10 Minute Tales

Apr 29 - Prison Break

Rose stood on her own accord, grinning softly. Her sister, Alyssa, had been given the information she had been told to share, and now part two could happen.

"Well?" she snapped at the guard as the door slid shut on the other side. "Mind letting me stand up now?"

"Shut your mouth, prisoner." the guard grumbled, flicking a switch. The speaker on her desk clicked as it was deactivated. The guard marched closer; Rose obediently raised her hands above her head, letting the guard work on the restraint. She touched her wrists together; the bracelets she wore stuck together magnetically, effectively cuffing her. The guard didn't react to the metallic click. She grinned; just the inattention she needed. "Stand." he ordered, which she duly did. The chair slid into the floor quickly, a panel quickly sliding over the gap that was formed. "March." the guard commanded next, and so she did.

"Say, Vanny." Rose grinned. Vanguard's pacification frequencies didn't work on Rose, something about her different psychology.

"What is your enquiry, prisoner number 3294?"

"Just wanted to thank you for being a wonderful host."

"This isn't a damn hotel!" The guard grunted, swiping at Rose's head. She ducked under it, spun on the spot and thrust with both hands at the guard's gut. He took the hit, winded, and staggered back.

"Are you new?" she taunted, standing up again. "You don't aggravate the Class-H prisoners. They know how to fight back, and they're more than willing to do so. Right, Vanny?"

"This is basic training, soldier!" Vanguard barked, a spotlight flashing onto the guard. "Here I thought I'd only accepted the elite up here!" Rose grinned, and turned to walk away.

"Sir, the prisoner...!"

"Do not speak until I tell you to!" Vanguard yelled. Rose had noticed this flaw before; if staff needed reprimanding, Vanguard would prioritise the training. She sashayed off, oozing confidence and danger. She grinned, tugging at her cuffs playfully. They didn't budge, nor did she expect them to, but it would just be a question of range.

"Stop her!" the guard yelled, trying to escape the spotlight. A barrier raised in front of him.

"Are you shirking your duties, soldier?" Vanguard barked. Rose didn't hear the reply; she had already broken into a run as fast as she could go.

"Men." she huffed. "Always so easy to provoke." she slid to a stop at a junction, deciding on a direction and running. The alarm blared already as the guard finally convinced Vanguard to sound it. Emergency shutters were already sliding shut, but she was able to slide under the first. An echoing thud betrayed that she had already missed a window of opportunity for the second. She huffed, not surprised.

"Okay, the four paths..." she muttered, looking around. "Earth isn't an option, I'm encased in metal... not enough heat for fire, nowhere to get enough water for a flood escape..." she looked around, running out of ideas, then something caught her eye. An airvent. It was small, it wouldn't take her weight, but it would be enough to hide in for now. She quickly glanced. No signs of Sentinel being able to see thanks to the very shutter she pulled down; she heaved at the vent, yanking it off with strength that would scare most people. Who needed augmentations, anyway? She scrambled in as quickly as she could, pulling the vent back behind her. It was just a question of patience now.