Shocked Read Free Page B

could try. I mean my access isn’t high or anything, but I have network credentials.”
    Now it’s my turn to frown, and stare at him dumbly.
    “I’m in the military. I have a contact list.”
    “Oh! Yes, please.” Duh.
    I relinquish the chair to Lucas and move back towards the TV. I don’t really pay attention to it and instead zone out with my thoughts. Dare I hope that they made it there safely? If they didn’t…I can’t even go there. My chest feels as though it’ll implode with the mere thought. No—it’s better to keep going. I glance out at the night sky and will time to move faster so we can keep moving.
    “Kat, I think I got something.” Lucas calls from the corner.
    The message Lucas sent was vague: smart on his part: to not give away too much information about who he’s with and where he is. It’s impossible to tell whether the emails are intercepted or make it to their intended destination. It frustrates me because all of this unknown—all this guessing impedes our progress. The return message is just as vague. It tells us no more than we already know. I’m about to tell him to shut it down when I notice the little camera button. I scroll the mouse over it and a ‘start video chat’ option pops up. I glance at Lucas for his approval and get a shrug for a response so I click the button and carefully remove myself from the frame of our computer’s camera.
    A screen clicks on. It’s dark for a moment then springs to life. A uniformed soldier sits in the box waiting for Lucas to say something. When he does it leaves me standing with my mouth agape, wondering where the authority in his voice came from. “This is Private Lieutenant Lucas Meyers of the 13th Brigade requesting an audience with Captain Jennings.”
    The soldier on the screen takes a moment to answer. “What is the nature of this audience Lieutenant?”
    Lucas doesn’t miss a beat. “Due to the classified nature of the information I’m unable to disclose it to anyone other than the Captain.”
    Another lapse before the soldier’s response. “Lieutenant, the Captain is very busy. I’ll need something to pass along before they’ll give me permission to patch you through.”
    Lucas looks thoughtful for a moment. “Tell the Captain…Tell him I said ‘The hills are shockingly green here.’”
    My lips smile as I understand his code. I know that the Captain will, too. The soldier on the other end doesn’t get it, but tells Lucas to wait while he tries to get clearance. It doesn’t take long before the screen clicks and Captain Jennings appears on the screen. He looks tired—haggard since I last saw him (although it could just be the crappy videography.)
    “Lieutenant Meyers, you have some information for me?” The Captain’s voice sure hasn’t changed a bit. Now that we know it’s him I go to move the camera to include me in the shot too. As I raise my hand Lucas grabs it and gives his head a small shake no.
    “Yes sir. Thank you for your time, sir.” Lucas looks at me then back to the screen. “I have an important…delivery. Can you tell me if this network is secure?”
    The Captain chuckles. “Son, nothing is secure these days. They tell me you’re from the 13th?”
    “Yes sir.” Lucas nods.
    “When you did your training you finished and went to a place before you met your brigade. Do you remember where?”
    “Yes sir.”
    “How long do you think it would take you to arrive there with the—er—package?”
    Lucas considers this. “Honestly sir, I have no idea. There are too many variables out here to give a realistic timeframe.”
    “Understood, Lieutenant…let’s say that beginning a week from today there’ll be a team at dawn and dusk. You just get there as fast as you can.”
    “Yes sir. Thank you, Captain.”
    “And Lieutenant? Trust no one on your way. Things are…not good on the inside at the moment.”
    “Understood sir.” T he screen goes black.
    “Whoa.” I look at Lucas. “That was