Camp X by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online

cover I was happy.
    â€œThere’s a little creek,” Jack said. “Let’s get a drink.”
    It was more like a trickle then a creek, water running along a little rocky bed. I crouched down and took a seat on one of the bigger rocks. I cupped my hands and brought up a mouthful of water. It was cold and felt good going down. Jack sat down on a rock beside me and did the same.
    â€œHow far are we going to go?” I asked.
    â€œI was going to turn around a while ago.”
    â€œWhat?” I groaned. “Why didn’t you?”
    â€œYou started bugging me so I figured I wouldn’t,” Jack explained. “And then I saw that big antenna and wanted to check it out.”
    â€œDo you think that . . .” I stopped as I realized that there was no point in saying anything. “Do you think that we could have more water before we go on?” I asked instead.
    Jack smiled. “Have as much as you want.”
    I bent down and slurped up another handful. I moved my bottom around on the rock so that my feet were in the small flow of water as well.
    â€œDo you hear anything?” Jack asked.
    I pricked up my ears. I could hear something. “Is it another train?”
    Jack shook his head. “Not a train . . . wrong direction and wrong sound. I think it’s a car.”
    â€œOr a jeep?”
    Jack didn’t say a word, but his face gave away the answer to my question. He slithered off the rock we were sitting on and I did the same, using it for cover.
    â€œCan you see anything?” I whispered, peering around the rock and through the bushes and trees that stood between the field and us.
    â€œNothing . . . but it’s coming closer.”
    There was no mistaking that. The rumbling sound was getting louder and louder. Even without seeing it, I couldpicture it in my mind: a jeep carrying two soldiers, one carrying a rifle, the second with his weapon at his side. What would they say to us if they caught us again? More important, what would they do to us?
    I looked around the rock and caught a glimpse of the vehicle—it was a jeep—as it flashed by. The sound started to fade and there was a squealing noise . . . brakes! It was stopping! The pitch of the engine changed, then it started to get louder once more, and then it stopped completely. They’d stopped!
    I looked over at Jack. He was pressed down tightly to the ground and his head was turned away from me. I reached out and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and mouthed the words “Don’t move.” He was right . . . we had to stay still. There was no way they could have seen us yet . . . was there?
    â€œIdentify yourself!” yelled a man, and I almost jumped into the air in response.
    â€œCome out with your hands up!” called out a second male voice.
    I looked over at Jack. His eyes were pressed tightly closed.
    â€œIf you don’t come out now we’re going to shoot!”
    â€œJack . . . we have to!” I hissed at him.
    He opened his eyes and nodded. There was no choice. I was just going to stand up when off to the side four men dressed in black stood up first, their hands in the air! I looked at Jack and he looked at me and we dropped back down to the ground.
    â€œCome out slowly with your hands in plain view!” one of the men shouted.
    Jack had wriggled around and was sitting up behind a bush. Quickly I crawled over and joined him. Through the bush and the scrub up ahead we could see the scene being played out. The four men, obviously the men from the bridge, were slowly coming forward toward two soldiers standing at the edge of the field in front of a jeep with their rifles levelled right at them. I recognized one of the soldiers from the night before!
    â€œThey caught them,” I whispered. “They caught them!”
    â€œThey’re not carrying anything,” Jack hissed.
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œThe spool of wire . . . they’ve