Seeran and Niki continued to watch the barrier outside the East Gate; they held binoculars high as they scanned from left to right, taking in everything they saw. Everything was completely silent. The group inside the barrier trap looked like they were going to sleep or just waiting around for something, anything to happen. The group outside the trap looked like they were preparing to sleep for the night. Niki noticed that three of them remained awake, probably patrolling for zombies.

Behind them, Aleigha stood looking out toward one side, squinting her eyes and peering closer to see. "I think there's movement behind the barrier," she stated, pointing to an area of the barrier that was on the opposite side of those not trapped inside. Everything was difficult to see due to the darkness. There was nothing to light the area except the campfire that the group outside the barrier had made. The plasma barrier itself was completely dark inside, so they couldn't see what was happening inside the trap.

Seeran and Niki shifted their binoculars, scanning the area through the darkness where Aleigha was pointing. It was getting darker, and the ones outside the barrier had set up a campfire on one side, trying to stay warm. The movement Aleigha saw was on the opposite side of the barrier, but it was difficult to make out what it was because it was getting so dark out.

As they all watched, a small group of figures appeared from behind the barrier. The small group slowly inched toward the dome, trying to get closer without being seen. They had stopped several times, looking toward the patrolling guards, then toward the campfire. They would inch a little closer before repeating the process, checking the position of the patrol, then the campfire, then inching forward. It was clear they were trying not to be seen or heard, not only by those watching from the dome but also by those trapped in the barrier and around the campfire. They kept looking behind them, fearful, as they inched their way to the dome's large gate.

Aleigha lifted her rifle, looking through the scope, allowing her to see better. Golden blond hair stuck out from under a hood as that person pushed the others forward and looked behind at those around the campfire as if afraid they would be seen. They remained at the back of the group, encouraging the others to move forward.

The figure looked right at Aleigha, pausing briefly, seeing the rifle aimed right at them. It was only for a second, but Aleigha felt like they looked familiar. It was hard to say from where, but the person looked familiar. She couldn't even tell if it was a male or a female because of the darkness. They just looked familiar.

Aleigha didn't like that the group was trying to sneak up to the dome. She whispered to the Sentry to have guards at the gate ready to kill anyone who attempted to enter or attack. If they were trying to escape Travis, they still needed to wait outside the dome to be brought in. If they tried to force their way in, there would be problems; Lots and lots of problems.

As the group approached, a wall of guards assembled at the gate, facing them, watching them as they got closer. Aleigha noted that the golden blond-haired one seemed to be the leader. They stopped in their tracks, noticing the guards; all the others stopped with them, waiting for direction. The figure then looked behind them as if trying to choose whether they were going to take their chances with the wall of guards or those around the campfire. The figure paused, looking at the guards, then began running toward the dome again. They continued toward the dome. Their decision was made. The rest of the group followed their lead, and they all continued to the dome in silence, looking behind them as they went.

Not sure why the group was approaching, Aleigha pulled the bolt on her rifle and aimed. The click of the bullet going into place in the high-powered sniper rifle caught the attention of those sleeping around the campfire. The sound had echoed through the night, waking them all up. Those around the campfire looked around and then toward the running group that was approaching the dome and opened fire, shooting blindly at the running group, unable to aim. The darkness prevented them from hitting anything.

It became clear quickly that one group was running away from the other, and they saw the dome as safe. Aleigha told them to open the gate when they got close enough, explaining that they were trying to escape Travis's men.

"That group is trying to escape the others. We should let them in," Seeran stated, coming to the same conclusion. "We can bind them and put them in holding until we figure out what's going on with them."

Aleigha nodded. Multiple shots fired from the campfire echoed through the night as the group continued to run. It was raining bullets. The golden-haired one moved to shield the others as if sacrificing themselves so the others wouldn't get hit. One bullet rang, and the figure grasped their shoulder and was flung forward, but quickly righted themselves. One bullet had hit its target. The dark stain of blood spread in the area where the bullet had torn through the figure.

The gate opened up, and the group ran inside the dome without hesitation. The golden blond-haired one made sure the others had gotten in safely; they would be the last to enter. The guards immediately converged on the group as they passed into the dome, binding them. None of the group resisted.

Shots continued to rain around them.

A thud was sounded, and the figure with golden blond hair in the group was flung forward by the impact of a second bullet, this time falling on their stomach, and lay motionless. They were hit again. Blood poured out of their side and shoulder, soaking the ground around them. The moon's reflection made the blood sparkle. Whomever they were had sacrificed their own safety to protect the rest of the group.

One of the guards inched out, worried for more bullets to be sent their way, and carefully picked up the injured one and ran inside the dome. The gates pulled closed as he entered.

The guard ran past the rest of the group, taking his burden to the clinic. The guard looked down at his burden quickly as he passed the platform where Aleigha, Seeran, and Niki were standing, watching the barrier trap and the group around the campfire. His burden was a small female who had been hit by the raining bullets from the group at the campfire. He had seen how she had moved to shield the others, sacrificing herself so they wouldn't get him. For her actions, he wanted the young girl to survive.

Niki stared at the barrier trap, looking puzzled. "That group escaped the electrified plasma barrier. If the others figure out how they got out, they would all get out. Even the ones that are like Travis."

Aleigha sighed, then pulled her magazines out of her pocket and lined them up, ready to shoot if she needed to. She knew her sister was right. If the ones still in the barrier figured out how the small group escaped it, all of them would be free. They wouldn't be able to bring the military vehicles out, but all of them could escape, bringing handheld weapons like guns and blasters.

The guard ran past Aleigha, who glanced at the small figure he was carrying, then looked at the retreating guard. Aleigha looked at the girl in his arms, confirming that she did indeed look familiar; she couldn't place where she had seen that person.

Turning back to watch those outside the dome, Aleigha thought about it. It bugged her that she somehow knew this girl. She looked familiar, but she couldn't place her. The knowledge distracted her. She knew it wasn't a good thing when you are about to fight a battle. She wanted to ask Julian who she was, but he had already gone back to his group. It was like those jingles that you couldn't get out of your head once you heard them. It was frustrating.

The bullets raining from the sky finally stopped as they found there was no one else to shoot at. The night was silent again.

Looking through the scope of her rifle, Aleigha watched as those outside the barrier scanned it again, trying to find out how the others had gotten out. Through the barrier, she could see those inside doing the same thing. They wanted to escape, too. It wouldn't be long now. They needed to stay prepared. The battle was coming. She knew that it would be here soon. As soon as they figured out how the small group had escaped, the battle would start.

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