Amber, sitting about two inches from Li's nose, shifted back so she could her friend's entire face. Li was right. It did sound crazy. Even though Amber had just yelled at Alex for giving up, Amber had just about lost hope too. But pushing its way to the surface, jostling past her wariness at Li's plan, was excitement. And relief. Li obviously wasn't going to press her hunch about Amber and Hex.
Li spotted the look of relief cross Amber's face and she decided to push that relief back down. With a sly grin, she winked at Amber, then looked across at Hex. Amber stuck her tongue out at Li and quickly asked her about her plan.
'So Li. What's this crazy idea you have? You gonna share it, or do we have to beat it out of you?' Li decided to let Amber be for the moment. She would talk to her about Hex later, but for now Li switched off her grin and put a serious expression on her face.
'Right. Group huddle.' Alex, Amber and Li shuffled over to Paulo and Hex, Amber sitting as far away from Hex as possible.
'So Li. What's the plan?' Alex was getting excited. Amber was right. There was no hope for escape if they didn't think they would outwit their captors. Li's announcement of a plan had given him that little spark of hope and now it was burning furiously, spreading rapidly to every corner of his brain. 'Come on. Tell us.' Li licked her lips, determined to build the suspense. Her four friends stared at her. Paulo broke the expectant silence. He grabbed Li around the waist and pushed her to the floor. He put his hands on her shoulders and cocked his head to one side.
'Amber may be right. I think we will have to beat it out of her.' Li could have easily wriggled out of Paulo's grasp, but she was laughing too hard. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she looked at her friends' faces. Amber shoved her way in beside Paulo and started to tickle Li.
'Ok, ok! Stop! I'll tell you! AMBER!' Amber and Paulo sat back with satisfied smiles and Li staggered to her feet. 'Just let me get my breath back.' Amber made a move towards Li and she stepped out of the way.
'Li,' Amber said impatiently. 'We're waiting.'
After a few more deep breaths, Li sat back down next to Paulo. The grin had left her face again and she was all business.
'Alex gave me the idea. We have only two options to escape. Heli or abseil. If we abseil down, then we have a further two options. We take a car or we go on foot. From there is another two options. We try to go straight back to town and warn the authorities or we go in completely the opposite direction to throw them off our trail.' Alex's hope had died again.
'That's the plan,' he asked. Li shook her head.
'No. That was the options. This is the plan. We can't go in the helicopter because none of us know how to operate one, and it's right in the middle of a clearing, with about ten guards wandering about. So we have to abseil down the cliff. To try and escape on foot, at least at the beginning, is pointless. They'll take the vehicles and catch us up pretty quickly. So we have to take the cars. As for the go to town or on a ramble. I have absolutely no clue, but I guess we can decide when we need to.' Hex was looking paler.
'So we abseil down the cliff in front of all the guards, wave to them while Paulo hotwires the car and then zoom off. I don't think they're going to stand around and watch us. Shoot us, yes. Stare at us dumbly with their guns slung casually on their backs, no.' Alex nodded.
'Besides, we haven't got any gear to abseil with.'
'But they do,' Li said quietly. Paulo and Amber gaped at her.
'So we steal their stuff then escape. Good plan Li. That will be even less inconspicuous,' Amber muttered. Li glared at her.
'Yeah? Well, I don't see you coming up with anything better, Amber. At least I'm trying.' Amber opened her mouth to comment back, but Paulo placed a hand over her and Li's mouths.
'No fighting. We are a team. We do not fight. We discuss problems and find solutions in a calm manner.' Alex stifled a grin. Paulo looked ridiculous. He had an utterly calm look on his face even though he was sitting between Li and Amber who both had furious looks on their faces and were leaning towards each other, pushing against Paulo's hand.
Li slumped back and pulled Paulo's hand away from her mouth.
'Yuck, Paulo. Wash you hands next time.' Amber leapt back like she'd been stung and wiped frantically at her mouth with the back of her hand.
'Gross!' Paulo shrugged and wiped his hands on his jeans.
'Don't fight,' he said. Amber gave Li an apologetic smile.
'Sorry. I'm not that good at keeping my cool am I?' Li smiled back.
'My fault as well.' Hex waved from his position on the floor.
'Hello? Guys? A plan?' He shot a questioning glance at Li. 'You got any other hidden details you wish to let us know about?'
'I guess we could distract them somehow, then make a run for it.' Alpha Force lapsed into silence as they each thought about the plan. It was the only way of escaping and could possibly be carried out if all went to plan. But they were in the company of dangerous criminals and, as Alpha Force knew all too well, they didn't always play by the rules.
The swish of canvas being drawn back made them all turn around. The same unsmiling Chinese woman that had shown them to their cell and given them breakfast, looked in at them. She unlocked the door and pushed plastic bowls into the cell. As the strange fragrance hit them, Alpha Force realised how hungry they were. The food appeared to be the same as breakfast, but they were so hungry that this time no one cared. Just as they were finishing the meal, the Chinese woman came back. She chucked a small bag and a bucket through the door way, then left.
Alex seized the bag and opened it. Inside were two bottles of water, five plastic cups, some weird smelling cream for bruises and a box of painkillers. Hex stretched his hands out towards the painkillers and gave a whoop of delight. Paulo poured Hex a cup of water and gave him two painkillers. Hex swallowed them gratefully. Paulo inspected the bottle of ointment.
'I will wait for the painkillers to start working before putting this on your bruises, Hex,' Paulo said as he placed the jar next to his friend's head. Hex nodded and sank back so his head was resting on the blanket again. Amber was staring at the bucket with a puzzled look on her face.
'What's this for?' she asked. Hex grinned and then winced as his head thumped with pain. The painkillers weren't working just yet.
'That, Amber, is out toilet.' Amber look at the bucket with horror, then slipped cautiously away from it. Hex laughed, despite his discomfort. The look on her face...
Li was sitting by the door, her head pressed against the wall. She had been like that for a few minutes, so Alex went across to her.
'What-' Li swung her head around to face him. Li placed a finger to her lips and then pressed her ear to the wall again. Alex kept quiet and he finally heard what Li was listening to; a murmur of voices speaking in some foreign language. Chinese probably, Alex thought. Since they are Chinese that'd be likely. The voices got fainter and Li sat back, a happy smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
'Hey guys. Guess what. We have just been given a ticket out of here.' Four shocked faces stared at her like she had grown three extra heads. 'Those dumbos were talking by our door. I will reveal all as soon as I get some water. I'm very thirsty.' Amber, Hex, Paulo and Alex watched impatiently as Li gulped down two glasses of water. She set the cup back down and turned towards her friends.
'Now. No one is to comment until I'm done and no overreacting. Or I won't tell you.' Her friends nodded their agreement and Li leaned forward. 'Ok. This is what we're going to do.'
A/N Hi guys! I hope that you're enjoying my story and just wanted to thank every one who has reviewed. I really appreciate all of the helpful hints, ideas or just that encouraging comment. As I have quite a busy week coming up, I don't know whether I will be able to update for a while but I shall see. Thank again and keep those reviews coming!