The Clepsydra

Chapter 16 - The great escape and other exciting things

I get up, using the crusty mattress as a small lift so that I can look through the window with more ease. Aidan's face is pale, outlined and bleached by the beginning stages of sunlight creeping over the very edges of the earth not visible from my caged up current location.

"Wow....Elena, you look..."

"Dreadful? Scary? Like the leading character in the next 'Old America' themed zombie apocalypse movie?"

"I was just going to say dirty, but yeah, all of those apply too..."

He was smiling at my initial comment, but his grin disappears and his whole demeanour becomes solemn and grave. His hand slides down the bars, the outside street obviously high enough to look through without too much difficulty. His height does also help, I guess.

The very tips of his fingers make contact with mine where I'm basically using all my upper-body strength just to let my chin reach over the window ledge.

"I am so so sorry Elena. I should have known this would happen. They shouldn't have even been allowed to bring weapons into the public town hall..."

His eyes glance down to my wrists, where the manacle's used to drag me around a day or two ago have made impressions in the form of faint blue-purple bruising around my wrists. Luckily, I'm healing quickly enough that his guilt and shame seeping through the expression on his face aren't going to be worse than they are now. He clearly feels that this is all his fault, something which he shouldn't be doing.

"I understand that you want to Crossover and experience things to improve your abilities, but I thought we all agreed to have someone with you at all times when it happens. Luckily, it's still the same night you feel asleep on the other side of this Crossover, so we have time to get you out. I have a plan, but you'll need to improvise on certain parts as I won't be able to help with everything from out here..."

"Oh Aidan, how disastrous of you...coming to my rescue without a fool-proof plan on getting me out. How could you be so imperfect? I'm disappointed." I say sarcastically, grinning and trying to ease the guilt shining from his bronze ringed-eyes.

He gives me a weak smile in return, some of the negative tension releasing from his body.

"Seriously though Aidan, I'm glad you even came at all so cut it with the apologies for now. There will be plenty of opportunity for sundaes and ice-cream to make up for it once I'm out of this crap-tastic place...now, what masterful plan do you have up your sleeve?"

My rescuer chuckles, his eyes looking over my dirt-coated face as he explains.

"Okay, so, tomorrow morning I'll be outside. I'll find a way to get into the office area, demand to see you and question your secret activities and motives behind you being at the social gathering at the town hall. I did some digging before I came here and I should be able to get what I want based on the authority I have here. The difficult part will be trying to get you out of here. These men cover their tracks...they won't blame one of their own or put into a report that something that happened which will put them in a bad light. That's why I was put down instead of Frankie Abel...he has connections here and is probably Alterate. He prevents his capture by not putting down contact details. I'm also supposed to be some huge, respected authority so it makes operations here look plausible if a name like Major Joseph Willard is mentioned. I doubt Frankie Abel is even that Alterates real name..."

His eyes have narrow, his brows furrowing together while he shakes his head.

"Anyway, catching the Alterate is a different problem for a different day. The part you have to play comes when the guards are handling you from between the cell to the steel door on the other side leading into the office. Find a way to separate yourself from him long enough to get on the other side of the steel door. From there, I'll be able to sneak you out of the office unnoticed. It won't be possible if there's a guard present as if I really was going to interrogate you, since he will be expected to not let you out of his sights until you return to your cell. Do you think you can manage something?"