Complication

Glen’s camp was not well hidden, it couldn’t be. It consisted of more than a dozen large tents, each one bright white with a black marking of the Great City’s logo on the sides. A small fleet of hot air balloons, excavation machines, and two large cargo airships to haul it all were parked in a simi-circle encompassing the camp. Glen came prepared to move mountains, if necessary, and it was all set up in the one place that would allow such a big operation- out in the open.

  Debora and the twins stood on top of a ridge and took turns peering down through a pair of binoculars.

  “Doesn’t look heavily guarded,” Debora said. She panned the binoculars across the camp looking for any sign of life. “It doesn’t look guarded at all, but there is no telling how many people are in those tents.” She lowered the binoculars and handed them off. “What do we do?”

  “We don’t have many options,” said one of the twins as he started down the ridge. The other one followed behind him.

  “Wait, we can’t just walk up to their camp without a plan.”

  The first twin stopped. “I do have a plan,” he assured, “I plan to move fast and follow that gulch to limit our chances of being seen.”

  Debora looked unsure, even disappointed. “Yeah, then what?”

  “I don’t know, perhaps you think we should tunnel our way in?”

  Debora realized she had no other option to offer, so they started down, not with high hopes, but scuffing their feet along the stony ground, feeling more like they were surrendering.