"Franky, baby, you're doing great…" Robin called out in encouragement. She stood on the bridged walkway, her hands clasping at her throat. Her head was upturned, her eyes studying Franky's every move.

"Yeah, of course," Franky muttered, sliding the makeshift belt system further down the rope. "I just want ya'll to know if I fall and die that Usopp sucks ass."

"Nice," Usopp barked, shaking his head and pursing his lips. "And when you make it down here alive you can apologize."

"Just take it slow," Zoro instructed from above. "The more you move the more the rope rubs."

"Yeah, and if your fat ass breaks the rope, I'll land on you when we crash to our deaths," Sanji warned.

"Sanji," Robin breathed out, "He's not fat."

"Yeah," Franky rumbled, sweating profusely from the effort, "I'm just big boned."

Sanji raised his hands in surrender, "Okay."

"Never mind me," Usopp complained. "I'm the one being insulted." He held tightly onto the tethered end of the rope, keeping the knot from coming undone. "And it was my idea-"

"Usopp," Nami interrupted his musings. "We think we found the way out."

Usopp faced Nami and smiled, "Great. Thanks. Any problems?"

Chopper and Nami looked at one another before Chopper answered, "It's clear all the way to the staircase."

"But," Nami added, "There is a rolling grill in place at the top of the stairs. They've blocked off the hallway. But it shouldn't be hard to get through…"

Usopp nodded, "Nah. That's the least of our problems at this point. Should be easy enough." Usopp looked around before gesturing toward one of the tables. "Take that vice. Right there… over on the left… right there… yeah… see if you can break the lock."

"Me?" Nami asked, pointing to herself in surprise.

Usopp smiled, "Uh, yes, ma'am." Usopp tightened the rope's slack again, "I sure would appreciate it."

"Alright," Nami chirped. She seemed excited to take the tool in her hands. "I got this."

"Chopper, go with Nami," Robin instructed. "I don't want you standing under the floor."

"Yeah, you either," Franky called down. "You should really move, Robbie."

"As soon as you get down here," she said softly, watching him descend.

"I'm almost there," Franky insisted, pausing to rest. "Go on."

A piece of the ceiling smashed across the floor of the lab a few hundred yards away from where Robin was standing. Usopp and Zoro's eyes met and Zoro leaned out of the back of the truck, "You can rest at the bottom. Move your ass, Franky!"

"I don't think you comprehend the difficulty of climbing with one fucking arm!"

"We comprehend just fine," Sanji shouted back. "Do you understand that if we fall the best case scenario is paralysis?"

"Uh yeah," Franky rumbled. "I have the same amount of science degrees you do."

"No one's fallin'," Usopp snapped. "Everyone shut up 'n stay calm."

Robin turned and looked at Usopp, "So forceful. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, ma'am," Usopp breathed out, "Fake it 'til ya make it." He smiled weakly. "Also I think I might be about to vomit."

"I couldn't tell," Robin murmured comfortingly.

"Ah, thank you."

"You're over half way down," Robin cheered Franky on. "Keep it coming!"

Another piece of the ceiling collapsed, this time much closer to where the truck was resting through the floor. The debris coated Franky in fibers and dust. Franky cursed in surprise, his grip on the belt's tether slipping. With a whooshing sound of the rope, Franky plummeted to the ground.

"Franky!"

"Oh shit!"

"Franky!"

Usopp reached him first. He pressed his fingers against Franky's throat. Once he'd felt his pulse he felt up and down Franky's spine before rolling him onto his back. "Franky? Are you alright?"

Franky's arm moved toward his stomach. He reached down carefully, pressing his hand against the pocket of his pants. He nodded slowly, a bubble of blood bursting at the corner of his lips. "I'm fine."

"Franky," Robin sighed, kneeling beside him. "What hurts? Can you move?"

"I'm fine," Franky insisted, his hand still held protectively over his hip.

"Oh, thank God," Usopp moaned, covering his face. "I thought you… well…"

"Do I still owe you an apology?" Franky asked, climbing to his feet.

Usopp made a face, "Are you dead?"

Franky grinned, "Nah, brother. I'm not dead."

"Then yeah. You owe me an apology."

"Sorry, Usopp," Franky breathed out around a sudden barrage of kisses from Robin. He turned his attention to her, kissing her over and over again. "I'm okay. I'm fine. Let's get you out of here, come on, Robbie…" He ushered her toward the far wall.

"All yours," Usopp called up.

"You go first," Sanji instructed.

Zoro made a face, "What? Don't be stupid. You're going first."

"You go first," Sanji pressed. "Go now."

"I'm stronger than you," Zoro argued, "if anything happens to the tether up here you won't be able to fix it."

"You can't fix a tether while you're climbing either," Sanji pointed out. He suddenly shook his head, narrowing his eyes, "And yeaaaah. Stronger than me?"

"Fact."

"No."

"Fact."

"No."

"Hey! Today, children!" Usopp shouted. "I'd like to survive if that's not being too ambitious."

"You first," Zoro said simply. "While you're still strong enough to make the climb."

Sanji glared at Zoro but eventually nodded, "Fine." He adjusted his clothes and extinguished his cigarette. He pulled his shirt over his bandaged hands protectively.

Sanji descended into the lab much faster than the others had. The rope burned between his thighs, whistling loudly. He didn't attempt to slow himself and the friction ripped through his clothes and bandages. Finally he dropped to the ground, his legs bending deep into a squat. He released the rope catching himself with a bloodied hand.

"What the hell?" Usopp wondered, grabbing Sanji and pulling him into a standing position. "Why did you do it like that?"

Sanji peeled a bit of broken skin off his palm, "It was faster."

"I'm coming down," Zoro called down.

"Okay," Usopp shouted back, cupping his hand over his eyes. "Nice and easy."

"I'm going over here," Sanji murmured, staggering through the lab. "There might be something we can use…"

"Yeah, okay," Usopp replied, his attention on Zoro and the rope. "How's it goin', Zoro?"

"This is a nightmare," Zoro shouted. "Like being stuck in middle school gym class forever!"

"I thought you'd be the type that liked gym?!" Usopp wondered, smiling wide.

Zoro groaned, "Yeah, well, not the ropes. I like my balls where they are, thank you."

"You're about half way down!" Usopp encouraged.

Zoro sighed in relief, "Really?"

Usopp shook his head, "Well, no, but you will be soon-ish…"

"Oh fuck…"

Usopp's eyes widened, "What?"

"I heard something…" Zoro called down.

"Like what?"

Zoro was silent a moment longer before suddenly climbing down much faster. "They're in the truck… We've got company…"

"Who's in the truck?" Usopp cried out, adjusting the end of the rope he held.

"D Foundation. Germa. I don't know. Not us…" Zoro said, increasing his speed.

"Hurry…" Usopp hissed. "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" Zoro whispered back. "I'm going as fast as I can here."

"Well go faster!" Usopp moaned.

The rope suddenly jerked to the side. Zoro was very nearly hurled off. He clutched onto the rope for dear life, his teeth gritted together with effort. The rope was shaken violently and then suddenly stopped.

"That's not good."

"I know!" Zoro shouted in frustration, continuing his descent.

A hum traveled down the rope, vibrating through Zoro and into Usopp's fingers down below. They both knew instantly that the rope was being severed. "Do it!" Zoro shouted.

Usopp shook his head, "I got time. Get down here first."

"Do it!" Zoro repeated.

"You can make it," Usopp insisted.

"You're endangering everyone else here," Zoro snapped. "Do it and go!"

And suddenly Zoro was falling. The tension in the rope, between his legs, under his hands evaporated. Zoro closed his eyes shut tightly. Everything seemed so unnecessarily complicated. His thoughts seem to spread around him in a blur. And then he thought of Luffy. Before he hit the ground an immense blast of heat knocked him sideways. He was thrown several hundred yards off course. He collided with and went through a row of shelving before dropping onto a table.

The ceiling erupted in flames, spreading out from where the truck had broken through and instantly combusting in various other spots. The truck seemed to implode, parts flying every direction. The lab had become a burning tomb.

"Zoro!"

Zoro blinked in confusion and coughed. He sat up, pulling some broken glass from his back. He inhaled sharply, the air too devoid of oxygen for any relief.

"Zoro, let's go…" Usopp said, wrapping his arm around Zoro's waist. "Come on. Let's get off the table now…"

"You blew me up…" Zoro murmured, sliding weakly to the floor.

"You told me to," Usopp defended, hoisting Zoro back to his feet.

"Yeah, but you actually did it," Zoro continued, limping toward the staircase.

"Yeah," Usopp nodded his head, "Nami and others were counting on me."

"You did good," Zoro conceded, throwing his arm over Usopp's shoulder for support. More of the ceiling collapsed, this time in wide sheets. "But don't do that again."

Usopp laughed, "Hurt more than you thought it would?"

Zoro shrugged, "I lived through it more than I thought I would."

"That should slow them down," Usopp explained, helping Zoro up stair by stair. "Hopefully Marco and Ace weren't in there."

"They're smarter than that," Zoro reasoned. A fiery chunk of debris dropped right behind them. The heat was unbearable. "Besides, if they cut the rope they deserved it."

"I have a feeling they want to survive," Usopp said.

Zoro nodded, "They do."

"I do too," Usopp wheezed. "Can you move faster?"

Zoro nodded again, "Yeah. I'm fine…" Zoro hissed through his teeth as he increased his pace up the stairs.

"Almost there," Usopp sighed. "And looks like Nami got the roll grill up."

"Fuck I need a damn beer," Zoro snapped, breaking into a jog.

"Don't strain yourself," Usopp warned.

Zoro shook his head, a delirious laugh escaping his lips, "Hell, Usopp, I think we're all past that point now."

Usopp joined in, his laughter loud and free, "Yeah. You're right. We should all be dead."

"It's ridiculous really," Zoro continued.

Usopp nodded his head, "Surreal."

"I don't even know what that word means!" Zoro exclaimed, his hands wrapping over the railings for support. "See? I'm too stupid to have lived this long!"

"Alright now, settle down," Usopp sighed, "You've obviously knocked something loose in the fall." Usopp waved his hand over his face, "All this smoke doesn't help. You aren't getting any oxygen to your brain."

"What took ya'll so long?" Nami demanded, standing at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips.

"Complications," Usopp replied.

"You were supposed to meet us here before detonating the bomb…"

"We had a change of plans. Someone up top cut Zoro's rope. I was just returning the favor." Usopp explained as he pushed Zoro ahead of him, moving them away from the fiery lab.

"Where's Sanji?" Robin asked, her eyes wide.

"He…" Usopp looked around at the others in shock. "He was coming up here to help with the… with the thing…"

"He's not up here, brother," Franky rasped.

"Oh my God," Usopp gasped, spinning around. "You've got to be fucking with me!"

"I have to go," Zoro realized.

"Oh, no no," Franky refused, grabbing Zoro by the arm. "You have a concussion if not more. You're sitting this one out."

"Oh my God!" Usopp squealed, all eyes on him. "I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"

"Sanji'll die if you leave him!" Nami cried.

"I won't leave him," Usopp exhaled heavily. "I'm going."

"No need," Chopper murmured, pulling on Robin's shirt hem. "He's coming now."

And sure enough Sanji stepped through the thick cloud of smoke. Ash danced around him, the smoke curling like a ribbon or aura. He was covered in soot, his handsome face smeared black. He moved slowly, like his feet were too heavy beneath him.

"What're you doing?!" Zoro shouted, the veins in his forehead protruding.

Sanji held out his bloody hand and uncurled his singed fingers, "Here."

Robin reached out and took the small silver USB from Sanji's palm. She looked at the device for a moment as if it could supply some answers, "What is this?"

"Everything," Sanji murmured, taking another step forward.

"We don't need shit like that," Zoro snapped. "Stay with the group."

Sanji laughed. He searched his pocket for a cigarette and pulled out an empty pack. Sanji laughed again, tossing the garbage onto the floor, "Well fuck me."

"We need to keep moving," Franky instructed, taking the lead down the hallway. "It doesn't take long for flare ups and smoke inhalation."

"Yeah," Zoro said with a nod, "You start. We'll catch up."

"What happened to stay with the group?" Usopp retorted, eyebrows furrowed.

"I won't be able to walk as fast as you," Zoro admitted. He looked anywhere but at Sanji before adding, "Him either."

Franky and Usopp looked at one another and without saying a word they moved. Usopp grabbed Zoro, swinging him over his back by Zoro's arms. He pulled Zoro quickly into position, carrying him piggy back.

"Hey!" Zoro protested. "I'm fine!"

"Nah, we're doin' this," Usopp insisted.

Sanji didn't protest as Franky lifted him off his feet. It wasn't as smoothe a transition as it could have been, with Franky's missing arm, but Sanji was up. "Comfortable?"

Sanji nodded, letting his head fall against Franky's broad, warm shoulder, "Yeah."

"I'm way heavier!" Zoro pointed out. "Shouldn't we…?"

"I've got one arm, brother, I'm not carrying your big ass," Franky explained. "Now let's move."

"Nami," Usopp called back to her, "Still have that baton?"

"Yep I sure do."

"Good," Usopp breathed, "And Robin? Got the pistols?"

"And extra ammunition," Robin reported.

Usopp nodded his head, "Great."

"Sanji where are we headed?" Franky asked, rolling his shoulder to get the other man's attention.

"Take a left up ahead."

"Left?" Nami repeated unevenly, her breathing heavy from the run. "There is no left…"

Sanji clicked his tongue, "Right, I meant right."

"And but, like, where are we going?" Nami questioned. "Where can we find supplies or weapons or the exit?!"

"We need another truck," Franky reasoned. "They have a fucking tank outside ready to fuck us up."

"Yeah, but there's no one here," Usopp murmured nervously, "It's like a ghost town."

"It is decidedly empty of villains," Robin agreed.

"Oh, Lord, please don't let the walls start bleedin'…" Usopp panicked. "I'm black, I don't mess around with demonic possessions and shit!"

"I'm pretty sure that's a universal thing," Nami debated, shaking her head. "It's not like, 'Oh hey! White friends! Let's go summon some demons!'"

"The Exorcist," Usopp replied.

Nami rolled her eyes, "Okay, well that's…"

"Annabelle, Insidious, Jennifer's Body, Paranormal Activity, Evil Dead, Rosemary's Baby…" Usopp listed off.

"Those are movies!"

"Yeah, movies full of white people," Usopp insisted. "Written and directed by… white people!"

"Wait," Franky rumbled. "Nuh uh. Hold on…" Franky turned to look at Usopp as they jogged down the corridor. "You're wrong. Insidious."

"What about Insidious?" Usopp demanded.

"It was directed by an Asian dude," Franky debated, smiling in victory. "James Wan."

"Damn," Usopp grunted, pursing his lips, "Fine. I'll let you have that, but it was still white people doing the stupid psychic shit in the movie…"

"Nah, man, I feel you, I don't wanna be involved in that shit either," Franky sighed. "I already have a super great time with zombies and shape shifters. I don't wanna make things too complicated."

"Where are we going? We still don't know!" Nami exclaimed.

"We should stop running," Robin suggested, holding her side. "We're going nowhere fast." Robin stopped completely and doubled over. She licked her lips before continuing, "Why didn't they just break into the truck? Why didn't they swarm us in the warehouses? Why weren't they waiting outside the lab? Why aren't they here now?"

"I… I don't know…" Nami whispered.

Robin straightened up, adjusting the strap of her bra, "We don't know."

"It doesn't matter. It's to our advantage right now," Zoro interjected.

"I'm feeling more and more like a rat in a maze," Robin breathed out, her eyes hard and fierce. "This isn't our good luck. This isn't their bad luck. This is… this is a plan."

"What use would lettin' us run around 'n destroy things do?" Franky asked.

And suddenly Robin had a realization, "Because they're leaving this place. The assets are being moved. You saw the lab, it wasn't in working order. It doesn't matter how destroyed it gets as long as it holds out until Luffy gets here. As long as we are here, Luffy will come."

"But we don't know that for sure," Usopp attempted feebly.

"They destroyed the truck because they didn't want us to leave," Nami sighed.

"That's fine," Zoro growled, wriggling himself free of Usopp's hold. "Let them underestimate us."

"We don't have anything," Sanji murmured, "It's not underestimating. We really are doomed."

"It's not your job to freak out!" Usopp shouted, "Stick to your script!"

"He's right," Robin sighed, "It's not like we can become death proof." Robin smiled sadly, "We've been stupid lucky to make it this far."

"And our stupid luck has run out?" Zoro demanded. "Who said?" Zoro smacked his hand against his chest, pumping himself up, "I thought we said we weren't going to be sitting here waiting for Luffy to show up? I thought we had a chance."

"Simmer down, Coach," Nami teased. "We can't do anything without a plan."

"Mine ended outside the lab," Usopp admitted, chewing on his bottom lip.

"That's fine," Nami said, nodding her head, "I think I have the start of an idea. At least something to help make us a little more… 'death proof'…"

"Oh yeah?" Zoro mused.

"Yeah," Nami continued, "First things first. Sanji, where's the kitchen?"