The Expeditioners and the Secret of King Triton's Lair Page 9

  I stopped and looked out at the vista. The sky was a cold blue, empty except for a single bird swooping and diving. For a moment, I was overcome by envy. Sukey had once told me that when she was flying, she felt like a bird, high above the silly concerns that preoccupied us on the ground. I watched as the bird hovered for a moment and then went into a steep dive. It must have seen a rodent or other prey on the ground. The bird spiraled through space until it had vanished from sight.

  I kept hiking until I came out into a rocky clearing. Now it was just a mile along the ridge to the summit, and I breathed deeply, taking in the sharp scent of pine trees on the air. I buttoned my vest and then I saw the bird again, coming straight for me. I was starting to get nervous when I heard a voice from behind me call out, “Good girl, Njamba! Good girl!”

  I recognized Joyce’s voice, and then I recognized her Kenyan Snake Falcon.

  I called hello so she’d know I was there, and I heard a great flapping as Njamba flew into the woods. A few minutes later, Joyce, wearing leather hiking boots, Explorer’s leggings, and her navy-blue sailing jacket—which was covered with lengths of rope, a compass, a retractable spyglass, and various hooks and cords—came running up the path with the giant bird on her arm. Njamba was clutching a large rabbit in her talons.

  “Hi, Kit!” Joyce said cheerfully, as though there was no one else she would rather have found on the path. “Look what Njamba caught!”

  She took the struggling rabbit from the falcon’s talons, checked it, and then set it down on the ground. The rabbit ran away, disappearing into the woods.

  The bird made a funny clucking noise in her throat. “She hates it when I do that,” Joyce said. “But it doesn’t seem right to keep it. We’re just training—she’ll eat later.”

  “That rabbit would’ve probably tasted a lot better than whatever you’ll get for her from the dining hall tonight.”

  She laughed. “You going all the way to the top?”

  I nodded, and we started walking together.

  “Are you looking forward to your first Announcement Banquet?”

  “I guess,” I said, but not very convincingly.

  “It’s fun. You’ll like it. And it is exciting to hear who’s been picked. What do you think of your chances?”

  “Uh, fair to middling,” I said. “How about you?”

  “Oh, I won’t be chosen. I’m pretty sure of it. I led an expedition last year. But this year, I want to set up a wildlife observation station and see if I can find evidence of elephant poaching. After Mountmorris’s speech, I know I don’t have a chance. Not much national security value in observing elephants—but it’s what I’m interested in. You should see these guys. They’re so intelligent. They use their trunks to communicate. They’re practically human. Besides, I’m not sure I’m . . . what they’re looking for this year. So how are you liking the Academy?”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “I guess.”

  She slowed down and turned to look at me, forcing me to tilt my head back to meet her eyes. She was almost exactly Zander’s height. Everything on the mountain was dead and finished, all white snow and dead trees, but Joyce’s face was full of summer light. There was a calmness about her that made me feel calm too.

  “Don’t let Lazlo get to you,” she said. “Everybody knows how he is.”

  “It’s not just Lazlo. It’s . . .”

  “Everyone?” She smiled. “It does seem like you’ve gotten kind of an unfair shake. But don’t worry. The nice thing about the expeditions is that it gets you off campus and lets you get to know people in a different way. You’ll see. It’s hard coming in, not knowing anyone. A lot of the kids knew each other from before.”

  “You must like it here,” I said. “I mean, you’re so . . .” I’d been about to say perfect, but then I lost my nerve, thinking it would sound as if I liked her too much.

  “So . . . what?” Her eyes were full of mirth.

  “It’s just—you do so well in all your classes. Everybody likes you. The Academy must be fun for you.”

  Joyce smiled kindly at me, and I suddenly felt much younger than she was. “Do you know how I ended up at the Academy?”

  “Not really. Your father was a ship’s captain in Kenya, right?” The path had gotten steep again, and I was already out of breath. Joyce was barely winded.

  “That’s right. We’re from Mombasa, by the sea. That’s where I was born. He discovered a few shipping routes the government was interested in, and they offered him a big job at BNDL. We left Kenya when I was five. I still remember the smell of the sea and every corner of Papa’s ship, but I don’t remember anything from those first years in New York. It was cold and gray. Papa hated it. He realized they were never going to let him make any decisions that mattered. They wanted him for his contacts in Africa, because he could convince people to give up their rights to the fishing grounds, their knowledge of the sea, to establish the shipping routes. He waited until I started here at the Academy, and then my mother and father and brother went home. I understand why they left me: I’ll have more opportunities here. But sometimes I wish I’d gone back with them.”

  “What would you do?”

  “That’s the thing. As much as I love the sea, I didn’t really want to work for my papa. My brother will. I always wanted to be an Explorer. But . . .”

  “But what?”

  “But nothing ever turns out quite the way you think it will, does it? Now I feel far away from the boats and the sea and my family, but . . . I don’t know. I don’t like to think about it too much.”

  We kept walking. Njamba led the way up into the colder, thinner air.

  “Can I ask you something? Where were you for those couple of days after the attack on Francis Foley? What did they do with you?”

  The muscles along Joyce’s jawline tightened. “They told us not to say anything, but I trust you. It was weird. They had us in this cabin they usually use for guests. It actually wasn’t too bad. The food was better than usual, and there were real beds, with good mattresses.” She smiled. “They asked a few questions about the explosion, but mostly they wanted to know about our parents, about people back home. They kept asking for names, details of people’s jobs, where they went to school. We left when I was five, so I didn’t have a lot, but Kemal was in there with them for two days. Maria Montoya too, and that Lundlandian kid from your sister’s year. It was really weird.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say.

  “It’s okay. And you’ll get used to the Academy. There are some good people here. Sukey. Kemal.” She smiled. “Your brother and sister. You knew Sukey already, right?”

  “Yeah.” I felt myself blush and hoped Joyce didn’t notice. “Lazlo, too, which is part of the problem.”

  She smiled again. “Lazlo’s awful.”

  “I think his father hates me even more than he does.”

  “Everyone says Leo Nackley wanted to be head of BNDL. He was expecting he’d get it when Foley was promoted to head of ADR. And he’s mad that he didn’t. He’s probably taking it out on you. You just have to ignore the Nackleys.”

  “That’s what Zander says. But Zander doesn’t seem to have any problem here. Everybody loves him.”

  Joyce watched me for a moment as we hiked, her brown eyes thoughtful. “It’s true,” she said. “The amazing thing is that he doesn’t really care about what people think, does he?”

  “No. He’s always been like that.”

  I picked up the pace, and we hiked quickly up to the summit. Below us, we could see the campus spread out, the buildings like little toys. A steady stream of SteamCars and SteamTaxis were pulling up in front of the gates, and a couple of gliders and dirigibles already sat at the landing strip. The Grygia was there, too, casting a huge shadow.

  “Looks like everyone’s arriving,” Joyce said. She sounded sad for a moment, and I realized that of course her parents wouldn’t be coming all the way from Kenya. “By tonight, we’ll know about the
Final Exam Expeditions.”

  “My stomach will be glad when the waiting’s over,” I said. We both watched as Njamba made wide, lazy circles in the sky.

  “From up here,” Joyce said, “you’d never know that people are fighting and unhappy and sad and everything down there. Sometimes I wish I could just live up here with Njamba and never see another person.”

  I let the silence settle around us.

  Joyce whistled twice and we watched as Njamba, hearing the command, fell into a sudden dive, her body dark against the smoky white clouds that had started to gather over campus. She spread her wings and sailed silently towards us, clucking as she came to rest on Joyce’s shoulder.

  Seventeen

  Most of the parents and guests had arrived and were making their way to the Longhouse for the banquet when word started to spread around campus that something was happening in Simeria. By the time we were all seated at the long tables with our plates of roast beef in front of us, everyone knew that there had been an uprising by East Simerian factions loyal to the Indorustans. They had launched an attack on an Allied military base in Simeria, taking six surrounding towns, and were now moving troops across the Simerian Desert. The East Simerians, who were loyal to the Indorustans and had been fighting for years to bring Simeria under Indorustan control, had been stopped by our soldiers and SteamTanks, but just barely.

  “Things have been tense for months,” Raleigh told us. He’d taken the train up from New York and then caught a SteamTaxi from the station to the Academy. “But the East Simerians have been staging more and more protests, and finally they took over a couple of BNDL’s command centers. They had weapons that had clearly come from the Indorustans. This may mean war.” He leaned across the table, talking with his mouth full of meat and gravy, little droplets of grease clinging to his beard.

  “Well, if it isn’t Raleigh MacAdam.”

  Raleigh looked up and a huge grin broke out across his face. Sukey was standing there with a tall woman in a green synthetic flight suit, flight goggles pushed up on her head. Her short red hair was straight and a couple of shades brighter than Sukey’s, but otherwise they looked like older and younger versions of the same person.

  “Delilah! My god. It’s been a long, long time.” Raleigh tried to stand up, but Delilah waved him back down, and she and Sukey slid onto the bench next to him. She hugged him, laughing, and said, “I was hoping I’d get to see you, my old friend. Hi, Zander. Hi, M.K. How are you, Kit?”

  We all chatted about school and her recent trip to Deloia. After she and Raleigh had caught up a bit, the conversation turned back to Simeria.

  “Hildreth hasn’t said a word,” Delilah whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. “But the rumor is that it’s a major uprising and we no longer have control over Simer City. The Indorustan Empire has been arming the East Simerians for years, and they aren’t going to let us put down the uprising without a fight. They may see this as their chance to take us on in the Newly Discovered Lands in the east.”

  “Here we go,” said Raleigh, his mouth full of food, as Maggie, wearing a sparkling, snowy-white arctic climbing jacket and white velvet pants approached the podium. The din in the room quieted down to a low murmur.

  “Welcome, parents and special visitors,” she began. “We are looking forward to showing you the amazing work that our students have done this year. And we are especially looking forward to the biggest event of the fall term here at the Academy, tonight’s announcement of the Final Exam Expeditions.”

  After a round of applause, Maggie held up her hands. “Now, I know some of you may have heard about the rebellion in Simeria,” she continued. “We had a messenger from New York this morning who brought reports that the military forces of the United States and its Allied Nations have already been quite successful in restoring peace in Simer City. We have word that many BNDL agents are serving with courage and distinction, which is something of which we can all be proud.” She smiled slightly. “In any case, we can all rest assured that our government is doing all it can and that the conflict will be over soon. Now, please, everyone, enjoy the meal. When we are done eating, we will hear from BNDL director Mr. R. Delorme Mountmorris.”

  The dinner was bad. I had to chew the potatoes at least fifteen times before they were soft enough to swallow, and the vanilla cream pie tasted of sour milk. I didn’t feel like eating anyway. Waiting for the announcement, my stomach felt as sour as the pudding in the pie.

  Zander told Raleigh and Delilah about his field biology class, and M.K. was telling Sukey about her work on Amy and how she’d come up with the idea for the compressed steam engine. Sukey asked her all about the hydraulics and the rudder. Since I didn’t really understand the technical details, I just sat there by myself, looking around the room. As I scanned the long table full of students and guests, I saw Kemal doing the same thing I was. He sat between a man and a woman who must have been his parents. They all looked as nervous as I felt. Kemal and I locked eyes for a moment before he looked away.

  Finally Maggie returned to the front of the room. “As you know,” she began, “the Final Exam Expeditions are an important part of our history here at the Academy. They provide real-world training and are meant to test you and teach you what you will need to know to become a full-fledged Explorer of the Realm.

  “Now, to announce the ten chosen expeditions, please welcome Mr. R. Delorme Mountmorris, the director of the Bureau of Newly Discovered Lands.”

  Mr. Mountmorris, in a red suit and top hat, walked with long strides up to the front of the room.

  You couldn’t help noticing the twenty or so agents standing around him this time, and no mounted animal heads were anywhere in sight. Mr. Mountmorris grinned, and everyone gave a hearty round of applause. Raleigh frowned, but then he joined in the clapping, and I figured I’d better not ask for trouble, so I clapped too. Across the room, Leo Nackley leaned over to whisper to a dark-haired woman I assumed was his wife, then patted Lazlo on the back. Lazlo didn’t look nervous at all.

  Everyone applauded, and Mr. Mountmorris grinned and bowed. Then he took out a large envelope and opened it with a flourish.

  “The first expedition will be . . .” He waited for a second, to increase the drama. “An Expedition for the Purposes of Exploring an Inlet of the New North Polar Sea.” We heard a little squeal of delight from the back of the room. “To be led by Ava Eisenhofer. Congratulations, Miss Eisenhofer. Your teammates will be . . .” I held my breath. If I heard my name or Zander’s or M.K.’s or Sukey’s, it was all over. But she went on, “Joseph Anderson, Jonas Krowinski, Flynn Dooley, Clara Mabbo.” Ava, a talented geologist in her last year at the Academy, came up and said a few words about the minerals they were hoping to find in the ice. “I only hope that our discovery will lead to a brighter future for our country,” she said, to much clapping and cheering. When she was done, I let out a sigh of relief. Only nine more to go.

  “The next expedition will be. . . .” He didn’t wait as long for this one. “An Expedition to Map the Third New Hawaiian Island, led by Michael Fitch. The members of the expedition will be . . .” I listened to make sure that none of us were on it, and then I exhaled deeply as Mike came up to talk about his expedition. I got through the next one, and then for some reason I had the feeling that the fourth one was going to be it.

  But it wasn’t. It was an expedition to the Sahara.

  Mr. Mountmorris grinned. “Now, this next expedition is an interesting one. There was a lot of interest in this region this year. The next expedition will be . . .” He fumbled with the paper, drawing it out unbearably. “An expedition to the St. Beatrice Region of the Caribbean to Research and Explore Possibilities for New Fuel Sources.”

  I looked at Zander. St. Beatrice! It was mine!

  But then Mr. Mountmorris went on. “To be led by . . . Lazlo Nackley. Crew members are Alexander West., Jr., Mary Kingsley West, Joyce Kimani, Jack Foster, Christopher West . . .” Zander and M.K. and I had all
been named. And just as I realized that he had one more name to say, the words came out of his mouth and my heart sank. “. . . Kemal Asker. Expedition instructor is Cameron Wooley. That rounds it out. Lazlo . . .”

  Lazlo came up and started talking about how his research showed that there may be a source of oil under the ocean in the northern Caribbean. Newly invented drilling equipment would allow him to access the oil. “If we are successful, we will be providing a new fuel source to help our military secure our borders and protect our territories . . .” My head was swimming. It was too hot in the room, and I thought I was going to faint. Lazlo finished talking and grinned at the round of applause that followed him back to his seat. Leo Nackley was staring at me, watching for my reaction, and it was all I could do to keep clapping and stay on my feet.

  And then Mr. Mountmorris was announcing the next expedition, something about Iceland and a new species of Snow Deer. I heard Sukey’s name. Mr. Mountmorris kept talking, but I couldn’t focus.

  Lazlo was leading our expedition.

  We were going to the Caribbean.

  And Sukey wasn’t.

  Eighteen

  Outside the Longhouse, I leaned over a trash can for a minute, hoping I wasn’t going to throw up.

  “He stole it,” I whispered to Zander, once he had joined me. “He stole our proposal.”

  “How could he?” Zander looked stunned, his eyes wide, his forehead wrinkling as he tried to figure it out.

  “Someone showed it to him. Maggie or someone else. It’s the only possibility.” I remembered Lazlo and Jack hanging around our table in the Longhouse. “Or he eavesdropped on us.”

  “I’ll kill him,” M.K. said as she joined us. I watched Raleigh and Delilah hugging old friends, everyone celebrating as though the world hadn’t just ended. Ava Eisenhofer walked by with her parents and a group of friends, and we all congratulated her.