Skyblade entered hallway nine and listened to the door shut behind him. Unlike the previous prison sectors, this section was protected by security cameras and a larger patrol of highly-trained troopers. Any mistake now would mean certain trouble.
As he made his way down the passage, Skyblade watched the cell numbers above each door. Every few minutes he passed a guard who gave him a quick salute and paced onward.
29,30,31,32, ah, 33
Skyblade approached the security keypad of cell 33 and drew a slip of paper that contained the unlock code, which he had written down at the computer data sector. He punched in the long phrase of random numbers and letters, and the cell door quickly opened.
"Lieutenant," Skyblade said to a nearby trooper, "Stand by to have the man in this cell transferred."
"Sir, I was ordered that the agent in that cell was not to be moved," the guard said.
"I have been authorized by the prison commander to have Firefox moved to the interrogation room for final questioning."
"Yes sir, Major. But I will have to escort you and the prisoner to the room."
"Very well, Lieutenant. Give me a moment and the prisoner will be set to go."
Skyblade entered the cell and approached the sleeping figure lying in a cot alongside the wall.
"Marcus," Skyblade said in an almost silent whisper, "Wake up."
The figure quickly drew himself up from the bed at the sound of his real name.
"Skyblade?" Firefox said in a surprised whisper, "How'd you get in here? Good Lord buddy, I've missed you. I thought they had probably killed you by now."
"No, but they're planning on it, and soon. We've got to get out of here fast."
"How?"
"Just follow me as I escort you for your 'final interrogation.' Then we'll take it from there."
"Right on, sir. Ready when you are."
Skyblade exited the cell and called to the guard.
"Lieutenant, we're ready to move."
"Yes sir."
Skyblade, Firefox, and the Levo lieutenant walked back through the hallway and through the security sector. After taking numerous turns and twists through the massive prison, they finally reached the area where the interrogation room was. The guard, however, noticed that the officer in charge of the data banks was gone.
"Where is Davidson? He's not suppost to leave his post until 18:00 hours."
"I don't know, lieutenant," Skyblade replied.
The guard looked around in the room and noticed sticky blood smeared across the floor.
"Major, there's blood here! I must alert the prison!"
Just as the lieutenant began to run for the alert switch located on one of the computer panels, Skyblade jumped across the table and grabbed his arm before he could flip it.
"So you're behind this," the trooper said as he attempted to wrench his arm away from Skyblade.
The trooper, whose 6'5" frame far exceeded Skyblade's size, slammed his elbow against Skyblade's neck and wrestled him to the floor. The guard drew his blaster pistol and began to fire.
Just as Skyblade was certain he was going to be shot, Firefox gripped the guard's neck and slung his feet at his left shin. A cry of pain emerged as the guard fell to the floor, and Firefox began to wrestle the pistol away from the injured trooper.
As the trooper again suceeded in gaining control of his weapon, Skyblade finally unslung his proton rifle and fired off several bursts at the trooper. Three blue beams ripped through the guard's chest, splashing blood across the computer systems behind him. The guard slumped to the floor in silence, and Firefox took his weapons.
As Skyblade got back to his feet, the prison's alarm system went off. the click of military array could be heard throughout the prison as troopers ran to the area where the energy detection system had monitored the weapon fire.
"We're for it now. Let's move!"
Skyblade and Firefox dashed through one of the doorways and closed it behind them, locking it with a security code. The headed for the western section of the prison where the communications tower was located.
As the two agents ran through a dark passage, they could hear a patrol up ahead coming their way. Skyblade and Firefox slipped into an empty cell and watched as the troopers ran by, not noticing the open cell through the darkness.
After the patrol had passed, Firefox located the elevator system which lead to the comm tower. They entered it and were soon taken to the top. As soon as the doors opened, Skyblade tossed a stun grenade into the room and listened. He could hear the guards stumble to the floor in shock as they attempted to find out what was going on.
Firefox and Skyblade emerged from the elevator firing away with their weapons. Only one guard managed to get off a shot, which was completely wild from the effects of the stun grenade. Firefox gunned down most of the guards while Skyblade located the comm panel.
"Here we are... Activate the channel to the prison sectors!"
In somewhat of a hurry as more guards to show up any moment, Firefox found the channel frequency and soon had it open.
"This is the sector commander of hallway 4," Skyblade said, doing his best to add panic to the diversion. "We have located the two agents attempting to escape, but we are held up in a firefight. Requesting all units to sector 4! Need immediate assistance!"
Skyblade stopped and listened. He could hear the troopers throughout the prison turning from their destination and rushing to sector 4.
Firefox flipped off the comm channel and turned to Skyblade.
"We've got the entire prison brigade on its way to the eastern side of the prison now. Let's get the heck out of here!"
The two again ran to the elevator and made their way down to the hallway where they had first come through. The western prison sectors were now silent as all of the guard units had run to give sector 4 the assistance they didn't really need.
Soon Skyblade and Firefox had exited the prison, but were blocked by the massive wall of the outer rim. They could see Levo air units beginning to circle the airspace to provide chase for any fugitives...
Not having any way to get through the wall and no ship to make a run attempt, the two agents took up hiding behind a thick support pillar and quickly planned their next move.
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Joseph Payne - (url="http://"mailto: joseph.payne@tmgmedia.net ")mailto: joseph.payne@tmgmedia.net (/url) joseph.payne@tmgmedia.net
