The Secret

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They didn’t remember much about that night, except for the meeting with Q. After that the man drove them to some, airstrip and they sleepily got onto a plane. When they woke up the next afternoon, for it was almost three p.m. when they woke up, the plane was in thick forest-like thing. It seemed miles from any civilization.

“So what’re we doing here,” Dan asked the man. “You’ll see.” He gave them lunch and as soon as they were finished he gestured for them to follow. 

The seven were led through the thick wood and stopped at a wall. Stephen got a glimpse of what the man did. A simple finger scan. A section of the wall disappeared and they were led to a giant cavern. The shuffle of their feet echoed through the air.

The man disappeared through a door, and a minute later another man entered through another door. He had light brown hair, blue eyes, and seemed to be around thirty or so.

“I’m one of your uncles, Mark, and will be here if anyone needs help. Let’s start with here. This is where you will train everyday from seven to six.”

“Seven a.m. to six p.m.?!” He nodded. “With breaks here and there.” There was some complaining and Mark turned sharply around. “You were not chosen because you were hopeless. Training comes with everything. You were chosen because you are special. You are far from normal children. Dinner is in an hour.” He spun around and left.

“Jeez.” Kimmy punched Eli’s arm. “Girl, what is with you and punching?” She went on tip-toes and stared Dan down. “You have a problem with me…cuz?”

“I think I do.”

“Well you better keep it to yourself buster! So much as whistle and your gone.”

“Dudes! Stop!” Dotti grabbed Kimmy, Ollie grabbed Dan, and Eli, Callie, and Steve went between them.

“Looks like someone get acquainted.” Kimmy and Dan glared at each other one last time and turned with everyone else to see who was there. She was leaning against the door, observing them. Around seventeen year’s old, red hair, tall. 

“And you are?”

“Jaylynn. Call me Jay. I’m one of the protector’s daughters. How much did Uncle Mark tell you?”

Callie picked up the role of spokesperson and shrugged. “Not much. We’re to train here from seven to six everyday and dinner is in an hour.”

“I’m not supposed to really say anything but I think I’m allowed to show you were you’re staying. Follow me!” 

They followed her out of the training hall and down cool, rock tunnels. They went down a winding stair and took a sharp left. They were now in a dorm of seven beds. “This is where you are staying. Down the hall, take two lefts, and then go straight and you’re in the dining hall. Connected to that is the kitchen and the courtyard. You’re not allowed to go any farther than those places until farther notice. Auntie Hannah expects everyone on time for meals. Breakfast is at six, lunch at twelve, and dinner at six thirty. At dinner you will be given special devices that allow you to communicate with the protectors and other guardians if ever needed. I can’t you anything else, so….”

“We get it,” Eli sighed. “Everything’s secret. We’re the new people, you can’t trust us.” 

“It’s not like that!”

“Then what is it like?” All eyes on her.

Jay sat on a bed. “I don’t know…it just isn’t. It’s hard to explain.” They turned back to the room. “Whatever,” Callie murmured.

A loud beeping noise filled the air and Jay got up. “Sorry guys! I have to go. See you at dinner?”

Echoes of “sure” and “see ya” were called as she left. They listened to the sound of her footsteps fade as she got farther and farther through the tunnels.

“Well,” Dan said after a moment of silence, “I call this bed!” He jumped on a bed in the middle. Everyone else ran for theirs. “I get this one!” “No!! Okay fine I call this one then!” “That’s mine!” Too Late!” “This one’s mine!” When they finally got settled, a pillow went flying through the air. “Oof! Dotti!” 

Dotti assumed an innocent face. “Wasn’t me!” Eli snickered as another pillow hit Dan. He glared at them. “Okay, fine. I believe you.” He grabbed the pillows and jumped up. A minute later everyone was fighting with the surprisingly hard pillows. “Ouch!! Kimmy watch it! That pillow is a brick!” “Ha! You should feel yours!”

Callie fell on the floor, laughing. They all stopped. “What’s so funny?” She pointed at a bed, it happened to be Ollie’s. Somehow, he’d gotten between the bed and the mattress, his legs in the air, and head under the bed. “Oh. My. Gosh!” Tears streamed down their faces at the sight. “Ollie you get into the weirdest fixes,” Dotti laughed.

“Speak for yourself Dot. Someone help?” But they were too busy rolling on the floor to help.