The Defiant by Lisa M. Stasse Read Free Book Online Page A

kids from my plane. I don’t see anyone. Clouds are passing across the moon, making it hard to see.
    Then I hear a nearby rustle. I freeze. My hand goes to the knife on my waistband.
    â€œIt’s me,” I hear a voice hiss in the darkness. My eyes are adjusting to the dim light, and now I see Gadya approaching from about twenty feet away. “Back in the good ol’ UNA,” she whispers. I can hear excitement in her voice. But also some fear.
    â€œDid you see what happened?” I ask, moving toward her.
    â€œNo. What?”
    â€œMy parachute didn’t open! I had to use my emergency one.”
    â€œReally?” She sounds startled.
    â€œWas yours okay?” I ask.
    She nods. “Yeah. I’m glad you’re safe.”
    â€œMe too,” I say. “So where’s Liam?”
    â€œI don’t know. I was just looking for him. He went out right before I did.”
    â€œHe’s probably landed by now.”
    â€œI’m sure he has. Maybe the wind drifted him away from us.”
    We both stare around in the darkness. “I’m worried that someone did something to our parachutes,” I say.
    Gadya thinks it over. “Sabotage? But who would do that?”
    â€œI know it’s doubtful, but maybe there’s someone who doesn’t want us to succeed. Like someone with old allegiances to the UNA.”
    â€œAnything’s possible on the wheel.” She stares around for Liam. “If he’s not here soon, we have to get going.”
    I nod. “Maybe he’s already headed for the rebel convoy. Maybe he’ll meet us there.” I look around at the trees.
    â€œLiam will be okay,” Gadya says, trying to comfort me. “He’s a hunter and tracker. He knows where to find us.”
    I nod. I have to accept her logic. If I don’t, I’ll give in to despair.
    I pull out a paper-thin digital screen. It’s a map of the area. The scientists gave them to us, along with fake government papers, forged back on Island Alpha. The screen glows dimly green in the darkness. I hold it close so that the light doesn’t give us away. “Look. We’re not far from where we’re supposed to meet the rebels. We just head north into the forest, find a large river and follow it, and then meet them on a dirt road on the other side. They’ll be waiting for us.”
    Gadya glances at the map. “Only two miles or so.”
    â€œWe better start walking.”
    I take a final glance at the map, and then shut it off, putting the folding screen back into my pocket. I wish I could communicate with the scientists, or anyone else, but it’s too dangerous nowto transmit any signals. They would be picked up by the government’s monitoring systems.
    Gadya and I start heading toward the trees at the edge of the field. I’m thinking about Liam and hoping that we’ll find him out here. If not, I plan to wait for him when we reach the convoy, even if Gadya doesn’t want to.
    The sudden snap of gunshots in the distance triggers my reflexes, and I instantly crouch down to the ground. The shots are too soft and far away to be aimed at us, but we need to be cautious. I can hear Gadya cursing.
    â€œThey’re onto us!” she hisses. “They must have spotted someone.”
    â€œIt could be a police drill,” I say. “It could have nothing to do with us. They could be doing target practice, for all we know—”
    More sharp cracks interrupt my words. I don’t hear any screaming in response. If they are shooting at something or someone, it sounds like they’re missing their target.
    â€œWe have to go faster,” Gadya says. “If there are government soldiers or police out here, then we need to reach the rebels as soon as we can.”
    The two of us begin racing toward the edge of the trees. The trees are so tall in front of us that they blot out the moonlight. They stand like an impenetrable