Lost Protocol

Sky Bound panic

The next morning, Logan was up before anyone else. The house was quiet, still wrapped in the early morning calm. Unable to sit still, he went back to his room, dressed quickly, and made his way downstairs again. His parents were already up, engaged in a quiet conversation in the kitchen. His mother was stirring a pot of oats, the smell of cinnamon and sugar filling the air.

Logan entered the kitchen, breaking up their discussion with a cheerful greeting. "Morning!"

"Morning, Logan," his mother replied, carrying the steaming breakfast to the dining table. "You're up early."

"Yeah, couldn't really sleep," Logan said, grinning. The excitement of the trip was too much to keep him still.

His mom glanced at him, half-smiling. "Go get your sister and tell her to come down for breakfast."

"Alright," Logan said, dashing back upstairs. He knocked on Flora's door and urged her to hurry. Moments later, they both returned to the dining room, joining their parents.

"He sure is excited about this trip," Rosa said, placing the last dish on the table.

Robert looked up from his coffee, smiling. "Well, kids have every right to be excited. It’s not every day they get to travel halfway across the world."

As they ate, Flora nudged Logan playfully. "You better tell me everything that happens when you get back."

"Of course, he will," Robert said, glancing at Logan. "Right, son?"

Logan nodded as he took his last bite of breakfast, listening as his parents ran through a list of dos and don'ts. His mom's final words lingered with a soft warning.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Logan replied. "I'll miss you guys."

They all shared a quick hug before Logan grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. The school bus pulled up right on time, and his family waved him off. As he climbed onto the bus, Logan’s heart raced with anticipation. This was the beginning of something big; he could feel it.

He arrived at school and was greeted by a familiar buzz of chatter as the other students gathered in small groups, all brimming with the same excitement. Logan spotted Carrie and the others and hurried over.

"Hey, guys," Logan said as he approached the group, his voice filled with excitement.

"Hi," "Hey," "Hello," came the mixed responses from the others, each wearing a slightly sleepy expression.

Laura yawned and stretched. "How did you sleep? I had the worst night—couldn’t catch a wink."

"Same here," Logan admitted, chuckling lightly. "What about you, Philip? How was your night?"

Philip shrugged, looking a little groggy. "Slept for a bit, but spent most of it tossing and turning."

They stood around chatting, waiting for the rest of the group to gather. However, Carrie was missing. Mr. Phil was about to call her father when his phone rang.

"I’ll meet you guys at the airport," Mr. Stacey said over the phone.

"But we’ve arranged transport for all the kids," Mr. Phil replied, sounding a bit puzzled.

"Sorry, I’ve got some unfinished business to handle, so I won’t be able to make it in time."

"Understood," Mr. Phil sighed. "I’ll send you the address."

With the arrangements made, the kids loaded into the school vehicles and set off for the airport, arriving an hour later. To their surprise, Mr. Stacey was already waiting, with Carrie seated in the back of his car. She jumped out and rushed to join her friends.