"To… Toby?"
Ren's voice failed him. He couldn't breathe. He took one shaking step forward, his trembling hand reaching out for the boy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, the silence was gone. Gunfire filled the air. The glass dome began to shatter, falling like sharp rain.
Before Ren could scream, a heavyweight slammed into him. Cilian grabbed his waist and pulled him back hard. Cilian used his own body to shield Ren as bullets hit the doorframe they had just been standing in.
"Get down, Ren!" Cilian commanded, his voice smooth with lack of urgency given what was going on.
He threw Ren into the hallway and kicked the heavy doors shut, locking them. Outside, the sound of the playground being destroyed by bullets continued. Some bullets hit the door, but it was reinforced, so the bullets couldn't get through.
Cilian's men had already begun to shoot back from the outside, fighting the invaders.
