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“You’re there? In the building?”
“Roger that.”
I peeked around the corner and saw an empty hallway. I needed to move, but since the first shots were fired, I hadn’t heard a single sound other than screaming.
“Rae, do you know where the shots were fired?”
“From the calls, it sounds like it was at the entrance by the office.”
“Alright, I’m headed that way. Let the tactical team know I’m at Laura’s office. That’s at the opposite end of the front office.”
“I’ll let Nicholas know.”
“Tate?”
“Yeah. He’s coordinating with the police department, but he’ll be the first man in. He’s preparing his team now to breach the building.”
“Fuck, Fox isn’t with him, right?”
“Uh…do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or the truth?”
“Just tell them to not fucking shoot me,” I reminded her as I slipped out of my hiding spot and started a slow jog along the wall. I peeked inside several rooms, making sure everyone was taking the proper precautions. Not that they would listen to me anyway if they saw the gun in my hand.
I reached the end of the hall and slowly peered around the edge. “Do you have a description of the shooter?” I whispered.
“Male, mid-thirties. Five foot ten with brown hair and blue eyes. He’s wearing a suit and tie.”
I was a little surprised by that. It’s not exactly what I would wear to a gunfight, but then again, I wouldn’t enter a school to shoot at people. I glanced at the gun in my hand.
Voluntarily. I wouldn’t shoot people in a school voluntarily.
“He’s the former math teacher.”
“What happened? Did he not like the new way they teach math?”
I quickly walked over to the stairwell, taking a few steps up to check the switchback stairs. There were no signs of the shooter, but the hallway above led to another ten classrooms, at least. And past the offices was another hallway leading to more classrooms. It would be better to clear that area first.
Keeping my steps light, I headed back down the stairs and followed the hallway to the front offices. Glass littered the floor, spreading all the way from the front door to the second set of doors that opened into the hallway to the classrooms on the east side of the building.
“Any word on when Tate’s moving in?”
“He’s going to enter through the classroom at the east end of the building. It’s a band room and has access through double doors.”
“Fucking perfect. Any other entrances I need to know about?”
“There’s also a shop room down there with outside access.”
“A shop room full of tools. Fucking perfect.”
“You have a gun,” Rae retorted.
“Yes, and at the moment, I’m the only one inside with this guy. Any further reports?”
“Not yet. Protocol is to barricade everyone in the rooms and lock the doors, then hide away from the windows and doors.”
If the doors were locked, I had to hope this guy was in the hallway and didn’t make it into a classroom full of kids.
“Alright, I’m gonna clear the office, then head down the east hallway.”