The Uprising

Air Raid Drill

Hi everyone!

As ever, a huge thank you to those who reviewed! I know I say it every time, but I really do enjoy reading what you think so every comment is always appreciated.

Answers to reviews –

- There won't be so much of a Jix moment, but more are coming soon, I promise!

- I'm glad you like the idea of Stanley becoming Nine. I just thought it would be so like him to do that.

- Also Game of Thrones did inspire the title of the last chapter (I've been watching re-runs recently).

So please read on and enj

Maren

This is a code red alert. Please remain calm and begin evacuation protocol.

The piercing siren is all I can hear, the red flashing lights along the walls all I can see. I try to breath normally, appearing calm, but I'm desperate to bolt down the corridor, running for the bunker. I bite my lip painfully hard, watching as the red lights continue to flash painfully along the walls of the sleeping quarter, the sirens ringing. Along the corridor, other bedroom doors slide open automatically, as other resistance workers leave their rooms.

Please make your way to your nearest evacuation stairwell and descend to level 50. Last doors will be sealed in 6 minutes.

Fighting mogs is no problem, the prospect of the attack on West Virginia excites me but the minute we're being threatened of being buried alive I lose all courage. I'm terrified of being buried alive. The thought of the underground bunker, so many hundreds of feet below the ground makes me feel sick as it is. The thought of the bombs raining down on us and potentially burying us underneath piles of rubble makes me want to bolt for the surface. I'd rather die in the open than hundreds of feet below the ground, trapped beneath rubble and dust.

This is a code red alert. Please remain calm and begin evacuation protocol.

The people leaving their rooms easily merge into the stream of people already in this corridor, all of us walking forward calmly and orderly. I wonder how many of them are secretly petrified. Staring at some of their faces, they seem calm and controlled. Maybe that's what I look like too. But my heart pounds in my chest and my hands are clammy with sweat.

Nearby Marina clutches Joseph's hand, both of them looking slightly nervous. Not only are the thought of bombs terrifying by the fact that the mogs found us is also concerning. Somehow they managed to find our secret base and knowing we are no longer safe anymore is unsettling. I never realised how safe I felt here until it was taken away from me. The only one who appears truly calm is Nine, as he wanders on ahead, whistling softly to himself, but I can see the strain in his tense back, the fists clenched at his sides.

Our corridor comes to an end, and we merge into the larger hallway, leading to the centre of the base. There's already a great flow of people walking towards the centre and I have to carefully make my way into the crowd, trying not to jostle anybody. I lose sight of Marina and Joseph, but I can see Nine who is taller than most here and John stays faithfully by my side. The sirens continue to screech and the lights continue to flash, and I wish I could block it out. Ahead of me I can see the end of the corridor and the entrance to the centre hall.

"You're sure the mogs are going to attack us?" I try to distract myself by turning to John. He still looks dazed but he turns to face me, frowning.

"Yes," he nods. "Ella...she looked terrified," he frowns. "She wasn't lying,"

The stream of people breaks out of the corridor, leading into the great hall at the centre of the whole base. I can't help but tip my head up as we break out into the open space, taking in the floors and floors stretching up above us. I can see right to the very top, to the ceiling and the temptation to try and run for freedom overwhelms me. I even move towards one of the nearby elevators but then I feel someone grab my arm and I turn to see John. He tugs me away from the centre of the room, towards a pair of large metal doors, both open. They're usually shut and I know at once that it leads down to the bunker, only open for emergencies. I take a deep breath, staring at the great hall one last time, before letting him tug me into the stairwell.