Spy School Goes to Trial

Chapter 22 - Prison Break

Maximum Security Prison
Secret Location in Virginia
May 30
1530 Hours

The maximum security prison sat in the middle of a forest. It felt darker out even though it was still the afternoon, and between the razor wire and the intimidating walls, nothing about this place screamed 'come on in.' which made sense since it held our country's most evil enemies, and now smoke was billowing out from it.

Murray and his henchmen had attacked, leaving a wake of destruction in their path. There were holes in the outer fence and the protective wall, possibly even further within the compound. We couldn't see any vehicles or helicopters, so I wasn't sure how they had gotten there, let alone broken in. They may have already fled by the time we arrived. 

Erica hopped out of her co-pilot seat in the cockpit and headed to the back where we were. There was no clear landing spot for Alexander to place a helicopter of this size.

"We don't have any rope to rappel off the side of the helicopter, so we're going to need to use the winch and harness to get down there," she said.

I admit I was relieved not to be rappelling out of a hovering helicopter, since I had little experience doing this off even a stable platform.

"We only have a harness for one person at a time, so I'll lower each of you in turn ," she continued.

Jawa interrupted and said, "I can operate it."

We all turned in surprise.

"I did some training after our last escapade in a helicopter, so I could be better prepared," he explained. "It makes sense Erica should be first down so she can clear the way."

He had a good point. Erica was by far our best fighter, and it wouldn't help if she was stuck up in the helicopter lowering us. She simply nodded and began putting on the harness. We decided that Chip, Zoe, Mike then I should, proceeding in order of the strongest, and those who could help the most. While I was an obvious choice to go last, it was a tough call between Chip and Zoe.

"How will you get down," I asked Jawa, thinking maybe he should show me how to operate it instead of sending me to the ground.

"With this," he said, holding up a large yellow rectangle box with two buttons on the face. "It's a remote control, so I can lower and raise myself."

The only problem we had was we didn't have any weapons. In our rush to the helicopter, we didn't have a chance to return to the school's armory and collect them for our new mission. Although, Erica probably had a few stashed in her utility belt, the rest of us were empty handed. I hoped that Cyrus would turn up soon, bringing several armed soldiers with him, but, since he wasn't there yet, we had no choice.

"Use the fastest speed, and lower me as quickly as possible," Erica told Jawa. I assumed this was because she wanted to avoid being attacked midair. 

She clipped herself into the winch's hook and leaned out over the edge of the helicopter, while Alexander confidently held the helicopter still. Nodding to Jawa, she jumped backwards and was lowered to the ground with her hair flowing in the rushing wind. We all watched as she used the harness' quick release to jump down to the ground from almost ten feet above, tucking into a ball, and rolling gracefully before standing up in a fighting stance in one fluid motion. We all sighed, knowing none of us would pull off this stunt, let alone so elegantly.

Jawa raised the winch with the harness still attached. Erica took off running once she confirmed the site was clear. She disappeared into the darkness of the smoke-filled hole in the wall. I wasn't happy she had gone in by herself, although at the same time, I knew I would have just gotten in her way.

Chip was next and once his harness and helmet were secure, leaned out over the edge. He also went fast, but I don't think that was his choice. The winch groaned slightly under his heavier weight, and I wondered if it was original to the helicopter. He waited till his feet touched the ground before releasing the harness and then took off running for the newly made entrance.

Zoe and Mike went next in turn, and made it safely to the bottom. They took off together, Zoe waiting for Mike, but not for Jawa or I. As for me, I approached the winch as it returned with the empty harness, but surprised myself, again. Normally, this type of action would make me very nervous, but I felt confident I would be able to make it safely to the ground. It might have helped that I had jumped out of this same helicopter with a parachute, and this seemed a lot easier.

 "Just let the winch do the work for you," Jawa said encouragingly.

I nodded, and he clipped me in. I tried to lean backwards over the edge like I had seen the others do, but lost my footing and fell out, swinging wildly. Before I could crash back into the helicopter and get tangled up in the winch's arm, Jawa lowered me. He started out fast to get me below the helicopter while I was still swinging back and forth. Then he slowed the cable as I approached the ground. It took me longer than the others to unhook the harness, but I was able to do it. I held onto it as long as possible as it wound back up. The spinning of the helicopter was causing the line to whip around, and I didn't want to get hit with it. Not waiting to see how Jawa used the remote, I took off for the hole in the wall before he even left the helicopter.

We could see from the air that the prison was designed with concentric rings, starting with an outer wall, main building, and then an open area inside that building. I assumed at the time this was the exercise yard. At each layer of the circle I found a new hole, until I ran through one inside the main holding cell building. It opened up into a hallway that wrapped around the outside of the prisoner cells where they slept. Stairs led up to each level.

And, I was completely alone.