Brand_S and TemporalFlux sat in their dungeon cell, thinking of a way to escape. Two nights had already passed, and they new that they would have to get to the timer soon if they were to slide out. The only problem was, other than the fact that the countdown ended that day, they weren't exactly sure how much time they had.So far, the only plan that S and TF attempted was the old, "pretend you're sick and call the guard" trick. Unfortunately, when TF called to their guard to tell him S was sick, the guard sent for a palace medic and stood watch as the medic examined S, found nothing was wrong with him and promptly slapped him upside the head for trying such a stupid plan. It was obvious that the guards in the palace were smarter than the average storm trooper.
As S and TF debated a way to escape, the guard standing outside their cell overheard them. "Are you still trying to escape?" he asked.
"Wouldn't you, Dumbass?" S retorted.
"I'm not the one who tried the old "sick prisoner" ploy. How smart do you two really think you are?"
S stood up. "Smart? TF here is not only an expert on Sliders, but he was the one who built the machine that got us here."
"That doesn't sound very smart to me. What's Sliders, anyway?"
"It's a television show," TF remarked, facing away from the door.
"So you're an expert on a television show? That's not expertise..."
A fire entered TF's eyes.
The guard turned around and faced the door, looking inside. "...It doesn't take a high IQ to understand a show!" The guard stopped to laugh a bit. "Come on then genius, enlighten me!"
With a burst of energy, TF burst through the door, smashing the guard against the opposite wall. Without a word, the guard crumpled to the floor.
"Christ, TF! Remind me never to piss you off like that!" S said as he walked out of the cell.
TF's eyes still glowed with energy. "Will I need to?"
"Uh...no."
The fire died out. "Fine. Now let's go find the timer so we can get out of here."
The pair ran down the hall and up a flight of stairs when they crashed headlong into another guard that was coming from the opposite direction. The guard quickly regained his senses scrambled for his rifle. S jumped on top of him and the two fought for control of the gun. In the middle of the struggle, the gun went off and S flew backwards. TF looked down at the fallen S, then without a second thought jumped at the guard and punched his lights out before he could raise his gun on him.
"S, are you alive?"
The motionless body of S groaned. "I'm alright." S sat up and examined his uniform. The bullet was lodged in the cloth on the uniform's right breast. "What the heck?" S opened his uniform and took a closer look. The material on the inside was apparently bullet resistant.
"Hey, TF, check it out! It's both stylish and functional!"
TF helped S up to his feet and the two continued to make their escape, rifle in hand. They snuck through some hallways and doors before they came to an elevator, but unfortunately it required a key. The pair wondered where it led. They could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. Thinking quickly, TF handed the gun to S. S held it up to TF's face, pretending he just caught a prisoner.
BritSlider appeared from around the corner. As soon as he saw the two, he turned around and began running. S flashed the gun in BritSlider's direction and shot him in the heel of his right foot, sending the scientist double down. TF and S ran up to BritSlider and pinned him down.
"Where does that elevator lead?" TF asked.
"I don't know," BritSlider replied.
"That's a lie," TF countered. "That's where you were headed, isn't it? Does that lead to the lab?" S held the gun close to BritSlider's head. "Is that the lab down there?" TF asked again.
BritSlider winced. "Yes," he cried. "It is! Now would you let me go, already?"
TF loosened his grip on BritSlider and searched the scientist's pockets. In the left pocket of BritSlider's smock, he found a card with a magnetic strip, ran to the elevator and slid the card in. A red light on the lock turned green and the elevator opened. S turned and ran for the elevator. As he took his gun off of BritSlider, the double reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small remote control. After the elevator closed, BritSlider pushed a button and spoke into it. "The prisoners have escaped and are headed down!"
The elevator door opened and TF and S jumped out into the lab, but every technician and scientist in the room was armed with various weapons.
"Shit!" TF and S yelled as they ducked behind a desk. S got on his knees and fired a couple of ineffective shots. TF looked for the timer and saw it on a table in the middle of the room.
TF glanced at S. "Go to the elevator, quick!" As S backed towards the elevator, TF stood up and charged for the timer. Picking it up, he just barely missed receiving some nasty wounds from the gunfire. S fired his rifle and cleared TF's way to the elevator, closing the door as he tumbled in. As the door closed, S took one last potshot at a large machine in the back corner, causing it to fry.
Meanwhile...
Queen Slider_Sarah was in her throne room, gloating to and laughing at Hunter, who looked rather bored.
Finally, SS stopped talking. "So are you going to tell me why you had me brought here or what?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Raven. In just a few minutes, we'll be having a bit of fun," the queen said with her usual perpetual cockiness. She raised her right hand to her mouth. "OH ho ho ho ho ho ho!"
"Maybe you'll be having fun," Hunter mumbled.
"General Stax_!" the queen called. Stax_, wearing a rather flashy dress uniform, entered the throne room moments later.
"Take my guest to be prepared." She turned back to Hunter. "I'll be looking forward to this afternoon. Be sure not to disappoint me now!" Once again, she raised her right hand and laughed. "OH ho ho ho ho ho ho!"
Stax_ and a few soldiers escorted Hunter from the room as SS continued laughing. Right after they left, a messenger came running into the room.
"What is it?" SS asked.
"The other prisoners, Your Majesty. They've escaped and taken back their device."
"So?"
"They also broke the portal tracker."
"Your point being?"
"Well, they could escape, Your Highness."
"Even I know that, so what's the matter?"
"You don't care that they've escaped?"
"OH ho ho ho ho ho ho! Of course not! I was never interested in those pests in the first place."
The messenger thought for a moment. "What if they interrupt your fun with Raven, Your Majesty?"
This comment snapped the queen back to reality and caused her to stand up. "Alert the troops! Search the castle! I want everyone on full alert. Kill them on sight, then cut them in half to make sure they're dead!"
The messenger ran out of the throne room, leaving the queen alone. "OH ho ho ho ho ho ho!"
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