They followed him, running across the compound to the dining hall. Inside there were no tantalizing smells. There was no food on the sideboard. They looked at one another as one of the kitchen staff appeared with a platter of toast, most of which looked burned and cold. The coffee in the pot was hot, the juice cold.

More cold, burned toast arrived with the entrance of Team Five. Every one looked at it and opted for the coffee, hopeful that something other than the toast would magically appear. No one said a word. They were aware that something was going on, they just didn’t know what it was.

Thirty minutes into the breakfast hour, Lukash stood up and peered out the window. “The cable car just arrived.”

“Maybe we’re getting company,” Kate said. The others ignored her. In the nearly twelve months they’d been on the mountain there had never been company during the daylight hours.

Alpha paced the dining hall. That alone bothered Sam more than the burned, cold toast and the cable car. A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. She looked around. Everyone wore worried looks, even the affable Vandameer.

All of a sudden, Sam knew what was coming. She stood up and was about to leave when Pappy entered the hall. She sat back down and waited.

Pappy cleared his throat as he shuffled the stack of envelopes in his hand. “There’s a bad front coming in during the next few days, so I thought I’d give you all a head start on your R&R. I would like to take this time to tell all of you how proud I am of you. You worked hard this past year. I hope you all have long distinguished careers ahead of you. They will be whatever you make of them. In these folders, you will find instructions. Obey them to the letter. Your financial records are also in there and are returned to you. Read everything carefully. Everyone made the cut except for Samantha Rainford.”

Sam sat motionless, her eyes dark and steady. She heard Hawkins start to bluster but she shooshed him with a touch to his arm. She waited, knowing there was more to come.

“Your bags are inside the cable car, Rainford. Go now!”