Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm sorry for all the inactivity! School has started, and it's going to be a very busy semester. I'll try to get a lot of writing done this weekend. :) Enjoy! Also, refer to Chapter 13: The Comet Project of my other story, Jumping to the Rescue, in order to see exactly what Choa heard the scientists say.

Chapter 11

            Soomin’s heart beat faster and faster as she entered the Administration Building.  She held only a bag full of medical supplies, snacks, and a small handgun.  It felt even heavier as she pushed its strap farther up her shoulder.  The thought of the gun’s presence sent chills down her spine.  Would she have to use it?  How did this get so far?

            She rushed down the flight of stairs to the basement level of the building.  There was only a long hallway with several doors that led to dorms, offices, and supply rooms.  For the past eight years, Soomin had walked up and down this hall nearly every single day to visit the twins, sometimes to scold them, mostly to love them as her own little sisters.  If everything went according to plan, this would be the last time she would ever walk down this hall. 

            Before she could reach the twins’ dorm, a strident alarm filled the building.  With her nerves already overwhelming, Soomin stopped to lean against the wall and catch her breath.  Her muscles tensed as she saw the door at the end of the hall open.  Two of the academy’s scientists quickly stepped out, one with a cell phone to his ear.  As they began to walk towards Soomin, she tried as hard as she could to appear calm.

            “Soomin, what are you doing here?” one of them asked, stopping to speak with her.  “Do you know what this alarm is about?”

            “I have no idea,” Soomin told honestly, though she had her terrifying suspicions.  “I was just going to check on the twins.”

            “It’s almost three in the morning,” the scientist remarked in amazement.  “They would be asleep now.  But the alarm has certainly woken them.  Soomin, go retrieve them and take them to the cafeteria.  Follow emergency protocol.”

            “Yes, Mr. Nam.”

            Soomin watched the scientists make their way to the staircase before running the rest of the way to the twins’ room.  It took her four tries to finally enter the room’s code correctly.  But when the door finally opened, Minjin stood before her with frightened eyes.

            “Unnie!” she cried, pulling Soomin into the room.  “Unnie, those men just now, they were saying strange things.”

            Lost for words, Soomin pulled Minjin into her arms and looked over at Minseon, who was sitting on her bed with a grumpy frown on her face.  The younger twin rubbed her tired eyes and looked up at Soomin.

            “Ms. Ko, what is this alarm?” she asked.  “Why is it so loud?”

            “It’s probably just a test,” Soomin insisted shakily.  “But we’d better evacuate just in case.  Come with me, girls.”

            “Can we change out of our pajamas?”

            Soomin observed the twins’ matching, bright pink pajamas that she had given them for Christmas last year.  There was hardly time for them to change, but their safety would be in even more danger if they attempted to be stealthy in those clothes.

            “Hurry, Minseon-ah.  You too, Minjin-ah.  We need to move quickly.”

            Watching anxiously at the door, Soomin waited for the twins to change into their dark, training outfits.  They had been accustomed to changing quickly, but Minjin showed obvious signs of panic due to whatever the scientists had said.  Her hands were tired and shaky.

            “Unnie, hurry up.  We have to go find out what this wretched alarm is about.”

            “I-I can’t…I can’t do the buttons.”

            “Minjin-ah.”  Soomin kneeled down to Minjin and began to button her jacket.  “What did those men say to make you so scared, Minjin-ah?”

            “They said…They said we were no longer useful,” Minjin whispered nervously.  “And there was something about a virus.  What are they going to do with us, unnie?”

            “No one’s going to do anything to you, Minjin-ah,” Soomin promised, finishing with her buttons.  “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

            “Ms. Ko!”

            Soomin felt Minseon tug on her arm.  She quickly turned to her and witnessed a fresh, overwhelming fright on her face.

            “What’s wrong, Minseon?”

            “General Ko is coming down the hall!” Minseon cried.  “Is he going to test us this early in the morning, Ms. Ko?  I don’t want to do a test!”

            “He’s not going to test you; not any more,” Soomin assured sternly, taking Minseon’s hand.  She took Minjin’s hand as well and rushed into the hall.

            General Ko walked towards them with a hasty pace.  At the very sight of him, Soomin felt that her heart would burst.

            “Soomin-ah!” he called urgently.  “The military is stopping by for a visit.  Give me the twins.  I have to get them out of here.”

            Soomin’s eyes were wide open as he rushed towards her.  Her whole body shook and throbbed, but suddenly she dashed into action.  She stood in front of the door directly across from the twins’ room and began to input the code for the door’s keypad.

            “Soomin.  Soomin, what are you doing?”

            The light on the keypad flashed red as Soomin accidentally pressed the wrong numbers.  Her breathing increased rapidly as she attempted another time.

            “Soomin!” 

The General began to run towards them.  In the blink of an eye, Soomin entered the rest of the code, and the door flew open.  She took the twins’ hands and pulled them through, not leaving a moment to even look back at her father.  As soon as they entered, she pushed the heavy door closed behind them, and pressed a bright, red button beside it.  A few loud clicks could be heard as the door locked.  Even though it was as secure as possible, it seemed to rumble violently as the General pounded his fists upon it.

            “Soomin! What are you doing?  How could you do this?  How dare you!”

            Ignoring her father, Soomin lead the twins down a short flight of stairs, and the three of them found themselves in a long, musty, concrete tunnel.  Rusted water pipes and groups of electrical wires ran along the walls.  Every footstep echoed through the long, seemingly endless passageway.  Soomin even thought she could hear her own heartbeat echoing against the walls.

            “Unnie, what’s happening?” Minjin asked slowly, hypnotized by the strange location.  “What is this place?”

            “Why didn’t you listen to your father, Ms. Ko?” Minseon questioned urgently.  “Now he’s going to punish us!”

            “He’s not going to punish us, Minseon-ah.”  With her shaky hands, Soomin opened up her bag and looked down at the handgun she had packed.  She wondered if she should keep it in her hands to be prepared for whatever lay ahead.  Finally, she closed her bag again and leaned against the cold, concrete wall.  “I’m going to get you out of here.  I’m going to take you back to your parents where my father can’t hurt you ever again.”

            “Really?” Minjin exclaimed with wide eyes.  “You’re really going to take us home?”

            “I…I’m going to try,” she admitted reluctantly.  “Listen, Minjin-ah.  I’ll need your help to make it out of this place.  You too, Minseon-ah.  We need to work together.”

            “What about Youngbin?” Minseon questioned.  “Will he come with us?”

            “I don’t know anymore,” she sighed, remembering the now useless letter she had left him in his birthday cake.  “Whether he can join us or not, I know he wants you two to get out of here safely.”

            “We can try to look for him, right?” Minjin suggested hopefully.

            “…Maybe.  Let’s just try to get out of here first, okay?  Let’s work together.”

            “How do we get out?” Minseon asked, looking down the long tunnel.  “Is there a way?”

            “There are three ways,” Soomin explained.  “All three of them lead to doors that can only be opened from this side.  We need to make it out one of those doors before my father can surround them with his men.”

            “Let’s hurry then!” Minseon cried determinedly.  “Come on!”

            The twins began to run down the passageway, and Soomin was quick to follow them.  But deep in the back of her mind, she knew it may be too late.  Her father’s soldiers could be waiting outside all three doors.  Were they really trapped in this musty tunnel?  Had she really failed her mission and risked the twins' lives?  Whether she had or not, she had to press on.  She had to at least try.