Ash Ketchum: The Prisoner Of Cell 25

Ch. 42 The Attempt

In the darkness of the cell, Brock looked like a ghost, the pale glow of his skin rising a half foot taller than Clemont. He stood with his arms crossed at his chest, staring down at Clemont. "That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

"Keep your voice down," Clemont said. "They'll hear us."

"You don't tell me what to do. In here, I'm in charge."

"You're not in charge of me."

"Yes, I am. This is my turf."

"No, you're not my boss."

"Are you do dissing me?"

"I'll diss you if I want. I'm not afraid of you, bat boy."

Brock got in Clemont's face. "What did you call me?"

"You too knock it off," Serena said. "He was just trying to help."

"Keep out of it," Korrina said.

There was an audible whirr as three of the five video cameras panned across the room.

"Don't tell me what to do," Serena said. "I'll fry your brain."

"Try it," Korrina said, her skin beginning to brighten. "I'll cook you."

"You'll never get a chance, lightbulb."

"Will you all stop it?" Shauna said. "It's bad enough we have them hating us."

Brock growled, "So, chunky soup here is dissing me for being blind?"

"Chunky soup?" Clemont said, "Take it back."

Brock uncrossed his arms. "Make me."

"I will."

"I'd like to see you try, doughboy. The only exercise you get is unwrapping Twinkies. I'll roll you out like pizza dough."

"You're going to pay for that."

"Ooh, scary," Brock said.

Clemont rushed at him and knocked him over by the door. Brock groaned as he hit the ground.

"What the . . . Korrina!" Brock shouted. "Serena's doing something to me. She's messing with my brain."

A harsh voice came over the speaker system. "Occupants of Cell B, stop what you're doing, immediately."

Brock began screaming. "Shan, Korrina, stop the new girl! Stop her."

"That does it," Korrina said. "You're going to pay."

"Bring it on, Day-Glo," Serena said. "I can take both of you."

The girls surrounded Serena. Brock and Clemont were locked in combat when the door clicked and opened. Two guards ran into the room.

"Now!" Clemont said.

Korrina suddenly burst into a brilliant light, temporarily blinding the guards. Serena turned and focused on the two men as Brock charged at them, knocking them both over. Shauna and Korrina quickly jumped on the men, pulling their Mace from their belts and spraying them in the face with it. Serena kept rebooting them over and over and the men flailed about confused and gasping from the Mace.

"Clemont," Brock said, "come help me." They rolled the first guard over and handcuffed his hands behind his back, then dragged him inside; next they handcuffed and dragged in the second one and stuffed both of their mouths with toilet paper. Clemont pulled their magnetic keys from their pockets.

"Got the keys?" Brock asked.

Clemont held them up. "Got 'em."

"Let's go," Brock said.

"Give us some light, Korrina," Clemont said.

"On it."

The four of them followed Brock out into the hallway, pulling the cell door shut behind them.

"Which way?" Clemont asked.

"The guards came from this direction," Brock said.

"How can you tell?" Serena asked.

"I'm an electric hound dog," Brock said. "People leave electronic imprints when they move."

They ran down the hall toward a service elevator. "Oh, oh," Brock said. "They're coming." Suddenly an alarm went off.

"Monkey butts," Clemont said.

"Here, give me the key." Brock opened the elevator and they all rushed in.

"Go to the second floor. That's the administration level. They wit expect that."

Serena hit the button. The door shut and the elevator began to move. The elevator hit the second floor and paused but the door didn't open. Suddenly it began moving up again.

"What's it doing?" Shauna asked.

"I don't think we're controlling it anymore," Clemont said.

The elevator climbed all the way to the fourth floor and froze. Brock's head dropped. "We're dead."

"What do you see?" Serena asked.

"Trouble," Brock replied.

The door opened. There were at least fifteen guards standing in front of them with guns drawn. "On your knees!" one shouted. "And put your hands behind your head."

"Serena?" Clemont asked.

Serena squinted. "There're too many of them."

Brock sighed and knelt down. The rest followed.

"You are smart," Brock said to Clemont. "That's the closest to freedom anyone here has ever got."

Clemont sighed. "Close only counts in horseshoes and nuclear weapons."

746

So close, but so far. What would their punishment be? What will Ash's answer be?

Next time, As The Journey Continues