“Go tell Wendy to ring the bell. If you see anyone, tell them to meet at the shed. Hurry.”
Nasha raced across the graveled drive, clucking chickens scattering in every direction.
Remi pulled on the chain at the gate, making sure it was secure, as the bell started clanging from the office.
Within seconds, girls flew out the doors into the courtyard, lining up as they’d been taught. Pete stood at the forefront, his tanned face etched with concern, as Remi ran in. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Get the girls in the tunnel. The man in the white truck. With reinforcements.”
Pete ran to the shed, opening the door wide as the girls gathered outside it, frantic, unsure about this sudden drill, undoubtedly picking up on the quiet urgency of the adults. The bell rang several more times, then Wendy rushed into the courtyard carrying three packs—hers, Remi’s, and Pete’s. Monifa and Yaro ran out of the mess hall, taking a position behind the girls, as Pete stepped out of the shed, holding two fingers high. The girls stopped talking, their eyes on him.
“Listen up,” Pete said. He pointed toward the shed. “I want you all to follow Miss Wendy down the ladder as quickly and as quietly as you can.”
“A ladder?” someone asked. “For what?”
“Is this a drill?” one of the girls asked.
“No. It’s not.”
Panic filled their faces as they looked around, trying to find the threat.
Wendy handed Remi her pack, then took the hand of the first girl, leading her to the tunnel. “Quickly,” she said, her voice and demeanor the epitome of calm. “And no talking.” Remi pulled the Velcro from the hidden slot in her pack, wrapping her fingers around the butt of her Sig Sauer but not drawing it. After seeing the fright on the girls’ faces, she knew the sight of a gun might send them over the edge. Not surprisingly, their attention wasn’t on her and instead was on Pete, who hurried them into the shed. Nasha brought up the rear, looking back toward Remi as Pete led her in. “Down you go,” he said.
“I don’t want to go,” Nasha said.
“It’s safer.”
“But I know where—”
Remi, hearing the vehicles outside the gate, realized they had seconds. “They’re here.” Apparently, that was enough to send Nasha scurrying to the ladder. Remi looked at Pete. “You first.”
“Sam will kill me if anything happens to you.”
“Nice try. I’ll be right behind you,” she said, suddenly realizing Amal wasn’t there. Drawing her gun, she moved to the shed door, opening it just enough to look out. The courtyard was empty and eerily quiet. So far, though, whoever had arrived hadn’t yet breached the gates. She closed the door and moved to the tunnel, hearing Wendy’s soft voice, taking a head count of the students.
Remi looked over at Pete. “Is Amal down there?”
He squinted into the tunnel just as Wendy’s panicked voice said, “We’re missing four girls.”
Remi peered down the ladder, just able to make out Wendy’s face below her. “Who’s missing?”
“Maryam, Tambara, Jol, and Zara,” Wendy said.
Remi recalled three of the girls running off when Nasha came to tell her about the car. “You’re sure they’re not here?”
Nasha squeezed in front of Wendy, looking up at Remi. “I know where they are,” she said, scrambling to the top before Wendy could stop her. “I saw them after I left the office.”
“Saw them where?” Remi asked.
“In the dorm. Miss Amal went to find Zara, and the girls followed her. But something happened to Miss Amal again. They couldn’t wake her.”
“A seizure,” Remi said.
Pete started to open the shed door. “I’ll go look for them, Mrs. Fargo.”
Crack!
The single gunshot echoed through the compound. Nasha ducked behind the raised trapdoor. The girls in the tunnel started screaming.