After about thirty minutes since Astro had arrived, Cora decided it was time. She had her whole 'speech' planned out. Strolling over to the door, where a window showed, she thumped on it until the robot who was guarding looked at her.
"What do you want?" it said.
"Oh, I wanted to make a bargain." she began casually. "You see, Stone didn't mean to lock us up in here, he just, well, was in a rampage. I need to get out. So does Astro and Zella."
The robot nodded his tin-can head, "P'sh yea right."
"If you let us out," Cora said, smiling a winning smile, "I'll personally give you a new paint job. Maybe some weapons…" she glanced at her finger nails. Prey in sight. This guy was hooked.
"What else?" he asked.
Cora thought hard. He wanted more? "Anything you want." she finally said.
"Alright. But will you come back?" the dumb thing asked, already fiddling for his keys.
"Of course." Cora purred, "We just want out for, eh, an hour."
"One hour. No more no less." the robot conceded. He opened the door. "It's night time. Everyone's gone except for me." he sighed.
"Aw. Don't get too lonely while we're gone." Cora said, barely able to contain her excitement.
Astro and Zella were staring at her. Not blinking. Cora smiled, "Well, c'mon, let's go." she laughed. Then she stopped. "Wait, I have to do something." taking a stub of a pencil and a piece of paper from her pocket, she scribbled a note and left it there.
Astro shot out of the room like a bird from a cage. Zella followed wide eyed. Cora was the last to go out. She thanked the robot, feeling a bit sorry she was tricking him, and than the three skipped down the corridor.
"We have to get out." Astro said, "I don't know how to navigate Metro City. Once as we're out we should look for the nearest hotel and stay there."
"Until when?" Cora asked, walking alongside him.
Zella smiled, "We'll probably go to his dad's after that and seek help." acting like she had said something extremely smart.
"Most likely." Astro agreed. Zella squirmed, as if she couldn't believe he agreed with her. Cora scowled.
Astro glanced over at Cora. He smiled at Zella, "Hey, I think I left something in the cell. Could you go get it?"
"SURE!" Zella cried, running away like a puppy for his master.
"Hey…" he said shyly, "I'm sorry about everything. It got real mushy there, didn't it?"
"I can handle mushy." Cora said, taking hold of his hand. He gave a look like an angel back at her.
"Yeah.." he said. "Well, don't worry. No one will be punching you in the stomach, or tazzing me anymore."
Cora took her finger and traced his lips, she took her other hand and ran it up and down his arm so he shivered. She leaned towards his face, he leaned towards hers…
"HEY!" Zella screeched, "WHAT YOU DOING? ARE YOU GONNA MAKE FWOOZY TO HER?" Astro and Cora pulled away. Embarrassment central. They hadn't noticed she was back.
"Of course not." Astro said logically, "Why would I make 'fwoozy' to Cora in a hallway? Hmm?"
"Uhmm… Astro…" Cora stumbled.
"Oh." He seemed to realize he hadn't denied that he wanted to, or would have if the circumstances were different. He wasn't saying, like any normal guy, Oh ew, no way, holy cow you're sick.
Zella crossed her arms. "Well let's just go." and she began walking.
"I agree." Astro said. "We'd better hurry." they began walking down the corridor again. Each looking at each other. Zella sending hate glares at Cora.
Suddenly, as if by magic, they all looked forward and saw a menacingly locked super deluxe door in front of them. Cora scrunched her eyes up, readying for impact, still thinking about what had just happened with her and Astro…
But nothing happened. A sickening "SCREEE" came from the door as the hinges blew off. Astro looked at himself, astonished. "My powers… are… back."
"YESH!" Zella shrieked. They were outside. Cool, crisp night air. With just a sliver of light left in the sky.
Astro tested out his jets. They worked. He smiled at Cora. "Okay, guys, I can fly to a hotel. Each of you get on one side of me."
"How are we going to get inside the hotel?" Cora questioned.
"I've got this!" Zella struck a pose. Tight, pink, glittering dress swirling about her. Feather boa wrapped around her pale arms and twirled around her ankles. Perfect hair and makeup fluffed up. High pink satin heels turned at an expert angle.
Cora was painfully aware she was wearing tattered clothes and her hair was a mess. Makeup? She wasn't sure she had any on.
She looked at Astro. Luckily for her, he wasn't gaping at the model before him, but at what she held. "You didn't have to strike a pose to just show us that." he said.
In her hand, was a credit card.
"It was for effect." Zella answered back, sounding hurt.
"Alright, thanks, let's go." Astro waited as Cora put her arms around his neck and lightly hitched one of her feet around his waist. Zella did the same. Except she was hyperventilating.
Well, this is awkward. Cora thought.
"I just hope Stone doesn't find us." was all Astro said. Then he rocketed off with two screaming girls choking him with their efforts to hang on.
