Night began to fall, enveloping the grounds around the barracks in darkness. The dying glow of the setting sun would be gone within minutes. Michael and Bryson made it out of the woods without incident and saw that most of the others had returned already. Their figures, hooded in shadows, were grouped together behind the cars.

“Michael, come here!”

It was Walter. He stood up from his defensive crouch and motioned for Michael to join them.

“Where’d you go?” the man asked.

Michael didn’t know how much to share of what he’d learned. Bryson was quicker on his feet, thankfully.

“Find anything?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah,” the man answered vaguely. He was clearly angry he’d lost the boys. “Both of you are lucky you didn’t have your throats slit out there.”

“Amy’s back,” someone whispered from the group by the cars.

“Inside,” Walter commanded, glaring at Michael. The dusky light only made the command feel more menacing. Michael looked at Bryson and nodded. They should head back—Janey’s deadline was only a few minutes away.

6

Michael straggled behind the remaining group as they returned to the bunker. He was last to enter the building and could feel the nervous energy the moment he stepped inside. Everyone was on their feet, surrounding Helga. Walter went straight to her to give his recap of what they’d found in the woods. Michael hung back—he wished he’d had more time with the man named Trae.

“Not much good news,” Helga announced to the room. “Walter spotted a group of twenty. Armed. Only a few were children, despite what that little ghost of a girl claimed. Amy and Chris saw others lurking behind trees.”

She paused, seemingly searching for how to finish.

“Richard found some wire, followed it to the base of the barracks. Looks like there’s enough explosives packed around the edges to blow us to the moon. I don’t know when they set them, but we’re in a heap of trouble. And I’m afraid that if we try to leave, they’ll detonate.”

“Can’t we just cut the wires or something?” Sarah’s mom asked. “Doesn’t anyone know how to disconnect them? Disarm them? Whatever?”

“Bad idea,” Walter answered. “If we don’t know what we’re working with, it could all go off in our faces.”

The room fell silent. Michael folded his arms and tried to think. The thing that bothered him most was that these people said they didn’t work for Kaine anymore. And if Michael had learned anything from gaming, it was that if you wanted to win a war, you had to know who the enemy was.

Helga let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry to say it, but—”