TWO.
Noises outside the cell wake Anakin up. He looks around confused. He must've feel asleep on the chair. He's glad he didn't have a dream about Padme this time. Only two pieces of cake left.
A thud outside, like a sack of potatoes hitting the ground, causes him to be alert. He stands and looks to the circular door. Scratches and screeching on the door makes him prepare himself.
The door is pulled open and Alexis stands outside it. "Quickly, we need to hurry." She hisses.
Anakin rushes out the cell into the corridor. He hasn't been in this corridor since he was first put in the cell. It's a hexagonal shape with the doors on the lower and upper walls at forty-five degree angles. The hard metal floor extends both ways making the corridor look endless. He could easily get lost out here. It's darker out here too, compared to the bright lights usually in the cell.
"Let's go." Alexis takes off down the corridor light on her feet.
Let's hope I'm still somewhat fit. Anakin thinks. He follows after his daughter whom is wearing the same clothes as earlier. He tried to be light footed but he struggles to do so.
Eventually they reach an end to a corridor to a fenced balcony. Anakin walks to the balcony and looks. It's a hexagonal shaped building that goes up and down into darkness. A fall to the death for certain. Each level has the balcony with corridors that must contain many, many cells. The building outside the cells are immensely dark. Anakin just guesses that's because his eye aren't use to it and the cells are super bright.
"They smaller crimes are on the lower levels." Alexis joins next to him.
"What level am I on?" Anakin asks, curious.
"One-hundred-and-three."
Anakin smirks. "Jedi," He curses.
"Hey, you there!" A soldier in camouflage runs towards them aiming his blaster rifle at them.
"I got this one." Anakin says to Alexis as he walks towards the soldier, hands out to the sides so he is visibly unarmed.
"Skywalker! How'd you..?" The soldier looks to behind Anakin to see Alexis, then focuses back to Anakin, "Oh that's how."
Anakin waves his hand in front of the soldiers face smoothly, "You did not see us come by here, and you will continue you're work avoiding us."
The soldier flinches, then smirks. "We're trained to ignore you're force mind trick here." He aims his blaster rifle at Anakin, "Hands up." He demands.
Anakin smirks and slowly begins to rise his hands. Then, he grabs the blaster rifle from the barrel and unexpectedly, and quickly throws the butt of the gun into the chin of the solider. The soldier stumbles back in pain, grabbing at his chin and swearing. Anakin wastes no time, he leaps forward and slams his fist into the soldier's cheek.
"This is what happens when you side with the Jedi!" Anakin picks up the soldier and drags him to the balcony, then, throws him off the side into the dark, certain death drop.
He finally turns back to his daughter with a look of worry and disgust on her face. "It had to be done." Anakin says peacefully. Alexis nods and continues leading the way out walking side-by-side with Anakin.
They arrive at an elevator. Alexis presses the button and the doors open with a ding. They go inside and Alexis hits another button and the doors close, with another ding, then, the elevator starts going down while playing soothing, elevator music.
In the elevator Alexis asks, "How long has it been since you've seen the real sky?"
"Since I was arrested. And even then, they didn't let me into the simulator room for exercise." Anakin says, as he does he stretches his unused legs. "Do me a favour okay?"
"Okay?"
"No more running," He lets out a sigh and rests against the elevator wall.
Alexis chuckles. "Okay dad, but you better get back into shape if we are to take down the Jedi."
Anakin grins, "I'll have plenty of time for that when I am out of here."
The elevator doors open with a ding and they step out. A lady at a reception desks looks at them walking out the elevator. "Stop!" She calls. Anakin looks at her and extends his hand. She starts to put her hands to her throat as if trying to remove hands that aren't there. She raises from the ground, her legs kicking. Her feet kick at the desk she was at, and she must've hit something because an alarm sounds in the entire building and red lights flash.
Anakin drops his arm and the lady falls. "Now we run." He says. His adrenalin pumps into his blood and he runs at the same pace as Alexis.
A blast door is beginning to close down on the exit so they run at a faster pace to get out in time. They do with seconds to spare.
Outside the night sky covers the world, with stars shining brightly and the cold temperature sets into Anakin's skin. He brushes his hair to the side so he can see better. "Where too now?" The prison is located on the outskirts of Naboo's capital palace, and past it is just forest surrounded by more forest.
Anakin's eyes track onto a hover bus, "Let's take that." He says pointing. He rushes to it and uses the force to open the door. He and Alexis get in. He sits at the piolet seat and begins trying to start it.
"How long has it been since you piloted?" Alexis asks with concern in her voice.
"You can never forget how to pilot." Anakin responds.
He flicks a switch and the bus starts hovering. Alexis takes a seat next to Anakin. He thrusts forward a stick and the bus jolts forward quickly picking up speed over the tops of the trees into the deeper part of the forest. "See, not that hard." He says smiling and laughing at the fun of being free.
It's only seconds before blasters are being shot over the top of them from behind. "What's that?" He calls.
Alexis turns her head and looks back, then, she looks out the front again. "Republic Gunships…"
"Right, well where do I have to take this thing?" Anakin says in as calm as voice as he can. He has to manoeuvre the hover bus to be sure not to get hit.
"Mum is back in a hotel in the palace walls. We leave in the morning at the-"
Anakin cuts Alexis off, "Shhhh, I know a bunker that shouldn't be used anymore. I can hide you there while I get rid of these guys." Anakin waves his hand behind his head, "You'll be safe."
"No, I want to stay with you!" Alexis argues."
"Too bad! You don't have a choice!"
"Dad, please!"
"Don't you dad please me, what I say is final! Now, to lose these guys I need to manoeuvre better…"
After that sentence trails into the air Anakin drops the hover craft into the tree's in the darkness of the forest. He then has to switch on some stronger lights to avoid running into the tree trunks. The Gunships stop above the tree's, too big to fit in the forest. But in the last glimpse Anakin saw of them, they were dropping ropes down.
A left turn, right swerve, down a hill, over a lake, into the tree's again and then a right turn. Anakin stops the hover bus. "Get out." He demands.
Alexis and he get out of the bus – he leaves it on because he will leave soon.
He walks over to a small hill and pulls away at the grass. After getting tired of that he just uses the force and a hole is pulled out of the hill, revealing a door. Anakin pushes a few buttons and the door opens, lights fading on inside.
Anakin leads Alexi's in. "It's an emergency bunker that would've been used for the Queen back in the day if needed. It has a good supply of non-perishable food," He pauses and turns a tap, water runs, he turns it off, "Running water and I doubt the Republic knows about it."
The bunker is a long, rectangle shaped room with soft carpet, steel walls and roof, a kitchen, bathroom, computer room, bedroom and armoury. On each end is a door, out, and further in. "Stay in this room only." Anakin goes into the computer room and types in a few commands, then punches in one computer screen. Alexis flinches. "I've made it so that once I close that door," He points to the exit, "It can only be opened from that side of that door." He points to the other door. "And that door, can only be opened from the other side. Which I will get too before morning… Hopefully."
Alexis looks at him, "What do you mean hopefully?!"
"Alexis, calm down, I have the Republic looking for me. It may take me a day or two."
"Mum is leaving in the morning to the farm! She said if we don't make it she's going to have to leave to look after the farm!"
"Someone has to look after the farm that's how our family makes money!" Anakin raises his voice, and it rings throughout the bunker. "Now, enjoy your stay, I'll be back when I can!" He takes a deep breath and brushes his hair with his robotic hand this time. Pointing at another computer screen, "Turn that one on. There are a few cameras hidden outside in the trees. Hopefully they still work, they can be viewed there."
"Dad…" Alexis sobs in her voice. "You can't leave me here… Take me with you."
Anakin waves his hand, "You will stay here."
"Mind trick only works on the week minded Dad!" Anakin turns to leave and Alexis sobs more, "Dad, please!"
"It's for your own safety. I'll be back, I promise." Anakin leaves the bunker and the door closes. He turns and punches the control panel so no one can get in easily. "I promise…" He whispers before he enters the hover bus again.
Taking is slow and quietly this time he takes the bus close to the palace walls as he can, leaving it in the forest.
He looks at the sky, Gunships fly over the palace and forest with spotlights shining down. A group of soldier's are jogging past and Anakin ducks in a bush till they're out of sight.
"Now… How do I get in?" He asks himself looking at the tall palace walls, and the well-guarded gates.