But the code didn't work.
Fifty-Nine
Tobias
Noise jerked me from sleep, making me flop back, up, and a little sideways as fright took over and my body tried to avoid all of it. Beside me, Callah gasped and sat up as all the lights turned on. For one whole second, I had no clue what was going on, and then I recognized the overpowering wail.
The intruder alarm.
"I have to go," I yelled at her, grabbing her arm to make sure she saw me. "Callah, stay here!"
She nodded with wide, scared eyes. I didn't like that look, but there wasn't time to reassure her. Seconds were ticking past, and we'd been warned what to do if this happened. Rolling from our bed, I found a pair of pants and yanked those on, not caring if she was right there, able to see everything.
Without slowing, I peeled off my sleep shirt and grabbed something more appropriate. With that only barely over my head, I used one hand to pull the hem into place. The other was scrambling for socks. The moment I had those, I ran into the other room for my boots.
Weapons. I'd need those first. My team should be doing the same, and I needed to get them organized. Most were unmarried men, which meant they'd have farther to run thanme, thankfully. So, the moment my boots were secured, I rushed out the door and joined the mass of men running toward the armory.
"Hunters, left side!" someone called.
Without slowing, I shifted left. Most of the other men shifted right, and that side of the hall slowed, but now there was enough space for me to actually run. Down another hall, then a turn, and one more long hall came after that. I could feel my lungs protesting this much running, but I wasn't wheezing like some of the older men.
And there, at the door to the armory, three men were handing out weapons. Each man grabbed his and turned, taking a circular route to get to the entrance. Someone had tried to get in. Outside, there could be an army or a lone person. Maybe a Dragon, maybe a Reaper, or maybe ancient equipment finally failing after centuries of neglect.
Like a wave of bodies, we all headed the same way. When the main hall branched, the hunters kept going toward the actual doorway. All the other men were guided toward the dining hall where they should be setting up their own defense.
"Fourth squad!" a man yelled just as the sound stopped.
In its absence, my ears were ringing, but I could make out other squad leaders calling for their men. I decided to do the same.
"Third squad!"
Timon reached me first. Abiel was right behind him. After that, Elijah made his way over, dragging Uriah and Jeshiah with him. That meant all my men had made it on time, but I honestly didn't know what came next. Still, needing to know what was going on, I decided this was as good of a time as any to prove my dedication.
"Move up," I said, pushing past them to show what I meant. "We are here to defend the compound, and no one will get past us, am I clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the men mumbled behind me, but they did follow.
Then we all stood there, guns at the ready, and waited. Seconds turned to minutes. The silence felt overly loud after the intensity of the alarm, and now every shuffle of a foot or rustle of clothing made me want to tense.
Then, from the back of the hall, "Disable the alarm!" That sounded like Mr. Saunders.
Mr. Peterson shouldered open a door at the side and hurried in. I could hear something moving. Something that sounded heavy. He made it back into the hall just as Mr. Saunders stormed past me.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"We don't know," I said, making the elder turn to face me.
"Why wouldyou know, Mr. Warren?" he demanded.
"Because I've been here since before the alarm was silenced." And I tipped my head at the door. "Whatever triggered it is still out there."
"Is it one of us?" Mr. Saunders demanded of Mr. Peterson.
"Wrong code," Mr. Peterson said. "I can't tell you more than that."
So Mr. Saunders waved Mr. Peterson back into the room - but he didn't follow. Instead, the old man turned to me again.
"Mr. Warren, since you're so eager to get noticed, I think you and your team can check what's out there."
