Shattered Innocence

The Hidden Bunker

Eventually, we eat, since we were able to save some of the food, and then we all sleep in a big pile in the living room. I wake up early the next morning, grimacing at the sticky, nasty feel of my body, and I steal the first shower. I am dressed and pouring coffee before they even start to stir, so when Zack's phone rings, I pick it up so he can rest. "Nora," I answer. There's a moment of silence.

"Put Zack on the line," a voice snaps. Ah, the general.

"He's sleeping. What's up?" I purposely piss him off as I lean back, blowing on my coffee. Zack stumbles into the room, scrubbing at his adorable, disheveled hair. His eyebrow rises, but he doesn't make me hand over the phone. Instead, he takes my coffee as he slips between my legs and holds me as he listens.

"Fine, tell him the location has been approved and to report his findings." He hangs up the phone. Rude prick. "Good morning to you too, asshole," I mutter as Zack yawns.

"You hear that?" He nods, so I lean around him to see Yuri's naked ass on display as he bends and stretches, making Nikolay hit him with a pillow while Mikhail just watches with a chuckle.

"Get ready, boys. It's time to hit the next location," I call, and that causes them to switch to work mode. We are ready and on the road in twenty minutes flat, heading out of Edinburgh as we make our way towards the old abandoned military base we found. I lean back in my seat, watching the world go by as Zack drives. Mikhail and I are in his car, while Nikolay and Yuri are in the second vehicle with the equipment. The radio is on low as we drive farther into the middle of nowhere, but I trust them to know where they are going, so I close my eyes. I jolt awake when we pull to a stop and sit up.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Zack winks as he turns. "We are here." Leaning forward between the seats, I frown as I survey the land below us.

"Here?" He nods. "Here." The old base is surrounded by a new chain-link fence, so it would make sense, but the old gray buildings are mostly boarded up and falling down. The timeworn hangars and runway are empty and overgrown, and it looks deserted.

That's probably a good thing. Sliding from the car, I stretch and twist, jumping on the spot to wake my tired muscles as the others get out and prepare. Rounding the back, I accept a bag from Nikolay and slip the backpack on. Next, I put in the earpiece and strap on the camera. Mikhail is going to set up in the first building we search so he can watch our backs since there are so many buildings to check, which also means that we all need to be prepared and on point. Excitement races through my veins as I check the guns and strap them on before adding knives to my holsters. After putting my torch on my hip, I check everything once more before nodding.

"Ready." The others are equally strapped up, even Mikhail, who has his laptop in a case at his side, is holding a pistol. "Okay, so we know the plan. We take the gate after checking for alarms and tripwires. There is an inactive minefield to the left and right, so we need to ignore those. Once there, we take the security outpost. Mikhail, you set up and hack into any cameras if there are any left. If not, keep tabs. I will take Building L. Nikolay, you take J, Yuri K, Ivan P, and Nora Q. Keep in contact at all times. If you think you have something, call it out. We sweep and clean, boys . . . and, erm, girl. Let's do this."

"Fuck yeah." Yuri lifts his arm, and they all smash it, even me. We don't speak after that as we carefully make our way down the hill, coming from the side so we avoid the main road and signs beyond. At the chain-link fence, Mikhail carefully cuts the padlock and slides it back. No alarms go off, and the cameras there don't move. We cut another one farther in, and then we are on the base. We turn right, heading to the closed door of the security outpost. It's barely two rooms, and once we kick the door in, we can't all fit inside it, but the newer equipment here makes me frown. It has updated screens and monitors, and the desk is clean and tidy with a coffee cup growing mold in it. It's clearly been used recently.