For the most part I wanted each chapter to be in one person's point of view. However, since this is such an integral part of the story and I don't want to do a bunch of short chapters. So since I'm feeling inspired (and nice) I'm going to make this one long chapter and switch between viewpoints.
Chapter 8
---Bones---
I awoke sharply to a large clatter of several things being dropped on to the table.
"Wake up."
I approached the bars to see Keys overturning her bag, dumping its contents onto the table. She proceeded to shove some small loaves of bread in as well as the canteen.
"What's going on?" Jim asked.
"There isn't much time." She hurried over to the cell door and I watched as she pulled the keys from her pocket and unlocked the cell door; it swung open with a loud clang.
"Sylar's shuttle will be docking soon. You've got about 10 minutes."
She pulled a phaser out of the holster on her belt and passed it to Jim. Bending down, she pulled a small dagger out of a sheath strapped to her calf and passed it to Scotty.
"Those are the only weapons I have. Make it work."
She then looked to me, "Come here."
I followed her to the desk and she held out a small round handheld device. She pressed a small button on the side and a hologram of the complex hovered above it.
"This is a map of the entire complex. I've plotted our current point- it's the green dot over here. If you follow the path I've indicated you'll find your way to the back door, that's the blue dot there. Outside you'll end up in the marshes… someone should be waiting for you."
She passed me the holomap and the bag of food. "If something goes wrong and nobody is there to meet you then there is a swamp cruiser hidden behind some large rocks to the left of the entrance- take it."
"Thanks. This…"
"There's no time for that, just go!" She pushed us out the door. "Follow this hallway up the stairs at the end and take a left. You'll have to use the map from there on. Now go!"
"Wait! You're coming with us, right?" I asked in confusion. This was a lot to process and honesty I was still a little groggy from lack of sleep.
"No" She smiled wryly at me.
Scotty grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her out with us. "You've got to come with us, Lass. They won't be forgiving when they find out what ya did."
"And you'll never make it out if I do. Someone's got to stay behind to cover your tracks." She detangled her hand from Scotty's grip. "Now go!"
"You can't be serious" I stared at her incredulously.
"GO!" She slammed the door shut and I heard the click from the latch as she locked it from the inside.
"Wait!"
I reached towards the door, but my hand was stilled by Jim. He turned to us looking determined, "Let's not waste her sacrifice. We can do more good for her if we hurry. Let's go."
---Kira---
I took a moment to steady my breathing. There was no going back now.
It's time to finish this.
I pulled out my comm. "How are things going, Peeps?"
"Good. The shuttle should be landing in a few minutes. I got word from the boss that he wants to see the prisoners immediately, so you better be ready for his arrival."
"Yeah. I'll be ready."
Good. Peeps is still out by the landing pad. That means that the surveillance room is still empty.
My whole plan revolved around the fact that right now everyone is waiting for the shuttle to arrive.
I had to work fast. I would only have a couple of minutes before Peeps would get back.
Sitting down at my computer I hacked into the surveillance system. Earlier this morning I had recorded a short time laps from each of the camera's that they would have to pass to get to the exit. It was a simple matter of setting the screens to play that footage rather than the current view of the hallway; making them, by all accounts, invisible for a good 30 minutes.
It wasn't even a challenge. I knew how to work each system in the complex by heart; I had practically made this place.
Now all I need to do is arrange for a pick up service.
---Spock---
"Captains log. We have been circling the planet Terran for a week now, with no sign of Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy or Mr. Scott, however, the bodies of second away team were found and retrieved; appropriate measures to contact their families have been made. The other away teams have been unsuccessful in their attempts to locate our missing crew members. All logical assumptions lead me to believe that they have been killed, though I hesitate to leave without finding irrefutable evidence of their death. However, the choice has been taken from me as Starfleet has just ordered that I abort the mission and return to the fleet for debriefing. I have no choice but to…"
"Captain" Nyota was calling for my attention from her post.
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
She turned towards me, "I'm receiving a transmission from the planet's surface, sir."
"Who is it from?"
"I'm not sure, sir, in fact the message is very brief- just a set of coordinates."
I pondered this turn in events carefully before responding, "Lieutenant. Arrange for an away team to meet me in the transporter room immediately. Mr. Sulu you have the con."
"Captain, are you sure it's safe? It could be a trap," Sulu questioned.
"There is a high probability; however, we cannot afford to ignore this opportunity."
I hurried off the bridge and to the transporter room. I could only hope that this was a message from Jim and not a trap.
---Bones---
We raced down the hallways as fast and as quiet as we could.
Being out of the cell for the first time I finally began to get a grip on where we actually where. The complex, as they call it, is not an actual building, but a series of caves and tunnels that had be excavated and modeled into one large winding hideout; the perfect place to get lost, with plenty of ways to escape should the need arise- that is, if you know where you are going.
The map that our benevolent captor, whom I still did not know her real name, made navigating the tunnels a breeze; it worked as a compass of sorts and pointed the way towards the exit.
I could tell when we were getting closer to the outside. The built in lights became sparse and the tunnel started to squeeze a little tighter.
Finally, I could see light- real light! I felt a breeze slip through the opening before us. It was a God send compared to the stale, putrid air that we had been forced to breath for the past… I'm not even sure how long we have been here.
"Finally!" I heard Scotty's joyous declare as he stepped out into freedom before me. Frankly, I couldn't agree more!
I was a little shocked once out in the open to find a phaser in my face.
It didn't linger there, as both parties realized who they were staring down.
"Spock!" "Captain!" They had both exclaimed at the same time.
"You're timing is impeccable as usual, Commander!" Jim slapped Spock jovially on the shoulder.
"How did you find us?" I asked.
Spock looked in my direction, "We received a transmission approximately 5 minutes ago with our current coordinates. I assembled a team to come investigate the situation as there was a possibility that it was you trying to contact us."
"Well, it wasn't us." Jim made eye contact with me.
"She said that someone would be waiting- it must have been her…" I suggested.
Jim nodded at me. "We had better hurry! We have a rather large debt to repay." He turned to Spock, "Mr. Spock! We are going to need a bigger team. It's time we give these smugglers a taste of there own medicine."
"Captain, that is highly illogical. Retreat and regroup would be the best course of action, and Starfleet has ordered the Enterprise to return to Earth for debriefing. Also, I have been analyzing the tunnels before you arrived, and to be able to pull off any attempt at capturing the smugglers we would have to know where each tunnel leads and cover every point of escape- there could be hundreds."
"Actually… there are only three!" Jim smiled and took the projector from my hands and held it up in front of his face.
"Come on, Spock. It's time to set the rat traps!" he grinned.
He's enjoying this way too much.