Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25

Chapter 48: Overload the Circuit

Hearing that Nichelle was on the other side of the wall sent chills through me.

"Michael, we've got to get out of here," Taylor said.

"I need to finish. Hatch could still kill all the prisoners. Abigail, McKenna, get out of here."

"We're not leaving you," they said simultaneously.

Sparks bounced off the floor as Bryan completed the second cut.

"He's halfway through," Taylor said.

"I'm not going out without a fight," Ostin said. He ran from the console over to the flamethrower.

"Ostin, I need you back here," I said. "I need you to unlock all the prison doors and turn off all the collars."

He turned to me. "We've got to stop them."

Taylor went to the flamethrower. "You go, I'll do it." She crouched down next to the machine as Ostin ran back to the console and started hitting switches.

I hit the central VOX button. "Attention, prisoners. This is Michael Vey. We are freeing you. We're unlocking all the doors. Your collars will soon be deactivated. As soon as the light goes off, take them off as quickly as you can. We're under attack, so we don't have much time. Ian, Jack, and Zeus will help get you out of the building. Do exactly as they say."

"How does this work?" Taylor said.

"Just pull the top trigger," Ostin said. "But not now. It will set the floor on fire."

"Michael!" Jack shouted over the intercom. "We're coming up the stairwell to rescue you!"

"Just be careful."

"Hey!" Ostin shouted. "Zeus is coming back up the elevator."

I looked over. "What? Tell him to turn back."

"I can't. There's no intercom in there."

The cutting had started again and Bryan completed another line in the wall.

"He's almost through!" Taylor yelled.

"Ostin, are you done?"

"Just about."

"Ian, all the collars are just about off. I don't know how long we can hold the floor, so use the elevators with caution."

"Got it, Michael."

The front elevator door opened and Zeus walked out.

"What are you doing here?" I shouted to him.

"I need to face Hatch," Zeus said.

"Send him an e-mail. Nichelle's with him. Take the girls and get out of here."

"We're not leaving," McKenna said again.

Taylor looked back at me and shook her head. "I'm not leaving you alone."

"McKenna, Taylor, these are Hatch's personal guards. They'll kill you. They'll kill all of us. Just get out. Please."

Just then Bryan completed the last cut and the thick plated metal fell forward, crashing onto the floor. A concussion grenade flew through the hole at us, exploding in the middle of the room. Taylor screamed, falling to the floor behind the flamethrower.

"Put down your weapons," Hatch shouted, "or we'll throw in real grenades!"

"They have those?" Ostin asked.

"I don't want to find out," I said. "Okay!" I yelled. "Taylor, back away from the flamethrower."

A moment later a guard stuck his head through the hole in the door. He looked around, then stepped inside. He was wearing a different uniform than I'd seen before—a bright green, rubberized suit with a helmet and bulletproof vest. He pointed his gun at us, as if daring one of us to engage him. Then Hatch, wearing the copper helmet, stepped through the hole behind him, closely followed by Nichelle and two other guards. Hatch looked around the room and said to me, "Quite a mess you've made of things, Vey."