Out Of Orbit

Chapter 28

JARRYD

Jarryd surveyed the crowd around him. Every figure carried a sword or a knife of some sort. Strange animals lumbered along the edges, geared up with scary looking armour. It was all a little surreal. The feeling that any minute he would wake up and find himself in his bed at home wouldn't leave.

If only.

Jarryd fingered the sword strapped to his own hip. They hadn't had much time for sword practice, but with their special abilities he and the others would be fighting in different ways. The shield would probably be a little more useful, although Victoria was struggling to hold hers up.

Jarryd felt his gut tighten in fear. There was no way he could keep everyone out of danger. And if something happened to them...he didn't know if he could handle any more guilt.

"Jarryd! Is Rebecca with you?" Victoria's question interrupted his musings.

"No. I thought she would be with you."

Victoria shook her head, eyes widening.

"I haven't seen her since last night."

"But she wasn't there this morning when you woke up?"

Victoria blushed and bent down to study her shoes.

"I...I'm not sure. I didn't sleep in our room last night."

Then where did she sleep? Jarryd opened his mouth to ask the question, then thought better of it. The important thing was finding Rebecca. Especially after what had happened between them.

"Let's go check your room."

Not waiting for an answer, Jarryd took off, heading for the girls' side of the sleeping area. He pushed aside all the terrifying possibilities of Rebecca lying in a ditch somewhere or kidnapped by spies from the other side, aiming on making it the room as fast as possible. He slipped into super speed without realising it. Seconds later he was outside Victoria and Rebecca's room.

Jarryd lifted a hand to try the door handle. Pausing just before he opened it, Jarryd sent out a desperate plea.

The door swung open.

The room was empty.

On one bed, a folded-over piece of paper fluttered in the breeze coming through the window.

There's been too much killing.

It needs to stop.

I can't help you anymore.

I have to go.

They need me more.

Rebecca

Gone? Jarryd shook his head, trying to make sense of the note. Where could she possibly have gone to? And who were the "they" that needed her more? Was she talking about her parents? Could she have...Jarryd's breath caught. He tried desperately to erase the image from his mind. There was no way Rebecca would have done something like that. She was too strong.

"Jarryd?"

Victoria appeared beside him, panting slightly. He handed over the note, silently. Her expression flipped through sadness, fear and horror as she read.

"We need to show this to someone." Victoria finally decided, folding the paper again, hands trembling.

"She's gone," Jarryd replied, his mind still dealing with the shock. Was this his fault too?

"She's gone to the other side," Victoria clarified.

"What?! No, she hasn't!"

"You read it, Jarryd! She said "they" need her more. Who else is there? It's not like she could have gone home."

"Maybe someone else wrote it. Maybe she was kidnapped!" For some reason, the thought made Jarryd feel better. If she'd been kidnapped then they could save her. If she'd been kidnapped then her leaving wasn't her own choice.

"It's her handwriting."

"Maybe she had a...mental break or something."

"Jarryd. Michael told you about those secret meetings."

"You don't know who she was meeting. She could have been alone the whole time."

"Maybe. But I don't think so. She was always...different when she got back," Victoria paused. Jarryd could see her struggling to put her thoughts into words. "Maybe she was talking to someone from the other side."

"She wouldn't have swapped sides. She cares about the people here. You said so yourself!"

Victoria frowned, absentmindedly bending Rebecca's note in her hands.

"Maybe she went to try and stop them from attacking." The idea blazed into Jarryd's mind, lightening the darkness he'd been plunged into.

"You mean, she went to try and make a peace agreement?"

Jarryd nodded eagerly. It was the only thing that made sense. Rebecca hadn't wanted to see more people die unnecessarily. So she'd gone to the opposing side to try and sort out their differences. It was just the type of thing she'd think of.

"But why isn't she back yet, then? They're camped about 2 hours away. She should have been back by this morning..."

"If something didn't go wrong?" Jarryd finished for her. Victoria swallowed.

"I'm going to find her."

Victoria didn't argue, but she did insist on showing the note to the Captain and the Council before they left.

"There is a possibility she has betrayed us," Kendon Rai growled, his four fists clenching, one punching a hole in the wall next to him. Jarryd blinked as brick dust wafted over him. He opened his mouth to argue but Captain Maison beat him to it.

"I don't think so. Rebecca has friends here. She wouldn't turn her back on them."

"What else could it mean?" Kendon Rai roared. Captain Maison didn't even blink. Jarryd felt his respect for the captain increase.

"We think she went to talk to them. To stop them from attacking."

The Plette turned on Jarryd, eyes blazing.

"You think? You think?! I can't plan a battle based on assumptions!" Turning back to the Council, he carried on, "We'll have to plan for a worst case scenario. What would be the best way to take her out?"

Anger racing through his veins, Jarryd stepped forward to protest. Two hands held him back.

"You won't be able to change his mind." Naytan warned.

"I can't let them hurt her either!"

"The best way to make sure that doesn't happen is to make sure she's with us." Michael's usual grin had transformed into a frown.

"I want to find her."

"Well, you won't be going alone," Michael replied.

"We only have about an hour. How many people do you think you could take with?" Naytan asked. Seeing Jarryd's questioning look, he added, "You'll need someone who knows where they're going. And there's no way I'm leaving Rebecca with them."

Jarryd nodded his thanks.

"I think I can manage two. Just point the right way."

It took a little experimentation, but within ten minutes Jarryd found himself streaking across the Dysantene landscape towards the Barrenwell camp, Naytan and Michael each hanging onto an arm with death grips.

With every step he took taking him closer to Rebecca, Jarryd couldn't help but wonder in what state they would find her. All he knew was that if they'd done anything to hurt her, the battle would be starting early.