Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Never have, never will. End of story.
Joe was speechless when TK finished his story. 'I can't believe it, how could this happen?! And to TK at that. He's just a kid! I'd like to give that Ijin a piece of my mind. And a piece of my fist.'
"Uh... Joe? Are you okay?" TK asked after several tense silent minutes. 'I never knew silence could be so loud.'
"Huh?. Oh, yeah I'm fine. Just shocked is all."
"Bet you liked it better when you thought I was dead huh? I understand if you're too ashamed to talk to me ever again."
"NANI?!! Do you actually think I would prefer you dead?! And why would I be ashamed of you?!"
"Well, all the things I've done..."
"Ijin forced you to do those things TK, it is not your fault in ANY way! Besides, you were protecting your friends and family, as well as innocent people you've never met."
"That doesn't change the fact that I did all those things."
"Takeru stop blaming yourself! What would Matt say?" Joe knew that if anything would get through to TK, it would be this. For one thing Joe used TK's full name, something he never did, and for another thing, he brought up the person whose opinion was the only one that really mattered to TK: Matt.
TK just stared at Joe for a while. Bringing up Matt was a low blow, but it did get him thinking. 'What would Matt say? Probably the same thing Joe is saying now. But that's his job as a big brother isn't it. Matt would never say anything to hurt me, so how can I know what he's really thinking? But what about Joe, it's not his job to tell me what I want, or need, to hear. And he does have the Crest of Reliability, so can't he be trusted to tell the truth? He's always come through before, so I owe it to him to trust him now.'
"You're right Joe, thanks. I can always count on you."
Joe smiled, "Well I didn't get my crest for nothing." His smile faded, "but what do we do about this?"
"I have a plan, but we can't use it for a few days."
"Great! So what's the plan?"
"Well, every day when the guards bring food, they leave the door open for a few seconds. We can escape through there."
"Small problem," Joe said, "The guards here are huge. Not to be pessimistic or anything, but how can we get past someone 3 times our size and 10 times as strong?"
"That's why we have to wait. The guards take turns bringing the food, and soon it will be Marc's turn. Marc is only a little taller than you and pretty weak. He's used more for brains than brawn, but he doesn't have much of either. He'll be easy to get past."
"Okay, but what about after we get past him?"
"Each guard has a complete set of keys and an ID card. If we take those we can get past all of the locked barriers."
"But what about the other guards?"
"Since we're the only prisoners in this hallway guards come by in 20 minute increments. That will be plenty of time to get you out and get me back here. As for the other guards, it will simply be a matter of stealth and timing."
"Hold on, back up! What did you mean about you getting back here? We're escaping together."
"No, I can't go with you Joe. With this collar they could easily track and recapture us."
"But I'm not leaving you. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you while I was gone."
TK sighed, he would have to word this just right. "Look, Joe, if you don't go neither of us will ever get out, but if you do go, then we both have a chance. Besides, I lasted here 8 months before you came."
"I don't know..."
"Please, Joe!" TK pleaded, knowing he was winning, "You have to! I'll be fine."
"Well I guess I don't have much of a choice. But if you get hurt and Matt kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you!"
TK smiled at his friend, maybe things would work out after all.
The next few days passed quickly for TK and Joe as they worked out some of the details of the plan. Soon it was time to put it into action.
The first half of the day was like any other, but when the boys heard the mid-day guard start down the hallway TK got in position behind the door and Joe sat casually on the bed.
When the guard, Marc, came in he looked around before turning to Joe.
"Where's that runt that's supposed to be in here with you?!" he demanded.
"Bathroom," Joe said simply, hoping that he bought it.
Apparently he did, "Fine, I'll just send the next guard in to check on you two," he muttered before putting the tray on the floor.
As soon as Marc bent over, TK crept up behind him silently. He jumped on his back and quickly pushed the pressure point on his neck that rendered him unconscious. Once that was taken care of Joe grabbed the keys and card before following TK out of their room.
"This way," TK whispered before heading down the hall.
TK and Joe only crossed paths with a few guards, but were never seen. Even with that good luck, it took them a good ten minutes to get to one of the outside doors.
"Okay," TK said to Joe, "Now we just have to get you over that fence, hidden, and get me back inside within the guards' 25 second blind period."
"Oh, is that all?" Joe asked sarcastically.
"Relax, we can do this. It's just a matter of timing it just right. On my signal. Ready, set GO!"
With this the two boys sprinted to the fence. TK gave Joe a boost and made sure he was over the fence and hidden before turning to go back. He didn't realize that it was past the 25-second time slot.
"Hey you!" a guard yelled when TK was halfway to the door, "What the hell do you think you're doing out here?!"
TK froze, he had to think quickly. "I just wanted some fresh air. Is that a problem?!" he asked in his best tough guy voice.
"Yeah, it is." The guard growled, "Let's go. Ijin will want to deal with you personally later."
'I hope Joe's alright.' TK thought as he was roughly pulled back into the building. 'But maybe I should be more concerned about myself right now.'
Joe was speechless when TK finished his story. 'I can't believe it, how could this happen?! And to TK at that. He's just a kid! I'd like to give that Ijin a piece of my mind. And a piece of my fist.'
"Uh... Joe? Are you okay?" TK asked after several tense silent minutes. 'I never knew silence could be so loud.'
"Huh?. Oh, yeah I'm fine. Just shocked is all."
"Bet you liked it better when you thought I was dead huh? I understand if you're too ashamed to talk to me ever again."
"NANI?!! Do you actually think I would prefer you dead?! And why would I be ashamed of you?!"
"Well, all the things I've done..."
"Ijin forced you to do those things TK, it is not your fault in ANY way! Besides, you were protecting your friends and family, as well as innocent people you've never met."
"That doesn't change the fact that I did all those things."
"Takeru stop blaming yourself! What would Matt say?" Joe knew that if anything would get through to TK, it would be this. For one thing Joe used TK's full name, something he never did, and for another thing, he brought up the person whose opinion was the only one that really mattered to TK: Matt.
TK just stared at Joe for a while. Bringing up Matt was a low blow, but it did get him thinking. 'What would Matt say? Probably the same thing Joe is saying now. But that's his job as a big brother isn't it. Matt would never say anything to hurt me, so how can I know what he's really thinking? But what about Joe, it's not his job to tell me what I want, or need, to hear. And he does have the Crest of Reliability, so can't he be trusted to tell the truth? He's always come through before, so I owe it to him to trust him now.'
"You're right Joe, thanks. I can always count on you."
Joe smiled, "Well I didn't get my crest for nothing." His smile faded, "but what do we do about this?"
"I have a plan, but we can't use it for a few days."
"Great! So what's the plan?"
"Well, every day when the guards bring food, they leave the door open for a few seconds. We can escape through there."
"Small problem," Joe said, "The guards here are huge. Not to be pessimistic or anything, but how can we get past someone 3 times our size and 10 times as strong?"
"That's why we have to wait. The guards take turns bringing the food, and soon it will be Marc's turn. Marc is only a little taller than you and pretty weak. He's used more for brains than brawn, but he doesn't have much of either. He'll be easy to get past."
"Okay, but what about after we get past him?"
"Each guard has a complete set of keys and an ID card. If we take those we can get past all of the locked barriers."
"But what about the other guards?"
"Since we're the only prisoners in this hallway guards come by in 20 minute increments. That will be plenty of time to get you out and get me back here. As for the other guards, it will simply be a matter of stealth and timing."
"Hold on, back up! What did you mean about you getting back here? We're escaping together."
"No, I can't go with you Joe. With this collar they could easily track and recapture us."
"But I'm not leaving you. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you while I was gone."
TK sighed, he would have to word this just right. "Look, Joe, if you don't go neither of us will ever get out, but if you do go, then we both have a chance. Besides, I lasted here 8 months before you came."
"I don't know..."
"Please, Joe!" TK pleaded, knowing he was winning, "You have to! I'll be fine."
"Well I guess I don't have much of a choice. But if you get hurt and Matt kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you!"
TK smiled at his friend, maybe things would work out after all.
The next few days passed quickly for TK and Joe as they worked out some of the details of the plan. Soon it was time to put it into action.
The first half of the day was like any other, but when the boys heard the mid-day guard start down the hallway TK got in position behind the door and Joe sat casually on the bed.
When the guard, Marc, came in he looked around before turning to Joe.
"Where's that runt that's supposed to be in here with you?!" he demanded.
"Bathroom," Joe said simply, hoping that he bought it.
Apparently he did, "Fine, I'll just send the next guard in to check on you two," he muttered before putting the tray on the floor.
As soon as Marc bent over, TK crept up behind him silently. He jumped on his back and quickly pushed the pressure point on his neck that rendered him unconscious. Once that was taken care of Joe grabbed the keys and card before following TK out of their room.
"This way," TK whispered before heading down the hall.
TK and Joe only crossed paths with a few guards, but were never seen. Even with that good luck, it took them a good ten minutes to get to one of the outside doors.
"Okay," TK said to Joe, "Now we just have to get you over that fence, hidden, and get me back inside within the guards' 25 second blind period."
"Oh, is that all?" Joe asked sarcastically.
"Relax, we can do this. It's just a matter of timing it just right. On my signal. Ready, set GO!"
With this the two boys sprinted to the fence. TK gave Joe a boost and made sure he was over the fence and hidden before turning to go back. He didn't realize that it was past the 25-second time slot.
"Hey you!" a guard yelled when TK was halfway to the door, "What the hell do you think you're doing out here?!"
TK froze, he had to think quickly. "I just wanted some fresh air. Is that a problem?!" he asked in his best tough guy voice.
"Yeah, it is." The guard growled, "Let's go. Ijin will want to deal with you personally later."
'I hope Joe's alright.' TK thought as he was roughly pulled back into the building. 'But maybe I should be more concerned about myself right now.'
