Three Man Plan

This was the condition moments before Rick's battle inside the dining hall.

In a dark corner of the Ironclad Prison, three figures stood guard. They wore masks and hoods, hiding their identities in the shadows. Among them, the one who hid his face was Grady.

Grady stood in the middle, taking control of the situation. Next to him, a young man with black hair named Oslan crossed his arms over his chest, while a bespectacled man named Arno looked restless, occasionally adjusting his slightly slipped glasses.

"Okay, listen to me," Grady whispered, his voice firm but low enough for the guards to not hear. "We'll carry out the plan as we discussed earlier. But before that, let's make sure everything is ready."

However, before Grady could continue, Oslan raised his hand, interrupting him.

"Hey Grady, wait a minute," Oslan said in a slightly muffled voice. "Are you really sure about this plan? I mean… we're going to escape from the Ironclad. This isn't just stealing food from the kitchen or smuggling goods. This is a much bigger level. Also, if we make a wrong move, not only will we fail to escape, we'll also die at the hands of Bruno and his gang."

Arno swallowed, his eyes reflecting the dim light from the prison lights. He then joined in.

"He's got a point, Grady. Besides, if we get caught by the warden, our sentences could be extended. We might end up in solitary confinement, or worse, get a heavier sentence."

Oslan spoke again to add, this time his voice lower as if afraid someone would hear. "And one more thing. Do you really trust Rick? That guy is Bruno's enemy. They've fought each other several times. If we rely too much on him, and he turns out to be incapable of winning against Bruno's men, then we're done for. This whole plan could fall apart just like that."

Grady smiled slightly, then looked at Oslan and Arno with a sharp gaze. He took a slow breath before finally speaking in a calm but confident voice.

"I know the risks, and I know this sounds crazy. But listen to me carefully, this is our only chance to get out of this rotten place. Rick is our trump card. He's not an ordinary person anymore either. He's already destroyed many of Bruno's men, and I'm sure he can finish his part. All we have to do is play our part properly."

Arno looked hesitant. "But what if..."

"There are no 'ifs' in this plan," Grady said quickly. "We either do this with absolute certainty or we don't do it at all. I know you two want to get out of here, right?"

Arno still looked doubtful, but Grady didn't give him the chance to hesitate.

"Trust me. We've been in this place too long. I'm not going to waste this opportunity. If we follow the plan as we discussed, we can get out of the Ironclad."

Arno finally nodded slowly, rubbing his glasses. "Okay. I'll trust you this time, Grady. I don't want to die in this prison either."

Meanwhile, Oslan just took a deep breath, then looked at Grady with a resigned expression. "Alright, there's no point in me continuing to doubt this plan. I just want to make sure we don't die stupidly."

"Although I still feel this is a big risk, But... I also want to get out of this place." Oslan said again.

Grady smiled faintly, then clenched his fists. "Good. The three of us must move according to plan. Don't hesitate, don't panic. We're too close to retreat now."

The three of them exchanged glances. There were no more words to be said. They had made a decision.

After making sure no one saw them, they finally moved in three different directions, each heading towards the location that had been determined according to their duties.

~o0o~

Amidst the dimly lit silence of the prison, a hooded figure walked slowly, each step filled with caution. The silence of the prison corridor also seemed to swallow every sound, except for the heartbeat that was clearly audible.

Arno, the figure who was actually hidden behind the hood, walked with great calculation, avoiding the surveillance cameras installed in every corner. Behind his waist, he carried a hidden iron bar, ready to be used to launch his action.

Arno's sharp eyes scanned every corner, making sure his path was safe before going any further. His breathing was regular, but his heart beat fast when he saw a guard on patrol.

Without hesitation, he immediately hid behind the wall, pressing his body against the cold surface of the bricks. His hands gripped the iron bar tightly, waiting for the right time to attack.

The warden's steps were getting closer, the sound of shoes hitting the floor was clearly heard in Arno's ears. When the warden passed his hiding place, Arno immediately moved quickly. With all his strength, he swung the iron bar at the back of the warden's head. A loud crash echoed briefly, and the warden's body immediately swayed before falling unconscious on the floor.

While the CCTV camera had not yet pointed at him, Arno immediately dragged the unconscious warden's body to a more hidden place, far from the camera's view.

After making sure the warden was safe from observation, Arno stripped off his uniform and put it on his body as a disguise. Then, he also tied the unconscious warden's body to the nearest pole, making sure not a sound came out by gagging his mouth with a cloth.

Now, with the warden's uniform and his new identity, Arno had more freedom of movement. He took the warden's stun gun and communication device before continuing to his next destination, the. surveillance room.

As he walked down the hallway, two other wardens appeared around the corner. They walked casually, conversing without suspicion. However, Arno knew he couldn't take any chances.

Quickly, he pulled out a stun gun and fired an electric current at one of the guards. The guard's body stiffened, shaking for a moment before finally falling helplessly. The other guard gasped in surprise, but before he could react, Arno shot him twice in succession until his body collapsed to the floor.

With the same efficiency, Arno dragged the bodies of the two guards to a darker place, tying and gagging them like he did to the first victim. He also took their stun guns and their communication devices before rushing back to his path.

Once he arrived in front of the surveillance room, Arno took a deep breath. This was the most crucial point of his mission. He pushed the door open slowly, peeking inside. There was only one guard there, sitting casually on a chair while playing with something in his hands.

Without wasting any time, Arno raised his stun gun and fired. Making the warden flinch instantly, his body convulsing, but not completely unconscious.

With a shocked expression, the warden tried to get up, even though his body had lost coordination. Arno did not let the opportunity pass him by. He fired two more shots into the warden's body, making sure the victim was completely unconscious.

After making sure there were no other threats, Arno dragged the warden's body to the corner of the room and tied him up like the others. Then, he closed and locked the door to the surveillance room from the inside.

Calmly, he walked to the front of the prison's security and monitoring desk. Rows of screens showed various corners of the prison, including the dining room, the main hallway, and several prison cells. Arno moved his fingers over the keyboard, preparing to do his job. This was the starting point of their escape plan.