Hunted

Chapter Five - Secret Weapon

Chapter Five

Secret Weapon

One thing that I'd always loved about living in Australia was the beautiful storms that washed over our lands around the year. The only seasonal differences we had here were hot and cold, with the storms rolling in whenever they pleased.

The summer storms were my favourites, filling the clear sky with bright light and crashing thunder over our heads. The rain roared as it hit our tin sheds and rooves and our dogs howled with the thunder.

Winter storms were something different, with their chilling cold and wild winds that came with them. It was these storms that Mum told my brother and I to stay away from the windows and made my Dad come out from his shed.

Both types of Australian storms were different, yet beautiful in their own ways and both of them shared the same, eerie calmness just before the storm hit home. There was always calm before a storm.

The days in the hills passed slowly and uneventfully. There was nothing new to report or act on as the day dragged on. We had regular sentry watches in the front and back of the house and each day there was no change in the quiet streets. This was the calm before the storm.

I grew more and more on edge as time went on, noticing the excitement in Nigel's eyes as he and Bailey worked on something new. Every so often I saw the two leave the house, only to return hours later. I began to worry that what had happened with Braden and his female soldier was happening with them, only I knew the both of them too well and whatever it was had to be something destructive.

Having nothing better to do with my time, the next time they left the house I chose to follow them. They travelled deep into the bush, carrying loaded rifles and keeping very alert. There were no soldier patrols in sight, but I was relieved that they were still being very careful and aware of the dangers around them.

They were even more thorough when they reached their destination, which was a large camouflage building buried within the bush that I'd never known existed. The ground in front of the building was covered with gravel and cleared, concealed with massive gum trees overhead. A hundred metres down the track, the trees opened and I could see the blue sky ahead.

The boys took one last look around them as I quickly ducked behind a tree and disappeared into the building. When they'd been in there for a minute or so, I crept towards the door and was nearly knocked out when it flew open suddenly.

"What are you doing!?" asked Bailey in a gruff tone.

"I followed you," I admitted.

"We know that," Bailey said, rolling his eyes. "We heard you snapping sticks behind us as soon as we left the house and realised who you were straight away. You'd never make it in the army with elephant steps like that."

"I never wanted to join the army Bailey!" I snapped.

"Shut up and get inside," Nigel growled from inside the building.

Bailey grabbed my arm and pulled me into the dark interior of the building. Once the door was closed, the two of them turned on flashlights, illuminating a dark jet that was identical to the ones that the enemy flew.

"Nigel said you guys wanted to attack the airfield," Bailey explained. "With this jet and me as pilot, we can bomb it from the sky and with the enemy aircrafts damaged there'll be no way for them to chase us."

I walked forward and brushed my hand over the metallic surface of the jet. It was cool to touch and made me shiver. I had no idea how Bailey had managed to pull this off, but it now meant that the rest of us were putting our lives on the line yet again.