THEM: ARMAGEDDON (Book Three)

Chapter Three

     Back at the survivors bunker, Shane paced the wall beyond the gate. He was in charge of closing the gate in trouble and protecting those within. He gate was painted to match the rock of the mountain, with things attacked to it to keep it hidden from alien scouts. The door would not hold from bombardment but if it was shut in the right time, it would keep the aliens from knowing that anything was within.

     There was a group outside, one that had gone for supplies and were due back at any moment. Shane knew it was dangerous to have the door open as it could mean the entire southern half of the bunker could be detected by the enemy. It was his job to hit the control button and rapidly close the door and protect the secret. The door was wide open, and he know if it was seen it was all over for those the bunker protected.

     He saw a man running up the hill toward the door. He seemed to be alone. Shane's radio went off as he watched the man come up. Without taking his eyes off of him, Shane unhooked the radio and put it to his face.

"This is Shane at the southern gate."

"We have an alien patrol ship coming down right toward your position," Harris said over the radio. "You need to shut that door down. It will be on you in less than five minutes."

"Confirmed," Shane said as he walked over to the button. A second man was revealed behind the first and they ran toward the door. Shane shouted. "Hurry! I have to close the door!"

The two men ran in and as Shane moved toward the button a tall bearded man stood in his way. "My buddy Derrick is still out there!"

"There's an alien scout coming!" Shane replied. "He will have to lay low we can't leave the door open to wait for him! We need to protect the secret."

"I don't give two shits about the secret," The bearded man retorted. "This door ain't going to close before Derrick gets here."

"Do you see him?" Shane asked to the other man.

The man stepped to the entrance and looked out. "No sign of him that I can see."

"Listen," Shane said as he looked to the bearded man. "Your friend at best is five minutes from the door. The door takes a minute to close and the aliens will be here in two if we are lucky. We got to close the door."

The bearded man drew a pistol from his jacket and pointed it at Shane. "We close the door when derrick is safely through it not before."

"The aliens discover this place, and we are done," Shane pleaded.

"There's lots of places to hide," The bearded man replied. "They find this place then we move."

"What of the young and the ones who can't?" Shane asked.

"I don't give a shit about them," The bearded man replied. "Derrick is my oldest friend and I won't leave him out there."

"You need to listen to reason here," Shane pleaded. "There are a hundred civilians here that can't fend for themselves. Your friend is out there and at worst has to fend for himself for an hour. You risk us all if you do this. I have to close that door!"

"You ain't closing nothing, boy!" The bearded man shouted, his face near mania. "That man is all I got left in the world and I don't care if aliens take the world, I will protect him."

"I have to close that door," Shane insisted.

"You so mush as look at that button and I will shoot you where you stand!" The bearded man promised.

     Shane stared at him. He knew what had to be done and what would happen if he did not do it. The alien would log the entrance and take off, something that would seem simple at first. However, within hours others would come and they would use it as a starting point. And before long, would know how many people were hiding inside and what they had hidden here.