.” He turns back. “That’s the rumor I’ve heard around the pharmacy.”
The general’s expression goes cold. “Then we need to capture those Unit soldiers at the same time we rescue your parents.” He then turns and hurries over to the main comm station.
I look over at the commander. “He’s not going to have this team do all that, is he?”
The commander looks at the other Seven, and then over at the general. “No, I think he’s calling in reinforcements.”
“The Secretary,” I whisper.
“She’s already on her way here. But she travels with a small army.” The commander lets out a short laugh. “They can take care of the soldiers.”
I nod. I look up at the time showing at the top of the vid nearest me. “We’d better get you all into the tunnels soon. It’s going to be sunrise in a few hours.” The lack of sleep with the awareness that it’s the middle of the night suddenly hits me, and my mind and body feel exhausted.
We empty the room and take several elevators back up to the surface and out to the flight deck. Past the hangers that I’m familiar with a sleek bus waits for our group. We’ve picked up several more guards and officers along the way.
A short drive takes us south and through a large gate plastered with weathered signs warning Keep Out! Cam bounces in his seat in front of me as we drive through what seems like empty desert. My stomach is a bundle of nerves as I think about what we’re about to do.
And then I see it. The headlights on the bus illuminate a large, metal spaceship perched on top of thick landing struts. The simple landing pad makes my heart sink. This confirms that the Academies must visit the military base often.
Earthlight Space Academy Boxset Page 17