The Maplethorn Initiative (Book 1, The Maplethorn Series)

The "B" Button

Although Cam would have sworn that he just closed his eyes, it was somehow oh-six-thirty, and Captain McGuire was yelling, "Chow formation in thirty minutes!"

Cam hopped down from his bunk and shuffled to the latrine to do something about the severe case of bedhead he had going on. He shook Tober awake as he was leaving the room and again when he got back.

Although there was no PT on Sunday morning, the cadets still had to be downstairs, in uniform, and ready to leave for chow by oh-six-fifty-nine. Skipping meals was not an option. No one checked to see if the Maplethorn cadets ate their food, they just had to show up and push a tray through the line three times each day. Cam spent ten minutes poking at a pile of tan-colored eggs before dumping them in the trash.

Returning to their floor, he and Tober hurried in to brush their teeth before morning lockdown—or at least that's what they started calling it.

"I am going to sleep all day," Tober said, punctuated by a yawn.

Cam drew a line of toothpaste across the bristles of his toothbrush before jamming it into his mouth. "I think Burke's got a head start on you."

"He sure does sleep a lot," Tober observed, scrubbing away at his own teeth.

"I'm guessing that's another side effect."

"Aren't you tired from being up all night?"

Cam shrugged and spat toothpaste. "Call me weird, but no. Bed is the last place I want to be right now."

Tober held his mouth under the faucet and gave the insides of his cheeks a thorough flushing. "You still need to be in the room for lockdown," he said, drying his lips with a towel.

Cam snapped to attention and threw Tober a salute in the mirror. "Yes, sir, Floor Captain Sunderland, sir!"

"I thought we were going to stay out of trouble?"

"We are." Cam's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "But don't you wonder what goes on in the hallway every morning that we're not supposed to see?"

"Yeah..."

"Wanna find out?"

Tober frowned at Cam's reflection. "How do we do that?"

"Not sure," Cam said, tapping his chin for effect. "If only there was a way to be out here without being seen."

Tober let out a heavy sigh and grabbed his toiletry bag. "Fine, but I'm putting my stuff away first."

•  •  •

Liam was out cold when Cam and Tober returned and didn't stir when Captain McGuire stuck his head in to check on them at precisely oh-seven-thirty.

Cam waited by the door until he heard the mysterious squeaking, then held out his arm. He felt Tober grab his wrist and looked down to see nothing but a pair of shiny, black shoes.

"Socks!" Tober warned.

"I forgot." Cam pulled away, becoming visible again. "Hold on."

"I cut holes in all my socks last night," Tober said, still unseen.

"And it worked?"

"Can you see my feet?"

"Uh, no."

"Then it worked."

Following some minor sock surgery, Cam pressed his ear against the door. "They're still out there. I can hear a lady talking."