Intruder Alert

Chapter 15

It had been longer than planned. Longer than the group of three had wanted to stay out, but that didn't matter now. After a few more hours of searching, they stumbled across Pidge. She collapsed on the ground, her arms curled up to her chest. Hunk had immediately scooped her up glad to have found her.

Now they were almost back to the hidden bunker. Coran was farther ahead of Shiro and Hunk wanting to have the door opened long enough for them to walk through without waiting long.

Hunk gently set Pidge onto a cot across from Lance, draping the blanket over her. Since they had been gone, Keith had not moved from his spot on Lance's cot. His arms were loosely wrapped around Lance allowing him to move without restrictions. His face was neutral as he watched Hunk get Pidge settled before joining the others in the center of the room.

"Is she?"

"No, she's not," Shiro replied promptly. He clutched a bottle of water in his hands, "We discovered her like that." He sat down, back against the wall not looking at anything in particular. "How's Lance?"

Keith glanced down at the Cuban boy that still had his arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Since they had been gone, Keith had not moved from his spot on Lance's cot. "He's still asleep."

No one talked after that. They all sat either looking at the wall or looking at one of the two cots. The silence gripped them like a calm sea. It was like glass and it merely took one pebble to shatter the stillness.

"So what's next?"

The question came from Hunk. He was stood up against the wall, his orange headband in his hands.

"I guess we come up with a plan," Allura said. She had placed herself next to Pidge's cot, a hand gently running through her hair.

"We need to figure out the weakness of the intruder first," Coran said. He stood up and made his way over to the containers stacked against the wall next to the door. He dug around for a moment in the top container. "If I remember correctly. When King Alfor first installed the bunker, he was persistent for every single one to include a tablet that had access to the camera's."

A few seconds later he returned to the somewhat form of a circle they formed around the room. He clicked a few things on the tablet to power it on and then he watched for a moment. Swiped across the screen. Watched for a moment. He did this several more times before looking up.

Before he had a chance to get any words out Allura spoke, "There's no way you could've gone through all the castle's cameras."

"I didn't because I already found what we're looking for."

Those who were not sleeping or being used as a pillow/stuffed animal gathered around Coran. They watched as a solitary creature, about as tall as Shiro lounged on the bridge. They were merely sitting there, eyes focused on the expanse of space.

"I would say they're not posing a threat, now would be our time to strike." Allura said looking at the others for approval.

"Pidge drop the knife!" Keith's shout caused the others to look up. The blanket that had been on the cot was presently on the floor. Pidge was across the room near the weapons, a small dagger in hand. She was pointing it towards herself, her eyes closed in concentration.

"Pidge look at me," Allura spoke. She held her hands out in front of her, eyes wide.

Looking up Pidge watched as Allura slowly came closer, instinctively she stepped backward only to be stopped by the wall.

"Don't come any closer." Pidge shouted her hands shaking as she tried to hold the blade still.

Allura stopped her hands where Pidge could see them, "It's alright. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you."

Pidge gradually began to shake her head. "No. No I'm not. Why'd you bring me here? Do you know what you've done?" Pidge began to go on a ramble repeating the same things over and over again.

"What do you mean you're saving us?! You have a knife pointed at your chest! How the hell is that saving us?!" Keith shouted only to instantly regret it when she curled in on herself drawing the knife closer to her. She continued shaking her head.

"No. No. I'm not safe. You're not safe."

"Pidge, take a deep breath for me." Allura spoke, sending a side glance to Keith. Pidge complied, relaxing slightly.

"Why'd you bring me here?" she asked not looking at anyone.

"We'll answer all your questions but can you answer mine?"

Pidge nodded.

"Why do you think we're unsafe?"

Pidge tightened her grip on the knife, shaking her head slightly.

"Pidge, please talk to me. We can help."

"You can't stop who's coming." she whispered.

Allura glanced back at the others shrugging her shoulders.

"He's coming," Pidge whispered.

Everyone turned to look at her shocked at her words.

"He told me what would happen if I didn't listen and now he's coming for you." The words escaped her mouth as if she wasn't human, but simply a machine delivering a message.

"Pidge," Shiro asked, "What are you talking about?"

At that moment there was a knock at the door to the bunker. Everyone froze.

If the intruder was still on the bridge, then who was at the door?