Judgement Call

Part Eight

Audrey

Audrey folded her arms, thinking over the plan for a final time. This will work. She thought. I've gone over it nearly thirteen times. The major flaws have been teased out, this will work. Pulling a compact pair of wire clippers, she stepped towards the chain link, dropping to her knees and beginning to cut a large gap in the barrier.

This was the first step in Audrey's simple but fully developed and considered plan. She'd spent hours working on this, fine tuning it and editing in order to ensure that it was as effective and ran as smoothly as possible. Still, a hint of doubt pulled at her. Was this truly the right decision? Would breaking General Philips out of jail cause more trouble than it solved?

Stop doubting yourself. She chided mentally. You have to do something, and this seems like the most effective course of action. Doubts just waste precious time. Audrey clipped the last few links in the chain and the wire circle fell to the ground, leaving an opening just big enough for her to slip through.

Once she was through the hole, Audrey reached back and pulled a small bag filled with the necessary supplies after her. Then, carefully putting the wire of the fence back in place and using a few zip ties to make it appear at first glance that it had never been cut, she began carefully making her way towards the tall and simple building that served as the jail currently holding her old commanding officer.

Reaching the building, Audrey straightened the guard's uniform she had stolen specifically for this infiltration. Brushing some dirt off of her knees, then hiding the bag in her large uniform, she strode into the building. It was easy enough to mimic the confident and casual walk of the patrolling guards, which was exactly what Audrey did as she strode through the jail.

She walked through the hallways as if she knew them as familiar as her home. Which in some ways she did, seeing as she'd memorized the building plans for this place before even creating her plan. It took Audrey precisely three minutes and twenty eight seconds to reach General Philips' cell, which was really more of a two room suite.

Still hesitant, she paused outside of the door, her hand outstretched to open it, but something in her reluctant to do so.. Stop with the heistation! Audrey snapped. I'm breaking General Philips out of jail, and following his lead. I was raised to report to my superior officer, that's what I'm going to do.

Audrey was about to thrust open the door when the sound of approaching footsteps caused her to hesitate. From the professional snap of boots on the floor, she could pretty well tell that whoever was approaching was a guard. I thought I was going to be avoiding all the patrols!

Irritated, but hiding it behind the alert but casual guard persona she'd adopted for this mission, Audrey turned away from the door, continuing down the hall as if she was just continuing a patrol. Several moments after she'd stepped away from General Philips' cell, two guards rounded the corner, smiling and chatting with one another.

They both seemed somewhat surprised to find another guard walking down the hallway towards them.

"Good evening." One of the guards, a tall man with a jovial smile and sharp features, nodded to her.

Audrey nodded back, replying in the same manner.

"You get lost?" The other guard, a shorter woman with a rather blunt nose, asked. She had a much more terse and professional air than her companion. "These are our halls to patrol."

The man smirked.

"Or did that idiot Weston up at the 'HQ' give you the wrong directions?"

His comrade gave him an angry glance, apparently disapproving of his light and careless thoughts of superiors.

"Not at all." Audrey replied with a similar terse and professional air. "I was assigned to this section this afternoon, as extra assistance for patrolling."

The woman shook her head in irritation while her partner sighed. This type of thing didn't seem very new to them.

"Those pricks managing our shifts don't know a thing." The man muttered. "We were doing perfectly fine on our own."

The woman gave him a sharp glance, apparently annoyed at his insolence. Audrey wasn't surprised. That wasn't how people were supposed to talk about superiors.

"That's perfectly fine." The woman said to Audrey. "And quite understandable, seeing as the prisoners in this section need extra guard anyways. You continue the way you were headed, and we'll go our way."

Audrey nodded, continuing walking forwards the same as the other two guards. She passed them and kept going, eventually turning the corner and continuing down the hall a ways before doubling back to the General's door.

Once more, she stood there, about to open the door, walk in, and break her commanding officer out of jail. This is probably insane. Audrey noted. The number of laws alone that I'm breaking while doing this... She shook her head then, deciding not to stall any further, carefully picked the lock before thrusting open the door and walking in.

Inside, seated rather casually on a couch, a book in hand, was General Philips. He looked up as Audrey entered, a look of confusion, followed by recognition, followed by surprise, followed by a strange look of pride and satisfaction.

Seeing that look on General Philips' face, the way he seemed to be proud of her, filled Audrey with a strange sensation. For a moment, she simply stood where she was, trying to understand the joy she felt at pleasing this man who, for lack of a better word, could probably be viewed as her father.

Then she remembered that she was on a timed schedule, and once more snapped into action.

"Sir," Audrey said, nodding in respect to the General.

"Audrey." He replied, setting the book aside and standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to break you out, Sir."

"Yes, but why?" He was watching her carefully, almost giving the impression that this was a test of sorts.

"I need your guidance, Sir. There are things happening concerning Judgement Call which I don't know how to deal with. I want to assist my siblings in whatever is happening, but to do so I will need your guidance and instruction."

"I see." General Philips replied, walking over to her.

"I assume you have an escape plan."

She nodded.

"Yes, Sir." Audrey nodded, pulling out her strategically hidden backpack and rifling through it for the things she'd brought for their escape.

"Wonderful." He said. "Brief me on your plan and we can be on our way." He hesitated. "And I'm assuming you have news on whatever is going on with the rest of Judgement Call?"

Audrey nodded yet again.

"Yes, Sir. I can brief you on that as well."

"Once we're safely on our way." The General replied.

And once again, Audrey nodded, before preparing to show him her escape plan. The wonderful familiarity of obeying a commanding officer and working on a mission made Audrey want to grin, although she kept that all inside her, not letting any of it show.

Finally. The girl thought. Finally things will go right for once.  

Author's Note:
Sorry for this one being so short, but it felt like a good ending so... *shrugs* Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this! It might be a couple days before I get another part up....