8

The New Rules

As we make our way through the building, stopping at every corner to peek into the next corridor, listening at every door before we open it, and finding the whole place abandoned, I feel a sort of calm contentment. The situation is laid out before me – a series of puzzles and problems to solve. We face one obstacle at a time. We either overcome it, or we don’t. I don’t have to worry about multiplying frac­tions, or using subordinate clauses. The only thing I have to worry about is getting past the next challenge.

It’s so quiet and so still, but I know this is the calm before the poo-storm. As soon as we use the tannoy system, they’ll be after us. We’ll be hunted.

We reach the admin area and push open the door. There is a main office – a large space with two desks and chairs and shelves full of files. A door on the right leads to a meeting room. A door at the back leads to another, smaller office and we can see inside it cos there’s a glass panel.

‘There’s a phone,’ I say.

‘Phones are no good, though – there’s no reception.’ Chets’ breath fogs up the glass.

‘Not a phone phone,’ I say. ‘One of those ones from the olden days that my nan has. A landline.’

Big Mak wipes the condensation from the glass and looks in. ‘Those phones don’t need reception – they work from wires.’

‘So we could call for help?’ Katja says.

Chets grabs the door handle. ‘We could call for help!’ He yanks it down and pushes on the door, but it doesn’t move.

‘What is it with this place and locked doors?’ I ask, although I’m secretly pleased because part of me doesn’t want to ask for help. Part of me wants to fix this by myself, just to see if I can. Just to prove I can.

‘OK. Adrianne – look for keys. Mak – see if there’s any possibility of breaking it down. Chets – turn on those computers and see if there’s any way of logging in without a password. Katja – look for anything else useful. I’ll look for the tannoy system.’ I’m really hoping it’s not behind that locked door, cos I don’t think we’re going to be able to get in there.

Everyone gets to work. No talk, just rummaging and mouse clicking and door examining. I glance around the room. I don’t know what I’m looking for but I feel like I’ll know it when I see it. In one corner, screwed to the wall, is a black box with a bunch of buttons on it. I look at it carefully. I want to make sure I’m going to get this right before I commit myself to pushing a button. Once I do that, all hell is going to break loose.

‘Is it complicated?’ Katja comes over and stands with me.

‘Well, there’s a button that says “push and hold to talk”, and a speakery-looking part that says “speak clearly into microphone”. So I guess not.’

‘Who’s making the announcement?’ she says.

‘Ooh, can I do it?’ Adrianne gives up her search for keys and joins us at the black box of destiny.

‘I want to!’ Chets pushes back his wheelie chair.

‘Shouldn’t you be trying to crack some passwords?’ I ask.

‘I’ve tried all the obvious ones – Password, 1234, Crater Lake, I am an evil alien, my eyes are weird, etcetera. Nothing works.’

‘And nothing’s going to break down that door,’ says Mak, joining us. ‘Except some explosives or a wrecking ball.’

‘Did anyone dibs it earlier?’ One of the nicest things about Katja is that she always tries to be fair.

‘Nobody dibsed it. Shall we Geek, Robot, Overlord for it?’ Chets says.

‘Honestly, guys, it’s only a tannoy system,’ says Adrianne. ‘I don’t know why you’re all so desperate to use it. Besides – I’m head girl, so it really should be me.’

‘Right, let’s get a quick drink of water and think this through.’ I go over to a water cooler by the window. It’s set to ‘ambient temperature’ whatever the hell that means. I pour myself a cup and knock it back. ‘Apparently, ambient means unpleasantly warm,’ I say, thinking longingly of the fridge. ‘Let’s write down what we’re going to say, plan our route to the kitchen and take it from there.’

A few minutes later and we’re ready to go. We stand around the black box, and on my nod, Big Mak pushes the button.

‘Attention, pupils of Montmorency School,’ he says. ‘This is Maksym talking to you live from Crater Lake.’

‘For everyone hiding from Digger and Miss Hoche – it’s really important that you listen to the following message.’ Katja takes her finger off the button, then quickly puts it back – ‘Love Katja.’

‘Many classmates scraped their knees and risked their lives to bring you this information.’ I say. ‘We have learnt that Digger and Hoche have become part of some alien race and their job is to hunt us down and turn us into the bug-eyes you saw earlier.’

‘They’re planning something – the extent of which we don’t yet know.’ Adrianne’s ponytail swings as she talks. ‘But we will make it our mission to find out. In the meantime, you must follow these new Crater Lake rules.’

‘Don’t go anywhere with a member of staff,’ says Chets. ‘They are all your enemies.’

‘Don’t follow any instructions they give you. I repeat, do not do as you’re told. Mak out.’

‘And, most importantly,’ says Adrianne. ‘Do not fall asleep. If one of the group falls asleep, evacuate them from your secure area. Don’t try to keep them with you or they will attack you. Just let them go – they’re already lost.’

‘We know people only turn when they’re sleeping but we don’t know exactly how,’ I say. ‘So keep each other awake, and hang tight – we’re working on a plan to get us out of here.’

‘Good luck, everyone,’ Katja says.

‘And remember…’ I hold down the button as we all shout into the mic, ‘…DON’T FALL ASLEEP!’

We’re at the office door before the speakers stop reverberating, running down the corridor as fast as we can.