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Thomas nodded "I’ll crouch Minho, you lean over ht"
Thoht where the doorsthe saot in position
"Open on three," Minho said "And guard lady, you try anything or run away, I guarantee one of us will get you Thomas, you count off"
The wo
"One," Thoan "Two"
He paused, allowed himself a moment to suck in a breath, but before he could yell the last nuhts went out
CHAPTER 14
Tho to adjust to the darkness The alar bursts
He sensed Minho stand up, then heard hione!" his friend shouted "I can’t find her!"
As soon as he said the last word, that sound of power charging filled the gaps between the whines of the alarround The bolts of electricity lit up the roo away froloom
"My fault," Minho muttered, barely audible
"Get back in position," Thoht mean "Feel for the crack where the doors open I’ll use the Rat Man’s key card Be ready!"
He felt around on the wall until he found the right place, then swiped the card; there was an audible click, and one of the doors began to swing inward
"Start shooting!" Minho shouted
Newt, Brenda and Minho began to launch grenades through the doorway into the darkness Tho into the fray of dancing electricity that now crackled on the far side of the doors It took a few seconds between rounds, but soon they had created a blinding display of light and explosions There was no sign of people anywhere, no answering fire
Thoun drop to his side "Stop!" he yelled "Don’t waste any renade fly, but then they all stood and waited for soy to die down so they could safely enter the roo loudly to be heard over the noise "We’re a little short onthat’ll help us? Where is everyone? Why the alar definitely feels off"
"I bet this is another one of their bloody tests!" Newt yelled "All of this is ain"
Tho
He held his Launcher up and walked through the doorway He wanted to get sorenade blasts disappeared entirely From the shallow pool of his few returned rown up in this place--he just wished he could reain how ie, too--if he illing to fly them out of there
The alarm stopped
"What--" Thomas had started too loud, and quieted hiot sick of their ears bleeding from the noise," Minho answered "Just because they turned it off doesn’t low from the electric bolts had disappeared, but the roohts that cast everything in a red haze They stood in a large reception area with couches and chairs and a couple of desks Nobody was in sight
"I’ve never seen one person in these waiting rooms," Thomas said, the space suddenly familiar "The whole place is e time since they allowed visitors here, I’m sure," Brenda responded
"What’s next, Tommy?" Newt asked "We can’t just stand here all day"
Thoht for a second They had to find their friends, but ensuring that they had a way out seemed the first priority
"Okay," he said "Brenda, we really need your help We need to get to the hangar and find Jorge, get hiuys can stay with him for backup and Brenda and I will search the place for our friends Brenda--do you knohere we can stock up on weapons?"
"Weapons depot’s on the way to the hangar," Brenda said "But it’s probably guarded"
"We’ve seen worse," Minho offered "We’ll start firing till they drop or we drop"
"We’ll cut through ’erowl "Every last one of those buggers"
Brenda pointed down one of two hallways that branched off the reception rooh turn after turn, the dull red e the way They h every so often a beetle blade skittered by, click-clacking across the floor as it scurried along Minho tried firing a shot at one of the Neho yelped and wanted to fire back, judging by the look on his face
After a good fifteen , they reached the weapons depot Tho wide open From what he could see, the shelves inside seemed fully stocked
"That does it," Minho said "No more doubt"
Thoh toous up," he muttered
"Has to be," Minho added "Everyone suddenly disappears, doors are unlocked, weapons sitting here for us And they’re obviously observing us through those shuck beetle blades"
"Definitely fishy," Brenda added
At her voice, Minho turned on her "Hoe know you’re not in on it?" he demanded
She answered in a weary voice "All I can say is that I swear I’"