Part 3 (1/2)

”Today's mission will be simple for a change.” Mendez's voice easily penetrated the roar of the drops.h.i.+p's engines. He handed a stack of papers to Kelly. ”Pa.s.s these out, Recruit.”

”Sir!” She saluted smartly and handed one paper to each of the seventy-five children in the squad.

”These are portions of maps of the local region. You will be set down by yourselves. You will then navigate to a marked extraction point and we will pick you up there.”

John turned his map over. It was just one part of a much larger map-no drop or extraction point marked. How was he supposed to navigate without a reference point? But he knew this was part of the mission, to answer that question on his own.

”One more thing,” Mendez said. ”The last trainee to make it to the extraction point will be left behind.” He glanced out a window. ”And it's a very long walk back.”

John didn't like it. He wasn't going to lose, but he didn't want anyone else to lose, either. The thought of Kelly or Sam or any of the others marching all the way back made him uneasy . . . if theycould make it make it all the way back alone over those mountains. ”First drop in three minutes,” Mendez barked. ”Trainee 117, you're up first.” ”Sir! Yes, sir!” John replied. He glanced out the window and scanned the terrain. There was a ring of jagged mountains, a valley thick with cedars, and a ribbon of silver-a river that fed into a lake. John nudged Sam, pointed to the river, then jerked his thumb toward the lake. Sam nodded, then pulled Kelly aside and pointed out the window. Kelly and Sam moved quickly down the line of seated trainees. The s.h.i.+p decelerated. John felt his stomach rise as they dropped toward the ground. ”Trainee 117: front and center.” Mendez stepped to the rear of the compartment as the s.h.i.+p's tail split and a ramp extended. Cold air blasted into the s.h.i.+p. He patted John on the shoulder. ”Watch out for wolves in the forest, 117.” ”Yes, sir!” John looked over his shoulder at the others.

His teammates gave him an almost imperceptible nod. Good, everyone got his message. He ran down the ramp and into the forest. The drops.h.i.+p's engines roared to life and it rose high into the cloudless sky. He zipped up his jacket. He wore only fatigues, boots, and a heavy parka-not exactly the gear he'd pack for a prolonged stay in the wilderness.

John started toward one particularly sharp peak he had spotted from the air; the river lay in that direction. He'd follow it downstream and meet the others at the lake. He marched through the woods until he heard the gurgling of a stream. He got close enough to see the direction of the flow, then headed back into the forest. Mendez's exercises often had a twist to them- stun mines on the obstacle course, snipers with paint pellet guns during parade drills. And with the Chief up in that drops.h.i.+p, John wasn't about to reveal his position unless he had a good reason.

He pa.s.sed a blueberry bush and took the time to strip it before he moved on. This was the first time in months he had been alone and could just think. He popped a handful of berries into his mouth and chewed.

He thought about the place that had been his home, his parents . . . but more and more that seemed like a dream. John knew it wasn't, and that he had once had a different life. But this was the life he wanted. He was a soldier. He had an important job to train for. Mendez said they were the Navy's best and brightest. That they were the only hope for peace. He liked that.

Before, he never knew what he would be when he grew up. He never really thought about anything other than watching vids and playing-nothing had been a challenge.

Now every day was a challenge and a new adventure.

John knew more things, thanks to Deja, than he ever thought he could have learned at his old school: algebra and trigonometry, the history of a hundred battles and kings. He could string a trip line, fire a rifle, and treat a chest wound. Mendez had shown him how to be strong . . . not only with his body, but strong with his head, too.

He had a family here: Kelly, Sam, and all the others in his squad.

The thought of his squadmates brought him back to Mendez's mission-one of them was going to be left behind. There had to be a way to get them all home. John decided he wasn't going to leave if he couldn't figure it out.

He arrived at the edge of the lake; stood and listened.

John heard an owl hooting in the distance. He marched toward the sound. ”Hey, owl,” he said when he was close.

Sam stepped out from behind a tree and grinned. ”That's 'Chief Owl' to you, Trainee.”

They walked around the circ.u.mference of the lake, gathering the rest of the children in the squad. John counted them to make sure: sixty-seven.

”Let's get the map pieces together,” Kelly suggested.

”Good idea,” John said. ”Sam, take three and scout the area. I don't want any of the Chief's surprises sneaking up on us.”

”Right.” Sam picked Fhajad, James, and Linda and then the four of them took off into the brush.

Kelly collected the map pieces and settled in the shade of an ancient cedar tree. ”Some of these don't belong, and some are copies,” she said, and she laid them out. ”Yes, here's an edge. Got it-this is the lake, the river, and here . . . ” She pointed to a distant patch of green. ”That's got to be the extraction point.” She shook her head and frowned. ”If the legend on this map is right, it's a full day's hike, though. We better get started.” John whistled and a moment later Sam and his scouts returned.

”Let's move out,” John said. No one argued. They fell into line behind Kelly as she navigated. Sam blazed the trail ahead. He had the best eyes and ears. Several times he stopped and signaled everyone to freeze or hide-but it turned out to be just a rabbit or a bird.

After several miles of marching, Sam dropped back. He whispered to John, ”This is too easy. It's not like any of the Chief's normal field exercises.” John nodded. ”I've been thinking that, too. Just keep your eyes and ears sharp.”

They stopped at noon to stretch and eat berries they had gathered along the trail. Fhajad spoke up. ”I want to know one thing,” he said. He paused to wipe the sweat off his dark skin. ”We're going to get to the extraction point at the same time. So who's getting left behind? We should decide now.”

”Draw straws,” someone suggested. ”No,” John said, and stood. ”No one's being left behind. We're going to figure a way to getall of us out.” ”How?” Kelly asked, scratching her head. ”Mendez said-” ”I know what he said. But there's got to be a way-I just haven't thought of one yet. Even if it has to be of us out.” ”How?” Kelly asked, scratching her head. ”Mendez said-” ”I know what he said. But there's got to be a way-I just haven't thought of one yet. Even if it has to be me that stays behind-I'll make sure everyone gets back to the base.” John started marching again. ”Come on, we're wasting time.”

The others fell in behind him. The shadows of the trees lengthened and melted together and the sun turned the edge of the sky red. Kelly halted and motioned for everyone else to stop. ”We're almost there,” she whispered.

”Me and Sam will scout it out,” John said. ”Everyone fall out . . . and keep quiet.” The rest of the children silently followed his orders.

John and Sam crept through the underbrush and then hunkered down at the edge of a meadow.

The drops.h.i.+p sat in the center of the gra.s.sy field; her floodlights illuminated everything for thirty meters. Six men sat on the open launch ramp, smoking cigarettes and pa.s.sing a canteen between themselves. Sam motioned to drop back. ”You recognize them?” he whispered. ”No. You?” Sam shook his head. ”They're not in uniform. They don't look like any soldiers I've ever seen. Maybe they're rebels. Maybe they stole the drops.h.i.+p and killed the Chief.”

”No way,” John said. ”Nothing can kill the Chief. But one thing's for sure: I don't think we can just walk up there and get a free ride back to the base. Let's go back.” They crept back into the woods and then explained the situation to the others. ”What do you want to do?” Kelly asked him. John wondered why she thought he had an answer. He looked around and saw everyone was watching him, waiting for him to speak. He s.h.i.+fted on his feet. He had to say something. ”Okay . . . we don't know who these men are or what they'll do when they see us. So we find out.” The children nodded, seeming to think this was the right thing to do. ”Here's how,” John told them. ”First, I'll need a rabbit.” ”That's me,” Kelly said, and sprang to her feet. ”I'm the fastest.” ”Good,” John said. ”You go to the edge of the meadow-and then let them see you. I'll go along and hide nearby and watch. In case anything happens to you, I'll report back to the others.” She nodded. ”Then you lure a few back here. Run right past this spot. Sam, you'll be out in the open, pretending like you've broken your leg.” ”Gotcha,” Sam said. He walked over to Fhajad and had him sc.r.a.pe his s.h.i.+n with his boot. Blood welled from the wound.

”The rest of you,” John said, ”wait in the woods in a big circle. If they try to do anything but help Sam . . . ” John made a fist with his right hand and slammed it into his open palm. ”Remember the moose and the wolves?”

They all nodded and grinned. They had seen that lesson many times in Deja's cla.s.sroom.

”Get some rocks,” John told them.

Kelly stripped off her parka, stretched her legs and knees. ”Okay,” she said, ”let's do this.”

Sam lay down, clutching his leg. ”Oooh-it hurts, help me.”

”Don't overdo it,” John said, and kicked some dirt on him. ”Or they'll know it's a setup.”

John and Kelly then crept toward the meadow and halted a few meters form the edge. He whispered to her, ”If you want me to be the rabbit . . . ” She slugged him in the shoulder-hard. ”You think I can't do my part?” ”I take it back,” he said, rubbing his shoulder. John moved off ten meters to her flank, took cover, and watched. Kelly emerged at the edge of the meadow, stepping into the illumination from the drops.h.i.+p's floodlights. ”Hey!” she said, and waved her arms over her head. ”Over here. You got any food? I'm starving.” The men slowly stood and pulled out stun batons. ”There's one,” John heard them whisper. ”I'll get her.

The rest of you stay here and wait for the others.”

The man cautiously approached Kelly, a stun baton held behind his back so she couldn't see it. She stayed put and waited for him to get closer. ”Hang on a sec,” she said. ”I dropped my jacket back there. I'll be right back.” She turned and ran. The man leaped after her, but she had already vanished into the shadows. ”Stop!” ”This will be too easy,” one of other men said. ”Kids won't know what hit them.” Another remarked, ”Fish in a barrel.”

John had heard enough. He ran after Kelly, but realized that neither he nor the other man had a chance to catch her. He halted when he got close to where Sam lay. The man stopped. He looked around, his eyes not quite adjusted to the dark, then spotted Sam on the ground holding his b.l.o.o.d.y leg.

”Please, help me,” Sam whimpered. ”It's broken.”

”I got your broken leg right here, kid.” The man raised his baton.

John picked up a rock. He threw it, but missed.

The man spun around. ”Who's there?”

Sam rolled to his feet and darted away. There was a rustling in the forest, then a hail of stones whistled through the trees, pelting the man. Kelly appeared and sidearmed a rock as hard as she could-and hit the man dead center in the forehead. He toppled and slammed into the ground. The other children moved in. ”What do we do with him?” Sam asked. ”It's just an exercise, right?” Fhajad said. ”He has to be with Mendez.” John rolled the man over. A trickle of blood snaked from his head into his eye socket. ”You heard him,” John whispered. ”You saw what he was going to do to Sam. Mendez or our trainers would never do that to us. Ever. He's got no uniform. No insignias. He's not one of us.” John kicked the man in the face and then the ribs. The man reflexively curled into a ball. ”Get his baton.” Sam grabbed the weapon. He kicked him, too. ”Now we go back and get the others,” John told them. ”Kelly, you be the rabbit again. Just get them to the edge of the clearing. Duck out, and let us do the rest.”

She nodded and started back to the meadow. The rest of the squad fanned out, collecting rocks along the way. After a minute Kelly stepped onto the gra.s.sy field and shouted, ”That guy fell and hit his head. Over here!” The five remaining men stood and ran toward her. When they were close enough, John whistled. The air suddenly swarmed with stones. The men held up their hands and tried to protect themselves.