Page 2 of Klora (Mates of the Mylos #6)
CHAPTER 2
ADRIAN
“I don’t like the look of all those protesters,” Shirley Templeton said.
“I don’t either,” I replied to the anxious mother. I had a feeling that after this, she’d never volunteer to assist with another class field trip, ever. Still, I needed to reassure her and the kids that everything was going to be okay. Which I wasn’t sure about in the least, but if anyone panicked, things could become so much worse than they already might be. “But we’ll be fine. Look, everyone, the police are holding them all back and we’re walking away from them to where our buses are waiting, right by the Mylos saucers. We’ve got Mylos guards and more police escorting us to where we need to go. It’s not that far at all, really, and before you know it, we’ll all be on our way home and this will be just a wild and crazy story to tell everyone for years to come.”
The closer we got to our designated parking area and landing zone, the larger the group around us grew as other school groups who came to enjoy the Friendship Day Picnic in the Park event headed back towards the ships and buses. Our fourth grade class had the distinction of being from the only school who’d shared their picnic with actual children from the Mylos Fleet, something I was very proud of as I had been the one to talk our school principal into letting me reach out to Fleet’s Public Affairs Office with the invitation. Everyone else had to make do with meeting the attending Mylos children by happenstance, interacting with the members of the Fleet who were organizing the games for all the children, and waving back at the large screens dotted around the picnic space showing children living within the Fleet as they enjoyed their own picnics far overhead.
“Okay, class,” I called out, coming to a stop as the other attendees surged around us. “Make sure you have your buddy with you, holding your hand. I’m going to call your names. Please let me know you’re here and be loud so I can hear you over all the noise.”
The Mylos guards escorting us also stopped, along with Lorraine, the fourth grade teacher from Star Dancer , the ship our guests hailed from. She also began doing a headcount.
“Alrighty then, we’ve got everybody!” I cheered at my kids and they cheered back.
“All present here and accounted for too,” Lorraine confirmed.
“Can we just go ahead and get back on the bus?” Shirley Templeton fretted, wringing her hands.
“Yes, sure,” I replied, moving to do just that as a group of staff members from another school darted out from beside the buses, no doubt trying to make their way to their own group to hurry them along. At least, that’s what I thought before they ran right through us, separating us from each other. Our Mylos guards reacted quickly, but there were only four of them and at least twice as many of these people.
“Hey, what the?” I shouted.
“Sorry!” one of the men shouted and several of them turned back towards the buses. I realized too late that they’d managed to cut my class off from me, which was frustrating as hell, but things like this are exactly why we take along at least one parent as an assistant. Surely Mrs. Templeton could manage to make it twenty feet. Our bus was right there, a mere five feet away from us now, so once I made it there, I could stand inside and call out to her so she and the children could finish making their way. That was the plan, right up to the moment the man who’d spoken to me moments earlier jabbed me in the side of the head with a quick punch. I heard someone scream and the sound of children starting to cry as I fell to the ground.
“What are you -”
“Sorry,” a woman said, helping me up.
“No, we’re not,” the man replied while oddly wrapping a strong arm around me to help me towards the bus. Oh, not towards the bus but between it and the one next to it, where a much smaller bus was parked.
“No,” I protested. “That’s my bus over there.” I pointed, then squinted. He’d clocked me pretty good and my vision was a little blurry. Ugh. He’d probably given me a concussion and now I was wondering why I’d let him help me walk over here after ringing my bell like that. And where was our bus driver? Had he gotten off the bus to help round up the students?”
“Shut up and get on,” the woman advised me as another man rushed up and into the smaller bus with a child.
“Hey, he’s one of the Mylos -” I began.
“We know,” the woman replied.”Now shut up and get on. Don’t make us have to hurt you and the kid.”
It dawned on me then. This was a kidnapping.
“You targeted us!” I accused, making my feet obey me as I walked drunkenly the last few steps to the strange bus, unwilling to leave the kid alone with these hooligans. One of the assholes shoved me up the steps inside and I stumbled.
“Go, go, go!” one of them shouted at their driver, who already had the engine idling. And then we were off and the man who’d punched me was manhandling me into the seat next to the boy they’d taken.
“Keep him quiet,” he ordered me.
The boy looked at me, looking strangely calm.
“It’s okay,” he told me. “The Fleet will come for us.”
I nodded numbly, feeling pitiful because the kid was trying to comfort me, as if he thought I was the one needing it.
“I’m Tyrone.”
I smiled at him. “Yes, the one everyone called Ty.”
He nodded. “And you’re Mr. McDuffie, the teacher that invited us.”
“Yes.”
He patted my hand and I smiled down at him.
“I said to keep him quiet!” the man roared and I winced, the sound piercing its way through my already aching skull.
Ty made a zipping motion over his lips and turned to look out the window. I knew he was right. Police, the FBI, Homeland, the Mylos, if they were law enforcement or adjacent, they’d be hot on the trail. I just hoped we came to a stop sooner than later. I really hated to think what they’d do if I vomited all of my picnic lunch up from all this jouncing around. This bus really needed its suspension looked at.