Chapter 10. Short Fuse
James finally arrived near the end of the long narrow corridor and discovered two prison cells. He slowly approached the first one, not sure of what he would find.
He was relieved to see Henry Jackson sleeping on a makeshift bed. He seemed okay, but had very dirty clothes on him.
"Mister Jackson!"
Jim tried to wake the man up but couldn't shout to loud man was snoring like a bear!
"Henry Jackson...wake-up!"
The man was still sound asleep.
"Sorry but I gotta do this!" thought Jim while picking a small rock on the ground to throw it at him through the bars.
Jackson woke-up immediately and threw himself of his bead. It felt as if he was used to being woken up this way.
"Yes! Yes! I am working...I was just getting some rest! Can't a man have 2 hours of sleep!"
Jackson stood up and stared at James. He had disheveled hair and looked as if he had not bathed in a while.
The look on his face was priceless.
"Who are you?" he said with a gravelly voice. "Are you a new employee here?" Jackson rubbed his eyes to see clearer.
"Sir, my name is James West, I'm from the secret service, I'm here to get you out!"
The poor man almost started to cry.
"Really? You found us? You will get us out of here? You're not another Baxter employee?""
"No sir, I investigated your disappearance with my partner, I will get you out of here!" replied James with a softer voice. "Where is Spencer? Is he here somewhere?"
Jackson pointed at the other cell. His cell communicated with Spencer' could see each other but bars kept them apart. James hadn't noticed Spencer still sound asleep in the farthest corner of the room, on a tiny bed made out wood.
"You have to be careful! You never know when Baxter's men might come by! Hurry!" said Jackson with a lower tone of voice.
"Stand back Mister Jackson, I will open the door!"
Jim took the heel of his boot off, picked-up a small sticky explosive, placed against the lock of the bars, took a little short fuse from his belt buckle to stick it in and lighted it up with a match.
"It will explode in just a few seconds. Take cover!"
Jackson went in the furthest corner of his cell and curled up in a little ball.
The explosion wasn't has loud as Jim expected but it sure woke-up Spencer that was sleeping in the next cell.
"What is this?" said the man, who didn't seem to appreciate being woken-up this way.
James entered Jackson's cell.
"James West, Secret Service, I'm here to get you both out! Be ready Mister Spencer, I will do the same for your cell!"
It only took a few seconds for the man to regain his full senses and understand what was going on.
"Is this true Henry? We will finally get out of this hell?""
Spencer was as shocked as his cell partner.
"Yes George! This man is from the secret services! They finally found us! Your plan worked!"
James was about to place another small explosive on the lock of the cell when he fell something cold hit his head.
After that...it all went all black.
End of chapter 9