With a mock salute, Atlas was sent off into the tram as Jinx twirled in place in her Enforcer disguise. Somewhere in the piles of crates were two unconscious Enforcers which, even with her substituting as one, meant he was on a time crunch before the next rotation began.
Atlas sat among over a dozen Enforcers, his disguise and mask on. He was very tempted earlier to knock out a third and bring a uniform for Vi, but how would he hide it?
Five-one-six. Forty levels below ground if I remember right.
An angry hiss echoed as they came to a grinding halt, sparks flying off the wire.
"Fucking roulette every time we ride this damned thing," one grumbled.
"Hah! Back in my day—!"
A few shoulder punches later and merry jostling, they arrived at the entrance. It towered meters above everyone bathed in an ominous red glow.
Why red? Maybe just for intimidation. And it worked.
His gaze lowered across the polished black marble to the warden several steps up behind a pedestal. A towering figure with grey skin, an uncaring expression, and a bulky frame, his cane resting against the podium.
And he looked extremely bored.
But no one seemed to care or check in with him either. The group Atlas walked with naturally separated. Branching off on either side of the warden were elevators and a passage leading to staff and operations.
Three went down the left passage, two right. Four hopped into the left elevator, and three into the right.
That's my group, Atlas thought, casually stepping into the elevator with them.
Nobody cared.
One of them, mask off, stared up at the ceiling with an expression full of dread.
"Eight more hours of staring at these fucking walls..." he groaned.
"Tell me about it," another muttered. "Gary stole my fucking cards last shift."
"Fucking Gary."
"Fuck Gary!"
The elevator broke into a wave of snickers.
At level twenty-two, two stepped off. At level thirty-eight, the unmasked one followed.
"You're not with me?" he asked, looking back with a despairing expression.
"No, sorry," Atlas replied apologetically.
"Fuck..."
A minute later, the elevator squealed open again.
Atlas stepped out and immediately spotted two Enforcers playing cards at a table, both looking painfully bored. An emergency alarm lever sat within arm's reach and opposite them was the control room with levers to open cells.
A lone Enforcer walking down the cell block would be suspicious. There's a limit to boredom and my actions would stir curiousity. Element of surprise and get the fuck out.
He reached into his pouch and pulled out one of the three Chemflashes he had, yanking the pin.
One... two...
A quick toss.
Keeping the elevator door open with his foot, hands clamped over his ears and eyes shut, the blast went off with a blinding flash of light.
"FUCK!"
"AGH!"
The table crashed to the ground as the two Enforcers dropped instantly.
Atlas rushed out, his fists connecting with their chins to make sure they stayed down.
Fuck, it still got me, Atlas shook his head, a dull headache lingering. Painful groans from nearby prisoners echoed down the corridor.
Atlas immediately sprinted down the cell block, slowing just enough to check each prisoner. About halfway through, he found her.
Cell forty-two.
Standing in the shadows, pressed against the back wall, was the all-too-familiar pink-haired woman. Short-cut hair, "VI" tattooed under her eye, athletic, compact, and built like she could fold Atlas in half without effort.
Well… Atlas thought, tilting his head. More like short and thick. Not as muscular as season two… but still dangerous.
"Who are you?" Vi's cautious voice echoed out.
His gaze finally met hers beneath the mask. She looked tense, nervous, and guarded.
"I'm your sister's… I'm with your sister."
"My sister's here?!" Her tone shifted instantly as she stepped forward. "Why is- Is she okay?!"
"Yes," Atlas answered quickly, already turning and breaking into a sprint back toward the control room. "No time to explain. Meet me at the elevator when your cell opens!"
"Hey! Let us out!" one of the inmates shouted.
"Me too! Come on, we can help!"
"Don't ignore us shitbag!"
The desperate voices turned quickly into a rising uproar by the time Atlas reached the control room and yanked her lever.
Moments later Vi arrived breathing heavily as Atlas began stripping one of the unconscious Enforcers.
She paused, bewildered, taking a step back before catching the helmet and gas mask he tossed her.
"This is the plan?!"
"This is the plan. Get into it!"
"Nnnngh—!" She let out a protesting noise but started putting it on anyway as he dragged the unconscious bodies into the control room.
"What's the plan now?" her muffled voice asked, adjusting the tight uniform that clung to her figure.
Atlas pressed the elevator button.
"Now?" he breathed, wiping his hands on his uniform as he glanced back at the increasingly rowdy cell block.
"Now we hopefully walk out."