Chapter 20: Prison Breach
An explosion shattered the east wall of the prison, sending tremors throughout the facility. The door of Nathan’s cell rattled and dust fell from the ceiling.
The alarms continued to blare as red emergency lights flashed throughout the prison.
Shouting broke across the block. Nathan could hear Theo asking the next cell over what was happening, then relaying it back to him
"An explosion... took out a wall."
"A breakout?"
"Most likely," Theo answered.
Nathan frowned. Staging an attack had been part of his escape plan but he had kept it as a final play. But now it felt like someone had thrown a wrench in his plans.
A second explosion hit the same section of the wall, finishing what the first one had started.
Then, with a metallic squeal, the doors sealing the block released. Nathan’s door swung open on its own, along with every other cell down the corridor.
Three guards appeared at the entrance of the block. They drew their batons and the tips crackled with energy.
Their faces held a confidence that suggested they thought they could hold the line.
WHOOSH!
A blur of motion tore through the block.
Weapons clattered across the floor in front of every open cell: pipes, pieces of rebar, rusted knives, and even a few real blades.
The blur vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
For a moment, no one moved.
The inmate across Nathan stared at the rebar in front of him in disbelief before snatching it up. Others did the same.
"Did you see that?" Nathan called to Theo, grabbing the metal pipe left in front of his cell.
Theo was already examining the rusted knife in his hand. "Yeah," he said grimly. "I saw it."
The next instant, the inmates surged towards the door. Some laughed, a few yelled but they all moved towards one goal.
The three guards’ confidence didn’t survive the sight of more than a dozen armed inmates rushing towards them.
They shouted orders that no one had any intention of following and in minutes, they were overwhelmed.
Nathan stepped back into his cell, set the pipe down and grabbed his phone to check for any news about the incident. Theo’s footsteps stopped at the door. He held his knife with a serious expression.
Nathan’s hand slowly reached for the pipe, his fingers tightening around it. His nerves were preparing to go into overdrive until Theo’s expression morphed into a frown.
"That was a speedster."
Nathan nodded slowly. "Yes. I assume that’s not a normal occurrence here."
"I don’t know. I wonder what they are after."
"You mean who," Nathan said. "Doesn’t this facility keep some dangerous criminals."
Theo shrugged then tucked the knife away. "Mostly villains who rely on gadgets."
He let the silence stretch for a moment before speaking again. "So what’s the plan? Aren’t you going to use this to escape?"
Nathan released his grip on the pipe. "I don’t know. My plan was subtle. This complicates things."
Theo didn’t say anything else and without warning, he unzipped his jumpsuit.
Nathan frowned at the action until Theo brought a tape and attached his knife to his body. Nathan caught other items taped to his body. A phone, a lighter and a small first aid pouch.
"With doors open, people are likely to steal so take what you need." He tossed the tape to Nathan.
Nathan taped the pipe along his forearm until it held firm. Then he grabbed his phone, power bank and the remaining cash he got from Moe, divided them into bundles and taped them too.
Just in case.
Theo watched him with a frown. "What do you intend to do with that? Slap them with Bills?"
"Money can be a superpower," Nathan replied, to which Theo shook his head.
They left the block together. There were bodies littered about. The three guards from earlier and five inmates.
Nathan kept moving, doing his best not to let his eyes linger.
The corridor opened into the yard, where part of the outer wall had collapsed into rubble with smoke still rising from the debris.
Overhead, the sound of the helicopter faded away in the distance.
Moe’s kiosk was gone, reduced to splinters and scattered wrappers.
Inmates were prying at the razor wire near the breach, trying to force their way through the exposed gap while guards on the other side fought to hold them back.
"That’s a dead end," Nathan muttered. So far that was the only plausible place to escape from. He returned his attention to the yard.
Old grudges were being settled in the open, guards and inmates caught in the same indiscriminate violence.
A shape near the wall caught Nathan’s eye. An officer, mouth open, dragging in short, shallow breaths, blood pooling beneath him. His radio crackled uselessly at his side.
Theo dropped to a knee and checked his pulse. "He’s still breathing. Help me move him."
Nathan hesitated for a moment before helping haul the man toward a sheltered corner, away from the ruckus.
Theo told the guard he’d live, though the guard didn’t look like he believed it.
They’d barely straightened up when Theo shouted, "Nathan, watch out!"
A pipe swung down where Nathan had been standing half a second earlier.
Theo shoved him aside and took the blow across his own shoulder, the impact driving him down onto one knee with a grunt of pain.
He pushed forward, colliding into the attacker, sending both of them to the ground.
Nathan turned to the attacker, a lanky inmate holding a pipe. He sent two kicks, forcing the man to stay down.
He helped Theo upright, guilt tightening in his chest. "You didn’t have to do that."
But better him than me.
"I want that sponsor money, mate." Theo rolled the bad shoulder and winced. "Besides, Ultraprime would have done it."
Nathan frowned. "You’re not Ultraprime." His eyes moved to Theo’s shoulder. "How bad is it?"
"Nothing’s broken. It’s just gonna hurt like hell tomorrow." Theo managed a half-grin through the pain.
"That’s good." Nathan muttered.
"Keep an eye out," Theo said. "It’s every bloke for himself."
Nathan’s gaze turned to the chaos of the yard and that’s when he saw a familiar guard. The one he had been paying off.
He was on the ground while three inmates circled him like vultures, taking their turns to kick him.
Nathan’s stomach dropped.
Damn it, not him. My investment.
He started forward but Theo caught his arm. "What are you doing?"
"What’s it look like? I’m helping him."
"He’s already gone, mate. There’s no way the two of us can take on three men swinging like that."
"I’m not going to fight them," Nathan said. "I have a plan. Just follow me."
Nathan approached the three men with his hands raised as a sign of peace. The one closest to him turned, his fist already cocked, ready to attack.
"Wait," Nathan said. "I’m not here to fight. I want in."
The man paused, fist still raised. "In on what?"
Nathan reached slowly into his jumpsuit and pulled out one of the bundles of cash he’d wrapped and held it out. "Leave him to me. I’ve got history with this one. You can consider this a rental fee."
The three exchanged a look and grinned. Money still meant something, even in the chaos.
Nathan tossed the cash to the man who counted it fast, then grinned and stepped back. He gestured grandly towards the guard curled on the ground. "Be our guest."
The other two backed off as well, already scanning the yard for their next target.
Nathan waited until they had left before crouching down. The guard flinched, one of his eyes was already swollen and blood ran from his nose. "P-please—"
"Relax," Nathan said. "It’s me."
The guard’s working eye focused, disbelief slowly replacing terror. "...Sir?"
"Can you stand?" Nathan asked, already motioning for his cellmate to come help him.
With Theo’s help, they got him upright, an arm slung over each of their shoulders.
"Y-you paid them," the guard wheezed. "You actually paid them to..."
"Don’t think about it," Nathan cut in. "Save your breath and keep moving."
Theo chuckled. "I thought you’d pull some stunt or try to talk them down. I didn’t expect you’d actually throw money at the problem."
Nathan smiled. "Money did the talking."
Theo shook his head. His eyes widened as he looked at the sky. Nathan followed the direction of his gaze.
Far above the prison, a lone figure soared across the grey sky, heading straight toward the facility.