The War Satellite

Chapter Twenty-Three

Miles

Daniel, Archer, Skye, Audrey, and I were prepared and ready before the sun fell below the horizon. When the sky was finally dark, we left the team with instructions to meet us by the boat. We stepped carefully out of the doorway and Archer nodded for us to follow him. We ran quickly using a path Daniel had found that afternoon.

Archer led us, followed by Daniel and Audrey. I stayed in the back, Skye in front of me. The position felt familiar and instinctively I knew we had done this many times in the satellite. But something was missing. Skye instinctively drifted to her left a space open in the line for someone next to her. Clara. I shook away the thoughts, there was nothing I could do about that now.

We hurried on the path and soon I could see the port in front of us. A modest boat was docked and I could see, HMS Rebel, written in fading letters on the side. A crudely painted Hornet was over half of the words. There was a small clearing in front of us and I could see guards hidden in the shadows up and down the grass. I couldn't tell if they were hornets or some of the rebels.

Either way I would have to get past them.

"Let's go."

Without another word, I twisted through the air zooming to the other side of the clearing. I didn't hear any alarms. No one had noticed me. I squinted in the darkness making out Archers form in the distance. I pulled him and he similarly twisted through the air to the ground. Skye, Audrey, and Daniel had already left, moving through the brush quickly. It was the longer way but it would help conserve my energy. Archer grabbed me by the arm and pulled me closer to the boat.

"Sense anyone yet?"

Archer paused and bent down and dug his fingers into the dirt. He motioned me upward and I pulled myself onto a branch, so I wasn't touching the ground. This way I wouldn't be interfering with his ability.

"There are some people scattered to our right. About a hundred meters away."

I nodded and without a word we raced in that direction. Archer held up a hand and we stopped. We were close. Archer signaled to me and I grabbed his bicep. I pushed off the ground and flew into a dive. Archer trailed behind me in the air and I watched the ground until I could see people. I let go of Archer and he fell lightly to the ground. I dove into a tree that had a thick canopy.

I crawled along the tree branch until I could see a person standing below me. From here I could see they weren't wearing a hornet's uniform. I grabbed the tree branch wrapping my legs around it. Letting myself down as quietly as I could. I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around.

"Sorry about this."

I grabbed his gun and shoved it into his face. He fell backward and his eyes rolled back in his head. I jumped out of the tree and pulled my bow staff out of its sheath. A shrill whistle pierced the quiet forest. Archer whistled twice, short but loud. Twice meant to go to the left. I spun on my foot and ran to my side. Racing past the bushes I saw another guard. This guard was ready, he raised his gun and I dove towards him. He fumbled with his trigger and I jerked my bow staff into his face. It hit him square in the jaw and he crumpled. Another whistle pierced the air a longer one this time. I ran full speed ahead of me. I tackled a guard, as I had seen him first. I knocked him out and ran where the whistles directed me. My chest heaved and I stopped gulping in a deep breath. My heart raced and I listened for noises. Hearing nothing I climbed into a tree looking out for anyone.

Archer before long stepped out of a clearing, his nose was bloodied but otherwise unfazed. "The others are headed towards the ships."

I nodded and we broke into a run speeding through the trees and clearings. The trees fell back as we neared the British coastline. I could see the boat in the distance and what looked to be three people climbing into it.