Read Resistance for Free Online

watched.
    The situation felt dangerous and futile. Everyone seemed afraid. Or, worse, resigned.
    It was as if the fight was already over.
    Why did they bring me back? Allie wondered with a rising sense of panic. If all we’re going to do is give up?
    She’d so longed to come back to Cimmeria – to see everyone again. She’d missed them all so much. But now that she was here nothing was as she’d left it. It didn’t feel like the same place.
    When the meeting ended, the other students gathered around her.
    ‘Let’s go outside,’ Nicole said. ‘It’s nice out.’
    ‘We could play football?’ Zoe suggested.
    Nicole wrinkled her nose. ‘Sports are so boring.’
    They settled down to bickering in a way that seemed so comfortable Allie got the feeling they must do it all the time. As they headed to the door, she hung back.
    Carter was still in his seat. Isabelle stood over him, speaking in a low voice. He listened without apparent emotion. Neither of them seemed to notice Allie as she stood in the doorway watching them.
    Feeling out of place, she hurried into the hall to where the others waited.
    Warm summer sunshine streamed through the windows on the landing and they walked together down the stairs just like they used to – Nicole and Zoe chatting in animated tones about the patrol schedule, Sylvain laughing softly at something Zoe said – but it wasn’t the same.
    Nothing is the same.
    Allie blew out her breath.
    Nicole shot her a curious look and fell into step beside her.
    ‘It must feel strange being back here again.’
    Her voice echoed in the hollow stairwell.
    ‘It’s weird,’ Allie admitted. ‘So much has changed.’
    Nicole nodded. ‘It’s very different now. Ever since the attack.’
    ‘The security is mental ,’ Allie said. ‘Is everyone cool with that? It’s all very police statey. Which seems, like … not great.’
    Nicole considered this. ‘I suppose we didn’t think we had much choice. Things got very dangerous. When things are dangerous you protect yourself.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s natural.’
    They were walking slowly, and Zoe and Sylvain disappeared around a corner ahead. Normally she’d hurry after them but today Allie wanted to take in the familiar beauty of the old school building. Its chandeliers and tall ceilings had always seemed so permanent. Solid.
    Now, it all felt fragile.
    The sweeping expanse of hallway was lined with old oil paintings in heavy frames showing Cimmeria at various phases in its history. The building grew and shrank, advanced and retreated, brightened and dimmed as they moved.
    The school had always been here, she reminded herself. It would always survive.
    It had to.
    Just ahead of them, Zoe reappeared from around a corner and beckoned with short, impatient motions. ‘What’s taking you so long?’
    Nicole and Allie hurried to where Zoe waited in the stone-floored entrance hall. Sylvain stood near the door talking to a guard. A stained glass window set high in the wall sent shards of gold and red flying across the room.
    Nicole and Zoe headed for the front door and Allie began to follow them but Sylvain reached for her arm, pulling her back.
    With an apologetic grimace, he said, ‘I have to go. Zelazny wants me to meet with the guards for a full debrief.’
    ‘Oh.’ Allie tried to hide her disappointment. She felt so lost right now. She needed him or Rachel around to feel normal, and Rachel was nowhere to be seen. But she couldn’t say that.
    ‘No worries.’ She gave a shrug to show how little she minded.
    ‘I’ll come find you later,’ he promised.
    As he turned back down the hallway, Zoe knocked on the dark wood of the front door. A guard in black opened it from outside. Through the doorway, Cimmeria’s lush, green lawns beckoned.
    ‘We’ll stay in sight,’ Zoe told the guard, then she dashed out into the sun.
    Allie’s eyebrows winged up.
    Since when do we have to ask permission to go outside?
    The guard stepped back to let them