The Final Six (The Final Six #1) - Alexandra Monir Page 0,19
of all of us, at the sound of the music from his country, and he half dances down the steps of the plane. I can’t help but grin as I watch him.
Our eyes meet for a split second—I can tell he recognizes me, too. And in that moment, his smile seems to grow.
LEO
It feels like I’m living someone else’s life as I take in the scene on the tarmac. It’s too thrilling, too awe-inspiring, to actually be happening to me. Adrenaline surges through my veins as I stand with the rest of the Twenty-Four, listening to Dr. Takumi deliver a speech for the cameras broadcasting us live to the world.
“Today marks the start of mankind’s most important step—the very step that will secure our future.” His voice rings out across the airfield. “On behalf of the six space agencies and our staff at ISTC, we are delighted to welcome the most extraordinary teenagers from around the world to our campus at Johnson Space Center. We combed the globe to find these unique individuals standing before you, all of whom possess the strength, smarts, and youth necessary to achieve our highest aim.”
And I’m one of them. It still seems unthinkable that I made it this far, especially compared to the geniuses all around me.
“From the get-go, the Europa Mission’s stringent prerequisites kept the draft pool relatively low. Our finalists were required to be between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, with clean bills of health and near-perfect vision. Their bodies needed to meet the anthropometric requirements for long-duration space suits, while their minds had to test above the eighty-fifth percentile for IQ. They were also required to speak fluent English, the home language of Space Training Camp, in addition to their native tongue. Yet even with all these boxes to tick, we were still able to select finalists who brought something else—something unique—to the table.”
It must be my imagination, but I could swear Dr. Takumi is looking straight at me as he says those last words.
“In the coming weeks, we will train, challenge, and test the Twenty-Four, both physically and mentally, to prepare them for a life in space. This training period will help us carefully evaluate each finalist and ensure that we choose the right team of six,” he continues. “One day, years from now, this mission will be taught in schools; it will be known as the defining moment for the continuation of the human race. But those future students won’t be learning about it here on Earth.” Dr. Takumi pauses, a ghost of a smile on his face. “They will study the mission from their new schools, their new homes, on Europa!”
The crowd roars, the onlookers whooping and rattling the fence surrounding the airfield in their exhilaration, as Dr. Takumi gives credence to our deepest, wildest hopes.
“It all starts now!”
He lets out a piercing whistle, and suddenly two open-air trolleys come rolling toward us, driven by men in US Army camouflage. Dr. Takumi and General Sokolov jump onto separate vehicles, as Takumi calls out his first official command. “Finalists, come aboard!”
I make a beeline for Dr. Takumi’s trolley, and I sprint past the other competitors to land a seat up front. Maybe it’s silly of me to take the ride so seriously, but I’m determined to seize any face time I can get with the key figure deciding my fate.
The trolley rumbles forward, leaving Ellington Field behind and heading onto a main street. It’s my first time seeing sidewalks and stoplights again, and I glance around in shock, feeling like I’ve traveled back to the past—to when the world was normal. Of course, there’s nothing normal about riding in a motorcade, with a marching band in the trolley behind us playing a medley of national anthems from our represented countries. When the Chinese national anthem transitions into my own, it’s like hearing from an old friend. I smile up at the sky.
Our motorcade turns onto NASA Parkway, and I draw in a sharp breath. If I thought I’d seen crowds in Rome, or even just minutes ago on the tarmac, that was nothing compared to the hordes lining these blocks in the sweltering heat. They brandish flags and posters; they jump up and down in hysterics as our procession passes, some in tears, others shouting out “good luck” in multiple languages. I can feel what each stranger on the sidewalk is thinking: Please let this work. Let them save us.