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together and smiles at us. ‘So you guys do what you have to do, while I build a paper airplane, or…tarp airplane. I’ll pretend to be Ben fixing his machine which, very sadly, can’t fly for a few hours. I’ll be all of you guys plus myself, walking in and out of our tents, wearing the clothes you usually wear. But I’ll have to find something that looks like your pretty hair.’ She reaches out and tugs at my bangs. My heart goes thump-thump .
    ‘And I promise I’ll not point my middle fingers up at the sky if I can help it,’ I say. Yi-Ting bursts out chuckling and I have to fight the urge of curling my arms around her slender waist and kissing her neck.
    Runner draws his eyebrows farther down, then nods slowly. ‘Excellent idea, Yi-Ting.’ He brightens up and smiles at her. Her answering blush hurts my chest.  
    ‘This is bigger than I can handle,’ says Kat. ‘I’m not a satellite expert, but if I know one thing, it’s this: if the BSA gained control over two systems, what keeps them from gaining control over others? Ben, you and I will go to the continent. I need to talk with the council and a…friend.  
    ‘Whoa! No way,’ Ben holds up his hands. ‘If you want me to fly to Taiwan and then all the way to the mainland, I can’t take everyone. Sorry, Kat, but…no way. Runner, his equipment and me is all the machine can carry that far.’
    ‘Take out the seats,’ she says.
    ‘Yes, we’ll rip out the seats. But you, Kat, will stay here. Micka will accompany me.’ Runner throws a glance at me and I will my lungs to breathe normally. Doesn’t work as well as I hope.
    ‘I don’t like it,’ Kat growls, hands deep in her pockets. ‘I’m the intelligence expert, I know how to handle these things, I—‘ She breaks off, seeing Ben shaking his head. ‘Okay. I’ll write my friend a letter and give you his name and location. Ben, if you open it, I’ll kill you.’
    ‘What the fuck, Kat? Am I suddenly not trustworthy enough?’ Ben flicks a rice kernel in her direction.
    ‘Of course you are. I’m sorry. It’s just… This is not the way I want things to happen,’ she answers. ‘I hate being stuck here while you guys get all the action.’
    ‘You can help me build a paper airplane,’ Yi-Ting quips.
    Runner coughs to hide a snort but it doesn’t work.   He receives a cold stare from Kat in return. Now, I know what bugs me about her — she mistrusts everyone. I wonder why that is. Does she trust herself?  
    ‘I’m busy with image analyses,’ she retorts.  
    Rain begins to tap on the tent. The wind picks up and tugs at the fabric.
    ‘Micka, your apprenticeship might be coming to a very quick end.’ Runner squints at me and instantly I know what he means. It has nothing to do with having learned all my lessons. ‘You and I go in tonight. Ben will pick us up in four days.’
    I swallow. Am I even ready?
    ‘Yi-Ting will prepare provisions for us. And you have precisely ten minutes head start. Two paint bullets only. I want to know how well you function when you’re unprepared.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Sniping practice. The time is running, Micka.’
    ‘You cannot be serious! We have to pack our things, prepare for…for…’
    ‘I’m preparing you right now. Eight minutes head start, Micka. Move. Now.’

Rain pelts my face; my feet slam through muck. I love this. I’m alive. My confusion waits for me back at the comm tent. It makes no sense to worry about the BSA now, or about what might happen once we reach Taiwan. What matters now, is to win the race, to hunt Runner and not be the hunted.
    I left my ghillie on my bunk and he must have noticed it, probably frowned at it in disapproval. How can a sniper ever leave her camouflage behind? Surely, Micka is not made for this job, being so frazzle-brained from recent developments.
    I grin, my nerves are taut with exhilaration.  
    The dimly lit woods slip past me. Scents of blossoms fill the air, of wet earth, and fruits at