In the Deafening Silence [ BELLDOM AU ] [ COMPLETED ]

Shrinking Universe

"Dominic, you'll lead. You know the building inside and out. I'll be right behind you," Morgan tells me as he claps a hand on my shoulder and pulls two soldiers to the side, getting ready to bust through the front doors. This is it. This is the place we've been looking for. This is the time we've been waiting for. And it's all up to me, to Matt, to Morgan, Tom, Chris, everyone. I feel sick now just thinking that if I mess up it could be the end for every body, not just myself. "On three. One! Two! Three!"

Quickly, the resistance charged into the lobby of the government building to find it deserted. The elevators on either side of the reception desk are open with yellow light flooding out of them, staring at us like we're bait. Forgetting them, I march over to the door of the stairs and tell Morgan that it's a straight climb to the top. He says that we need to split up some people to cover floors so I take command.

"There are thirty floors. Half of us need to take each floor and sweep it for soldiers. The remaining will follow me to the top with Morgan," I state as I turn to the tall brunette and point him upwards. "When we get to the door, it'll be locked and most likely guarded but I know a way right to the room where the psycho's hiding. I want you, Tom, and a couple of people to follow me there."

"Aye, sir." Morgan smirks at me happily and yells to the resistance, repeating what I said but more forcefully. As I start up the stairs, I'm stopped by the man again. "Dom, you are a true leader!" I smile and continue with the sound of feet slapping on the metal steps as we climb our way to the top.

Every floor, I watch over my shoulder for the people to enter the corridor, expecting gun fire or at least something to happen but every time all I hear is my heavy breathing mixed with everyone else's. I get tired halfway to the top and feel my head start to spin as my legs throb with pain, feeling like I'm about to pass out but I think of Matthew and every other person who has risked their lives to save each other and I continue pushing through it all.

"Alright," I say in a hushed whisper, stopping on the floor right below the last one. The one where the psycho hides. "Hold your position at the door until you hear gunfire from the other side. If they start firing at you, take cover. We can't take any more fatalities than we already have. Clear?"

The soldiers nodded their head and go back up the steps, leaving Morgan, Thomas, two soldiers, and myself. I slide my gun over my shoulder and rest the side of my head against the cold metal door, not hear a single noise. It's a type of silence that scares you. The silence that you hear when you're laying by yourself in complete darkness, only hearing a slight buzz in your ears. That's all I hear on the other side of the door.

Taking the knob in my hand, I slowly start to turn it and then push the door open quickly, hearing it slam against the wall beside it. The hallway goes on for a while until a sharp turn to the right, going until a door that has an emergency exit sign above it. I order the five of us to move carefully down the corridor, watching every doorway with the sight of our guns. When we reach the exit, I open it slowly and find the white room.

"What is this?" I hear Tom question over my shoulder as I step inside the small, tight room and push a panel on the wall. A hole in the wall appears and lights illuminate the short walkway until a ladder at the end. "I guess that answers my question."

"It was an escape route for Globalist when someone attacked the building. It was never used." I start the short walk and reach the ladder, looking up to see the hatch is still closed. Climbing the rungs, I twist the wheel on the door and push it open when I hear the hiss of the hydraulics. "Cover the exits. Don't let anyone in or out."

The soldiers and Tom take a door each and watch as Morgan and I walk towards the last one, the door that leads to what was once the Globalist's private office. I tell the man that the psycho should be behind the door and he nods his head, taking one side of the doorway. I try the doorknob first and notice that it's unlocked. Finding it odd, I let go and glance to Morgan who now looks more scared than ever, even though from the beginning he never broke the nice man facade.

"Why don't you come in, soldiers?" I hear a voice say behind the door as it's opened. A woman with long blonde hair, piercing grey eyes, and a waning smile stands in the doorway. Standing up, I train my gun on the lady's heart and hear her laugh lightly. "You wouldn't want to kill me now. You do want to see your friends again, right?"