A Secret Service [NOW PUBLISHED]

Chapter 40 - "Let's go find Link."

The sound jolted them from their moment. It rang again. Dropping his hands, Donovan took a step back, seeming to remember where they were. Carter shifted, pulling her emotions back from her face. Donovan did likewise.

"I should find Link," he said.

Carter nodded. "Of course."

He turned, but paused at the sound of Carter's voice.

"Donovan," she said. He looked back and she slid her hands into her pockets. "Thanks."

He gave her a nod and pulled the closet door open. Outside, students were frowning at the sound, as if it were an annoying fly. They looked to their friends and voiced their annoyance. As Carter looked around, she saw the metal shutters closing over the windows and knew all the doors had been sealed. There was no one coming in and no one getting out.

All the speakers through out the school crackled. Then someone spoke.

"Students," Principal Withers said, "please stay calm and return to your home rooms immediately. Attendance will be taken."

Before the voice was drowned out in another ringing of the alarm, students were making their way to their classrooms.The more seasoned students moved with a more leisurely pace, though they did as they were told. Beyond the constant noise of the alarm, there was a buzzing of voices as mild speculations and theories were exchanged and expanded on.

As the crowd began to thin, both Donovan and Carter looked, but Link was nowhere in sight. Donovan cursed under his breath and instantly made for the library. Carter halted him by grabbing his arm. He turned back to her and she let go.

"You heard what he said, right?" she said.

Donovan pointed towards down the hallway.

"I did, but Link is in the library."

He took a step away but she reached for him again.

"I know, but think about it," she said, her tone almost bored. "If he was with Maddy when the alarm went off she would have been suspicious if he didn't leave as well. He would go back to home room. Come on, we'll find him there."

"Let's just wait here then," he said. "He'll come this way."

She shook her head. "Not likely, it's not the fastest route back to the chemistry classroom."

"Right. Okay, let's go."

They joined the throng of moving students, some breaking off and flowing into classrooms. The alarm remained persistent, as if nudging even the most reluctant students to get moving. Carter found herself heightened to closeness of Donovan beside her. Lingering thoughts still hanging on after the intensity of the moment minutes before. She tucked her emotions away, and forced herself to keep an eye out for Link.

The hallways were thinning by the time they reached their classroom. Inside students were buzzing with talk as they crowded around tables, not bothering with seating arrangements for the time being. Mr. Miller gave a glance at each entering student, ticking their name off his list.

Carter and Donovan peered into the room, looking for Link.

When they saw no sign of him, they pulled their heads back out.

"We'll wait here," Donovan said, his tone even.

Carter rested back against a set of lockers, digging her hands into her pockets. Donovan stood beside her, his gaze roaming from one side of the hallway to the next. His eyes darted from face to face, a subtle energy in his stance. Carter watched as each student rounded the corner, waiting for a set of glasses and brown hair.