Dead whispers flew through the chilling dark. Alien lights roamed through the maze of mountains, searching, looking for the people of Cashes Dade with their bright dazzling lights shining down from the sky. Their ships moved through the sky above the clouds carrying the sound of eerie whistling. But they weren’t just looking for the people of Cashes Dade, they were looking for the ghost strikers. Dark spirits raced through the mountains. They hurried across the slopes to where the dark orange light shone as a signal showing where to meet. But they weren’t the only ones going for it. Cade, Blake, and Drew were flying through the underground tunnels, trying to find their way through the maze, hoping to get there in time. The dark spirits hurried to meet the spy, the one who would tell them where the people were hiding so the aliens could finish Cashes Dade completely. Ghostly whispers echoed in the dark. Will the kids get there in time?
The next five Character Fun Facts posts will feature the Seven Army Leads of Cashes Dade. One of them is the spy. They will be presented in alphabetical order by first name. Each post will feature either one or two of them with various information and stories about them. Leave a comment below if you have a guess whether you think Austin might be the spy, or do you think it probably is someone else? Maybe you will know right away, or maybe you will need to see all seven army leads before you can decide who it is. Can you figure out which one is the spy?
Austin Camdade is relatively tall and strong. He is determined and has a quiet intensity about him. He always looks like he’s thinking hard about something. He has short, somewhat rough hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He talks pretty eloquently and smooth.
Austin takes the third position in the formation for the army leads. He is a strong leader who does a great job of explaining where the enemy is and how best to attack them by finding where they are vulnerable.
Austin has always dreamed of being a great explorer. He likes climbing mountains and trying to find new trails, new ways to get to the top. He wants to discover new places and new minerals that could give them stronger medicines and weapons to defeat the aliens. He has great ambition, and loves reaching the highest peaks.
One time before Cashes Dade went to war against the aliens, Austin Camdade was leading some kids on a mountain climb, including Cade and Blake. They were trying to climb a small, but relatively steep mountain to the northeast of Cashes Dade.
Cade moved fast up the slick scree and heavy dirt, practically jumping up, sliding back, then jumping higher up. He turned back to Blake with a confident smile, and twisted expression showing some kind of judgment/curiosity.
“What’s taking you so long?”
“I’ll catch up,” said Blake, gasping for air. “Maybe when…” Cade took another long drink of water. “Your pack looks a lot lighter than mine.”
“Oh I see. You think youuuu…” Cade slid back a ways before digging in deeper. “It’s cool,” he said with a nod to the other kids on both sides. “You’re just making excuses.”
“You only packed a few waters again didn’t you?” Cade kind of shrugged as he worked his way up through the thick soil. “You’re going to run out again.” Cade shook his head as he took another long drink. “Yeah you are, look at you. We’re not even halfway. You do this every time. We’ll get close to the top and you’ll be looking like you’re dead and begging me for one of my waters.”
“No way,” said Cade, taking another long drink.
Blake just shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
He gazed up the slope when Austin said, “We’re going to turn this way, cut through there to the top.” Several kids gasped as he pointed to the thick cluster of small trees with the green pointed, needle-like leaves. “No one’s ever tried this way before,” he added with a smile.
“Yeah I wonder why,” Blake muttered under his breath. Cade got down low, almost sliding up the slope like a snake trying to shield himself from the sharp leaves. Blake gazed up at the dark blue, flat clouds streaming across the sky before pushing through, clearing a path as he went, looking angrier and angrier the closer they got to the top. Bright lightning splintered across the sky in the distance beyond the peak. Austin stayed focused on the rough rocky slope leading to the top.
Cade struggled to follow Austin pushing his way through the thick forest toward the rocky peak. He took another long drink as they struggled up the final slope. Chilling winds brushed down slope, pushing them back momentarily. An eerie whistling rushed across the sky. Austin gazed up toward the peak saying, “We’re almost in the clear. Soon we’ll be standing at the top.”
Cade jumped from rock to rock while Blake propelled himself over one after another until soon they both stood at the top, gazing at the awesome views on all sides. Blake turned around to see Cade drinking from another bottle.
“That’s your last one isn’t it?”
Smiling, Cade pulled two more full water bottles out of his backpack. Blake stared in shock before shaking his head as he turned back to look out across the vast landscape. But his shock turned into a knowing smile when he took a sideways glance and saw Cade secretly handing several kids a wod of money…
The final clues are Austin’s three best known quotes:
“Exploring new places is the greatest adventure you can have.”
“The best way to answer your enemy is to fight.”
“Just keep climbing, higher and higher, until you are standing tall at the top.”
