ESCAPING IMPRISONMENT

Darcy gripped onto the bars of the cell tightly with his one good arm. His other wasn't broken but still swollen and painful. He rattled the bars slightly even though it was no good. "So Andrew knows we're not the bad guys…how did we end up here? Shouldn't we be in hospital and looking after Rachael?" asked Nicola, sitting in the far corner of the cell, hugging her knees to her chest. "Well, I'm sure he'll be here in any moment to get us out. I thought I heard his voice a couple minutes ago," Vironica chipped in hopefully, and then Andrew stepped into view on the opposite side of the bars. "Well, you did hear my voice…but this isn't a mistake," he said gravely, unable to look any of them in the eyes. "Andrew…what are you saying?" whispered Sienna, coming up beside Darcy to get a better look at Andrew. His face was bruised and beaten, and the unmistakable look of defeat was now in his eyes, poisoning the way he viewed them.

This was no longer Andrew. This was a man who had simply given up. "Look. I get you want justice for your friend, believe me I do as well. But this was the last straw. My daughter is gone." The others gasped. Except Darcy. He remained quizzical, staring at Andrew with narrow eyes before slowly murmuring, "She was never in hospital at all, was she?" Andrew shook his head in sorrow but didn't say anything. It confirmed Darcy's suspicions. "You haven't locked us in here to keep us safe or…or away from the killer. You locked us in here because you blame us!" Again, Andrew didn't respond, but he began pacing back and forth before the bars, his eyes angry and hateful. "Who am I supposed to blame? The psychopath? No…none of this would have happened if you had just stayed put!'

Now it was Mikayla's turn to be angry as she also approached the bars. "You think he wouldn't have executed the mayor? You think he wouldn't have blown up the Tower and killed hundreds? You think he wouldn't have detonated those other bombs as well if we hadn't turned up? No. This is all wrong. He would have done it anyway and found a way to get Rachael in the future." Andrew turned furious as he stopped pacing and whirled around to glare into Mikayla's eyes. "I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FUCKING MAYOR!" he roared, and the others drew back sharply. Danger and anger hung in the air as Andrew began pacing once again. He had lost everything and couldn't resist the feelings of betrayal and rage. "Andrew. Listen to me. You're making a mistake!" Chloe said, reaching through the bars to grip desperately at Andrew's belt, but Andrew leapt away after a few moments

"Fine then! Go and fuck yourself, we don't need you!" Chloe shouted, and with one last look of pure, bitter anger, Andrew strode away. "Chloe you idiot, we needed him!" Nicola groaned, and Chloe turned, grinning at them all. "Oh you shitheads. You think I would ruin that opportunity if I didn't have a backup plan?" she whispered before withdrawing a set of keys from her pocket and jiggling them a little. "You didn't!" Darcy said loudly, laughing as Chloe nodded. "Well, what are you waiting for?" asked Sienna, giggling as Chloe stepped toward the cell door. She slid the key into the lock on the other side of the bars, unlocked the door. It creaked as it swung open, and then Chloe dashed out before spinning and slamming it shut, locking the door before the others could get out. "What are you doing!" hissed Nicola angrily.

"Guys, I'm so sorry. I can't let any of you get hurt. We've lost too many," Chloe whispered, glancing over her shoulder to see if anyone was coming. "Look, we're on the fifth floor. How do you expect to get out of here?" Mikayla asked pointedly, and Chloe groaned, running her hands through her hair as she thought. "Staircase," she murmured, "We took an elevator up here. Most of the police use it. I can slip out using the staircase." Darcy groaned, but didn't protest. "Fine. Just come back for us. If you think you can rescue Rachael alone…you do that," he whispered, and Chloe nodded. "I'll come back for you," she promised, and then turn and fled the corridor. Leaving the others behind, she skidded into another corridor and began sprinting hard. It took a few minutes before finding a door, opening it and finding the staircase.

Chloe began hurtling down the steps two at a time, not caring for how loud she was being as she began her escape. She dove past the door onto the fourth floor, skidded around the staircase, charged down the steps and then skidded to a stop just outside the third floor. The sign above the door read in gold: ARMOURY. Chloe grinned to herself, then kicked the door open. Inside, there was only one police officer keeping watch, and he whirled around as the door sprang open, Chloe standing in the doorway. "Freeze!" the officer shouted, immediately whipping his hand to the gun holstered by his side. Choe snapped her hand toward the taser on the shelf nearby as the cop struggled to free his weapon. He finally raised it, but Chloe was more than ready, taser already raised before pulling the trigger.

The officer suddenly let out a strangled cry before crumpling to the ground as a buzzing sound emitted, and Chloe chuckled before throwing the taser aside. She cracked her knuckles, swept a pair of keys from the officer's belt, unlocked the bolt across a rectangular cabinet and opened it. Inside, strapped to the walls and collected along the bottom, were weapons that made Chloe's eyes glint with love. There was a weapon that caught her eye the most though. Stood and leaning against the corner of the cabinet was, to Chloe's joy and surprise, was a sword. Long and the blade silver and gleaming, it stood out against the rifles and pistols that also occupied the space. Chloe reached down to grab a long sheath, wrapped it around her body so her shoulders secured it, then reached for the sword.

It had been lighter than she first thought, the grip hard and leather as the blade passed through the air easily. It was just as the movies said. Just like slicing through butter. The air seemed to part as the sword moved, making each motion swift and sharp. Choe smiled and sheathed the blade against her back, enjoying the feeling of the now harmless weapon pressed up against her shirt. Chloe clipped a belt around her waist, slid two pistols into the holster on either side, picked up a rifle, flicked the safety on, shoved it down between her shorts and the belt, then turned to the door. No one had come down, but as she exited the armoury, a blaring alarm sounded. "One of them escaped!" came a shout from upstairs, and Chloe groaned. She began running down the stairs once again.

She headed down to the second floor, but before she could finally reach the first floor, the door sprung open, and two cops ran out. They seemed just as stunned to see her as she was to see them. Their reaction were slow, and Chloe used that to kick out, her foot smashing into one of their stomachs and sending them rolling down the hard concrete steps. The second immediately reached to grab Chloe by the arm, yet she dodged away, spun and jammed her palm against the cop's face. He staggered backward, and Chloe immediately wrestled the taser from his belt, raised it and fired into his stomach. The cop doubled over, and Chloe slammed her elbow against the back of his head, watching as the cop crumpled. She leapt over the bodies and kept running. Chloe reached the bottom in seconds and wrenched the door open, running to find several police officers waiting nearby.

Ahead of them was Andrew, his expression stern and commanding. "Chloe…don't even think about it!" he growled aggressively, and Chloe skidded to a halt, staring at the several officers. They saw the weapons she had stolen, and immediately tasers were drawn. Some even drew firearms. "Andrew, I am not your enemy. I get you're upset but locking us up won't do anything! This killer is on the loose with your daughter, and you think we are the ones you should be locking up?" Some of the officer now looked hesitant. It appeared Chloe wasn't alone in this opinion. "Andrew…she's right," whispered one, and Andrew turned to glare at him before turning back to Chloe. "Look, you have two choices. Either give yourself up or try to escape. I say try because I will not let you leave without making sure you are injured. You won't be able to run, Chloe. Just stop all this!"

Chloe thought for a few moments, then dropped the sheath from her back and undid the belt, letting it drop to the ground with a crash along with the weapons it had supported. Andrew chuckled, but then Chloe raised her fists. "You thought I would give up that easily? I'm going to find her, even if you're too scared to do so. But if you want to fight me, I'll at least give you a fighting chance." Andrew's eyes widened, but then he too dropped his weapons and raised his fists. "Then whatever happens next will happen without regret or remorse," he muttered, and Chloe nodded. "Bring it," she said, her eyes narrow and full of both anger and determination. She didn't want to do this, but what choice did she have? Before any of them could run forwards, a clattering sound rang out. Chloe looked around. The other police officers had dropped their weapons defiantly and turned to face Andrew.

Chloe couldn't read their expressions, but the amount of anger and injustice she could feel radiating was powerful and overwhelming. "So, that's how it is then?" asked Andrew softly, and the closest officer stepped forward, speaking slowly and carefully. "Andrew, we both know this is wrong. Punishing them for crimes they have not committed…I will not be apart of that. Nor, it seems, will anyone else." Andrew looked around at them all, then bowed his head sadly. "I thought we were in this mission together," he murmured, and the officer nodded, gently placing his hand on Andrew's shoulder. "The mission has not changed. Your view of it has." Andrew's eyes widened as he looked back in Chloe's direction, who was strapping the belt around her belt before securing the sword to her back. "Don't make me regret this," Andrew murmured, and Chloe nodded at him.

He tossed her a set of keys, and then indicated to the closest vehicle, a police motorbike. "Well, don't wait for me," Andrew said flatly, and Chloe settled onto its seat comfortably, sliding the keys into the ignition, turned them and then revved the engine loudly. "You know where you're headed?" asked Andrew, and Chloe slowly nodded. "I have a small idea," she murmured as Andrew stopped just beside her. "Where? We cannot and will not let you go unless we know where he is," Andrew muttered under his breath, and Chloe looked up at him. "I think I know the general area where he will be. Try any tall building in South Bank. We know he likes the tall buildings for a better view but try there first. Rachael must be either with him or nearby. I'll search, but set up a perimeter around that area if you want to catch him"

Andrew looked absolutely baffled. "Southbank? Why on earth would he be there!" he demanded desperately, and Chloe groaned. She had hoped she wouldn't be the one to tell him of her suspicions but screw it. She had to tell him. If she didn't, then lives were on the line. If the police didn't know what they were facing, then they would be lead into a massacre. "As he said…he wants to send a message. And what better message then to destroy Brisbane City?" Andrew's eyes widened as Chloe took off, the motorbike shrieking as it disappeared around a corner.