As Lisa and the other ladies continued to make their hushed escape into the duct, Henry and Wayne now had their hands full as well. Wayne had already guided Jenifer and the other nineteen ladies to where Henry was waiting. But now he was carefully listening to the voices of the two guards leaving the ladies cell room. The listing of the duct was still an issue and he had to be sure that there was no one below in the hall.

The last two ladies with him were eagerly waiting for him to take his ear off from the duct bottom and give them the go ahead to keep escaping. The other eight ladies were ahead of Wayne when the duct started to fall. When Wayne and the two ladies froze due to the danger, Wayne had waved on the other eight ahead to meet up with Henry.

“That was too close!” Wayne thought to himself. “When the duct started to fall, I thought for sure we were going to be caught!”

The sounds of the two guards grumbling to each other became increasingly loud and Wayne held his breath out of fear that his breathing might give himself away. Undoubtedly the two ladies were doing the same. Wayne inadvertently placed a hand on the butt of his pistol tucked in the back of his pants.

His mind was getting frantic now. “If we were to fall right now or be heard, could I fight them? I’ve shot at the Black Rats when they attacked the headquarters, but I didn’t actually see if my bullets hit anyone. Would I still be able to do the same here?”

Fortunately, these questions were not going to be answered tonight. The sound of the two guard’s voices were starting to trail off when the noise of a door, opening and shutting, was audible only to then be immediately followed by silence. They had managed to stay in the clear.

Wayne sighed inwardly and sat up from the duct floor. Seeing that he was relieved, the two ladies also let out a collective sigh. Wayne then leaned onto both of his hands and he could feel the duct giving way on the right.

“Ok, stay on the left side, and don’t put pressure on anything to quickly.” Wayne whispered as softly as his nervous voice would allow him.

The two remaining nameless women nodded and leaned favorably onto the left of the vent. As they followed Wayne, he made sure to adjust the dish towels to mark out the new, safe path. It was amazing to him that in such a tight space as this duct that there could be so many different places to touch that might squeak, grate, or bend uncomfortably. He looked ahead in the nearly dark duct and was confused to see that there was not a single woman nor Henry waiting for them in the vent.

Wayne pressed on as he wondered in thought, “Did they go outside already? They were supposed to wait for us.”

…

When the first two groups of ladies arrived at the bottom of the ducts outside vent, Henry did his best to keep them silent. However, these giddy ladies, but mostly Jenifer, could not contain themselves. They all were huddling together at the base of the vertical portion of the duct and trying to get a view of freedom above. Jenifer arched her head back and took another moment to gaze up through the broken fan at the alluring twinkle of the stars above.

“Its so beautiful!” Jenifer whispered to herself. “It has been almost four months since I had last seen the sky.”

Henry, however, was not feeling as happy as the ladies were. He could hear and feel the vent duct’s flooring staring to bend. He could tell that they were likely mere moments from collapsing down to whatever might be below them. He knew that even though getting them all above ground was the safe move, it was also risky.

The guards on patrol on the golf cart path were not far away from where the vent entrance was. Judging from the hustle and bustle of the ladies with him now, keeping them silent above ground was going to be even more of a hassle. His mind was conflicted until he heard the duct in Wayne’s direction boom only to then be followed by a shrill shriek! Through his feet he could feel tremors rumbling from whatever might be happening beyond.

“Welp, that settles it.” Henry hissed to the ladies that were starting to look panicked at the harsh sound coming from behind them. “It’s time to get out. Grab onto the rope and climb up. You have to wait for me first, so lay down behind the shrubs and the little barn until we all are out.” Henry then pointed at the handcuffed lady, “You go first.”

That was she needed to hear. Being closest to the rope, she skillfully pulled her way up with some help from Henry’s chest and shoulders. Though he was not pleased to be jostled and kicked about, he did his best to get her up. He made a mental note to be more prepared for the others when it was their turn.

As soon as the handcuffed lady reached the broken fan and pulled herself out into the world above, all the ladies suddenly pressed forwards. The duct was now packed tighter than sardines in a can. They were basically standing on Henrys toes now!

“Hey, wait your turn and make some room!” Henry whispered harshly.

“We can’t back up.” Jenifer whispered back. She was being pressed up against the wall alongside him. “The others are coming out from the duct.”

“Shoot!” Henry seethed. “Alright then, hurry up and start climbing up. Use my body as a ladder if you must.”

Though he had wanted to not become a human ladder, time was not going to let him have that luxury. Jenifer did as she was told and started to climb onto his should to grab the rope, however, being so weak, Jenifer was having some difficulty. Being in such a tight space made it even more difficult for Henry to help Jenifer too. Fortunately, the handcuffed lady returned to help pull Jenifer and the other ladies up.

Minutes later, everyone was out of the duct and into the fresh, cool air above. Henry was the last to climb up and when he came out, he was mortified by how loud they were all being. One overly emotional older lady even let a bit of laughter.

Henry went to clamp a hand over her mouth, but the handcuffed lady beat him to her. “Shh! All of you settle down now! Do you all want to get caught?”” The handcuffed lady chided harshly.

Hearing her words, they all fell silent. The handcuffed looked from lady to lady sternly before speaking in a low whisper again. “That’s better. Now, you, show us where to go next.”

Henry didn’t like being talked to so forcefully, he was already on edge. He, however, held his tongue and carefully stood up to look at the area around them. The open golf course was still and dark in all directions. However, knowing that the cart pathway was mostly hidden below the course, Henry couldn’t tell how close the patrols might be.

Dropping back down to his knees, Henry explained what to do next. “Follow me in a line of twos. We are going to be going straight that way towards a fence. There is another guy waiting for us there and he has ladders for us to get over. Once we get there, get over the fence quickly. I’ll explain the rest of the escape route from there.”

The handcuffed lady was eyeing the area ahead that Henry was referring too. She had remained skeptical of everything that was going on and warry of anything that might be a trap. However, nothing had seemed questionable yet. She just couldn’t understand who these people helping them were and why?

“You heard him, get with a buddy and let’s go.” The handcuffed lady ordered.

Henry stood up once again and looked both ways before jogging towards where the golf cart path was below the nearest dip in the landscape. Following him and bending low, the others tried to keep up. Their shadows drew long blotches on the clean-cut grass as the low hanging yellow moon watched over them. Though the moon lit their way, it also exposed them to anyone that might be watching.

Henry stopped at the bottom of the slope and at the edge of the path to wait for the others to join him. The last pair was about to join them when a light appeared. The patrol was coming from the direction of the mansion!

There was nowhere to hide! The path was not lined with any shrubbery, nor were there any rocks. They couldn’t go back either, because the path from here had a clear view of the golf course above. They had to make a run for it, yet this option was not any better. Across the path it was all open ground before they reached a few scrubby bushes that lined the fence and hardly hid Willis.

“Go! Go without a sound!” Henry hissed as he led the way.

The ladies, forgetting to stay in pairs, dashed for the scrubby bushes. They were all running in such a panic that one lady tripped on a little shin high ditch that followed the path, hidden by the darkness. No one noticed the lady had fallen either, not until they all had jumped into the bushes and the handcuffed lady did a head count.

“We are missing someone!” The handcuffed lady whispered to Henry.

Henry looked back to see that the two-man patrol team was carrying flashlights and were scanning the area ahead of them periodically. Then squinting to see in the dim pale moon light, he spotted the fallen lady. Apparently frozen with fear, the lady was still on the ground with her hands over her head. She was going to be spotted in no time!

Henry then did something he would call stupid. Forgetting that he was only there to help and not get himself caught, Henry wordlessly left the bushes and ran for the lady. He didn’t have a plan; his mind was just blank.

Dropping down, he slid on the grass next to her. Urgently his shook her shoulders and whispered, “Get up! They are coming.”

“I-I can’t m-move.” The lady whimpered.

Henry looked up just as the dim edge of a flashlight passed over them. They only had seconds left! Looking around him all he could see was the shin high ditch. He grabbed the woman and rolled her into the ditch and then he too laid flat into the ditch with her. He knew it was not deep enough, not by a long shot. Yet it was all he could do.

“I’m an idiot!” Henry thought. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Then taking a tentative glance up he saw the two patrol gangsters were just steps from them.

The gangster on the left was sweeping his flashlight over the fence and bushes, while the one on the right was pointing his own light onto the path directly at his feet. Henry could see their faces clearly now and that they were both armed with guns slung over their shoulders.

Just as the left patrol gangster was swinging his flashlight back onto the path, which would undoubtedly landed on Henry and the lady, something unexpected happened. Henry watched as both men, walking side-by-side, suddenly had both of their heads explode! Blood, brains, and the unsettling crinkle of flesh and bone ripping was easily distinguished. A second later the distant boom of a single gunshot echoed across the valley.

Zane let out a low whistle, “Now that is what I call a clean shot. I love boss Lisa’s sniper!”