Original X-roads-2003

Meanwhile…
 
    Jamie looked at the desert in front of him, “Not a lot of cover iz there?” he asked one of the soldiers.
    He stood motionless.
    “Loosen up!” Jamie ordered, then laughed. “I could git used to thiz, givin orderz.” He took in a deep breath and began to walk towards the center of the desert. “At least it’z not hot, if thiz wuz Threshold we’d all be dyin right now.” he began to scramble up a large sand dune. From the top he stopped and laid flat on his stomach.
    A slight breeze blew his hair around as he peered down at a camp. Eight tents stood in a straight line, uniform and brown. “I guess he don’t need a whole lot of cover.” Jamie muttered.
    “Come on, we gotta git closer.” he moved back down the dune till he was out of sight from the tents. He walked to his left till the dune ended, the he glanced over. There was nothing.
    “Hmm.” Jamie stood for a few seconds thinking then started running for the next dune. He crawled up to the top and peered over. “I knew it!” he narrowed his eyes.
    Beyond the dune stood at least two thousand soldiers dressed in black from head to toe. Black swords waving in the air, they looked like the troops back at the castle. Moving in unison, silently repeating their drill over and over. To the side some people stood in a straight line watching the ritual with intense concentration. The first in line was a well built man dressed in grayish armor that appeared to be molded to his skin, a large plasma rifle hung by a leather strap across his rippling chest. A uzi was held tightly in his right hand. His stubbled face was mostly hidden by blaster shield glasses, his light brownish hair hung to the middle of them in the front and was short in the back. To his right stood a man dressed in a strange black suit, his hands behind his back. His short brown hair didn’t move in the wind, Jamie tried to get a better glance at him, but he was too far away.
    Quickly Jamie scooted down the dune out of sight, “I think we got enough. Letz go back.” he looked back to see three new men, dressed in black.