Chapter Seventeen

Georgies hands were clammy on the steering wheel. Shed seen the girl leave the office
where her dad waited. They said it would be an hour-and-a-half, so shed opted to study
in the car while waiting. At least thats what she told them. Military people gave her the
creeps. She didnt like the way they looked at her, all suspicious. Granted, she was
equally suspicious, but driving past the curve where Brittanys Aunt Nancy died had
raised goose bumps on her arms. She owed it to Brittany to at least check out people in
the parking lot, right? Not that the visitors got much action.
Until she walked out.
Definitely suspicious, the way she covertly glanced about. And the laughnot
natural. Georgie did what any self-respecting seeker of knowledge would do.
She pulled the car around to check her out.
When she asked, Need a ride? she knew it went against everything her parents had
drilled into her. She also knew there was something desperate, yet hopeful, in the other
girl that she couldnt ignore. Shed been taught her entire life not to ignore, but to
question. This, perhaps, was not how her father wanted her to question, but she had a
feeling, somewhere in her familys honored history, her ancestors had seen this exact
behaviordesperate, yet hopeful.
Vivid blue eyes widened, along with a tentative smile. Yes, please. That would be
outstanding. She ran and hopped into the passenger side holding a rolled up People
magazine. Thank you. She looked behind them as they drove out of the lot, bending
over her shoes in her seat while they turned past the guard gate and the large, cheerful
sign that said Camp Holliwell. The triangle icon with the logoScience, Technology,
Servicefaded in the distance before she spoke to the girl.
She was still bent over her shoes.
I think you can get up now.
Slowly, the girl sat up into the seat, picking up her magazine.
Fasten your seatbelt, Georgie said.
Her passenger obeyed, quietly staring at Georgie. After another minute of silent
staring, Georgie couldnt take it. Stop staring. Youre creeping me out. You have seen a
black person before, havent you?
What?
Nothing.
My math tutor is African-American, and the biochemist, and many of the guards,
and the food service lady, and my old nurse. There are lots of people from all over the
world on the base. But I havent met anyone from Qatar, or New Zealand, or Bhutan, or,
wellfrom a lot of places.

Georgie glanced over at her briefly, then back at the road. Uh-huh. Shed picked
up a loony. Where do you need to go?
Charlottesville, please. Can you take me there? She glanced behind them.
Georgie looked into the rearview mirror. No one followed. They drove parallel to the
base, and the girl continued to glance out nervously.
I can take you to the rest stop twenty miles up the road. Thats the nearest spot. I
have to turn back after that and pick up my dad.
Okay. The girl stared at her again. Do you work on the base?
Georgie laughed. She pointed to the nametag on her uniform.
Whats RCC?
The movie theater. Royal Crown Cinemas.
You work in a movie theater? the girl perked up, excited. That must be so fun.
Uh-huh.
Is Georgie your name?
Uh-huh.
Its a nice name. I really like your hair, too.
Georgie couldnt help smiling. Thank you.
I grabbed this magazine on the way out. Have you ever seen it before?
People?
Yes. She flipped through it. Its all about different people. Ive never heard of any
of them before, but it looks interesting.
Thats Angelina Jolie on the cover.
You know her?
Um
Do you know these other people? She opened to another page of celebrities.
Uh, yeah. I mean, not personally. I know who they are.
Oh.
Silence.
Have you ever been to a Starbucks before?
Okay, now youre freaking me out.
Sorry. Im sorry. I just.
You dont get out often.
She nodded. Exactly.
Yeah. Brittany was totally not going to believe this. So why are you trying to
leave?
The girl looked at her, then away, her response utterly dismal. I know I have to go
back. I just wanted to see if I was really allergic to the air outside the base. She opened
the window and breathed deeply. I feel fine. She laid her head on the window frame
and closed her eyes, a light smile on her face.
Georgie let her have a moment. She probably needed it. But Georgie needed
answers. Her dad wanted to work at Holliwell. What was he thinking?

Whats your name?

Oh, sorry. Im Jocelyn. Jocelyn Albrecht. But everyone on the base calls me Sunnie,
as in Sunday Cashus. Cashus for my uncle, who I realized recently is really not my uncle
and might be hiding a lot of other things from me.
Like?
Like my brother and sister are alive, and no one told me. Like Im going to die, but
not from cancer.
Ohmigosh.
Uh-huh, she mimicked Georgies own response and breathed in another gulp of air
out the window. Like maybe Im not allergic to the air.
I dont think you are.
Uh-huh! She said it again in agreement.
My dad wants to work at the base. Is it safe? Thoughts of secret military
experiments started setting off Georgies freak-o-meter. I thought there was crazy stuff
going on there. I mean, I heard about stuff, but you know, you never know whats real,
and it was so far-out, that really it was pretty crazy. But then Brittanys aunt died, and my
cousin Al said stay away from Holliwell cause theyre, like, trying to make super soldiers
who will kill you, and now my dad is interviewing there. And youre like proof that its a
a crazy place! She looked over at the girl. I mean, I dont know if youre crazy or
anything. I didnt mean it that way. She just needed answers. Do you know Nancy
Watson? She was my friends aunt. She worked at Holliwell.
Jocelyn tilted her head. I knew a Nancy. One of my nurses was named Nancy. She
took my daily measurements and was really nice. But none of the techs and nurses use
last names, and no one is really allowed to talk about what they do. She was just Nancy.
What did she look like?
Pretty. African-American with green eyes. Super short hair.
Ohmigosh. Georgies throat constricted painfully.
You know her? Jocelyn turned in her seat. We know the same Nancy? Do you
know where she transferred to? She didnt say goodbye. Actually, it kinda hurt my
feelings, Jocelyn admitted before looking away.
Georgie nearly slammed on the brakes. Okay, this was too scary.
She pulled over into a turnout designed to allow traffic to pass, put the car in park,
and pivoted in her seat, grabbing the girls arm. Her skin shocked her with its warmth,
and Georgie released her instantly.
With the crazy blue eyes staring at her, confused and expectant, she explained.
Nancy didnt transfer.
What? Jocelyn frowned.
Before Georgie could tell her the truth, loud sirens went off on the base, starting
from the main gate and spreading out across the miles. The fence by the side of the road
that separated them from the base had spinning lights on top of the posts that also began
to flash and emit a blaring alarm.

Jocelyn mouthed a resigned, Uh-oh.

Georgie couldnt hear a thing. She put the windows up, but it did a poor job of
blocking out the sound.
Jocelyn, listen to me. Look, I know you dont know me, but my friends aunt was
Nancy Watson. She used to work at Camp Holliwell. She died in a car crash just over two
weeks ago.
Jocelyns face went white.
Then something really weird happenedstuff right out of paranormal horror films
everything in the car began to rattle. Items lifted off the dashboard in a frenzy of motion.
The magnet that held her purse closed popped open, and small items began to float out.
Georgie stared, fear making the hair on her arms stand up.
Then it stopped, and everything fell to the floor.
Jocelyn breathed deeply. Like it hurt. Her eyes were waterybut not with regular
tears.
Blue tears.
Just as suddenly, the sirens went off. It was silent in the car. Georgie was about to
speak, but Jocelyn lifted her hand for silence, listening for something Georgie couldnt
hear.
Theyre coming for me. The helicopters will be here first, then a truck and Jeeps.
You need to leave. Go to the place you were going to take me, and stay as long as you can
before going back for your dad.
Are you going to be okay? What will they do to you?
Dont worry about me. Just dont tell them we met or talked. Im afraid for you.
Please. She jumped out of the car, then quickly leaned back in, her blue nails distracting
Georgie for a split second. My family is Morgan and Ben Albrecht. If I cant find them,
maybe you can? Make sure theyre safe?
IIll try.
I dont know who to trust.
You can trust me. We never met. But I work Thursday through Sunday at the RCC
in Charlottesville. Everyone knows me there. If you need me. Right, what could she
do?
Thank you, Georgie of the RCC, Jocelyn said. Ive never met anyone like you.
Girlfriend, its like youve never met anyone. But I wont hold it against you.
Jocelyn smiled widely. Thanks. She looked at the sky as if counting the seconds.
The copters are about a minute out. You need to go.
Georgie didnt hear anything.
Go! she insisted, stepping away. And dont stop!
Jocelyn spun and took off the way they came. Georgie watched her disappear in the
rearview mirror, partly in disbelief.
The girl was fast!
Shaking, she put the loose items back in her purse and tossed it on the floor before

pulling onto the road.

That did not just happen. She shook her head. I dont know what just happened,
but that did not just happen.
The loud vibration of a helicopter overhead nearly made her drive off the road again.
Coincidence. Right? Shed get a coffee at the rest stop and something to eat. Yeah, that
would make her feel better. If only that helicopter would go away. Trying not to panic,
she kept driving. She got about half a mile when three army trucks came scrambling out a
side gate entrance and zoomed up the road at her. She pulled over so they could pass.
They didnt pass.
She stared at the three trucks blocking the road and a lineup of green-uniformed men
holding scary-looking guns.
The hovering helicopter, as if seeing the men had her, took off. Surely that was not
the case, though. She wasnt a threat.
She glanced toward her purse, thinking to call her dad, or at least record this with her
phone. Thats when she saw the People magazine with the address label for Camp
Holliwell. Panicked, she grabbed her purse and put it over the magazine. When she
looked up again, her heart stopped. The car was surrounded at gunpoint. She had to give
the military creditfast and efficient.
Trembling, Georgie clenched the wheel at ten oclock and two oclock. Thats what
you did when you got pulled over. She took a quick look at the crazy-eyed commandos.
But what did you do when this happened?