The Numbered

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"I'm ok," she told him, "please get us out of here."

They ran down the next two flights of stairs, keeping close to wall to avoid the sporadic shots that rebounded around them.

At the bottom of the stairs was an old wooden door. Scott pushed it open and rushed into the basement, also lit in the same blue light. Scott looked around for something to secure the door and saw a large packing crate.

"Tucker quick!"

The crate wasn't particularly heavy but was big enough to hold the door back for a short while to buy them some time. Scott and Tucker pushed it over to the door. Just as the crate made contact, someone tried to push the door inwards at them. An arm holding a hand gun punched through the gap and let off a shot. Luckily the person had aimed high and the bullet flew up into the ceiling, which caused a tile to fall, exploding into pieces as it hit the hard floor. Tucker grabbed for the hand and crashed it against the door frame. The owner of the arm let out a cry and reflexively dropped the gun, withdrawing his hand. Tucker slammed the door shut and grabbed the gun.

"Give that to me, Tucker" Scott instructed.

"No way!" he replied. "We've got a small army chasing us right now and I am not giving this up."

"Okay, you win, keep it, but put the bloody safety on, and for god's sake don't point it at us."

"This w..." Scott started, but someone on the other side took a shot, the bullet charging through the door. Shards of wood went flying around them. Scott took the remains of the bullet in the top of his right thigh and he landed on the floor in a heap.

"Damn," he groaned. A pool of red spread out around him.

"Tucker, he's losing a lot of blood, help me put a tourniquet on him. Quick, give me your belt" Hannah dropped to the floor and clasped her hands around Scott's thigh and began to squeeze tightly.

"Tucker, you must take Hannah away now," Scott said, through gritted teeth. "Follow the corridor that way. Go through two doors then take the first on the right. This will take you to an old supplies store room. Pull back the far shelving unit and behind it you will find a concealed door. It's an old escape route, put in around the time of the Great Revolt. Follow the corridor as far it goes and it will take you to ..."

Scott passed out.

Another shot came exploding through the door, followed by the sound of someone trying to batter the door down.

"Hannah, we have to go," Tucker implored.

Hannah looked down at Scott, his face becoming greyer by the second.

"I am not leaving him. I said, give me your belt," her tone furious.

"Hannah, he is one of the enemies. This is a win for us Hannah, Zeke would approve. This is what we've been waiting for," he replied.

Hannah's head snapped up away from Scott to face Tucker.

"You know don't you! All this time and you knew and you never said anything," she shouted.

"There hasn't been the right moment to tell you, but yes I know. We have to leave him Hannah. We have no choice."

"The hell I do! Now give me your bloody belt. We will talk about everything else later."

Reluctantly, Tucker pulled the belt out of his trousers and passed it too Hannah. The noise from the other side of the door got louder and the wood panelling started to split apart. She quickly wrapped it around the top of Scott's thigh, pulled it tight and then looked around them, desperately searching for something to aid their escape. Her eyes fixed on an old laundry trolley.