"What?" Shu muttered, staring up into the inky blackness, "Up there?"
"Yes." Mack said simply, crossing his arms and leaning against the huge column protruding from the machine and disappearing into the darkness.
"And…how?" Drew asked.
"This button," Mack pointed at the grey button, "launches a sort of mechanism. The metal walls are in a sort of dome structure." He made a vague dome shape with his hands, and began to lower them down in an arc, "When the switch is pressed, the structure opens. The top opens, subsequently sealing the chamber doors. The column extends, and from the top, the power of the stone would have been released."
"Okay so, the top of the ceiling is open?" Ayame confirmed. Mack nodded. "No light?"
"It's night." Mack replied, an amused smirk crossing his face when everybody stared at him, dumbfounded, "My, looks like someone has been here for a long time."
"How will we climb up there?" May asked.
"I told ya it's an emergency exit." Mack answered, and patted the cylinder funnel, "This has foot holds. Climb on, up and up, right outside the crater."
"What if it's a trap?" Daichi narrowed his eyes.
"Oh, my Groudan!" Mack said dramatically, rolling his eyes, "Don't you get bored? You have been going on about it since forever!"
"If it is not, you go on first." Chiyo challenged.
"No can do, miss." Mack winked, and jumped off the machine. He went around it and came up with a rope, "I need to tie myself up."
"Tie yourself up?" Kei asked, staring at the rope weirdly.
"I don't have a death wish. If they find out that I helped you out, I'll get killed. I'll say that you tied me and I escaped here. Closed the chamber to keep you away from the machine. Embarrassing, of course but a life-saver."
Shu rolled his eyes, "Very well, Mack. You go with your little…plan. Who will climb first?"
"Not me." Daichi said, still looking at Mack mistrustfully.
"Me neither." Miyuki replied.
"Let me go." Chiyo offered.
"Not you, Chi." Shu shook his head, "I'll go."
"Boss." Kei said quietly, "Let me be of use."
"Kei Akagi!" Miyuki cried, "Are you mad?"
"Miyu, shut up." Kei said quietly, "I have been useless so far. Let me be of some use."
"I was also useless!" Drew protested, "I can also go first."
"I was the fastest in climbing drills-"
"Shut up, you two." May interjected, "The team is in the cavern. It won't be long."
"Off ya go, kiddies." Mack said cheerfully, looping the rope around his body and then undoing it.
"Then I'll go!" Before anyone could say anything, Kei climbed up the machine and set his foot on the lowest foothold, "The top is open?"
"Absolutely." Mack replied absentmindedly, trying to figure how to tie his hands with it, "But do mind, it's a long way up."
"Alright." Kei nodded and began climbing. After Kei, Shu made the girls climb. First May, then Chiyo, then Miyuki (with much reluctance) followed by Ayame.
Drew looked at Mack and nudged Shu. The brothers watched Mack trying to figure out how to tie himself up convincingly while Chiyo started. Finally, Shu broke the silence, "You need some help with that?"
Mack looked up, the rope half around his torso, then on his head, holding it in his hands, "You'll help tie me up?"
"Sure." Drew gave him an evil grin. Mack scowled and turned back to work. Drew and Shu laughed, "Oi, just kidding. Let us help."
"Lightly?" Mack asked cautiously, "Not too tight, okay? I bruise easily. "
"Okay." The brothers replied in unison and crouched down to help him tie up.
O.o
Mack was not kidding when he said that it is a long climb. Drew was huffing and panting before they even began to see the small opening. By the time they were close enough to feel the slightly fresh air, the muscles in his arms and legs were burning and screaming. He blinked when a sweat drop invaded his eyes and resisted the urge to scream. Above him, Daichi was climbing as fast as he could. He looked down at Shu and almost wished he hadn't.
They were a long way up, and just staring down at the scene shrouded in darkness made his head spin. Shu was looking at him, urging him on. He was trying to maintain his distance from Drew, lest his face also become a foothold. From below, they could hear Mack's loud voice and occasional interruptions from Tabitha.
Even though they were too far up for Tabitha to see them, they had to be quiet so that he doesn't hear them. Mack was doing his part in helping them escape, keeping up a constant stream of part hysterical, part angry chatter. They couldn't make out his words, considering their height and that the words were echoing slightly but it was sure that whatever he was saying was convincing enough for Tabitha.
Up above, from what he could see past Daichi, Kei, May, Ayame, Chiyo and Carlos were helping Damon climb out. They were close. Daichi was next, followed by Drew. It was going well, almost up to the opening when it happened.
Daichi's foot had caught on a loose foot-hold. Just as he pushed himself up to the next one, it broke off and the three boys watched in shell-shocked silence as it went down in a free fall, falling into the sea of darkness. There was a moment of silence. Then the broken metal block struck the back of the machine, resonating with a loud twang! of metal-on-metal. This was enough to spur the onward climb of the boy just as Tabitha's voice echoed around the chamber, loud enough for them to hear it clearly.
"Is there someone here?"
O.o
Mack looked up and cursed. Damn those kids, they can't even escape properly. Then he looked up at Tabitha, who was staring up in the gloom with such concentration that for a ridiculous moment, Mack though that he would have the gloom disperse with just his concentration alone. Then he, of course, laughed at the ridiculous notion.
But that amusement was short-lived.
"Sir. The object that fell." A man in the Magma uniform said, holding up a block of metal painted black.
Tabitha took it from him and held it up to his eyes, "What is this?"
"One of the foothold, sir." Another guard replied, inspecting the footholds on the metal columns.
"How did it fall?" Tabitha demanded.
"That!" Mack blurted out, "Must have corroded…this place has to be a thousand years old! Or…or not stuck on properly…or something."
Tabitha stared at him for a few moments before he replied, "That's bullshit. Guards, check. Go up. Check. It can be those intruders."
Mack closed his eyes, knowing it will only result in unpleasantness for himself if he spoke any further, and hoped that those brats had escaped.
O.o
"They're climbing." Shu warned as Drew and Kei helped him out of the opening.
The air was cold, and harsh and man, it felt good! He stood up and dusted his jeans. He turned around and counted heads. 9 and then himself, 10. All present.
"It must be Mack! He lured us in false security and set their guards on us!" Daichi accused.
"Shut up, Dai." Shu said calmly, "We all know what happened."
"What happened?" Chiyo asked, confused.
Daichi looked at him and Drew. Drew turned his head away. Shu sighed, "Nothing. We have to leave soon."
"How do we…?" Ayame looked around. For the first time, Shu assessed their surroundings.
They were standing on a dome. Right at the center, a funnel shaped structure flared out, with an antenna pointing at the sky. He realized that the structure was at the crater of the volcano, inside which the Magma Headquarters was located. And now he could see he problem.
"How are we going to get out of here?" May asked, holding her hair at the base of her neck with one hand while with the other, she tried to keep her bangs in place against the strong winds.
"A trap!" Daichi declared, "He knew we would have no means to get away! And Tabitha is following us-"
"Shut up, Dai." Chiyo growled, "We are the idiots who did not think."
"Excuse me," They all turned to Damon and Carlos, the latter trying not to laugh, "You mean you are the idiots who did not think. Do not include us."
"What do you mean?" Kei questioned.
"That." Drew drew their attention, pointing at a black figure in the sky, "Those yours?"
As they watched, the black figure, followed by a few more, drew closer. Soon, they were close enough for them to make out the rotating blades and the sleek body.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Carlos muttered and Damon flashed him a grin.
"Nice work, guys." Shu nodded in appreciation before going back into 'boss-mode', "Alright, first copter, Miyuki, May, Ayame and Chiyo. Second, Daichi, Drew and Kei. Third, Damon, Carlos, and me. Alright?"
"Alright." Everybody agreed. Just as the first copter grew closer, the pilot flashed them a grin as he lowered the rope ladder. May was the first to be ushered on, followed by Chiyo. Just as Miyuki entered the copter, a loud shout made them stop.
"Not so fast, kids. Not so fast."
O.o
Down below, Mack had a crazy idea. The chances of it failing were too high, but the chance of success could help the brats get away.
Consider this the last time I help you.
"Tabitha." Mack said as Alex removed the lasts of the rope bounding him. They did a good job, Mack mused as he rotated his hands to get the feeling back, watching the slight bruises with detachment, "It is a long way up. Won't it be better if you go up first? You know the guards can't take all of them on. You go first."
Mack looked up at him, through his bangs and hoped that he would buy it. Tabitha looked like he was contemplating. Mack wished he would stop looking at him, even though he knew that Tabitha couldn't even see his eyes due to the hood. After a long moment, Tabitha finally nodded. Mack took a breath of relief. Just as Tabitha was beginning to climb, Mack stood up and pointed at Alex, "You, go next."
The other guards waited as Alex began to climb after Tabitha. Mack smirked, a hand reaching for his pokeball as he strode towards the machine. So easy to fool.