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Our emphasis on personal accountability and social responsibility is exemplified in our Peer Leadership Program, in which our youth ministers organize and run retreats of up to a hundred students at a time. By combining traditional education with special programs, projects, and activities, our faculty is dedicated to creating well-educated, well-rounded, ethically responsible students with the ability and the confidence to take on the world!
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“You really outdid yourself this time, Mason. This place is fantastic.” Bam peers over Starkey’s shoulder at the computer screen that he and Jeevan strategize over. “I mean a bowling alley? I can’t even remember the last time I bowled.”
Starkey can’t help but be irritated by Bam’s intrusion, but he tries not to show it. “Enjoy it while you can,” he tells her. That sobers her up a bit.
“When are we going to tell the others the whole plan?”
“Tomorrow,” he tells her. “It will give them time to prepare themselves.”
Yet another clatter of bowling pins from the other side of the clubhouse sets Starkey’s nerves on end. The clubhouse is one big open space. He would much prefer quiet privacy right now.
“Bowl a game for me,” he tells Bam. I would but”—he holds up his stiff hand—“I bowl lefty.” It isn’t true, but it gets her to leave them alone.
On screen is a schematic of Cold Springs Harvest Camp, north of Reno. “I think I’ve figured out a way to jam communications,” Jeevan says. “I’ll need a few kids to help me out, though. Smart ones.”
“Choose whoever you want for your team,” Starkey tells him. “And anything you need, just let me know.”
Jeevan nods but, as always, seems nervous, concerned. He’s a kid who can never just relax and go with the flow.
“I’ve been thinking of after,” he says, “and how, after we hit Cold Springs, we won’t be able to be out in public anymore. At all.”
turn to see Kele, who, in these reeling moments, had been forgotten.
Lev and Elina’s logic could not calm Connor down, but apparently the fearful look on Kele’s face does the trick.
“No, he’s not, and no, I didn’t,” Connor tells him, his voice a little more under control. “Wherever he is, I’m sure he’s fine.”
Kele seems only half-convinced, and that worries Lev. He knows the kid is a bit of a loose cannon. While Lev’s presence here is “unofficially” known, no one knows that the infamous Akron AWOL is here as well. Kele had promised to keep his presence here a secret, but could he still, now that the secret looms so large?
“So what do we do?” Lev asks Elina, knowing what she’ll say—or at least hoping.
“You’ll stay in our care, of course,” Elina says.
Lev releases his breath. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding it.
“Like hell we will!” snaps Connor.
Lev grabs his shoulder to keep him from storming away. “It’s the smart thing to do. No one out there knows we’re here. We can lie low until we’re out of the news.”
“We’ll never be out of the news, Lev! You know that.”
“But it won’t always be the big story like it is today. Give it a few weeks. And maybe by then we can keep under the radar. Taking off now is the stupidest thing we could possibly do.”
“While we’re sitting here, kids from the Graveyard are being unwound!”
“And how much will it crush their spirit if you’re caught?” Lev points out. “As long as you’re free, they have hope.”
“Cowards hide!” says Connor.
“But warriors lie in wait,” Elina says. “The only difference is whether you’re motivated by fear or purpose.”
That shuts Connor up, at least for the moment. Elina is always good at choking people on food for thought. His eyes burn for a moment more; then Connor drops into a dining room chair, resigned. He looks at his knuckles—Roland’s knuckles—which are bleeding and raw. It must hurt, but he seems to draw some satisfaction from the pain.
“They think we’re with Risa,” Connor says. “I wish we were that lucky.”
“If she’s sees the report,” Lev points out, “then she’ll know that you’re still alive—so that’s a good thing.”
