Gunpoint

Phase 2

Author note - thank you readers for continuing to read and support my story even though I may not have updated in over a week. Also thanks to Fishing_With_Totoro for writing most of this chapter. 

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We were still breathless when Dan started the second and most crucial part of the plan. There was a reason he had waited for us. Once the doors were open, Doctor Crazy would be notified and then all of us would only have a small amount of time left to get out.

We also had to take into account the idea that any command they gave us had to be followed. While Dan, Ella, myself and possibly more people were resistant, that didn't mean everyone else was. We'd be stopped immediately if we got caught. And then we'd be punished, though I'm sure they'd find delight in reading our brainwaves during the adrenaline-rushed escape.

"When are we going to let the others out?" asked Ella. Ever since I had collected her from the cells, Ella had been frantic that something wasn't right, that it shouldn't be this easy, where were all the guards, and that, in general, it wasn't going to work. And, despite Dan's almost overconfidence, she wasn't going to be convinced.

"Just after we disable the cameras. The computer room's just here, and further down is the warehouse room where they're keeping everyone. You two go ahead, smash the cameras you can see while I disable all of them. Be stealthy, and start untying people as soon as you get in there. Not all of them will be tied up - try to get them to help."

Ella and I nodded our understanding, but as we turned to go, Dan out a hand on my shoulder.

"Just remember," he said. "That not all of them are Resistant. They could involuntarily turn against you at any second. If they do, forget about them, just get yourselves out. Promise me you'll do that. Leave them behind if you have to. Even me. The Doctor and his gang could regain their control on me any moment now. If it comes to it, leave me. Just get yourselves out."

"Okay," said Ella, quickly, anxious to get to the others. Dan glared at her.

I nodded, grabbing Ella's arm and dragging her down the corridor. Dan called after us, "I'll scream if they get they're control on me again."

His voice, however, was lost against the sound of my heart hammering against my chest so hard it hurt, and the blood pumping through my ears at the speed of a racehorse.

The sound of shattering glass filled my ears. Ella made a satisfied sound then started laughing. Before I knew it, she was in hysterics, bending down and coughing while she laughed, tears coming to her eyes.

I stared at her, curious and amused. "What is it?" I asked. Ella just shook her head and laughed harder.

Finally, she said, between laughs, "I...just....I can't believe....I broke glass. My mum....would kill...me!"

I found myself laughing as well as I continued dragging her down the corridor to the warehouse room, the frays in her suit catching in my uneven fingernails. Finally, we reached the warehouse room, and, entering the 4-digit code (3741) Dan had given us, the steel door clicked open and the shocked eyes of our friends met our own.

The first person to snap out of shock was Ana. Her sapphire eyes filled with genuine concern and, as she was one of the currently untied people, she ran to my side, taking in my less-than-fabulous appearance.

I waved off her worries. "I'm fine, Ana," I said then I raised my voice so that all of the other kids could hear me. "We're going to get out of here, now. Untie each other. WE have to leave really soon, before they come for us."

To my shock, the other kids didn't even question whether I was lying, they wanted to get out that badly. Shuffling over to each other, the teens untied one another and ran to my side, keenly awaiting for me to explain the plan. We were wasting a lot of time standing around while everyone was walking over, still looking partially dazed from the effects of being controlled and tied up. With the seconds slipping by, I tried to encourage them to hurry without sounding too frantic. If I were to put any pressure on them, they might start to panic and our success rate would decrease dramatically.

Instead of shouting at them to hurry, I focused my nerves to count how many of us had to escape and also decided to search for Millie through the throng of teenagers although, spotting Millie was my main goal. Let's just say, my priorities were definitely messed up, however, she was family and right now that was more important than anything else.

It wasn't easy but I spotted her huddled near Isaac. It seemed that Zac had gotten over his fear of our family name, I thought mentally smiling. Now we could actually be friends! With positive thoughts running through my head, I started counting. The only way to escape (and survive) was to know how many people we needed to take, so that we could adjust our plans if need be.

Starting at Millie I began counting. Millie was 1, Isaac was 2, 3, 4... 19, 20, 21 and 22, including Dan, Ella and myself.

"Alright," said Ella, cutting off my counting. "That's everyone. We need to go. No-"

Ella's strong voice was abruptly cut off by Dan's. His brown eyes were wide with terrible, fear-filled shock as he ran through the steel door into the warehouse room and slammed the bulky metal door shut behind him. "They're coming," he spoke between pants. "They... let us think we'd... get this far, to... monitor our... brain waves, but now... they've got us.... cornered. We're... stuck. It was... a trap. It was all a trap."