Chapter 12 - The Underground Garage
The cool night air hit their flushed faces like a splash of cold water as they tumbled out of the rusted access hatch and into the cavernous shadows of the school's underground parking garage.
The sprawling subterranean level was mostly empty, save for a few abandoned faculty sedans and a massive, unmarked black communications van parked near the far exit ramp. The side doors of the van were wide open, revealing rows of glowing computer monitors, satellite uplink dishes, and complex server racks humming with raw electrical power.
"Stay low behind the concrete pillars," Frank whispered urgently, pulling Evan and Mrs. Gable behind the thick base of a structural support column.
From their hiding spot, they could see two tactical operators standing near the rear of the communications van, frantically communicating via helmet radios while nursing minor burns from the flash-bang incident down in the bunker.
"They're deploying mobile tracking drones," Frank muttered, peering around the edge of the concrete pillar. He unclipped his heavy-duty steel flashlight, gripping it like a baton. "We need to get to that delivery truck parked by the exit ramp before they realize we bypassed the main security perimeter."
Mrs. Gable clutched her bruised arm, her breathing ragged as she looked at the long, exposed stretch of open concrete between their pillar and the delivery vehicle. "Frank, we'll never make it across that open space without being seen by those monitors."
"We will if we create a distraction," Frank replied calmly. He reached into his tool belt and pulled out a heavy brass padlock he had pocketed earlier, tossing it hard across the garage floor toward a row of empty steel lockers near the back wall.
Clatter-bang!
The loud metallic crash echoed sharply through the quiet parking garage, instantly drawing the attention of the two tactical operators near the communications van.
"Check that noise!" one of them barked, unholstering his rifle and moving cautiously toward the back of the garage, sweeping his weapon's tactical flashlight across the shadows.
"Now! Move!" Frank hissed.
Evan didn't hesitate. He bolted out from behind the pillar, his small sneakers hitting the concrete in a frantic sprint toward the delivery truck, with Mrs. Gable and Frank right behind him.
They reached the side of the delivery vehicle just as the tactical operator turned around, shouting an alarm as he spotted them running for the exit.
"Hey! Stop right there!"
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Frank threw open the unlocked door of the delivery truck, shoving Evan inside onto the passenger seat before climbing into the driver's seat and slamming the door shut behind Mrs. Gable.
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