“Lock it up,” Kitsch said before I could respond.

“I can’t believe you knew about this the entire time,” Martinez said.

Trex glared at Martinez, looking guilty and frustrated. He’d already had to put me in my place after my earlier outburst upon hearing the news. He wasn’t in the mood to do it again.

“All right. Break’s over, let’s get moving,” Kitsch said.

Trex stood and patted me on the shoulder. “Want to fuck with the Echo team again?”

I forced a smile. “It’s the best part of my day.”

We patrolled the corridor until we reached the large glass walls and the equally gigantic door. Unlike other days, no one came over the speaker to demand we step back.

I peered into the large room on the other side. Empty tables and chairs in a commons area, a microwave, a television and a few plants. “Looks like a set on a fifties television show.”

“Where do you think they all are?” Trex asked, his eyes taking in every corner of the empty room.

On the back side was the mouth of a hallway, much smaller than the corridor we stood in. There were a few doors on each side, maybe offices or dorm rooms, but it was dark and hard to tell except for another large door at the back lit by a single yellow rotating light on the ceiling.

“Have you seen that before?” I asked, nodding to the light.

Trex shook his head.

The soldier who usually requested our immediate turnabout ran across the back of the hall, slowing down when he saw us. He was in his regular black and gray fatigues, matching the circles under his eyes. He jogged to the speaker and pressed the button, out of breath.

“Trexler, I’m going to ask you once. Turn around. Today is not the day.”

Trex lowered his jaw, letting the man on the other side see the concern in his eyes. “Everything okay in there? Do you need help?”

The soldier shook his head slowly, exhausted. “You don’t want to be on this side, Trexler. Trust me, just go.”

“If you need help, we’ll help,” I said.

“Get out of here,” he said, slamming his palm on a button. The red light on our side of the door lit up and began to rotate. “Last warning.”

Trex turned around, grabbing me by the sleeve and dragging me with him.

“What the fuck is going on in there?” I asked. “It doesn’t feel right to walk away. He looks sick, Trex.”

“Just walk. He was trying to warn us, Naomi. We’re in over our heads this time.”

I looked at him as he pulled me along, surprised. It wasn’t like Trex to be afraid, but in that moment, for the first time, I saw a glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes.

“You’re scared?” I asked.