Chapter 23
We arrived at Briarwood Academy. As we pulled up the whole team was in the parking lot waiting for us. I pulled up and parked next to Chase’s truck. I got out and went around to the passenger side to open the door for Natalia. I opened the door and grabbed her hand to help her out. Chase, Nick, and Vince walked over to greet us.
“Happy Graduation Day chaps!” Vince said.
“Thanks Vince,” I said.
“Happy Graduation Day guys,” Natalia said.
“Thanks Natalia. Congrats on Valedictorian,” Nick said.
“Thanks, well of course Jason had to steal some of the attention.” Natalia joked and smiled.
“Well I earned it fair and square,” I said.
“Is everyone ready to go in?” I asked.
Security was tight today because Vince’s dad was here for the ceremony. British and American Secret Service agents were present. We all lined up to walk into Aber Hall. Since Natalia and I were valedictorian’s, we walked in first side by side. Natalia and I gave our valedictorian speech and were applauded with a standing ovation. After the ceremony we all greeted our family and friends that had been in the audience and had refreshments. Admiral Thompson walked over and asked the six of us to come with him for a short meeting.
Chase, Vince, Maurice, Nick, Natalia and I followed him into the chapel. We all sat down.
“Congratulations to you all for your accomplishments. When I presented the idea to form this new team to the President for approval, I had no idea the six of you would excel the way you have. Believe me she had her reservations at first but, all of your hard work thus far is about to pay off. First thing is you all should have received your million-dollar advances by now. There are things about this program that couldn’t be told to you ‘til now. The vitamin supplements you all have been taking are experimental performance enhancing drugs. I know some of you will have questions and I will answer them. The drugs will and should by this time have enhanced your physical stamina, increased your brain function so you can operate on missions for longer periods of time. Also, if any of you are injured during a mission, your body will be able to heal faster from your injuries. Every mission you all go on is classified! If you are ever captured by an enemy, the US government will make no attempts to rescue you and deny all knowledge of your existence.”
Nick raised his hand.
“Sir, will there be side effects of these supplements. How were you able to do this to us without our consent?”
“I don’t know Nick if there will be any side effects. Since you are all minors your parents and guardians gave consent to be in the program and all aspects of the program including drug trials. Since everyone’s body chemistry is different we have been observing you all since this program started.” Admiral Thompson answered.
“You mean people have been watching us?” Natalia said.
“Yes Natalia. Our people are always watching.”
“So how did I get in this program? My father is the part of the British government.” Vince asked.
“Well Vince, an agreement was made between Madame President and your father. You will complete missions for us with the team, but you will also be working with British intelligence on missions.”
“Oh, that’s just great mate.” Vince frowned.
“So, what does this mean as far as us seeing our families and friends?” Chase asked.
“You will not be able to speak to any of them for the first few months depending on how well each of you are doing with your SEAL training. You each will receive a satellite phone that will work anywhere in the world. Each of you will be implanted with a digital tracker which will be placed under your skin in your right wrist and a second one will be placed under your right rib cage in case you are caught by an enemy. They are undetectable and can only been seen by our satellites.”
“So, I will not be able to talk to my brother Ryan?”
“No not for a while.”
“How is it that you picked each of us for this team?” Maurice asked.
“This program has been in existence for several decades, but this is the first-time teenagers were used and given experimental drugs in our attempts to make the perfect soldier. Each of you have certain qualities and have faced challenges in your lives that made you perfect candidates. Each of you possess special skills that I was looking for to make this team into the perfect intelligence machine. Nick, your family background in martial arts is especially appealing to us. Chase, your family SEAL background and your firearms training you had growing up peaked our interest. Jason, your natural leadership abilities and the way you killed that bear in the woods of Montana, let me know you have that killer instinct this team needs to be its leader. Maurice, your aunt reached out to me since you were also getting into trouble. I saw a temper in you that I felt I could help you channel into something positive. And Natalia, your background peaked my curiosity and I knew we would need a woman to complete some of the missions. You have to understand we have enemies all around the world that we have not been able to get to in the past, but now I think we will be able to. You will have tonight to say goodbye to your families. Tomorrow morning you all will be flown to Belize for twelve weeks of relaxation and some SEAL training until you report to the Naval Academy. A six-bedroom villa has been set up for everything you will need while you are there. The villa is right on the beach as well.” Admiral Thompson explained.
“Sir, this is a lot to take in right now,” I said.
“I’m sure it is, but please believe you will all be doing your country a great service.”
“Well this isn’t my country now is it chap?” Vince protested.
“You will all cooperate and do your duties as assigned.”
“Admiral that sounds like a threat. Just so you know I don’t respond well to threats. You basically just told us we have been drugged for God knows how long, without our consent and that we have to comply and that we have no choice in the matter,” Maurice said.
“I will take my leave now. Jason, talk to your team. I expect you all to be ready in the morning.”
Admiral Thompson walked out. In that moment I didn’t know what to say with the silence that just filled the room.
“Okay guys we have been put in a special situation. Some of us thought this was our dream to serve our country and make a difference. Vince and Maurice, I know this is not what you both signed up for. But this is the direction life has taken us for now. I have a lot invested in this and nobody will fuck it up for me. We have to all have each other’s back no matter what. We are a team now. Does everyone agree?”
Everyone agreed. We all left Briarwood Academy that night and went home to say goodbye to our families.
I dropped Natalia off at home and gave her a kiss goodnight. “I will see you in the morning,” I said.
“Yes, we are all about to embark on a new chapter in our lives. But Jason I have to tell you something,” Natalia said.
“What is it Natalia?”
“I never took any drugs from my parents.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“That is strange babe. Ryan and I have been on them for a few years and I have definitely noticed changes in my body.”
“Maybe I should talk to my dad and ask him.”
“No, Natalia don’t. We don’t know what Admiral Thompson’s motive is for not giving them to you.”
“You’re right, Jason.”
I waited for her to walk inside then I pulled off and drove home. It was gonna be hard to explain to Ms. V that I wouldn’t have time to have my graduation party tonight.