"I was expecting it to be him, but you'll do just fine. " I say, incisively smirking and pulled up the guard uniform on myself, As we slipped through the corridors, adrenaline flooded my veins.
"Confused?" Eugene finally asked, his voice low but steady. He didn't seem surprised, just... resigned.
"Not really," I replied, my voice tinged with suspicion. But it's different. My eyes darted to the windows and doorways we passed. No one appeared to challenge us, and it wasn't a comfort. If anything, the stillness only sharpened my instincts.
I followed his lead through a labyrinth of hallways, each one more deserted than the last. It didn't add up. I'd been here long enough to know how tight security usually was—especially during the night shift. Six guards should've been patrolling at all times.
Eugene stopped abruptly, gesturing to the room we were passing. "This," he began, "is Franchesca's doing."
"Oh, Franchesca. I see."
"She's taken over Maxwell Revvelt's security measures under the pretense of 'upgrades.' Smart move, really. Her team convinced the administration to implement sweeping changes, including 'maintenance access' to specific, isolated areas of the prison. Officially, it's meant to improve efficiency, but unofficially..." He trailed off, glancing at me to make sure I was following.
"Unofficially, they're dismantling the system from the inside out," I finished, catching the drift.
"Exactly." Eugene's jaw tightened as he continued. "Franchesca's 'consultants' aren't consultants at all. They're operatives. She installed them to create blind spots in the surveillance network. They've been gradually cutting off security feeds, tripping alarms remotely, and disorienting the actual guards.
As we rounded a corner, Elijah's voice crackled in my ear through a hidden comm earpiece Eugene had given me. "Heart, can you hear me? I'm managing surveillance, but the backup system will kick in soon. You've got five minutes max. Get to the east gate—now!"
I moved swiftly, falling into step with Eugene as he led me through a maze of dark corridors. Prisoners were yelling from their cells, banging on the metal doors, some even trying to squeeze through the bars, wanting to join the mayhem.
"Jan lang kayo! Tangina niyo!" I kick off their hands back to their cells, even in my escape. I am their apex.
Shouts of "Escape!" filled the air, stirring up more noise and tension. I caught glimpses of guards running down other hallways, radios buzzing frantically as they tried to piece together the attack.
When we reached the east wing, Veloz was waiting for us, dressed as a security officer and standing with a clipboard, waving us through. "Ms. Heart," He urged, his eyes darting to the cameras Elijah had temporarily looped to show empty hallways.
He nodded toward a stairwell leading down. "This way." The three of us now make a run for it.
We bolted down the stairs as alarms blared louder, resonating through the prison and into the surrounding yards. Outside, I could hear helicopters approaching, the searchlights sweeping over the complex as the media and military began to circle the scene. I felt the weight of the escape bearing down, the adrenaline fueling my every step.
At the bottom of the stairwell, we burst out into a holding area near the prison's main sunless yard. A group of Franchesca's "consultants" were strategically posted as guards, securing the area. We got outside through the door with access. They looked at us, giving short, affirming nods. Franchesca's influence here had allowed her to staff the prison with a few of her own loyal people, ensuring we'd get through these last barriers.
