As Wyatt headed toward the water, he couldn’t help but remember his own first day, when he’d seen a fellow Group-C member, Hudson Decker, deftly handle an unruly camper. He’d been shocked by Hud’s effective use of violence, but he learned a valuable lesson. Bullying, in any form, can’t be tolerated. It must be dealt with swiftly and sometimes savagely. Still, he wondered if he’d been too hard on Cody and taken it too far.
Wyatt had just finished the last swim test for the new Group-Cs as a boatload of campers eased toward the dock. As the Sea Goat neared, Wyatt thought he saw a familiar face. He craned his neck, and there, squinting in the midday sun, was Mackenzie and four other passengers. One was a tall, Arab-looking kid wearing a white velvet jumpsuit and white Air Jordans. He leaned cockily against the pilothouse, his gold chain glinting in the sunlight.
“Swim buddy!” the dude shouted to Wyatt as the boat drifted in.
“Samy!” Wyatt grinned.
On board with him was a young girl with short, tousled hair, standing just over five feet. She might have been described by some as mousy, but anyone who spent ten minutes with her could see she was a lion on the inside.
“Rory,” Wyatt said, extending his hand to help her off, but she jumped to the dock and gave him a high five.
“Been pretty lonely, being the only member of my own team.” Wyatt smiled. There was a vast void in their team and all of them felt it: Dolly. The bittersweetness of their reunion must have been evident. And just as he felt a wave of excitement at seeing his old friends and comrades he felt a wave of guilt for having considered blowing the horn so he could work with Darsie on finding Encyte and avenging Dolly’s death.
“Don’t worry, dude.” Samy pulled Wyatt into a bro hug. “We can’t bring her back, but we can make Hallsy pay.”
“Damn straight,” Rory added.
“Yeah,” Wyatt said, fighting emotion. “Now please tell me,” he said, stepping back to take in Samy’s velour getup, “what the hell are you wearing?”
“Don’t pretend you ain’t jealous,” said Samy. “This is high fashion, man. Haute couture. Cost me three hundred fifty dollars.”
“It’s a onesie, bro. But you wear it well.”
“So, Wyatt,” Rory asked as they hoofed back to the lodge. “Now that your dad’s the new director, you wanna tell us what’s going to happen with Group-B, with it being only the three of us?”
“Don’t quote me yet, but I think they’re gonna move us up into A and create two teams, so we can train with them this summer.”
Rory and Sam looked at each other, then looked at Wyatt, huge smiles on their faces.
“Seriously, they’re pulling us up?” Samy asked.
“It’s not official till it’s official, but that’s the plan.”
“Upgraded.” Rory pumped her fist. “Much better than getting held back. Who’s joining us?”
“They escorted you over.” Wyatt nodded to the two other passengers on the boat.
“Those guys?” Samy asked. “I thought they were staff.”
“See the tan guy?” Wyatt said. “That’s Pierce. Mackenzie’s nephew.”
“Ahhh,” Rory said, staring at the good-looking Native American boy as he finished tying off the boat. “That makes sense. Mackenzie let him drive, and he never lets anyone drive.”
“And that’s our other teammate, Mary Alice.” Wyatt nodded at the towering blonde wearing an immaculate summer dress and a haughty grin. She looked nothing like she did on the Jet Ski that night.
“Is she wearing … heels?” Rory asked, her nose crinkled as much in confusion as disgust. “We’ll see how long she keeps that pretty dress clean.”
“Wait to judge till you see her operate,” said Wyatt, winking. He considered vouching for her effectiveness based on the mission he’d completed with her, but that information was need-to-know. For all Rory and Samy knew, Mary Alice was arriving at Camp Valor with them that day to start the summer.
“Dude.” Samy leaned in, gesturing to the pair in the boat. “We’re back in the big leagues.”
“Yup.” Wyatt turned and started up the hill. “Come on. Cass is waiting in the Caldera. Training starts now.”