First Kiss: The Ghost Bird Series: #10 (The Academy Ghost Bird Series) (31 page)

I used the designated path and ended up beside her, watching at Dr. Roberts, while he looked behind us.

I turned looked at the rest of the group assembling around me. Some of the girls were my age, and only two were older, one being the angry girl. The guys were varying ages, and there were many more of them than there were girls.

There were at least fifty of us, standing together and waiting.

I kept looking behind me, hoping for Kota or one of the others to find me.

Then I recognized one of the people handing out maps at the very top of the hill, near the garbage cans: Silas. He had on a ball cap, but I was sure it was him. Maybe they hadn’t been sitting at all. Maybe they’d been stationed up there to pass out maps.

I should have insisted I’d stay with Kota. I would have been with them and could have asked them so many things.

Mr. Toma, Marc, and the rest of their team hadn’t moved, and sat on the benches together, all eyes on the angry girl—Miss Winchester. Waiting.

Miss Winchester stood with her arms across her breasts, the T-shirt and bulky jacket she wore making her look frumpy. She was beautiful, with green eyes like mine, but hers were sharp and calculating like she could knife your soul or save it with just a look.

I didn’t recognize any of the others.

I still felt out of water, but I waited, trying to calm my panicked heart, knowing this might be my future with the Academy.

♥♥♥

Mr. Duncan clapped his hands and we all turned and focused on him.

He smiled. He had a broad body, wide shoulders, and a protruding stomach, but he was friendly-looking. The rest of his body looked strong and didn’t match his stomach. “Welcome,” he said. “I know you all must be really confused.”

“Tell me about it,” one of the guys said. He appeared about my age and wore a dour expression. “I’ve got questions.”

“Me, too,” one of the young girls said. She stood tall and put her hands on her hips. “Why are we here? And what are all these rules they can’t tell me about?”

Mr. Duncan spread out his hands and smiled. “That’s what you’re all here to learn about, although it’s a lot to go over. You will be free to ask any questions you like.” When the dour guy started to open his mouth, Mr. Duncan cut him off with a hand wave. “Hang onto your questions for now until after we’re done here. We want to get to know you individually and have a discussion.”

“If you all would get in a line,” Dr. Roberts said, stepping forward. “We want to know your name, where you are from. You might have met one of us before, but we’d like to introduce you all formally now.”

Introductions. Formal ones. Like Mr. Blackbourne had said. I scanned the stadium again, seeing the others at the top, still handing out maps. Did I have to do this part alone? I thought they would be here. My hand fluttered up, and I touched my lower lip once, but then paused and hid my hands behind my back. I didn’t want to appear as nervous as I felt.

I wished I’d had some warning. Perhaps Kota had stayed behind to tell me but wasn’t able to.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Miss Winchester’s team sitting away from her as well. A few other guy and girl teams were still in the stands, lingering and looking toward us. Maybe they were waiting to see what happened.

I started getting into line when Dr. Roberts walked by and pulled me casually out by the elbow, giving me a handshake. “Hello there, familiar face.”

As the line was assembling, I worried I was going to be late for something.

Dr. Roberts ducked his head to catch my eye and kept a firm hold of my hand. “I have some more of those candies if you’d like one.”

I almost said no thank you but then registered what he said. I nodded enthusiastically. He had no idea how much I needed something to get the taste of spicy avocado coffee out of my mouth.

Dr. Roberts handed me a foil-wrapped strawberry cream candy he’d pulled from his pocket. I opened it quickly and popped it into my mouth, suckling at the flavor. It was a funny taste at first, but soon it washed away the old flavors, leaving only creamy strawberry. It was such a relief.

Dr. Roberts glanced at the line again and then winked at me. “Sorry,” he said. “Looks like you’re last to get in line but don’t fret; last is not least here.”

He walked toward the line, seeming to size up the others. He guided Miss Winchester from her spot in the middle to the back of the line, putting her at the very end before he walked away quickly.

She gave him a glare before she pulled a strawberry candy out from her pocket, opened it and put it in her mouth. I hadn’t even seen Dr. Roberts give her one. Had he dropped it in her pocket, or given it to her earlier? She seemed surprised to see it.

Why did he put her last in line?

Actually, I realized he had held me up so that
I
was last in line. He’d been distracting me on purpose. He had placed Miss Winchester in front of me, though. I wondered about his reasoning as I followed the line down and got into place.

The younger kids were at the front of the line, and since I was in the back, I didn’t hear much of what the group of adults were saying to them. They invited the first one in and the adults closed in around him—a young boy--speaking to him privately, but still within view of anyone who was paying attention.

“This is so stupid,” Miss Winchester in a low voice. Her hands were in her jacket pockets, but even then, I could tell they were clenched, shoved far in. “Why not just tell us? Why separate us out?”

Maybe it was procedure? Weren’t we supposed to trust that they were on our side? Maybe because she and I appeared to be older, we were being held back to wait. But that didn’t make sense either because there were another couple of girls and a few boys who could have easily been our age, and they were scattered among the other younger kids.

I shifted from foot to foot, staring eagerly toward the front of the line. I smoothed down my hair, redoing it in the clip and straightened my sweater on my shoulders.

Nothing eased my nerves and it was worse being at the back. I couldn’t hear what might be asked giving me time to prepare what to say.

It wasn’t until we’d gotten through half the line that I figured out that once a kid had spoken to the circle of Academy adults, most of them would join people waiting for them in the bench seats. A team would then leave the area, new kid in tow, getting their maps and walking away.

Some didn’t go to a team and instead were directed to sit on the bench closest to the stage area, waiting. They didn’t sit close together, although some of them talked. I didn’t think they knew each other.

There were ten adults with Dr. Roberts making up his circle. They were all middle-aged and older.

They would have the person at the front of the line step forward, then they’d surround the person to talk to him or her privately. It took only a few minutes, but then they’d be directed either to join a team or to the bench in front, what I started to realize was a spare team.

A spare team.

I might get put on a spare team.

When Miss Winchester was called up, I stood alone, but I eased a few steps closer, trying to hear so I could go in more prepared.

Dr. Roberts stood beside her in the circle. “I believe I’ve told a few of you about Miss Kayli Winchester. She’s a very special recruit.”

“I’m not a recruit, yet,” she said. “I want answers. That’s all. No promises.” I could only see the back of her, but she stood tall, her hands clenched at her sides.

I almost envied her directness. Could I be so bold?

“We never hold anyone against their will,” Dr. Roberts said. He then turned toward the group, introducing Mrs. Rose and the others, although, by the end of the list of names, I lost track of most of them.

“And you’re a local, like me, aren’t you?” Mr. Duncan asked, standing with his hands tucked behind his back. “Born and raised in Charleston?”

“I’m sure that’s what my file says about me,” she said. She eyeballed one of the women. “I know you’ve read it.”

Mr. Duncan bowed his head and pressed his lips together. The middle-aged woman with fine wrinkles around her eyes looked her dead on. “I have,” she said. “You’re welcome to peruse mine if you’d like.”

Kayli’s head jerked back. “I...yes,” she said. “I’d like to read it.”

“I’ll bring it over sometime,” the woman said, a satisfied smile on her lips.

When no one said anything else, Kayli looked suspiciously around the group. “Well? Was that it?”

“Sure,” Dr. Roberts said. “Unless you had questions for us.”

“Tons,” she said. “But most importantly, I want to stay with my current group. I understand that’s possible.”

There was a pause as some of the members of the circle looked at each other. I had a feeling they knew each other very well, like my own team. They could understand what they were thinking without saying it.

My heart beat wildly. Kayli was like me. She wanted to stay with her group of guys. I glanced back at them as they watched on intently, except for the one that sat apart, who looked fierce now. I cringed and looked at my feet, suddenly worried for her. Did he not like her? Did he not want her to stay with them?

Would Kota look like that if he knew about the plan?

Dr. Roberts broke the long silence. “Sometimes it’s better to get to know other teams. You can learn more by simply getting to know...”

“No, thank you,” Kayli said quickly. She motioned back to her team. “I’ll ask other people, but if I’m free to get straight answers from my team now, they’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“As you wish,” Mr. Duncan said, looking at her steadily. “We hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Kayli turned, but as she left, Dr. Roberts followed her, leaning in to say something. I couldn’t help hearing as they passed right by me.

“I hope you’ll remember, nothing you see or hear while with us here should pass your lips once you leave. Not even to Blake Coaltar.”

“He can be trusted,” she said.

“That’s yet to be determined,” he said. “But I’m not asking for myself. I’m begging you, for the safety of these kids here. You cannot comprehend the potential for tragedy if the wrong people get wind of this.”

“Then maybe my team should explain it to me. From the outside, it looks like a cult that just happens to blend in with the rest of society, so no one notices.”

A cult? She thought the Academy was a cult?

I couldn’t hear anything else, but kept my eyes on them until I heard Mr. Duncan asking for the next person in line.

I turned toward the circle, to Mrs. Rose and then the others, waiting with their expectant eyes on me.

Dr. Roberts was still walking away with Kayli, leaving me to walk into the crowd of strangers.

NEW RECRUIT

I
clasped my hands behind my back, the only way to hide their shaking, as I stood as tall as I could, keeping my spine straight. Even the kids waiting on the benches had quieted and it felt like everyone was watching me.

I entered the circle and waited, my eyes glancing from one face to the next but not meeting anyone’s gaze. I wanted to appear friendly, but I couldn’t push myself to look at them straight on. It was the best I could do while feeling so anxious.

Mrs. Rose started to move her hands, and that attracted my attention. “Would you like to tell us your name?” she signed.

“She’s asking...” Mr. Duncan began.

“Sang Sorenson,” I said quickly. I’d been practicing a lot more while we were sick and since we weren’t going to regular classes. Luke had helped a lot.

“Oh,” Mr. Duncan said. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you could read sign language.”

“An impressive skill to have,” someone else said, but I didn’t see who as he was behind me.

There was a murmur of agreement and a few nods around the circle.

Mrs. Rose continued, smiling brighter now. “And where are you from?” she signed.

Did they mean the street I lived on? “I was born in Illinois,” I said and then stopped. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say beyond that. Kayli’s demand to stay with her own team invaded my brain. Could I tell them I wanted the same? It didn’t seem like they would stop me if I tried.

However, I remembered Mr. Blackbourne’s words and how he had wanted me to be willing to participate. He said to save stating my desire to stay with my team for the end. I wished I’d talked to him last night or this morning for one more check-in to make sure it was the right thing to do.

Dr. Roberts returned to the group and said, “Miss Sorenson has a very impressive skill list in her file. She volunteered to be of assistance for the camp, even though it’s her first year. She’s already started since the team who invited her came early.”

Heat burned through my cheeks. Was I supposed to say something about this? I hadn’t realized there would be a file about me, but it did make sense if Kayli had one. I wondered what mine said. Who put it together?

“Interesting,” Mr. Duncan said, looking behind me toward Dr. Roberts and then focused his curious eyes on me. He shifted his tie as he spoke. “How were you able to help?”

My heart thundered in my ears. I couldn’t focus on their faces at all now. I opened my mouth to answer, but no sound came out at first. I swallowed.

What had I done? “I...helped make the map,” I said in a small voice. “And...” I couldn’t think of what else to say, what I’d done that they’d want to hear about. My brain froze and seized my tongue.

“Miss Sorenson,” Dr. Roberts said after a long moment.

I turned, looking at him for direction.

His smile lit up his clever eyes. “Show them where north is.”

I assumed he meant North and picking him from the crowd. I started to look among my team handing out maps.

“Or east,” he said. “Whichever.”

Oh. I pointed immediately toward north. “That’s north,” I said. And then redirected my pointer finger toward the ocean. “That’s east.”

How was this interesting? They had a vast pool of talented Academy people. I’d seen what Kota and the others could do so I imagined they all could do extraordinary things, even if those things were different among them.