29

NOAH

I knew this was a bad idea!

I fled in panic, racing full throttle through the woods. Flashlight beams sliced through the canopy overhead. I heard engines fire, then the screech of burning rubber.

I didn’t know where I was going. Where Min and Tack were. The fence. The lake. The road. My Tahoe. I just wanted to get away as fast as possible, but had a sinking feeling we were screwed.

I spotted Min up ahead, then Tack to my left, cursing as he ran through a pricker bush. I couldn’t see more than ten feet, kept narrowly avoiding branches and hidden ditches. I’m going to charge straight into a tree, knock myself unconscious, and get arrested. The perfect end to a perfect day.

I didn’t even want to be there. Sneaking into a military facility at night? How was that a good idea? This was exactly how I’d pictured our “adventure” ending.

I’d almost said something, but Tack loved making me look bad in front of Min.

Now I’m running from armed soldiers through the woods. Thanks a lot, pride!

A tree materialized in front of me. I lurched sideways, dodging the trunk but slamming into Tack.

“Watch it!” He shoved me ahead of him, onto a narrow deer track that knifed through the understory. I was too scared to protest, busy imagining the punishment for trespassing onto a nuclear weapons facility. Then I skidded to a halt as someone stepped from the bushes.

“Guys!” Min waved anxiously, then pointed to a clearing just ahead. “I saw lights go by. I think they’re in front of us now, following the road.”

Tack peered across the open field. “The fence can’t be much farther, right?”

Min looked at me. I flashed my palms. I hadn’t been paying attention to anything beyond my next step.

“The road is over there.” Min nodded to the right. “So we have to cross this field and stay left. As long as we keep heading west, we’ll hit the fence eventually. Then we climb out and find the car.”

I swallowed. My Tahoe was just sitting there, waiting to be discovered.

She and Tack began jogging across the meadow. I followed, shoulders hunched, every sense on high alert.

Didn’t matter.

They were on us in seconds.

Bushes exploded as two ATVs launched into the clearing. Min spun, grabbed my hand. We tried to follow Tack, who was bombing across the grass.

The four-wheelers were faster. In moments they skidded to a halt in front of Tack, cutting him off. Then, like a bad movie, they began circling, hemming us together in a tight bunch.

My heart was racing out of control. We’re in so much trouble.

Someone shouted a command. The ATVs stopped on opposite sides of us. Four troops dismounted, wearing night-vision goggles and carrying automatic weapons. No one addressed us, but we put our hands up on instinct. One soldier said something into his shoulder radio.

“Hey, guys,” Tack ventured. “What’s going on?” A pause. “Is something wrong?”

No response. Stone-carved faces. Sweat erupted all over my body.

“Good talk,” Tack deadpanned.

Tense minutes passed as we stood in silence, staring at the four men with guns trained on us. Then a third ATV entered the field. It pulled up closer, headlights blinding me.

Two men stepped off. The first was a gray-uniformed soldier with a pockmarked face and the bearing of an officer. The other troops tightened up noticeably under his scrutiny.

“It’s him!” Min whispered to Tack, who nodded tightly. Then she spoke out of the side of her mouth to me. “That’s who chased us from Lowell’s office the night we broke in.”

Then I recognized the second man. Felt a wave of relief.

“Sheriff Watson?” I said.

The officer made a gesture. His men flipped up their night-vision goggles. They were younger than I’d expected—hard-faced dudes in their early twenties. One shouldered his weapon and hustled between the ATVs. He activated halogens atop each, creating a harsh field of light like a crime scene.

Sheriff Watson examined us with tired eyes above his thick mustache. With a shake of his head, his gaze dropped to the grass. I felt a twinge of panic.

The officer turned to the nearest pair of soldiers. “Shoot them,” he ordered. “Dump the bodies in Grid Four, then return to base.”

Watson flinched. Min gasped. My knees buckled, the light blurring as all the blood in my body rushed to my head. That’s it. We’re dead.

“Wait!” Tack’s voice cracked as he frantically waved his hands. “You can’t do that! We’re Americans. We’re kids!”

Watson rounded on the officer. “Now hold on a minute, Captain Sigler.”

The soldiers who’d received the command glanced at one another. Across the circle, the other pair shifted uncomfortably. “New orders this evening,” Captain Sigler boomed, clearly annoyed at having to explain. “Trespassers are to be liquidated. This base is now a Class Alpha facility. We’re moving to DEFCON One.”

“There’s no point in those orders!” Watson shouted. “For what, a couple days? Just take them prisoner or let them go. None of this matters anyway.”

“Sheriff?” Min took a tentative step toward him. The soldiers trained their weapons in response, and she stiffened. “Sheriff, it’s me! Min Wilder!”

Oh God, don’t shoot her. Please, please, don’t shoot her.

Watson’s eyes widened, as if only now recognizing us. He spun to face the armed men. “Wait! Wait! Damn it all, wait!” The soldiers hesitated, unsure which man to obey. Frowning, Captain Sigler raised a hand. “Hold your fire.”

“Open your eyes!” Sheriff Watson jabbed a finger at Min. “That’s one of the damn betas right there! I’ve known her since she was a baby!”

“Thomas Russo, too!” Tack was shaking like a leaf as he moved to stand protectively next to Min. “And that’s Noah Livingston, Sheriff. You know his dad, I’m sure. Look, we made a mistake, but we’re all friends here, right?”

Watson stepped into Sigler’s personal space, fuming. “Two betas! And the other one’s part of the experimental group. Half the damn project is standing in front of you, and you almost mowed them down!”

“My orders were clear.” But Sigler sounded less confident.

Watson ran a hand over his face, suddenly looking exhausted. “The project’s in motion, Keith. We can’t risk changes at this point, and killing these three would be a massive curveball. You have to release them for now.”

Sigler considered for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “They can go.”

I almost collapsed in relief. I glanced at Min, and we exchanged shaky nods.

But the captain wasn’t finished talking. “The betas only. I can’t let the other one leave. My orders gave no exceptions, and he’s not a core variable. Losses from the wider subject group are considered acceptable breakage.”

My eyes shot to Tack. His whole body was trembling. But he stepped away from Min, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Go on,” he told her in a strangled voice. “Take Noah and get out of here.”

“No!” Min grabbed Tack by the arm and tried to shove him behind her. “You can’t do that!” she yelled, choking back tears. “We’ll do whatever you want, just don’t shoot anyone!”

“This is pointless!” Watson raged, but Captain Sigler wasn’t swayed this time.

“As you said, Sheriff, the project is under way.” His voice was glacial. “We’ve reached the critical moment in our forty-year history. Discipline must be maintained.”

Sigler nodded to his men. “The boy in jeans. Take him down. That’s a direct order from your superior officer.” A shadow fell across the captain’s face. “It’s happening, men. We knew this day would come. Now isn’t the time for cold feet.”

The soldiers raised their weapons. Took aim.

“No!” Min screamed, trying to shield Tack. But they had us surrounded.

Panic overwhelmed me. Paralyzed my limbs. I stood statue-still as the scene unfolded.

Helpless. Hopeless. Feet frozen in concrete.

Min struggled to protect her friend. I didn’t move an inch.

Tack grabbed Min by the shoulders. Hugged her tight, kissing the top of her head. Then he shoved her away forcefully, toppling Min to the ground. Tack squeezed his eyes shut. “Love you,” he whispered.

A shot rang out.

“No!” Min screamed, lurching up from the grass.

I dropped to my knees.

Tack’s dead. I did nothing.

But when I looked up, Tack was still standing there, quivering, face soaked with sweat.

My eyes darted to Sigler. He was lying facedown on the ground, a dark puddle spreading beneath him.

“Nobody move!” Watson was behind the first pair of soldiers, his service pistol pressed to one man’s temple. “Stand down! All of you, right now!”

The captured soldier swallowed. “He shot Captain Sigler.”

The other three slowly lowered their weapons, bewilderment on their faces. “Toss the rifles!” Watson shouted. After a moment’s hesitation, they did as ordered. Watson stepped back and prodded the pair in front of him. “Kneel, or it’s your last damn breath.” Moments later he had all four troops on the ground in a line.

Watson turned and shot out the tires of the closest ATV. “Go on now, kids. Take the other two and head that way.” He pointed across the field. “The road swings back around, and you can follow it to the gate. Don’t stop for anything.”

“You’ll die for this,” a soldier growled.

Watson laughed harshly. “What a stupid thing to say.”

Something grabbed my arm and I jumped. It was Tack. “Come on, Noah!”

Min was mounting an ATV. I slid onto the seat behind her, letting Tack have the other one. At that moment I could barely form sentences inside my head—off-roading through a pitch-black forest at night was out of the question.

Tack revved his engine, obviously familiar with the machine. “Let’s go, Sheriff.”

Watson shook his head. “No place for me to hide from this, boy. Not anymore.”

Min turned and stared at Watson. Something passed between them. A tear leaked from the corner of her eye. “What is Project Nemesis, Sheriff? What were those shots about, really?”

“Oh, Min. It’s so much bigger than that. You have no idea how deep this goes.”

“Then tell me!” Min shouted, rising in her seat. “Tell us what’s going to happen!”

“Keep your mouth shut, Sherriff.” The surly soldier glared up at Watson. “Captain Sigler was right—we never should’ve let you locals into the program.”

Watson cuffed the man’s head. “Shut up, moron. Let us in? Ha! I’ve spent more years on this than you’ve been alive. I’ve given more than you can possibly imagine.”

Tack pulled his ATV around next to ours. “We have to go,” he whispered. “They could send more troops after us at any time. Maybe they already have.”

Min stared at the old man holding a gun on four restless soldiers. “Whatever you’ve done, Sheriff, there’s still time to make it right. Tell us what you know. Who’s after us?” Her body tensed like a piano string. “Who’s been killing me?”

Watson shook his head. “You have no idea what we tried to accomplish,” he said softly, then looked away. “Or what’s coming.”

The soldiers shifted restlessly, exchanging glances. Watson stepped back, trying to cover all four at once. If they broke for him, he’d lose. “Better move now, Min. You’ll learn it all soon enough. Take care of your friends. I believe in you most of all.”

Min shrieked in frustration, slamming the handlebars with her fists. Then she gunned away without another word. Tack fell in behind us as we raced across the field. There was a path, then the road. Two minutes later we reached the gate.

We ditched the vehicles, slipped under the fence, and sprinted to my car. I was unlocking the doors when I heard the first shot, followed by several more.

A pause, then two more shots in rapid succession. I turned startled eyes on my companions. “Did Watson shoot those guys!? How’s he gonna get away on foot?”

Min kicked the glove box, snarling. “Just drive!” Startled, I yanked the car into gear and peeled out. We hit pavement, and I raced toward town. No one followed.

Min was sobbing, head buried in her chest. Tack reached a hand toward her, then thought better of it, slouching back. Confused, I met his eye in the rearview.

Tack glared at me. “Watson wasn’t getting away, you dope. He could never handle all those guys at once. The fat old bastard was buying us time.” Tack looked away, trying to keep his composure as he stared out the window.

“Those last shots, Noah? That was Sheriff Watson’s execution.”