The carts rumbled forward. As the afternoon wore on, the Mobians in level three of cart sixty-nine were busy.

Bunnie had readjusted her harness straps. Her shoulder still bled now and then, but she did not slow down for that. She'd been working down the line of Mobians for the last three hours, pulling the prisoners' bands loose with her robotic limbs.

"Stay where you are, and don't move out of your spot unless you have to," Bunnie said as she stopped in front of each one. "Otherwise, it'll get crowded in here, fast." Then she'd look over their specie, their condition, their age. "Ah've got some acid in mah blaster gun—it should help us eat through the walls, but Ah don't have much, s'we're gonna have to go out one by one—think you can run fast enough?" If they could not, she told them to follow her and she led them to a winged or stronger Mobian.

Bunnie passed by Zoey and Rotor, crawling on her hands and knees. Rotor crouched near the crack, watching.

"We're still far from Robotropolis," he said, when she got close.

"All right—real good!" She grinned. Her hair dripped with sweat and she licked her lips. "Think they'll pop in to check on us anytime soon?"

"I—I doubt it…" Rotor said. "I can just barely see a line of carts ahead and behind us."

Bunnie's face fell.

"More carts?" She asked.

Rotor nodded.

Bunnie shook her head to herself. "What's that Robotnik doin'…?"

"There are a lot of combots out there…We'll never make it," Rotor murmured.

Bunnie's head shot up, her eyes flashing. "Don't you talk like that, sugah boy." She swiped her real hand at his face, giving him a soft slap.

Rotor glanced away quickly, blushing.

Zoey sat at the end of her tray, her arms wrapped around her knees. "Bunnie?" she asked. "Are they going to bring us any water or food?"

Bunnie looked at Rotor.

Rotor shrugged. "I—I don't think…we're not far from Robotropolis by his standards, I doubt—I doubt he'd care what condition we're in when we—I mean—with so many carts—"

"It's good, Rotor, we need all the time we can get without them payin' attention to us." Bunnie made a fisting motion with her hand. Her fist began to turn in on itself, converting into a blaster. She checked a dial along her wrist and scooted to the far edge of the room. "Looks like Ah have enough for a couple more levels…Rotor, you keep them all quiet an' calm, all right? Everyone's in the right order to make it out. Try to get some sleep while you can."

Rotor stared at her.

She braced herself on her knees and pressed the point of her blaster against the floor. Something began to ooze out of it, eating at the metal—acid.

"What are you d-doing?" Rotor asked.

"There are more people below us an' above us, Rotor," Bunnie said. "We can't get all those carts, but we can at least empty this one…" She paused and glanced up at him. "If you can't sleep, wanna try some of yer muscle on these bands?"

Rotor glanced down. His cheeks burned a little and he put a hand along his upper forearm. "I…"

Bunnie waited as the acid bubbled.

"I'm—not strong enough to do that," he said, glancing away. "I've never seen a Mobian do that—"

"There's nothin' special about a metal arm, Rotor, Ah'm just usin' what Ah have. You've got to have somethin'."

"I—I just think this is a really bad idea and we're going to get hurt even worse," Rotor winced.

"Maybe we will, but who can say for sure?" Bunnie slammed her metal fist into the floor. It cracked open.

Shouts burst out from below.

"Wha—what's goin' on up there—who?"

Bunnie carefully began to climb down the hole. "Complimentary rescue service on the way, ya'll, hold tight!"