Freedom

By: Vichy

Author's Notes: I hate not having a source to type at. I've been wanting to type up this chapter for over two weeks, but I don't have Internet connections at home so I had to sit around and draw, which isn't a bad thing at all really, I just wanted to type this story. But on the side note, I really need helpful reviews on this story. Reviews inspire me to finish chapters and stories quicker. No reviews cause me to drag this whole thing out for month and years on end. So please lend me a few reviews; I would really like to finish this.

CHAPTER FIVE: The Sewer Drain

The early morning hours flew by slowly above Stark, Lilynette and Neliel as the three donned disguises. The young blond with light green highlights wore a navy blue baseball cap over her hair along with a white and navy striped shirt with dark denim jeans. A pair of loose white gloves covered her hands to complete the outfit. Stark wore a muscle shirt along with a blue jacket that went down to his waist. Baggy light jeans and a pair of dirty white sneakers completed his disguise. Neliel had to wear a brunette wig over her aqua green hair as a start for her disguise. A long flowing dress with little orange, green and yellow flowers and a bit of make-up could really change a person completely. The criminal was hardly recognizable in the outfit.

"There, now we are set for Aizen's place. Before we leave, does anyone need to use that bathroom? Lilynette, you in particular; do you need to go?" Stark asked with a snide tone of voice. Lilynette fumed slightly at his question and pointed a finger at him.

"I'm not some kid anymore Stark! "

"Fine, fine; whatever you say Lilynette," he said opening the door to his Chevrolet and sitting on the worn faux-leather seats. Lilynette was next as she hopped into the passenger's seat ignoring the seatbelt as she got comfortable. Nel looked at the paint rusted car disgustedly. How Stark could drive around in an old, rickety, peeling, rusting car she didn't know. All she could remember was that he got it from some American he knew a long time ago.

"Nel, aren't you going to get in?" Lilynette asked craning her head to look at her. Nel snapped her attention to the girl and nodded quickly. She sat behind Stark and fastened her seatbelt looking out the window cautiously.

"Follow Nel's lead Lilynette; seatbelts on." Lilynette grumbled and fastened the seatbelt now getting used to the scratchy cotton fabric. With a tilt of the front mirror to back out of the dirt driveway, the three were on their way to Sousuke Aizen's home outside of town.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The trip was taking longer than expected. They didn't count rush hour this early in the morning since it usually started at seven o' clock. The whole ordeal on the freeway gave Stark more than a headache. The people that switched lanes and cut him off were one thing, but the rate they were traveling was another.

"Gosh! Can these slowpokes hurry up?! Can't they tell we have somewhere to go?" Lilynette fumed as she waved a fist out of the window telling the beige jeep in front of them to hurry up. Stark reached over and pulled on her shirt, sitting her back down with a bored expression.

"Did it ever occur to you that they also have somewhere to go? Chill, we'll get off this freeway in a sec." Lilynette folded her arms and stared ahead at the jeep growling. Finally after about five minutes, the exit was in view and Stark took the immediate right with a hard swerve. Finally the highway ordeal was over and they were on their way to Aizen's place a residence.

-Karakura Police Headquarters-

Izuru Kira had stayed at the office all night. The blond haired lieutenant went through four going on five cups of coffee, extra cream and sugar just to stay active and read through the files of Sousuke Aizen. With a sigh and another sip of the cold coffee that sat on his desk, he looked at the last page and put it down tiredly. Dark circled formed under his eyes and his body was fighting to get some sleep. He ignored the latter as he tried to summarize the manila folder of details about the aforementioned person.

Sousuke Aizen had run an organized crime ring in Karakura for a few years. They did everything from, petty theft to murder. Two of their best operatives, Ichimaru Gin and Grimmjow Jaegerjacques had been apprehended a little over two years ago for the murders of former Captain Shunsui Kyouraku, his lieutenant Ise Nanao, and former lieutenant, Hisagi Shuuhei. Apparently from what other arrested members of the crime ring, the two were robbing money to get plane tickets to leave for America. Details after that were unknown as that was the last page. Kira placed his head down on the desk completely dumbfounded at what he had just read. Why would he lie to him? Surely it had to be because he didn't want to hurt his feelings. That had to be the reason for his fabrication. A knock on his door frame told him he had a visitor.

"Geez Izuru, when you do stay, you don't go home. People told me you've been here all night reading that file I gave you." Renji folded his arms staring at the stains on his friend's shirt.

"Um, yeah… I've been looking over this whole thing surprisingly I didn't get to go home earlier, but I was dozing off and then I made coffee to keep me awake longer and then…"

"Save your breath man. Just go on home and get some sleep, you really need it." Kira nodded and stood up wobbly. His bottom hurt after sitting for such a long time and his mind was disoriented from the sudden movement. Grabbing his jacket and hat he headed outside for the first bit of semi-fresh air he'd received in over twelve hours. Renji shook his head slightly walking back to finish up his report from last night that he fell asleep on. The crime rate was getting out of control now; there was a break into the gas station around the corner by two masked assailants.

-The House of Sousuke Aizen-

"Well it is certainly nice to see you three at such an unfriendly time. What brings you here Stark, Lilynette and Neliel?"

The three stood in the hallway of the impressive home wide-eyed. The inside was very impressive, just like a seventeenth century British mansion. Paintings and vases filled with extremely beautiful flowers made the hallway a sight in itself. The room Aizen sat cross-legged in was more of a trophy room. Stuffed and mounted animals made the place look creepy; even the lion carved armchair look ominous in the low firelight. Aizen sat staring with his left arm holding up his head. A white robe with white slippers and white pajama was his only attire. Lilynette stood shocked at the man's spectacular taste. Why couldn't she live here instead of that small cramped house outside of town with the dirt driveway?

"We brought Neliel for you sir," Stark bowed. Neliel stepped forward and exchanged courtesies before stand back up straight with her arms daintily behind her. She looked and carried herself like a totally different person when Aizen-sama was around.

"Ah welcome back Neliel. Tell me, have you thought of a plan to rescue Ichimaru or Grimmjow?"

She shook her head.

"Well, it seems we have some planning to do, don't we?

The three nodded involuntarily. Aizen chuckled to himself as he opened a medium sized notebook filled with blank sheets. But on one page a small yet accurate drawing of the Karakura State Penitentiary drawn by someone else.

"Now then, would anyone care to pitch an idea?" Aizen asked sitting up from his lazy pose in the armchair. The three sat cross legged on the floor silently until Stark spoke up.

"How about a classic textbook breakout? They dig under the wall and escape?"

Aizen pondered for a few moments. "I believe that would be a bad idea. First off, how would they get the tools to dig out? If we provide the tools, we might as well get them out all together."

No one else spoke up for the next few minutes.

"Well how about Nel just breaks in and help them out of there? It's basically what you just said. Stark and I will be the distraction and lookout while she gets them outside." Lilynette smiled at her plan. Aizen smiled at the little girl's plan.

"That isn't a bad idea. Just how will this go about Lilynette? Tell us the details…"

-Karakura State Penitentiary-

The day was abnormally hot for a September day. Heat waves shimmered and danced while bodies sweated under the heat and humidity. Gin and Grimmjow were no exception. The baby blue eyed man and his smiling partner both were tormented by the sun and the equipment. Grimmjow more so than Gin. With the weight set at over 140 pounds the blue haired man pushed the metal up and down frustrated. Gin watched with Szayel under the shade of the awning leading to the inside of the prison.

"Is that all he does when we come out here? Just use the weight lifting set?" Szayel asked with his hands clamped together.

"Why not; it's better than sittin' around bored out here all day," Gin answered placing his face in his hands staring out at the hill surrounding the prison. Szayel shrugged his shoulder and reclined onto the back of the bench. The silence between the two was deafening until Szayel spoke up again.

"Someone told me you and Grimmjow where getting out of here. Is that true?" Gin jumped at the sentence and clamped a sweaty palm over his mouth as a warning.

"Shush! Where'd ya hear that, and who told ya?!" He whispered loudly. Szayel pushed his hand away spitting out the salty sweat that intruded into his mouth.

"Ugh! Wash your hands please!"

"Answer my question!"

"Alright, alright. I was talking to Zommari the other day and he told me that some guy heard that you were trying to escape. He heard your conversation with that Aizen guy and figured that was what you two were talking about. So he told Zommari and then Zommari told us and now I'm relaying this to you."

Gin growled and replaced his smile with a frown. With a quick rap of his fingers he spoke again fear growing in his gut.

"Listen, I don't know what that Zommari guy told ya, but it ain't true; none of it is. So I suggest you dispel whatever you heard and go on about your lives, hear me?" Szayel nodded nervously.

"I only brought it up because I wanted to go with you. I don't want to waste another second of my life here anymore. Ask your friend Aizen can I get in on this escape plan too." Gin sighed and reluctantly nodded.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed I guess," he muttered. Szayel smiled at the answer.

"Thanks Gin."

Gin shrugged and reclined back on the bench. He hoped what he said wouldn't turn out to be a bad idea.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Ok Lilynette, go over the plan again," Stark said kneeling down on the dirt and grass hill that outlooked the prison's west wall. The sun was setting and the air was finally growing cooler. Neliel and Lilynette both knelt beside a long sheet of thin white paper with a drawn model of the prison. Pints of obvious entry were crossed out with a bold black marker. The west wall had been circled in red and the guard towers in purple. Lilynette pointed to the front door with a gnarled twig.

"Ok as you two know, this is the entrance. Stark you will disguise yourself as an inspector to gain entry into the cellblocks. Once you get in, find Gin. Tell him to meet us outside by the west wall when the clock says 9:15. He'll relay the message to Grimmjow and then the two will be out by the wall. Nel, you'll start to find a way to get them under the wall. The shovel behind us in the bag will undoubtedly help you…"

"Is that Aizen talking or is that you Lilynette?" Stark sniggered to himself.

"Shut up Lazybones! Anyway… Nel, you'll have to dig a hole large enough for all three of you to fit through. I'll keep watch here and relay information with the walkie-talkie. Keep it low or we'll be toast. Once we get them out, the guards will undoubtedly sound the alarm. We'll have to make haste and head over to the sewer drain. Once down there, we'll have to crawl until we reach the hatch. After that, we'll be home free for a short time. The rest is up to you all."

"Wow, thank you Aizen, but we get the picture. Nel, you'll have to leave now just to get a head start. Its 8:39 right now so hurry and get to work. I'll switch clothes and go down there and Lilynette post yourself in that tree and keep relaying us any useful information and keep focused please."

Nel nodded and reached for the shovel's wooden handle and quickly ran down to the wall avoiding searchlights and posted guards. Luckily no one saw the female convict as she started to make a dig for the inside of the prison.

"Nell, look sharp and stay still, there's a guard coming your way." Lilynette could barely be heard from the low volume of the walkie-talkie but Nel caught every word. She held the shovel close and looked up at the passing shadow over her. When the shadow disappeared, she continued to dig, this time faster since her time was now running out. It was 8:52 and she hadn't even broken past the bottom of the wall.

"Stark are you inside?"

"Yeah…I'm inside the cellblock…wait, I've located Gin, call you back."

Stark sped up his walk when Gin started to walk away. With a shrill whistle, Gin turned his head and stared at the "stranger".

"Why hello sir, how are you this evenin'?" He asked oblivious. Stark shook his head and removed the hat on his head.

"Ichimaru, it's me, Stark. Wait, you don't know me too well; do you?"

"I know about you Stark. What are ya doing here?"

"We're trying to get you two out of here. Tell Grimmjow to meet Nel at the west wall at 9:15; hurry up!"

Gin nodded and walked off to tell Grimmjow, but stopped remembering Szayel.

"Stark wait up. Someone else wants to come with us. I hope ya have room for him." Stark rolled his eyes and nodded before casually walking off into the other direction making sure no one saw or heard him.

Gin first spotted Szayel in his cell with the bars open out. He noticed the man's cell was amazingly tidy for anyone. Things were stacked up very neatly in one corner and even the bed was made up neatly. The pink haired man turned around and gave a slight wave.

"Szayel get yer stuff and meet us at the west wall at 9:15. And don't take everythin' in here either."

Szayel hesitantly nodded and wrapped a few things up in his bed sheet. Clothes, books, papers, pens; everything he needed that seemed important. Grimmjow was a bit harder to find. The baby blue eyed man sat by himself at a table in the cafeteria scraping at dried foodstuff on the table's surface bored.

"Grimmjow, get yer stuff and get outside now. Nel'll be waiting outside for us and it took me about seven minutes to find ya. Hurry up!" The calmness in Gin's voice had been replaced by urgency. Grimmjow sat wide eyed with a smirk. The time was winding down on the three of them and Gin knew that Nel wouldn't wait on a late person.

"Lights out!"

Damn. Something Gin didn't want to hear right now. The lights dimmed and Grimmjow had no chance of getting anything from his cell. Szayel stood outside in the shadows hoping not to be seen by any guard that happened to pass by. The two made their way through the door panting heavily. Dodging the guards was no easy task and twice they'd almost got caught.

"Come on you two; the person you said that would meet us here is almost finished digging, look."

Nel had made it under the wall and almost over when her walkie-talkie went off again.

"Nel what's taking you so long? Stark's already made it back and I don't see you or anyone else coming from under that wall."

"I'm working on it. I'm almost…wait I'm in. I see them and someone else also, who's that?"

"Stark said Gin would be bringing someone else, maybe that's him. Hurry up now you have a couple of guards coming your way. Get out of the hole and tell them to hurry up and run!"

Nell squeezed through the hole and quickly made it wider to fit through. She made her way over to them telling them with hand signals to hurry up and get over to her. Gin ran over first then Grimmjow and finally pink haired Szayel. Gin had made it in the hole and almost over on the other side when…

"What the?! Escapees! We have escapees; shut the whole place down and call the warden! Hurry up!"

Grimmjow and Szayel struggled to get under the wall along with Nel as she pushed them under with all her might. The wall guards began shooting at them as they made it from under the wall. Szayel was particularly upset that he had to crawl under still drying mud. His whole face was caked in the filthy substance. He tied the bag around his back and made a run for it, trying to catch up with the others.

"Shit…" Lilynette cursed under her breath as she dropped the binoculars. The alarm went off and in mere seconds, a frenzy of guards was clamoring up the wall armed with sub-machine guns firing at the four escapees. Stark cursed loudly as he hurriedly placed everything bag into the giant duffle bag. Lilynette had jumped from the tree and waved to them. Nel caught the wave and climbed up the hill to her with Gin, Grimmjow and Szayel behind her the whole way.

"Hurry up you four! Their shooting up here and I don't want to get shot," Stark yelled running with Lilynette. Nel rolled her eyes and followed behind them sliding down the hill for the ditch.

"That ditch seemed so close while we were up here," Lilynette yelled over the gun fire and sirens. Stark stayed silent and tripped as he stuck a stone. He recovered quickly but was given a scrapped chin as a reminder.

"Damn, how far is this ditch?" Grimmjow complained. He jumped over the stone that tripped up Stark and landed beside Nel who was still keeping her speed. By now the guards had made it on top of the hill and were shooting down at them in the dark. Bullets whizzed past their head missing by inches and miles at other times. Stark pulled Lilynette out of the path of one stray bullet aimed for her shoulder.

"There…it is…" Nel said trying to catch her breath.

-Karakura Police Headquarters-

The night was cooler as Abarai Renji sat on the steps leading up to the headquarters. He held a cup of water to his lips and drank it slowly, not even noticing the door opening behind him. Young Toushiro Hitsugaya called out to the red headed lieutenant ash e ignored to opening door.

"Abarai, get in here! Urgent news from the penitentiary; there's been a jailbreak!" Renji almost coughed on the water when he heard the word 'jailbreak'. He discarded the cup and ran inside behind Hitsugaya.

"I want all of you to head out and stop them. Shoot them if necessary, but stop them at all costs!" Warden Yamamoto commanded to them. The captains and lieutenants saluted as they filed out quickly into the police parking lot.

"Yachiru, stay here with the warden," Kenpachi Zaraki told his pink haired lieutenant. The little girl frowned at his command.

"Why Ken-chan?"

"Because you need to…keep the warden company. Besides, you'll get killed if you are by me and Kurosaki here." He pointed to the orange haired boy getting into the car. Yachiru gave a long sigh and ran back inside to the warden. Kenpachi rolled his eye and jumped inside the driver's seat cutting the car on and driving off without closing the door.

"Attention everyone," Unohana Retsu's calm and collected voice alerted over the CB radio. "The warden of the prison just alerted Yamamoto that the escapees where headed for the main sewer drain and they were lead by Neliel Tu Oderschavank. Be on your guard when you get there.

"10-4." said Kenpachi.

"10-4." said Jyuushiro.

"10-4." said Byakuya.

"Kenpachi, where's Yachiru?" Ichigo asked looking out the window as he turned the corner.

"Back at HQ, where she belongs."

"Oh wow, you'll let her come on a bank robbery but not a---"

"One more word Kurosaki and I'll kick your orange-haired ass out of this car."

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"Stark, what the hell are you doing?" Gin asked rubbing dirt from his face. Stark had collapsed in front of them, not out of fatigue, but by a gunshot wound. The bullet had struck his back missing his spinal cord by mere centimeters. Grimmjow growled and picked up the injured Star, dropping him on his shoulder. Guards shot multiple bullets at them missing in the evening sky.

"Let's get the fuck out of here!" Grimmjow yelled through the sirens as they jumped down into ravines that lead to a sewer drain. Stark moaned in protest and at the constant shifting of his injured body at Grimmjow's running. Opening the hatch leading to the underground and fetid sewers, Gin and Neliel made a brief exchange of expressions, before hurrying inside. Once the four were in, they locked the hatch back and made their way far, FAR away from the Karakura State Penitentiary.

The inside of the sewer hatch was dark and dirty with the fetid smell of human excrements and any other filthy thing that could be in the swirling discolored waters. The platform they rested on was just inches above the water. The trip after the platform would be through the waters. Stark was gently laid down onto the narrow platform half-conscious and bleeding badly. Szayel ripped the sheet from his bed and tried to stop the bleeding. It worked somewhat as Stark's paining moans began to stop. Lilynette was crying over Starks's body her tears falling on his shirt.

"S-Stark, please don't die," she chocked as Nel held her. By then Szayel had applied a makeshift bandage wrap around his wound. But the wavy-haired man was slipping and fading fast. He'd lost too much blood and now he was paying the price. The sounds of police sirens outside the ravines told them to get going. With the help of Gin, Stark's body was elevated high above the disease carrying waters. Lilynette jumped onto Nel's back as they began to wade through the waters. Despite the look of it, they waters weren't that deep. The lights and footsteps grew closer and brighter as they struggled through the current and rounded the corner.

"We need to go faster," Szayel yelled holding his belongings up above the waters.

"If there wasn't a current, we'd be long gone by now," Gin yelled shifting Starks body on his shoulders. Grimmjow had a tough time trying to keep Stark's lower half from slipping into the waters. The latch could be heard from behind them opening and voices of police officers yelling out commands and peering in with flashlights.

"They were in here and are probably still are," Gin could make out the voice as Izuru Kira's. He continued on with a grimace on his face.

Not even three yards away from them was a current switch and a fork. The decision began to stress out Szayel who had had just about enough of wading through fecal matter.

"Left," he said turning towards the faster looking current. The others followed stopping as they heard what sounded like falling water. Lilynette pulled on Szayel's collar dragging him back from the tunnel.

"There's a waterfall there you dolt!" she yelled through tears and sniffles. Szayel shrugged her hand off of his collar and waded past them.

"Ok then right," he said without a hint of embarrassment. The others followed behind him wading slowly through the current. Not one manhole was to be seen from their location. Not one ladder leading to one either, but cars could be heard from overhead. Everyone was tired from wading and carrying dead weight. They searched for a platform under the dim lights and found one but it was very small and barely made it out of the waters. Everyone took a slight break and looked around under the ever growing shadows. Lilynette's watch read 12:54 a.m., proof that they'd been traveling for hours. The police weren't heard throughout the sewers anymore although everyone couldn't shake off the feeling that someone else was under there with them.

"How is he?" Lilynette asked still showing upmost concern for her father. Stark wasn't moving or making a sound. The only indication of him being alive was the fact that his chest moved up and down slowly from his labored breathing. Szayel unwrapped the bandages and took a look at the bullet wound. It was puffy and red along with oozing pus. The bullet was still inside and he had to remove it quick, or the man would die of lead poisoning. With two slender fingers, he carefully pulled out the bullet and threw it in the waters. He quickly tore off another piece of his sheet and made another bandage for him. At least that threat was over.

"What was that?" Lilynette asked craning her head behind everyone. The attention was turned to the waters behind them. The sound of sloshing water grew closer and closer until the outline of a person came into view. A gun cocked and aimed towards them slowly.

"You all are under arrest," the man said slowly wading up to them. There was no time to pick up Stark and head out against the current. They all sat staring at the man and his eyes which shone through the dim lights.

"You all can come back with me or die here in this waterway."

"Izuru?"

Gin looked ahead at the officer noting the light blond hairstyle. The gun lowered from what he could see as he uttered his name.

"You lied to me Gin," Kira said as Gin took a step closer to him. His face was clearer now. Gin motioned for them to get Stark and go. Szayel looked at his friend and began to walk against the current when a stray bullet went off above their heads. Gin took a slow step back in the waters as Kira's gun created a waft of smoke that rose in the air.

"Gin, you go ahead with everyone else. I'll keep this guy company," Szayel said pushing him back. Gin frowned and took a step closer to him but stopped when he looked at the glare from Szayel's glasses.

"I'll meet up with you all later, just go." Gin nodded and grabbed Stark's body along with Grimmjow. Szayel turned back around to Kira and tied the sheet full of notes tighter on his body.

"Get out of the way," Kira commanded to Szayel. His seething anger could evidently be heard from his voice. Szayel shook his head and stepped closer which made Kira fire the gun again. The bullet lodged itself into Szayel's shoulder. He winced at the sharp pain and placed two fingers to dig the bullet out.

"For the last time, I said 'move'." He was pissed and wasn't afraid to shoot again. Szayel slowing looked up at Kira and with one quick movement, knocked the gun from his hands. Soon the two were fighting in the sewage tearing at each other's faces. Kira punched the pink haired man away searching frantically for the gun when Szayel knocked him into the waters sending him drifting with the current for a few short seconds. By that time, the two had made it the other tunnel that held the waterfall. Kira had found the gun earlier and pointed the dripping wet weapon at Szayel's bloody face. They were dangerously close to the edge and Kira knew that. As the current pushed the two along closer and closer, Szayel made one final leap with a snarl on his face. The gun fired three rapid shots one after another. All three found their way somewhere in Szayel's body as he landed on Kira sending them both down the four story high waterfall down to shallower waters below. Szayel's vibrant golden eyes dulled before he even hit bottom, with Kira under him.

And as his body fell to the sewage covered concrete, all he could think about was the payback he was going to give to his older brother Ilfort…


Author's Notes: This took weeks to finish mainly because I re-typed the whole thing. They main problems I had was Aizen's part in this chapter and the escape, which in my opinion wasn't that great. But the song I listened to while finishing really set the mood for the ending. Pearl Jam's "Yellow Ledbetter"; I don't know why that ending is so sad to me, but it helped me finish up the whole scene with Szayel.

I can't believe I'm about to cry at my own chapter. *sniff* Well here you all are, the next chapter's preview…

"He's dead," Abarai said solemnly as he walked into Ukitake's office. The reaction on the white-haired man's face wasn't a happy one. He shook away the tears that began to slide down his cheeks. Another good friend fell victim to those two criminals.

"Where was he?"

"They found his body near the sewage plant. He drifted down along with another person also, but he was still breathing somewhat. Izuru's lungs were punctured from five of his broken ribs. And even his heart had been punctured."

Ukitake brushed the steady flowing tears from his face and stared at the picture on his desk. The team had just lost another important member. Renji gave a subtle good bye wave and slowly walked away.

"Ukitake-taicho, are you alright?" Asked young Kiyone as she knocked on the door to his office. Jyuushiro quickly wiped the tears from his face and gave a weak smile.

"It's alright Ukitake-taicho; I heard about Izuru also."

-Vichy is out!