Sam was sitting next to Astrid with his arm around her shoulder. There was nothing else to do but wait. Wait for someone to come up with a plan to escape. Or for Jack to figure out how to move the catwalk. Sam still didn't understand Astrid's plan. It seemed impossible. She wanted to angle the catwalk towards the ceiling and escape via the roof.
Of course, everyone expected Sam to think of how to escape. Even Caine expectantly looked over at him, then quickly looked away. Sam wanted to tell everyone that he just didn't know. Quinn suggested they break down a wall and sprint out. Astrid pointed out the fact that they didn't know what was on the other side of the wall.
"Why don't we just stack things on top of each other to create a stairs to the roof, instead of waiting for Jack to finish fiddling around with the computers," Diana said.
"I don't see how getting onto the roof will help us at all. The only difference will be we are higher up and outside. It's not like we can just jump off. And, what if people are outside and they spot us?" Edilio said. Astrid sighed.
"I honestly don't know what to do. It was just an idea," she said.
"Well, I would like some fresh air. How about you guys?" Sam said. "We might as well go up on the roof instead of wait for someone to break in here."
"Okay, I'm in. Jack, how much longer?" Lana said. Jack looked frustrated. Sam was surprised Jack could even get frustrated when working with a computer.
"I don't think we can control the catwalk with this, okay? I've been searching and searching, and nothing," Jack snapped. He was definitely not used to not being able to do something with a computer.
"Well, we'll just do what Diana said," Dekka suggested. Jack looked furiously at the computer.
"Alrighty then," Sam said and got to his feet. He helped Astrid get up. "So, Caine and Jack can move the big stuff, and Edilio and I can move the smaller stuff."
"I can help," Dekka said. Sam shook his head.
"You continue looking after Breeze," he said. Dekka didn't complain.
Caine didn't really need Jack, Sam, and Edilio helping. In fact, Sam even suspected the three of them were slowing the process down. But Sam didn't just want to sit there as his brother did all the work.
Finally, there was a pretty much stable stairway touching the ceiling. It definitely did not pass safety standards, and it didn't look pretty, but it worked.
"Okay, now to break a hole through the roof," Astrid said. Everyone looked towards Caine.
"Well, I would have to fling one of those enormous computers to do it, since we used all the other heavy objects," Caine said. Sam counted to three in his head, waiting for Jack to protest.
"No!" Jack said with a shocked expression. Sam smiled to himself. Edilio rolled his eyes.
"Well then you have to break through the roof," he said. Jack groaned and complained as he walked up the dangerously balanced stack. When he reached the top, he dramatically groaned one more time, then started punching the ceiling. It didn't take long for him to make a decent-sized hole. Sunlight and fresh air streamed through the hole. Jack jumped back down.
"There. You happy?" he grumbled. Astrid patted Jack on the back.
"Let's go," she said and started walking up. The rest of them followed. Dekka still carried Brianna, even though Jack offered to carry her because Dekka was clearly getting tired.
"Well, we did end up escaping," Quinn said with a smile once they were on the roof. Everyone was relatively happy for seeing sunlight and breathing fresh air. Well, as happy as one could be when they were abducted by a man who called himself the General, learned an evil scientist planned to use their powers to make an army, and watched Brianna get shot and almost die from poison. They're happiness was short-lived.
"There's kids on the roof!" Sam heard someone from the ground shot. Caine cursed.
"Well, it was a nice break, wasn't it?" he said.
"They're getting guns!" Astrid yelled. She was looking over the edge of the roof. Sam pulled her back.
"Stay away from the edges," Sam ordered. Jack started moaned.
"We're doomed. We're so doomed. Doomed," he whimpered. A loud, chopping noise interrupted Jack.
"That's a helicopter!" Quinn cried. Sam saw it had big, yellow letters that said FBI on it.
"Should we trust it?" Edilio yelled over the noise of the helicopter's blades. It was coming straight for the roof, lowering a ladder. Then the people on the ground started shooting at the kids.
"Well, they aren't shooting at us, so yes!" Lana yelled.
"Forget the ladder," Caine said. He flicked his hand up and Diana went flying, straight into the helicopter's open doors. Sam heard Diana curse from inside the helicopter. Caine then proceeded to throw Lana.
While Caine was busy tossing kids into the helicopter, Sam risked a glance over the edge of the roof. The soldiers on the ground where climbing up the side with a very tall ladder.
"You better hurry, Caine!" Sam yelled. Only Jack, Dekka, Brianna, Caine, and Sam were left.
"Jack, hold onto Brianna while I through you. And no complaining, Dekka!" Caine yelled. Dekka reluctantly handed Brianna to Jack as the two of them went flying. Caine was about to throw Dekka when Sam felt a hand on his back. He looked around and saw that all the soldiers had made it to the roof. One was leveling a gun at the helicopter.
"Go!" Sam screamed at the helicopter. "Go! Now!"
Sam heard Astrid screaming his name as the helicopter pulled away. But they had to leave before the soldiers started shooting. Sam, Caine, and Dekka were surrounded.
"We aren't going to try and fight," Sam said. "Just let the helicopter go."
The soldier holding onto Sam sneered. "For now we'll let the helicopter escape."
Sam wished he could have said goodbye to Astrid. He didn't know if he would see her again. Probably not. Sam, Caine, and Dekka were dragged down to the prison cells in the basement of the building.
At least Astrid is safe, Sam thought. At least she's safe.