THE SIGNAL

The Second Signal

The silver symbol on the floor suddenly disappeared.

Then every alarm in the settlement began screaming.

Sera rushed toward the main control room.

“Seal every entrance!”

Heavy doors slammed shut throughout the underground city.

Nyra followed Kian.

“What is happening?”

Kian looked terrified.

“The signal.”

“What signal?”

Before he could answer, every screen in the settlement turned on.

Static filled the room.

Then a voice spoke.

“EARTH HAS RECEIVED THE FIRST MESSAGE.”

Everyone became silent.

The voice continued.

“THE SECOND MESSAGE IS FOR NYRA VALE.”

Nyra stepped toward the nearest screen.

“What do you want?”

The screen showed an image of Earth from space.

Then it zoomed toward Africa.

Then Kampala.

Then the underground settlement.

Nyra's face went pale.

The voice spoke again.

“YOU HAVE TEN DAYS.”

The image changed.

A massive structure appeared beneath the Earth's surface.

Nyra recognized it immediately.

It was the chamber beneath the railway station.

“OPEN THE GATE.”

Sera rushed to the controls.

“Shut it down!”

But the system ignored her.

The final message appeared.

“OR WE WILL OPEN IT OURSELVES.”

Every screen went black.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then something struck the settlement's outer door.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Nyra looked at Sera.

“What's behind that door?”

Sera's face went pale.

“Nothing.”

Another impact shook the entire city.

Sera whispered:

“That's what I'm afraid of.”