Verde

Chapter 10: Hello

     "Elle, we have to do it." Cassidy shook her friend awake.

     She needed more. 

     Elle and Dan had already put the finishing touches on their reports - understandable, as it was eleven at night. Everyone was asleep, ready for the big day tomorrow. 

     Except for Cassidy. Technically, she had finished her report, but she needed more. She needed actual field examples. She needed to use the communicator. 

     "What?" Elle groaned, curling into herself.

     "We need to talk to the United States." Cassidy said plainly. There was no point beating around the bush.

     Elle didn't even question it, to Cassidy's surprise. She just sat up, rubbed the sleep out of her bleary eyes, and got out of bed. "Well?" she prompted.

     "Let's go," Cassidy saw no point in hesitance. They didn't even have time to change - Cassidy still had a full report to re-write after this.

     The two padded to the door, pulling on coats and slipping on their shoes over bare feet.

     Out in the hallway, Elle stopped as they turned into the main branch that led to the mess hall, the classrooms, and the other wing of the facility, including all the important rooms and resources the facility housed - Feed Room, auditorium, gym.

     "Should we bring Dan?" Elle whispered.

     Cassidy shook her head, "I haven't even told him yet - and if Dan came, Chase would come, and then there would be a bigger change that someone would realize we were missing."

     Again, Elle just nodded and continued, no questions asked. It could have been because she was tired, or it could have been that she understood what Cassidy was feeling. "Okay," she said, and kept walking down the hall.

     Walking into the dark mess hall, Cassidy was starting to feel more awake - but not awake enough to look forward to the harsh sting of the cold winter air outside.

     Holding her jacket tight around her, Cassidy ducked her head. Elle shivered beside her, and they hurried towards the Comms Tower.

     There were no lights anywhere - any that may have been turned on in the facility were hidden underground, and no one really tended to the Comms Tower. It was just there, and, if ever anyone had reason to, it would be visited on their own time. 

     In this case, their 'own time' was in the middle of the night, on a Sunday before the biggest assignment of their educations was due.

     There it was, lying exactly where Cassidy had left it. The communicator was in a pile of wires and similar-looking tablets and devices. Not too conspicuous as to garner anyone else's attention, but not so  hidden that Cassidy couldn't see it immediately, even in the dim light.  

     Elle picked it up.

     Now what?

     "Does it work?" Elle asked skeptically. It seemed unbelievable that they could just pick up a fifteen year old piece of technology, and just turn on the power and use it. Speaking of which, "and how do you use it?"

     Cassidy thought back to the manual. 

     Absently, she studied the dark screen of the mounted television. The way it barely glimmered in the moonlight was fascinating.

     "Well," Cassidy said, extending her hand towards Elle for the communicator, "I guess we just turn it on and see."

     To be completely honest, Cassidy didn't really remember what she was supposed to do. So, she let instinct guide her. She held the device in her hands, and, without looking at it, without even thinking about it, she turned it on.