It was not strange to hear warning bells so early in the morning inside fortress four. However today they didn't just ring; they screamed. It was a jagged, mechanical wail that tore through the early morning routine, a sound that sent the entire population into a practiced, synchronized panic.
Sunshine, who was usually an early riser, was woken by them. Having slept late, Hades had reached out in the middle of the night and deactivated her personal alarm. He knew that she was tired after everything that happened with the council, so he left her sleeping and went out to monitor base activities.
That peaceful sleep ended the moment the vibrations from the heavy artillery outside rattled the windowpanes.
Sunshine bolted upright, her heart hammering against her ribs. She didn't waste time on a mirror. She yanked on a pair of tactical cargo pants and a faded t-shirt; her boots were still half-unlaced as she skidded into the hallway.
