will patrol the camp while two sleep—all four will rotate shifts.”
Which means not a lot of sleep for me. Ugh.
Radcliff, though, nods in approval. “What’s the protocol for an evac?”
Another pause. “During the day, if Lawrence spots HoLFs, she will sound the alarm…we’ll take a couple blow-horns. In that case, the pit will be evacuated immediately and the hatch sealed before everyone returns to the base. At night, everyone will leave the pits and the hatch will be secured. If an unfriendly is spotted near the camp, the officers on duty will sound the alarm. I’ll issue orders regarding a response if needed, or if evasive actions are required. The goal will be to get everyone safely back to the base as quick as possible.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Mom says. “Spencer and I will also be armed and a few of the techs as well.”
“And we’ll all have flashlights,” Dad adds. “With extra bulbs and batteries.”
It sounds as if they’re planning for any contingency. Yet Radcliff’s grumpy demeanor remains. Guess he’s not going to let my parents forget he disapproved of this mission. My parents leave to finish the last of their packing.
Radcliff waits until the door is closed before saying, “This is a dangerous mission.” He meets each of our gazes. “It’s not too late to un-volunteer.”
Silence.
He sighs. “All right. Dorey, you don’t let anyone’s opinions influence you. If you don’t think it’s safe, get the hell out of there. I don’t care if there’s no sign of HoLFs or looters. If it doesn’t feel right then you skedaddle.”
“Yes, sir!” Beau just barely keeps a straight face.
Heck, we all struggle to keep from grinning over Radcliff’s use of skedaddle.
“If the HoLFs attack in the pit, Lawrence is in charge until you exit and seal the hatch. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!” Beau and I say together.
It’s daunting to think that I’ll be making the decisions, but understandable. And if I recall the two times I’ve encountered the shadow-blobs, I did…okay. No one died, and we all escaped with just a few cuts. I glance at Niall’s forehead. The wound is healed. Only a thin dark purple line remains.
“Good. Radcliff and Keir, you’re dismissed.”
Niall and Elese stand and head out.
“Guess we’re just the grunts for this mission,” Elese jokes as she holds the door open for Niall.
Now it’s just me, Beau, Radcliff, and Morgan. The woman hasn’t said a word the entire meeting.
“While you two are out gallivanting, Morgan is going to be testing the blockade and annoying Jarren.” Radcliff indicates the screen behind him. “Show her the areas you’ve investigated so she doesn’t repeat your efforts and cause suspicion. We’ll implement the distraction protocol when you return.”
The distraction protocol—that’s a cool name.
He stands to leave.
“Now?” I ask.
“Yes, now.”
Morgan swivels. There’s a terminal in the conference room. Beau and I insert our tangs and scooch our chairs closer. We spend the next couple of hours working with Morgan.
“We decided to test his blockade in a grid pattern,” Beau says. “It’s boring, but it’s a standard security move, and it’ll give him the confidence that he can predict where we’ll be each day.”
Also so he won’t be worried about his escape route. He’ll believe it’s safe until the testing grid gets closer. Hopefully, well before then, we’ll have accessed his exit with Jarren none the wiser.
Beau demonstrates what we’ve been doing to set off the alarms and test the measures Jarren has woven to prevent us from reaching DES. I’m struck again by Jarren’s skills and the complexity of the barrier. A niggle of worry digs into my guts as I study his intricate programming.
It would be bad if Jarren learned about our mission to Pit 21. The excavation might bring him back from wherever he’s hiding. Those satellite feeds are vital. Radcliff will be monitoring them, but is the security chief up to the task? I think so, but my instincts are nagging me.
Morgan copies Beau’s actions and triggers another alarm. I can’t help smiling. Those things are annoying when you’re in the Q-net. Maybe Jarren would be confident enough to turn them off. A girl can hope.
We finish up and Beau and I return to our units to pack. Except when I’m back in my room, I realize I don’t have much to pack. My security jumpsuit has been torn into rags. All I have are my security uniforms, pulse gun and kit, flashlight, and pajamas. I don’t even have a bag since I haven’t replaced the one Jarren took. Why didn’t