Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                       Chapter 29

                                                                                The Hiding Place

     Dawn made to peer around the cafeteria doors when Alex pulled her back, and then motioned to his friends to go back down the hallway from where they came.  Dawn and the others quickly followed him.  When Alex came to the stairwell leading to the upper floors he took two at a time until he reached the top.  The others followed his lead.

     Alex and his friends sprinted down the hallway to room 220 and Alex jerked open the door.  His father's history classroom was empty.  He peeked out the door and down the hall where he spied someone at the end.  It was obviously a boy, taller than he but definitely a student.  Alex motioned for the boy to come to him, but he scooted hurriedly around the corner.  I just thought of something Dawn," Fletch said as Alex popped his head back inside. "You haven't mentioned.... Chet.  "He's not here today," Dawn said with a smile, "he had a dentist appointment.  Thank God."

     "I saw a kid down at the end of the hallway," Alex told his friends as he closed the door. "I motioned to him to join us, but he took off around the corner."  "I hope he'll be alright," Glenna said anxiously.  "Me too," Alex agreed with a nervous sigh.  "Does your dad's class have lunch now?"  Dawn asked him.  "Not normally," Alex answered, his heart beating fast.

     "Do we think that the escapees have taken over the school?"  Fletch asked no one in particular. "I'd say that's a good possibility," Lee said, throwing an arm around Glenna.  "I'll call 911,"  Alex told them, grabbing his cell from his pocket.  "This is Alex Bishop," and he explained to the dispatcher what was going on at the school, the little he knew.  "Just one second Alex," she said, "Let me try to contact the officer that is posted outside of the school."

     She came back on the line within moments, "Alex.  I can't reach either of the officers.  I'm sending help.  Can you and your friends get to the front doors without being seen?" she asked in a calm voice.  "Maybe," Alex said in a raspy tone.  His throat felt as dry as dust.  "Check on that.  And if you can or you can't, call me back.  My name is Hope."  "Okay," Alex said and rang off.

     "We need to check if we can get to the front doors and outside," Alex told his friends.  "I'm to call Hope back either way."  "Hope?"  Dawn asked.  "Yes.  Hope."  Alex replied.  Dawn smiled as she, Alex and the others walked to the door, opened it and sneaked over to the top of the stairwell.

     Alex, Dawn, Glenna, Lee, Fletch and Anna all looked down the staircase at the main doors.  Dawn and Anna had to cover their mouths at what they saw so they wouldn't scream.  Glenna seemed to numb at that moment to do anything.  "Are those the escapees?"  Anna whispered.  Dawn reached into her blue jean bag, that she was never without and pulled out the flyers they all had been given just a couple days before.

     "That's not them,"  Dawn hissed, passing around the flyer in her hand "Then who are those armed thugs at the front doors?"  Lee asked her with a raised brow.  "Maybe the escapees have friends," Alex said, getting on his cell again and calling 911.  "Hello, this is Alex Bishop.  I just...."  "Yes Alex, this is Hope."

"We couldn't make it out the doors.  There are two armed men inside the entrance," Alex told her.  "The swat team and as many officers as can be spared and the F.B.I. is on their way."  "Is there a place you all can hide?" Hope asked him, still calm, but Alex sensed a note of concern in her voice.  "Yes.  Just in case someone wants to know, we'll be in my dad- Max Bishop's history classroom number 220."