The Avalon Chronicles

Chapter Seven

 The Begantu men had been sure to wait until they were in a narrow hallway before making another scene. The two larger men shoved their body weight into the pirates holding them, pinning them to the wall as they began cursing and yelling angrily. When Des started to struggle as well, Senna snapped at him to stop, her eyes trying to communicate that they needed to remain compliant and let the Begantu men cause the scene.

Quinn, Senna, and Des were quickly ushered into the containment bay. Senna and Des were tripping and bumping into one another awkwardly as they looked around the narrow hallways, open bay doors showing the tiny cells used for prisoners of the ship. The cells seemed to extend the length of the warship, though all the doors were open, something only Quinn knew was unusual.

He was the first one shoved into a seemingly-random cell. He turned to watch Des and Senna follow him.

"Don't make a fuss," one pirate growled, flashing his blaster. "I'll be right outside the door."

With a cocky grin, he jammed his finger into the button to close the door. With a grating screech, the door slid shut and locked loudly in place.

"What about the other guys?" Senna asked, jerking her head out the door. "How are we going to know what cell they're in?"

"I don't think these guys know how to run this ship," Quinn mused, looking around the cell as best he was able with his hands still secured behind his back, struggling to kneel and peer into the ventilation grates. "These doors should be closed whenever the block is powered up. They must have a short somewhere. They probably only have power to a few of the cells."

"Think they'll put them in this cell?" Des asked.

"Probably not. But likely nearby." Quinn nodded to Des. "Turn around."

He obeyed without question.

"These bindings are an old model, too. Around the same time as this ship," Quinn noted. "Something tells me this band of pirates got more than they bargained for with this old ship."

"Do you know how we can get out of here and find Ryver?" Senna asked. "We don't have a lot of time before that weapon activates. We have to get out of here."

Quinn stepped around Des once more to look at the bindings holding his wrists firmly behind his back, encasing most of the forearm, not allowing him to bend his elbows at all.

"I think there is a release on the underside of the cuffs," he murmured. He moved his own fingers, seeing if he could feel the bottom edge of his bindings. "I can't see. Des, lift your arms away from your back."

Des obeyed as Quinn knelt clumsily, craning his head to look at the bindings.

"Little more..."

Des leaned forward, lifting his hands awkwardly behind his back, trying to angle the bindings so Quinn could see.

"Yep, I see it."

"If it's a normal release mechanism, we're still screwed," Senna growled. "You have something that small to shove in there?"

"I've never heard it described as small," Quinn joked, stumbling to his feet with a wry grin.

"Really not the time," Senna grumbled, though she was trying not to smile.

"Think you can undo this?" Quinn asked, turning his head to the engineer and leaning close to show the bar piercing across his ear.

"How does that come undone?"

"Screw the top ball," Quinn said, unsuccessful at keeping a straight face.

"Well, it's the closest you'll get to me screwing you, so I'll give it a try."