Sigh… alright, let’s get this over with. Yes, some of the stuff that’s going to follow in the next few chapters didn’t happen in the book or the movie. I added it because I felt it added drama and realism to the story. The end.

With that out of that way… enjoy the next few chapters!

Chapter 18
Games of Chance

The debate had gone on for hours. Phil had sat in his chair, shifting every few minutes and taking sips from his glass of water, which was constantly being refilled by an attendant who looked just a few years younger than Phil. Beside him, Martin was staying a little stiller, but Phil could see that his cousin wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room as soon as possible. Long meetings were not the place for two… how old was he now? He had been fifteen when they left, and it had been easily been months since then…

He nudged Martin. “Hey!” he whispered. “Martin!”

Martin jerked in his seat. “What?”

“What is today?” Phil quickly glanced around to make sure that they weren’t interrupting the debate. But the man who was speaking was talking very loudly, so there was no problem.

“January 5,” Martin replied. “We left Hobbiton on September 2 and St. Louis on October 15. Which means we missed my birthday, your birthday, and Christmas in December while we were on that horrible ship.” He paused. “Hey, guess what?”

Phil leaned closer. “What?”

“Guess what else we missed,” Martin murmured. “Fred’s seventeenth birthday. It’s the 22nd, but that was the day we were all very tired after that night at the hotel, do you remember? Not even Sam remembered. I doubt Fred did. Think… You and I are sixteen, Fred’s seventeen, and Sam’s going to turn seventeen in April… we’re old.”

Phil nodded. “Wow.” They were growing up so fast… and in more ways than just age…

It seemed from what Phil could get from the debate that most of the islanders were content just to leave Sean White alone and let someone else deal with him. However, Terrance and three other members were completely for doing something about Sean. Since those were the four most respected members, a fierce debate had ensued that had still not died down. And, Phil noted, the sun was setting outside.

At length, Terrance stood and held up his hands. The room fell silent. “I am sorry to say that the sun has set on the meeting.” He gestured out the window. “Quarters have been arranged for all of you. We will resume tomorrow morning. Dismissed.” Everyone stood, including Martin and Phil, but Terrance held out a hand to each of them. “Not you two. You stay here.” They sat and watched as the other islanders filed out the room.

When it was just the three of them. Terrance walked over and knocked on a side door. “You can enter!” he called. The door opened, and a familiar man in a white suit stepped through the door. He smiled when he saw Martin and Phil.

“Hello, boys.”

They both stood and shouted equally enthusiastic cries of “Hello, Greg!” before he motioned for them to sit again. He then took a seat next to Phil, and Terrance sat on the other side of him. All four stared blankly at the empty room.

Finally, Martin spoke. “This isn’t going so well.”

“We are a stubborn group of people,” Terrance explained. “My fellow leaders require proof that Sean means harm to us personally, or they will not lift a finger to help.”

Greg sighed. “This is complicated.”

“Well, what do we do?” asked Martin. Phil thought for a moment. What could they do? To get proof would require… and then it hit him. For a moment, he hesitated, unsure that his plan would actually work. But the journey so far had taught him a little bit about courage, so he raised a shaking hand.

Greg turned a stern stare towards him. “This isn’t biology class, Mr. Taylor. Just talk.”

“Well… um…” Phil took a deep breath and laid his plan on the table. “You need proof that Sean is planning an attack on these islands. Which means you need someone to go in and get the information.” Greg looked as though he was going to speak, but stopped and allowed Phil to finish. “Well, Greg and Terrance… you’re really noticeable… but Martin and I… we’re just teenagers. A little haircut and dye, a little latex on the faces to change up some things, like noses… we’d be able to slip through.” He breathed out. “I’m done.”

“No,” Terrance said firmly and immediately. “Absolutely not.”

Greg held out a hand. “Hold on, my friend. I think you’re forgetting who you’re talking to. These boys have been with me since the beginning. They have proved themselves more than enough.” He turned his head towards them. “Martin, what do you think?”

“Uh…” Martin looked unsure of being on the spot. “…I dunno… it’s a good plan…”

“But would you be willing to go through with it?” Greg pushed. “Knowing how dangerous it is?”

Martin didn’t hesitate this time, even though he still looked unsure. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do it.”

“Then we go through with it,” Greg said. “And that’s that.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll fly out a disguise specialist. She’ll be here in a matter of hours.” With that, he stood and left. Terrance followed, looking as though he was going to have a few words with Greg when he got off the phone. As soon as the two were gone, Martin rounded on Phil.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

Phil shrugged. “What we have to do.”

A strange sound came from Martin’s throat, and he jumped up and started pacing the room. “I don’t know. It just seems like we’re walking straight into Sean’s hands.” He turned to face Phil. “You do know he’s going to catch us, right?”

Phil leaned forward. “Can you keep a secret?” Martin nodded. “That’s actually what I’m counting on. Let me explain…”

* * *

The jeep lurched to a halt at the top of the hill and stopped. Two scouts got out and crossed over to the side of the hill that overlooked the convoy of evacuees from Sydney and the surrounding towns. One of them, the taller of the two, pulled a pair of binoculars from his jacket and scanned the horizon. The shorter simply lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and watched the convoy go by.

“See anything?” he asked.

The taller one shook his head. “Nope.”

“Try the other side of the hill,” the shorter one suggested.

“Right.” The taller one chuckled. “Like something’s going to come from that direction.”

The shorter one scratched his head. “What’s that direction?”

“Desert,” the taller one explained. “More of the ‘Outback’”. You’d have to be desperate to attack from that direction.”

“Check anyway,” the shorter one said. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

The taller one shrugged. “Have it your way.” He turned and aimed his binoculars at the skyline on the other side of the hill. His face paled and he lunged for the jeep. “Run!” he shouted.

“What did you-” was all the shorter one had time to ask before a missile fired from one of the choppers whizzing towards the convoy slammed into the hill, reducing the hill, the jeep, and both scouts to dust. And suddenly it didn’t matter who was taller and who was shorter, because they were both the same size, and quickly on their way to the great beyond.

* * *

“Yeeeeeessssss!!!!!” howled Shari from the back of the lead chopper. He started to jump up and down, barely able to contain his excitement. The other solders scooted away from him. Shari danced around the inside of the chopper, waving his arms. “Take ’em down! Take ’em down!”

The pilot turned his head. “Sir… you’re going to have to sit down.”

“Shut up!” Shari screamed at him. “I’m in charge here! I stand when I want to!” He hopped over to the pilot and stuck his head up next to him, staring down at the convoy. “See that down there?” The pilot nodded, a little confused. “KILL IT!”

And the pilot aimed the chopper downwards and opened fire.

To Be Continued…