Maddie had to think fast. She lunged for the guard's belt and managed to procure the laser pistol. The guard sat up, reaching for her, but was overcome by head rush.
"I know how that feels," said Maddie, with a quiet voice. "Listen, I don't want to shoot, but I will if you make a move or a noise. Got it?"
The guard looked at her for a little while. Then started laughing. "You wouldn't--"
"Do you know what I'm in here for?" Maddie said harshly, training to the pistol at the man's chest. "Murder!" True, she was in here for murder. But she was actually innocent. What the guard didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
His smirk faded.
"Button, open that closet," Maddie said, motioned with her eyes to the closet in the corner.
Joseph opened it. "There're just clothes in here. Just some sweatshirts and jackets."
"Bring a sweatshirt over here and tie one of the sleeves around this guy's mouth."
Joseph pulled a blue sweatshirt from the closet and walked up behind the guard. A bead of sweat rolled off Maddie's forehead. She didn't like the idea of Joseph being so close to this guard. Joseph was half the size, maybe less. Her finger was on the laser gun's trigger. And she was slightly shaking, hoping the guard wouldn't notice.
"You're never going to escape," said the guard.
"Just shut up." Maddie motioned to Joseph to carry out her orders.
Joseph brought the sleeve of the sweatshirt around the guard's mouth.
"You'll never get past the--"
Then the guard was muffled and he gave up talking. Joseph tied the sweatshirt tight in a double knot. Maddie would redo it, but first they needed to get the guard's hands tied.
"Take off your belt," Maddie told the man. "Take it off slowly, and hand it to Joseph."
The guard did as he was told. Maddie kept a careful eye on the man's hands, waiting for a false move. Anticipating one. She didn't know what she would do if he tried anything. She wouldn't kill him. She couldn't. He was just as innocent as her and Joseph. He was just doing his job. But right now, he was the bad guy. The enemy. Standing between her and Joseph's freedom.
Once the belt was completely off, Maddie told Joseph to strip the belt of all the weapons. Then she had him tie the guard's hands behind his back with the belt. Satisfied, Maddie placed the laser pistol on the desk and went to work reinforcing the restraints on the guard's hands, as well as the gag over his mouth.
Picking up the gun again and pointing it at him, she had him stand and walk into the closet. Then sit. He fit in the closet with some space left over. Then Maddie took another sweatshirt and tied up his ankles and legs. Shutting the closet door felt like the end of a temporary nightmare. The guard would be fine and found in the morning. And they'd be long gone.
Maddie and Joseph rearranged the desks and bookshelves to block the closet door.
Now, onto the next order of business.
Government passes.
"Boot up the computer, Button."
Joseph picked up a small, two-inch by two-inch piece of plastic and pressed a button on the bottom of it. Just then, a holographic image popped out of the little box--the computer. The image was two-feet by two-feet, proportionate to the size of the computer.
Maddie set the computer on the desk, and started pressing buttons with her fingers. She was going to do a little hacking.
Yesterday, she'd seen a young woman in a suit walk through the prison. The woman had flashed her holographic badge to get around. She was some kind of inspector. Maddie was going to impersonate this woman. Well, the woman's occupation, anyway.
After some searching, Maddie found a file on the computer of a badge template. She then located a file full of several hundred templates. Some more searching and she found the woman's badge in a log of recently swiped badges.
It took five minutes for Maddie take a picture of herself and replace the woman's picture with hers. She changed a few other details as well. The woman's badge said she was twenty-three. Maddie changed that to eighteen. She was only fourteen, but with some luck she could pull off eighteen. One boy, in the market, once mistook her for a seventeen year old. That was close enough.
Maddie found a handheld holo in one of desk drawers, then she downloaded her badge to the handheld. She had no pocket in her white pants to carry the handheld. But that would soon change.
Next stop, requisition clothing.
Now she had a laser pistol, tear gas, and a ream of keys. She didn't take the magnetic gun or whistle because she didn't need them.
She handed the keys and handheld to Joseph, but kept the weapons. For good measure, she placed the splinter back in her shoe.
Switching off the light, she cracked the door open.
Hallway was clear.