Vault 115

Chapter 11 - Action

Michael's monitor beeped. Then beeped again. And then suddenly started beeping rapidly. Michael wanted to look over and see but he heard the girl get up and look over the monitor in a panic, and knew she would be looking over him to. If he opened his eyes it's all over.

He heard the door and running footsteps as she called for help. This could possibly be his only chance. With the anxiety of the beeping and the press of time weighing down on him, he concentrated with all of his might and the shackles that held him down flew open. He sat up quickly, running to the monitor, though trying not to trip over wires and tubes, and tried to read what was wrong. His brain waves were acting up? What-

'MICHAEL!'

'Ciara, oh god, you scared me.'
He quickly, but precisely, began removing everything stuck to and in his skin. He heard footsteps and glanced at the door quickly, it slamming shut. He ran over, flipping the two locks as he finished pulling off a wire on his temple. The beeping finally stopped.

'Something happened to Melanie. I'm not getting a reply anymore.'

This just worried him more, spurred him on. Then the banging started on the door.

"Whose in there?! Hey! Open the door!" It was a familiar voice, that Jared guy. He quickly glanced around, knowing for certain it's too late to back down now. Finally, he glanced up and noticed a vent. He pulled the guards chair over, reaching up and trying to pull on the vent, but it was screwed shut. He shook his head as the pounding against the door increased, and his own worry of what would happen if he got caught increased as well.

He shut his eyes and tried to concentrate but his mind flew in many different directions. The vent, Melanie, the vent, the banging. Suddenly it sounded like the wind was taken out of Jared, and he hit the floor.

"What the-" He started, but Michael glanced up toward the vent. Two screws were taken off by his power already.

Another. Please. Another- he watched as one flew off, hitting the metal wall next to him and making a 'tink' sound. He reached up, spinning the vent and attempting to lift himself in.

'You should've lifted more weights.'

'Oh shut up Ciara.'

After pushing off of the chair,  he was finally able to climb into the vent. It was larger than he expected it to be. He spun around, barely, and slid the vent so it was positioned normally again.

CRASH

The door was busted open and Michael peaked through the lines of the vent. A very large man wearing a white jumpsuit ran in, looking around, then barking orders at his guards and doctors.

"Find the boy! We need the boy! There's no where he can hide in this vault that we can't find him!"
-
Melanie opened her eyes slowly, feeling like she was melting into her bed. There was a lot of banging going on above her and a lot of shouting in her head.

'MELANIE! MELANIE! MELANIE!!' screeched her thoughts.

'What the hell is going on?' she wondered. Her thoughts replied.

'Melanie thank god. You have to teleport into the air vent.'

She shook her head and slowly lifted her head off the mattress. Something hit her in the forehead. She blinked in confusion, and something else hit her, on the cheek this time. They were small and metal. 'Screws?'

There was a pretty significant clatter, and the vent fell off of the ceiling. She saw Michael's face up there and wondered if she was dreaming. 'GO, Melanie.' Ciara commanded in her head, which got Melanie to shakily stand up. She was /not/ conscious enough for this.

After lots of silent encouragement from Michael and mental demands from Ciara, Melanie started running. The buildup was very slow and the release very weak. She managed to teleport upwards enough for her upper body to be in the vent, but her legs were not. She about slipped when hands grabbed her and pulled with force. Michael.
-
"Crap. The cameras probably caught that. They know we're up here, he have to hurry."

"What?" Melanie asked, looking as if she was still partially drugged.

"Follow me." He whispered back, shaking his head and crawling quickly through the vent.

'Ciara, which one are you in.'

'I'm not sure, I think on the left-'

'Crap, we're on the right side of the hallway. We'll have to find a way over-'

'It's okay. I'll stay here for now. But you and Melanie need to hide- listen, you need to get John's help.'

'What?!' Michael stopped in his tracks, his face incredulous.

'Look, I know how you feel about him but- he saved me Michael. He's not a bad person. Both, when it was just us here, I was having a breakdown 'cause I wanted to see my mommy and he helped me. And the other day, while you were gone, and Reggie and Melanie were fighting-'

Michael glanced at Melanie, his eyes scanning her up and down. She looked back at him confused.

'-These large tasers came out of the wall. He pushed me down and protected me from the brunt of the electricity. He saved me Michael, I swear, he's not as bad as you think.'

Michael cursed quietly, then began crawling again
'Where is his room?'

'Right next to Melanie's. If you were crawling the same way you came, you should be there now.'

Michael saw light appearing from the vent and he crawled over to it, looking down through the cracks.
"I know you're here." John was sitting on his bed, his knees up and his arms resting on his knees so the camera couldn't see his mouth moving. "Why are you in the vents."

'Ciara, can you tell him everything?'

'Yeah, one sec'!'

Michael held up a hand to Melanie as if to wait, staring down and watching confusion come across his face.
-
So they helped him up. It was much easier with two people pulling, and Michael helped to levitate him a bit. John crawled in and they all cringed at the dip of the vent at all of their weight combined.

"Alright space cowboy, lead the way." Melanie mumbled, semi-delirious. John looked at her in confusion. "What?" Melanie shrugged and they began to crawl. John let out various clicks and chirps occasionally. Finally, he spoke.

"Next left. "
They all turned. John clicked again. "This is the one." Michael opened the vent and peered in. John gave him a shove and he tumbled down. He turned to Melanie and she stared at him in confusion.

"What?" She mumbled, and John grabbed her by the front of her suit and threw her down as well.

They both stared up in surprise. "I told you you'd need my help one day, and I told you you'd regret messing with me." He sneered, before replacing the vent and disappearing.

Michael stood hastily, ready to get back up there and fight, when the door opened and several people entered with tasers.