Unexpected Meeting At Fort MacArthur

A few days later, across the lake at Fort MacArthur Military Academy, Phil was crawling on his stomach under a barbed wire obstacle.

Phil's assignment was to hand a baton off to a recruit when they met in the middle of the course.

Phil heard a familiar voice as he made his way to the middle.

"Ouch! Why did it have to be barbed wire anyway?" the voice complained.

It was raining outside so Phil and his contact had mud on their military fatigues.

"Veronica? You're here too?" Phil asked in surprise.

Veronica spat out some mud, "I got drafted when Kristi decided to attend Camp Olympus, my father owns the place as well as being the head drill sergeant!" she complained.

"Whoa! You have it rougher than I do!" Phil exclaimed, getting the tangled piece of wire out of Veronica's long braid.

"Thank you, Phil." Veronica said.

"Hey! This is no time for idle chatter," Frank shouted at Veronica and Phil. "move! Move! Move!"

Phil handed the baton off to Veronica, "Save you a seat in the mess hall?" he asked.

"Assuming you make it out of here alive... I suppose." Veronica said to Phil.

Back at Camp Rosewood in Sparrow Cabin, Melanie sat up on her bunk while Jessica paced back and forth listening to the rain as the drops plopped to the ground.

"I wish this rain would stop!" Jessie sighed, stopping her pacing.

"Me too," Melanie sighed. "I guess we won't be watching Doe Cabin make the island swim today."

"You can't always get a good weather day." Beverly sighed.

Over in Doe Cabin, Carole was feeling tons better.

But she and her cabin mates were still bored out of their gourds.

Hikari and Lisa were playing a game of chess.

While Carole and Miranda were looking at the latest issue of a horse magazine.

"I can't believe this," Hikari griped. "rained in at camp! I want to have fun outside!"

"We all want to be outside, Kari." Miranda groaned.

Carole's stomach started to grumble.

"Looks like I'd better go to the canteen to make lunch." Carole laughed, grabbing her raincoat and putting her rain boots on.

Back at Fort MacArthur, Phil was sitting on his cot reading during his afternoon free time, when the mail call was sounded.

Phil was given two letters. One from his parents and one from Stevie.

He tore into the one from Stevie first, the letter read: Dear Phil,

I hope you're surviving Fort MacArthur.

I got your last letter of course and I'm not surprised that Veronica was responsible for the mix-up that got you sent there, she's always trying to keep us apart, I'm just glad her plan backfired enough that she got sent there too, I've had a few laughs imagining Veronica in a crew cut.

I have some news for you, Kristi has been chosen to represent Camp Olympus in the inter-camparchery tournament, and the tournament will be held at Camp Rosewood the last week of camp, so I'll see you then.

Love,

Stevie.

When Veronica entered.

"Well what do you know!" said Phil, smiling.

"What is it?" Veronica asked.

Phil noticed Veronica still had her hat on.

"Veronica, you're supposed to take your hat off when you come inside!" Phil said. "protocol."

"Oh nuts!" Veronica said, taking her hat off.

Phil snickered, "Your dirty scheme to keep and Stevie and me apart this summer didn't quite work the way you planned did it?" he asked with a slight grin.

"Shut threpresee heck up!" Veronica snapped with a threatening look.

Phil ignored her angry glare and changed the subject, "This letter I just got from Stevie says that Kristi is going to represent Camp Olympus in the inter-camp archery tournament and the tournament is going to be at Camp Rosewood!" he explained.

"So, who's representing Fort MacArthur?" Veronica asked.

A black haired brown eyed boy with an aisan complexion stood from his own cot.

"That would be me." the boy answered Veronica.

"Just who are you?" Veronica asked the boy.

"Veronica, this is Hikaru Yukimura," Phil introduced. "his twin sister attends Camp Rosewood across the lake, Hikaru, this is Veronica DiAngelo."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Hikaru said to Veronica.

All Veronica could do was stare into Hikaru's eyes.

"Thank you." Veronica said to someone unseen.