“We should use bows as much as possible,” Sabrina said.
“If we go back to the library, we need books on evolution. Especially insects like scorpions,” Grace said. “Sabrina mentioned the other day that the monsters are more active at night, like scorpions. We need to learn as much as we can about evolution. Especially the evolution of insects because these things remind me of scorpions.”
“Scorpions shine under a black light,” Damien said. “My dad and I used to visit his family in Arizona. We’d camp in the dessert and my cousins and I would hunt scorpions at night.”
The meeting continued until they agreed on a plan to gather intel, find cadets hiding on campus and then form a plan to rescue them.
May 9th, 2015
“We’ve found seven cadets hiding in the janitor’s room in the Administration building,” Grace said. “I wouldn’t have known they were there, but they opened the door at just the right moment. Three of them searched for food while the others kept watch. The water on campus is gravity fed so they’re okay there but they only found a few packages of snack foods. They’re going to starve or get caught by Rogers, Jefferson or the creatures.”
“That means we need to rescue them now,” Stephan said.
John unfolded a map that was pieced together with tape. “This is the campus.” He pointed to a road that ran down the middle of the campus from south to north. It ran from the gates to the Administration Building. “Academy Street,” he said then pointed to long road that crossed Academy. “Aspen Street goes west and is lined on both sides with classrooms. Opposite it is Spruce Street where all the dorms are located.” He pointed to a building. “This is the Main Dorm where the creatures are nesting. The back of it faces Fir Street where the library, gymnasium, medical center and the cafeteria are located. The faculty parking garage and groundskeeper’s shed are at the back of the campus near the east wall on Cedar Street. The academy armory is in the northeast corner of the campus with the firing range in the southwest corner, here.”
“They couldn’t have chosen a worse place to hide,” Sabrina said.
“Charlie will go at night,” Stephan said. “Grace opens the doors with someone from Bravo team assisting her.”
“Me,” John said.
Stephan nodded. “We’ll also need Grace and another team member to lay down covering fire when we return.”
“John,” Luke said.
“I’ll take rear guard if you’ll have me,” Neal said.
“Accepted,” Stephan said. “Only I speak to security unless something happens to me then Damien takes over. Damien is on point. Mark, left flank, and Sabrina right flank.”
Grace leaned over the map, ran a finger over it then looked up and smiled. “There’s an outside stairway that Mr. Edgar uses when he parks his car behind the building. The janitor’s closet is the first door on your right when you enter that door. You could go through the woods, circle around behind Administration and climb over the wall behind the building.”
“We’d still be seen by the creatures when we leave here and run for the wall,” Damien said.
Luke glanced at Grace and she nodded. “Not if you use the escape tunnel. You could circle back through the woods and climb over the wall behind Admin. There’s lots of cover back there, trees and bushes.”
“Wait, go back to the escape tunnel part,” Stephan said.
“It takes you a quarter mile east of the campus. One of us will have to take you and open and close the hatch as it can only be opened from inside.”
Stephan nodded. “We take bows and rifles but we do this as quietly as possible. Get some rest and be prepared to leave at twenty hundred. Dismissed.”
“Base One to Bravo. Area clear. Over.”
“Bravo to Base One. Copy. Out.”
Luke reached up and opened the hatch a couple inches. It moved silently. He looked out. All he could see was darkness. He flipped his flashlight on, opened the hatch all the way and climbed out. Stephan stepped out behind him with Damien, Sabrina, Mark and Neil behind him. The room they found themselves in was about thirty feet by twenty feet. Luke pointed his light toward the door that led to the outside. “Good luck,” he said then climbed back down the ladder and secured the hatch.
“Charlie to Base One. We’re ready to go. Over.”
“Base One to Charlie. Area clear. Out.”
Stephan opened the outer hatch. Damien moved out, taking point. Mark and Sabrina moved out and Neil followed them. Damien secured the door and caught up to Damien.
They moved north, stopping every few steps to scope the area around them and to listen for the sound of the creatures when they moved. Stephan signaled them to proceed and they moved again, keeping each other in view but maintaining a field of fire.
When they were directly behind the Administration building, they turned and silently moved south to the wall. Stephan looked over it then dropped to the ground. He pointed to his eyes then held up three fingers and signaled them to follow him.
He led them five meters along the wall then pointed to some bushes behind them and then to the top of the wall.
Sabrina, Mark, and Neal prepared their compound bows then climbed to the top of the wall. Thick, overgrown bushes concealed their presence. They each took aim at one of the creatures, with John taking the one the farthest away. Together they released the steel-tipped arrows. They flew toward the creatures.
Sabrina’s went through the left eye of the monster and it dropped to the ground. Neal’s entered the monster’s mouth and came out the top of its head. Mark’s arrow hit the target in the neck. It howled in pain, the sound loud and shrill. Mark shot another arrow, silencing it but it was too late and they knew it.
Stephan and Damien came over the wall and ran toward the Administration building. Sabrina, Mark and Neal followed them. They took the stairs two at a time until they reached the top. The door was locked. Stephan waved them back then kicked in the door. It slammed against the inner wall, the sound echoing through the building and bringing the howls of more creatures to them.
Damien ran the few steps to the janitor’s closet and banged on the door. “We’re here to rescue you. Let’s go. Now.” A few seconds late, it opened a few inches. He shoved it open and pulled the first cadet out and shoved her toward the back door. The other cadets rushed out behind her.
Sabrina and Mark stood at the bottom of the steps, firing arrows at the creatures who ran across the ground toward them. Neal stood at the top of the stairs, firing at any creatures who came out of the building’s windows. Stephan and Damien herded the cadets down the stairs ahead of them.
Several of them yelled at him to give them weapons. Stephan handed an extra pistol to one and signaled Neal, Sabrina and Mark to hand over their extra pistols.
“We can’t make it over the wall and through the woods.” Stephan pointed to the wall where dozens of monsters appeared over the top and dropped to the ground before skittering toward them. “We’re taking the shortest route back across the green.”
Damien took off ahead of them, firing short bursts at the creatures and clearing a path. Stephan followed him with Sabrina, Neal and Mark flanking the cadets and Neal at their six. The four cadets who were armed moved into flanking positions and fired at the creatures.