Storm

Chapter Forty-Four

My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I raced down the corridors.

Left, right...another right.

I truly didn't know where I was going. I recognized plenty of the hallways, but the camp had been so large that there were places I'd never been allowed to visit.

I had a feeling that would be where our friends were held.

Unless they'd taken them to the center of the city. The center where we'd been held before the rebels had gotten us out.

We were banking on them being here. Also, I felt like that'd be too predictable. We knew the facility and knew how to escape it. I doubted they'd take that kind of risk.

Honestly, I was beginning to feel like we should have planned things a little better.

I looked down at my watch on my wrist. Eight minutes left.

I needed to know their exact location. Now.

I hadn't passed very many people on the way in. Mainly, they had been other recruits who were probably too afraid to wonder why I was running. I knew the area I was in now was far from wherever the recruits trained. Instead, I was in a white hallway with metal doors lining it, each with a carefully engraved name on it.

Definitely not recruits.

Probably higher-ups who may know something.

Which meant...I had to think fast.

I knocked on the nearest door.

No response.

I went to the next, and the next, until...

A lock clicked and the door opened. I was staring up into a young face. Dark skin, red-dyed hair, and an expression that told me I'd interrupted something.

He didn't look too happy about it either.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, trainee? This better be an emergency," he said sharply, eyes narrowed.

I realized how odd I must look now. A trainee going to the military generals' quarters.

I thought of the first possible thing that could come to my mind.

I widened my eyes, shrunk myself down, and tried playing the part of an innocent, gullible trainee. "I'm sorry, sir, but it is an emergency. Apparently an attack is planned on this base. They're coming for the prisoners... I was assigned to help guard them. They told me to come to you."

He still seemed a little suspicious, but for the most part, seemed to believe me. "The prisoners should be in Zone B. Head over there and follow whatever orders you're given. I'll notify the other generals."

I froze, realizing a fundamental issue in my plan. I had no clue where Zone B was. I mean, they'd brought up the zones back when I was at the compound, but I'd mostly forgotten.

The general noticed my hesitation. "Do you not know where that is? I assumed you lot were smarter than this." His anger was obvious. I was wasting his time. He pointed down the hall. "It's that way. Take a left, follow the curve of the path, and you should reach the doors to the prison compound. I'm assuming you'll be guarding those."

I nodded quickly and ran off, trying to seem like the obedient trainee I was pretending to be.

Silently, I thanked the higher powers that the general hadn't recognized me. The compound was big, so I hadn't expected him, too...but it had definitely been a possibility.

Seconds later, I ended up at the metal doors. I checked down at my watch again. Five minutes left.

There were already two guards waiting here. They stared at me in incomprehension, but not suspicion. They were obviously convinced by my uniform.

"There's supposed to be an attack," I commented, walking up to them while mimicking confidence. "I've been ordered to check up on the prisoners."

A little different than the story I'd told the general...but...

The guard on the right nodded his head, before going to the door's control panel. It was a simple electronic device with a keypad. The door slid open with a hiss and I marched through, hoping to keep a mask of duty on my face.

I just hoped I didn't look like an idiot.

The second I crossed the premise into the next room, I ducked.

My valiant plan to lie my way to escape was crushed in an instant.

Apparently, us escaping had done nothing to infringe upon Agent Mika's perfect reputation.

Because now, I heard his voice as he spoke with another general only a couple yards away.

The room was curved like the hallway before it -- and just as thin. There was little light, and I had yet to see any actual cells to prove it was a prison. I was surrounded by cinder block walls and a series of black cabinets lined up on either side, leaving a small pathway to walk down.

I was hidden behind one of these cabinets. A little ways down, I made out light leaking out of a window where I assumed people were checked for legitimacy before actually entering the prison.

As I hid behind the cabinet, I heard the voices grow louder. I peeked out to see what else I was missing. There was a metal gate blocking where I was in the hall from where Agent Mika and his general were. It had a door, but I knew the only way to open it was by going through the security at the window.

And I couldn't do that. Because I didn't have any validity.

Suddenly, a boot came into view at the other side of the gate. I tucked back behind the cabinet, listening as the gate's metal door scraped open.

"We have a couple more days before we should do something. I don't want to waste any more resources on this silly project."

The other general's voice was meek. "Understood, sir."

"Good. Now go relay that information to the others." Agent Mika seemed to pause. "And you..."

At first, my heart rocketed in my chest. Was he talking to me?

But no... A third voice murmured, something in response. It had to be the guard behind the window. The security one that I was still trying to figure out ways to manipulate.

"Take a break. 15 minutes. The guards outside should be enough." I heard an excited squeak of a response.

Then, Agent Mika, his general, and the security guard all began walking towards the door...and towards me. I tucked further in, matching their position, so they couldn't see me. Finally, I heard the click of the door shutting, leaving me alone.

I came out from behind the cabinet.

I'd done it.

But when I looked down at my watch...I realized I only had three minutes left.

I ran to the little window and shoved my head through, desperately searching for a switch to unlock the metal gate. I pretty much pushed everything I could find. Something worked, because I heard the lock click.

There were probably cameras everywhere, but it didn't matter to me. The attack would happen soon. Anyone watching would be a lot more concerned by that.

With a deep breath, I kicked the door open.

I walked through it...and down the hall, until...

Prison cells. About three of them.

My breath hitched, and I felt my hope fly out the window.

They were all empty.

And the one nearest me had its door wide open.