My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See

661 standard years after the signing of the Alliance treaty

Hathu grabbed Arvah’s shoulder and slipped back out the cafeteria door, pushing Arvah ahead of him. They stood there outside the doors for a moment. Even though Hathu had expected this, he still felt shocked. “Did you see?”

Arvah nodded.

They could hear a men’s voice shouting. “Everyone against the back wall!”

Hathu took a deep breath. “Okay, come on, Arvah.”

They sprinted quietly back to the classroom and let themselves in. Everyone looked up expectantly.

“There’s men with guns!” Arvah said in a trembling voice.

The expression on everyone’s face changed to shock or confusion.

Hathu rested his hand on Arvah’s shoulder. “There’s been a prison break. My father is trying to…I accidentally overheard a private conversation He’s taking some of the prisoners, some of the students from the school and his followers somewhere, I don’t know where. I think he’s going to try to set up a new society somewhere.

“I’ve been preparing for this, trying to make sure that the students will be safe. Tanahsa, can I have that envelope?”

Tanahsa held it out to him.

Hathu tore it open. He handed the sheet of paper inside to Tanahsa and took the key out. He used the key to unlock the unused supply closet. “Tanahsa you and your group are going to help me get the students in the cafeteria out safe. Novina you and your group are going on that run you’ve been practicing.

“If there’s a guard at the gate house, tell them there’s been a prison break and they’re at the school threatening students. If they wont listen to you, or there’s no guard there, you need to get into the gatehouse and press the alarm button. It’s the giant red button. You know which button I’m talking about?”

Novina nodded.

“Good. It will send a message off to the nearest army base. They should call the guard house, answer the call and tell them there’s been a prison break and the prisoners are at the school threatening the children.” He pulled a plasma rifle out of the bag he had stashed in the unused supply closet two mornings ago and loaded a recharge pack into it.

“You know how how to use this?” He asked Novina. Many of the children had been taught how to handle plasma rifles by their prison guard parents.

Novina nodded again.

Hathu handed the rifle to her. “You shouldn’t run into any problems. Climb up on the counter there and go out that window. That’s where you usually start your run from. You wont pass the cafeteria from there, so you shouldn’t be seen.

“If anything happens to anyone, one of you stay with them, the rest of you go on. That button has to get pressed. I don’t know what will happen to everyone if we don’t get help. My father is not a good man.

“When you’re finished with your run, come back here, help us round up the rest of blue team. We’ll all be meeting up in the physical combat gymnasium”

“Do you all understand?” He looked at the rest of her team. They nodded.

“Good. Be careful.” He looked at Novina. “Go.”

Novina had a determined expression on her face. She slung the rifle over her back, gave a nod and promptly climbed up on the counter. “Come on team, let’s get going.” She shoved the window up and hopped out. The rest of her team followed Novina’s path, climbing quickly up onto the counter and dropping out the window.

Hathu turned back to the remaining members Novina would take care of them, she would be sure the job got done.

“Our job is to get the rest of the student’s out of the cafeteria.” He began putting recharge packs into rifles and handing them out. “All we have to do is pose a threat to the guys with guns, we won’t need to fight them. We’ll get the other students out, then a few of us will stay there to keep an eye on the hostage takers while the rest of you round up all the members of blue team who are hiding. Don’t waste time searching, call end of game. Get everyone together in the physical combat gymnasium, make sure you haven’t left anyone behind. Once you’ve gathered everyone, one of you come back to let us know you’re done and we’ll get the hostage takers off school property. We’ll decide how to get everyone home from the physical combat gymnasium.

“Does everyone know how to use these?” He held up a rifle.

Everyone nodded.

“Everyone understands the plan?” He handed everyone an extra recharge pack, just in case they needed it.

More nods.

“Okay.” Hathu loaded a recharge pack into two more rifles. He slung one across his back and kept the other in his hand, then he stuffed a few more recharge packs into his pocket. “Does anyone want to stay here with Arvah? I know this is a lot to ask of you.”

A few of them shifted uncomfortably, but no one said anything.

“There’s no shame in staying behind. I’d rather you tell me now that you don’t want to do this, than get to the cafeteria and tell me there.”

Still no one said anything.

“Alright then. Arvah, I have something I want you to do while you’re waiting.”