The Castle School of Self-Defense

Chapter 9 - Infiltration

0300hrs
2nd November
Safety Bunker Number 1

The room was still, the quiet only broken by the rhythmic hum of the ventilation system. In the dim light, William lay on his cot, trying to shut out the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind. It had been a long, strange day, filled with too many questions and not enough answers. Yet, here he was, lying in a cold, secure bunker, only a few feet away from Charlotte. Even though he told himself he should be sleeping, his thoughts constantly drifted to her.

He couldn't shake the feeling that, despite everything happening around them, he was growing closer to her in ways he hadn't expected. Her strength, her calm under pressure—it was hard not to admire her. More than that, there was something magnetic about Charlotte, something that pulled him in every time she looked at him. His heart raced just thinking about it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft rustle of her movements in the cot next to him. Charlotte had settled into the small, makeshift bed earlier, though the current circumstances had made it hard for her to fully relax. She had been quiet, but William could hear the way she was breathing—shallow, as if the weight of everything that had happened was starting to take its toll. He couldn't help but feel protective over her.

He turned his head slightly, glancing at her. In the low light, she looked peaceful, but he knew she couldn't be fully at ease. How could she be? After everything they had been through, it seemed like the world was against them. Still, there was something about her that made him feel better, safer even, knowing she was nearby.

And yet, as much as he tried to focus on anything but her, his mind kept circling back to the simple fact that he had feelings for her. Deep feelings he could no longer deny, though he wasn't sure if she felt the same. After everything they had been through together, he wanted to be closer to her, but he didn't know how to take that step. Was now the right time? Was he just another complication in her already dangerous life? Thinking about all these things just made him more tired. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

The soft click of the door's security lock was barely audible, but it echoed in the stillness of the room like a death knell. A dark figure crept into the room, careful not to disturb the sleeping pair. His boots were muffled against the concrete floor, his eyes scanning the room with the precision of someone who had done this many times before.

He approached William first, his gaze lingering on the young man, a sneer forming on his lips. William was vulnerable in his sleep, unaware of the danger so close. The intruder pulled out a blade from his jacket, the sharp edge reflecting the dim light as he moved toward William's cot.

But it wasn't William the intruder was after, not initially. It was Charlotte. He knew the danger she posed—her strength, her skills—but he also knew that taking her down would be the key to getting to William.

Charlotte, lying only a few feet away from William, was an easy target. She was sleeping on her side, facing away from the intruder, unaware of his approach. The attacker moved swiftly, his hand gripping the knife tightly as he advanced.

The moment he reached Charlotte's cot, he raised the blade. In one fluid motion, he stabbed her—once, twice, right into her side. The pain tore through her, but before she could react, the intruder grabbed her by the arm, twisting it behind her back to pin her down.

Charlotte gasped, her body jerking in shock, but her instincts kicked in almost immediately. She struggled, trying to break free, but the pain in her side slowed her movements. She screamed, her voice hoarse and panicked.

The sound of her scream shattered the silence of the bunker. It echoed through the walls, piercing the still night, and it was the one thing that William needed to wake him from his slumber. His heart raced as the scream cut through his grogginess, and in a split second, he was on his feet, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.