The Escape – Part 1
"And now stay put, you dirty dog!"
Full of anger lieutenant Sanzo held the tied up pirate at his collar and shook him harshly. He was the man in command, was able to decide about life or death for the other one within an instant, but still it was the other one grinning at him like the devil himself.
His arrogant eyes never failed to meet his own. The snotty pirate behaved like he was the one in charge, like he was the one controlling the whole situation and not the marine officer. But he did not fight, not that he would have been able to. Hands and feet cuffed, trapped in jail of the marine, helplessly delivered to the mercy of the lieutenant and the other two soldiers guarding the door.
But he was still not broken, the man in white could tell. He was still able to make the officer livid with rage every time he had to come down here, like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. That bastard kept grinning all the time, making snotty comments over them. Since he was captured, he was the one making their lives miserable.
Unlike the other pirate, cowering almost lifeless at the other site of the room, tied up at the wall. For one moment he watched the pirate at the ground. His dirty, felted hair covered his face, making it impossible to tell, if his eyes were opened or closed. Sanzo had to admit, that this guy looked horrible. Who knew if he would survive the next days?
In the beginning he had been fighting as well, one time he had even ripped his chains out of the stonewall, going berserk. But now it seemed like he had given up, like he was just waiting for his trial, for his sentence, like any good prisoner should behave.
Suddenly the officer was punished for his absence, as the pirate, whom he was still holding at his collar, spit in his face, that evil smile never leaving the cracked lips, not even six inches away from his own. More surprised than anything else he starred in those green eyes, who looked back victoriously like the other one was the one winning.
With all the strength his muscle could give, he slammed the pirate on the ground, breaking the stone beyond. Interrupting the harsh breathing of his captive with some well balanced kicks in his already wounded side.
The pirate gasped for air but not once his mouth would let go a cry of pain.
"I will teach you some manners!" The lean man yelled, hitting his already injured abdomen again and again. At that very moment a small, well-fed soldier appeared in the door.
"Lieutenant Sanzo!" He squeaked breathless and even in the missing light of the cell it was impossible to ignore his huge sweatmarks while he saluted duteous.
"What?!" He turned around, furious, almost stepping on the strangled wrist of his captive. His black shoes clacked dangerously. His cold grey eyes wavered through brown curls like he tried to burn the newbie.
"The Vice Admiral asks for your attendance, Sir!"
Slowly the officer looked down to his victim and back up to the soldier, then again down.
"Is it important?" He asked after some while with his raspy smoker-voice. "You see, I'm kind of busy right now."
His gaze was focused on the pirate. Turning his head to the left and to the right, letting his bones crack. There was no will to kill in his eyes, just simple, clean hate in his face, making him look so much older than he was. He could not let that pirate win, not again. This battle he needed to win. Angry he smashed his fist against the wall, making it quiver helplessly.
He knew, he needed to break that pirate. The sooner, the better.
The poor weakling in the door seemed really scarred of his boss.
The smell of his sweat slowly reeked through the small cell, reaching the pirate tied up at the wall on the other site, who watched like all of this did not affect him. Unable to help, arms and legs in chains. The body forceless, the soul tired, exhausted from the days, captured without sunlight in this moist whole, the insufficient mud of food not really helping at all.
For days he just wanted to give in, he was too weary to resist those soldiers any longer. But every damn time he tried to close his eyes, his cell comrade seemed to awaken once again to bring another fight up against their guards.
For a moment he looked at his friend, lying in the dirt, looked at the agitated breast raising and falling harshly, not able to understand why that idiot kept struggling, why he kept risking his life. Suddenly the other one gave him a grin, like he was having the best time in his life, before he closed his eyes. Maybe it just had been his imagination.
Then his gaze met the one of the lieutenant. The pure hate reaching out for him was making it hard to breath. Being a pirate he was used to the respectless views of strangers, their unfriendly words about him, but the way this man looked at him was completely different. It made him almost feel like he deserved this prison.
Just like his crewmate, who was still lying on the ground, the eyes closed for sure now. But the cook was certain, that the other one was not unconscious. No, it would take way more than this to knock someone out like Roronoa Zoro and even more to break him.
"So?" The annoyed voice of the lieutenant brought him back to reality. The soldier awakened as well from his frozen position.
"Yes, Sir! The Vice Admiral said it was really important! It's about the transport of the captives to the prisoner-island in two days."
The man in command sighed like an old machine.
"Very well, I'm coming."
The relieved little mister Fatty made one step back, nodded sharply and rushed away.
Once again Sanzo placed his insulting view upon the pirate, before ordering the other two soldiers.
"Take care of the garbage and then come upstairs!"
"Yes, Sir!" they answered in unison, but he did not even wait for their words before leaving the cell with clacking shoes.
"No food again!" His voice echoed from the cold stones in the hallway.
Seconds later the two men left took care of the pirate on the ground, lifting him up and putting him back into his chains at the wall to the right of the cook. They had some issues carrying the grownup man because the former pirate hunter did not even think of helping them, slacking all of his muscles. But they did not complain; they talked happily over things happening in their base, ignoring the two dangerous men in chains.
Maybe they were glad to have some minutes without their moody boss.
"So you're new here? Coming from Navarone?"
The soldier with the little chin-beard locked the handcuffs of the pirate.
"Oh no, that's where I wanted to move to, but they placed me here."
"Really? Since when does the administration do that? Got no family?"
They were silent for a moment, while the cook in his chains was getting annoyed about their blubbering. Why did they have to hold their meet-and-greet in his little cell?
The boy with the long black hair shook his head.
"Just my dad, but he is never at home."
"Also part of the navy?"
"Of course, Captain Moor, he was the one, who ordered my relocation to this base and not to the G-8, because Navarone is only for weaklings in his opinion. All of the supervisors are too loose he says."
"Well he is not wrong about that, but here at Senichi it is not much different, to be honest." Chin-beard admitted bored and scratched his ear.
"Yeah, that's what I thought as well when I started here but not even two days later I experience the best thing possible for my career. First the Vice Admiral blows up the whole smugger-circle of Colpo Carcere and then he even captures the Strawhats himself. Man! And I was there, even meeting the legendary Homura, the best swordsman of the Navy. I'm just so happy that I followed my father's order to come here."
"Oh boy, I wish I had you enthusiasm. Those days were the hardest of my life. That was really tough work and I have five kids, I know what I'm talking about. Those pirates really put up a fight against us and we had to carry in all the smuggler goods into the base. My muscles are still aching."
Chains clanked and locks clacked, while the soldiers laughed and tied up the feet of the seemingly unconscious pirate.
"We still got some time till diner. The Vice Admiral allowed us to take a look at the other crewmembers. Wanna join?"
The other one shook his head.
"No thanks. I really don't need that. I'm already satisfied, if I spend my worktime with criminals. But I come along to the changing rooms."
With a loud bang the door fell shut behind them, hiding almost all of the light, except for one small stray, which passed through the door viewer.
The dulled voices of the soldiers slowly faded while they're mourned over the bad canteen food.
Exhausted, Sanji let his head sink to his breast. He was glad those fish-wives had finally left. Their gibberish made his head heavy and his ears deaf. What would he give for a damn cigarette? For days he detoxed unintended and even though it got better, he missed the calming taste of the nicotine. Again this night would be without food as well for him and his crewmate. How he would love to go to the canteen, stretching his legs, talking with someone else beside that stupid mosshead. Now hours would have to pass again, hours where he could do nothing, except waiting for the marines and hoping that they did not kill one of his friends meanwhile. If they were not already dead, that is.
"Great job again, Marimo!" he scolded the other one furious. But Zoro did not meet his gaze, keeping an interested eye on his hands.
"If you think so."
More than mad the cook stared at the absolutely alive mosshead.
"Yeah, I think so! You heard what Fatty said. In two days they will hand over all prisoners to a ship for transporting them to another prison. That will be our one and only chance. But instead of staying calm and gaining some strength, you take every opportunity to get beaten up by that lieutenant. Why do you have to put more attention on us than we already have? They should underestimate us, but just because you have the brain of a protozoon…"
"Safe your breath, dartbrow."
The swordsman interrupted him, but his eyes did not once look at him.
"Shut up! Your behavior is endangering our escape. You don't care about that?"
"No, but…"
"But what? You love being their wall decoration so much, that you want to give up your freedom?"
The other one did not answer.
In a bad mood the cook looked over to him, sighing. He hated, when that idiot was annoying. He hated even more, when that idiot acted before thinking. But he hated the most, when that idiot gave up in the middle of a discussion. He did not like when the other one gave in. In this way he was not winning, this victory was worthless. In addition to that he started worrying. Maybe lieutenant Sanzo did break his crewmate in the end.
"Okay, so you do care. So why do you keep hobbling our only chance?"
The green eyes were placed upon him in a serious matter, he did not seem at all like he had given up, but his words told otherwise.
"Trying to escape at the prisoner-handover is useless."
"Why?" he asked shocked.
That was the one moment! All of them would be brought outside of their different cells to the harbor, where a navy ship would await them. It was the best opportunity they had and by the way it was the only one they had.
The other one watched the door.
"You heard them, didn't you? They're getting ready. Every single soldier of this base will be alert during the handover of pirates and smuggler. Besides…"
Zoro wetted his dry lips, was he nervous?
"Not all of the crew could escape."
Surprised Sanji looked at him.
"What do you mean by that?"
The other one swallowed before continuing.
"Not all members of our crew will be changing prison. Just those of us, who need a special trial in front of the world government. Naming Franky, Robin, Luffy and myself. Everybody else will be judged here by the commandant of the G-6, Vice Admiral Hakkai."
Except for the steady dripping of water somewhere far away everything was silent. Sanji could not breathe. His eyes were focused on the grey ground to his feet. He needed a cigarette, urgently. The last days he had been thinking so much, prayed for that day, fought for that day, not giving up and now?
"How do you wanna now that?"
"I listened." His answer was too calm. "Those guards talk a lot when they think you passed out."
He was so quiet, like he knew all along what was going to happen, like he was holding the reigns. Silently the chains clanged, but the cook did not look up.
"So that means we're done? There is no chance anymore? It's over?"
Only the chains of the other one answered him, sounding like they were breaking ice.
"And again you're wrong."
His head shot up. Zoro had fixed all his attention on his tied up hands above his head, seeming less hopeless than before.
"You are absolute right, when you say, that we need to leave, cook. But of course we cannot wait until this whole base is prepared for the worst."
A silent clack made the swordsman grin.
"Starting tomorrow, everybody will get ready for the handover and they will expect us to make our move, so…"
The handcuffs opened up.
"We have about two hours now, before somebody will look for us after diner, for our escape."
Amazed the blonde watched as the other one loosened his feet shackles, stood up and stretched himself slowly.
"But how…?"
Zoro kept grinning, showing him a small bundle of keys.
"Sometimes our navigating witch knows some nice tricks. It's not like I would not pay attention."
It was the first time for days that the cook was able to move freely. It was great, despite his pained muscles, his broken rip and his sprained ankle. He enjoyed the small stings and bites of his body; it was so good to be his own master again.
"And now? We cannot just run around aimlessly, hoping to find the others before we are discovered. So far they are alive, I mean," he added uncertain.
Zoro's back faced him while the greenhaired one watched the door, before nodding almost unnoticed.
"They are alive." That was all.
"And how do you know that?"
But again the older one did not answer and Sanji felt the urge to grab Zoros collar and shaking him harshly, like the lieutenant did minutes ago, just to get some stupid words out of that stupid idiot.
"So?" he asked again.
"I know it."
Not more, not one single word more.
The cook told himself to keep breathing slowly, but all he wanted to do was strangle his crewmate.
"If not, the soldiers would have talked about it. I was the only one making problems, except for your berserker-action some days ago."
He finally answered, surprising Sanji once again. He remembered his breakdown moment, when the greed for nicotine, the desperation for his friends and the craving for freedom had taken the better of him. But they had no time for this stuff. They had to take action, so he made a step forward and laid a hand on the other ones shoulder.
"So plain-talking: What do we do?"
Slowly the former pirate hunter turned around, caught in deep thoughts, a side of him that was not seen often and was often enough reason to worry. Then he raised his view, looking at the cook.
"I got a plan."
He took his time with every word, like he wanted to make sure, to choose the exact right one.
"It's a little bit tricky but it should work."
With new hope Sanji grabbed the Arm of the other one.
"That's great. So tell me, what is your plan?"
Once again the older one did not react immediately. His eyes fixed on his arm and Sanjis hand.
"Do you trust me?" he asked quietly.
"What?"
The cook was not used for the other one doubting himself. What could possibly worry him that much?
"Do you trust me, that I have a plan to get everyone out of here?"
The question was serious, the blonde realized. It was no prank or game, like other times. The situation was too serious and now Sanji realized that this would be their only chance. If they got caught, they would probably be executed and if they stayed in their cell, at least most of them would be doomed for death.
He nodded.
"I do not trust your sense of direction or your taste in clothes. But when we are talking about our crew, I would never doubt you, Marimo. We will protect them!"
Finally the other one face his eyes and then he nodded as well.
"Alright. Let's go and get the others out!"
Suddenly the older one turned around to the door, trying out the different keys. Sanji went next to him and peered through that little hole in the door outside. It was the first time he could see what was past their cell. He had been unconscious when they arrived. Only one well-placed hit at the back of his head had been enough to end his battle before it even really had been started.
His eyes were almost blinded by the light on the other side; he was so used to the darkness by now. Similar to the ground under his feet the hallway was tiled with that same yellow-grayish stone. The walls were planked with simple wood, age showing his face by drying it and losing its color. Not the smartest thing to do in Sanjis opinion, looking to those unsecured candles, shining in the corridor instead of modern lamps. Except for some lonely barrels, nothing strange was to be seen.
"So what is your plan for now?" He tried again to get some answers, this time successfully.
"Down the hallway, following the soldiers to the changing rooms."
Sanji nodded. He did not like at all how the other one behaved. Serious, thinking and damn self-doubting. He was even more quiet than usual and his grin from earlier had disappeared for good. He was probably just as nervous as Sanji was.
With a small click Zoro found the right key and unlocked the door. They exchanged one short glance then he opened the door. Their escape had just begun.
There was still no one to be seen or heard. Uncertain the cook took a look around.
"Okay, you said after those soldiers, right? So that means to the right. Didn't you hear me, idiot? Right!"
He pointed in the exact different direction than the other one was heading. Sighing Sanji ruffled his hair, this was going to be way more exhausting than he expected. He closed the door they just passed and followed the other one, grabbed his arm and pulled him along. With every step he could hear small splashes and he noticed that the ground in front of their cell was all the way covered with some kind of clear fluid, coming from those strange barrels.
Well that was none of his business. He had more important things to worry about than some leaking containers of the navy. But the swordsman followed him only very slowly, irritating his nerves, as a soldier could show up any second.
The cook hurried past one cell after another. They were all on his right, dark and empty. Behind him he could hear the heavy footsteps of the mosshead, at least he was following him.
"So where is that changing room?"
Before he could finish his question he saw a door to his left for the first time, without a peep hole.
"This has to be the one."
Silently he rushed to one side of the door, Zoro covering the other one. They nodded fierce to each other and then the swordsman pushed down the handle.
With a soft cry the door opened to the inside, showing a dark room, obviously not used for the moment by anybody. Like shadows they slid inside. To his left Sanji heard a click and seconds later two old lanterns lit up weary, flickering every ones in a while.
The room was very old but big. On the wall in the back was a huge built-in closet. On his left was a door made out of milk glass, probably leading to the showers. The wall to the right was covered by two old sinks with blind mirrors as well as some shelves and one buzzing fridge, big and old just like that whole room. In the middle was a giant table with some mixed chairs, covered under a dirty sheet and some mingle-mangle of books, game-cards and other stuff.
Everything in this marine base seemed old-fashioned but functional. Similar to the vice admiral himself, but the simple soldiers could not honor that obviously.
The door cried again as Zoro closed it before locking. Then he went straight to the closet, opened it and started scuffing around.
"Go, wash yourself!" he ordered from deep inside the wooden doors.
"Sure, Mom." He answered annoyed, but following that instruction. He would have loved to bark back at that idiot, but the idea of water and soap just had a greater appeal for him right now. However he could not take the luxury of a long hot shower, he had to hurry, there was no time.
Seconds later the swordsman followed, taking off what was left of his clothes, ripping away the dirty bandages from his torso and started cleaning his body, not under the shower like Sanji, but just with a simple, wet rag, not making any more effort than necessary. For a moment the cook watched the other one.
Zoro was not in a good shape. The complete left side of his body was shimmering in a dark blue tone, changing on its ends to green and yellow. The huge wound hand only been taken care of in a rough-and-ready way from some navy doctor, so it was no surprise, that most of the stitches were burst open and showing strange, yellow flesh, obviously inflamed. The area around the ribcage seemed badly swollen and those careful movements of the other one told him that it had to hurt pretty damn much. The other smaller and bigger injuries covering that muscular body were not that much of a problem.
"After we are safe and sound you should let Chopper take a look at that."
The other one looked up for a second but did not say anything, which Sanji was kind of getting used to. The mosshead was really in a bad mood, talking even less than usual.
They did not even take two minutes to clean the most necessarily body parts.
Drying himself Sanji took a look at his clothes, well the remains of it.
"Take the stuff from the table." His partner in crime said, not waiting for his reply before going into a small room next to the showers. He really did not like at all, that he was bossed around by that Marimo, but his reeking suit gave him not much of a choice.
Mad at himself and of course that idiot mosshead he decided that he could pay him back when they were back on the Thousand Sunny.
In the main room he was greeted by two complete uniforms for navy soldiers, including cap and tie. He even found underwear, socks and boots in the same color combination. Puzzled he looked at their enemy's outfit, shrugged his shoulders and put them on.
"What about those clothes?" He asked the swordsman, who just came back, a clean bandage more or less tied around his torso, and taking the other uniform.
"If you wanna run around naked, feel free to do so." He answered sharply not looking up.
Getting mad again Sanji stuck his head out of his new shirt, but Zoro continued talking.
"It's better if we're in disguise than running around in our old stuff, reeking of blood and dirt."
The cook nodded halfheartedly while binding his tie.
"They really pay attention to their daily schedule here. Getting up, Getting to work and most importantly: The times of eating. Everybody should be at dinner right now, if they don't want any problems."
A small laughter passed Sanjis lips. "Sounds almost like Navarone."
"Even worse." The other one agreed a shadow of a grin on his lips.
"Take that bag over there and put all our stuff inside. If somebody sees that trash, our cover will be blown directly."
"So why don't you do that, Marimo?" Sanji argued pissed off.
"Cause I got the plan," the other one answered cold, tipping one finger against his head.
Murmuring complaints about his stupid crewmate Sanji did as he was told, fetching all clothes and putting the used towels and dirty bandages in an assigned basket for that. The fewer hints there were the better for them.
When he came back into the main room, he could see the other one bowing over some pieces of paper, writing with an enormous speed and having a concentrated look on his face. For a heartbeat he wanted to interrupt his friend, but whatever he did, it seemed necessary so Sanji decided to trust him.
While Zoro tried to be his best as an author the cook started to become nervous. They already spent more than ten minutes in this room, just a hallway away from their cell and he had no idea what to expect from the upcoming events. It did not soften his worries, that it was no one else but that muscle-head, who had come up with a strategy, usually he was more the let's-see-what-happens-type. And now he even had this idea of changing clothes, it was impossible to tell what else that idiotic mossbrain would come up with.
Sanji chased through the room, opening the big cooler. Surprised he realized that there was no food in it, just all different kinds of drink.
Thoughtfully he looked at the display.
"What are you doing? We got no time for food. You can take care of that later, cook!"
Surprised he turned around and closed the door, while the other one ripped awaythe bag from his hands and pulled up the zipper with an annoyed sigh.
"Aren't you the one spending precious time with writing loveletters, mosshead?"
He expected a reaction of the swordsman, leading them to a nice little fistfight, but again Zoro surprised him by just turning around and going to the door.
"No time for that. Let's go!"
Without waiting for an answer he turned the key around and opened the door.
In front of them stood three soldiers. The one in the middle obviously being someone important, the way he showed his pride swollen chest with two small medals.
"Soldiers!" he barked loudly and Sanji was already getting ready for battle. Their cover was blown within a second!
"Why are you not attending dinner?"
He did not know what to say. Hurriedly he thought about a good excuse, but before he could even open his mouth the man next to him slammed his heels together and saluted straight.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I was just ordered here from Navarone, Sir. The Vice Admiral has been so kind allowing me to take a look at the Strawhats. My comrade is showing me the way. I hope that is not a problem, Sir?"
Sanji's mouth gapped wide open as he watched the former pirate hunter in soldier uniform talk. His voice was lighter than usually and he kept his head low, like being in awe. Again another talent he did not expect from that man.
Fast he reacted as well, closing his mouth and saluting, too. What the mosshead could do should not be any problem for him.
"We finished dinner earlier, Sir. So we can be on time to our next assignment, Sir. I'm sorry, Sir."
After one moment of fast heart beating the medalman smiled softly.
"Understood. Continue."
"But Sir?" One of the soldiers asked. "That's against the rules."
But the leader paid that no attention.
"Vice Admiral Hakkai loves to show his collections around. Let the newbie have some fun. Take good care of him…"
"Kenren, Sir." Sanji answered without thinking.
"Kenren. Well. Just one more thing."
Medalman made one step towards them, standing just in front of the swordsman, who was just half a head smaller and did not dare to raise his head. Sanji could see that Zoro hold his breath for a second, holding his cap deep over his face to hide as much green hair as possible.
"Your tie, soldier. That is not appropriate."
The three golden earrings of the dressed-up cadet ringed softly as the taller man straightened the white tie.
"And I do not know how your superiors from Navarone kept it, but we do not tolerate childish provocation and rebellion. You should eliminate those immature witnesses of ignorance and arrogance as soon as possible."
The swordfighter saluted again.
"Of course, Sir, You are right, Sir. Thank you, Sir!"
The tall man stepped back, smiling generously.
"Now it is all right. You may go and enjoy the fruits of justice."
Giving their props and nodding deeply the two disguised pirates left hurriedly, whereat Sanji had to stop the greenhaired one two times to run into some of the cells.
Did he even have any sense of direction? Wood boxes and barrels in the hallway did not help at all. Again and again the swordsman ran against the stuff in his way or slammed the bag against it, throwing boxes down and breaking them.
"Stop it!" Sanji barked at the other one, snapped the bag out of his hand and pulling him into the right direction. He could only pray that Mr. Medalman would not become suspicious about all the noises the swordsman caused.
Some hundreds steps later Zoro stopped, looking around, stopping also his path of destruction. For a moment he closed his eyes to relax and Sanji as well let out a sigh of relieve, grinning widely.
"Oh my, that could have been it for us."
The swordsman nodded simply.
"But I was not aware that you could be such a good soldier, private Roronoa."
He just got a downgrading glance from the other one, before he continued going.
"Oh come on. What's wrong with you? You usually never say no to some quarrel." He complained.
"Later, Sanji, later I promise, but for know I need to think," was all he got as an answer.
"Again?"
"Just shut up, cook!"
They were silent, one mad, one thinking, while Zoro counted the doors of the cells. To their right was a huge, dark stairway chopped into the same yellow stone, missing only wood and candles.
"This one." With those words the swordsman ran to one cell, which was cater-cornered to the stairs and pulled out the keys of his pockets.
"What are you doing now?" the cook hissed, rushing next to his comrade and keeping watch. Without any problems the creaking door opened and the pirates went back into a cell.
After the light-up corridor the dark room made it impossible for Sanji to see anything more than unclear shadows.
"You lubbers again? Just give it up. Aint gonna say anything about my buddies."
The cook closed the door behind him, recognizing that voice instantly.
"Nobody asked you to," the swordsman countered.
"Can't be! Zoro, Sanji!"
Finally his eyes got used to the darkness.
"Franky! Brook!" He could not hide his relieve.
"What the hell you're wearing there? Image problems?"
Zoro just grinned, while he freed the cyborg, who could not move an inch, being wrapped into heavy stealchains.
"How come you're not in sea prism handcuffs, Brook?"
The cook stayed at the door, keeping an eye on the outside world.
"Well, no one asked me, if I had eaten a devil-fruit. They all thought I was some kind of demon, so why tell them?"
The skeleton shrugged his bony shoulders.
Franky stood up, stretching his muscles and flipping back his blue hair, blocking his view.
"So what's up bros? What's the plan?" He asked, his eyes moving in between the cook, standing at the door, and Zoro, freeing the other crewmate, before getting up as well.
The swordsman took his time to look at each one of the others and then he talked.
"Okay. Listen up: You three take the stairs in front of this cell all the way down, to the underground harbor of this base. The Sunny should be there somewhere, you take it and leave. Right at this moment most soldiers are eating supper, so there should be less guards, but there will be some, got that?"
Everyone nodded simultaneous. It was an escape plan, not much to talk about.
"'kay. I'm gonna get the other ones and meet you on your way outside."
"Hey, wait a second," Sanji interrupted. "I'm not leaving without the lovely Robin or my dear Nami!"
The greenhaired one sighed.
"Seriously? Now?! Cook, this is not the right time for…"
"No, you listen! If you're on your own you will just get lost. I'm coming along and make sure those two lovely ladies get out safely."
Unnerved the swordsman scratched his hair, losing his cap while doing so and catching it.
"Oh well, how about you two? Gonna be fine alone?"
Brook nodded eagerly but Franky was not really convinced. Deep wrinkles showed up on his forehead.
"Should be okay, but fighting might be a problem. My batteries are empty and that guy over there is still quite fragile from our last fight." He said, opening his empty fridge.
"No Problem." Sanji grinned, before Zoro could say anything and opened the bag they carried around. Out of the ragged clothes he pulled some bottles of coke and one filled with milk.
"All set up."
"Super!"
While he handed those bottles to his crewmates he could see the surprised view of the mosshead, before nodding with a small smile. Well, that was really creepy. He was so scared of that strange behavior of the other one.
"Okay, that's how we do it. When you reached the Sunny, don't take the main entrance, follow the canalization, it had to be fixed or something so the big warships cannot pass it at the moment, but our ship is much smaller so that should not be any problem. Somewhere down there the others will be waiting for you, understood?"
Once again all of them nodded, but the cook started to ask himself, where Zoro did get all that information from. Was it really possible to learn all that just by listening? Was that the reason why he kept irritating the soldiers, so they spend as much time as possible in their little cell?
"Great, here it's all written down."
With those words the swordsman offered one of his strange loveletters to the skeleton.
"And if you see any of those strange barrels or woodenboxes on your way, destroy them. Take some of them with you onboard and throw them out on your way, okay"
The other two nodded.
"But why…"
"And for you, cook." Zoro cut off the unfinished question.
"You take the stairs as well. Two levels below us should be the sea prism cages, where Luffy, Chopper and Robin are. One of those keys should be able to open the door and here are the ones for their handcuffs." He pulled out three heavy keys, each labeled with a number.
"Where did you get those from?" The skeleton asked surprised.
"From the lieutenant of course. However cook, you four also have to go down to the canalization, but don't take the same stairs you used before, there should be another one down the hallway. I think Luffy is in a bad shape and I don't know about the others, so you have to take care of them. Here, one letter for you and don't forget those damn barrels."
With every single word the voice of the swordsman got more hectic.
"But what about…"
"We got not time for that. We have to go, now!"
Zoro was not up for any discussion. He had something stuck into his head, to get all of them out and in this moment the other three could not do anything else, but putting their faith in him, that he knew, what he was doing. They nodded and Sanji took the offered piece of paper, while handing over the bag with their clothes.
"Just in case!" Zoro muttered morbid.
The cook opened the door. No one was there. He really wondered how it was possible for them to run around here almost unseen. But maybe the Marimo was right. Just before the nightshift started, when everybody had to be alert, people were usually just waiting for their work day to be over, enjoying a hot meal, becoming tired, waiting for bedtime. This was their moment to take action.
Together with Franky and Brook he ran down those stairs without even looking back to the swordsman. Even here barrels and boxes were scattered and like they were told, they did not spare one. While running Sanji tried to read that strange letter of Zoro, but the bad handwriting and the missing light made it impossible to understand more than those first few words.
"Okay, this is my exit." He yelled to the other two, waving at them, when they reached the second down level from where they started. He did not wait for their answers, but rushed forwards into the corridor, where a wall of some sort of steal greeted him. Other than the hallway where he and the other three had been hold, this wall only had a few doors to show, most of them open, showing small cages, lined up with metal strings. It was obvious what kind of metal it was.
It really seemed like this stronghold did not have much prisoners except for his crew and those smugglers.
Going down the corridor, hearing nothing else than the lonely whispers of this building, he wondered where those smugglers were at, but his question was answered when he took a look into the first closed cell he found. More than twenty men cowered there next to each other, waiting for death. One of them noticed Sanji's shadow through the peep hole; he started immediately cursing and screaming with a raspy voice.
Those wishes of doom, the hustling of the wind, and those empty cells, looking like dead eyes of an animal followed the blonde, giving him the chills and he missed his jacket, wearing only this stupid marine-shirt. Maybe he should head into the other direction, maybe he went the wrong way.
Just at that moment he saw another closed door. More careful than before he looked inside.
His stomach twisted in agony. His hand pressed shaking against the door, he swallowed hard. There they were, his other crewmates.
Just across the room leaned the beautiful Nico Robin against the wall, but her appearance filled Sanji with anger. Her head was turned to the side, so he could not see her breathtaking features, but she was obviously not in good condition. Her hands were behind her back, probably constrained. Her once astonishing dress was dirty and torn. Her naked skin on shoulders, legs and arms shimmered in blue and greed. She seemed quite pale, but that could also be because of the missing life.
Next to her laid the captain of the strawhats, eyes closed, and his chest rising almost unnoticed. It was impossible to say more about his state, because his complete body was wrapped into bandages, which looked like they were second- or third hand. The beloved strawhat was missing, but Luffy was alive.
On his other side cowered the little reindeer, maybe sleeping, holding Luffys cuffed hands with his own cuffed hoofs. His fur seemed dirty as well and there were so many spots of dried blood, hopefully not his own.
Sanji sighed silently and pulled out the bundle of keys, it was more than time to get them out.
Suddenly he could hear footsteps, but there was no one to be seen. He needed to hurry!
Not the first one, the second did not fit, the third key! Dammit! Yes, the fourth one! He rushed inside and closed the metal behind him. A small clack told him that he locked the door again. The prisoners in front of him did not react, but he paid all of his attention to the persons in the hallway. Listening to the steps growing louder, voices talking. Shadows passed the small hole in the door, than the noises faded.
"Welcome, Mr. Chef. It is good to see you." He turned around.
"Robin."
She did not move from her place on the ground, but now at least she was smiling.