Chapter 557 Prison Break: Escape
Ashton, Anna, and Tarek rushed through the dark halls of the prison, trying to find their way out. They could hear the sound of alarms blaring in the distance, the chaotic noise echoing through the corridors. The guards had been alerted, and they knew they had to move fast.
Ashton led the way, his senses heightened as he scanned the area for any signs of danger. He had his weapons ready, prepared to take down anyone in their way.
Anna followed closely behind, her heart racing with adrenaline. She knew they were in a dangerous situation, but she also knew they had to escape. She kept a firm grip on Tarek's arm, making sure he didn't stumble or fall.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Ashton quickly turned around, aiming his weapon at the source of the noise. A group of guards were rushing towards them, their guns raised and ready to fire.
"Get down!" Ashton yelled and brought out his own gun as he couldn't use his abilities as there was the risk of being identified by the Empire.
Ashton didn't hesitate. He opened fire, his bullets striking each of the guards with deadly accuracy. Anna flinched at the sound of the gunfire, but she knew they had no other choice. They had to keep moving.
As they continued to run, they came across more guards, but Ashton quickly took them down. They finally reached a large open area filled with chaos and confusion. Guards were rushing in from all sides, and there was no clear path to safety.
"Malekith, help!" Ashton looked around frantically, trying to find a way out.
"Topside! There's a ventilation shaft there!" The AI replied.
Ashton stared above and found the shaft Malekith had mentioned.
"We have to climb up there," he shouted over the noise.
Anna nodded, grabbing Tarek's arm and pulling him towards the shaft. Ashton boosted Tarek up, then helped Anna climb up after him. He followed quickly, then pulled the ventilation cover closed behind them.
In the darkness of the shaft, they could hear the guards rushing past them. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief. If they had been a moment late, things wouldn't have ended well for them.
"We should be safe for now," he said.
Anna nodded, her heart still racing. She looked over at Tarek, who was pale and trembling.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Tarek nodded, but his voice was barely above a whisper. "I just want to get out of here."
"Where to now, Malekith?"
"Just follow the path, and you should end up in one of the storage rooms near the prison's entrance."
"Got it."
Ashton knew they had to keep moving. He led the way through the narrow, cramped shaft, his muscles straining as he pulled himself along. Anna and Tarek followed closely behind, their breath coming in short gasps.
Finally, they reached the end of the shaft, and Ashton pushed open the cover. They emerged into a small room filled with crates and supplies. Ashton quickly scanned the area, checking for any signs of danger.
When he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he motioned for the others to follow him. They crept through the room, then out a door on the other side.
They found themselves in a long hallway lined with doors on either side. Ashton quickly led them down the hallway, trying to find a way out. They came across a door that led outside, and Ashton pushed it open.
As Malekith said, they emerged near the massive entrance, which was already open for some reason.
"Shouldn't this place be in lockdown?" Anna quizzed.
"Who cares? Let's go!" Ashton yelled over the noise of blaring sirens.
Ashton, Anna, and Tarek emerged from the prison gates, and the chaos outside was overwhelming. Prisoners had taken over the central courtyard and were breaking out their fellow criminals of their cells while security forces were trying to contain them with stun batons and plasma rifles.
The three of them had to navigate through the throngs of prisoners and guards to get to the designated extraction point, where Kass and the stealth ship would be waiting for them.
Ashton took point, using his enhanced strength and agility to punch and kick his way through the crowds. Anna followed close behind, her own skills in combat coming in handy as she swung a baton she had picked up from one of the guards. Tarek was stumbling behind them, barely able to keep up with their frantic pace.
"Stay close to us, Tarek," Ashton called over his shoulder. "We'll get you out of here."
"I don't know how to thank you both," Tarek replied, panting for breath. "I never thought I'd make it out of there alive."
"You don't have to thank us yet," Anna turned to him. "Besides, we are not in the clear yet, nor are we breaking you out of here for charity."
As they continued through the throngs of prisoners and guards, Ashton noticed something strange happening. The prisoners were no longer fighting against the guards; instead, they were working together to fend off a common enemy.
"Something's not right," Ashton muttered to Anna, his senses on high alert. "I can sense a strong presence nearby... the person or thing has to be Grade A or above level."
"We need to get out of here fast," Anna nodded, her instincts telling her the same thing. "Kass and the ship are waiting for us."
They pushed their way through the final group of prisoners, and as they emerged from the chaos, they saw Kass and the ship hovering overhead, its engines whirring as it prepared for takeoff.
"Get in!" Kass yelled down at them, her voice muffled by the ship's engines. "Hurry, before that motherfucker notices us!"
Ashton, Anna, and Tarek sprinted towards the ship, dodging blasts of plasma fire from the security forces as they ran. Ashton took down two guards with a swift roundhouse kick while Anna used her weapon to knock out another who tried to block their way.
"Upsy daisy!"
As they reached the ship, Ashton grabbed Tarek and threw him onto the loading ramp while Anna covered their retreat with a few well-aimed shots from her weapon. Finally, they were all on board, and Kass hit the accelerator, blasting off into the sky and away from the prison planet.
"What the hell is going on?" Anna asked Kass as she seemed to know something they did not.
"Not now, Anna!" Kass yelled over the radio. "I'll tell you everything once we are off this goddamned place!"