Summoning Neragon

6. Affairs of VROEMG and... wait a minute

"Gwlad Ein Tadau"

("Land of Our Fathers")

—Motto of the Principality of Qua-Toyne

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22:37 WT, 8th of Memesa, 1995 (8th of February, 1639)

Cafeteria, West Wing, Site Alpha, [Unknown County], Tirnikt, Neragon

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"Checkmate," said a voice triumphantly, cutting through the quiet hum of the monotonously grey cafeteria, as the man moved his bishop diagonally across the board, pinning down his opponent's king.

His opponent, a dark-eyed young man, groaned. "Can you at least let me win once? my ego could use the boost."

The victor chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "And ruin your learning curve, Oliver? Never."

"Won again I see, Ben," a brown-haired man appeared, a mug of steaming coffee in hand.

The man named Ben grinned, "Of course."

The newcomer rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "I honestly don't know why you bother challenging him, Oli. I bet Ben's been playing that game since he was in the womb."

Now it was Ben's turn to roll his eyes, laughing lightly. "I'm flattered, but I just had a good teacher."

There was a long silence.

"Speaking of teachers, Arthur, how's it going with A-15?" Oliver asked, taking a sip from his flask which sat beside the chessboard.

The newcomer, Arthur, grimaced. "Well, I'm not dead yet so that's a plus."

Oliver and Ben both gave Arthur what seemed to be a sympathetic look.

"That bad?" Oliver said.

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna ask for a transfer soon though. Stupid thing's been getting restless ever since the displacement."

Oliver opened his mouth to reply when suddenly, an alarm blared through the cafeteria, jolting them and every other person in the room.

"What in the world?" Oliver exclaimed, as both he and Ben stood up in alarm.

"CODE YELLOW, CODE YELLOW, ALL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL EVACUATE TO DESIGNATED SAFE ZONES IMMEDIATELY," blared the intercom.

The calmness of the cafeteria shattered as the sound of scrambled feet echoed through the room.

"C'mon, let's go before we get caught with our pants down," Ben said as he swiped his phone on the table and rushed toward the exit, beckoning Oliver and Arthur to follow.

"Who d'you reckon messed up this time?" Oliver asked as they jogged behind a stream of other staff members, passing three guards as they did who gave them a brief glance.

"Knowing our luck, probably that sentient lamppost again," Ben replied with a half-smirk, his pace quickening as they approached the emergency bunker.

Another guard ushered them into the bunker, a reinforced underground area, just as Oliver heard the sirens stop.

The bunker was a low-ceilinged room, but it was spacious enough to not be too crowded by the hurrying staff who now gathered within its confines. There were mutterings and murmurs as everyone tried to make sense of the sudden alert.

Oliver, Ben, and Arthur quickly found a corner to settle in.

After a moment, Ben nudged Oliver. "Hey, should I go ask what's going on?" He said, gesturing at a group of men crowded around at a screen.