The guard on the wall frowned as he looked down at the small group gathered beneath the gate, his gaze sweeping across their anxious faces before settling on Helen again. He wondered how stupid they were to step outside.
"You want the gate opened?" the guard repeated slowly.
"Yes," Helen replied without hesitation, her chin raised stubbornly as though she had already made up her mind and nothing anyone said would change it.
The soldier hesitated for a moment before signaling to another guard standing nearby.
"Inform Captain Enzo," he said quietly.
The other soldier nodded and quickly disappeared down the stairway leading to the control room.
Below, the group shifted from one foot to the other nervously as they waited, some glancing toward the dark sky beyond the massive iron gates while others whispered among themselves as if suddenly realizing the gravity of what they were about to do.
Luke leaned slightly toward Helen. "Do you think they will allow it?"
