“Like Mr. Edgar or Mr. Rogers,” Luke said.
“Exactly.” Grace led them to the back corner. “This is the second secret between the three of us for now.” She pressed on a corner of a shelf then stepped on a tile twice. A hidden door swung open revealing a large armory. “I know you’ve been trained to use these weapons but they’re for emergency use only.”
“I’d say this is an emergency,” Luke said.
“Not unless we believe one of those things is going to get in here.”
He and Mark walked around the perimeter of the room, examining the rifles, handguns, extra magazines and ammo. There were stacked boxes of night vision goggles and scopes for the rifles as well as headsets and extra batteries with chargers. A rack across one wall held different patterns of cammies with rows of boots below them. Several types of bows hung on another wall along with a massive supply of arrows. A long table took up the center of the room. “Now I know for sure that this is a bunker but why and how was this done?”
“When enrollments fell off seven years ago, they hired Charles Manning to update the campus. His son, Kyle, was a junior then. Mr. Manning threatened to remove him and tell his friends why if this shelter wasn’t included.” She shrugged. “For once the Edgars were backed into a corner and had to give in, but Mr. Manning included the armory, the security room, and the escape tunnel without the Edgars’ knowledge.”
Luke looked around. “The Edgar Military Academy has a reputation for austerity. I bet it nearly killed them to spend this much money.”
“Yes, it was actually very enjoyable watching them squirm,” Grace said. “The building is also a huge faraday cage and self-sustaining. That’s why the walls are so thick. Only the solar panels on the roof are vulnerable to an EMP or CME, and there are extra panels stored over there in the corner.” She led them out and closed the concealed door then returned to the hallway. She pushed another door open. “Medical. All the good stuff is locked up tight.”
Luke and Mark glanced in then caught up to her as she returned to the security room. “How do you know about all this stuff?” Luke asked, then stammered, “I mean, I know you’re in charge of the kitchen, but you never struck me as a prepper.”
“I wasn’t until Mr. Manning turned me into one. He trusted me because his brother is a Marine and he knew my dad.” She grinned. “He figured that meant I’d been raised right. Anyway, he wanted his son and the other cadets to be safe if something happened.”
“Like the blizzards that wipe out our electricity and strand us for weeks at a time in the winter,” Mark said.
Grace nodded. “Mr. Manning took an instant dislike to Rogers and he couldn’t believe he’d been hired to be the Security Director. He made me promise to try to try to take over the shelter in an emergency. He also promised to find me another job when the Edgars fired me.” She shrugged. “He taught me how to lock everyone out of the security system and the building, then gave me a stack of books to read on disaster preparedness. Every year on my vacation he sends me to a training of some kind. All bills paid and always interesting locations. Nice and sunny and warm.”
“Sounds like he believed something worse than a blizzard might happen,” Luke said.
Grace avoided his eyes. She’d thought the same thing. In fact, she’d looked Mr. Manning up and had discovered he came from a family with a long history of military and political service. He also had a lot of connections.
Back in the security room Luke stood by one of the chairs offering it to Grace. “No, thanks, I need to check on the other cadets and then I’m going to bring them in here so we can discuss what’s happening. Please turn the volume down on the television before I return.”
“We need to make sure someone is in here watching the cameras, radios and television at all times.”
Mark took the other chair. “I’ll get the radios working.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.” Grace left them and wandered through the storage area, worried she’d left something undone. She ran through a mental list of tasks and decided everything was secure for the moment. In the dining hall she sat down and rested her hands on the table. “Have any of you been able to get a call through to your parents?”
Sherry held her phone up. “I got through to my mother. I told her where I was and she said my dad had already contacted her. He ordered me to get to the shelter and stay here. He’s Army.” She shrugged. “My mom wanted to talk to you, Ms. Walker, but the call dropped and I couldn’t get through again.”
“I’m just happy you got through the first time,” Grace said. “Anyone else get through?”
“No. The rest of us got messages to try again later and 9-1-1 is out of order,” John said.
“Try sending text messages,” Sherry said. “They’ll work when a call won’t.”
Grace gave them until twenty two hundred to send texts. She knew they usually hit the rack earlier than this and they were probably wearing down but they needed to talk before bed. When they put the phones down she stood up. “Please continue trying to get through as long as the system is working but right now grab a chair and come with me.”
In the security room, she sat down in the chair Luke offered her. The cadets arranged their chairs around her, but remained standing.
Luke stepped forward. “Ready, seats.”
The students sat down but their posture remained stiff.
“At ease,” Luke said, and they relaxed but remained quiet. All eyes were on Grace as they waited for her to speak. Their faces showed the trauma they’d experienced, but they also looked determined to fight and survive. They tried to keep their eyes on her but she caught several of them glancing at the television.
“Tonight we lost people we care about. We’ve seen creatures unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. I know you’re training to handle the unexpected but these creatures are way out of our experience. We need to discuss what’s happening and what we’re going to do so we need to have all the information available to do that.” She pointed the remote at the television and raised the volume.
More reports came in from all over the country. The virus was spreading, and the infected were multiplying and attacking people. The hospitals and first responders were being overrun and people were trying to flee the cities. In many places there were huge crowds of creatures pulling people from their cars or homes and killing them. Grace saw several of the cadets wiping away tears as they watched. When the reports began to repeat she lowered the volume.
“I know you’re worried about your families and friends. I also know the people who love you would want you to be safe. The school brochure includes information about this shelter. I believe that will give them hope that you are alive,” Grace said. “If any of you want to talk about your fears for your family or friends, I’m available to listen.”
Sherry raised her hand.
“Yes, Sherry,” Grace said.