Free Explorer X Alpha by LM. Preston Page B

lights out for me. Now, I am definitely tired,” said Aadi. They all seemed to follow his lead and got dressed and into bed. Aadi took off his backpack, placed it under the bed, and tapped it to make sure Ebu would know it was open. He figured Ebu made it to the room before any of them and was just hiding out before he would crawl into the backpack.
    The girls ran as hard as they could back to their room. Eirena opened the door and then slammed it shut. She yanked Raiko onto her bed and mouthed to her “I saw some weird crap in that database. Let’s put the blankets down, and I will tell you what I am freaked out about.” Raiko looked intently at Eirena as she read her lips and nodded. Eirena and Raiko worked together to create their fort, which would allow them to hide out on the bottom bunk.
    After that night, all seemed calm at space camp. They never mentioned that night again, thinking that maybe, if they didn’t talk about it, the memory of it would disappear. Eirena and Raiko kept the knowledge about what they read in the database between the two of them, but they hadn’t completely stopped thinking about the pieces to the puzzle that they couldn’t figure out.

 
Chapter 12
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    The camp had a routine set where campers woke up, went to breakfast, then to the Simulation Class, where they simulated the piloting experience and defensive and offensive techniques in virtual environments. Aadi and the team were running a bit late for their lesson after breakfast.
    â€œToday, Aadi, I am going to beat your sorry tail in the simulation race,” said Damien. He pushed Aadi’s shoulder on their way to Simulation Class.
    â€œEvery day you say that, and then I school your butt by beating you again and again. Give it up, Damien. You suck, and I don’t,” Aadi replied, looking back at Damien.
    â€œHey, cut it out, all right? Today is the day I wipe both of your butts on the floor,” said Carter. Everyone looked at him and laughed. Carter hadn’t won a simulation test yet.
    â€œNaw, I am betting on Eirena and Raiko. We have to find away to get our respect back from those girls,” said Scott. He jogged up and smacked Carter on the back of his neck.
    â€˜Oh, I have my respect. It’s the rest of you all that need to pay attention,” said Aadi with a crackled laugh.
    â€œHey, Tacitus, you seem to have learned a lot of my maneuvers, but you seem like you are holding back. This time, just go for it! We need to pull a rabbit out of the hat on these girls,” said Aadi.
    â€œHey, boys, plotting again? It’s not going to help, because we are just better than you at… well, um, at everything,” Eirena said and walked up alongside Aadi. Raiko was close behind Eirena and pushed passed Damien to get beside her.
    Damien pushed her back as she passed. She looked back at him with a scowl while he smiled and then tripped her.
    â€œEww, you are asking for it creep!” Raiko said to Damien and put her fist up to her eye.
    â€œYeah, right! Midget girl with the ugly hair and ghost skin. What are you going to do, say ‘boo’ and scare me to death?” Damien said cruelly.
    â€œDo you have to be such a pain in our… beep!” they all said as they looked at Damien. It had become a group reply to Damien’s constantly surly nature that seemed to get worse as the days of camp continued.
    â€œHey, here we are. You know, today we find out who we pair up with for the excursions,” said Eirena.
    â€œIf there is a God in heaven, I will not - must not - get Carter or Tacitus. Please, oh please, give me Damien or Scott. Have mercy,” pleaded Dakota. He closed his eyes tightly, bent down on both knees, and held up two fists to his head.
    â€œYou better start praying harder,” said Scott as he passed by Dakota to smack him on the back of the head and raced to the simulation room. Dakota got up quickly to try to grab Scott’s