The Network Inspector

Chapter 8:Plans For Escape

 After dinner, everyone assembles inside the cafeteria for the meeting. I sit at a table with Ricky, Jack, Lebron, and Lucy. Lebron had his arms bandaged by a medic called Kyle. Kyle sits at the table closest to ours. There is a red cross sticker pasted at the front of his shirt-the symbol for Medic here in the Network. Lebron lied to Mason, and said that he used knives to cut himself. Soon, we're going to have to tell Mason what really happened.

 I look at Lucy, the girl who I feel a familiar connection to. We still haven't spoken to each other. Once this meeting is over, I plan on striking up a conversation with her. That will be something to look forward to.

 Mason stands in the middle of the cafeteria, holding a microphone so his voice can emit from the speakers around the room. Adam is leaning against a wall, his arms crossed. I guess he feels like he is too superior to sit with the rest of us.

 "Fellow Network residents," Mason begins, his voice being heard by everyone in the room."The one hundredth member of the Network is a girl. Her name is Lucy. She is seated with Ricky, Danny, Jack, and Lebron. Show her respect, otherwise I will personally punish you. Anyone who touches her inappropriately will face severe discipline. Does everyone got that?"

 "Yes, sir!" mostly everyone replies, except for me and Lucy. We're the newest members of the Network, so we are unaware that we have to reply to Mason's question that way.

 "Good. Anyway, escaping this place will be the main topic for today," Mason announces, causing everyone to become even more interested in what he has to say."During our first few months here, we had an incident where a boy named West killed a friend of Adam's. Some of you were here at that time, and remember that day. We managed to restrain him, then went outside the building where we used a catapult to get him beyond the walls surrounding this building. West is the first one of us to escape, but he also faced a terrible death outside the walls. He made a horrible mistake, but it is crucial to remember that there is no one here who is perfect. Even I fail at things, too."

 "Get to the point!" Adam yells, rudely. Mason chuckles, but I can tell he later plans on scolding Adam for interrupting his speech.

 "The door that leads outside is inside the armory. I say this, because there are members of the Network who don't know that. We covered the door with a curtain after we sent West outside the walls. If anyone is up for it, we can stock up on guns and escape this prison using the catapult. However, this might result in our deaths. As an alternative, we can help Danny and Adam find the exit in the underground tunnels. We still have no idea if the tunnels contain a exit from the Network or not, but it is worth a try," Mason further explains."Adam, you can take it from here."

 Adam strides over to Mason, then takes the microphone from his hand. He places the microphone near his mouth, prepared to talk to all of us.

 "So there will be a vote," Adam says, glancing around at us."Here are the choices. First choice, me, Lucy, and Danny will go into the underground tunnels and see if we can find a exit. If we can't, then we will resort to using the catapult to launch ourselves beyond the walls outside. Third choice, everyone will probably decide not to choose anything and we will be stuck here forever."

 "Can we start the vote now?!" Kyle yells at Adam. Adam nods.

 "Anyone who wants me, Lucy, and Danny to go into the underground tunnels, stand up," Adam says. Me, Jack, Ricky, Lucy, Lebron, and mostly everyone else in the room stands up. Only a few people remain seated."Well, looks like I'm going into the underground tunnels to find a exit."

 Adam hands the microphone back to Mason, then returns to the wall he was leaning against. He's grinning for some reason, probably confident that we will find a exit.

 "Well, it's settled then. Adam, Lucy, and Danny will try to find a exit in the underground tunnels. If not, we will all launch ourselves over the walls surrounding the building," Mason says, speaking into the microphone."This community meeting is dismissed."

 Almost everyone stays seated, discussing the possibility of escape or other subjects. While Jack, Ricky, and Lebron converse, I find myself staring into Lucy's brown eyes. She smiles at me, then waves politely.

 "Hey, Lucy," I tell her, then extend my right hand towards her."My name is Danny."

 "I know," Lucy replies, shaking my hand. Even when we stopped shaking hands, I still keep her hand in my grasp.

 "Dude, I said I called dibs on her," Ricky says to me, frowning at me and Luc's attached hands. Lucy pulls her hand away from mine, then looks at the table. Ricky stares at me, smirking."So, you're going into the tunnels where a few of our members died at. How do you feel about that, Danny?"

 "Scared," I admit. Jack laughs at my response, having halted his chat with Lebron."But if it means going to the outside world, then it's worth it."

 "You said that right," Ricky says. Silence spreads throughout our table, no one talking anymore. Adam heads over to our table, clapping me on the back.

 "You ready to go with me and Lucy, Danny?" he asks me. I nod, standing up and walking away from the table. Ricky, Jack, and Lebron ogle Lucy as she gets up to join me and Adam.

 Me, Adam, and Lucy leave the cafeteria together. I'm nervous as we head towards the gate that will lead to the many flight of stairs. The same flights of stairs that should guide us to the entrance of the tunnels, and into the tunnels themselves.

 When the three of us arrive at the gate, Adam opens it and starts descending the flight of stairs. I step towards the stairs, but Lucy grabs my arm.

 "Is he going to kill us?" Lucy asks me, referring to Adam."I noticed that he brought the gun that he fired earlier."

 "Come on, we don't have much of a choice," I say. She sighs and we walk down the stairs, making our descent.