“Good morning, Lena. We have another twenty minutes before—”
“Let’s talk in my office. Please follow me.”
She turned and walked down the barracks hallway. Natesh grabbed his key and presentation notes off his nightstand and hustled to catch up. He was glad that he had gotten ready early. They walked out of the barracks and down a hundred-foot stretch of gravel that brought them to the smallest building on the island base. Everyone assumed that this was a base, although Lena was likely the only one who knew for sure. An arc of tropical trees shaded the path.
Natesh’s feet crunched through the stones and seashells as he walked. The morning sun cast a beautiful light over the beaches beyond the runway. He wanted to stop and admire the monstrous green mountain at the heart of the island, but Lena trudged onward at a quick pace. A trickle of sweat slid down his forehead as he hobbled after her.
They reached the concrete structure with satellite dishes and a group of antennae on top. Razor wire lined the roof. Metal bars caged in each of the narrow windows, making it look like a small-town jail. Lena’s fingers danced over the digital keypad as she typed in the code to the single steel door. Natesh heard a faint beep and then a click as the door unlatched.
As they entered, Lena said, “This is the Communications building. You’ll be spending some time in here over the next few weeks.” She sealed the door behind them.
Inside was a small room with two computer monitors and two swivel chairs. Rays of bright yellowish morning light came in from the high-up rectangular windows, illuminating one wall. She motioned for him to sit, and he took a seat in one of the chairs. She remained standing.
Lena stared at him, her eyes filled with that ever-present intensity. He had seen that look from many a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Athletes called it the eye of the tiger. Natesh thought this metaphor fit. Lena was every bit the predator.
Her voice was flat. “So… are you all set?”
Natesh could feel the sweat between the tips of his fingers and his palms. “Yes. All set.” He tried to sound calm.
She saw through the lie. “You’re worried?”
Natesh said, “It’s just a lot to process, that’s all.”
“Yes.” She nodded.
“I’m fine. I’ve done this sort of thing many times. I’ll be fine.”
Disapproval flickered in her eyes, then calm. Her voice was soft as she said, “Natesh. We have watched you for some time now. You are quite capable. I know that you’ve never done anything like this before. But to be frank, no one has. Stick to your routine. Get in a rhythm, and be the conduit for others to provide the information.”
He nodded. “Sure. Sure. As you say. I will be good. Thanks.”
“I’m here to help.”
She motioned around toward the computer monitors. “Major Combs and you will be the only ones with access to this room, besides me, of course. Take this paper. On it is your code that will open the outer door to this building. Memorize it. You won’t be able to take it with you. You’ll be able to go on these computers and get information from the outside world. These computers are on a censored and monitored network. You won’t be able to access the whole Internet. If there are any sites that you need or information that you aren’t able to get, the email system only goes to one person. He is my colleague who will be able to do external research for you. In order to make things simple and secure, we’re going to have you and the Major serve as the information-gathering middlemen. If there is external data that the consultants need to access as you are making your plans, you two will come here to get it. Understood?”
Natesh nodded. “Yes.” He looked around the room. The computers were bulkier than what he was used to. Military grade, he imagined. There was another steel door at the far side of the room. It had a keypad next to it, just like the one on the outside of the building.
Natesh asked, “Does my code work on that door?”
“No,” replied Lena.
“What’s back there?”
“My living quarters.”
“You think you’ll need a digital lock on your living quarters?”
She said, “We had better head to class.”
They rose and walked outside, Lena shutting the door as they left. Once again they walked next to each other on the gravel path. This time they headed to the second largest of the buildings, the Classroom.
The Classroom sat atop a small hill which overlooked the runway on one side. A pristine beach of dark sand lay just outside its walls on the other. Breaking waves intermingled with the sounds of island gulls hovering overhead.
It was almost 8 a.m. Natesh just had to get through this presentation. Then he would have the momentum to get through this first day. Then he would get through the first week. And then… well, there was a lot of change ahead. Natesh tried not to think of how important his part might be.
As if she could hear his thoughts, Lena said, “Just breathe. We briefed them yesterday on the big picture. They understand what’s at stake here. Remember that. Everyone here wants to help defend the United States. You are a talented man. And you are performing a great service.” She put her hand on the muscle between his neck and shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I know you’re absorbing a lot right now. We all are. But you need to relax, Natesh. All of this will work out.”
They stood outside the double glass doors of the Classroom building.
“Thanks,” he replied. There was nothing like a few choice words from an attractive woman to prop up the ego of a doubting man. What was more, Lena seemed to have a gift for handling people.
Moments later, Natesh stood on the auditorium stage, studying the faces in his audience. His nerves calmed as he shifted into business mode. About half of the seats were filled. The others were funneling in. Most people sipped steaming coffee from Styrofoam cups.
The loud drone of aircraft engines caused most people to look out the expansive windows. A large multiengine propeller plane rolled down the runway. Every other day, that plane was supposed to be bringing in supplies from who knows where. Lena and the Major had told them about it last night during their indoctrination. This was the first drop-off.
They had been told about all of the buildings on the island. They were told where to go to get food and to wash their clothes. There was very little infrastructure. Only a handful of Asian maids and cooks lived in back of the cafeteria. None spoke English, not that it mattered. The Major had warned against speaking with them. They were cleared to work here, but no conversations were to go on within earshot of any of them.
There were strict security rules to follow. Lena had explained the rules clearly. Don’t go outside the boundaries of the base fence. It circled the runway and the buildings, but split the island in half, with nothing but mountainous jungle on the other side. Don’t communicate off the island. Natesh wasn’t sure how anyone could have pulled that off anyway. It wasn’t like they had a satellite phone. Lena told them that if anyone had any problems, medical or otherwise, they were to see her as soon as possible. No one had raised any concerns.
Natesh watched the runway scene through the window as men in protective eyewear and helmets jumped down from a retractable ramp on the rear of the aircraft. The men rolled off crates near one of the taxiways and then immediately hopped back on board. Within minutes, the plane had taken off. As soon as it had, the Asian stewards that cooked their food and made up their rooms each day scurried out to the crates and brought them back to the cafeteria building. What was this place?
Everyone was seated. Natesh walked over and stood up in front of the podium. He looked at his watch. 8:01 a.m.