Rescue Mission

By Bhargavi Bhaskar

Gone to find Father.
Fifteen year old Erica Scott finds herself in the biggest adventure of her life as she leaves family and friends behind to find her army father who was missing after a scouting trip. Disguising as a boy, she finds herself facing hardships laced with unexpected friendships and betrayals. Along the way, she stumbles onto something so big it could change the entire course of war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lak Bhaskar
• Release date: May 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476235851

Book preview

Chapter 1

The depths of the shadows threatened to engulf Erica Scott as she glided across her room, moonlight streaming against her long red hair. She hastily stuffed a few of her old dresses into her knapsack as her mind drifted to the letters that had started it all.

Dear Honey and Cherry,

The corner of Erica’s mouth twitched upwards as she remembered the nickname her father had given her when she was a toddler. The nickname evoked her flaming red hair.

I do not have that much time to write. I am getting ready for a scouting trip. I cannot say any more than that. They are saying that a bloody battle is coming soon but do not worry about me. It is sure to end soon and after that, I will be home with you both once again. Until next time. Your loving husband and father. It was signed Jerald Scott.

That was the last time her father had written Erica and her mother. Shortly afterwards a new letter had arrived, but this one was different. It did not hold her father’s long loopy letters and its words held none of the care and love that her father’s had; instead it was short and straight to the point, with no emotion.

I am sorry to inform you that your loved one Jerald Scott has gone missing or has been hurt on duty. Please note that your loved one is thanked for his service to his nation. Have a nice day. - A.I.C (Army Intelligence Center)

She remembered how the tears had flowed after reading that letter, mixing with the hot and overwhelming sensation of anger. Anger at the A.I.C. for drafting her father into the army. Anger at her father for not keeping the promise he had made to her to come back safely. Anger at everything and everyone around her.

She clung to the one slim hope that her father was still out there somewhere, stumbling in the dark, waiting for someone to help him. The army had not been able to find his body or belongings, but then again, feeling grim, she had thought numerous times that why would the army spend all efforts to find the body of a lowly captain, even though he had a family that wished and cried for him every day.

Nevertheless, things would change now; she would make sure of that. Reaching under her mattress, Erica pulled out a long blank envelope that held a short message scrawled across the page. She grabbed her knapsack and in one deft movement, she swung it across her shoulder. Erica stepped outside into the inky blackness of the night, which quickly rose to meet her, the bitter wind biting against her pink cheeks as she glanced back one last time at her lone house perched on the small hill, a house that held so much grief and misery. Erica turned away reluctantly and began the long trek to the carriage station. Erica knew that in the morning her mother would open her bedroom door to find a letter sitting on her undisturbed bed. Her mother would open it to find the words every mother would fear most, standing out against the white parchment, the letters as black as death.

Gone to find Father.

* * * * *

Chapter 2

Miss we’re here. Wake up, the bright brown-eyed boy said, prodding her shoulder with a finger for emphasis. Erica drowsily woke up surveying her new surroundings.

This is far as I can take you, he said. Just over that horizon is the army camp.

Thank you, Erica replied fishing into her knapsack for the last of her change. As she stepped down from the carriage, the man stopped her. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but instead he patted her shoulder and muttered, Good luck miss. You’re going to need it where you’re going.

Erica managed to give the man a halfhearted smile before he, too, was gone from her life forever.

Erica’s weary feet dragged her to the top of the hill and below her, spread across a large plain, she surveyed where her new home would be for the next few months. Men dressed in dull green uniforms milled purposely around, along with a few brightly dressed women who carried laundry baskets and handed out food and water, adding some color to the drab scene. The army encampment consisted of a very large mess tent with small tents scattered around it. The last of the sun’s rays seem to be drained from the air by the colorless scene below her.

State your purpose, a gruff voice exclaimed behind her, causing her to spin around on her heels. She found herself face-to-face with a broad shouldered man wearing the same unremarkable green uniform she had seen the other men at the camp wearing. He had a small star at the end of his collar. One of his hands rested on the hilt of a nasty looking sword that was hanging from his side, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Um… Erica could have slapped herself for her stupidity. She couldn’t just walk into the camp and expect them to help her find her father, who was presumed to be dead. Her mind flashed back to the women she had seen carrying laundry baskets and handing out food. I was told that they needed help here. What can I do?

Go down to the big tent and ask for Teresa Wildmire. She’ll keep you busy.

Thanks, Erica replied but the man’s attention was already drifting away from her, and he was quickly off to go yell at another man.

Erica took a deep breath and stared down at the bleak tents before her. She could always turn back now while she still had a chance. She could tell her mother that she had tried but the danger was too great, but would she be able to live with herself? Would she be able to look back at the scared girl facing her every time she looked in the mirror?

This is for you dad, Erica said softly under her breath and without a moment’s hesitation she walked toward the big tent.

* * * * *

Chapter 3

Erica was pushed roughly, back and forth, as she tried to get into the big tent, each person going his or her own way.

Excuse me, Pardon me, Erica gasped as she finally broke through the crowd of people pushing and weaving through the entrance of the big tent. Inside, there were rows of tables and benches lined up in an orderly fashion with a serving line curving around the left side.

She walked up to a group of men. Excuse me, do you know where Teresa Wildmire is?

In reply the men just glared at her and moved closer together, blocking her out.

If you want to get an answer you shouldn’t ask the seniors, stated a friendly voice behind her. Unfortunately, I learned that the hard way.

Erica spun around for the second time that day to see a young man, around the same age as her, fifteen. He wore an easy smile and as she looked on, he shook his head to move his messy brown hair that had fallen over his blue eyes that seemed to look right through her.

Hi. I’m Colin.

After a few minutes of silence, she realized he was waiting for a reply and attempted a smile back at him. I just came here. I’m looking for Teresa Wildmire. Do you know where she is?

I’m new here, too, but I have a vague idea that she’s the woman with the brown dress over there, he said pointing at a woman talking to someone on the far side of the room.

Thanks, Erica replied, relieved that she had finally found the person she had been looking for.

The boy nodded and then moved on, when he spotted someone he knew. Erica quickly turned back to the woman they called Teresa and moved towards her, quickly closing the gap between them.

When she got there, she waited for Teresa to finish talking before she stepped before her. Teresa had a motherly face full of experience, with eyes that were warm and bright.

But aren’t you quite young, dear? Teresa asked after hearing Erica speak. She had a thick accent that weighed her voice heavily making it sound deep and rich.

I’m older than I look, Erica quickly answered.

Teresa studied Erica for a moment then laughed. Well alright dear, we need all the help we can get to keep get this camp up and running before the end of this week.

The end of this week? Why the end of this week? Erica asked with obvious confusion on her face.

Dear, the women have to go then. A woman has no place on the battlefield.

Erica knew that women were not allowed on the battlefield, but she had always assumed that they still needed women to cook and clean.

Before Erica could react, Teresa handed her a basket loaded with the dull green uniforms that almost everyone around her was wearing and pushed her out of a flap that led outside.

Go to that tent over there and give one of the women there the clothes. They’ll make sure you have something else to do after that, dear. Hurry on now, we don’t have all day, she instructed, making a shooing motion with her hands leaving Erica no other option than to follow Teresa’s directions. She heard Teresa mumble something to herself about how she