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here!”
The five remaining men stood and ran toward her.
When they were close enough, John whistled.
The air suddenly swarmed with stones. The men held up their hands and tried to protect themselves.They dropped and covered their heads.
John whistled again and sixty-seven children charged screaming toward the bewildered men. The mengot up to defend themselves. They looked stunned—like they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Sam smashed his baton over a man’s head. Fhajad was hit squarely in the face by one man’s fist, and hefell.
The men were overwhelmed by a wave of flesh, beaten to the ground with fists and stones and bootsuntil they no longer moved.
John stood over their bleeding bodies. He was mad. They would have hurt him and his squad. He wantedto kick in their skulls. He took a deep breath and then exhaled. He had better things to do and biggerproblems to figure out—anger would have to wait.
“Want to call Mendez now?” Sam asked as he pulled Fhajad shakily to his feet.
“Not yet,” John told him. He marched onto the dropship. No one else was on board.
John accessed the COM system and opened the mail link. He linked up with Déjà. Her face appeared, ascratchy hologram hovering over the terminal.
“Good evening, Trainee 117,” she said. “Do you have a homework question?”
“Kind of,” he replied. “One of CPO Mendez’s assignments.”
“Ah.” After moment’s pause she said, “Very well.”
“I’m in a Pelican dropship. There’s no pilot, but I need to get home. Teach me to fly it, please.”
Déjà shook her head. “You are not rated to fly that craft, Trainee. But Ican help. Do you see the wingedicon in the corner of your screen? Tap it three times.”
John tapped it and a hundred icons and displays filled the screen.
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“Touch the green arrows at nine o’clock twice,” she told him.
He did and then the wordsautopilot activated flashed onscreen.
“I have control now,” Déjà said. “I will get you home.”
“Hang on a second,” John said and ran outside. “Everyone onboard—double time!”
The children ran onto the ship.
Kelley paused and asked, “Who’s getting left behind?”
“No one,” John said. “Just get in.” He made sure he was the last on the ship, then said, “Okay, Déjà, getout us out of here.”
The dropship’s jets roared to life and it rose into the sky.
* * *
John stood at attention in Chief Petty Officer Mendez’s office. He had never been in here. No one had.A trickle of sweat dripped down his back. The dark wood paneling and the smell of cigar smoke madehim feel claustrophobic.
Mendez glowered at John as he read the report on his clipboard.
The door opened and Dr. Halsey walked in. Mendez stood, gave her a curt nod and then sat back in hispadded chair.
“Hello, John,” Dr. Halsey said. She sat across from Mendez, crossed her legs, and then adjusted her grayskirt.
“Dr. Halsey,” John replied instantly. He saluted. None of the other grown-ups called him by his firstname, ever. He didn’t understand why she did.