Dr. Seabrook entered General Ramsey’s office and quietly closed the door. A single lamp shone on the broad desk. It did little to illuminate the large, ornate office. In the dim light, he could just barely see the General sitting behind his massive desk, relaxing in his favorite black leather chair, staring at the bank of surveillance camera monitors. The primary central screen showed a feed from the Mess Hall. Parker, Sunny, Bubba, Colby and Igby sat around a table, eating lunch. Dr. Seabrook sat down in front of the General’s desk.
“Physicals are complete,” said Dr. Seabrook.
“What was all that quacking business? I don’t recall seeing Duck Impersonation on the aeromedical survey.”
“It was a game,” said Dr. Seabrook. “Igby started it.”
General Ramsey spun his chair around so he faced Dr. Seabrook. “We do not have time for barnyard antics, doctor.”
“Actually, General, it was quite brilliant.” General Ramsey looked at him blankly. “From the moment those kids arrived, we’ve been hammering them. I’m sure you’ve noticed the bickering between Bubba and Colby. Igby felt they needed a chance to play together, to have some fun, and develop some solidarity. So we concocted the calisthenics as a way for the kids to relax a little. Even if only for a few minutes.”
“Did it work?”
“It seemed to. Even Colby got into the act.”
“He’s an actor. He probably acts like a duck or a chicken all the time.”
“They were smiling and laughing. Until you showed up with the tuners.”
“I wanted to introduce them. The kids will need their help after lunch.”
“Right. Which brings me to why I stopped by. As I was saying, everything is on schedule. Retinopathy is complete and we’ve begun C.P.R. The kids are all in excellent health. Even Bubba, who’s big for his age. He’ll lose that baby fat in a few years. He’ll make a heck of a football player. Maybe play for one of the powerhouse football colleges like Notre Dame or Nebraska. Maybe even professionally. Although his aspiration is to be a Gamer. Glorious Shepherd is his hero. Someday we may even watch him compete in The Games.”
“If he lives through this,” said General Ramsey.
Dr. Seabrook sighed deeply. “That, I’m afraid, is true.”
“My God, Sherman, what have we gotten ourselves into here?”
“Well, sir, we’ve got a sticky situation on our hands. Granted, the program is still experimental and not ready for full operational deployment—”
“Tell that to Dr. Red,” General Ramsey interrupted. “I’d say Go-Boy Ultra is not only fully operational, it’s now a direct threat. Our worst nightmare has come true, Sherman.”
“And we’re dealing with it, Martin.”
“By sending five kids out to do our dirty work.” General Ramsey rose from his chair and started pacing around the room. “How in the world did it come to this?”
“Extreme times require extreme measures.”
“Extreme? Let me tell you about extreme.” General Ramsey came and sat on the corner of the desk, looking down on Dr. Seabrook. “Less than two weeks from now, when these kids complete their training, they will have greater striking power than an entire Marine expeditionary force. They will have more mobility and greater lethality than a special-ops unit. Their size and radar signature will make them virtually invisible. With the upgraded body armor, they’ll be too strong and too fast for conventional aircraft or weapons. They’ll be able to operate worldwide.”
“Sounds pretty impressive to me.”
“They’ll be virtually invincible.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“What if they grow beyond our control?” General Ramsey started pacing again. “What happens when they get out into the real world, where we can do nothing more than bark orders at them over the radio? What if they decide they’re going to do things their way? Rather than follow mission parameters set forth by us?”
“It’s a possibility,” said Dr. Seabrook.
“A possibility? I’d call it a probability. You examined each of the kids?”
“Thoroughly.”
“Your conclusions?”
“Fit as a fiddle. Physically—”
“No,” said the General, interrupting again. “Not just physically. Up here.” He tapped the side of his head. “How’s their mental, emotional state?”
“Given the mental agility of children—”
“What about Parker?”
“Parker? Well, for a boy who was more or less orphaned by The Attack, I’d say he’s doing all right. How would you feel if your mom perished in the worst attack ever perpetrated on American soil and your dad was gone eleven-and-a-half months out of the year, hunting down those responsible for her death?”
“He seems like a good kid.”
“I agree. He’s a bit detached, maybe. He doesn’t seem as present as the others. But I suppose that’s understandable under the circumstances.”
“Circumstances?” General Ramsey turned to look at Dr. Seabrook.
“Yesterday wasn’t exactly a typical birthday. He’s under a lot of strain. It’s already apparent to everyone, including Parker, that he’s expected to be the leader. And being chastised by you in front of his friends this morning didn’t help.”
“He was late for chow, out of uniform, and disobeyed a direct order when he took ice cream to his room.”
“Not exactly grounds for a court-martial, Martin.”
“I am his Commanding Officer.”
“And I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that it’s best to praise in public, chastise in private.”
“Of course not,” replied General Ramsey. “But I needed to set a precedent, make an example of him.”
“He’s thirteen years old,” Dr. Seabrook countered. “It’s his first day. Cut the kid some slack.”
“Cutting him or any of the others some slack could be disastrous. It’s my job to keep these kids alive.”
“That’s right. But making enemies out of your troops isn’t going to help.”
“Nevertheless, this was my idea. If something happens to them, I am responsible.”
“It’s like Igby said yesterday, about the oath to protect freedom. You and I took that same oath, Martin. We’ve got to keep our promise. No matter what. We didn’t ask for this and God knows we tried to prevent it, but Go-Boy Ultra is out there. These five kids are our only hope of getting it back. I’m going to uphold my promise to help them in any way I can. I hope you do the same.” Dr. Seabrook stood and headed for the door.
“Sherman?”
Dr. Seabrook stopped and looked back.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“I’m not very good with children. I lost my dad at an early age, as you know. When my mom told me he’d been shot down . . .” General Ramsey paused for a moment, caught in the memory. “I guess maybe that’s why I’m not close to my own kids. I forget sometimes that, underneath it all, our new soldiers are still children at heart.”
“We’re all children at heart, General,” said Dr. Seabrook. “When the kids are done with lunch, I’ll bring them down to the fitting room. We’ll meet you there.”
“Fine.”
Dr. Seabrook stopped in the doorway and looked back at General Ramsey.
“What?”
“I’m sorry I suggested showing them the video.”
General Ramsey rubbed his tired eyes. “They were going to see it eventually.”
Dr. Seabrook considered the carpet for a moment, then looked up. “I simply thought they needed to see what they’re up against.”
“They do. I just don’t want them to get . . . .”
“Scared?”
“I was going to say discouraged. But that, too.”
“I think they were already scared, Martin. I know I am. Besides, it’s not fair to get them involved in this if they decide they can’t go through with it. I know that if I had to go up against that thing. . . . Never mind.” Dr. Seabrook left, closing the door so
ftly as he went.
General Ramsey sat in his favorite chair. On screen, the kids had gone from eating their lunch to simulating aerial dogfights with it. Parker’s corn dog went head-to-head with Sunny’s taco. While the other kids watched, Parker seemed to be instructing them on air-to-air combat tactics, evidently knowledge gleaned from his daily sessions in the Go-Boy flight simulator at Skycade. General Ramsey was heartened to see Parker taking a leadership role. From out of frame, Bubba appeared suddenly. He leaned over and took a big bight of Parker’s corn dog. Everyone laughed. Parker held the damaged remains by the wooden stick as it spiraled downward, crashing in a puddle of tomato ketchup on Parker’s plate. Everyone laughed harder. General Ramsey smiled. Perhaps they would escape from this unprecedented mission unharmed.
Then again, he thought, they could end up looking like a big puddle of ketchup.
Chapter 11
KID