Just Like Old Times

Chapter 9

Jo looked frantically up and down the corridors as she, Sergeant Benton and Doctor Tyler searched for the main entrance. It was no use; they were hopelessly lost. To make things worse, the guards were right behind them. If only they could find the main passage, or some other way to get outside ...

Benton sighed in frustration. "It's no good. It all looks the same."

"But we can't just stay here," Tyler protested. "They're right behind us."

Benton nodded. "This way," he said, pointing toward a passageway to their right. They'd only taken a few steps when several guards came into view, blocking the way. Benton turned to Jo and Tyler, shaking his head. "They're everywhere."

Jo nodded grimly and then found Tyler pointing down another corridor. "Let's try down there."

"Yes, come on," Jo replied, even though she was sure they had tried that way earlier.

"No, it's no use. We're lost," Benton told them.

"Well, we can't give ourselves up," Tyler said.

"Agreed. What do we do?"

After briefing looking around, Jo suddenly spotted a path which appeared to be one they hadn't taken before. "Let's try this way," she told them, gesturing to it.

The men nodded and followed her. Several paces ahead a very recognizable object caught her eye. It was the bunch of fake flowers the Doctor had conjured up earlier. "Hey, look what I found!" she exclaimed, picking it up.

"Oh, great. How can that help us?" Benton asked, the cynicism obvious in his tone.

"It's the corridor to the main entrance," Jo explained. She watched his expression brighten somewhat before she led the way. "Come on!"

She had been correct. Eyeing the main entrance mere feet away, Jo felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over her. This wasn't over yet, but their escape to freedom was now much more likely.

Sergeant Benton rushed up to the doors and began tugging at them, not having much success. "Doctor Tyler, give me a hand with this," he blurted.

Hearing a muffled sound behind them, Jo turned to find several guards hurriedly making their way toward them. "Quickly, they're coming!"

Benton and Tyler struggled to open the doors as the guards drew closer. It seemed escape was nearly hopeless when the doors suddenly swung violently open. Jo stared, slack-jawed as she found Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and another man on the other side.

"Out! Make for the hills!" the Brigadier ordered as the guards closed in on them.

Not daring to look back, Jo scrambled over the sandy, rocky surface with Benton and Tyler as the Brigadier began firing at the guards behind them. He soon joined them and directed them to an area of shelter. Jo nearly felt as if her lungs would burst as she tackled the rough terrain of the quarry, dodging fire from guards appearing just out of her line of sight. Before long, they reached an area consisting of terraces that provided cover.

"How did you know we were trying to get out?" Sergeant Benton finally asked, panting.

"We didn't," the Brigadier replied. "We were trying to get in." He then turned to Jo. "Miss Grant, was the Doctor with you when you came here?"

"Yes, of course, Sir."

The Brigadier's brows drew together. "Well, he can't have been. He was with me."

Jo regarded him in bemusement. She knew she had arrived here herself with the Doctor originally. It finally dawned on her what he must have meant when Sergeant Benton suddenly interrupted.