Chapter 4: The Mall
Foxy and the others dropped into a sprint, desperately searching for a place to hide. After the people in the police station recovered from their shock, they started to chase the animatronics, and Foxy could hear sirens in the distance. Thankfully, it was still way too early for most of the suburbanites to be awake, so all the robots had to do was escape the police.
Several blocks away from the police station was the city's mall, appropriately placed near the largest residential districts. Despite Officer Reuben's phrasing, the police station he was assigned to was not actually located downtown, instead serving to provide police protection to the suburbs and their commercial areas. Freddy and the others ran for a service entrance, slamming through it and breaking the door's deadbolt with their momentum. Unfortunately, the four robots had all tried to get through the doorway together, ending up tripping over each other and landing in a heap just inside.
Chica got up first, having winded up on top of the pile, and quickly shut the door. Bonnie, who was under Chica, but on top of Freddy and Foxy, rolled off of Foxy's back, standing up and peering around. They had broken their handcuffs after the police found out they weren't human, but still had the rings clasped to their wrists.
As Foxy and Freddy untangled themselves from each other, Chica joined Bonnie in walking around to the atrium. Nothing was open, since it wasn't even six, and the lights were off. Soon, Foxy and Freddy joined them, distracted by all the shops, as well as the size of the building they were in.
"Wow! This place is huge!" Bonnie said, looking up through the many stories.
"I wonder what this place is for," Freddy wondered aloud. He walked over to a shop, its entrance covered by a metal gate. It was an electronics store, with many new and shiny gadgets and gizmos lining the shelves. Being unaware of what they were, Freddy soon lost interest.
As the four wandered about, the police sirens could be heard getting closer and closer. Remembering that they were indeed trying to hide, the animatronics ducked into a maintenance hallway.
"We need a plan," Chica said. Freddy nodded.
"I agree, I think they know we're here. Let's see..." Freddy said, thinking.
"Let's just scare 'em off," Foxy offered, "We already spook 'em."
"Yeah! And we're pretty good at it anyway," Chica agreed, then looked to Bonnie, "Unless you have a problem with it."
"I don't!" Bonnie told the chicken, crossing her arms, "It's different, they started it!"
"So it's agreed? Same old scare plan?" Freddy took a vote. It was unanimous. Let the fun begin.
Officer Wilkes pulled his squad car into the mall parking lot. Those things had been heading in this direction, and torn up lawn showed they had been here very recently. Shining his spotlight, he noticed one of the side doors was damaged, a large dent apparent in the middle.
"This is Wilkes, pull up to the West side, I got 'em," he radioed. Reuben and Galloway acknowledged, and soon the three officers were standing outside the damaged door.
"Holy shit," Reuben said, "Those things just barreled straight on through."
"Dr. Terrace said she wants these guys re-captured, plus they did sort of break out of jail, technically," Galloway reminded the group, "So I guess we better go inside." He pushed open the door, showing a completely dark mall, the only light the dim square formed by the open doorway.
"How inviting," Reuben said sarcastically, pulling out his flashlight. The others did the same, and started sweeping the beams around the open space, walking inside. The three panned around, looking for any signs of Freddy and the others. A large shadow dashed by to their right, and Wilkes quickly aimed his flashlight, but illuminated a potted plant.
