The P.U.L.L || #Wattys2017

Chapter 42: Rick's Secret?!

"It looks like you've found out, Rick." Mr. Borja muttered under his breath.

"Found out what?" Emma couldn't tell what was going on. But seeing the look at Mr. Borja's face. she concluded that it must have been confusing.

Rick's muscles began to tnese as he slowly opened the metallic door. "D...do you know what h...happened during our escape i...in the s...submerged p...plane?" Rick struggled to ask. "We w...were able t...to s...survive tons o...of water pressure t...that time!"

Rick clung his foot on the gap that he made. "There, it's done!" He heaved a big sigh of relief. "As I thought, I was clearly underestimating myself."

Rick was able to pry the door open by using his brute strength. The marks on his grip were clearly visible on the door where he had gripped it. Emma couldn't believe what she saw; it's as if  Rick was more machine than human when she saw him like that. I mean, no regular human could have done what he just did. he just fought off a machine-locked metallic door  without even sweating. And now that I think about it, Rick has never been injured when we were together. Emma said to herself.

Seriously Rick? Who and what are you?

"Come on, Emma! Stop sweating the unimportant stuff and let's get out of here. We could barely fit in here and the guards might notice it even before we escape. We don't have much time, hurry!" Rick exclaimed.

"Yes, the two of you should better go and meet up with Joshua." Mr. Tratzky agreed. "But don't forget about the mastermind and his mind-reading capabilities, okay? You should always be in your guard, you two."

"Y-yes, sir." Rick responded.

The metallic door was slowly descending on Rick's foot. It's only a matter of time before Rick's foothold slides from the door, making Rick squeeze his foot deeper for a more stable foothold. Rick began grabbing the door, pulling it upwards. "Emma! Let's go! I'll follow you as soon as I can!"

Emma didn't need telling twice. She squeezed herself through the gap between the metallic door and tiled-floors. For a split second, she began feeling claustrophobic, as if the door was going to squeeze her. But she knew that she could trust Rick. 

Emma managed to get out of the other side before she knew it.

Click!

Click!

Click!

Three guns were aimed at Emma as soon as she got out from the door. The moment she looked up, three guards wearing armored masks and three muzzles stared directly at her face. Well, she  expected the guards to be waiting for her but she was taken aback by the guns that was pointed directly at her.

"Go back inside and we will not fire!" One of the guards told her. "The system might have malfunctioned. Good thing we were at the ready when it occurred we should hurry and report about this immediately as soon as we put this prisoner back in the cell."

The other two guards nodded.

"And you! We're prepared to shoot these tasers at you if you put up a fight!" The guard continued. his voice was muffled by his armored mask.

"Okay! Okay! I'll go in!" Emma assured the guard while trying to keep her composure.

Emma lay down once again as she tried to squeeze herself inside. I'm sorry Rick! She thought as her claustrophobia crept into her again. 

"W-w-w-what are you doing?!" Rick exclaimed. "I can't hold it any longer!"

"I'm really sorry, Rick! Just hold it for a little while." Emma hoarsely whispered. "But be prepared once this door opens. I'm really sorry!"

Rick nodded. Now, sweat trickled on his forehead as he tried to keep the metallic door up. Rick didn't see what had happened on the other side but he was able to hear the panicking voices of the guards when they saw Emma emerge from the gap.

The guards were thinking that it's due to a system malfunction. Well, who would have believed that a normal person could open a machine-operated door forcefully. I just need to act my, I mean our way out of here. Emma said to herself, half-smiling. "Urgh! I'm stuck!" Emma pretended so the guards would open the metallic door for her.

Yeah! They fell for it!

One of the guards disappointingly shook his head while he went towards the button on the side of the wall near the door. The metallic door smoothly slid upwards the moment he pressed it.

"Rick, do it now!"

Rick had a vague idea on what Emma implies him to do. He began to brace himself.

Emma, meanwhile, tried to fool the guards as she pretended to squirm her way in.

Slide.

The guards didn't know what had hit them. One moment, they saw a fleeting, almost unrecognizable, figure slide from underneath the metallic door. The next moment, they found themselves flat n their faces as they were thrown off balance when something hard hit their feet.

"What the?!" One of them exclaimed.

Zap!

Unbeknownst to Emma, Rick had slid underneath the door and pummeled himself towards the guards, like a bowling ball landing squarely on a group of pins. The guards quickly fell flat on their faces, not knowing what had hit them.

Rick didn't waste any time unstrapping the tasers on the guards' belt. He immediately landed on top of them while simultaneously electrocuting them with the tasers. 

"Whew! That was really fast Rick!" Emma complimented. "Let's go!"

Emma dragged one of the guards towards the button and clicked it using the guard's hand. She knew that she shouldn't let her guard down by clicking it without thinking. This button might have identity detectors so this should be alright. Emma thought.

Slide.

The metallic door smoothly slid up, revealing the room where they had been. Rick heaved a sigh of relief after everything was done. He finally realized that he has been underestimating himself for quite some time now. Now that he knew what he was capable of, he could finally break the limiter that he placed on himself.

"Mom! Dad! Everyone!" Emma motioned to the adults inside. "Let's get out of here!"