If any of the three had stopped to think about how ridiculous their hopes of escape were, they would have been lost.
Their one hope of escaping had just disappeared along with the robots they encountered.
Now they had to fight their way out using only the robotic arm.
Not good odds, Ferb admitted.
But then again, he and his brother defied the odds every day.
They walked faster now. They were sure that everyone could be able to hear their heart pounding. Yet there was an almost pindrop-silence, highlighting the fact it was night.
And then they turned a corner and the robots materialized-
No time for Phineas to react. No time-
But Ferb could react and brought both the robots down in a flash.
"C'mon, we better change directions, I'll bet they're just the advance party." Ferb said, perhaps a little too loudly.
In any case, it didn't matter. The shots were like cannon blasts in the silence.
They turned yet another corner, turning into a corridor every bit similar to the one they came from. They could see doors branching off the corridor, and one straight ahead.
"Whoa. How big is this place?"Phineas asked weakly.
"Right now, it doesn't matter. Let's go there," Ferb said, leading them straight down the corridor. He was unusually chatty today. Or maybe it was just the mortal terror talking.
They were at the end. The door swung open-
-to reveal that they were standing before a balcony-like structure that seemed to stretch all the way to their left and right.
Directly before them was a glass wall. It was slanting slightly outwards.
The three ran up to the wall and looked down.
Immediately, Ferb wished he hadn't.
Vertigo threatened to seize him, and he quickly backed off. For before them was a wide, open space all the way down.
Now that he had stood back, Ferb was able to see that their balcony curved around the central space. They had similar structures on every floor.
Ferb could hear the robots coming. There's no way we'll be able to outrun them.
The thought hit Phineas as well, and he asked Ferb, "What do we do?"
Ferb, always the man of action, took the robotic arm and blasted the glass wall out.
"What are you doing-?"Isabella asked.
"If you can't go left or right, go down." Ferb replied.
Phineas seemed to read Ferb's mind. Duh. What else could he be planning to do?
"Oh, no way. There's no way I'm going to-"
Ferb grabbed him and Isabella.
But instead of heading for the gaping hole, Ferb led them through another door and slammed it shut. The darkness in there was total.
"What's happen-"Ferb clamped his whole hand over Phineas' mouth.
The three of them strained to listen to the sounds outside.
"...they've clearly gone over the edge. Let's descend-"a cold, mechanical voice said. It was the first time any of them had heard the robots speak, and they never wanted to hear it again.
Then the voices faded.
"Whew."Ferb said. "We got away."
"Actually, you haven't." said someone from behind them.
The lights went on, momentarily blinding them.
When they recovered, they turned around to gaze upon Hazelton.
Ferb brought up the robotic arm, raising it to fire-
"Not so fast, Mr. Fletcher. This here...," he pulled a boxy contraption with an antenna sticking out, "is an override device." A nasty red button sat on the box.
"When I push this button, the robots will make you their number one target. You can pretty much forget about running, because you won't make it five feet."
"But," he continued, enjoying their horrified faces, "I'm willing to spare you, provided you work with me. Tell me where it is, and you live. Otherwise..."
His hand moved closer to the button.
"Where's what?" all three of them chorused.
"Don't play stupid with me. I know you know!" His finger was right over the button.
"Will you do it? Swear an oath with me, and join me."
"I will never swear an oath with you. Except an oath that I will see you go to prison." Phineas was resolute.
Hazelton shook his head sadly. "Such a shame, son." Then he turned to Ferb. "Et tu, Ferb? You too?" For added impact, he threw Ferb a Taser to let Ferb feel the weight of his decision. "Don't bother using it on me, I'll just push the button."
Kids are so easy to fool. They think everything they see in the movies is true, that there really is an override button. Hazelton stood there, enjoying Ferb's expression as he tried to make an impossible choice.
Come on! he wanted to shout. Join the real world! It's an empty threat! He could see they didn't even begin to suspect anything amiss.
I make a good poker player.
How do you choose?
The short answer was, you didn't. No one should be asked to make choices like that.
Ferb stared at the override device, willing it to be false. But he knew it was no bluff.
Between a friend and a hard place, he thought.
He processed every line of thought, trying to find a way out of the dilemma.
When he was through thinking, there was only one choice left.
Phineas was holding the laser. "Stick it to him!"
Ferb looked straight at Hazelton. "I'm sorry."
Then he spun around and shot Phineas with the Taser.