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The answer came quickly enough, once they got to the beach. A colonel that Father knew slightly came to meet them, saluting them. No, saluting Bean, with the respect due to a veteran of the Formic War.
"I bring you greetings from General Thrakos," said the colonel. "He would have come himself, but there was no time to waste when the warning came."
"Colonel Dekanos, we think our sons might be in danger," said Father.
"We realized that the moment word came of the kidnapping of Petra Arkanian," said Dekanos. "But you weren't at home and it took a few hours to find out where you were."
"We heard an explosion," said Mother.
"If you had been inside the house," said Dekanos, "you'd be as dead as the people in the surrounding houses. The army is securing the area. Fifteen choppers were sent up to search for you -- we hoped -- or, if you were dead, the perpetrators. I have already reported to Athens that you are alive and well."
"They were jamming the cellphone," said Father.
"Whoever did this has a very effective organization," said Dekanos. "Nine other children, it turns out, were taken within hours of Petra Arkanian."
"Who?" demanded Bean.
"I don't know the names yet," said Dekanos. "Only the count."
"Were any of the others simply killed?" asked Bean.
"No," said Dekanos. "Not that I've heard, anyway."
"Then why did they blow up our house?" Mother demanded.
"If we knew why," said Dekanos, "we'd know who. And vice-versa."
They were belted into their seats. The chopper rose from the beach -- but not very high. By now the other choppers were ranged around them and above them. Flying escort.
"Ground troops are continuing the search for the perpetrators," said Dekanos. "But your survival is our highest priority."
"We appreciate that," said Mother.
But Bean was not all that appreciative. The Greek military would, of course, put them in hiding and protect them carefully. But no matter what they did, the one thing they could not do was conceal