Chapter 18: The Great Escape
Zach's POV
The moment "Maine" left my mouth, everybody started moving and they still hadn't stopped. Macey had pulled out her phone, ready to call a private jet before the Headmistress assured her that they had it under control. Solomon and Agent Townsend hurried back to Gallagher to make an appearance and began to call agents that were in Maine to scout, and different contacts to see if I remembered right. We found the exact coordinates, quickly packed, and one hour later, we were lifting off in a small helicopter that carried Solomon and Cammie's roommates, who had pleaded to come along. In another helicopter ahead of us was Headmistress Cameron, Agent Townsend and some other agents that were unknown to me.
"Ladies… and gentleman," Solomon looked pointedly at me. "I expect you to follow direct orders and not to stray. There will be no heroes out of you. This will be a chance for you to utilize the skills you have practiced in the real world."
Tentatively, Liz raised her hand and squeaked out, "Mr. Solomon, it would be better if I stayed behind."
"I understand your concerns, Ms. Sutton. However, it would be best if you followed your roommates - I'd rather not leave an agent behind."
Liz gulped and nodded. I felt sympathy for her as Liz's face began to pale at the image of her future, 6 hours away.
"You'll be fine, Liz," Bex reassured her, "You're bloody smart and you will be an asset to us."
Another silent nod from Liz, bobbing her pale blonde hair as she sunk into deep though, no doubt reciting lines in her head from one of our Cove-Ops textbooks like a prayer.
"I don't expect any of your peers to do anything but observe so you'll be fine." Solomon backed up his previous statements.
Macey, Bex and I were pinned with Solomon's direct glare - a warning to follow his orders. With a gulp I nodded with the girls. The rest of the flight was a mix of silence, pacing, Solomon on his satellite phone, and Liz hyperventilating.
6 hours later, I stepped first out of the helicopter to greet a stormy day at the coast. Angry tides lapped up on the beach and wind whipped through my hair, both from the helicopter and the weather. As everyone else hopped out of their vehicles, we congregated together in one area of the beach as the helicopters took off to return once we had what we came here for.
Headmistress Cameron pulled out a small sheet of paper and everyone leaned in to see the content. "This is a map of the compound, provided by one of our sources." She pulled a handful of paper that had the same things and passed them around.
"Now, team Alpha, take the lead and take corridor C and the door there," Solomon pointed to part of the diagram, "You'll take out threats and clear the entrance as well as secure the exit for team Bravo, who will be going to the cell blocks and looking for the Chameleon."
"And team Charlie, try to find Catherine and bring her in. She's not the priority of this mission, but would be supplemental to us."
Solomon finished briefing the groups of agents from teams Delta to Foxtrot and everyone began to walk on the beach, toward the small boats that sat waiting for them. I clambered onto the first boat with the Headmistress, Solomon, Agent Townsend and Cammie's roommates and we were off, the boat steering into the fog.
It was a rather stormy day and we all shivered on the exposed vehicle as the slow hum of the motor pushed us further into the fog and closer to Cammie. Headmistress Cameron stood over the shoulder of the boat's driver, a stodgy man with a bald head and a trimmed beard, and watched the gps as cut through the water.
"ETA is 5 minutes." The headmistress spoke into the walkie talkie that she untangled from the bullet-proof vest that she donned.
She threw a couple of black vests that looked similar to Bex, Macey, Liz and I and gave us a nod, "Suit up."
Unfortunately we weren't given any weapons, but I was glad for the extra protection. I shrugged on the jacket and zipped it up, still feeling a bit bare without a gun or knife. All of Cammie's roommates shrugged on their vests as well, Liz looking a little bit greener at the prospect of being shot at.
The boat slowed and we drifted towards the bottom of a tall cliff. The wavex drew up and rocked the boat as the slammed into the sides of the cliff, spraying us with water. Agent Townsend opened a chest and Solomon joined him in throwing equipment to each person as the rest of the boats drifted out of the fog and came to join them at their spot.
A long rope and harness, as well as some other climbing equipment landed with a thud at his feet, and then Bex, Macey and Liz. I sighed as I hooked on my equipment and clambered toward the starboard, the side that was closest to the cliff. I bent down, feigning that I was rearranging my shoe and nabbed a gun from the pile of extra bullet proof vests in the corner. Quickly, I tucked it in my small vest pocket on the right side and finished assembling my equipment. I was ready to climb.
Cammie's POV
I glared down at the marks of ownership that was splayed upon my torso. I had woken up after I had passed out from the pain of Catherine carving into me like prized property and found the area bandaged. Later, a guard came into undo the wound, leaving bloody letters in it's wake, but also unlocking my handcuffs in order to give me a wonderful meal of stale bread and water. Appetizing, I know but it had been so long since I had last eaten. I needed to conserve my energy for my plans.
My red ringed wrists ached as I stretched them in front of me. I heard footsteps outside of my room and quickly got into position. Reaching up to my hair, I pulled out a forgotten bobby pin, hidden amongst my waves and tucked it into my hand as the doors opened.
Two guards walked in, one standing from afar with his gun trained at me and the other reaching forward with his handcuffs. The blonde muscled guard approached me and rounded to the back of my chair.
"Hands." He gruffly ordered.
Sighing I complied and brought my hands behind my back. One of the metal cylinders was around my hand and the second before he closed to tighten it, I grabbed and pulled the cuff and his hand down, simultaneously standing up to headbutt him. I slid off my chair and the brunette guard fired at my previous position and then hesitating at his surprise of the events just enough for me to spin and throw the handcuffs straight at his gun. Knocking it out of his hands. While he scrambled on the ground for his gun, I turned back to blondie.
He was staggering up. Veins in his forehead bulging with anger as he ran at me. His fist rocketed out to miss my face as I ducked and then his leg came up, which I nimbly jumped over. The disorientation from getting bumped in the head plus the overabundance of muscles was greatly slowing him down. I glanced at the dark-haired guard and saw him getting ready to shoot again.
A shot was fired straight at me as the blonde stumbled on his missing punch and walked straight into the line of fire. He fell limp to the floor, looking down at his bleeding chest in disbelief. His fellow dark haired guard stared for the moment it took for me to lunge over to him with the bobby pin that was still clutched in my hand and pierce his jugular.
I swiftly dodged the spray of blood as I let him fall to the floor. I reached for his holster and pocketed his gun as well as a small serrated dagger. Smiling, I walked out of the door of my cell and closed it quietly, hearing the click of the lock as I snuck towards the control room.
Zach's POV
"Woah!" I quietly shouted as I caught Liz's foot, which was in the motion of slipping from the wall and causing the rest of Liz to fall with it.
On the other side of Liz's shaking body, Bex was clutching her torso to steady her and keep all of us from falling to an unfortunate death.
"Lizzy, just a little bit longer." Bex reassured the small blonde.
We were behind the rest of the agents who were crawling up slowly for stealth compared to our fumbling mess that often halted our progress. Macey was even climbing ahead of us, not extremely steady, but holding her own against the thrash of wind and the spray of sea.
Very steadily, we made our way to the top where we found the rest of the agents crouching and peering at the gray stone fortress that stood ahead. There was only one floor above ground, with a winding maze of cells and torture rooms that lie below. A tall tower stood in the middle of the fortress with a blinding light that searched the oceans below for enemies. More lights hung over the sides of the building, illuminating the entrances and parts of each wall. Every window was barred with iron and the entrances reinforced with steel. It looked overbearing and ominous with the storm that loomed above, striking lighting some distance to the north and booming thunder all around us.
Solomon quietly shouted to the agents on the right of him, "Team Alpha, go." Only minutes later adding, "Team Charlie."
The agents filed out of the small cluster and ran low to the ground over the hills to the complex that stood half a mile away. Just a line of shadows swerving around the bright lights that shone from the base.
I watched as a member of Team Alpha quickly stepped into the bright light and whipped out a small shiny device that had a metal circle slightly protruding from the middle. Dr. Fibbs own invention to trick electronic locks of almost any kind. Badge to eye scanner, it would unlock almost any electronic door. He swiped it in front of the scanner that glowed red on the wall next to the door. The red turned green and the man opened the door so his comrades could file in. He went last, clicking the door shut behind him as the light turned red again.
Team Charlie did the same thing from door on the other side of the compound and still, the fortress stayed completely silent. Oddly silent. They should have known that enemies were in the fortress by now. There were cameras pointed at the doors that should have seen them. Everyone was aware of that and the agents in Team Bravo bristled along with him as they continued their fast trek to the door on the side of the compound facing them, the one closest to the prisoner cells.
I followed behind the entire group with Bex, Liz, and Macey as we were instructed to do through a series of silent hand signals from Agent Townsend. We arrived at the door only a minute after Team Charlie had disappeared and as Solomon had quickly walked into the light of the door and pulled out his own metal device. He was about to put it in front of the red badge scanner when the door clicked and a green light took the place of the red one.
Solomon jumped back, out of the light, shocked. I stared open mouthed as the rest of Team Bravo whispered in confusion.
I smiled and whispered, "Cammie."
Headmistress Cameron snapped her head back to spot me, her bright eyes sparkling with hope as she had the same suspicions as I did. We snapped out of our daze and snuck inside the compound and briskly walked down Corridor B. At the intersection we looked in each direction before continuing left to the door near the end of the hall. With a matching green light beside it that now adorned all the doors we had seen so far.
Headmistress opened the door pulling it toward her at the same time it flung open. A bloody figure walked out of the dark staircase and into the light. Strands of tangled blonde hair hung around her face and marks of hands lie bruised upon her cheeks. Her torn shirt provided a view of bloody bandages wrapped around her waist and bruises on her ribs.
"Aunt Abby." The figure coolly nodded to the gaping woman.
And the hallways went black and lit up again as red lights flashed on the sides of the hallway and the sound of a siren shrieked through the once silent air.
The Chameleon smirked, "Looks like we should get a move on."
AN: And there rolls out another chapter. It's a little bit shorter than most of the chapters I've wrote but I decided that this would be a good place to end Chapter 18. Sorry this took awhile I struggled with many distractions while writing this. Anyway, this is the second to last chapter of this story so if you have any suggestions left, you better let me know!
Maddie: Sorry I couldn't really fit Preston Winters in here, but if I write a sequel, he will definitely be in it.
S for Summer?