didn’t eat humans. Just killed them and left them to rot, threat eliminated.
“It’s weird to me,” Nathan said.
I helped Nathan unpack the few supplies he’d taken with him. The last thing he pulled from his pack was an obsidian arrowhead wrapped in a piece of leather. “I found it near a dormant volcano. Indians used to use them to hunt. I thought it might bring you good luck.” He wrapped a bit of twine around it in a crisscross pattern to make a necklace.
“I love it.”
We spent the rest of the day helping Travis with the trucks, and then that night we headed over to the Post for the meeting with our troop.
I wanted to sit in the back, but Nathan led me to the front and sat right next to Cassandra. “She’s so hot,” he whispered to me. I just rolled my eyes and tried not to notice how low-cut her button-up blouse was. She mostly ignored his stares which was just fine to me. More of our troop filed in. I noticed that most were young, twenty-five and under. The older, more experienced soldiers would be with Officer Reynolds at the main entrance. Officer Davin came in behind Officer Reynolds and they took seats at the front of the group. Officer Davin adjusted the strap of his arm sling, but he actually caught my eye and smiled. Maybe it won’t be so bad being in his troop after all.
Officer Reynolds started the meeting with instructions on material preparation for the attack.
“We are leaving in two days, when the trucks are running,” he explained. “I expect you to ready your weapons, fill your individual pressurized water packs, sharpen your knives, and charge your solar-powered flashlight.” He was talking to Mrs. Weatherstone and some of the other women about food preparation, and I pretty much tuned him out. Suddenly, I heard my name.
“Ms. McCabe,” he said sharply, “how do you propose we look for Ray during this operation? I would like to hear your plan, since it’s your idea that Ray may be held captive inside.”
My plan. Panic fluttered through me. I hadn’t thought of a plan. All I’d been worried about was fixing the trucks and getting to the colony.
“Yeah, Sis,” Nathan nudged me. “What’s your plan?”
When I still didn’t say anything, Officer Davin spoke up. “I don’t see how any rescue attempt will be possible. We’re flooding the entrances. If Ray is really inside, anyone going after him will drown with the scarb.”
Guess he’s not on my side after all. But he was right. How were we going to find Ray?
All thirty eyes of our troop were on me. Cassandra twirled her auburn hair, looking at me smugly. My cheeks flushed.
An unexpected, southern-accented voice came to my rescue.“We’re working on a plan for that right now.” Derrick gave me a reassuring nod. “I expect we should have a solid idea by tomorrow.”
My breath seemed to stick in my throat.
“Is that correct, Catherine?” Officer Reynolds asked.
“Uh, yeah.”I blinked rapidly, trying to take it in. Why was Derrick being so helpful?
Derrick spoke up again. “We’d like to know how many soldiers we can count on to carry out the rescue mission.”
“How many?” Officer Davin repeated like we’d just asked if the pope could come with us.
“Yeah,” Derrick leaned his forearms against his blue jeans. “We’ll need at least a few soldiers.”
Officer Davin huffed. Officer Reynolds looked about the room. “You can have as many as want to volunteer. Anyone?” Nathan raised his hand beside me, but he was the only one.
“Looks like you’ve got your soldiers,” Officer Reynolds declared. So, it’s just Derrick, Nathan, and me? How stupid is that?
Officer Reynolds was preparing to move on when I cut in.
“Don’t you think we should put more effort into finding Ray?”I glared at the faces around me. “He’s saved half your butts.”
Officer Reynolds gave me a stern look. “ This mission, as you may recall, is an attack on the eastern queen and her colony. Any
“It’s weird to me,” Nathan said.
I helped Nathan unpack the few supplies he’d taken with him. The last thing he pulled from his pack was an obsidian arrowhead wrapped in a piece of leather. “I found it near a dormant volcano. Indians used to use them to hunt. I thought it might bring you good luck.” He wrapped a bit of twine around it in a crisscross pattern to make a necklace.
“I love it.”
We spent the rest of the day helping Travis with the trucks, and then that night we headed over to the Post for the meeting with our troop.
I wanted to sit in the back, but Nathan led me to the front and sat right next to Cassandra. “She’s so hot,” he whispered to me. I just rolled my eyes and tried not to notice how low-cut her button-up blouse was. She mostly ignored his stares which was just fine to me. More of our troop filed in. I noticed that most were young, twenty-five and under. The older, more experienced soldiers would be with Officer Reynolds at the main entrance. Officer Davin came in behind Officer Reynolds and they took seats at the front of the group. Officer Davin adjusted the strap of his arm sling, but he actually caught my eye and smiled. Maybe it won’t be so bad being in his troop after all.
Officer Reynolds started the meeting with instructions on material preparation for the attack.
“We are leaving in two days, when the trucks are running,” he explained. “I expect you to ready your weapons, fill your individual pressurized water packs, sharpen your knives, and charge your solar-powered flashlight.” He was talking to Mrs. Weatherstone and some of the other women about food preparation, and I pretty much tuned him out. Suddenly, I heard my name.
“Ms. McCabe,” he said sharply, “how do you propose we look for Ray during this operation? I would like to hear your plan, since it’s your idea that Ray may be held captive inside.”
My plan. Panic fluttered through me. I hadn’t thought of a plan. All I’d been worried about was fixing the trucks and getting to the colony.
“Yeah, Sis,” Nathan nudged me. “What’s your plan?”
When I still didn’t say anything, Officer Davin spoke up. “I don’t see how any rescue attempt will be possible. We’re flooding the entrances. If Ray is really inside, anyone going after him will drown with the scarb.”
Guess he’s not on my side after all. But he was right. How were we going to find Ray?
All thirty eyes of our troop were on me. Cassandra twirled her auburn hair, looking at me smugly. My cheeks flushed.
An unexpected, southern-accented voice came to my rescue.“We’re working on a plan for that right now.” Derrick gave me a reassuring nod. “I expect we should have a solid idea by tomorrow.”
My breath seemed to stick in my throat.
“Is that correct, Catherine?” Officer Reynolds asked.
“Uh, yeah.”I blinked rapidly, trying to take it in. Why was Derrick being so helpful?
Derrick spoke up again. “We’d like to know how many soldiers we can count on to carry out the rescue mission.”
“How many?” Officer Davin repeated like we’d just asked if the pope could come with us.
“Yeah,” Derrick leaned his forearms against his blue jeans. “We’ll need at least a few soldiers.”
Officer Davin huffed. Officer Reynolds looked about the room. “You can have as many as want to volunteer. Anyone?” Nathan raised his hand beside me, but he was the only one.
“Looks like you’ve got your soldiers,” Officer Reynolds declared. So, it’s just Derrick, Nathan, and me? How stupid is that?
Officer Reynolds was preparing to move on when I cut in.
“Don’t you think we should put more effort into finding Ray?”I glared at the faces around me. “He’s saved half your butts.”
Officer Reynolds gave me a stern look. “ This mission, as you may recall, is an attack on the eastern queen and her colony. Any
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