Between two sets of bunk beds was an opening for what looked like another hall.
There was another opening on the opposite side, but that one had a door. I spun, looking at the one I’d just walked through. Then swiveled my head back to the one between the bunks.
“Yellow,” I muttered when I noticed the thick border of mustard-colored paint around the entrance. The one I used held a green border.
Well, I knew where I was headed. Down the yellow to get out of this fucking bunker. If I’d heard him correctly, I’d end up in the barn.
I had a handgun with three extra clips stuffed into my pocket, and a rifle with very limited ammo. It wasn’t looking good.
With calm but quick movements, I searched the open bunker space and even behind the door, where I found a minimalistic bathroom.
There wasn’t anything of use. So I moved on, heading down the yellow hallway, which didnothave lights lining the wall. I moved slowly, one hand on the wall, feet shuffling so I wouldn’t trip over anything. It felt like it took me forever as I stumbled around in the dark until I felt the cool, hard metal rungs of a utility ladder.
I wished I had something better than these stupid slippers.
With a sigh, I kicked out of them, then ditched my socks too. If I needed to run, I wouldn’t be able to do it in those. Hell, I didn’t think I’d be able to get up the ladder without them slipping off each wrung.
I wished I’d put on a pair of sneakers or some work boots.
The things you didn’t think about when under attack. From now on, I vowed to always be prepared. I was going to wear shoes even in the shower.
I snorted out loud at the thought. I bet Austin would have loved to hear how crazy I was going. The stiff agent was surely losing his shit.
And thinking about himself in the third person.
With a clearing shake of my head, I wrapped my hands around the rungs and began to climb. It didn’t take long before I found the hatch at the top, which I was able to push open without a problem. I had to question why there wasn’t a lock on this side.
Again, I cursed Austin under my breath.
Why did he even have this crazy bunker-slash-tunnel system?
Was he a prepper?
The thought gave me pause.
Would it matter if he was?
Quietly as I could, I pushed the hatch open again, tuning my ear to the sounds of what was ahead.
It was silent, only the sound of the wind slipping through the cracks of the barn above me.
I emerged in one of the back stalls. Before me sat some kind of covered vehicle, just like Austin had said. I gripped the cover and ripped it off, letting it fall to the floor behind me as I rushed to make sure the rest of the barn was clear. The inside of the barn was nearly black, only the blips of light shining in from the motion sensor lights on the corner of the house, which only seemed to mess with my mind as it seeped in through the cracks of the wood. Closing my eyes, I let my ears tell me what I couldn’t see. I didn’t hear any movement.
It was now or never.
Sliding behind the wheel, I found the keys where Austin said I would, right under the seat.
I hesitated, hand holding the key inches from the ignition.
He wanted me to go. To run. He gave himself up so that I could escape.
He could be dead already.
This was his sacrifice. Which meant that he didn’t want me to go back for him.
And as much as I should honor that, I wasn’t the type of person to leave someone behind.
He’d taken the choice away from me when he shut that door, locking me on the other side.
