Free The Terminals by Royce Scott Buckingham

physically. There was a long pause where she simply stared at the keyboard.
    â€œOh my god,” Cam said. “You’re … good.”
    She let slip a smile. “You liked it then?”
    â€œWas that song by the band Lisa Ran Away? It sounded like them, but I’ve never heard it. With the lyrics, it was also sort of like The Dread.”
    â€œYou know your music,” Calliope said. Then she shook her head. “But it’s neither of them, although they’re both major influences.”
    Cam cocked his head. “You wrote it,” he realized. “You friggin’ wrote that!” He smiled at her like an idiot. “And clearly you’re a bit disturbed.”
    She laughed. “We’re dying, Cam. Remember? I can’t help being a little messed up.” The dark admission would have sounded strange in her mouth an hour earlier, but it fit now.
    â€œYeah,” Cam said. “I remember. But for a minute there you made me forget.”

 
    CAM’S PLAYLIST
    7. HEY, I KNOW THIS SONG   
    by The Nobodies
    8. THE ICE FIREMEN
    by Blabbermouth
    9. I LOVE BACON
    by The Foodies
    â€œSomething familiar, but oh so peculiar.”
    Training came early. They met on the beach. Ward, Zara, Tegan, and Donnie. Four sets of scuba masks and regulators were laid out neatly in the sand just above the high watermark.
    â€œYou’re athletic, Cam,” Ward said. “Let’s see if the scuba team suits you for this mission.”
    After the others had donned and adjusted their gear Cam was still standing there puzzling over hoses and buckles. They helped him while Ward stood with his back to the ocean rattling off steps, rules, and clever sayings.
    â€œSCUBA stands for ‘self-contained underwater breathing apparatus’ … Don’t rise faster than your bubbles unless you want to pop … And do not, I repeat, do n-o-t, not hold your breath.…”
    The others focused on every word. They were sharp and alert, despite having obviously heard it before. Cam listened hard, knowing from his skydiving experience that his life would likely depend upon it.
    â€œAny questions?” Ward looked straight at Cam.
    â€œNo, sir,” Cam replied.
    â€œYou sure? Tell me now if you’re a poor swimmer. There’s no shame in acknowledging a weakness.”
    Cam glanced at his comrades. Zara and Donnie eyed him, evaluating. Yes, there is , he thought. “I’m sure,” he said.
    â€œExcellent. Donnie, you’re team leader. Out to the buoy and back,” he said. “Go!”
    Donnie, Tegan, and Zara walked straight into the surf, their flippers slapping the sand. Cam followed. The water lapped at his legs at first, and then a swell hit him waist high. Zara was already plunging into the trough of an incoming wave. He bucked the tail end of the wave, then surged forward, inserted his regulator, and dove into the next one.
    It was strangely quiet beneath the waves. Cam had to kick farther from shore and dive to get out of the surf, but the tide helped him, the drop-off was steep, and soon he was floating free in the silence of the open ocean. The others were straight ahead, kicking steadily. Donnie looked back, but didn’t slow. Cam chased after them. They had to find the buoy without a beacon. “Practice like you play,” Ward had said. There would be no beacon on their first mission.
    Cam was curious what their mission would be. Saving people was the goal, and a waterborne approach was part of it, apparently. Ari had been sent off with Pilot to drill for his role, whatever that was. When Cam had asked, he’d just laughed and said he had the “cushy job.” Calliope was charged with learning the communications equipment. They each knew elements of the plan, but Ward hadn’t put it all together for them yet.
    Cam had expected to see fish, but the rapidly deepening waters were featureless and dark, very unlike