For the officers of the Eastern District Precinct, evacuation drills had always been the lessons they took most seriously. When Li Jie hit the emergency alarm and its piercing wail rang through the new building, almost all the office staff from every department had evacuated to the first floor in under two minutes.
"Fuck, how come I've never seen you run this fast before... put those down!"
Li Jie pointed at several finance staff clutching monitors and keyboards. "It's a terrorist attack, not an audit!"
He saw them visibly relax. Bob also came lumbering down from upstairs with a gun slung over his back. Looking at the wildly flashing red alarm lights, he asked:
"What's going on?"
"Boss, I think we've got company coming."
"Right." Bob nodded. "Everyone, head to the Old Building, through..." He saw Li Jie point downward. "Through the basement!"
Li Jie led everyone down the emergency stairwell. Nygma brought up the rear and pulled the emergency response switch.
Rumble-crrrrrrrash-
A deep mechanical roar, like the bellow of some enormous beast, rose from all around the building. Heavy metal blast shutters slammed down over every main exterior window and exit in the lobby like guillotine blades, crashing against the floor with unstoppable force.
The dust they kicked up danced wildly in the beams of red alarm light. The last sliver of daylight was completely cut off, instantly sealing the entire first-floor lobby into a suffocating enclosure.
"Follow me! To the Basement Level Two Armory!"
Li Jie and Bob took the lead, running toward the stairs down.
The crowd followed immediately, their footsteps a chaotic, deafening clatter in the enclosed space. Nygma stayed at the rear. Once everyone had entered the stairwell, he pulled an inconspicuous lever resembling a circuit breaker on the wall beside the Forensics Division.