I flipped on my gun-mounted flashlight and swung it around the room. No opponents so far, but the five doors spaced around the sides suggested a potential ambush. I glanced at R. "Which way should we go?"
She gestured at the two doors to our immediate left. "Those both lead out onto a landing. I suggest going upstairs--I'd bet that's where the cards are hidden."
I shrugged, although marching up completely dark stairs wasn't really advisable if one wanted to live long in this building. "Wish we knew where the stupid light switches are."
The twins, IA and IS, came up behind me. One of them gestured at the other doors. "What about those other rooms there?"
B groaned dramatically. I ignored him and shined my light on the doors. "Do those open in or out?"
IA inched forward a bit. "In."
"Crap," A muttered. "Hey, what if you two kinda inch over there and give the door a little push in? We can stand back here and fire in, just in case..."
I handed my sniper rifle to R and reached over my shoulder for my sword. "Nah, I'll do it. I'm faster then those two anyway. B, keep a watch down the corridor; I don't want us to get hit from behind. IA and IS, watch the landing. J, back against the wall and aim at the doorway with R. But for heaven's sake, DON'T shoot me in the back!"
J grinned; I couldn't see him, but I could hear it in his voice as he shot back, "Nothing like a good diplomatic decision, huh?"
I rolled my eyes, a wasted effort in the darkness. "Well, if we waited for a vote on every decision, we'd never get anywhere."
R laughed. "I wasn't complaining! Come on, let's hurry up and search this place. It's creeping me out."
I reached out carefully for the doorknob, then twisted it suddenly and kicked it in. My blade was spinning in my hands as I edged in, taking a quick look around. "Clear!" I called out. "R, you wanna search this? I'll check out another."
I'd checked the second room by the time R cam out with her report. "Nothing."
I shrugged. "Didn't really think so. Kinda wonder where everyone is though; this is the longest I've ever gone without being attacked." I kicked open the last door and a figure lunged at me.
My blade slammed into it two or three times before it hit the floor. I bent over it. "Another ROTC guy? This sucks."
"Understatement of the month." J joined me, rummaging through the guy's pockets for a second. "Crap. He's gone too."
"He's got one minute until he comes to and starts killing, so tag him every thirty seconds until we leave," I ordered A. "I'm taking a look in here quick."
No cards, but I did come out with the former ROTC's gun. I chucked it at one of the twins. "Here, use this instead of that dinky handgun. It's got a flashlight on it too."
B broke in. "Crap!! There's a whole ton of guys coming this way down the corridor fast!"
We all looked that way. I heard a lot of quiet swearing. I took my gun back from R. "J, get behind us and watch the downed guy and the stairs! Guns up, guys, we can do this!"
I sighted down my rifle on the foremost figure as the yelling started....
...to be continued...
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