Kristin quickly bound up the extra blankets with the remaining medical tape, tucking some foodstuffs and first aid supplies in each. "Hopefully there won't be much hiking in the snow, but if there is, we'll have some supplies," she sighed.
Lucas, sitting on the bed, tore thin strips off of the outside of the featherbed. "If this doesn't work, we're going to be cold." He paused, and scowled at his work, "or dead, I suppose."
"Don't think like that," Kristin chided him.
"This is like our last ditch effort, right?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean it won't work." Kristin stacked the blankets together. "Are you ready?"
Lucas nodded, "yeah, I already did the mock image, we're set to go." He glared at his hands, "you're wrapping it right?"
Kristin took the strips of fabric from him. "I won't want you to touch it anyhow, it might react to the moisture in your skin. It can be very volatile." She carefully opened the small jar she procured from her lab, and after dipping her fingers in the surrounding oil, lifted the silvery fist sized piece of soft metal out.
The oil glistened in the over headlights, "is that going to be enough?" Lucas asked, watching it sparkle as she wrapped it in the fabric. She finished, and placed in back into the jar. She took the time to dump the rest of oil out before returning it to her pocket.
"It's a start, I never got a chance to look around that room. There is… an air pump, it has to run on something." Kristin cringed, knowing what question was coming.
Lucas saw the expression, and narrowed his eyes. But, he surprised her but shaking his head. "It could be run on electricity," he paused, "wait, Zellar told you we were in Nepal?"
"Yes, and I have no reason to disbelieve him. The scenery certainly looks like it's true."
He stared past her, skimming through his mental files. "Nepal is still a developing country, their electrical isn't one hundred percent yet." Lucas grinned excitedly, "have you noticed the power ever flicker? Any surges or anything like that?"
"No, not that I've seen."
"So, we're in this old building, high up on a mountain, with a great power hook up. How does that work?"
"Lucas, I'm not following you." Kristin tried to calm him before he got too animated and distracted from the task at hand.
His blue eyes gleamed, "generators. Like you said, they have to run on something. There has to be one than one, you said this place is pretty big. If we can make a big enough explosion, we can take the whole place out."
"Including us."
"Oh, right," his shoulders slumped. "The rock should be able to control it some." He added hopefully.
Kristin shook her head, "No, I don't think it's a good idea, sweetheart. We would have to find one, then somehow set off the explosion without getting hurt. What we're doing is risky enough. Using the possible fuel from Nathan's air pump is one thing…" She trailed off as Lucas stared at her in horror.
"The Captain is on an air pump? Is… is he dying or something?"
"No, but he is in danger. We have to move now." She held out her hand and helped him up. He was only putting pressure on the balls of his feet. "How does it feel?"
He grunted, "I won't be dancing any time soon, but I can walk… sort of." Lucas wrinkled his nose. "How do we know he won't have glass out there again? I still can't see the floors on the feed."
"He doesn't repeat his tricks, he'll consider it beneath him."
"So there might be something worse."
Kristin sighed, "yes, but we have to try. Come on, time to pick the lock you little hooligan."
He smirked and picked up the sharp metal piece. After quickly working on the door there was a click. He handed the tool off to Kristin and took the three blankets. Nodding once, he pushed the door open. They both sighed in relief, the hall was bare of glass and guards.
"This way, we need to move fast, but don't overdo it on your feet." Kristin directed him down the corridor.
They encountered no one, and soon reached the door. "You need to prepare yourself if he hasn't gotten free yet." Kristin tried to explain, "he isn't in immediate danger, but it's hard to see."
She pushed the door open, and as soon as Lucas saw inside, he turned his head away. He cursed loudly, swallowing his disgust. Kristin didn't bother scolding him, as she thought the same thing every time she pictured Nathan in the tank. The water had leaked out to the level of the couplings, which had become weak enough for him to pull them completely out. He also had removed the mask, showing every bruise and scrap on his thin face.
He called out when he saw them, "Kiddo… oh god…" His voice was cracked and echoed out of the tank. "I didn't entirely believe it. But… you're ok."
Lucas hobbled to the tank, "yeah, I'm good Cap. Can you get out?"
Nathan shook his head, "I've tried, I can't climb that high. I'm too…" He grimaced and sighed, "I guess I'm just too old to be doing pull ups after the week I've had."
"That's already been figured into the equation." Kristin stated proudly. "The weight will all be at the bottom, we just need to push you over." She pulled the jar from her pocket, and removed the tightly wrapped object. "But first, if you would be so kind as to fill this with water?"
Nathan raised an eyebrow at the request, but obeyed. She took it back and set it down next to the window. The strange looking lump was placed as far away from the filled jar as possible, but still be close enough to use. Lucas joined her with the blankets.
"Ok, this shouldn't be too bad." She smiled reassuringly, as they looked out the window together. "We're high, but the new snow is plenty soft enough for us to land on. Just be sure to jump out away from the cliff. And try to relax your body before you land, it will limit injuries."
"Yeah… great, I'll be totally relaxed, no reason not be." Lucas muttered, as he peered out nervously. "So," he tried to distract himself from the coming plunge. "What's the plan to get the Captain out?"
"It'll be a little lesson in momentum and a bit of physics."
"Awesome," he groaned, as they left the window, "we're trying to escape from a madman's fortress of solitude and she wants to give us school work."
A laugh barked out of Nathan, and he shook his head. "I've missed that attitude."
Their moment of revelry was cut short as the door flew open. Wendell stepped in, smiling triumphantly. "I'm sorry to interrupt this little reunion, but the Doctor is supposed to be resting. I'd hate to see her get worse."
Lucas pushed himself forward snarling, he used the pain in his feet as fuel to gather the resolution to confront their present tormentor. "Stay away from her, asshole. I won't let you touch her again." He was nose to nose with the much larger man, shaking in fury. "We're done with all this, you can't stop us."
He was pushed back with ease, stumbling on his bandaged feet. "Don't make me laugh. If you two are good and go back to your room, I won't even alert Dr. Zellar about this. If you piss me off…" Wendell glared at Lucas, "I'll teach you why I was put in a mental institution. I'm getting a little sick of dealing with the old man anyhow. I doubt I'll get in much trouble if I have a little fun."
Kristin cried out, and Nathan hammered on the side of the tank as Lucas launched himself at Wendell again. He ignored them, completely blinded with rage. His adrenalin was pumping and all he cared about was stopping the people he cared about from being further hurt.
In the back of his mind, Lucas felt the immense guilt of the part he already played, even unknowingly. He was sick with knowledge that just playing a simple video game had opened the way for such devastation. If they couldn't escape now, and bring Zellar to justice, he would be partly responsible for the deaths of millions.
The wild punch was halted in midair by Wendell's powerful hand. He squeezed until Lucas felt the cuts on his palm break open and his knuckles crunched painfully in their sockets. The large man then twisted it, spinning him around in an arm lock, and pulled Lucas against his body, rendering him helpless.
With the other hand, he grabbed Lucas around the front of his neck, lifting him into the air above him. He laughed as Lucas scrapped frantically with his free bandaged hand, gasping for air. "Don't you see? It doesn't matter what you do. We have everything on our side, and we don't care who dies. Dr. Zellar will simply eliminate anyone who stands in our way."