Year 6 (First Draft) #Wattys2016

-Chapter 8-

  Kane slips silently around a corner, motioning for me to follow. I do, startled by the number of Agents lying in the hall. All of them appear to be either unconscious or… well, they could be in worse conditions. I pull my fanny-pack from around my waist, clutching it in a tight fist. I should have my weapon just in case I need to use it. With Kane being injured, something tells me it should be my job to retaliate if we run into Agents.

  I hear shouts coming from down the hall, maybe around the next corner.

  “Sounds like Felix,” Kane says. “He isn’t one for subtlety. He found the Cells.”

  Kane sounds so sure. I hope some Government Agents come. I just want to turn him in, get it all over with. This wasn’t at all what I had planned.

  Kane jogs up to the next corner and peers around it, then turns and gives me a nod. Felix really did find the Cells? I follow behind, not wanting to miss out on anything. If anything, I want to slow them down, prevent them from getting out of here.

  Kane groans, his injured arm pressed against the wall.

  “What’s the news boys?” He asks, his voice wavering slightly.

  One boy I don’t know steps forward, handing Kane a folded piece of paper. He opens it to its full size, and I see it’s a map of the whole Government Prison.

  “Found this on one of the Agents. He ain’t gonna miss it.”

  My stomach fills with nausea. How can they treat this all so callously? I think of all the guilt I have felt over much lesser crimes, and the sick feeling in my stomach increases. They feel nothing. And if they do, they don’t show it.

  I look at the sterile looking white hall we stand in. It’s a waste of space, really. There’s one steel door on the right side. And on the left, further down, there is another identical steel door. The doors are incredible. They have to be a few feet thick. I think of the people who could be behind these doors.  Only one person is behind this door.

  “How do you know which one is his?” I ask, hoping they don’t know at all. If they somehow do, that’ll save them time I accounted for.

  “It’s this one,” Felix says, tapping on the big steel door, the sound echoing through the mostly empty hall.

  “And how do you know that?” Kane asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

  The boy points to the map that Kane has tucked under his arm. Kane pulls it out, and examines the paper closely.

  “Well look there,” Kane says, pointing to the spot on the map where we are standing. “Some stupid Fed had to write the names of the inmates next to every Cell.”

  I can’t help but shake my head. My plan isn’t going to work.

  “Hey Paul,” I say, trying to act like I am a part of the rescue mission. “Got another one of those things you used back there on that glass?”

  Paul grins, reaching for something in his pocket.

  “Well ‘course I do,” Paul says, pulling out the same kind of device he used to open the glass earlier. I get a closer look at it this time, though. Its round, and a metallic black color. A red button is on the right edge, and when Paul presses it, he takes a few steps back. The door breaks open as if it was nothing more than a thin board.

  “You guys took long enough,” A voice from inside the Cell says.

  “Well we’ve had a lot going on,” Kane says, walking through the doors of the Cell. I follow, wanting to see what the Cell looks like. It’s definitely no five star room, but it isn’t as dirty or small as I would have originally thought. In fact, it’s very sterile. The whole room is white, a small bed stuck in the corner. That’s all that’s there, except for something I can only imagine is what the Government thinks passes for a bathroom.

  I couldn’t imagine being stuck in here. I’d rather try my luck on the streets.

  “Who’s this?” The voice I had heard earlier- Charlie- asks Kane, pointing in my direction.

  “She’s someone we saved the other day. She’s from the streets,” Kane explains.

  “Well that’s a glamorous description of me,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Don’t be embarrassed Hun. The best of us come from the streets,” Charlie says, winking.

  Charlie’s hair is normal length, not super long, but not cropped close either. He is very tan, and looks like he works out. Or maybe life on the streets as a criminal does that to you, makes you muscular and toned.

  “We should hurry!” Felix calls. “The Feds should be coming soon.”

  “Ready for a getaway?” Kane asks me.

  I nod, although I can’t think of anything worse… other than getting into the Government Prison Cells of course.

  We trace our steps back through the large building, finding our way back to the front. Something doesn’t feel right, and my skin tingles with anticipation. The Agents should be here by now. Maybe we are walking into a trap.

  “I shut down their means of communication,” Paul says. “We should still have five or so minutes before everything powers back up.”

  I notice movement behind a cubicle, and motion for Paul to stop talking. He does, most likely seeing the movement too.

  Whatever was moving stills, coming to a stop.

  “Let’s move,” Kane shouts. We all race towards the exit, pushing past bodies on the ground. The glass crashes shut behind us. My pulse races as we make a beeline for the truck.

  “Nice work boys!” Felix yells, his voice muffled by the afternoon wind.

  Whoops and hollers erupt around me, and I try to ignore them. So many died. Too many. My plan didn’t work. It should have.

  Jack runs forward, jumping into the truck, starting it up. One boy throws the back door open, and we all run towards it. I hear the engine turn, and watch as Jack begins moving the truck. He expects us to jump on?

  My steps stutter at the thought.

  I run towards the truck, now being in the back of the pack.

  “Hurry!” Everyone shouts to the few of us still running towards the truck.

  I’m about three feet away when Kane jumps in, leaving me to be the only one not in the truck.

  Just when I reach for the handle on the door to pull myself up, Jack presses down on the accelerator, causing me to have to run even faster to catch up. My thighs burn, my breathing is coming and going in gasps.

  Kane pushes toward the end of the truck, extending his arm toward me. He uses his good arm to hang onto the handle of the truck, then swings so that he can reach down, grab me, and pull me in the truck. He is somehow able to wrap his arms around me long enough to pull me up towards the truck, but due to the momentum, the door begins to swing out. Causing him to almost lose his balance. He hisses when his arm bangs against the door. 

  Some of the men already in the truck help us back into the truck, letting us both sit. My heartbeat is shooting out of my chest, and I can’t help but gasp for air.

  “Welcome to Kane Porter’s crew,” Charlie jokes, slapping me lightly on the shoulder.

  I nod, putting my head down by my knees, hoping to be able to breathe again.

  Of all the ways to catch a criminal, this has to be the worst.

A/N Wow! Thoughts? Should she give up? Or should she keep working to turn Kane in? Will they trust her enough? I hope you enjoy my story. I really appreciate votes and feedback! :D