Disruption (21 page)

“That’s right,” Angie called after them, “you better run.” She turned back to me. “It’s because you beat that girl with your shoe.”

I groaned. Would I ever live that down? I tried to ignore her and said, “Abductions? Do you guys think that’s why they canceled the event?”

Juno shook his head. “C’mon, don’t be gullible like the rest of these idiots. No one is getting abducted. Even if someone knew there was a camp somewhere training a bunch of kids to be dangerous operatives, they’d have no chance at figuring out where that camp was.”

We started walking again, but the conversation continued.

“That’s why they’re getting accredited,” Rylee added. “Remember that lady from the first day?”

I nodded.

“It’s another layer of protection. If you were going to try to narrow the number of camps you wanted to investigate, you’d probably assume a camp like this wouldn’t be an accredited one.” She shook her head. “I’m with Juno; no one’s getting abducted.”

I considered that for a moment. “But the doctor—”

“It’s a scare tactic,” Juno said. “That’s all. They want us to leave here and think every shadow is hiding someone we need to beware of. No one is getting abducted, because we’re not really on anyone’s radar.”

Angie scrunched up her face. “I don’t agree with that. I was in a camp two years ago, and three campers disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Juno asked. “Or left the camp?”

“Or were kicked out?” Rylee added.

Angie shook her head. “I think I’ve been around long enough to know the difference between disappearing and leaving the camp on their own.”

Juno rolled his eyes. “Well, I didn’t know the Agency had camps for aspiring magicians. I’ll have to sign up for one of those next time. I’ve always wanted to learn that rabbit-out-of-a-hat trick.”

Angie glared at Juno but didn’t speak.

“What about you two?” I asked, looking at Amara and Yaakov. “Do you believe it?”

“Darn right I believe it,” Yaakov said without hesitation. “I’m not going near those woods.”

“Yaakov also believes in the Yeti,” Rylee said with an exasperated sigh.

“I said I didn’t
not
believe in the Yeti,” Yaakov snapped back. “There’s a difference. I believe in the possibility. Same goes for the abductions. I could list a dozen agencies who would love to get their hands on one of the campers here.” He shivered. “Especially me. It’s not good, all the things I know.”

“Oh brother,” Angie said. “Here we go again.”

“Amara?” I asked.

Amara slowed his pace a bit and stroked his chin like a wise, old sage. “It is unlikely, but like Yaakov, I believe in the possibility.”

Juno threw his hands up. “Great, we have a team of idiots. Maybe Matt was right to threaten to kick some of us out.”

No one laughed. In fact, the entire group became utterly silent, and it was as though we were on our way to a funeral, rather than the start of another day.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” I said, “I’m sorry I threatened to kick people out of the program. I didn’t mean it. I have no intention of kicking anyone out.” I turned back to my group. “Now can you all please stop being so weird?”

No one responded, and I was about to say something else when Angie pointed off the path. “Aren’t those your little minions over there?”

I spun around, and sure enough, Rob, Alexis, and Duncan were huddled against one of the cabins trying, it seemed, to be discreet about wanting to talk to me.

“I’ll meet you guys back at the cabin.” I stepped off the trail and made it a few steps before I realized someone was behind me. Rylee stopped when I turned around. “What?” I asked.

“I’m coming with you.”

I shook my head. “I said I’ll meet you back at the cabin.”

She nodded to Alexis, Rob, and Duncan. “How do you know them?”

“We used them for Capture the Flag, remember?”

“Of course I do,” Rylee said, “but
why
did we use them?”

“I will meet you back at the cabin, Rylee.” Each word was punctuated with my irritation to the point that she finally understood. I shoved past her and crossed the rest of the distance to the trio. I glanced at the trail when I got to them. Rylee and the rest of my team were just disappearing around a bend.

Rob handed me the cell phone, and I shoved it into my pocket. “You got them?”

He nodded. “Piece of cake.”

“Really? Even the video of what happened during Capture the Flag?”

“The video was tough,” Rob said, “but we got it. What are you going to do with them?”

I’d prepared for this question. “I’ll delete them as soon as I check that you actually took them.”

“So this
was
a test?” Alexis asked.

I nodded.

“So we’re still good? If the Delta event happens, you’ll use us?”

“I said I would, didn’t I? But you heard Dalson; it’s canceled.”

Rob snickered. “I doubt it. Those rumors of abductions are stupid. No one gets abducted. If you believe that, you’re a—”

Alexis elbowed her teammate as a group of campers headed toward us.

“Okay,” Alexis said, looking at me. “We’ll wait, then. If the challenge happens, you’ll tell us how we can help, right?”

“Sure.” I patted the phone in my pocket. “Good job, guys.”

I ducked into the bathroom on my way back to the Delta cabin and locked myself into a stall. When I checked the pictures, I had to smile.

These kids were smarter than I’d thought. The pictures were clear as day, and each one looked like the counselors had posed individually for them. Which, clearly, they hadn’t. The last picture in the series was of the Camp Friendship accreditation brochure. Somehow Rob, Alexis, and Duncan had gotten hold of the material used to make it and uploaded it to the phone.

Smart.

They also had a dozen pictures of Chase, each appearing to have been taken from bushes or behind buildings. Some of them were pretty bad, but there were a couple that were pretty good. And to cap it off, there were quite a few pictures of my team. I felt a bit silly for not having seen them when the pictures were taken.

I texted Jason with the pictures attached and told him I’d be in touch and that he should not, under any circumstances, text me back.

He instantly texted back, Okay.

Then, Oops.

And finally, Sorry.

Only Jason could read a message that said Do not text me back and promptly send me three messages. I had the phone on silent mode, but it wasn’t worth the risk. I took the battery out and stuffed both pieces into my pocket.

If they think they’re going to catch us off guard, they’re underestimating how badly I want to be here.

It was time to get training.

Chapter 31

I hit the ground hard. My breath came out in a single gush, and I lay there, looking up at the trees while I tried to will precious air back into my lungs.

“You’re letting your emotions get the best of you,” Juno said.

I rolled and pushed myself up but stayed hunched over, hands on knees, while I caught my breath. “Th-this sucks,” I said. “They really did cancel it. The camp’s almost over.” It had been six days since the last Delta event had been canceled, and every day since, my team and I had expected news that it was back on.

Yaakov landed in a heap at my feet and groaned. Rylee walked over and pulled him up and helped dust him off. Then she looked at me. “Why are you still mad? Tomorrow’s Friday. There’s only a couple days left. They’re not going to cancel two events in a row. They do that, and there’s no time to have a clear winning team. I think we have a great shot at winning.”

“Or at least not losing,” Yaakov said. He picked a couple twigs and dried leaves from his hair. “What we need to know is, are they going to eliminate just one team tomorrow or two? It’s usually just one elimination per event, but since they missed last week’s . . .”

“Let’s just not end up in the bottom two,” I said.

Juno nodded and then tapped his watch. “C’mon, it’s time to get cleaned up. We’re already going to be late for breakfast. Angie might clean the kitchen out of all the food before we get there.”

We laughed, and then Rylee said, “I’m going to tell her you said that.”

Juno’s smile dropped dramatically. “Don’t. I might be a pretty good fighter, but she’s got that crazy streak in her.”

Rylee nodded. “It’s called psychopathy.”

I shook my head and wondered what the chances were that Angie really was a psychopath. Probably wouldn’t get past a psychological screening if she was, right?

It didn’t matter. What mattered was tomorrow. Another scheduled competition and there had been no word that it would be canceled. I was determined to make it through. At first, all I’d cared about was staying in the camp until the end of the session. Being able to tell my friends that I’d been in a real spy training camp would have been awesome. Having some skills of a spy would’ve been even better. But now I wanted more. I wanted to actually
be
a spy. If I could just win a couple events and prove myself, when they discovered my true identity they wouldn’t kick me out. They might be mad. I might get in trouble. But they’d see my potential and let me continue.

At least, that was what I told myself.

The rain started about mid-morning, and became a full-blown thunderstorm by late afternoon. I ducked into the cabin after getting caught in a downpour on my way back from Arts and Crafts.

“There you are,” Juno said, poking his head into the cabin. “You coming?”

“Where?”

“Self-Defense, of course.” He shook the rain out of his hair. “Did you forget or something?”

A clap of thunder rattled the windowpanes, and I gestured outside. “We still have the class? In this?”

Juno laughed. “Are you kidding? Hurry up. I don’t want to get in trouble for being late.”

I grabbed my jacket and jogged after him. It didn’t take long to get to the clearing, but I was so wet that it looked like I’d swum there.

“Cambridge,” Ms. Davis shouted over the din of the rain. “Get in here.”

“Good luck,” Juno said.

I shrugged off my coat. It wasn’t keeping me dry anyway.

“Pick your opponent, Mr. Cambridge.”

I smiled and pointed at Chase. “Him,” I said. I glanced back to Juno. His face was scrunched up, and he shook his head.

“I can’t believe you picked me,” Chase said. I turned back around. He was standing opposite me with a huge grin. “I mean, it’s almost as if you enjoy getting your butt kicked.”

“Fight!” Ms. Davis said, her word punctuated by a clap of thunder.

Chase swung for my head, and my arm went up, blocking the punch. Just like Juno had taught me, my other hand flew out and caught Chase in the chin. He staggered back a step, eyes wide, as though me connecting a punch was the last thing he’d expected.

Juno whooped.

I seized my chance and lunged forward, aiming for Chase’s head. I wanted to make him hurt as badly as he’d hurt me. Finally, I was in a position to do it.

Chase caught my arm and yanked me off balance. Then his foot hit my knee and dropped me to a crouch. I was just standing back up when I realized Chase’s foot was on its way to my face. And then I was in the air, looking up through the canopy of trees while droplets of rain pelted my face.

I hit the ground hard, and in a single beat, Chase hammered me in the stomach. I rolled, struggling to catch my breath, and Chase kicked me in the ribs. Coughing, I tried to push myself to my feet, but he kicked out my arm and then stomped me in the stomach. Then he leaned over and brought his face beside mine.

“Two weeks learning basic fighting moves in the woods and you thought you had a chance against me?” He laughed right in my face. “How did you even get in to this camp?”

“That’s enough,” Ms. Davis said. “Erickson, fall back.” Chase did as he was told and returned to the perimeter. I pushed myself to my knees. “Cambridge,” she said, “I saw some improvements.”

Yeah, I’d stayed conscious this time. I didn’t get it. I’d worked so hard with Juno, and even after all that, Chase had pummeled me just as easily as he had before. What was the point of all the lessons if they didn’t help me become a better fighter?

“Keep at it,” she added.

While I half crawled, half staggered to the edge of the circle, Ms. Davis called out another couple names, and two other campers fell into combat.

“What were you thinking?” Juno asked when I made it beside him.

“What do you think I was thinking?” I snapped. “I thought you’d given me some training that actually worked!”

“You’ve been at it for a couple weeks, Matt. You don’t even know the basics. Maybe if you keep at it for the rest of the year, you’ll be ready for next year. But Chase trains too, remember.”

I spat out a mouthful of blood and watched as the two other campers scrapping it out in the center of the clearing pounded each other. “I just wanted some payback.”

“Well, you got it,” Juno said. “I think he really hurt his foot on your face.”

“Shut up.”

Chapter 32

I was getting really tired of having Chase stomp me every chance he got. As I showered and cleaned myself up, I wished for the Delta challenge we’d be facing in the morning to be something I could really destroy him in . . . but off the top of my head, I couldn’t think of anything I could do that he couldn’t. It made me hate him even more, if that were even possible. My foul mood continued into dinner and made eating impossible. My appetite came in waves; one minute I’d be famished, and then the next, the idea of eating made me want to vomit.

I stabbed the piece of chicken with my fork and twisted the prongs into it.

“I don’t think it’s going to tell you what you want to know,” Rylee whispered across the table.

“Yeah, well,” I said, “maybe it just needs more incentive.” I took my knife and stabbed the tip into it.

Rylee grimaced. “You and Angie could develop some interrogation protocols.”

I looked up and realized she and I were the only two left at the table. The team table to my right was mostly empty, as well. In fact, with the exception of a dozen campers scattered among the tables, the dining hall was deserted.